please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Typical trendy Islington pub cum bar cum snackery with tables laid for food though only snacks on the menu. Only two handpulls and only one ale on - Young's Bitter. The ale was in good nick though, probably as good as the Bedford Young's gets.. Worth a drop by.
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It was reported today at Woolwich Crown Court that the largest burglary in English legal history - the Hatton Garden jewellery heist - was planned at meetings held in this pub by the gang. No mention of the ale.
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used to go in there when i lived in the area with my (now ex) girlfriend. always had a good time there, beer was always ok.
went there for the first time in a while and was plesantly surprised that things have stayed the same with regards to the atmosphere and staff.
def a place to pop in for a pint or 5!
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Had a nice vibe to it, and friendly barman. Had Doombar still, but also a lesser known Sharps beer called Coaster, which was on good form. Was pleasantly surprised overall, have passed it over the years and never stopped in before.
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ok pub but so variable with real ales, either a few or none, almost always that poxy doombar stuff which seems compulsory in nearly all london pubs these days, had my fair share of rancid pints i couldnt finish. They were serving some wonderful beers from Hogsback Brewery at one time but not any more it seems. Not tried the food, the pub is owned by Geronimo Inns - who also run the the nearby Betjamin Arms at St Pancras - enough said really...
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You know what, I was in here during the week and think I was a little harsh on it before. It served Doombar and Urban Dusk. The food appeared good, albeit expensive. It had a pleasant atmosphere. I can't put my finger on whether it has improved in the past few months, but it is an option in the area now I feel.
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The Castle seems to attract a mix bag of reviews but I have many good memories of this place when it was the Pint Pot including the watching the infamous England v Brazil World Cup match with its 7.30am kick off that tested the resolve licencing laws in those days before all day opening! Bacon Butties and copious pints for breakfast wasn�t the best start to a working day! These days it has been given a new name (thankfully still traditional rather than trendy) and a bit of an upmarket makeover which has given it more of a gastro edge but not in a way that detracts it from being a pub first and foremost. The d�cor may now be full of trendy shades of grey and bare floors and stripped back tables but I didn�t find it unappealing.
There are 2 hand pumps with ales sourced from Sharps and Hogs Back breweries. Sharps Betjeman Ale (which is actually Cornish Coaster in disguise) has been on for both my recent visits and Garden Gold and more recently T.E.A. have been the Hogs Back selections. There are also a range of top end lagers. I found prices to be quite reasonable given the sort of place it is and its location. The popular roof terrace gets extremely busy on warm days � there is a small bar upstairs but with a limited selection. I have found the staff quite welcoming and the barman on my recent visit was actually quite chatty about the beers, which makes a change from the usual faceless novices that I frequently come across. I am not usually drawn to pubs like the Castle, especially when I remember them prior to being tarted up, but I do feel quite comfortable here even and would certainly continue to use the place when I am in the area.
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I found this place a little unfriendly, both the bar staff and the decor fall short.
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Fashionistas venue, just qualifying for pub status. Small, clean downstairs room plus a mezzanine with a toilet view. Upstairs is a roof garden. They have at least surrounded it with a bamboo fence, but quite what the appeal is of sitting in a carbon fug above one of the busiest Monopoly board junctions is unclear. The one way system at White Lion Street is a convenient place for superheated buses to stop and expel all remaining engine and passenger gasses. I doubt someone sleeping here would last a day without collapsing their lungs.
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Good enough pub if a little sterile - looks like interior designers have been looking at Homes and Gardens magazine. Still, the bar service was pleasant and the beer was fine.
chick - 18 Feb 2009 10:31 |
Nice and clean with an ok choice of lagers.
Very, very expensive though. �4.50 for a small glass of red wine that frankly wasn't nice isn't good.
Nothing to make me return.
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Just before Christmas I went to the Castle as one of the monopoly crawlers referred to, disparagingly, below. My impressions was that this was basically an old pub converted into something more upmarket recently, with the accompanying price rise going a little over the top.
Positives - everything inside is clean and well-maintained, the Greene King IPA (the only ale) was pretty good and, early in the afternoon, it seemed pleasantly busy and relaxed. Oh, and barstaff pleasant enough.
Negatives - the cost. This was comfortably the most expensive pub we visited all day. Oh, and James Bl**t on the CD player!
5/10, would be 7 if not for the eye-watering prices.
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The roof garden is this place's only redeeming feature. I've never been one comment about prices but I must remark that this place is very expensive in relation to what it offers. The Castle is ok'ish for a meeting point but the thought of an extended stay would be very appealing.For such a so called chic area the truth is that Islington is not all it is cracked up to be. Upper Street if looked with an unbiased eye is quite provincial, nay may I say an ideal location for a Booze Britain camera crew to set up shop. The south Islington area on a weekend is fast mutating into a Covent Garden. However their are still some good pubs and bars if you take the time to look for them The Castle and others like this are great examples of wasted potential.
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Sharp's Doom Bar and a roof top patio - enjoy it while the weather's pleasant!
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having really enjoyed my first visit here a few weeks ago i decided to go back, imagine my suprise to be turned away at the door because the the whole pub was closed for a "private function" this was a Saturday evening ????? Managment obviously give priority to short term gain rather than any interest in a loyal customer base. Nil Point
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Bandi, Bitburger is fairly ubiquitous these days - off the top of my head, in the vicinity of this boozer it is also served in the Jerusalem Tavern and the Green.
anonymous - 8 May 2006 13:53 |
This pub has a lot of plus points. As mentioned it does sell Hoegarden, which as said, isn't too hard to come by now, but it sells other lagers such as Bitburger, which i haven't seen since my last trip to Germany. Another plus is the friendly staff, an irish guy behind the bar was very chatty and approachable, as were the rest of the staff. THis is a great pub for a relaxing summers drink. So order a pint and a fish finger sarny and relax up on the beautiful new roof terrace . . . with a bar!!!
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the roof garden is good, prices are bad, hoegarden is good, but can be found anywhere these days so I don't know how they can charge the prices, certainly not validated by the service. Great when the sun hits the deck but can get very busy, outside.
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"anonymous" says it was the only pub that wasn't rammed. Having visited this pub I can see why. No real ales on, though maybe sometimes there are. Paid �8.25 for 2 pints of lager and a packet of crisps (sorry, accidental reference to that rubbish "comedy"). The pints weren't even full, the barmaid took 10 minutes to work out how to use the till..... Can you tell I wasn't impressed???
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This is a lovely pub, even if you don't include the roof terrace. I live locally and popped in one Sunday afternoon as it seemed to be the only pub in the area that wasn't rammed. There was a lovely Irish chap behind the bar who made a point of asking how my weekend was going and really made me feel welcome. I have been back several times and whilst in the summer it can get very busy because of the terrace, the rest of the year it is the perfect place to go whether you just want a quiet drink or a real party on a Friday night. It also had good music, up to date stuff but not too heavy.
anonymous - 15 Feb 2006 09:31 |
On the plus side there's a roof terrace.
On the minus side: surly staff take an ice age to serve, the food makes McDonalds seem Michelin Starred, and every weekend the place fills and empties with monopoly pub crawlers.
Come here on a balmy summer's day to soak up some sun and a couple of drinks on the terrace, and to secretly hope the crawlers get hit by a London bus. Otherwise don't bother.
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Not bad. Can get quite busy. Good beer and friendly staff.
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The roof terrace is good in summer. That's about it. Better places if you are willing to walk a bit but you could do worse.
anonymous - 3 Jan 2006 12:43 |
a real horrible place to drink, this bar is dirty, overpriced, understocked, badly run and has to have the most unenthauastic bar staff in town. When this pub opened in it's present incarnation it was quite a plesent place for a sunday afternoon drink, read the papers, chat with the regulars (it still had a neighbourhood bar feel to it) and listen to some good and diverse music everything from reggae, blues and soul to classic rock and roll and blues but that has all disappeared and has now blanded out. I visited a few days ago to meet a couple of friends, one who likes a drop of bitter,"im sorry the bitter is off" not a good sign, the staff probably couldn't be bothered to change the barrel and i observed the look of misery on a tourists face when at quite an early hour he asked for the bar menu only to get the responce of "the kitchen closed 10 minutes ago" The only thing going for this establishment is:it's central location. If you or your party know the area well seek out some of the other bars and pubs. this place is dire even when this place was The Pint Pot it had a modicum of charm and that is realy saying something. This place is ok if you like listening to David Gray, Damien Rice,Norah Jones et al on a loop!
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Not too bad, nice for a quiet ale with a few mates. Nothing to complain about here
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Just got back from this great pub and had to say had a brilliant time. Great staff. I shall return sober soon for a repeat performance. Keep it up.
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Great pub. Nice staff, very cosy furnishings and unusual food ( I had a fish finger sarnie when i went!)
Big Lad - 14 Jul 2004 15:19 |
hi to everybody who has frequented the castle, I am due to take over the management of this bar in a week or so and was wondering what you might like to see changed about the venue, Any feedback would be greatly appreciated
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Very much a summer place - great roof terrace. However, getting a drink in this place is a nightmare. They should either shall out a few extra minimum wages an hour or crack the whip with their current staff. The only thing that blights an otherwise nice place.
David - 17 Nov 2003 15:43 |
Bloody hell I think the moaning gits above must have been going to a different pub to the one i went to. The staff in there are really friendly (admittedly they could do with a few extra staff during busy times but unless you are very impatient its not the end of the world) and i have never been short changed, in fact the last time i went there they were closing the kitchen (which does an excellent menu by the way) and since they had some stuff left over they gave me a free pasta dish. Great pub nice staff
Anthony Wright - 17 Sep 2003 13:42 |
The place has does have a nice roof terrace and pleasant intererior decor but as mentioned below, it is expensive and understaffed.
Furthermore the staff were unfriendly and consistently tried to serve us short measures of both wine and beer.
I shall not return.
bob hope - 15 Aug 2003 12:08 |
I'd say that the two blokes who have sent in replies should go back there and update themselves! I had a nice evening there, the roof terrace is just what you need in this weather, don't listen to those old moaners!
Sally - 8 Aug 2003 15:15 |
God, what a dump. Went there on a packed evening and there were just two staff behind the bar - one serving whoever shouted the loudest and the other seemingly doing anything to avoid serving anyone at all. When my friend did eventually get served she was short-changed. The downstairs bar is a flea-pit and the "roof terrace" a few tables and chairs on a filthy balcony/storage area overlooking the Pentonville Road. Had to clear the empties off the table ourselves to make room as it seems to be a "no go" area for whatever staff they might have. Can honestly say this is one of the worst pubs I have ever been in. Never again.
Stevo - 30 May 2003 08:16 |
Used to be highly scabby and has just had a gastrobar style makover. This means that it's just as bad as it was before, only different. Really expensive and they seem to shut the terrace (which is very pleasant - if you don't mind the Pentonville Rd fumes) very early, which means you have to sit downstairs with people in suits. Very poor. Go to Filthy McNasty's over the Rd (down Amwell Street) for a much nicer experience.
james - 11 Oct 2002 13:27 |
