The Cobden Arms, Camden

This is a smallish pub near the bottom end of Camden High Street with a slightly, but not overtly, Irish feel to it. I paid two visits recently - the first on a Sunday when my companion and I had an excellent roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, which was generously portioned at �8.50. The two large glasses of wine were a bit on the steep side - �4.30 a glass.
On a second visit I sampled an ale called Hare Raiser from Green King which was a bit close in taste to their IPA and not really to my liking. However, I note that the pub is now serving a rotating guest ale and espy some Brewdog beers coming up in the next three months so a return visit is on the cards.
A good little pub.

25 Mar 2010 11:30

The Wenlock Arms, Hoxton

My first time in this pub and also my last. My friend and I entered the pub and found two long-haired types standing in front of the bar with pen and paper furiously scribbling the names of all the beers down. Seated at the right side of the bar were several men whose vocabulary consisted mainly of saying 'f*ck'. In front of the bar were bearded types drinking halves of ale. Standing at the corner of the bar near us was a sixty year old man in a tracksuit in an advanced state of inebriation. He swayed back and forth and mouthed gibberish to anyone passing.
There were about eight pumps selling mainly obscure beers with the exception of Dark Star Hophead and Harveys Best. My friend and I had a pint of the Hophead which was well kept.
We were served by a Waynetta Slob lookalike who found it am.using when the aforementioned sixtysomething said 'Goodbye Gentlemen' to us. Being a 'Gentleman' I refrained from telling this piece of garbage to 'F*** off'.
This pub is a strange mixture of beer fanatics and local pondlife, and it's reputation as a 'good pub' is simply not justified. It's a shithole.
If you like nice pubs and don't want to look over your shoulder whilst drinking, stay away from this dump.
I'll give it a 3 for the beer.

22 Dec 2009 23:57