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Detail Pages
The Volunteer, NW1
NW1
NW1 6XE
Pub Type
Castle (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Volunteer
Busy unbranded M&B (Castle) pub with a young crowd, but sometimes let down by not having enough staff on whether busy or quiet. Refurbished interior with a mix of furniture and decor of no particular distinction. Also has a few small tables out front. Four handpumps: Doom Bar, Landlord, Ghost Ship and Rosie's Pig cider. Two hooped founts, each with eight keg taps, offering a good mix of well-known brands and some less-usual offerings. In the end, I went for the Mondo x 2nd Shift Grandpa Louis Mild collaboration - an unusual style for 'craft beer', and eye-wateringly expensive at £7.40 (making me glad to have asked for a slightly short measure to be topped up, albeit done a bit grudgingly I thought).
On 10th April 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Volunteer
Not a bad pub but no ales on during my Sunday dinner visit! Had some type of craft ale but at £5.05 for 2 thirds of a pint I only had one!
On 7th June 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1656 recommendations about 1556 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Volunteer
A first in here the other night and surprisingly it is indeed, as mentioned below, better than one would expect. Largely devoid of tourists, despite its close proximity to the self-styled 221b (in reality 239, the former Abbey House down the road is the real 221) to the south and seemingly free from Westminster University students; customers seemed to be younger and more fashionable and not drawn from offices.
The interior is not multi-roomed, rather multi-zoned with a snug to the rear with a fireplace, sadly not used. The floor is bare boarded and furniture is largely conventional. The ceiling has beams (more likely exposed rafters), the colour scheme is the hackneyed dark blue/grey as to be expected; the bar top is copper, which is a bit naff though fortunately the lighting is gloomy enough so that it doesn't stand out too much; music played at an agreeable level.
Friendly staff were serving Sharp's Doom Bar, Greene King's Mighty Moose, Ilkley Brewery's Mary Jane and Truman's Zephyr at a fairly reasonable (for the area) £4.30 a pint and good.
I quite liked this place and would be happy to return if passing; the seven-day midnight licence is a bonus. It's miles better than The Globe down the road and superior to The Allsop Arms across the way.
On 23rd January 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Volunteer
Much better than you have any right to expect, next to the tourist hoardes or 221B.
Four real ales on. I went for an absolute superb Redemption Urban Dusk. Easily the best pint of the day and one to look out for again.
Very busy - efficient staff. Good atmosphere.
On 19th June 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 277 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Volunteer
Nearest pub to 221b. An open plan layout as described by Malden man below. 4 real ales,"craft keg" and food served.
On 31st October 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Volunteer
I found the interior of this place rather bland and featureless, effectively two areas, the main bar area with the bar straight ahead on entering and a side area up a small step which was more of an eating area with cutlery laid out on the tables. Beamed ceiling, painted cream, lower wall wood panelling painted a rather sickly shade of light green, wood flooring, whirring ceiling fans. Seating in the bar was rather limited with just two butcher's block type high tables in the front window and an absurdly low square table with a few pouffes. Nominal regular seating was provided in a return area to the left of the bar. This could however be due to the fact that there was a Championship Play-Off final being played at Wembley that particular afternoon and the Baker Street area is a main transport hub and meeting point for football fans on transit to the stadium. Not that bright of me to choose this particular afternoon to sample a few local pubs then, however I was certainly still rather grumpy about being made to drink out of plastic (and paying £4.15 for the privilege!) bearing in mind the match was by now in progress and therefore all the fans were long gone from the area.
Various food menus on chalkboards and paper versions on the tables, snacks, fixed price menu and a la carte. Mains £9.50 to £11.50 with steaks at £17.
The beer menu was quite good, price notwithstanding, I still baulk at the £4 pint, Redemption Urban Dusk, Hook Norton Lion, Portobello VPA and Doom Bar. Not my sort of pub, it isn't very traditional but a reasonable pint to be had if you've just been paid.
On 28th May 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Volunteer
An appealing black and purple exterior makes this corner pub distinctive when passing by. The interior looks to have been recently refurbished; it’s open-plan with two drinking areas, a mix of tables, chairs and soft furnishings. Wood floor, flock wallpaper and painted green wood complete the picture. It kind of works and I suspect this is an unbranded M&B pub. A very good ale range (Castle Rock Pale, Jaipur, Batemans plus two others) on my visit; my Castle Rock and Jaipur were both in top condition and served in a handled jug and competitively priced. There was also an array of keg products (including Sierra Nevada Pale Ale). Board games were available and food was being pushed.
Based on one visit I’ll be heading back here before long to see if it can dish up more of the same, given the other reviews have less than fulsome praise. I either caught it on an extremely good day or things are looking up here. Let’s hope it’s the latter.
On 30th November 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Volunteer
This place feels a little grubby and disjointed, but I still enjoyed my brief visit finding the staff and other clientele to be friendly enough. Tribute, Harvey’s Best, Otter Amber and Adnams Wheat Beer were the ale options along with a selection of premium lagers and Guinness which was well served. The food available ranges from pub grub to Mediterranean and it seemed reasonably priced and the people dining in the left hand side of the pub away from the bar seemed to have no complaints.
The plasma screen was off and I was not surprised to see no sport advertised, but there was some decent background music playing.
This is by no means a traditional boozer, but I would still pop in if passing again.
On 2nd March 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5249 recommendations about 5217 pubs]