Pub On The Park, London Fields, E8

This pub has a pretty good location adjacent to London Fields, making it a popular watering hole for anyone visiting the park or nearby Broadway Market. Given the pub's location in trendy Hackney, it was no great surprise to find that it has a real hipster vibe to it and the place was packed with fashionable young poseurs and one or two confused looking passing tourists. The pub probably had an interesting multiple room layout at one point, but it has now been ruthlessly opened out, creating a large, open-plan space with exposed floorboards and half panelled walls. The servery runs along the back wall and has a modern, metal fronted counter, retro red lampshades suspended from above and a bar back littered with loads of old beat-boxes and other such junk. Seating is abundant but at a premium on a busy Saturday afternoon, with chairs, pews and low stools making up the majority of the options. The one feature that did catch my eye was an impressive Trumans mirror on the end wall, but this was generally surrounded by various hip artworks, murals and the like, so it looked a bit out of place. The room was a mad obstacle course of sleeping dogs and hyper-energetic toddlers, so we went outside where we found a large covered decked area to the side of the pub which in turn leads up some steps to a snaking, long section of decking that runs the whole way round the back of the building. From here you get some pretty good views out across the park from comfortable wooden benches. As you might expect, there is a tonne of craft beer available here, predominantly from London micros and almost certainly at breathtaking prices. Five handpulls were in operation as well though and they offered a decent selection, comprising Trumans Runner and Belt & Braces, Crate Golden and ELB Cowcatcher. I gave the Cowcatcher a try, but was served a pint in a plastic glass by default - it seemed to taste okay but I wasn't raving about it, especially as the round didn't come cheaply. The staff were all over the place and getting served was far more difficult that it really needed to be. This pub is really only worth visiting for its location, which has to be its main asset. Whilst the beer options are certainly interesting, the provision of plastic glasses was a big off-putting factor - I'd be interested to know if this policy is applied during the week as well. The place was in a state of chaos, with staff and customers alike making it difficult to get served or move around the pub, but it does have some degree of charm and a winning beer garden. Not a total disaster then, but I wouldn't really make my way out here from Hackney Central unless I was visiting the park.

A good looking building with a silly name and a ridiculous exterior wall display of a piano being raised to the roof.The interior has an ale house feel,a square room with wood panelling around the periphery,a rank of long benches in the centre and the bar running down one wall.Five handpumps but only three operational on my visit drawing Trumans Runner and Gunboat Smith (passable ,£4.20) and North Brewing Prototype.The keg offerings included Five Points Pale and Lagunitas but otherwise mainstream.There is a flatscreen above the entrance door controlled by doormen on my Friday evening visit.Two function rooms on the higher floors can be hired. The star of the show is the vast decking outside,on many different levels wrapping around the building and offering views over London Fields.One section is covered by a huge jumberella and many of the young customers were sitting outside on a mild night smoking and drinking. Not as bad as I feared,but the muzak was loud,the atmosphere was lively and buzzing and I was the oldest customer in by a long chalk.Food available 12-3 everyday,there was a works Xmas party in full swing on my visit,with food available for their guests. Close to the station,just enough here to justify another visit if you have missed your train.

Very busy with a predominantly young crowd on my Saturday afternoon visit, a slight modern/retro feel as previously mentioned, music in the background was also retro in the form of Dylan , The Stones and the like. All five pumps were in operation with three from Sambrooke's, Pale, Scrumdown and Wandle plus two from Cornwall's Tintagel Brewery,Poldark and Arthur's Ale, I asked for tasters of these two and found the Poldark to be sour and off but the Arthur's Was fine and went for that, then winced at the £4.40 price tag. I liked the pub very much, not the prices , I would be happy to give it another go though.

Single-room pub located just inside the London Fields park, with a reasonably-sized outside terrace under large umbrellas to supplement the seating on the square bar area. Fairly basic furniture and decor of the retro variety. Four of five handpumps in operation, offering two real ales from Truman's - Runner and Zephyr (£3.90) - plus Sambrook's Junction and Tintagel Cornwall's Pride

This pub was The Queen Eleanor in a previous incarnation. There were three ales on during my visit yesterday morning – Deuchars IPA, Adnam’s Ghost and Adnam’s Bitter (£3.40 a pint) plus two further handpumps apparently unused. It seems that they now open at 10.00 on Saturday mornings for the breakfast market, with the full works, including a cup of tea or Americano (coffee presumably) for £8.50. The main menu was a bit limited, with just seven main courses ranging between £8.50 and £10. Fish, chips and mushy peas was £9.50. This pub has a nice location right next to the park – London Fields that is. There’s a fair amount of outside seating by the side of the pub, and at the rear overlooking the Fields. Inside it’s been given a modern makeover, and although it’s got some of my least favourite furnishings (small square block stools, and low upholstered benches that don’t provide any back support) I still found it fairly comfortable. The floor’s bare-boarded, and by “bare” I mean completely bare – no varnish or staining; just bleached bare. There’s a mix of other furnishings including banquettes, massive chunky tables, normal chairs, and even a re-cycled church pew. Some wood panelling on the walls has been retained, but for me the best “pub” feature was the Truman, Hanbury and Buxton “Black Eagle” brewery mirror. All the tables had on them a small vase containing a sprig of roses, adding to the relaxed and welcoming ambience that they are undoubtedly trying to create. This isn’t the sort of pub I usually like, but this one had a bunch of enthusiastic staff working there, and I quite liked it in here for some reason.