The Old White Lion, East Finchley, N2

Visited 30/04/25 Three beers on hand pump but not very inspiring, Harvey's Sussex Best, L Pride and Doom Bar. Keg offering was Pravha, Guinness, Peroni, Neck Oil, Madri, Aspall cider, Lucky Saint, Brooklyn Stonewall IPA, Prime Time IPA, Ghost Faith from Northern Monk, Camden Hells, Asahi and the DDH IPA from BBNo. Large pub on a busy main road not far from East Finchley station. There are a small number of tables out the front if you particularly like watching streams of cars rush past. More attractive is the large beer garden at the left side of the venue, plenty of sheltered seating and a covered patio at the immediate side of the venue. Inside the main front entrance is a bare boarded area with a chessboard style tiled skirt in front of the wooden bar counter. The main bar area has some tall tables opposite the bar counter, a semi-circular booth table on the left-hand side and some leather wingback armchairs on the right-hand side. A large TV was showing the IPL absent commentary. Walls a mixture of wood panelling and bare brick. The open entrance room to the right of the main bar area is a nice lounge area with a large feature grate and regular tables and chairs, some banquettes and leather armchairs. I could see a TV above the fire grate, but the area was closed for a private function on my visit. The open fronted room to the left of the bar counter before entrance to the beer garden was more a dining area with plenty of leather banquettes tables laid with menus and comfy armchairs. There was another fire grate on the right-hand end of the space. The bi-fold doors were all opened generating a nice breezy atmosphere in the venue. The venue had lots of framed prints on the walls. A pleasant pub but not one that will linger in the memory for the beer options.

This pub would seem to have changed little since the reviews below, save that you'd never get Hoorays in here as they specifically live in Chelsea and its environs. This pub has been here in some form for at least 300 years with the current 'brewers' Tudor' incarnation dating from 1938, possibly designed by John T. Quilter. The pub's close proximity to East Finchley station doesn't bode well but it's far more upmarket than you'd expect and not necessarily in a good way with the two side rooms primarily made over for dining though some drinkers were seated, unmolested by the rather amateurish bar staff (some things haven't changed then). It's certainly more appealing than some so-called 'upmarket' pubs like the Freemasons and Old Bull & Bush, both NW3. In all it's quite attractive inside with two impressive brick fireplaces in the side rooms (probably unused), a good boarded floor which may be original and 'heraldic' stained glass windows with some fake rafters painted white along with the ceiling. The walls are part bare brick otherwise clad in either field panelling or t 'n' g and are painted a pale mushroom colour; on balance the interior and furniture is fairly conventional aside from the square section tubular steel bar back. There's also an open kitchen which I don't like as they add to the noise and generate a lot of heat in summer and speaking of heat, I wouldn't want to go in their lavs on a hot day given the smell on a chilly November afternoon. Out back, there's a large attractive half-covered garden/patio with some cabinas. Ales: Sharp's Doom Bar, St. Austell's Proper Job, Timothy Taylor's Landlord, Oakham's Citra and Purity's UBU which was decent enough though I didn't clock the price as we were in rounds. This pub is much better than expected and the late licence is a bonus though apart from The Bald Faced Stag, to say that there's not much around here is an understatement. I wouldn't make an effort to return but would be happy to visit if in the area. Better staff would up the rating too.

I went in here late on Monday night on the way home from a CAMRA drink up in town and just got off the train and thought Id have a few pints and give this place a try to see if its improved instead of walking up to the Bald Faced Stag. Tried several ales all of which seemed to be in excellent condition including UBU. The pub itself has been wreaked over the years by modernisation loosing its three separate Bars now having just one large rather dark soulless room with just a small Bar in the centre making it feel cold and empty. Pub was very quiet only around 5 other customers in. There were two woman just talking over empty cups one guy non stop gassing on his mobile with his feet on the table and just two customers drinking but staff attitude was absolute terrible no manners or please & thank you and Twice getting short changed once can be a mistake but twice in the same visit.? Overall a good Pub but its still badly let down by untrained staff that don’t seen to have any customer skills or give a monkeys maybe I was just unlucky as it was a late Monday night.