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The Cock Tavern, Somers Town, NW1
NW1
NW1 1HB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Cock Tavern
Located in Somers Town, Camden’s least affluent ward, as the Cock, this place has been in existence since at least 1805 when it was 15 metres to the south-east, the current incarnation dating from the 1930s, tacked onto some local authority housing; this was also the last pub in the Borough of Camden that I had yet to visit and until recently, had a CAMRA listed interior, alas no more.
To a review, I found the place to be exactly as described below: horse racing on the TVs, games machine, rear ‘games room’ with lyrics from The Celtic Song applied in large letters to a wall, Sligo and Munster flags and sports’ trophies in a very blokey pub catering for elderly Anglo-Irish customers at the time of my Friday 2.20pm visit – with the distant voice of a young child somewhere out of sight, perhaps chained to a radiator – modern floor and traditional furniture (see photo) with Gaelic folk on the stereo. Some years back I met someone who drinks here and when I asked him if it was a bit rough, he replied: “Yeah. Probably why I like it”.
There’s no cask of course and not even any K64 or Stella, just a fizzmatic lineup of Carling, Coors, Guinness, John Smith’s Extra Smooth Crap and Foster’s, £2.50 the half, served by a very friendly young barmaid.
Barmaid’s wasted talents aside, there’s nothing going for this place and unsurprisingly, with the area’s ongoing gentrification, may not be long for this world as it’s up for sale; a Save the Cock campaign has been mobilised.
On 28th March 2025
- rating: 3
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Cock Tavern
Poor exterior mirrored inside.Locals bar but nowt wrong with my guinness.How long can it hold out to the developers or the corona virus shutdowns.
On 15th January 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Cock Tavern
a very run down exterior and not much better inside. In a way it’s heartening to see a true downmarket boozer like this still up and running in central London. it is a bit of a dive though and not for the faint hearted as the few customers were of the ‘what you looking at?’ variety.
On 17th May 2019
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1174 recommendations about 1136 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Cock Tavern
2 roomed Irish pub that's a bit rough n ready just visited the bar area standard draught. Locals seemed friendly enough.
On 23rd April 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2933 recommendations about 2866 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Cock Tavern
A proper old-fashioned sort of place, but both bars are rather tatty and even more run down than on my last visit four years ago. Not many customers, just a few older Irishman who had probably been there all afternoon and - unlike last time - the atmosphere was not exactly friendly. No real ale, so had to do with quick pint of John Smiths (£2.90) before moving swiftly on...
On 29th March 2014
- rating: 3
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Cock Tavern
The Cock Tavern is a large back street boozer that serves the local residents of Somers Town. When I visited on Wednesday afternoon last week there was an electric pensioner buggy parked up outside and inside there was a wheelchair with a bag of shopping in it. The handful of regulars were all of retirement age and there was a deathly silence. I paid the barman for half a generic lager from the uninspiring draught selection and shuffled over to a table next to the stage area at the back of the pub. I imagine that this stage area is used when the advertised live music is held. The landlady was stoking the coal fire and thankfully the barman decided to open up the jukebox and put some old disco hits on. I only sat in the right hand side of the pub as that was where everyone else was, but I did look into the left hand side and spotted lots of Celtic memorabilia and a pool table. There are some plasma screens and a projector screen that are used for showing Sky Sports.
I found this pub to be a bit grim and I do not plan to return, but maybe it does liven up when some entertainment is on or the football is aired.
On 1st February 2012
- rating: 4
[User has posted 5965 recommendations about 5931 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Cock Tavern
There was no real ale on, with (in my opinion) the best bet being the Grolsch lager on tap. I didn’t see any sign of food during my Tuesday afternoon visit.
This is a surprisingly large two-room pub, but only one of the rooms was in use during my early afternoon visit. Both rooms are carpeted and with furnishings that look a throwback to the 70s (nothing wrong with that I hasten to add). I popped my head in the room not in use, and noticed a mass of Celtic Football Club themed stuff on the walls, plus a Sligo scarf behind the bar. The “open” room had a log fire on the go, and a stage down at one end bearing a Christmas tree, although I didn’t spot any adverts for live music. There was more Irish themed stuff in here – a Munster team photo; more Sligo stuff; and a Republic of Ireland car license plate. Everyone in there except me spoke with an Irish accent. I’m guessing that this is a genuine Irish pub.
There were a couple of cats making themselves at home – I’m sure they were at home – occupying prime positions in front of the fire. The music being played was some late 50s or very early 60s pop, which is something you don’t hear very often. This is another backstreet locals’ pub, a stone’s throw from Euston Station. This is probably a decent enough place in which to escape the Euston throngs, as long as you’re content to drink Guinness or keg fizz. But I doubt whether I’ll be paying a return visit.
On 20th December 2011
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Clive Thompson left this review about The Cock Tavern
A proper drinkers pub that doesn't try to be anything else, a throwback to the type of place that perhaps we didn't value enough 20 years ago. A place to write out a 20p yankee and maybe pick up something for dinner from the estate's entrepreneurs.
On 20th July 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 780 recommendations about 697 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Cock Tavern
No real ale. Very basic interior, lunch time regulars seem to be pensioners.
On 2nd February 2007
- rating: 2
[User has posted 759 recommendations about 721 pubs]