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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 15th March 2026) with trainman
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Windsor Castle, East Finchley, N2
N2
N2 8DL
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about The Windsor Castle
Visited 30/04/25
Two out of four hand pumps dispensing, providing the N2 Brew a collaboration between the pub and their brewery owner and the McMullens AK Original Mild which was a nice pint. Keg options were Guinness, Amstel, Madri, Aspall cider, Cruz, and three beers from a brewery that I didn’t know called Rivertown, a Pilsner called Elysian and the SIPA and the Daze, a hazy pale.
As Tris notes below you really aren’t going to stumble upon this one which is a rare and pleasant experience in Greater London. Quite a small bare boarded venue with the bar counter opposite the entrance with a small patterned tiled skirt in front thereof. Quite a bit of the seating in here is provided by velvet banquettes around three sections of the wall with regular tables and chairs otherwise. Lots of framed photos on the upper part of the walls. There was a very jazzy soundtrack here on my visit and the small beer garden to the left of the pub was accessed off the left end of the bar counter. Was nicely shaped and hence popular on my early evening visit on this super sunny last day of April. Definitely the highlight of my N2 visit.
On 4th March 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1340 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Windsor Castle
This started life as a bakehouse, becoming a brewhouse around 1800; is the building really that old? To say that this is a backstreet pub is an understatement as you certainly won’t find it by accident. I passed it in mid-2015 to find a dowdy locals’ pub, with an ugly Sky Sports banner flapping away, always a bad sign.
The pub was refitted in the autumn of 2022 (probably by Eamon E, given his glowing encomium), under the stewardship of McMullen. The interior is rather smart (see EE’s photo and weblink), with an obvious makeover giving us something traditional, a little like a take on a village pub, with boarded floor, mid grey colour scheme, traditional furniture with fawn buckskin banquette, brewers’ mirrors, framed pictures of the area from yesteryear and no obvious sign of any TVs; customers were more affluent locals with some rather attractive women.
On my Friday evening visit, there was an unused pump, then McMullen Original Mild, Rivertown Ivel and McMullen IPA, £2.70 a half, served by a very friendly barmaid though it wasn’t tiptop, possibly the result of a warm cellar, given the weather.
This is a rather decent little pub – certainly by Finchley standards – probably unused by the more mainstream customers following a service at neighbouring Finchley Crematorium, likewise acolytes of the Five Bells.
On 23rd July 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2307 recommendations about 2251 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Eamon E left this review about The Windsor Castle
Extensively refurbished in October 2022 and under new management since then, this is a pub that locals are proud to frequent and a destination venue for people from further afield, due to its cosy atmosphere, and the warm welcome delivered by a wonderful team.
Hidden in the leafy back streets of East Finchley, this ‘urban village inn’ serves McMullen cask ales and Rivertown craft beers, European wines, and premium spirits and cocktails, with a classic, seasonal, British pub menu on offer Wednesday to Sunday, including sensational Sunday roasts.
The secret courtyard garden tops things off and is very popular in the warmer months of the year.
The wine list is sourced from Europe and England, it’s mostly organic, sustainable and comes with a low carbon footprint. Gins and vodka come from Highgate’s renowned Sacred Spirits.
The quiz night on the second Tuesday of every month is hugely popular and is regularly fully booked a month in advance.
On 16th May 2023
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alesonly . left this review about The Windsor Castle
This is a nice traditional Pub away from all the awful Plastic restaurants that call themselves Pubs in East Finchley. I often pop in for a few pints of Mc Mullen's Country Or the Guest Ale when I'm passing. It now also has A large TV for showing Football & Sport as well but this has been put in place of the dart board so this means the Dart Board has been relegated too a almost a unusable position at one side by a table. Also do Sunday lunch & Thai Food during the week.
On 15th May 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 132 recommendations about 105 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Windsor Castle
Well off the beaten track this pub is a country pub in East Finchley. Has a medium size bar and a small secluded beer garden at the back. McMullen's beers on offer. Well worth a visit
On 6th April 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Windsor Castle
Although this pub is a little rough round the edges I still quite like it. It's a little off the main drag, so you probably wouldn't happen to just stumble across it which is why it is more of a regular's pub (who seem friendly enough).
The offerings from the bar that I spotted were a couple of Mccullen's ales, Worthington Cream Flow, Fosters, Kronenburg, Guinness and Strongbow. The barmaid was very friendly as was the gent watching Sky that let me get to the bar without me having to ask.
There is also a patio garden to the side of the pub, but unfortunately while I was there someone up the road decided to tune their motorbike. This place is by no means the perfect pub, but it's not bad.
On 9th May 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6559 recommendations about 6521 pubs]