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Submitted on Thursday, 1st May 2025
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The Old White Lion, East Finchley, N2
N2
N2 0NW
The Old White Lion
Retro Wednesday's returns tonight! Take a step back in time with our board game and video game selection. From 7pm https://t.co/oQjbfbq4lf
12:41 PM Jun 28th 2017 from Twitter for iPhone
Reviews of The Old White Lion (Average Rating: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about The Old White Lion
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.
On 4th March 2026
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1370 recommendations about 1353 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Old White Lion
Handily placed for the tube, and a not unpleasant walk from the Five Bells on East End Road, where I had been attending a post-funeral party. So I called in for a contemplative pint before getting a train elsewhere. It was the pre-dinner lull, with fewer than 10 people in the pub. I neglected to make a note of the beers on offer - I think there were four, with one more having a "settling in our cellar" tag attached to the hand pump. I decided on St Austell Proper Job, which was in fine condition. It's not my first visit here, though on the previous occasion I was in company and didn't write a review. The pub is interesting, being fairly well preserved and retaining original windows and wood panelling. I would be happy to return, while bearing in mind the previous reviewer's hints about busy periods in summer with the kitchen going full blast.
On 15th January 2020
- rating: 6
[User has posted 4674 recommendations about 4283 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Old White Lion
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.
On 4th November 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2307 recommendations about 2251 pubs]
View more reviews of The Old White Lion (8)
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- Randomness Guide to London - Old White Lion entry
- Official site of the Old White Lion, contains menus - www.theoldwhitelionfinchley.co.uk
- Facebook - The Old White Lion
- Twitter - The Old White Lion
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Old White Lion - whatpub.com
Hampstead Heath, 2.81 miles, 54 min walk (show)
New Southgate, 2.88 miles, 55 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Car Park : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Darts : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Jukebox : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Karaoke : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Live Music : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Pinball : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Pool Table : No last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Quiz Night : Yes - Tuesdays 8.00 pm. - last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 04 November 2017 by Tris C
- WiFi : Yes last updated 20 June 2015 by Tris C
