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Submitted on Thursday, 16^th May 2024
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The Famous Royal Oak, Muswell Hill, N10

73 St James Lane
N10
N10 3QY

Phone: 02084442504

Correct details

Served areas

Muswell Hill

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TheFamousRoyalOak It’s going to be a hot one today, so Joshua is firing up the BBQ 3-9pm this afternoon. Showing the French Open & Ch… https://t.co/N0vZtSvFCN 8:42 AM Jun 10th 2023 from Twitter for iPhone

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Reviews of The Famous Royal Oak (Average Rating: 7 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Tris C left this review about The Famous Royal Oak

Dating from the late 18th century, this was probably once a coaching inn, quite possibly rebuilt as an estate-style pub in 1965 and as mentioned, Dennis Nilsen’s local – I walked past 23 Cranley Gardens on the way – though his nefarious activities took place in the Golden Lion (W1) and Black Cap (NW1).
With an empty Taylor Walker/Meux sign bracket outside, it’s not the most attractive pub, though the flowers to the raised beer patio were well tended. However, inside this is really something of a time warp pub, with a very ‘60s’ interior: an attractive bar array with stained glass leaded pot shelf, carpeted and furnished with traditional furniture, oxblood banquettes to part of the hexagonal periphery with exposed rafters above. Framed photos of the area from yesteryear sit alongside much bric-à-brac and nautical knickknacks, with a grandfather clock; to the rear is an upright piano for live singalongs, the silent unwatched televised sport an unwelcome distraction. Customers were locals, though not the more prosperous residents of Muswell Hill Central, everyone outside on my balmy Friday evening visit. The cask selection still amounted to an unused pump, then Doom and Bass, tasting well…like Bass, served by a friendly barman.
This is a surprisingly good pub which I would like to have seen when the customers were in to generate some ambience; an improvement in the ale lineup would have got the score up an extra point; where’s the Ghost Ship?

On 20^th July 2024 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2242 recommendations about 2199 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Quinno _ left this review about The Famous Royal Oak

Round the corner from Dennis Nilsen's old gaff is this purpose-built estate pub from 1965. Don't be put off by that, it's really nice inside with seemingly little (if any) changes in the last 40 years and has been kept to a high standard. We have dark varnished wood, pub carpet, wine coloured leather banquettes, original baffled windows and original bar. Plenty of maritime ephemera once you get your eye in, including a very nice collection of model ships on the upper shelves by the semi-hexagonal banquette. Three pumps with just Doom Bar on (there's often Bass but no delivery this week). My Doom was passable (NBSS 2.5), lacking turnover but then again I was the only person in on a grey and sodden Bank Holiday Monday afternoon. I’d be happy to see this one again with a pint of Bass in my paws.

On 11^th June 2024 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5589 recommendations about 5570 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Rex Rattus left this review about The Famous Royal Oak

There was only one ale on in here - predictably Doom Bar, with a further three handpumps unclipped. I saw no sign of food on a Monday evening, but there again I wasn't looking for any.

This is a relatively new build pub (by pub standards anyway) built in 1965 to replace a really old wooden pub on the site. It does have some character about it. You enter into a fairly low-ceilinged area facing the servery; on the left is a fairly small area with a high vaulted ceiling and a green marble fireplace; on the right it opens out into a much larger room also with a vaulted and wood-panelled ceiling complete with beams, and clerestory windows below ceiling level. There's maritime themed decor all over the place, including many model ships, and a pool table in the centre of the room. The windows to the outside world are also attractive features in their own right, with oak tree designs etched into them.

I found this to be a comfortable community based pub, away from the main thoroughfares of Muswell Hill. It's certainly not worth the effort of travelling a great distance to Muswell Hill just to visit this pub, but worth a punt if you're in the area. A better real ale would be a big plus in my opinion, but I realise that not everybody cares about that sort of thing.

On 10^th November 2019 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]

View more reviews of The Famous Royal Oak (10)

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