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Chat about:
Tutbury & Hatton on Tuesday, 14th April 2026 with rpadam
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Just a quick pint, then I'm off
Submitted on Sunday, 7th December 2025
With picture contributions to 11544 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (36 more images)
Detail Pages
The Pocket, N1
N1
N1 2AS
Reviews of The Pocket (Average Rating: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Pocket
With the Pocket's sister pubs the Southampton Arms and the Cock Tavern being amongst my favourite pubs across London, I've been eagerly awaiting an opportunity to visit The Pocket. It didn't disappoint.
Despite it being a matchday at the nearby Emirates Stadium, the pub did not get too overcrowded and unlike other local pubs with bouncers on the door, both home and away fans appear to be welcome.
The pub is split into the main front section with the bar against the left-hand wall and a smaller seating area to the rear. Toilets are down a set of stairs. The cask ale range was decent. There are 8 handpulls and these were clipped with Rooster's Baby-Faced Assassin, Howling Hops Single Hop Pale Ale Series 14 Comet, Duration Best Bitter & Another Day Gone, Left-Handed Giant Dark Mild, Vocation Shadow Play & Castle Rock Wyrd Sisters. Duration Big Love was also poured through during our visit.
Ciders have separate handpulls at the rear of the bar. These were Sandford Orchards Devon Mist, Ascension Pilot Red Love Edition, Temple Somerset Redstreak, Oliver's Winter Cider Blend, Luke's Pomona Draught Perry & Umbrella Elderflower Cider. Craft beers were Duration Turtles All The Way Down, Bonsai, Bet The Farm & Strataberry Fields & Howling Hops Tropical Deluxe & LIfe Coach.
Dogs and kids are allowed. A record player is also in use with a rotating selection being played from behind the bar. There is also a piano. Pub snacks such as Scotch Eggs are available. The offering is very similar to the Southampton Arms, which suits me, as why change a winning formula?
One forthcoming change is in the offing though, according to a regular. They are apparently hoping to develop an upstairs area as a separate dining room.
A really decent pub that I will undoubtedly return to periodically.
On 15th March 2026
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3409 recommendations about 3407 pubs]
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Pocket
Specialist alehouse, with a narrow frontage and not that much seating in the bar, by the front windows and beyond the counter, and a bit more in a small rear room at the back. Thankfully, on a Tuesday evening I found a perch for my pint on a shelf beside where the jazz trio would be playing later. Excellent selection of cask ales - including my Fresh Hop from Verdant using Harlequin (£5.29) and other 'green hop' beers from Kent Brewery and Five Points - from the eight handpumps. Also has ten craft keg taps at the front and six more handpulls offering a range of ciders on the bar-back.
On 29th October 2025
- rating: 9
[User has posted 9061 recommendations about 9061 pubs]
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Pocket
A great ale house from the people who brought you The Southampton Arms ,there are elements repeated here noteably the Ale Cider Meat pubsign strap line ...it all feels very familiar.The tap room is long and thin with good wood panelling,a dark wooden floor,fitted bench seating to the front with small tables and stools,a drinking shelf opposite the elegantly curved servery with more seating in an oblong back section under a glass roof light.
Above the picture rail there is a good collection of brewery ash trays,while the upright piano has a listing of when a pianist will be on.The high ceiling helps the vibe and even the Courage signage at the frontage has been exposed.
Ale and keg beers are priced by ABV with keg at a premium,the bar snacks are the same meat and veg treats. On my inaugural visit there were 6 real cider pulls,10 indie keg beers and an ale selection of Redemption Big Chief,Vocation West Coast IPA (NBSS 4),Two flints Day Dream,Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Rambling Rangers ,Left Handed Giant Dark Mild,Thornbridge Low Line milk stout and Newbarns Smoky Brown .Thats a line up of high quality with a mix of styles and ABV's and worth making the effort to get here.
I know I will visit a lot over the next few years,it's an outstanding pub for beer lovers and I will sample liberally next time I'm in.A must visit and not to be missed,not far from Highbury & Islington tube and rail station.
On 2nd June 2025
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3126 recommendations about 3126 pubs]
View more reviews of The Pocket (6)
No known official website for this pub.
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Pocket - whatpub.com
Highbury & Islington, 0.3 miles, 5 min walk (show)
Essex Road, 0.37 miles, 7 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 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Car Park : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 15 March 2026 by Blue Scrumpy
- Darts : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Function Room : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Hot Food : No - Hot bar snacks. - last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Jukebox : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Karaoke : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Live Music : Yes last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Pinball : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Pool Table : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Quiz Night : No last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
- Real Cider : Yes - Not all CAMRA-approved. - last updated 10 June 2025 by Tris C
- Wheelchair Access : Yes - Disabled WC. - last updated 02 April 2025 by Tris C
- WiFi : Yes last updated 21 March 2025 by Tris C
