Ye Olde Mitre Inne, Barnet

Lovely old low ceilinged lL shaped pub with about 8 handpumps.Friendly staff and seems to be a locals pub.I tried the Tring -ridgeway and the Slaters -western apa which were both good.Good range of beers.

This is clearly a genuine old pub with a small room at the front and a larger area over to the right. There were eight beers available on my Friday lunchtime visit, Adnam's Bitter and Ghost Ship, Shepherd Neame Whitstable Bay Pale, Red Squirrel Red Dawn Mild, Castle Rock Harvest Pale, Brentwood IPA, GK Abbot and Black Sheep Bitter. I went for the Castle Rock Harvest Pale which was in very good nick but not a very exciting beer. I may have just been unlucky, but the beer selection seemed a bit unadventurous as all the beers apart from Abbot and Ghost ship were around 4% ABV or less. I know for a fact that Brentwood brewery produce a lot more interesting beers than their IPA. Maybe the locals here only go for safe low ABV beers. Prices ranged from £3.20 to £3.50. Despite my reservations it's a great old pub and well worth a look.

Another visit to this fine pub the other evening. Still remains the best pub in Barnet and along with Ye olde Monken Holt around the corner, continue to be the only reasons to venture into High Barnet for a beer. This fine old historic coaching inn has been well described by previous reviewers so just to say all six Ales on the pumps on this Saturday evening and the ones we tried were in excellent condition. These included Timothy Taylor Landlord, Black Sheep Bitter and Brains Reverend James. There was one of the Redemption beers on again but it wasn’t the Urban Dusk, but cannot remember which one. Good crowd in and a very pleasant atmosphere. As previously suggested , this is a must do pub when in the High Barnet area.

The best of the pubs I visited in Barnet by a distance, The Mitre is a genuinely historic old coaching inn with low beamed ceilings, exposed brickwork, beams and posts. The front bar had a little gaggle of friendly drinkers gathered around the bar counter, many keen to make suggestions regarding the beer selection. There were five on on Monday, I understand they gear up to six at weekends. Adnams Bitter, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Black Sheep Bitter, Brains Reverend James and Redemption Urban Dusk. I fancied the Redemption but was wary in case it was a stout or similar (it wasn't) but the barman cheerfully offered me a shot glass taster. There is a simple pricing structure, up to 3.9% £3.05, 3.9-4.9% £3.20 and £3.30 for those of around 5%. Beers can be bought in thirds. You need to mind your head as you step down from the front to the side passage where there is a tiled fireplace and some small bench seats along a side wall. The pub opens out more down a few steps to the rear, this is where the majority of the seating is. Quiet music was playing, TV is limited to the separate coverted stable bar to the back. Smokers and outdoor drinkers are catered for in the covered "Coachway Lounge" which is the old coach and horses drive through. Good honest food served with sausages a speciality, the "guest sausage" was Bolognese, served with mash or chips and gravy, £9.95. Local CAMRA POTY 2011, this is a must do if in Barnet.

Great well kept beer range as well as cider (old rosie seems the norm), well worth a visit.

Situated on the High Street up the hill from High Barnet Tube Station is Ye Olde Mitre Inne, a 17th century coaching inn. Outside, above the original coaching inn entrance, we learn that the pub was established in 1636. Inside, we learn that General Monck stayed at the inn on his way to London to restore Charles II to the throne after the reign of Oliver Cromwell. A split level interior features dark beams, low ceilings, extensive wood panelling and a traditionally decorated interior pleasingly free of the usual promotional drinks posters. The pub describes itself as offering a “centuries old community drinking experience” which, based on my visit, would appear to be a fair description. Two real fireplaces add to the warm and welcoming feel. Several old beer related framed posters reflect the pub’s real ale emphasis. Outside is a large courtyard together with former stables converted into a separate TV room – imaginatively named the Stables Lounge. There is no separate bar servery for this room. Beers on – approx 6 in total – included Adnams, Landlord, Brakspears and Woodforde Wherry. The enterprising management clearly make full use of the guest beer range available to them through Punch Taverns and, on a subsequent visit the following day, Holts Two Hoots and Summer Lightning had come on as replacements. On both visits, all beers sampled by me were priced at £ 2.90p and in good form. This is clearly a drinkers pub and seems to attract the more mature and discerning local pub goer. It’s been a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular in recent years. This place is way above average for a high street pub and you should certainly make a point of popping in if the opportunity presents itself.

Randomness Guide to London - Olde Mitre entry