The Exmouth Arms, Euston, NW1

I found myself in the area by accident and wasn't expecting to like this place but was pleasantly surprised. This pub has been given a scrub since I last passed it a few years ago. There was a decent mix of people in here and a good atmosphere. There were at least four interesting ales on pump and several craft beers and premium lagers. My Portobello Star was slightly off though and very pricey at £4.20. I'd come here again if in the area - this place is miles better than the awful Bree Louise across the road.

One of a number of pubs in the backstreets around Euston station, this is a simple, L-shaped single room pub seemingly popular with those wanting to dine from the burger menu. The room has exposed floorboards throughout most of the space, with a nice mosaic tile floor around the bar area. Large windows along the front and right hand walls provide a good amount of light and have some nice etched glass panes. Over to the left is a bare brick wall, along which run some high padded benches, in contrast to the standard tables and chairs opposite the bar and pew formed booths under the front windows. The bar has a stained glass partitioning screen and over to the right hand side it turns into an open kitchen area, which made the place smell of food and probably contributed to the warm temperature within. Décor is fairly limited, but there was a nice old map of the world in the rear left corner. Music played fairly loudly but the pub was packed so it was drowned out by the general chatter within and a number of punters elected to sit at one of the many picnic tables outside the front of the pub to cool down and escape the din. The beer range was considerably more interesting than I had expected. Cask offerings on this visit were Hackney Golden Ale, Hogs Back HBB, Hammerton Pentonville Oyster Stout, Southwark London Pale Ale, Portobello Pale and East London Brewery Nightwatchman. I tried the Southwark brew and thought it was reasonably well kept. Meantime beers were represented on keg along with a few other rarer sightings and a series of numbered shelves on the bar back displayed the bottled beer range, allowing you to order by number rather than name. The bar staff seemed pretty efficient and the barmaid who served me was very smiley and welcoming. With a few celebrated ale houses in close proximity, this place perhaps rightly focusses on food as much as drink, but it should not be overlooked as it offers the chance to try a range of beers from some of the capital's many microbreweries. Despite the rather plain interior, this is a decent enough spot for a pint or two and makes a good change of scene from the usual suspects nearby.

New owners have removed the hanging baskets and smartened up the interior. 5 real ales,"craft keg" and food served.