King's Head, N1

Compact theatre pub on the busy Upper Street, which was packed when I arrived and still remained busy when the evening’s performance began in the back room. The pub has a U-shaped layout which wraps around a centrally positioned servery. Nice old dark floorboards, half panelled walls with plain painted uppers and an anaglypta ceiling with a large skylight to the rear, help to give the pub a traditional feel, despite the modern, opened out layout. Tables and chairs with a few low stools run around the perimeter, supplemented by some decent tub chairs over to the right. The servery has a chunky dark wood counter and partially retained bar back that incorporates some smart etched glass panes along the top, another in the access door and a partially obscured etched glass mirror. The bar extends to a white tiled rear space which houses the coffee and tea making station. The walls have been decorated with loads of photos and posters relating to the theatre, plus a few mirrors and an unused TV screen, whilst cool old soul tunes played quietly in the background. The theatre seemed to be very popular, and I liked the fact that only half the crowd vanished when the production began, suggesting that this pub is more than just a holding area for theatregoers. Just two cask ales on the go when I arrived – Youngs Ordinary and St Austell Proper Job. I took a pint of the latter from a fairly friendly barmaid, which set me back £5.60 and was in reasonable condition. A few, relatively mainstream cask options were also available, and I enjoyed watching a group of young French men taking a chance on a few of them and deeply regretting their decisions! I’m usually not much of a fan of theatre bars, but this place came across as a pub first and foremost, which just so happens to have a theatre attached to it. Whilst the ale range wasn’t the most thrilling, I nevertheless enjoyed my brief visit here and would consider using it again if in need of refreshment in this part of town.

A single roomed Theatre pub with all the regalia that goes with it, busy when I got there but almost emptied out shortly after when the doors to the theatre entrance opened.The four pump handles were occupied by Youngs Ordinary doubled up, a Youngs jubilee beer All Ale The Queen (see what they did there) and St Austel Proper Job. Can't really say this pub managed to float my boat.

Dating from 1543, the pub was rebuilt as this commanding terraced edifice in 1864, home to a theatre since 1970, supposedly the first theatre pub revival since the time of Shakespeare. It’s also listed on CAMRA’s inventory of pubs with historic interiors, this being of Some Regional Importance, which I’ve been visiting since the 1980s, fancying a visit last night. It's quite a large single roomed Young’s pub, with a high ceiling and central rear bar, with some attractive cut glass panelling. There's a central column, with ornate capital. Walls are half wainscoted painted black, with walls above painted a pea green colour, covered with framed theatre flyers of yesteryear, as well as prints of famous actors of stage and screen, who it assumes, have appeared here, albeit at the dawn of their careers. The floor is bare boarded and now tidied up somewhat, the furniture is fairly conventional as is the lighting, which is Victorian in style. Most attractive of all, are the two opposing white marble fireplaces, both home to real coal fires which add to the ambience. Furniture is conventional and customers tend to be a mixed bunch. A friendly barman presided over: Original, Special and Proper Job at a stiff £5.35 a pint and in great nick. Upper Street is supposed to have more bars, pubs and restaurants along its length than any other UK street; this is the best of them and is a must-visit if in the borough of Islington.

One of the fine tradition of pubs with theatres above, and still going strong (with two performances on the evening I visited). The bar itself forms a 'J' shape around the central servery which is partly divided by a screen, and given that the side door has etched Saloon Bar glazing the seating areas must have been sub-divided at some stage. Mixed furniture and decor naturally based largely on pictures of famous thespians who have trod the boards here over the years. As a seemingly unbranded Youngs house, it was no surprise to see the Ordinary on one of the four handpumps, with the other real ales being Proper Job, Sambrook's White Gold and Pilcrow Pale from Dorking Brewery.