The Roebuck, NW3

Four ales on in here - unsurprisingly the Young's pair of Bitter and Special, plus Courage Directors and Doom Bar. A fairly uninspiring selection it has to be said, and the Young's Ordinary lived up to its name. They do food of course, but I didn't look at a menu. It's still as Tris described it a little while ago. At the front is the room where you can just have a drink, and at the back is the dining area room. That's a fairly simple arrangement, and there is a decent amount of space for those who just want a drink. The front room ceiling is embossed and has a decorative cornice, whereas the rear room has a matchboard panelled ceiling. Separating the two areas at ceiling level is a wood panelled frieze bearing the names of drinks and the like - e.g. Spanish wines; foreign cigars; Jamaica rum; old brandies. It's an attractive feature. This is an "OK" pub. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit; it's comfortable enough, but maybe on another day the ale selection might be interesting.

Situated in Pond Street, once home to botanist Sir Julian Huxley and graphic designer F. H. K. Henrion, this is a large and imposing mid-Victorian former hotel taken over by Young's in 2015 and internally refurbished, the dark wood having been painted a dark greenish colour in time for St. Patrick's Day 2017. This is a haunt for locals of all shades, celebrities as well as staff from the Royal Free Hospital, opposite - apparently alcohol steadies the surgeon's hand. There's a good beer garden, dining to the rear and good lavs. The main drinking area is quite large with a mixture of furniture ranging from tables for two to large tables and lounge furniture. There's also a gas fireplace. Food is served though it's not overly gastro. There may still be film nights in the basement; a quiz is held every Tuesday. The bar is surprisingly small and would get cramped if you chose to stand and although the staff are generally friendly they can be a bit scatterbrained; the Friday/Saturday midnight licence is also a bonus. Ales: the typical Young's line-up sometimes including Courage Best or Twickenham's Naked Ladies, all priced at levels which are competitive by NW3 standards. Overall, well worth a visit if in the area as this is one of NW3's best, making for a good mini crawl with the George, Stag and Garden Gate. Throw in the Washington and Sir Richard Steele for good measure.