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Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Tris C
Submitted on Sunday, 6th February 2011
With picture contributions to 2293 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (20 more images)
Detail Pages
Che, Holloway, N7
N7
N7 6ET
Served areas
Reviews of Che (Average Rating: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about Che
Finally ticked this venue off at 6.30pm on a Friday as they only open on Thurs to Sat from 5pm (have tried 5pm Thurs on the dot on a couple of occasions but not previously open at that time). Close to the Emirates and can imagine rammed for home games (when I guess they might modify their opening times but don’t quote me on that). Plenty of keg options (Carlsberg, San Miguel, Guinness, N7) and my selection of Panama Creatures a 4.3% pale ale from local brewery Hammerton. To me this is a good example of some small minus points for beer choices and some plus points for a lovely characterful venue with a delightful owner (from attire and theme of venue). Would definitely return if in area at end of week and would definitely return if open early week. Happy beer drinking comrades.
On 5th April 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 88 recommendations about 88 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Che
This was originally The Lord Palmerston until around the mid-2000s when it was renamed El Comandante, with Alberto Korda’s world-famous 1960 photo of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara - Guerrillero Heroica - occupying the former Taylor Walker sign frame. Since 2016 it has been known simply as ‘Che’, Latin American for ‘friend’. The pub’s Facebook page indicates that local MP Jeremy Corbyn has visited at least once, which would come as no surprise.
A short walk from the Emirates, this bar is situated in a sleepy backstreet, an attractive corner pub with some glazed brown tiles (possibly once Meux’s) and further brewery mementos in the form of the sign frame topped with the Taylor Walker cannon and their former lanterns, glazing replaced with clear glass, again depicting El Comandante. There’s also some faded Double Diamond lettering to a window. Indeed, the windows’ lower portions have frosted or etched glass, meaning that you can’t see out when seated.
Inside it’s quite small and rather plain - a bare boarded floor and grooved panelling to nearly full height, painted burgundy below the dado rail and custard coloured thereon up. Furniture is wooden, simple and quite traditional, along with some pews. In the main, décor comes from the multitude of posters of Guevara and a few of Fidel Castro. The bar is central and two TVs showing football were on which were muted on our arrival and replaced with Latino music on the stereo. A pool table sits relegated to an alcove - I can’t see how it could be played in such a small pub. Apparently the landlord is, like Guevara, Bolivian. He certainly looked suitably revolutionary and probably knows his Cohibas - he was friendly though perhaps was lonely as we were the only customers at around 6.30 on a lovely sunny evening.
Ales: unsurprisingly, none that were real though there was Hammerton’s N7 on keg at £2.50 a half - not too bad once it had warmed up a bit, though expensive.
This is obviously a niche pub and probably does sterling service for London’s Latino community, wherever they may live. However, Che doesn’t offer much for the real ale drinker or the pub traditionalist, so I’ll bid it adiós, as not living anywhere near here, I don’t envisage a return visit.
Note: cash only and reportedly closed on Sundays.
On 3rd May 2018
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about El Comandante
This place has gone all Cuban with Che Guevara posters everywhere and upbeat Latino music playing through the speakers. With the staff all speaking Spanish it felt fairly authentic, it's just a shame that the small group of art students playing pool brought home the reality that I was in fact still in Holloway.
Fosters, San Miguel, Strongbow and Guinness were available on draught alongside various bottled lagers falling into the South American theme.
The bar area is small, but there are two little old TVs and also a projector screen which was rolled up. There were no signs for any sport, but then there were no signs for the toilets or the fact that there is a reasonably sized beer garden out the back with some extra seating. The pub sign is the picture of Che Guevara that you see plastered on lots of T-shirts if you wander through Camden at the weekend.
This place is ok if you like your bars friendly, basic and with a hint of half-arsedness.
On 16th July 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]
No known official website for this pub.
- Facebook - El Comandante
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Che - whatpub.com
Finsbury Park, 0.84 miles, 16 min walk (show)
Highbury & Islington, 0.92 miles, 17 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 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 16 July 2009 by Will Larter
- Car Park : No last updated 31 December 2016 by Tris C
- Darts : No last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Hot Food : No last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Jukebox : No last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Live Music : Yes - Latino/salsa. - last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Pinball : No last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Pool Table : Yes - Possibly. - last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Quiz Night : No last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- Real Ale : No last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
- WiFi : No last updated 03 May 2018 by Tris C
