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Detail Pages
The Constitution, NW1
NW1
NW1 0QT
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Constitution
Last visited around 2011, I’m unsure why this pub is ‘iconic’(!), though as mentioned, this former Courage house dates from 1858 and closed in 2020; acquired by Young’s, it reopened a couple of weeks ago.
On approach, the increasingly rare Courage sign bracket with cockerel has gone, either having flown the roost or died of shame, to be replaced with the Young’s sheep. With nothing to stop it, the steady march of the Young’s wrecking crew knows no limits, the original interior completely reordered with a trendified affair exhibiting most tropes for which Young’s is known, visible on their website: bare boarded, new pale wood panelling, tiled ceiling, high chairs for kids, bare brick, flush aircon units, ‘zoned’ styles, deliberately distressed white tiling to the new relocated bar, eclectic quirky framed prints, a bit nooky, royalty free bass soundtrack on loop for muzak, with young customers (one spotted over 30), probably all students from the Royal Veterinary College at the bottom of the street and all making for a deafening cacophony.
A cask selection bettered what you get south of the river from Young’s, with alongside London Original and Special, Redemption’s Kazbek and from Fuller’s Dark Star Hophead, a little flabby and at a shocking £3.20 a half, served by a clueless barman.
This place is no longer worth visiting: the Golden Lion and Prince Albert are close at hand.
On 13th April 2024
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1982 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
David Walton left this review about The Constitution
Had spotted this iconic Youngs pub was due for reopening and they seemed to take their time to get there! Anyway after noting it had reopened last week I thought I’d better go and have a look. Was super busy at about 6.30pm, not sure if that is the novelty of an new venue in the area (as I would say there are some good venues pretty nearby) so will be interesting how they track over the coming months. Good location though with a nice terrace overlooking the, albeit depressing, water that is the canal. Had been here many years ago and it was a bit drab, so money has certainly been lavished on the refurbishment. Thought the beer choice was a bit poor and felt constrained to have a pint of Original (or Ordinary as old money used to call it). Left a bit underwhelmed.
On 20th March 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 84 recommendations about 84 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Constitution
Old fashioned pub next to canal, there is a raised area to the street windows. One roomed bare boarded with wood bar. Pool table and darts take up a bit of space. All nice enough & 4 real ales
On 27th January 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Constitution
A proper boozer,sitting above the Regents Canal with a walled beer garden which overlooks the water and boats.The main room is square with the bar running down one wall,with a darts board to the side.There is a raised section infront of the large plate glass window at the front,while to the side is a pool table infront of a Victorian tiled fireplace.There is a Sky Sports flatscreen above the corner door,while the corridor leads to the large beer garden.Down some steps here is the entrance to a cellar bar,closed on my Saturday lunchtime visit.
There are 4 handpumps drawing Sambrooks Junction,Dark Star Hophead,Oakham Citra (tasted good but a little cloudy,£4) on my trip with a Sharp's Atlantic clip reversed.The keg selection included Beavertown Neck Oil and some imported lagers.
It's a community local,so expect some bar blockers but the atmosphere was friendly and I could settle in here for quite a while.A marked improvement on the nearby Prince Albert,with this pub correctly featuring in the 2018 GBG.
On 18th February 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Constitution
Very much what I would call a proper pub, on the edge of the canal its a stand alone building, single roomed with a no frills interior.Basic table and chairs throughout with bar stools around the bar area (obviously). There is a dartboard and pool table. It was despite being a little off the beaten track, quite busy on a Friday lunch time. Four hand pumps with a decent selection of Purity Bunny Hop, Gloucester Gold, Sambrooks Junction and Dark Star Hophead. There is also a basic though decent pub grub menu and very decently priced with nothing exceeding £5.50.
This pub did it for me and I would happily return.
On 18th November 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Constitution
This Camden pub is far enough from the main drag that it has been able to retain the feel of a traditional local's boozer. Located next to the Grand Union Canal, a corner entrance takes you into a reasonably sized, single room set up with the servery over to the far right hand side. The bulk of the room has bare floorboards, with standard tables and chairs through the middle and padded benches around the perimeter. A small raised platform at the front of the pub, under a huge window, was carpeted and offered a couple more padded benches, although it looked like it could also be converted into a stage for live music. The servery has a dark wood panelled counter and bar back plus an attractive stained glass canopy. The whole room has low wood panels with the uppers decorated with brewery mirrors, a few unrelated large framed photos and some oddities such as a large 'Royal Arsenal' club badge. To the rear there is space for a pool table and juke box which stands in front of a nice fireplace with a plain mirror hung above. There is also a compact darts area to the front of the pub, with a shelf nearby holding copies of London Drinker and various local listings magazines and flyers. Music played quietly until the evening's football fixture began, at which point the tunes had to compete with the match commentator.
There were three handpulls in operation, dispensing Sambrooks Junction, Caledonian Deuchars IPA and Windsor and Eton Windsor Knot (£4.00). My pint of the latter was in good condition and I was pleased to find a couple of local-ish breweries represented. The keg range was also pretty good, with several taps dispensing small batch beers alongside a few familiar brands.
I thought this was a good local's pub which seems to offer enough to maintain a loyal following. I enjoyed spending a bit of time here and whilst there is nothing to get particularly excited about, it makes a pleasant change from the usual Camden venues.
On 5th January 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Constitution
They had Deuchars IPA, Sambrook Junction, and Caledonian Distant Sun on in here. A little surprisingly, there was no sign of food or menus when I was in on Sunday lunchtime.
This is probably the nearest “real pub” to the touristy and yuppy-like Camden Town. Inside it’s mainly bare-boarded but has a small carpeted raised area on the right, with a couple of standard tables and a settle plus some normal chairs. There isn’t a lot of seating in this rather small pub, but what there is consists of normal tables and chairs. Other classic pub features here are the dartboard and pool table. There are large TVs on the walls, but switched off when I was in. On the walls are a few black and white photos, as well as a couple of attractive distillers’ mirrors. A sign advertised the beer garden, and although I didn’t visit it, it apparently overlooks the canal.
There was a sign outside saying that children and dogs are not allowed in the bar or garden, with obviously an exception made for the pub dog that greeted me enthusiastically on my arrival. I’ve possibly made it sound a bit like a sports bar, but it isn’t – it’s a locals’ pub that also does decent ale (my pint of Distant Sun was in fine nick), albeit at the fast becoming London standard of £4 a pint. I would be happy to pay a return visit.
On 25th August 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Constitution
Canal-side pub whose main selling point must be the rear patio beer garden overlooking the waterway (although it was too cold to consider sitting outside when I happened to call by). Inside, it has been partly opened out to form a 'L'-shaped bar with a raised seating area. Pool table and dart board available. Three beers on handpump - Deuchars IPA, Sambrooks Junction and Wainwright (£3.90).
On 28th November 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Constitution
I found a very pleasant, congenial atmosphere on my recent early Saturday evening visit here. The clientele appeared to be mostly late-20s or early-30s from the nearby apartments along the Regents Canal, with no dogs that I could see on this occasion. Conversation seemed to be the main occupation, and though there was football on a small screen above the door, the sound was turned off.
Like a lot of London pubs of its age, this was clearly once divided into smaller rooms, but the one large room that now remains did not feel excessively cavernous, and the pillars that now replace one missing wall were elegantly picked out in white with red lines. The bar, almost certainly not in its original place, being just the other side of the line of pillars, features stained glass pelmets and there are three hand pumps. Two of these had beers from local Sambrooks brewery - their Wardle and Junction, plus Caledonian Deuchars for those who are not tired of it.
There's a garden out the back, overlooking the canal, though I didn't try it, with it being April and very cold indeed. About 15 or 20 minutes' walk from Kings Cross or St Pancras stations, this is one to bear in mind if you've an hour or so to kill between trains.
On 9th April 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3724 recommendations about 3461 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Constitution
In a desperate bid to try and find some half-decent places in Camden to get a beer before the Manics gig, I pottered round some of the backstreets to see what I found. This was my first and best stop of the day.
After a five minute walk from the tube station I spotted this one - from the outside it looks like a traditional pub and the inside delivers a modern-trad feel, with pool table, jukebox and dartboard. Three ales were on offer (Broadside, Deuchars IPA and a Wyre brew), my Deuchars was in excellent form and the large foamy head was topped-up without asking. As it was a sunny day I ventured outside and was rather pleased to discover a lovely beer garden right on the canal side. The summer sun appears to travel over from the back of the garden down to set over the front of it which is fantastic in the summer months.
Basic fried food was on offer, which seemed to be going down well.
A very positive first impression and I would recommend it to others. I'm planning a return next time I'm in the area.
On 5th June 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]