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Detail Pages
Bucks Head, Camden Town, NW1
NW1
NW1 8QR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Bucking Fastard left this review about Bucks Head
A street corner music pub with Truman's signage still visible on one side,the tap room is square with a raised section in the apex at the front,a large banquette at the rear and lots of room for vertical drinking around the bar.It was all hectic and noisy on my Saturday afternoon visit but no sign of live music at that time.There is a staircase to a small roof terrace under an awning with about 6 tables which was a decent escape from the throng downstairs.
Two handpumps among the keg dross but on ordering the Landlord told it was off ,without reversing the clip which is bad practice.Had to make do with a half of London Pride (NBSS 2.5) at a rip off £3.65.
Leave it to the young folk who know no better.
On 29th October 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Moby Duck left this review about Bucks Head
A single roomed pub with a London/music theme in the decor. Three handpums with a trio of beers unchanged from PSMs review below, Pride, Doom Bar and Landlord, I didn't fancy any of those so settled for a Beavertown Neck Oil. Not a pub I'd make a beeline for apart from being the only pub in the close vicinity open before noon.
On 3rd September 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Bucks Head
This is the first pub you reach if you head North from Camden Town tube station, so I suspect the place gets a fair bit of passing trade based on that geographical factor alone. As it turns out, it’s actually not too bad an option and certainly didn’t stand out as being any better or worse that the few other pubs further up the road. It’s a typical, boxy bare boarded room with the servery down the left-hand wall and plenty of seating opposite. The bar has a modern tongue and groove panelled counter with a fairly plain bar back painted in a dark shade and lined with fairy lights and gold framed promotional blackboards. The seating opposite mainly comprises basic tables and chairs, plus a few mid height chairs, one high table with bar stools under the front windows and a raised platform to the front right with some comfy padded banquettes. There were shelves here stuffed with board games and a TV screen above was showing muted World Cup football. To the rear, beyond the bar, there’s an addition seating area that has been decorated with loads of Camden/Swinging Sixties themed pictures. The whole pub is painted the same dark shade as the bar back but has been livened up with some collages made from old record sleeves and the like. Signs pointed the way to a rooftop garden, but on a cold evening, I declined the invitation.
There were three handpulls on the bar serving Fullers London Pride and Taylors landlord, with a Sharps Doom Bar clip reversed on the final handle. The landlord clocked in at £5.85 for a pint, which is probably about par for the course in this tourist-centric part of town, and it was in pretty good nick, to the point that I stayed and had a second. The pub was rammed on my Saturday evening visit, but the staff kept things turning over quickly at the bar and the door staff must be some of the friendliest I’ve ever encountered.
I thought this was a decent enough place with a well-kept pint of Landlord, a lively atmosphere and plenty of comfy seating options. It doesn’t really stand out all that much from the crowd and I’m sure in a few months’ time I’ll struggle to differentiate it in my mind from several other nearby Camden boozers, but it worked well for some pre-gig beers, and I wouldn’t moan if I got dragged back here again.
On 20th March 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Bucks Head
Typically Camden marginally-trendy pub aiming squarely at tourists and shoppers. The one slightly-cluttered room was decorated with various images of 60's London and music stuff, while tables were in great demand by lunchers. A terrace was signed at the rear but not visited. Draught ales were Truman Lazurus and Runner, Doom Bar and a very drinkable Southwark LPA.
On 29th October 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Bucks Head
Quite well described below, the highlight being Camden's own Nutty Boys being played over the stereo at a muted level. Less attractive was the games machine and mirror ball. Typically, the pub is bare boarded and dark with mixed furniture and a touristy crowd, so it's obvious that the Camden Weird Brigade don't come in here.
Ales served by a rather clueless barmaid: Hobgoblin, Southwark's London Pale Ale, Fuller's London Pride and Redemption's Hopspur at £2.20 a half which was slightly off; the patrons didn't strike me as being particularly likely to be drawn to real beer.
This isn't a great place and I don't envisage a return visit.
On 4th October 2016
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Bucks Head
Small 'L'-shaped bar, with thin steel columns supporting the upper floors so the original rooms must have been tiny. Traditional dark furniture, but rather more fashionable decor. Sports TVs. Exterior has been repainted fairly recently, making the Truman plaque more prominent but the unusual pub signs on each façade less so. Now has four handpumps, with Pride, Hobgoblin, Spitfire and London Beer Factory Chelsea Blonde (£4.15) available on this visit.
On 22nd October 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Bucks Head
This is a fairly standard street corner boozer with loud music and pictures of London celebrities on the walls for the tourists: The Who, Twiggy, a red bus, The Beatles? There are lots of small tables, each with a numbered block of wood with menus stuck in it, although this doesn't feel like much of a dining pub. Seating is mostly low stools, but there are some benches by the walls and a couple of leather arm chairs. The music was ok, although if I'd been hoping to engage in conversation I would have struggled.
There were two real ales available: Brains IPA and Fullers London Pride. I tried the Brains, which at 3.4% has got to be the lowest strength I've ever seen for this beer type. It was also low on taste, which may not have been the fault of the brewer, and a little warm, but then we were having the British summer this week, so maybe that could be excused. I was charged £1.85 for a half, which suggests that a pint would be £3.70. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here again.
On 27th July 2012
- rating: 3
[User has posted 3744 recommendations about 3481 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Bucks Head
I must have walked past the Bucks Head hundreds of times without ever feeling any great desire to enter. The exterior proudly displays its heritage as part of the Truman, Hanbury Buxton & Co empire but sadly that is about all that is left of its features. Inside is a typically designer orientated retro style pub with hints of an art deco reproduction. The beers were mainstream beers and lagers with 3 hand pumps; London Pride, Adnams Broadside (which was off) and one unused. Prices were pretty hefty with nothing on the price list being below £3.30 a pint). Measures were woeful and the imported barman didn't really grasp the concept of topping up. My pint was still way short AFTER it had been supposedly topped up (at my request). For foodies, there was a reasonably priced chain pub grub menu but nothing you can't get anywhere else in pretty much any Camden pub. The main attraction of the place is probably the small roof terrace that overlooks the bustling and lively Camden Market but, having now made the effort to pop inside and being distinctly underwhelmed, I think I will continue to carry on walking past in the future.
On 19th September 2009
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Bucks Head
There were 3 pride pumps in here along with Premium and standard lager during my visit. There are a couple of plasma screens and some sofas towards the rear. I'm not sure about the big disco ball spinning around in the middle of the pub at 5 in the afternoon.
After the barmaid had finished serving the gentleman in front of me I was the only person at the bar. The barmaid then looked at me with my tenner in hand and then walked off and proceeded to empty the glass washer. I'm not sure what her problem was, maybe she's just a moody teenager. The barman that eventually served me was pleasant enough.
This isn't really my type of place and with the attitude of said employee I won't bother returning.
On 18th November 2008
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5249 recommendations about 5217 pubs]