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The Horseshoe, Clerkenwell, EC1
EC1
EC1R 0AG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Horseshoe
There were a couple of real ales on when I dropped in here recently - Marston's 61 Deep and Young's Bitter (£2.25 a half). I didn't see any sign of food on Wednesday afternoon.
This is a pub I've walked past loads of times, and at last popped in to have a look around and have a swift half. It's completely opened up now of course, and seems larger than it looks from the outside. As I was in during a sunny afternoon, luckily I wasn't assaulted by the bright lighting that the previous reviewer encountered. The windows are small rectangular panes, all with obscured glazing, which is a throwback to the days when this was often the norm in pubs to shield the goodly passers by from the seedy goings on inside. Not really necessary now - well, I suppose it is in some pubs.
As Tris says, there's a reasonably large garden at the back that's not visible from the street - so, sort of qualifies as a secret garden. It looks to have been tidied up a bit since his visit as I thought it was nice out there, and a bit of a suntrap on a sunny day. There was a TV on, but muted so we could "enjoy" the pop music being played.
This struck me as an ordinary pub with no airs or graces - I quite liked it.
On 30th July 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Horseshoe
From the outside, this pub looks like some cute little historic pub in an idyllic Dickensian enclave of Clerkenwell. However, once through the door you find yourself in a rather large and long pub with very bright lighting. I usually complain about the gloom in some pubs, but this one requires the wearing of sunglasses. There are somewhat incongruous ceiling fans with integrated lights and loud sport on multiple TVs. The bar's quite long with vertical t 'n' g panelling and surprisingly for a pub of this type, the floor is bare boarded and there's a dartboard opposite the entrance with players in full throw. The interior even has an Artex ceiling, which dates its interior somewhat. Muted music competed with the football and drinkers were a mix of locals and studenty types. There's very little décor and the lavatories are really rather grotty; the solitary basin had a large chunk of porcelain missing from the right side and a communal hand towel was all there was for the drying of hands. On the plus side there's a more appealing side snug with a modern bare brick wall and log burning stove. Out back, there's an attractive secluded and surprisingly large garden which could do with a little cash.
The barman was very friendly serving just Purity's Ubu at an acceptable £4.00 a pint which was in passable condition.
This pub really needs some cash spent on it. That and a wider choice of beers and this could be a minor destination so long as it's not ruined.
On 28th November 2017
- rating: 4
[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 The Horseshoe
Old-school boozer with an opened-out interior of at least three former rooms with the bar in one branch of a flat 'T' layout. Limited furniture and decor, with the two dartboards being the main features of note. Three of four handpumps in use, with the regular Sharp's Coaster and Brain's Rev James supplemented by something with a hand-written label saying "? Dingy Spirit" (a 4.5% pale ale from Suffolk, £4.00) on offer.
On 10th September 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Horseshoe
One long room with little character its a rather strange place, though the stone/brick lounge area is a little different! Lots of stools around the bar and pine tables elsewhere
2 real ales, Sambrooks Wandle and Cornish Coaster, quite well kept which saves the pub.
On 31st January 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Horseshoe
First time to try some pubs in Clerkenwell and came across The Horseshoe whilst trying to find the nearby Three Kings.
Deceptive place in that what looks like a very small corner pub from the outside is a much bigger one room pub stretching back under the building its attached to.
Nice looking outside with plenty of leaded windows, but basic no frill interior with a long bar area. But nice to come across an unpretentious old style back street boozer, which has avoided being turned into another modernist gastro restaurant..
Ales were GK IPA and Sharps Cornish Coaster
Good separate area available for darts with a double dart board set up but still probably wasn't enough here for me to consider rushing back.
But it was a very decent pint of Sharps Cornish Coaster, the staff and locals were very friendly , and I was impressed with the traditional darts set up.
And for these reasons I would frequent if I lived locally and I wish it well.
On 27th June 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Lager Lout left this review about The Horseshoe
This is the place to go if you enjoy being insulted by barmen! Once you have got over the insults (from Brian) you will discover Greene King IPA and Cornish on hand pump which are both quite palatable. Various lagers including Kronenberg, San Miguel, Carling and Fosters all available on draft. Good selection of spirits and bottled lagers/beers and soft drinks. Don't go there if wine is your tipple as the selection is extremely poor. Barfood available at lunchtimes and the pub also features a garden that is a real suntrap in the summer. All in all not a bad place.
On 17th November 2007
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5 recommendations about 5 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Horseshoe
The Horseshoe is a nice looking pub from the outside,that is set in the back streets of Clerkenwell.
Once inside,the pub was fairly narrow and dimly lite,we had a drink in the front area which had a wood floor,there were two real ales on the bar,we had a drink of Sharps Cornish Coaster which was a decent drink and one i had not seen before,the other beer was GK IPA.
This was a pleasant enough pub to have a drink in.
Pub visited 17/8/2006
On 17th August 2006
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]