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Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Camden Head, N1
N1
N1 8DY
Pub Type
Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Camden Head
A really good looking pub enhanced by copious examples of etched glass and mirrors, some nice leather seating, an island bar with some fine woodwork, unfortunately all of this can't help the beer in a Greene King pub, two sets of four handpumps could only offer Abbot, all other clips reversed, I settled for a Camden Pale on keg.
Despite the beer I would consider a return for the pub alone.
On 12th June 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Camden Head
A nice traditional pub, presumably restored during the Taylor Walker period, located just off the main road and with some splendid windows and a good island bar. Outside is a rather over-the-top tabled area, surrounded by big fake greenery. Ales were sadly restricted to GK IPA and Abbot but at least the condition was good.
On 16th September 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Camden Head
Really not sure how I've never been to this place previously, although it is in the narrow lanes set back from the main road a bit. Anyway, this appealing Greene King (ex-Taylor Walker) pub features a fine island bar, various screens to sub-divide the seating areas and plenty of etched glazing. The is also a pleasant patio yard at the front which is the place to be in the better weather. Two banks of four handpumps with duplicated clips, with IPA and Abbot supplemented by Twickenham Naked Ladies (£4.80) and Portobello Market Porter as guests.
On 8th September 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Camden Head
Tucked away on Camden Walk,this is a very fine Victorian pub which should be iconic but is badly let down by it's owners Greene King.There is a large seating patio to the front and a fine exterior.Internally there is lots of etched glass and mirrors and the interior space has lots of dividers also with etched glass with red leather bench seating.Walk around the island bar and you will find a charming alcove below a staircase with a drinking shelf and stools,there are quite a few nooks and crannies here.
It's such a shame that the dead hand of Greene King is everywhere.There is an unnecessary flatscreen on one wall,corporate menus invest every table,there was awful R&B dirge as muzak and there were meaningless signs hanging by the fine bar back with an inflateable unicorn pertched on a corner.Remove this nonsense and you could celebrate the heritage.
Four handpumps with the obligatory dull GK IPA and Abbott with thankfully two guests in Portobello Westway Pale and Market Porter (ok condition,£2.45 half).There are several keg taps but a boring selection with BrewDog Dead Pony Club and Beavertown Neck Oil seemingly a token nod to craft keg.
It's worth a visit to see the interior ,hence a 7,but in better hands with better real ale and better food this could be an outstanding pub.
On 19th August 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Camden Head
Not to be confused with the Camden Head in Camden Town, this is a grand late Victorian pub (1899) just away from the bustle of Upper Street and features a very fine interior with lots of partitions, mirrors and etched and cut glass, lino bar top, some columns with ornate capitals, some grand polished granite applications to the exterior and a coal effect fire. Surprisingly, for a Taylor Walker pub (for this is one), the floor is bare boarded rather than carpeted but thereafter there are the usual downmarket TW trademarks such as games machines, TVs showing dross with the sound off and awful laminated pictorial menus. Furniture is fairly conventional with some leatherette banquette seating below the windows. Music played at an acceptable level.
Ales: the Keeper's Light went off on arrival, thereafter Greene King IPA and Sharp's Doom Bar Amber at £2.20 a half and ok; there may have been some other ales on the other side of the bar.
This pub is certainly better than your average offering from TW and it's very pretty but the games machines, TVs and naff menus lower the score somewhat. Certainly worth a prolonged visit, especially if you can bag a seat in the patio in a warm day.
On 10th November 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Camden Head
Not a pub for me - no real strength in the ales and I was glad to leave.
On 19th January 2017
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Camden Head
Just a run of the mill pub in Islington selling 4 real ales with the truman lazarus beeing ok but at £2.05 a half being a total rip off.
On 18th May 2014
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Camden Head
Central island bar serves 5 real ales and food. Comedy venue upstairs.
On 19th March 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Camden Head
I thought this pub was in Camden Town so I was surprised to come across it in Islington.Nice traditional style pub.Very busy and uncomfortable on my visit.Probably six beers on but I decided not to fight my way through to the other side of the bar. Inntregue and innspiration from Plain Ales and Weltons -Horsham pale which was in good condition but boring taste-wise.Nice pub if you find it less busy.
On 2nd February 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Camden Head
Set at one end of Camden Passage with its many antique shops, this classic Victorian pub still has some of its original splendour in place, in the form of some tiling in the old Saloon Bar entranceway; ornately capitaled cast iron pillars; fine etched and cut glass; and what looks like a mahogany servery with an ancient clock suspended from the ceiling above it. As you would expect it’s now been opened up considerably from its original multi-room format, leaving the bar counter and server in splendid isolation in the middle of the room.
This pub now has the Taylor Walker branding as part of the Punch Taverns empire. Thus the seating is a mixture of upholstered benches, tall stools/tables, small stools and simple round wooden tables. Outside there are a few picnic benches in a small patio area to the side of the pub. The food menu is the usual pubco style pub grub, at typical prices – e.g. the standard burger and chips is £7.85. There were four ales on during my visit – Young’s London Gold, Doom Bar, Tribute and Woodforde’s Wherry. Like so many pubs of the Taylor Walker brand, this one falls into the OK category but with the added bonus of the retention of some original Victorian features. Plus visiting this pub represents a welcome respite from the throngs of Upper St.
On 17th September 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]