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The Three Johns, N1
N1
N1 9PF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Three Johns
Date of visit: 23rd February 2016:
A first visit for us on our Sunday crawl and I can't add much to Mr Man's review below, other than to mention the gloomy lighting and muted music. Recently returned to its original name, this is a large pub with furniture to the periphery and then a large no man's land to cross before you get to the long rear bar; there's a good sized room to the side. Mid-evening, the pub was virtually empty.
There were three ales on and my pint of Rooster's Jester was very decent, as it should be at £4.50 a pint.
I preferred this place to the nearby Castle and I'd come here again if in the absolute vicinity, but I wouldn't make a detour to return, not least because the immediate locale isn't great.
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Date of visit: 18th February 2022.
A few return visits of late, as this is one of the only places that doesn't stock Doom or Pride as a default real ale.
The interior hasn't changed: it's still the same hipster venue with masses of bare brick, exposed riveted metal girders painted black, metal shelving, naff pictures of nobility with modern pop-art additions and very low light from filament bulbs. There's still the peripheral seating, which amounts to slatted benches, a bit like the third class seating in old steam trains. A decent soundtrack played over the stereo, not Coronation Scot, which would be in keeping with the benches. Furniture is still conventional and the tiled ceiling is there, but I think the tiles are copper effect ceramic; all this can be seen on the pub's gallery website.
The three ales are now down to just two unused pumps, then Mad Goose at a reasonable £4.70 a pint and in very good shape.
Although the music is by no means loud, the sound of chatter and poor acoustics makes this a very noisy pub, by no means my ideal type, but with the state of ale being the way it is, it served its purpose in delivering up a decent pint at a fair price, by pleasant staff.
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Popping in for a swift half last night and there's been a fair bit of change in here. The most notable is that the uncomfortable slatted third class rail carriage benches have been replaced with studded brown banquettes. The next thing you notice is that the pub has at last clocked that you can substantially increase seating space by doing something called 'putting stools and tables in the huge expanse of wasted space that was between the bar and peripheral seating'. The third thing you notice is that extra lights have been applied to the ceiling, which also enables the drinker to better view the stupid artwork and ugly expanse of bare brick.
Just one real ale was on (UBU) which was fine, but it's sad that this pub's days as a minor real ale destination are now behind it, with two unused pumps; a greater choice would get the score up.
On 2nd March 2022
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Three Johns
Of 4 new pubs I visited in Central London yesterday, this was my favourite. The interior is similar to the Exmouth Arms, where we'd just come from. They actually belong to the same chain (Barworks). There are bare brick walls, with plenty of pictures to admire and an impressive copper panelled ceiling.
My initial reaction to the pub was disappointment, as there was no real ale at all. However, the craft beer list threw up what was to be my favourite beer of the day. Whilst I tend to find sour beers very much hit or miss, the Vault City Key Lime Pie Sour was very much a hit in my book. Although at £9 a pint and 7.5%, it should be!
Other craft beers came from Camden, Magic Rock, Neptune, New Belgium, Beavertown, Double-Barrelled, Deya, North & Siren.
The two barmaids were friendly and enthusiastic about their beer selection. Whilst we were the only customers when we left, it had started filling up as we walked past later on. This may have been people arriving for the Euro football game.
I really shouldn't have liked this pub, as it doesn't fit my model of what the perfect pub should be like. But the beer certainly swayed my opinion and I do hope to come back one day.
On 29th June 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Three Johns
Loud, echoey and open plan place that’s undergone a fairly decent hipster refurb. There’s an impressive copper ceiling which contrasts nicely with the exposed brick walls all round and the large square windows. Also of interest is the large painted wall sign in a Victorian style. Difficult to explore due it being rammed, perhaps understandably so given the general low grade nature of much of the immediate competition. Three handpumps sporting 2x Siren ales. My Undercurrent went down well (NBSS 3.5) and was value for the area at just over 4 quid a pint. A good find.
On 15th May 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Three Johns
Classic london pub that's had a sympathetic make over. Large windows means they can get away with the low lighting, as street light floods in. Beaten Copper Roof.
Unusual beers - Electric Mountain from Heavy Industry Brewery in Wales was an unlikely find.
Decent pint.
On 14th November 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1337 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Three Johns
Two-room corner pub benefiting from extensive window space along the two façades. The high ceilings - with large square tiles of metallic appearance - are a mixed blessing, though, as there was a cacophonous din in the bar on a busy (but not over-crowded) Thursday evening. However, the ambience of side room was rather more sedate. Limited amount of furniture and bare-brick décor throughout, with seating supplemented by a row of benches out on the pavement. Three handpumps on the counter, dispensing Harvey's, Sentinel 'SG' Gold (£4.00) and Harbour Amber Pale, plus two 'T'-shaped founts with eight craft keg taps on each. Post-visit note: a few days after visiting, I found out from a Radio 4 programme that the pub played a key role leading to the Russian revolution, with Lenin and Trotsky amongst those meeting here in 1903 when the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks split into different factions.
On 21st October 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Three Johns
First time to visit in this guise, previous visits being when it was the Hobgoblin (dodgy Arsenal leaning sports bar ) and the Fallen Angel (must have been so impressive that I can’t remember a dot what it was like) and have to say I like what they have done to the place.
Now run by the Barworks Company, those also responsible for the nearby Earl of Essex and the Exmouth Arms, all the usual Hipster attracting accompaniments are now to be found here. Minimalist interior with stripped back exposed brick walls and wood flooring, some eclectic and largely pointless artwork, plenty of large unmatched tables and chairs mainly around the huge picture windows allowing plenty of external people watching, a modern clean bar design with industrial racking providing a decent craft beer offering in both tap and bottles and a decent looking Pizza only menu, ideal for sharing amongst groups.
But for those of us not under 30 with beards there is a large enough floor space in front of the modern bar for vertical drinking underneath the very impressive tiled copper ceiling and fortunately in keeping with other members of the Barworks stable, there are three Ale handpumps which were delivering Five Points Pale Ale, Redemption Trinity and an excellent Titanic Plum Porter.
The area around the Angel is in danger of being ruined by a burgeoning presence of bland chain bars and restaurants so a place that still fits in but has a bit of character and a bit more about it is certainly welcome.
On 11th April 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Three Johns
Decent enough pub with some good ales - the stout I had was in fine order. Was a bit quiet on Sunday evening though.
On 19th January 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Three Johns
There were three ales on here - ELB Foundation, XT 1 Blonde, and XT 3 Pale Ale. They still specialise in pizze, priced from £6.80 to £9.50.
The interior's unchanged from previous reviews. The irreverant paintings are still there - I didn't examine them closely, but one seemed to feature George Washington blowing bubble gum. There are two rooms, both having copper plated ceilings, with the smaller room at the back having a skylight indicating that it was probably once a billiards room. There is some wood panelling on the walls in this room, but it has been artificially distressed leading me to wonder whether it is in fact a modern addition. The larger room suffers from that modern affliction of stripping away the plastering and/or panelling to reveal exposed brickwork.
This pub's OK. As mentioned previously, the seating's pretty standard issue. It's comfortable enough if you can get a seat, but there's lots of open space in the centre of the room, which leads me to wonder whether it's there to accommodate vertical drinking. I'd visit again, but I doubt whether I would go far out of my way to do so.
On 19th September 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Three Johns
A very pleasant street corner boozer in a traditional building which has had a reasonably sympathetic update.
It reminded me of the Craft Beer Co. near Holborn with benches around the walls and a large space in the middle for the busy periods. I enjoyed the irreverant pictures.
Each table is equipped with a menu, pizzas a speciality, but there isn't any pressure to eat.
Service was efficient and friendly - Ray's description of "hip and upbeat" catches it perfectly.
Plenty of interesting keg offerings with just three cask options: Five Points Pale, Moor Confidence and Mordue Five Bridges. Both the Pale and the Confidence were very good.
A cool and calming spot for a very good pint on a hot day.
On 25th August 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Three Johns
I didn't realise that Craft Beer Co. nearby doesnt open midweek lunchtimes,so this was the default option,and it turned out very good.A Victorian street corner building ,it has a very high ceiling with embossed copper decoration making quite a feature.Traditional wooden furniture around the periphery ,leaving a large space for vertical drinking infront of the bar,as noted by others there is a side room with more seats.The windows are huge and let in a lot of natural light while the barback is interesting,a sturdy book case design filled up with spirit bottles and whisky galore up to the ceiling.Chatting to the barmaid on how the top bottles are reached,she told me staff climb up the frame,so it must be well fitted.
On one wall there is a painted old style advert for the pubs offerings which together with some jokey prints of old master classics enhanced the vibe,the muzak was at a sensible volume and lead to a mellow lunchtime session.
At the bar there are 16 craft keg taps for the creatives and hipsters,while real ale types have a choice from 3 handpumps,which on my trip was Mordue Five Bridges,Five Points Pale and Moor Confidence,with everything we tried on very good form.
Better than I expected,I would have no trouble coming in again and supping their well kept real ale.I failed to check out the gents to see if there are actually three johns.
On 19th August 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]