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Detail Pages
The Famous Cock, N1
N1
N1 1RU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Famous Cock
Reviewed 19th March 2014:
This was once a grand Victorian junction pub called the Old Cock Tavern which was rebuilt in the 1950s.
I've passed this place countless times since the mid-1980s and finally went in about ten years ago because I needed the loo. Needless to say, the depressing exterior gives way to an overall depressing pub inside. Upper Street famously has more pubs and bars along its length than any other street in Britain, so anything and everything is better (except possibly the White Swan next door).
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Dating from at least the mid-19th century, this was the Cock, later the Old Cock Tavern & Railway Hotel, on account of it being part of the rather grand hotel at Highbury and Islington. This and much of the surrounding area was destroyed by a V1 rocket on 27th June 1944 at 12.46 pm, killing 26; all that remains today is a fillet of stonework to the north-west corner of the pub as a memorial, the current building dating from the late ‘50s but quite why it's considered 'famous' is anyone's guess.
The interior is essentially a rectangle with the bar to the mid-left. It’s had the hipster treatment, with white tiles behind the bar, trendy light fittings, wood or carpeted floor, with eclectic framed prints, some of the area from yesteryear and photographic depictions of the area from yesteryear applied to the wall, along with some gold and black floral wallpaper with a white ceiling. Of interest, there’s a potted history of local boy Joe Meek applied to part of a rear wall. There’s also much awful Six Nations’ bunting and one of those horrible inflatable Guinness rugby goalposts flanking the entrance. Furniture is mixed, with some booths to the right, each with a TV and speaking of TVs, there were nine spotted, broadcasting silent punditry so as not to interfere with the soundtrack. Customers were mixed, with one woman spotted.
Ales offered came to Doom (x2), Pride, then Hophead, with local hero Hammerton’s N7 and N1, £5.50 a pint and good.
The choice of Dark Star and Hammerton beers is a better choice than most available round here, but drinking in this type of surroundings isn’t my thing.
On 23rd February 2022
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Famous Cock
Large sports-oriented pub with a slightly dark interior, being one long room with no daylight in the middle. Numerous Sports TV screens are spread about, including in a row of booths opposite the bar. There is a small patio garden at the rear. Ales on were Hammerton N1 and N7, Truman's Lazurus, London Pride and Doom Bar.The pub was built to replace one demolished by a V2 in WW2, although not sure when the 'Famous' bit was added to the name or why it is justified.
On 4th December 2019
- rating: 6
[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 Famous Cock
Refurbished since my last visit with fairly standard furniture / decor and several sports TVs, but certainly more appealing than it was previously. Better still, there is now a much improved selection of real ales from the six handpumps: N1 and N17 from Hammerton, Truman's Lazarus (£4.60), Diamond Geezer from By the Horns, Wandle and... Doom Bar on this visit. Also now has six craft keg taps on the bar-back, in addition to the usual suspects on the counter founts. Standard Stonegate menu. Remains as handy for the tube station as it ever was, but certainly worth considering if passing (which you couldn't say before).
On 8th September 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Famous Cock
Stonegate have done a decent refurb here,although when there's televised football or Arsenal playing at home,it becomes a sports pub with all that entails.The interior has two wings,it's open plan with some old photographs dotted about.Opposite the bar there are a series of high tables with seating booths along the opposite wall.High tables appear elsewhere but the general appearance is neat and tidy.Corporate menus at every table,and the presence of 6 flatscreen means there is no escape if live sport is being shown,while 3 fruit machines blink away.There is a small artificial grass patio at the rear but again with a flatscreen.
The bar has 6 handpumps drawing on my visit Truman Lazarus,Sambrooks Wandle,Doom Bar,Hammerton N1 and N7 (decent),while By the Horns Diamond Geezer was available soon.That's a better ale line up than I was expecting from this chain pub and probably justifies a visit if in the area.The pub is also right by the tube exit if using public transport.
On 18th August 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Komakino . left this review about The Famous Cock
From the previous reviews it's hard to believe they're talking about the same pub. Bustling on an early Tuesday evening with numerous screens showing a Spurs game (and most cheering for the other side), this had a a six ale line-up of Southwark Bermondsey Best, Hammerton N7, Truman's Lazarus, By the Horns Diamond Geezer, Sambrook's Wandle and slightly let down by the sixth - Sharp's Doom Bar (my Diamond Geezer was excellent). There's a nice mosaic sign of the pub name with a proud rooster centre-stage behind the left-hand wall bar (it sits above a box which dispenses six craft beers) and there's an interesting poster up towards the back about one of music's forgotten heroes Joe Meek. Yes, there are negatives in this new guise, but based on what was before, I'd call this a decent enough return to form - on the ale front if anything.
On 17th April 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1074 recommendations about 1074 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Famous Cock
No real ale of any strength and usual keg offerings. Not a place I'll be returning to.
On 19th January 2017
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Famous Cock
Adjacent to Highbury & Islington tube station. 3 real ales and food served.
On 19th March 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Famous Cock
This pub is right outside highbury and islington tube which i found very handy i was very thirsty.
Once inside there was one largish room that was nothing special and ther were three real ales on the bar i had a drink of Youngs bitter and this was a decent drink the other beers were London Pride and GK IPA.
As i have said previously very handy for the tube and better than the pub over the road.
On 6th February 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Famous Cock
What exactly is the Famous Cock famous for? As a pub it is distinctly ordinary with unadventurous beers (London Pride, Adnams Broadside and Greene King IPA), Bland décor (don't you just love the Smith & jones deckchair carpeting), little in the way of architectural merit (a drab block next to the tube station), dull layout (train carriage seating down one side, high tables down the middle and a couple of off centre sections), run of the mill entertainment (3 TV's + Big screen for sport, fruit machines, quiz machine, Dusty Springfield music), automaton imported bar staff and no discernable history of any merit whatsoever. I can only conclude that the Famous Cock is famous for being famous which is, I suppose, better than just being Cock.
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 The Famous Cock
This is a rather bland pub, but I have been in far worse pubs this close to a tube station. I found the barman to be friendly and Youngs Ordinary, Greene King IPA and Pride were all available alongside a selection of premium and standard lagers. Food is served, but I would want a very nice meal for the prices asked.
The background music was at a good level and I spotted three plasma screens used for showing Sky Sports. There is a beer yard out the back, but the extractor fans for the pub create a terrible din.
I would pop in here again if I fancied a quick pint before embarking on a fun packed London Transport journey.
On 24th August 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5246 recommendations about 5214 pubs]