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Detail Pages
The Thornhill Arms, Kings Cross, N1
N1
N1 9RD
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Thornhill Arms
A very fine Charrington's exterior,brown glazed tiles,fine windows,a frieze picked out in cream and brown .It's near the Regents Canal west portal of Islington Tunnel.
The interior is far less pleasing although you can still spot some internal brown glazed tiles.Heavy wood has been used as a decoration,the furniture is a mix of high tables ,pew benches and metal framed chairs.The island bar is a feature but there's only a little authentic detail.There is a beer garden out the back.Terrestrial TV on the flatscreen.
Food is served,hearty pub grub such as burgers,pizze,loaded chips at a reasonable lunchtime price.The bar supports two handpumps but only a reversed St Austell Tribute clip was evident,according to the board priced at £4.80 when available.There are 10 kegs,mostly mainstream but the three best options were rip off expensive.Beavertown Neck Oil,Gamma Ray £7.20 ! and my Adnams Mosaic Pale £6.20 shocking for a 4.2%.
It's run by a local couple who were friendly enough,but the lack of real ale and the usary pricing would deter another visit.
On 19th March 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Thornhill Arms
As others have commented this Caledonian Road pub has a fine exterior with some excellent historical Charringtons tiled branding, but unfortunately the modern decor interior does not match the classic exterior. There will be those that like these clean modern pub interiors but I find them all a bit sterile. However the glass wall display of old historical beermats was interesting though.
As well as some outside picnic tables there is the very pleasant enclosed beer yard out back that I did take a look at. However unfortunately for my visit the only beer that was available to take into it was coming out the shiney keg taps as both the ale pumps were unused and even unbadged, so this is probably another London pub that has stopped trying to keep real ale post Covid.
There were quite a few in on this early mid week evening during from what I could see It looks like a well run community pub.
On 17th February 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Thornhill Arms
Much as described below, it's clear that the pub has had a trendy makeover to try to tempt in the newly arrived moneyed locals who live in the rather lovely Georgian houses that remain in an otherwise rather desolate, semi-industrial area.
Some walls are now bare brick and huge industrial lamps hang over tables which are high or low and fairly traditional, the colour scheme in here is the ubiquitous blue or blue/grey from the Farrow & Ball school of pub paint palettes. Music was muted, but unfortunately there were two TVs to the walls showing football, albeit with the sound down.
The landlady decided to go and actually stand behind here bar and served me with a reasonable half of Sambrook's Wandle at £2.00, which is about right for the area; this was the only ale on offer.
This pub is just about OK, but the area's a bit dowdy and I'd prefer the short walk up the hill to The Crown.
On 23rd May 2016
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Thornhill Arms
The magnificent exterior of this pub has the most exuberant old Charrington signage that I've ever seen, that is clearly shown in the photographs. But inside it's nothing special. To be fair there is a bit of original, but fairly plain, tiling around the sides that has clearly been much abused over the years. But that's it - everything else looks very new, with modern distressed wooden screens not achieving any purpose that I could see. There was a lot of grey about, as is the case with many a thoroughly madeover pub, with some walls, the ceiling, and the bar counter front all painted this ubiquitous colour. Some tall plastic stools were around the bar; some tall tables/tall stools were there of course, plus some scrubbed tables with recycled church pews and recycled Sunday school chairs. A couple of pluses were the rack of newspapers on the counter, and the framed montage of ancient beermats in a corner on the left. I spotted a few old favourites such as for Hofmeister and Whitbread Tankard, but didn't spot one for Red Barrel.
The central island bar had a couple of handpumps, but with only one apparently in use dispensing Sambrook's Wandle (£4 a pint). I didn't see a menu. I didn't eplore the advertised beeryard either, although I did see a few people making use of the picnic benches at the front of the pub. This one's fair enough if you like madeover pubs with little pub feel about them. I don't imagine that this is the sort of pub you are likely to visit if you are after a decent ale selection, but at least they did have one ale on.
On 9th April 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Thornhill Arms
I think that the previous commentators will be pleased to learn that the Thornhill Arms has undergone some change since their visits way back in 2007. The island bar and standard draught products remain with the addition of some premium lagers and three hand pumps. One of these was off leaving Sambrook’s Wandle and Robinson’s Trooper as the cask ale options. A lunchtime menu was in operation with pub grub mains all priced at £5, which is excellent value for the area. Around the exterior walls are tables with a mix of standard and pew seating. During my visit, just after mid-day on a recent Monday, there was some low background music playing and I spotted two plasma screens. These were both off, but I did see that Sky Sports was advertised.
Adjacent to the footpath down the side of the pub are some picnic tables covered by awnings and I noted that a new beer yard was advertised. Due to the inclement weather I did not investigate on this occasion.
I was the only customer due to the pub only just opening, but I liked the surroundings and the service was very friendly. I would have no problem visiting this pub again if passing.
On 12th October 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Thornhill Arms
Has had a refit since I last visited. The outside is still the same, but the inside has been changed into, what I would say is a typical footbal pub. The middle area has been taken away and the only drinks available are for quick delivery. Gassy lager, cider & Boddingtons. The Guinness wasn't much cop. They still sell food, but I can't see any reason to go in there unless you are a desperate Arsenal supporter, even then I would suggest they found a different pub. Extra note: The tables have table cloths
On 15th March 2007
- rating: 2
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Thornhill Arms
I recently revisited this pub after a gap of a few years to find it almost unrecognizable from the old fashioned traditional boozer it once was. These days it has been given a more modern makeover that gives the pub a more up market appearance although to be fair it does not seem to have lost its community roots. The wooden floor is well trodden and the dartboard, 2 plasma screens and several fruit machines seem at odds with the settees, leather sofas, potted plants, fireplace and candlelit tables. It feels more like a lounge bar than a local community pub. The island bar itself in particular looks very open and bare with very few taps to be found given the expanse of bar surface. Disappointingly they have no Real ales, just the usual mass production lagers and kegs. Some things have not changed in that it is still a Gooner stronghold and there are lots of Arsenal pictures, signed shorts, banners etc on show. I am not sure whether the makeover is really to my taste and there are sadly very few pubs in the area that have escaped either transition to Irish theme pubs or trendy refurbishments. I would have thought that this place would have been one of the few pubs that resisted the temptation.
On 26th January 2007
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]