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Detail Pages
The Harlequin, EC1
EC1
EC1R 1UY
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Harlequin
One of two pubs tucked away in a side street round the back of Sadler's Wells (with the other being the better-known Shakespeares Head). This one is in a terrace and features a single small rectangular bar with the mixed furniture, exposed floorboards, wood-panelled walls / counter and a piano all in much the same mid-brown shade (which has a slightly disconcerting effect). Given its location, I was expecting to see plenty of theatrical memorabilia, but this is surprisingly absent. Just one real ale on handpump - Landlord at £4.70 - and fairly limited range of keg and bottled beers.
On 17th November 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Harlequin
Quaint sort of single room pub with lots of wood panelling.Could get to like this pub as it had a nice feel to it.Shame but they are a freehouse and in their wisdom have decided to choose from amongst the nearly 2000 British breweries the joy that is Doombar.Not for me.
On 11th March 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Harlequin
Closed at weekends, this is an unpretentious little pub around the back of Sadler's Wells theatre, which we had yet to visit.
It's a simple, small place with bare boards, eclectic mixed furniture, a flame effect fire, piano at rear and lots of t and g panelling. Fairly quiet on our visit, we encountered the tail end of a quiz and the attendees seemed a friendly, youngish professional bunch. The staff were friendly and my pint of Timothy Taylor's Landlord (£4.20) was good.
I'd probably give this pub at least two extra points but the one ale and restricted opening times are a hindrance. Additionally, the gent's lav is just a single crapper cubicle, no urinal. Nevertheless, it's far better than the awful Old Red Lion up the road and I will definitely return when in the area.
On 1st March 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Harlequin
A Free House since 1848 according to the board outside, the Harlequin was a fairly regular haunt for me some years ago when I worked in the area but a couple of recent return visits have left me with mixed impressions.
The pub is fine in itself, a basic back street pub set in a small, homely terrace of Dickensian shops just off the bustling Islington Angel main drag. The basic furnishings are suited to the bare floors and simple brick fireplace although there is a single sofa to the rear next to an upright piano. Archive posters for nearby the Sadlers Wells Theatre line the walls along with old photos of the area and there is a selection of board games. I didn’t spot any TV but I do recall there being a small basic TV until recently. The door to the gents also leads to a small enclosed patio although it would hardly be a suntrap with the towering walls surrounding.
What really sets the pub back for me are the astronomical beer prices – far higher than most places in the area. There are 3 hand pumps with Speckled Hen, Landlord and 1 that was unused on my recent visit. About 18 months ago I had a woeful pint of Black Sheep which was a hefty £3.40 at the time. My latest visit found me coughing up £3.70 for and admittedly much better quality pint of Landlord (which was also topped up without any prompting).
I really do like the pub and if the prices were more reasonable I would use the place far more frequently but until I win the lottery, visits will have to remain sporadic.
On 7th January 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]