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Detail Pages
The Spread Eagle, Camden Town, NW1
NW1
NW1 7NB
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 Spread Eagle
A first in here the other night into what is an oasis of normality and calm in Camden Town; an older and more professional crowd in here with a muted blue/grey colour scheme, bare wood panelling and bare boarded interior; furniture is conventional - more Gastro than Goth then. This pub may have been expanded over the years, but it is a purpose-built pub dating from 1858.
Ales: a broad Young's line-up, Portobello APA and Fusilier's Hop Stuff which was fine but a bit steep at £2.35 a half.
I'd come here again if in the area, but overall I'd rather not be IN the area to start with.
On 11th October 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Spread Eagle
This is a smart, Grade II listed Young's pub, just a short walk from Camden Town tube station, which started life as a row of terraced houses skirting the corner of Parkway and Albert Street before converting to a pub in the early 20th Century. Today it is (according to a sign outside) trying to present itself as Young's version of a craft beer bar (i.e. Youngs beers plus a guest ale or two) and restaurant. Entering from Albert Street, you find yourself in the bare boarded main bar with the servery directly opposite the door. A stainless steel counter and modern tile bar back sit on and behind what quite possibly is the original dark wood counter and bar back. There also appears to be some original panelling retained around this part of the pub, but much of the wall space has now been painted in gastro grey. The place is fairly light thanks to the large, arched windows with their frosted top sections, allowing those sat on the curved padded corner banquette or nearby tables a good people watching position. The décor is fairly restrained, with some interesting art on show as well as an old Kensington Station clock. The pub splits in two once you move to the right of the bar, offering dining type areas which both happened to smell strongly of fish on this visit. Décor is a mix of bare bricks, wood panelling, frosted glass partitioning screens and lots of standard tables and chairs with the odd plush chair dotted around. The front side is slightly exposed thanks to the continuance of the large windows, but whilst the other side offers a bit more privacy, it was considerably gloomier. A trip down to the gents saw a series of reimagined book covers lining the staircase, which I enjoyed perusing. A jazzy soundtrack played throughout my stay but I didn't see any TV screens.
Three Young's beers - Ordinary, Special and London Gold - lined up on handpull next to guests of Sharp's Doom Bar and Adnams Ghost Ship. A very energetic, upbeat barman poured me a pretty good pint of the Ghost Ship and enjoyed some good chat with the steady stream of customers coming through the door on a Tuesday evening.
I found this place a little too food focussed to settle down for more than a quick pint, although I did quite enjoy propping up the bar and reading through one of the copies of Time Out they had stacked up in the corner. Calling it a craft beer pub is a bit far fetched, but I enjoyed a decent pint here and would happily call here again if I fancied a bite to eat with my beer.
On 2nd November 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Spread Eagle
Elongated, multi-room, pub created from several terraced buildings having been combined. Inside, some medium brown wood-panelling and refurbished in Youngs usual part-traditional/part-modern style. Plenty of customers, but still space to sit. Six handpumps, offering Ordinary, Special and the seasonal Sundown plus Adnams Southwold, By The Horns Diamond Geezer and ELB Foundation Bitter (£3.60) available as a guest. Overall, it is just about far enough away from the centre of Camden Town for this to be my first visit, but it seemed a pretty relaxed and civilised place with a decent selection of beer so I'm sure that I will now be back before long.
On 27th October 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Spread Eagle
One of the few relatively traditional style pubs left in Camden, the Spread Eagle is actually an amalgamation of 5 former terraced houses on the corner of Parkway and Albert Street that were knocked together initially in the 60’s and then further extended in the 80’s. The merger of the buildings has created an unusual interior layout with various sections that don’t really compliment each other but don’t distract each other either. The building became Grade II listed in 1974.
Given that this was once 5 properties, the interior isn’t that big. The main bar is at the back of the pub with paneled walls, polished wooden floors and a small recess at one end with a cushioned bench. Leading off the main bar is a narrow strip with a few high tables and taking up most of the cormer area, a sunken room with picture windows, a spiral staircase that leads to who knows where and seating in the window sill benches with scatter cushions. There is also a strip of pavement seating with a treelined but traffic laden view. There are a couple of TV’s, some bland piped background music and a generally relaxed ambience that is quiteb removed from the general scuzzy nature of Camden.
Currently owned by Wells-Youngs, they do offer a good range of Wells-Youngs beers (Ordinary, Special, London Gold, Waggledance, Bombardier) and a guest, a rather unadventurous Courage Directors on my recent visit. Quality has always been pretty good and prices quite reasonable for Camden (£3.25 for the Waggledance). Food was available with main courses in the £7-10 bracket.
I have always found the Spread Eagle to be one of Camdens better watering holes even though the Youngs beers don’t throw up too much of a surprise.
On 19th July 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Spread Eagle
A peaceful respite from the madness nearby. This is a Youngs tied house, so the general standards of beer quality and cleanliness are good. Five ales are on offer, plus a good selection of lagers. The beer is usually in pretty good shape and is well-priced for the area. Perhaps the only real nod to its surroundings are low-grade pop art canvasses of various musicians like Weller and Hendrix.
If you're in Camden, I'd recommend it as it looks good in the context of its competition and it's only a half minute walk the ‘wrong way' from the local venues and tube - a good place to wait for someone rather than chancing your health/guts in the Worlds end or Camden Eye.
On 27th May 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Spread Eagle
A selection of young's beers. Food served.
On 29th July 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Spread Eagle
I quite liked it in here even though it was very busy and the tables by the window had been reserved for 45 minutes with no one sitting there. Youngs Special and Ordinary were available along with Bombardier and various premium and standard lagers. The barmaid was very friendly and when people left the tables were cleared very quickly.
Food is served from 12:00 until 22:00 and there is a quiz night on Mondays.
This is a decent pub to get away from the madness of Camden High Street.
On 30th September 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5249 recommendations about 5217 pubs]