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Beer of the Week (w/e 14th April 2024) with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
The White Hart, Stoke Newington, N16
Shacklewell
N16
N16 8EL
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Bucking Fastard left this review about The White Hart
A large Victoria pub with many front doors,mostly locked and a side entrance with some pleasing detail and glazed tiles.It's all painted in dark colours so the original windows seem a bit lost .Inside it's large and mainly open plan,especially at the rear where there are ranks of dining style tables and flatscreens.However the front retains two seperate sections,with internal windows between them and the area at the far side does have a snug feel.The large bar also has a pool table to the right and a door to a urinal only bog,unusual these days.
The ale offerings were TT Landlord and Oakham Citra (rather tired,NBSS 2.5) while the keg options looked mainstream.The kitchen seems to be lunchtime only and the pub was filling with boozers at 4pm on a Friday.A beer garden is out the back,the soundtrack was very good and it felt comfortable for a few beers,but with some care could have scored quite a bit higher.
On 10th March 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The White Hart
Originally constructed for Charrington’s in 1826 though obviously rebuilt later in the 19th century, to be occupied by Watney’s then a venue called Murphy’s Bar in the ‘90s before reverting to its current name by the early 2000s.
As mentioned, this is a very large opened out place with a fairly small central bar. Some walls display a little bare brick, thereafter it’s a mashup of dark patterned wallpaper. The floor’s rough bare boarded and there’s an interesting dark ceiling, possibly Anaglypta. Furniture is a mix of modern and traditional. The rear area features a lantern which may once have been over a billiard table and somewhat ironically, it’s now above a TV showing the pool which no one was watching. Lighting comes from a selection of 19th century-looking chandeliers as well as some shaded sconce lights and as mentioned, it’s a little gloomy with poor acoustics due to all the hard surfaces. There’s little in the way of décor aside from some mixed old prints, a display cabinet displaying crockery and a stuffed rabbit over a fireplace, used for storing decorative logs. There’s an attractive bar structure with glass lights hanging over the bar. There’s food of course but it’s now along the lines of sausage and mash or burgers. Customers were a mix of locals who are probably incomers to Stoke Newington, soaking up the music being played at an acceptable level.
There’s an appealing split level beer garden to the rear, but what’s not so attractive are the loos which are some of the worst I’ve ever encountered: graffiti, cracked and missing tiles and even a lump of quarry tile lying on the floor. There was a beer bottle in the kazi which I could see, despite the absence of a working light; when were they last inspected?
Ales: the pub’s website shows five pumps delivering Pride, Brakspear’s Bitter, Sambrook’s Wandle, London Fields Hackney Hopster and Redemption’s Trinity. The selection is now down to four pumps, three with reversed clips, thereafter just Sussex Best at the ‘new normal’ price of £4.80 though in decent nick and served by friendly staff.
Overall, this place isn’t too bad but there are certainly better pubs in N16. It’s worth popping in but a better selection of ale – perhaps reverting to what’s shown on the website, minus the Pride – and getting the builders in to remodel the lavs would get the score up.
On 8th June 2021
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1982 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The White Hart
A big lump of a pub opened out inside absolutely full up on a bank holiday Sunday lunchtime with live football being on probably swelling the numbers. Four of Five Handpumps were in use with a couple of Ciders along with Robinsons Dizzy Blonde and Adnams Ghost Ship. Being so busy it was difficult to get a real feel for the pub but I agree with PSM below, the two tier beer garden was very nice indeed.I would try it here again.
On 2nd May 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The White Hart
This is a large, opened out, pub on Stoke Newington High Street run by the Antic pub chain. There are lots of battered looking floorboards throughout, a lovely patterned ceiling that has survived the pub's various guises over the years and muted lighting courtesy of some fancy chandeliers that left the room perhaps a bit too gloomy on a bright summer's evening. The darkness isn't alleviated by the lack of natural light in most of the room, nor by the floral wallpaper or painted walls which all appear in various dark shades. An L-shaped servery runs around the right side of the room with a panelled counter and a much altered dark wood bar back. Board games are stacked on the end of the bar and there is a set of book shelves near the entrance. A wide variety of seating is available, with two partly screened areas to the front and right offering lots of standard and button backed chair seating as well as table football. The main section of the room to the left of the bar has standard chairs and benches in the usual eclectic Antic style. There are a few old pictures on the walls, a Johnny Mnemonic pinball machine, TV screens showing cricket, a collection of speakers and a decent indie music soundtrack, which between them should provide some degree of entertainment. To the rear is an excellent two tiered beer garden, with the lower level accessed through an archway in a hedgerow with an attractive gate. There is loads of picnic bench seating and an outdoor bar.
As Antic pubs go, the ale range here was pretty weak, with options limited to Sharp's Doom Bar or Purity Mad Goose. Three pumps were off, although the keg range included three Meantime beers and Stowford Press cider. I tried the Mad Goose which was decent enough but the service was truly dreadful with several people turning up at the bar and getting served ahead of those who had been waiting some time. There was also some inept serving of the drinks, all of which combined to leave me stuck at the not-particularly-busy bar for the best part of ten minutes. We had a bite to eat as well and the food was reasonable enough without being particularly memorable.
I had pretty high expectations for this place, having read many a good word about it from one of its regulars, beer writer Pete Brown, and knowing the kind of pubs that Antic specialise in. Sadly the sloppy service, poor ale choice and gloomy interior failed to win me over and I couldn't even find a seat in the garden to cheer myself up. I'm sure this place has better days than the one I saw, but I won't be rushing back to find out for certain.
On 12th August 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The White Hart
5 real ales served in a quirky stripped out yet also formal interior.
On 23rd March 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The White Hart
I had a very nice pint of Moorhouse White Witch in here which cost £3.80, but according to a sign on the bar back 20p of that goes to Working Families, the charity that they're supporting. It came served in a dimpled jug, with no choice offered, although I did see others (lager drinkers probably) drinking out of some oddly shaped straight glasses. The other ales available were Deuchars IPA, Doom Bar, Tribute and Brakspear's Bitter. Not a bad selection despite the presence of one or two of the usual suspects. Single sheet menus were attached to clipboards on all the tables with five main course ranging from £7.50 (for a sort of veggie risotto) to £9.50 (a burger withe standard accompaniments).
This is a thoroughly modernised and opened up pub - not surprising since it's part of the Antic chain. Battleship grey predominates both inside and out but with some exposed brickwork walls. Furnishings are mainly scrubbed solid wood tables, all bearing a little sprig of flowers, with basic little chairs, and with a few banquettes and sofas scattered around the place. Other points of interest are the open coal-effect fire, table football, and pinball - monopoly which played very well although I failed to win a replay. There was some background music playing at low volume, and a garden out at the back (not visited).
Although this pub affects a few gastro pretentions, it is generally welcoming to drinkers. At least it is open weekday lunchtimes, unlike so many "Stokie" pubs, or Antic pubs generally. It's not my favourite style of pub, but it's a decent enough watering hole nonetheless. They've made a good effort to make this place interesting and provide for most tastes - e.g. "host your own roast", "hot and spiced cider" for £3.50, and some decent ales. I'd happily drop in for another pint sometime.
On 11th November 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The White Hart
This is a large open plan pub that has a slightly worn feel, which is why I was so surprised to see that the food prices are at the top end for a gastro pub. There is a cheaper bar menu that ranges from £6.50 for mussels with chips to £4 for potato wedges. Tribute, Doom Bar and Summer Lightening were the three ale choices and Amstel was also available alongside a standard draught selection. Something that I don’t see very often was the jug full of water on the bar with accompanying ‘help yourself’ sign. Sky Sports is shown on a projector screen and plasma screens that are found throughout the pub and there is a pool table and table football. There is also a pinball machine by the rear exit that gains access to a beer garden that is enclosed by ivy covered brick walls.
There is a function room upstairs that is available for hire.
I think that there are better pubs in the area, but I would have no problem returning here.
On 3rd October 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]