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Detail Pages
Prince of Wales, Highgate, N6
N6
N6 5JX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Prince of Wales
Reacquainted myself with this traditional ale house and pleased to find it virtually unchanged from my memories and PSM’s review from 2014 still holds good.
The only slight complaint I had was that the available ale choice was a bit pedestrian with London Pride, Doombar, something called Prince of Wales Pale Ale (brewed in Burton so presumably a Marstons stable) and St Austells Tribute but fortunately the latter was drinking very well.
No sweary blokes in for my recent visit, just polite conversation amongst the assembled punters enjoying a beer so happy to be able to give the pub itself the rating it deserves.
On 25th June 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Prince of Wales
A small traditional pub , more than adequately described by Pub SignMan in 2013,I remember this as being the best pub on a previous crawl a good number of years ago, so I had High expectations, the pub itself is fine but I felt much disappointment with the beer range,of the four pumps three were from Cottage Brewery, not a favorite, and the remaining pump offered Adnams Southwold Bitter. I went for the previously untried Cottage E Type, which was predictably unremarkable. This is what I would call a proper pub, but the beer choice was decidedly improper in my opinion.
On 6th April 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Prince of Wales
We had a rather bad experience in here some years ago (incompetent teenage female staff), but as the Flask was closed we thought we'd give this pub another chance.
There's not a lot to add to that below. There's a real fire, the staff were friendly and efficient. My pint of Northumberland Brewery's Fog on the Tyne was very nice though at £4.00 for a 4.1% ABV pint is a little steep; still, this is Highgate and some of the houses across Pond Square go for in excess of £10 million so perhaps this is reflected in the beer prices. The loos are very basic; tiny, with what must be the smallest cubicle I've ever seen - it's more like something I'd expect to see in a caravan! Bar stools mean that the bar is hogged and difficult to access; they should be removed.
However, there were a couple of older blokes - obviously regulars - at the bar who were swearing their heads off. I'm no shrinking violet, but I don't want to drink in a pub where every other word, at volume, begins either with the letter 'c' or 'f'; I certainly wouldn't come here on a date, indeed a group at another table were clearly put out by their language.
I won't be returning to this pub until this boorish language is dealt with and therefore can't recommend it, which is a pity because in every other way this is a lovely little historic boozer; I would have given it at least 7/10.
On 19th February 2015
- rating: 2
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Prince of Wales
This is a classic traditional ale house with a prominent location in the heart of Highgate. The pub has dark wooden flooring and wall panels with a compact servery opposite the front door. The layout is essentially a single U shaped room, although the right hand side is sufficiently demarcated to be viewed as a separate room. Padded bench and pew seating runs around the perimeter, supplemented by a mix of standard chairs and low stools. An eclectic range of old photos, paintings and sketches line the walls, many relating directly or indirectly to the pub or the pub’s name. The left hand side is fairly compact and has a nice fireplace on the back wall with a stack of board games balanced alongside. The right hand side has a much more basic fireplace, whilst the ‘separate’ room further back has a great deal of cricket related items on display including some interesting old photos and a collection of bats. A door to the rear leads out, down some steps, to a small paved garden with attractive floral displays which overlooks the adjacent green. Music played quietly throughout my stay, audible over the quiet hum of conversation, whilst one of the barmen enjoyed a game of chess at the bar with a customer, in between pulling pints.
Four hand pumps offered a reasonably unusual ale line-up consisting of Northumberland Main Seam and Summer Gold, Butcombe Bitter and Thwaites Original. I opted for a pint of the Summer Gold, served by a very friendly barmaid, which was really rather poor although I feel this was more an issue with the brewer than the conditioning. A fairly standard keg range included Symonds Cider.
This place has a nice ambiance which made me happy to settle down over a pint – it’s just a shame that the pint was really unpleasant. I liked the understated feel of this place and would be keen to give it another try the next time I’m in the area.
On 24th October 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Prince of Wales
Another warm friendly Highgate pub. Busy with eaters and a quiz on my Tuesday night visit. Small but four cask beers on from Salsbury, Cottage, Thwaites and Butcombe.
On 16th November 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about Prince of Wales
Date of visit - August 2013
In the middle of Highgate, on the High Street, is a smallish, traditional pub – The Prince of Wales. On the pavement outside, a sandwich board boasts that a “notorious pub quiz” is held on Tuesdays.
The interior is quite dark and not overly large and features a low ceiling, dark boarded wood panelling, padded comfortable perimeter seating and a central servery, retaining its bar gantry.
In one corner, a section of wall space is given over to the Highgate Taverners C C, a cricket team sponsored by the pub, with several team photographs, fixtures and results lists and framed cricket bats etc on display.
There’s a couple of seats in a small rather cramped area outside at the back, but you’re not allowed to take drinks beyond the gate and over the road on to the impressive Pond Square opposite.
There’s something of a proper pub feel to the place and the new edition of CAMRA’s London Pub Walks book ( a “must buy” book, incidentally ) describes the pub as “certainly the most unspoilt pub in the village”
They offer a Thai food menu – unfortunately, in a smallish single room pub like this, the aroma can dominate, as it certainly did on my recent late lunchtime visit, even though there were only one group of four eating.
The pub is listed in the 2013 CAMRA Good Beer Guide and, pleasingly, this fact together with the London Pub Walks poster, are prominently displayed.
There’s 4 pumps which, on my visit, were offering Butcombe Bitter ( a regular fixture apparently ) and, notably, three other beers all from Cottage Brewery. The Butcombe Bitter - £ 3.70p – was pretty good. A noticeboard by the bar lists future beers.
Despite the dominant aroma of Thai food and, on my visit, a welcome from the barman that might, diplomatically, be described as muted -even by London pub standards – I’d probably call in again if passing.
On 29th October 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Prince of Wales
I'll always start here on a tour of Highgate. It's quite a comfortable pub this one and have always served some good ales, four handpumps on my visit, the Everards Tiger was brill as always. You'll always catch the odd famous actor popping in here and there.
On 30th July 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Prince of Wales
The pub is effectively one space but has a feel of two halves, front and back, the feel being reinforced by having an entrance at each end. The bar is central and runs through each area, boarded floor to the front and carpeted to the rear, wood panelling, a couple of fireplaces, beamed ceiling painted a shade of purple, scrubbed wooden tables with upholstered benches or pew type seats and small stools/school style chairs. Decor includes a framed collection of beermats, plans and pictures of Highgate Cemetery, pictures of famous ex-residents such as John Betjemen and Samuel Taylor-Coleridge, and a wall given over to cricket pictures, a framed shirt, and two bats listing Highgate Taverners CC centurions and five wicket or more hauls. I assume the club are based here.
There are a few board games available on a shelf, and there is a TV but it was off, while a bluesy type background music played.
I didn't partake having eaten earlier, but a group were tucking into the Thai food which looked very good and reasonably priced too. The menu stated that takeaways are available.
Four handpumps, serving Everards Tiger and Beacon, St Austell Proper Job and Butcombe Bitter.
I liked it here, it is a calm and relaxing place where I could easily spend an hour or more with the papers and a few pints of good ale.
There is an outdoor decked area down some steps adjoining the rear entrance overlooking the green which I believe once had a series of ponds, now filled in.
On 23rd March 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Prince of Wales
Luckily I didn’t experience the poor service received by the previous reviewer. But there again I was in during Friday lunchtime and was served by a chap that I took to be the guv’nor, who was polite and efficient. There were three ales on during my visit – Usher’s 1824 (at £3.40 a pint), Brewdog Alphadog, and Springhead Drop of the Black Stuff, with a fourth pump having a Butcombe bitter clip reversed. Food is exclusively Thai – at least it was during my lunchtime visit. Most stir fry dishes, including rice, were £6.50, but one or two were £6.80 or £6.90.
This is a smallish, fairly intimate, one-room pub with a central horseshoe bar and attractive wood panelled walls. It’s bare-boarded in a traditional, rather than a modern way, is low ceilinged and is furnished with banquette seating around the sides, has everyday chairs, some small stools as well as a few tall stools around the bar, and a variety of wooden tables. A TV was on (but muted) showing BBC News, and there was some rock music being played, thankfully not too loudly. Just to the right of the main bar counter there is a board bearing numerous beer mats, presumably for the various ales they’ve sold, and thus demonstrating a commitment to a changing ale selection.
This pub was much quieter than The Angel Inn just down the road for some reason, although it was my favourite of the two. But perhaps my taste in pubs is not typical. Of course I would be happy to visit again, and am planning to do so shortly.
On 20th March 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Prince of Wales
I went in here last week for the first time in a few years and I am happy to report that it hasn't changed a bit. The people that recently sold Ye Olde White Bear in Hampstead run this place and they are doing a sterling job. Bombardier, Brains Milkwood, Hobgoblin and Butcombe were all available alongside a limited selection of premium and standard lagers.
The pub is U-shaped and very small making it a bit of a squeeze if too many people turn up for the fine ales. There is some seating out the back and even though it is tempting to spill out into the square opposite for some extra room it is not allowed and can result in a fine from the local council. Everything is small including the plasma screen, that I have never seen turned on, and the tiny toilet.
This is certainly one of the better pubs in the area for discerning drinkers.
On 12th May 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5254 recommendations about 5222 pubs]