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Detail Pages
The Three Compasses, E8
E8
E8 1NH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Three Compasses
In an increasingly gentrified area, this used to be a slightly rough place but like the previous reviewer, we found this to have been reinvented as a hipster joint. Who'd have thought it? A hipster joint in Hackney of all places.
Simple entry requirements gave way to an interior that’s not that predictable. There’s a modern bare boarded floor, the colour scheme being dark grey(?) to dado height then claret walls and ceiling. The bar may be original and is plain wood field panelled with high chairs. Furniture is traditional with a peripheral black vinyl banquette and somewhat distressed. Lighting is also fairly traditional with studded lamps to the ceiling and similar sconces to the walls. Décor isn’t that elaborate, being some framed mid-20th century Guinness prints and black and white photos of boxers, presumably local; there’s some sports trophies atop the bar. There are at least two aircon units, painted claret to blend in with the walls, meaning they didn’t look too intrusive. There are two projectors which hint at much sporting illumination come Euro 2020. There are at least two large wall-mounted speakers and a DJ pulpit to the rear where they broadcast their sermon come Friday and Saturday evenings. In the meantime, music – Foo Fighters – played at a reasonable level on the jukebox. Lavs are adequate but home to a fair amount of graffiti though not a patch on the borough’s worst.
Unsurprisingly there’s no real ale, but a fair selection of craft things delivered from illuminated fish-eyed founts, including from the likes of Beavertown and Camden Town. A very friendly and efficient barmaid served us the most local – and therefore most environmentally friendly – Five Points XPA at a grudgingly reasonable – for the ‘new normal’ – £5.00 and decent it was too once warmed up, which didn’t take long given the ambient temperature.
This is a reasonable place and would make for a passable inclusion on a crawl with the Pembury (where the XPA is on pump at £4.20), Hackney Tap and Cock.
On 10th June 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Three Compasses
Whilst the walk here took us along Ridley Road Market, which felt like another country, on arrival it was clear that we had arrived at a hipster joint. I can only echo the last reviewer.
Customers were crammed into the small area at the front of the pub and we managed to squeeze ourselves in too. Social distancing would be much easier, if the inside could be used, but all common sense appears to have been lost many months ago.
Craft beers included Hop King CBD, Hackney IPA, Beavertown Lupaloid & Gamma Ray, Signature Backstage, 40ft Disco Pils & Guinness.
Not a lot to recommend this place, despite it looking promising from outside.
On 20th April 2021
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Komakino . left this review about The Three Compasses
Doesn't look much cop from the outside considering the area it's in, but the word "free house" on its sign intrigued, and upon entry this appeared to be another hipster hangout with dimmed lighting, red-painted walls and ceiling and dark-green lower-third colouring. It's in essence an oblong-shaped room with the bar eyes left with a fake stone-tiled bar apron and wooden floor thereafter. Seats against the right-hand wall are semi-booths, but bench seats facing each other and old school round tables and small stools occupy the centreground between these and the bar. Like a lot of "reinvented" London pubs, the food menu is burger-based, food here courtesy of 'Goneburger'. There are a variety of trophies, cups and shields above the bar display which I'd imagine were won by various darts, crib and pool teams in years past as well as some old framed photos dotted around, including a load of boxing ones against the far rear wall. Two stumps - one unclipped and one with Hackney APA reversed as it was "playing up". Plenty of keg options so I crazily went for a pint of Beavertown Lupuloid IPA at 6.7% and £6.20 a pint to line the stomach, which to be fair was served in a funky Beavertown glass which eventually accompanied me home. Looks can deceive and this doesn't seem to be a great draw from out front, but it's a decent appropriation of an old boozer and it was busy on a Tuesday night so good on them. It's also walkable to / from the nearby Farr's School of Dancing for maximum hipster overload. (Original Review 11th August 2017)
On 14th October 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1074 recommendations about 1074 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Three Compasses
The Three Compasses is a decent enough looking pub that is an area with run down shops,so just the areas i like doing pubs in.
Once inside there is a decent sized oblong shaped room with the bar on the left side,the room is bare boarded and the seating is comfy bench type on the right side plus some pew seats,there are normal tables and chairs in the middle area,there was a large screen to the rear showing Austria v Denmark i think.
There was one real ale on the bar which was Ilkley Pale,this was a very nice drink.
Background music was playing and menus were on the tables.
I quite liked this pub.
Pub visited 11/6/2016
On 30th July 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Three Compasses
Located in quite a run down area, the traditional post-mounted pub sign is rather more obvious than the building itself (which is set back from the road by a front patio). Dark interior with red paintwork, traditional furniture and a distinctly old-looking carpet. Loud-ish music and a yound clientele, but retaining a darts board and table football. Doorman on a Friday night, despite being some distance from the nearest busy high street. Slightly surprisingly, two of the three handpumps were working, offering Crouch Vale Brewers Gold and the local London Fields Hackney Hopster (£3.60).
On 15th September 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]