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Prince Albert, NW1
NW1
NW1 0SG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Prince Albert
It's been over 10 years since I was last in this corner pub with Charringtons signage.
Last time I came, there was no real ale. It has been in the Good Beer Guide as recently as 2020. So, I decided to give it another chance and did find that real ale has returned in the form of Landlord. There were also a couple of Rosie's Pig ciders on handpull at the far side of the bar - Rhubarb Cider and Strawberry & Cucumber Cider. Craft beers were Laine Source & Mangolicious, Brixton Reliance Pale Ale, Beavertown Gamma Ray & Hammerton Panama Creature.
I opted for the Rhubarb Cider, which clearly hadn't been pulled through properly. No real reason to increase the score from the 5/10 I rated it in 2011.
On 1st March 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Prince Albert
Nice enough pub near Camden Road station, nice Charringtons exterior, a little bit of a gastro pub but pleasant enough. A couple of real ales.
On 27th January 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Prince Albert
Located in a none too attractive backwater and owned by Laine's since 2007, this is an early Victorian pub (1843) which boasts some absolutely fantastic glazed Charrington's tilework. It also features the original Charrington's leaded lights which probably date from the 1930s. They are exceptionally rare in that they reference Marshall Taplow's, Charrington's spirit blending arm.
I came here some years ago when braving the area one night and found the pub to be pleasant enough, though the dark (black?) furniture and film posters were a bit sterile and pretentious. Happily they've now gone and the interior is a little more traditional. Opened out yes, but with a rough bare boarded floor and some conventional old school tables, some with extendable leaves. Painted white, there's the central field panelled bar with brass foot rail and thereafter there's much attractive dark three-quarter height field panelling to the walls. Stairs lead up to a function room-cum-restaurant which serves the same food as downstairs, namely a hotch-potch of burgers...tzatziki...nachos with cheese - so more American diner than gastropub. At ground floor level there's an enticing 1930s' fireplace, which sadly wasn't in use, despite the biting cold, courtesy of the Beast from the East. Muted music played - The Police - and no TVs were spotted, despite the rugby. Outside, there's a very pleasant secluded beer garden which is very popular in summer. There are some good, modern lavatories though whether or not they too are popular in summer is beyond my ken. Customers seem to be quite young - possibly students from the Royal Veterinary College down the road and some aging bohemians who probably lived their lives here in the '60s, like Withnail.
Friendly staff presided over: Caledonian's Deuchars, Adman's Mosaic Pale Ale, Laine Brew Co's Doubloon Golden Ale and Wells' Bombardier's Burning Gold at a staggering £3.25 for a pint of 4.7% ABV ale - this is what you'd have paid in 2008 and very decent it was too.
This pub has matured since my first visit in at least seven years and is now a very reasonable place, especially given the prices. Always the maverick, I think it's a lot nicer than the Constitution on the opposite shore and makes for a great double when combined with the Colonel Fawcett up the road - worth visiting if in the area.
On 28th February 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Prince Albert
This pubs inclusion in the 2018 GBG drew my visit,and although there is a beautiful glazed tiled Charrington exterior with original windows and Toby Ales inlays,that's were the good news ends.The interior is now open plan ,although the many doors hint at the original subdivision of rooms.Some wood panelling remains.The furniture is square extendable dining tables with some sofas but the lighting is overly modern with large orange plastic globes above the bar and a chandelier type display above a rear section.The stairs to the first floor dining room have been whitewashed and the overall affect is sterile and unwelcoming.
Worse was the fact that only one of the four handpumps was working ,serving Wychwood Dirty Tackle (OK but £2 the half) .Two reversed clips were for GK IPA and CW Bombardier Gold and if this choice is typical it simply reinforces my opinion that some local branch CAMRA members know nothing about good beer given their nomination of the pub for the GBG.There is a selection of craft keg with two Laines beers among the taps,while infused gin is also advertised.
Although there is a pleasant beer garden shielded from the traffic by an evergreen bush,this gentrified pub wont be on the list for a revisit.
On 18th February 2018
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Prince Albert
There is beautifully green tiled exterior to this ex Charrington pub, so it was rather disappointing to discover a rather nondescript interior lacking any real ambiance. Wooden floored, the walls were white with little of interest adorning them. There is an upstairs seating area presumably for dining. Only one ale on from the four handles present on the bar, Bath Forest Hare, It was though a good drop. The pub is worth seeing but I may hesitate to go in again.
On 18th November 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Prince Albert
This pub is largely unchanged since the previous reviewer's visit. Thankfully the superb Charrington green tiled exterior is still intact, without some numpty having decided that painting it black would be an improvement. However, the interior now has nothing of heritage interest, apart perhaps from the wood panelled walls. The furnishings are a mix of normal tables and chairs, and sofas, as you would expect in a pub that seemingly seeks to attract well-heeled younger Camden clientele. The place was heaving on a Wednesday evening, with noise levels quite high due to the absence of carpets.
As I recall there were four ales on, including Brains Rev James and ELB Pale Ale. I wouldn't say that this is a must visit Camden pub, but it's a decent enough addition to any crawl of Camden, especially if you can bag one of the tables.
On 13th December 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Prince Albert
Just a five minute walk from Camden station, but in the opposite direction to the tourist masses, this is a former Charringtons pub with a dazzling green tiled façade and stained glass windows that make it a very tempting prospect. The U shaped interior doesn't quite live up to this promise, although a semblance of traditional styling remains. There are bare floorboards throughout, with a centrally positioned servery opposite the front door. To the right there are several large tables with standard chairs in a fairly open, well lit space that was very busy on this visit. Dark wood panelling lines the walls, with each panel having a small framed picture hung in the centre, which creates a fairly pleasing effect. A more compact, cosier space can be found to the left of the bar where comfier seating options are arranged in an area decorated with contemporary wallpaper and sculpted stag heads. A collection of board games has been piled up next to the staircase behind the servery, which leads you up to a plain room called Victoria's Bar. This room is also bare boarded, with a basic, keg only servery in one corner supplying cocktails at around £7.50 each. The room is furnished with tables and chairs that look best suited for diners, although some sort of exhibition seemed to be in progress, as many had been taken over by suppliers trying to promote various drinks and other such products (Hops in a Box anyone?). A huge and rather impressive board at the top of the stairs explains the provenance of the pub's food, but this aside, the décor is a bit bland, with some large mirrors and a set of antlers having to make do. Bare bulbs hang over the bar and there are fancy chandeliers in the middle of the room. Each table had a huge vase on it, with large candles inside, which I found a bit obtrusive. A good indie/alternative soundtrack, typical of Camden, played in the background throughout my stay.
The pub is listed in the current edition of the Good Beer Guide and there were four ales available on this occasion - Redemption Rock the Kazbek, Adnams Ghost Ship, Black Sheep Ale and Sambrooks Junction - whilst the keg range included brews from the likes of Camden and Meantime. I tried a pint of the Redemption and thought it was a drinkable beer in very good condition.
This pub might feel a bit of a let down to the traditionalist, lured in by the fine frontage, but the more modernised interior certainly still holds some appeal and the well kept ale helps make this a good option when in Camden, especially if you want to get away from the worst of the crowds.
On 6th June 2014
- rating: 7
[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 Prince Albert
Unfortunately, the promise of the attractive ex-Charrington tiled façade isn't fulfilled inside. The interior has been totally remodelled and refurbished, just leaving a few original features such as the main window glazing. However, the gastro-pub decor of the resulting 'U'-shaped layout is quite well done, with some quirky features such as the large incandescent light bulbs adding some interest. The staircase arrangement behind the bar that leads to the upstairs dining room is also a bit unusual. Also has a front patio seating area. Quite a relaxed atmosphere when I visited, despite (or because of, depending on your preference) a DJ plying his trade in one corner. Three of four handpumps in use, with Redemption Hopspur, Dark Star APA and Upham Punter (£3.50) available. Overall, not bad, although not exactly what I was expecting as I approached.
On 28th November 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Prince Albert
Although this remains food-oriented, like many other pubs in this part of London, my experience was not as dire as the two reviews from 2008/9. Maybe there's been a change of management and/or staff? There were two beers from the Sambrooks brewery: Powerhouse Porter (which was in good condition) and Wandle. Also there was Youngs Special and an empty pump (this was a Monday night). They also had a cider barrel perched on the bar, though a blackboard advised there were two real ciders available.
I found the music tolerable, bordering on interesting, and the service to the tables where eating was going on seemed to be efficient. Like others, I was disappointed that the interior has been ripped out at some time in the past, leaving one large room with central bar where there would clearly have been three bars and a jug-and-bottle, judging by the number of doors.
On 24th November 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3745 recommendations about 3482 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Prince Albert
The Prince Albert initially looks like ‘Trad Pub +' what with its wonderful Charrington's branded green tiling, which I guess must be around 100-odd years old. So I had high hopes for the place as I crossed the threshold, a nice outside front garden with a well-developed hedge to separate it from the road.
Once inside, the first thing I noticed was the place has taken a turn towards pub bistro food – the clientèle were a rather more yuppie lot than those I'd just left behind at the Constitution, plus the pumped music was of the trendy muzak kind, beloved of bars and bistros. The interior is clearly quite new, though fortunately a couple of older features remain and at least it isn't an IKEA-pine refit bar.
There were three ale pumps (one was off) serving Black Sheep and Downton Mild as well as an impressive array of lagers. Sadly, both of the ales were expensive (£3.30 p/p!) and both were hazy, with the mild in particular not tasting great. I suspect that the Mild was at the bottom of the barrel and the Black Sheep hadn't dropped properly – very poor cellarmanship!
The menu sounded nice, with average pricing for the area. I noticed over my reading that the couple opposite me were having an issue with the food – wrong order I think. So I didn't get a great impression of that.
The toilets were pretty fabulous though, well-worth a visit.
Overall I'd say stop here once, grab half a lager which gives you a few minutes to admire the exterior, then quickly use the top-notch facilities before moving on.
On 5th June 2009
- rating: 4
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]