please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
After years of steady decline due to mismanagement, the previous landlord has now returned and the improvement is immediate. Clientele has cleared up after the place attracted somewhat of a dodgy vibe and once again it attracts a very friendly and atmospheric bunch. Continental beer section back up to standard as well.
Great to see a pub which was once arguably the best in the area returning to what it was.
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This was my work local and I drank here four nights a week for five years. Yes, the owners are old and a bit crazy and there is a family soap opera playing out behind the bar, but that’s part of the charm. Staff are lovely when you get to know them, and the crowd is different every night, which is perhaps what is so great about this place.
Fills up on a Friday and can stay open lateish. It’s away from the madness of Camden High Street, but still close to the action. I’m going to give this a slightly biased 10 out of 10.
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I was in here the other nite and heard the manager give out the most obnoxious abuse to a sweet old irish lady concerning the death of a friend. How this piece of twisted scum is allowed to carry on like this is beyond me.
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If you want a laugh (and not to stay very long), try bringing a folded Brompton bike in... Despite not having seen us come in, the batty old woman owner claimed I'd bashed the oh-so-nice woodwork of the interior when putting my bike down. It wasn't even touching said wood and needless to say, we and the rest of our group, who'd been planning on staying all night promptly left after one pint. Seems like a great business model, having a virtually empty pub on a Friday night...!
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Quinn's is just about the best pub in the Camden Town area. It manages that rare thing, being non pretentious and down to earth, attracting a good bunch of regulars but also offering the best of more upmarket pubs. Rather large interior which looks like a Dublin pub more than a London pub, although few of the punters are Irish.
The continental beer selection was once famous all over London but in recent years has become hit and miss. Their Belgian selections are still top notch but nowadays you will only find at most 7 Germans, albeit good ones, whereas 5 years ago it would be 20. A number of real ales on tap, although I have heard complaints about the quality. This is not a real ale pub in fairness.
The staff have a reputation for being rude at times and I have to say that I have seen this quite a few times. The Blonde son of the owners does not appreciate uninvited banter is all I will say. However they are a good bunch and make a genuine effort to get to know all of the regulars. One upshot of course is that they will not tolerate troublemakers and will simply refuse to serve these types which is something very rare in Camden.
Quinn's is open very late on occasion on weekends, although there does not seem to be a set time and seems as likely to close at 12:30am as 4am.
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I don't mind a characterful dive bar, and Quinns certainly has that feel to it, but when it charges wine bar prices? No thanks.
Christ, if the best thing people can say about a pub is 'the bottled beer is ok', why not just stay at home and pay 3 times less for your drink? And hopefully, your house doesn't stink of piss.
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Avoid the draught beer here - it is always awful. The selection of bottled beers is good but expensive, and the aged Mr & Mrs Quinn are legendary. However, I often cringe at the way Mrs Quinn speaks to her staff. I chatted briefly with one barmaid a few weeks back - asking where she was from, only to be interupted by Mrs Quinn who told her in no uncertain terms that she was paid to serve not chat! Quinn junior is just plain obnoxious. This pub survives on it's location, late licence and bottled beer.
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first visit in about 3 years and what a disappointment, i think the place has always been tied to Greene King one way or another so their beers were always available but so were a few guest ales and a big list of german beers by the bottle. Today just one GK ale - pretty shit, flat, vinegary, and an outragous �4 a pint and the german beer list gone, friday eve and place was virtually emply - i dont think they really care - so as customers why should we ?
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avoid like the plague!!!me and my mates ordered 3 german beers the other night and the ragged female owner totally abused the barman behind the counter even though the service was excellent from him, I was embarrassed to say the least and we nearly walked out. also there was a short chinese man there, not quite fitting to an Irish pub imo lol. to be honest on inspection the place is filthy, bar flies swarm the counter, the glasses are grubby and water stained, toilets reeked of urine. a couple next to us ordered food and barely touched it, only to get abused by the landlady on collection of the plates. this place needs to be inspected to see if it's up to legal requirements imo. although you may argue character, the owners certainly don't have any. i will never step foot inside here again particularly because of the filth and abuse of bar staff, i noticed they have a sign on the window looking for part time staff, this must be concurrent and god help any applicants!!!!!!avoid avoid avoid. on a positive note, the bottled beer selection is v.good and bottles are cold.
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Great pub, great staff.
The beers are great, the prices are ok.
Once with a group of friends were watching a match on Sky and they let us stay in after the place was closed until the match finished!
A must to take visitors when coming to London, the family running the place, the decoration, just perfect... I'll give them 10.
Never tried the food tough.
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I like this place but I get seriously evil headache hangovers the morning after drinking anything on tap here. Feels like my head is being split in two from the inside out and it's a unique after-effect of beer at Quinns. It's happened each and every time I've drunk draught beer or lager here, and it hasn't happened any where else. Can only assume something is going wrong in their sterliisation process, like maybe its caused by the chemical they use to clean the beer pipes. Anyway now I stick to the bottled beer at Quinns. It's clean and there's certainly plenty of good ones to choose from.
Not a bad bar all round. The drinkers are very friendly and social. Never had any bother here and I've always had a good time. in the beergarden...... choice of two actually - one out the front - great for people watching and a bigger one out the back which is a real treat in Camden.
Got to say, I dont get the comments about the staff. The truly ancient Mr And Mrs Quinn are amazing and an institution in their own right. Their two sons are sound blokes - though it must be said Vince doesn't suffer fools gladly..... but then who does?
I'd give Quinns a 7.5 out of 10. Not generally my favourite boozer in the area but on some nights it can be. It's definitely got a bit of magic.
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I quite like Quinns; the atmosphere is good, nice mix of locals and Camden sorts and it's a decent place for a late night drink. That said, they have a problem with their beer. I go once a month or so and I'd estimate that on 4 or 5 visits out of the last 7, I've ordered a beer that has been completely off. As in tasting like Sarson's. Usually it's the St Edmunds. They seem to have a particularly problem with this and it's bloody annoying. I'm sick of having to take pints back.
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I�ve been there in my Holidays. This Pub is so classic, traditional and awesome, that i must go a second and a third time. The barkeeper is so humorous and generous. As an german student, i was there very welcomed !!!!!!!
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They are open until midnight sun to wed and 2am thur to sat. They have recently undergone a massive price hike , Greene King Abbot is now �3.60 a pint and the bottled belgian ales are �4. Service is variable but it is still one of the more pleasant pubs of Camden.
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Descent enough pub if you're after a late night beer (they're open until at least 2am most nights) but I wouldn't go out of my way to visit. if somewhere else was open.
The German and Belgian beer selection really is the only selling point. It could do with a complete make-over starting with the toilets! The smell from the mens often wafts upstairs putting my off my drink. The girls aren't much better and I usually hold my breath when I have to go in. Last time I visited the whole place smelt like raw fish.
Highly reccomended for a post gig drink but I wouldn't make a habit of going there.
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This pub is an absolute disgrace. The service particularly from the slightly less aged grey haired bloke is atrocious. He simply does not know how to treat his customers and needs to learn some manners and respect. The experiences with the staff at this pub have really put a downer on some of my nights out and I strongly recommend you to go elsewhere seeing as there are many other fairly priced and better serviced pubs in the vicinity. I hope I never have to go back to this pub ever again.
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Have always found the barstaff in here pleasant - the grey-haired guy is always chatting to us about heavy metal and punk and even played us a load of Saxon/Motorhead before we went to a gig in Kentish Town a few weeks back!
Good selection of Belgian/German beers. Toilets are a bit grim but at least they have loo roll and soap (Something a lot of places dont seem to bother about.) Good place to meet mates and have a drink/chat as can usually get a seat as its so big!
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Ale-wise, they seem to have started stocking Greene King beers only - three of them. I�ll stick to the Belgian beer fridge from now on (not that I needed too much persuasion).
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I can't believe the rating for this pub - 6.7! - as frankly it's a bit of a dump, and it's overpriced for what it is. I've only been there a couple of times but the service has been pretty poor each time. The only thing I go there for is to watch football if I'm in the area, as there's no other places round there (that I know of) that show it. However it's not great for that as the tv's aren't that well situated for viewing from seated areas. There is a need for pubs like this - I'd hate to see it gastro-ed - I just wish it was a more pleasant experience to go there. (Thinking of food, I haven't eaten there, but I've seen the food being served and it reminds me of one of those places on Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmare's before Gordo's gone in and done his thing!). The big pity is it's in such a great location - just tucked in to the north of Camden Town and down from Kentish Town. Waste of a good space.
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hit and miss this place. the belgian and german beer selection is class (and the only reason I go really). but as said in a few other posts the barstaff are adequate at best and the landlord seems to have different rules regarding which screens have the fotty on everytime i go in.
that said, i still try to get in there whenever i'm in camden, but it could be a lot better
anonymous - 18 May 2009 14:05 |
Nice pub, but badly let down by the staff. The Mexican is well meaning, but ineffectual. The old guy and girl, no offence should retire. I found him reasonably pleasant, but he was struggling to serve a queue of two people. I would hate to see it when its busy. They charge a 50p surcharge if you pay by card, which isnt extortionate, but due to the proliferation of pubs in the area, I dont think they are doing themselves any favours. Maybe I went there on a bad day, might pop back later in the year.
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This pub has improved of late , the Mexican barman is good , if they got rid of the arrogant canadian it would be even better .The bottled German beers are a good selection now that Dominic is well and back behind the bar .
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A random pub, been here half dozen times mostly for a few late drinks. Will the beer on tap be well kept, or taste mouldy? Will the old lady actually let you buy a bottle of belgian beer, or make a lame excuse not to? Will the old lady's son actually serve you the drink you request, or argue with you? Will he interupt your chat with a mate to lecture you about something? Some things are certain; the pub will be grotty, and later on full of locals shouting at each other.
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Excellent selection of bottled beers and best Guinness on tap anywhere. Very friendly landlord family who deal with Camden riffraff promptly so you don't have to. Decor not up to much and music is variable depending on which brother is behind the bar but not as crowded or "youf" oriented as many Camden pubs.
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They often have a limited supply of some of the more esoteric continental bottled beers, which allows for a fun game - go in with a friend or two, pick just one brand of funny sounding beer and see if you can drink them dry of it.
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I'd suggest sticking to the bottles - the pint of real ale I had was served at a ridiculously cold temperature. Other than that, worth looking in as it's got a surprising amount of room and is slightly away from the melee near the tube station.
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Saturday 22nd early afternoon. Its a bit of a shock to your eyes as you walk along the road with its bright yellow paint.
Inside looks old and worn out. There were 2 bar staff both over the age of retirement but very friendly.
There is a good selection of ale on tap and a fridge full of German and Belgium beers.
Seems to be very much a locals pub but made a change from the pubs in Camden town that are aimed at teens.
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It was very quiet in here on Friday evening, with the average age being around 65. All of the other pubs in the area were buzzing with people that had finished work or were beginning their night out in Camden, but not here which made the place depressing.
It�s a shame as on the surface this appears to be a great venue, with 5 real ales, a wide choice of lagers and a couple of well placed plasma screens.
I found the barman that served me to be pleasant, but from reading some earlier comments maybe the owners have alienated a few too many people.
I�ll probably pop my head in again next time I�m in the area to see if it gets any busier.
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Called Saturday lunchtime to find it rather quiet, although to be fair there were punters scattered around the pub but rather hidden from view so it looked empty. Food is of the cheap microwave variety but reasonably priced. Was a great pub but slowly going downhill although has had a paint job on the outside - who provided the paint?
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i was coming back from an evening out,(me & the wife)
we popped into quinns for one before going home ,but they tried to charge me 60p pence for a lemonade top
when i asked why it was so expensive ,mr quinn jnr,told the girl who was serving to cancel the order and asked us to leave!....the guy needs a course on communication skills.they are the most rudest irish people ive ever met in my life.
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I used to love this pub, yes the bar staff could be "eccentric" to say the least but the unbelievably rude treatment witnessed today has made it my last drink here.
Out with a small group of friends and one of our party doesn't drink and ordered a soda and lime instead. Bar staff tried to charge her �2.60 for this on the basis that they are not there to serve water.
Soon the old lady who runs the pub came over to our table and continued to berate my friend for not drinking - basically stating that if she didn't want to drink, she should leave as she was taking the place of more valued customers. I pointed the discrepancy in pricing, having only been charged 70p for the same drink in the first round, to which she responded that they are not supposed to serve soda and therefore make up their own prices when asked.
The last straw was when she then reprimanded the poor barman in front of everyone.
By this stage we all decided to leave - so in place of them not serving one soft drink, they lost a full table of customers who probably would have settled there drinking all night!
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Tried it again yesterday, and was more impressed than previous.
There's a couple of extra ales (hooray!) and the Belgian beers (which I hadn't really been able to explore previously) were better labelled by the bar so I gave them a go and left happy - prices were very reasonable given the area.
Inside also looks to have had a bit of a tidy-up too. Nice selection of music on the landlords ipod.
My recommendation for a decent pre-gig beer in Camden.
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very dissapointing, and this was the best pub in the area, the others visited were absolutely dreadful, an average pint here but at 5pm they couldn't be bothered doing any food because 'not enough customers' and the landlord couldn't wait to get back to his table of mates.
Poor, very poor. Avoid this place, avoid the whole zone! it's busy with attention seekers and druggies.
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It seems to me that the beer menus posted above the bar hardly ever bear any resemblance to the bottled beers that are actually available. It's easy enough to see what's available from the Lowlands as they're in a case to the side of the bar, but it's terrible trying to squint through the people at the bar to see which Germans are available (and usually there are lots).
It's very much worth it, though. One of the few places I'm more likely to order something in a bottle vs. draught.
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Visited again last night and there was no real ale on! They usually have four.
Started drinking Rochefort 8 at about 6.30 which was a bad move...
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A Cemden institution - far enough away from the plastics and the posers to qualify as a real pub, Quinn's has had a late licence for as long as I can remember. The enormous selection of Belgian and German beers is second to none, the service is unflinchingly excellent and the clientele is entirely mixed, from old men watching football to groups of students. Highly recommended.
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A spacious pub where drinkers have a good chance of getting a seat. Despite the hype, I found the pub to be average at best. It's reasonably comfortable and serves slightly-better-than-pub-average wine, but the service was slow and indifferent. Although not unpleasant at all, there are places I prefer in Camden, with warmer atmospheres.
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One of the better pubs in Camden but thankfully not on the Friday night alcopop circuit. Don�t get put off by the garish exterior, once inside you�ll find a real gem. It�s an Irish pub as the name suggests and decorated in the traditional style with it�s fair share of bric-a-brac around the walls and some nice old screens with etched glass. There are usually 4 or 5 real ales on but they are best known for their range of bottled beers that are shown on a menu above the bar. There are around 70-80 listed from Germany, Holland and of course Belgium including some interesting looking ones that I had never heard of. Outside patio at the back and a couple of tables on the pavement, food available and two TV screens that I imagine are often split between football and racing. Good pub and worth a visit, especially if you are a fan of continental beer.
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Have been here a couple of times now, latest was on Friday night 5 October. Both times they have had two guest ales that I hadn't tried before. Was a little upsetting on the first occasion to ask for a pint of 1648 and get a 1664! Not 100% convinced of real ale quality. The main thing of course is the foreign beer and have had success in getting a lager drinker to try something decent. Gave him a Westmalle Tripel the first time and he liked it so much he asked for it the next time. Somehow ended up with a Dubbel but he liked that too. Haven't experienced any rudeness from the staff, in fact the person I assume is Quinn jnr was helpful in trying to sort out tables for us when we were in a large group.
Worth a visit and I suspect we will be back, hopefully before too long.
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I used to work in this pub for a month and it was the most horrible time of my life- my first job in London, and so dreadful experience. they treated me so badly that I decided to quit. I wasn't able to stay there longer. Every day I was being told off, for everything. Vince, Mr Quinn and his wife (typical witch:) made me feel like a shit (no exaggeration). Only Dominic (Vince's bro) was OK.
But, I have to admit, that they really have a wide range of bottled beer. That's the only reason worth visiting it.
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If you like real ale avoid this place - the beer's rotten. Decor/furnishing is really nasty. Came here to watch some football and only two screens....so forget that. A total dump.
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Dosen't Mr Quinn know that it's a customer led marketplace these days. I have never seen somebody show such utter contempt for his customers. I wish not to be friends with this person but when me or my fellow hombres walk into this souless beer barn I wish to be treated with a degree of civility. The only reason anyone would possible want to drink in this establishment is it's unriveled selection of international brews. Mr Quinn should realise that his market place is not 1970's London, where there was little or no choice in the world of ales, and one could afford to be rude to your clientele wake up it's the 21st centuary, I'm not asking or wishing for a chain pub experience but I resent parting with my hard earned to be insulted by a tavern keeper, that's amusing in Moe's bar in Springfield but not in London in 2007
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Have received the following from Stonch who has requested me to post it on his behalf for reasons unknown to all apart from him and the site administrators! :-
On one hand I disagree with the comments about rude staff, on the other hand I can see how they arise. Vince (Quinn Jr.) is a no-nonsense fella and I can imagine that if he took a dislike to someone he'd make it known. Personally I find him sarcy but agreeable - he went out of his way to stash my bike in the pub's yard last time I was in, and if you show an interest in the bottled beers he likes a natter about them. Most importantly, the place is well run. He knows what he's doing, an old school guvnor.
The bottled beer selection is cheap as chips - often the cheapest in London, and half the beers aren't available anywhere else anyway. Example - a bottle of the fabuloso Schlenkerla Rauchbier is �3.30. Go to Brew Wharf in Borough, it's almost �6. There's nowhere better for German beer in London - nowhere comes close. The Belgian stuff is good too, as what they do have is often genuinely rare, and again, cheap.
As Roger says, recently they've started having decent guest ales from brewers other than GK. Personally I stick to the bottles, but the first time ever the pub has something to offer on the real ale front.
The beer garden out back is pleasant with mental murals.
The quiz machine is very hard.
The walls are yellow.
It's a wonderful pub.
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I don't recognise some of the descriptions... I've had the landlady apologise for one of the new bar staff not pouring a beer perfectly. I've found the staff friendly, the atmosphere warm and the selection of beers is fantastic. L'Angelus is a joy to drink.
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My, how the mighty have fallen. From a 7.3 rating off 110 people (5 Feb) and a regular Top 40 place to 7.0 just 10 ratings later must mean there are a few recent zeros flying in here to accompany the negative comments. Good job young Stonch isn�t around these days to see one of his fave establishments being ravaged. I have been using this place on occasions over the last couple of years and always thought it a bit overrated. That said, I am not a big fan of Irish styled pubs anyway although, despite the bright fa�ade, Quinns doesn�t actually feel like your stereotypical Irish bar. The interior has a contrived and plastic feel about it and lacks any intrinsic warmth or charm. It would however make a terrific bowling alley given its long, narrow layout and low ceiling. There are a few Dublin photos, portraits and bits of illuminated coloured glass dotted around but the cheap posters of Irish �humour� are embarrassingly tacky. Of course what most people rate it for is the beers. Until recently they only had a mundane selection of Green King Ales but in recent months they have introduced some unusual guest beers to complement the extensive selection of continental bottled beers of which so much has already been written. Not being a bottled beer fan I can�t comment on the choice but the prices do seem a bit steep. I have never had any real problems with the staff although I have witnessed others on the receiving end of their rudeness. One of the major reasons I come here is because you can generally get a seat and doesn�t seem to attract the less desirable of Camden�s populace. There is also a small patio at the rear when the weather allows. Overall I am quite happy to while away time here but if the guest beers disappeared, I would probably disappear with them.
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An absolute hole, made all the worse by the miserable people who run the place. They treat their customers like dirt and their staff even worse. They do have a good assortment of (expensive) German bottled beers, but why pay through the teeth to be treated like scum? Go somewhere else - I certainly will do.
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I used to live in Kentish Town and regularly visited Quinn's with my girlfriend and housemates.
I returned there last night with some friends, and was served by someone fitting the description of a previously-mentioned "Mr Quinn's jnr"(middle aged, bolshy). He is THE rudest person I have ever purchased drinks from. When asked by my friend if he had a taxi number, he replied "why are you wasting my time...leave me alone". When addressing me, he said "give me your friend's work address, I want to go round THERE and waste HIS time". He then asked me if I'd "got that through my thick head", and when I told him I used to enjoy drinking in Quinn's, was told in no uncertain terms to "f^*k off".
I will never drink there again, and am embarrssed to have taken my friends there.
Avoid it at all costs.
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hook norton hooky gold is the current guest, there are 55 belgian and dutch beers plus 31 german , that is enough for most people .
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as previous reviewer stated guest ales are hit and miss - wasnt amused to have to have Greene King IPA !!!! wouldnt be so bad if they removed the pump clips when the beers are finished - that naughty policy of Wetherspoons... i'll stick with The Oxford down the road - much more reliable.
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Quinn's used to have a superb range of Belgian and German beers, but recent visits has seen the selection gradually decrease. It's a shame because it was the only real reason for going here. Four reasonably well kept real ales are served, two regulars (Greene King IPA and Abbott) plus two guests that aren't always available. Worth at least one visit, but be warned, it can get packed if there's sport on the TV!
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This is a fantastic pub. The bar staff are knowledgeable, the seats are comfortable, the clientele are friendly and the beer has to be drunk to be believed. It's a little expensive, but the selection is incredible. I had a bottle of L'Angelus (no. 59 on the menu) which thoroughly deserved its gold medal from the Paris competition. I'll not describe it - do try it if you're there.
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The best bar in the world. End of!
You won't find a selection of beer this good anywhere in Europe. More Belgian beer than any bar in Belgium, and more German beer than any bar in Germany. Say no more...
The Andechs Doppelbock may be finished (bummer), but the rest of the stock remains. And there's a particularly fine Herbst Bock in at the minute. Also a Schwartzbier (rare in these parts) that's well worth a sup.
Just please leave the Schlenkerla Rauchbier alone. You won't like it. Shit, I'm gonna have to go down there and have some now. It's just like a pint of bacon butty...
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mauldons cuckoo and skinners cornish knocker are the current guests, sadly the andechs doppelbock is finished.
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The pub now has great guest ales on draught, so far they have had otter ale, wickwar rite flanker, strathleven claverhouse, o hanlons yellow hammer and cotleigh kookaburra , the next one is triple fff moondance. This makes a great addition to the fab bottles so get drinking.
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Quinn's has been rated by 110 users and has a rating of 7.3.
Says it all, really. Very good pub.
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A great new range of bottled beers, wonderful to have kevin back, he is such a fab guy to discuss the beers with , watch out for the american guy who never seems to drink anything less than 6% abv yet still remains totally coherent after 5 or 6 bottles.
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I enjoy a quick drink in Quinn's. I've been there four times in total and always found the staff pleasant. I'm slowly working my way through the list of bottled beers (from the end backwards).
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Colourful is the word. Certainly not in the Beer Guide for its real ale (OK GK IPA), so why is it in there at all, but the best range of bottles you'll see outside the great Carlton Arms in Cambridge. Landlord was fine and its a great pub apart from the beer.
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H.aving used this as my local for many years, I am well used to the behaviour of the quinn family, the sarky one Vince has a great sense of humour but does not tolerate stupidity, Pat the main man may not hear as well as he did but will always say was this the bottle you wantedD. The great thing is the mixture of people who frequent this pub and the superb range of belgian dutch and german beers. Try the drie ringen bok or the belgian guiness.
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You're all missing the point. The bar manager, who I have always taken to be Quinn Jnr. is a sarcy sod but he's a nice bloke - that much should be obvious anyone with any sense of humour. Quinn Snr always seems to have some kind of patch or bandage on his head, and he seems to be 120, so maybe the poor old soul has a right to grimace at ungrateful punters once in a while. He always smiles at me. This isn't America you know - we don't go in for all that "have a nice day" service. In fact, personally it puts me right off. If a barman failing to kiss your arse upsets you that much, you need to take yourself less seriously.
Quinn Jnr knows his beers too, which is good because they sell the best range of German bottles in London (possibly Britain), and also stock a lot of more unusual Belgians you won't see in poxy Bierdromes. And guess what - its all cheaper here than it would be elsewhere. So stop moaning and get stuck into a Aecht Schlenkerla rauchbier.
Now you see, the other things about Quinn's is that its "real" and appeals to lots of people. People come here to watch football and have sunday roasts, families come here, hardblokesyouwouldn'twanttobeonthewrongsideof come here, younger trendier Camden dwellers come here. I love my beer and anywhere serving the kind of stuff this place does, so yes I'm bound to praise it. But what impresses me is that the kind of people who wouldn't give a shit if Westvleteren Abt 12 was on sale at �3.30 a bottle (which it sometimes is) come here too. So it isn't just a pub full of boring farts like me umming and ahhing about fancy brews from faraway places.
And to top it all, the outside of the pub is painted yellow. What more do you miserable sods want?
Avoid that Trivial Pursuit quizzer though - the bastard thing never pays out, I tell you.
stonch.blogspot.com
anonymous - 7 Jan 2007 02:08 |
Looks like I am not the only person who has had problems with rude bar staff at Quinn's. Went there last night, asked for a bottle of "Bollbier". Mr Quinn Jnr was insistent there was no such thing and that I was, for some reason, making beers up. He was rude and disparaging and when we managed to find a photo of the offending "Bollbier" there was no apology, just more swearing! Tried to complain to Mr Quinn Snr (not at this point realise they were related!) but did not get very far! In summary, a great pub, selection of beers unrivalled, but beware of being sworn at if you ask for something the barman hasn't heard of!
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Quinns is a bit of a one trick pony I'm afraid. Yes, the wide selection of Belgian & German bottled beer is unrivalled. If you're looking for anything other than a 9% Framboise it might be best to go elsewhere though.
I'm all for eccentric old landlords, but there's a difference between being eccentric and being downright rude. Mr Quinn is not a happy chappy! The service here is poor to say the least and the wide range of bottled beer doesn't compensate for the fact that you'll struggle to get a decent pint on draught. The Guinness in particular was extremely watery on my last visit.
Quinns isn't the worst pub in the world, but it's certainly not deserving of the hype on here.
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This is one of the gems of Camden Town. Not much to get excited about on tap - but who cares when you have a huge range of speciality Belgian and German beers available? The bar staff are very knowledgeable about the beers as well, and will helpfully answer questions. If all this wasn't perfect enough, the pub is open late at weekends and won't charge you to get in after 11pm, unlike various other Camden places. Great pub.
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Sometimes in life you have to be man enough to admit that you got something wrong, so *swallows pride* I felt that after a recent visit I had to come back on here and review this pub again. My initial review was favourable but not really glowing, I see now the error of my ways - this is comfortably the best pub in Camden and one of the best destinations in London for lovers of beer.
Apart from the staggering range of beers (at prices which were not as bad as I had remembered them to be, especially in the context of what you can pay for lesser beer from a smaller range in less pleasing environs - The Porterhouse this means you!) and a very nice comfortable decor, the thing that elevates this above the norm is the genuine passion for the pub and the beer that the Landlord brings to the place.
On his recommendation I had several gorgeous bottles of Belgian beer that I had never heard of let alone tasted before, sadly the high alcohol content has erased many of the names from my memory, but I do remember a gorgeous 9% fruit beer made with blueberries called Bon Secours Myrtille which was divine but deadly. Better than that though was the fact that he would actually bother to come over to our table and check back on what we thought of them and add his own tasting comments. We asked him why he didn't stock Lindeman's Kriek Max (a very good palet cleanser if you have too much of a "beer mouth") and he replied that he didn't like it as he thought it was "just a gimmick". Although I disagree with his viewpoint I was impressed by the fact that he knew of its existence, had tried it and rejected it on grounds of taste. This is a man that takes his beer seriously and knows what he is doing. It is no coincidence that the range of bottled beer is so impressive as it is obviously compiled with much love and care.
Fantastic. Go there now. It also has the advantage of largely exisiting off of the radar of all the wannabes, sheep, goths,punks and the other Camden "tribes", so the clientele are a good mixed bunch of "ordinary" people.
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A real find. Recommended place for a beer in Camden, now that the Devonshire has gone goth. Stunning range of bottled beers, good friendly service.
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Why bother with the Draught, when you've a choice of 32 German & 62 Belgium bottled beers.
Been there three times & haven't had the same beer twice yet... but I'm trying... hic
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Only one ale on (Pride I recall) on Saturday, though there is an interesting stock of foreign garb in the fridges if that floats your boat.
Colourful but otherwise unremarkable beyond a pint I think.
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Love this place even more after spending Saturday afternoon in here with a group of mates. Even ended up eating here - goof pub fare at low prices - would hit it again.
What really did impress however is that the bar has a stock of Westvleteren beer, the rarest and generally considered to be the best Belgian trappist ale. Considering the stuff is fiendishly difficult to come by in Belgium, the fact a London boozer confidently stocks it and moreover sells it for �3.30 a bottle is amazing. I hadn't noticed this on previous visits.
anonymous - 16 Aug 2006 16:29 |
Anywhere that has the full range of Kloster Andechs beers, including the Dopplebock Dunkel, is definitely worth a visit.
Its also worth noting that the huge range of continental beers(30 odd bottled German beers and a similar number of Belgian ones, if memory serves me correctly) are actually quite reasonably priced - in the region of �3.50 a bottle which is a fair bit less than anywhere else in London I can think of.
The service isn't going to set any records for speed, but who cares when its friendly? Well?
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i used to really love this pub, but like it a bit less these days. its got a fantastic range of lagers and its just a bit out of the main camden drag.
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relaxed local pub with a great selection of foreign beers - at almost sensible prices,
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an experience indeed. interior is nice enough but nothing special. but you really come here for the atmosphere. oddball friendly ancient bar staff. friendly locals. good range of beers, late licence and no fakery. well worth a visit.
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Totally agree with Stonch - this is a great pub with great character. Sure - it might take more than 5 seconds to get a drink in your hand but if that is all you are worried about you may as well stay at home with a can of John Smiths.
Pat is certaliny a legend and having been going in Quinn's for 10 years I have found him to be a real gent and great host.
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A couple of recent reviews here put me on to thinking once again that if it weren't for eccentric landlord and bar staff, the London pub scene would be infinitely poorer...
The old boy who runs (and owns?) Quinn's is a legend. Yes, he is past his best, but so are many of the great things in life.
HenryHenryHenry & Maja - walk back down Kentish Town Road to Camden tube, go southbound on the Northern Line (Charing X branch), alight at Tottenham Court Road. Come out of the exit on the east side of Tott Ct Road and go on to New Oxford Street. Now walk past Burtons and Argos. There is a really soul destoying All Bar One there for you. Perhaps you can make it your local, and once a year you can do an exchange, where you go to the Canary Wharf All Bar One and Ozzyblue comes to yours. You can then meet up in any one of the many All Bar Ones in London to compare notes.
anonymous - 20 Apr 2006 10:54 |
Shocking service. Horrible bar staff. Avoid!
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There is a wide range of beers, but it doesn't really matter since you probably need a degree in being-served-a-pint. Its hopeless!! At my last visit i managed (after some time) i thought.. The landlord took my oder, but when i had been waiting for an other 8-10 mins for my 2 pints of Guiness i gave up and left. On the top of that, the landlord is a very odd man. He comes across as very unpleasant! I wont be back as long he is there!
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Good friendly pub, staff and regulars. Range of ales seems reduced these days but those foreign beers will keep me going for a while longer. The staff on my all too rare visits don't seem to have English 'as their first language'. Makes it interesting. As does the descent to the toilets.
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Endorse most of what has been previously said-although I've managed to get Scarlett off the dry roasted.....We now share packets of pork scratchings-Scarlett gets the bottom half-because her hand is a lot smaller than mine......We also both agree that the chilled out jazzy(?) type tunes in the background enhanced the occasion...and the keeness of the bar staff was apparent...However It does take a while to read through the beer menu thats written over the bar-so a degree of/in Patience is required
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This isn't just a pub, it's more a way of life. If anything ever happened to it, I'd probably hurl myself off a bridge, such would be my anguish.
If you were to offer me the choice of a date with Keira Knightly or Scarlett Johannson, I'd be a little hesitant at first and, in truth, I'd probably toss a coin. Either way, I'd take them to Quinns. Keira would love the exotic beer and I know that Scarlett has a thing for Dry Roasted peanuts, so she'd love it.
Anyway, top pub. Keep up the good work
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Try the Schlenkera (sp?) Rauchbier, no. 4 on the german menu. Like smoked ham and cheese in a pint glass.
anonymous - 15 Mar 2006 16:13 |
Wowsers, this is a good pub. It's a proper pub - cosy, brown, no chrome or pine in sight - with a range of friendly bar-staff and, most importantly, the biggest range of German beer I've seen in a pub in the UK. Hacker Pschorr Helles, Bock and Wheat; Diebels Alt; Paulaner Salvator; and a lot more. There's an equally huge list of Belgian beer, but I didn't get that far. German beers were about �3.30, which I think is reasonable.
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Friendly barman, two real ales, wide range of bottled German and Belgian beers. However, I found the flashing lights high up on the walls distracting.
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Great pub, especially at Christmas when the ceiling is festooned with lights. Lovely Belgian Christmas beer. Mmmmmm.... Can get rather smokey though.
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An absolute gem of a pub where every night feels like Christmas Eve. The finest beer and atmosphere. Proper pub snacks too including marvellous pork scratchings and Tayto crisps (mouth-singeing salt & vinegar flavour: wow).
Looking forward to my next visit.
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This is a must-visit-pub when in London... I�ll be back in 5:th January, The Quinns is like a second home to me when in London, very much thanks to the Quinns family and their excellent staff, very friendly place and well worth a visit!
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One of my favourite pubs, and worth making a special journey for. They stock the largest range of German beers in London: usually about 20 of them, including Hefeweizens, Munich Helles Bier (pale lagers) and Dunkels (dark lagers). They're almost all sourced from Bavaria, except for the occasional K�lsch, and the range constantly varies but always includes interesting beers that you won't find anywhere else in London. There's usually something I've never tried before. Added to this, there's an even bigger range of Belgian beers and three cask ales on the pumps (Greene King IPA and a couple of others). It attracts a varied, unpretentious crowd. I've never been unable to find a seat. There's a beer garden at the back for warmer weather, and the pub has a quirky look that somehow makes me think of bars in Brussels. Superb.
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Lots of good imported largers (though not everything on the massive list behind the bar will be in stock), just far enough away from Camden tube/market that the tourists don't find it and lots of space - even got seats with Donnie vs Arsenal just starting on the box.
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If you like your specialty beers this is the place to go. A bit on the quiet side but the fridge at the end of the bar stocks some of the greatest imported beers I've ever sampled. The more senior bar staff really know their stuff when it comes to these beers and will gladly help when it comes to choosing. My personal recommendation is the Trios Pistols; a really dark fruity beer or the version of Guinness brewed by a Belgian company in Dublin to the original recipe. Strange but true.
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I love this place. So many foreign beers to pick, and yes they are a bit expensive, but compared to other places (e.g. The Porterhouse and other random pubs) the prices are reasonable. Well friendly too...
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Environment: Nice
Clientele: Varied
Beers: A myriad of wonderful brews.
Price: Ouch!
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Yeah, this place is great on a saturday night. A mate recomended it. Had a fantastic night. Its open late and the atmosphere is brilliant. A nice crowd. I asked one of the punters where the cigerette machine was, he informed me there wasn't one. He then insisted on supplying me with some of his own rolling tobacco. I politely refused, but he insisted 'c'mon, you only live once!, take it!'. Highly recomended for a late night Camden drink.
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greatest pint of guinness i've ever had outside dublin, amazing staff - the brothers are brilliant, especially kevin, and the parents are just a little frightening but fantastic fun. if you like good beer and a quiet pint, come here, but not too many of you, i like it just the way it is. i'm staying in london because of this bar.
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A quality late night/ early morning boozer. I have been coming here for years, it has a superb selection of beers from Belgium and Germany along with all the usual suspects that you would find in any other pub in the country (Stella, Fosters, Strongbow etc).
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I am in general agreement with all the positive posters here which is rare, but then most multiple thumbs up ratings stink of being written by the owners. Quinn's though is truly a gem. I must admit that I usually only find my way here for a late one when in Camden but having visited maybe 30 times I can honestly say I have never had a bad night. Sometimes it has been quiet, occasionally a tad dull but sometimes it has been banging, its always friendly and with a great range of ales and Belgian beers. They like alcohol in here, they like people, they like people having a good time. Knighthoods for the jovial old couple I say.
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Excellent place overall. The selection of German and Belgian beers is very good and the prices are comparitively low. The eccentric staff and customers are usually entertaining and there is a relaxing atmosphere inside. Its especially worth a visit if you support the Irish football or rugby teams - there will be lots of fellow fans there. St. Pat's Day at Quinn's is also legendary.
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The Quinns is just a fantastic pub where Mr. and Mrs. Quinn together with their excellent staff do their very best to make you feel comfortable, they are just wonderful.
Maybe a little bit pricy, but the atmosphere is just great.
I am just longing to go back to London to meet my friends at the pub
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Quinns is simply the best pub on planet earth. Mrs Quinn does an explosive impression of Noddy Holder, while Mr Quinn is quite definately the fastest thing on two legs. The music is an ecclectic mishmash of classics from pop'n'rock genres and the clientele consist only of the finest intellectual circles drawn from around the globe. Quinns...Actung Es ist phantastisch!
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Good range of beer, the family that own it are pleasant but barking mad.
anonymous - 11 Feb 2005 14:41 |
I go to this pub at least once a week, preferably more. I have nothing bad at all to say of the place. The range of beers is extensive, with a sizeable variety of belgian and german beers on offer. For winter, an extra selection of excellent belgian winter beers were made available. The prices beat anywhere else i have seen in central london at �3 for the belgians and �3.10 for the germans. However the wonderful beer is not all the place is great for - the Quinn family who run the place are an entertaining and amiable bunch who always do their best to make sure you are well served and enjoy your time in the pub. I could not reccomend this place more. It is excellent.
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Worth a visit simply for the range of German beer. But, bless him, old Mr Quinn insisted on fetching me the wrong one every time. I didn't have the heart to tell him. He reminded me of my own decrepit, alcoholic Irish grandfather.
I was also amused by a man at the bar talking to himself. There were no signs of any new fangled head set thingys, so a bona fide nutter. Always a bonus.
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The best pub i have ever been in bar none.
Ben - 15 Nov 2004 16:43 |
excellent selection of belgian and german beers - pretty well priced considering the SUPERB quality. The staff (especially Mr Quinn) are funny and eccentric - the place has a really nice atmosphere. All in all, probably better than heaven.
Martin - 6 Nov 2004 20:50 |
Not a bad pub, bit on the pricey side. Good range of beers but I agree, check your change!
gerry - 26 Oct 2004 16:11 |
Another good thing about this pub is the no-chav policy; if your Sunday best is a baseball cap, white trainers your clothes are man-made fibre then steer clear.
I think it is something to do with static electricity affecting the pumps - nothing personal.
Steve - 11 Oct 2004 11:47 |
Nice for an occasional visit. Massive range of foreign beers and a couple of ales as well. Tends to stay open until 2am, and most remarkably they don't charge you to get in late, and nor do is there any bouncers on the door. Here's hoping that scum don't read this website and get wise to that fact.
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This is a very fine pub - friendly service, good beer including Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale, Budvar on tap, plus a range of bottled beers from Germany. The food looked good (this is at lunch) and there's a nice beer garden. Handily open late Thurs, Fri & Sat.
Owen - 25 Jun 2004 17:02 |
If your into GAA sport give this place a miss. Owners have a tendency to switch TV to soccer ( especially All Ireland final day)despite having dispenced with hard earned all morning when we were the only customers. Food is good, Mr and Mrs Quinn eccentric and bar staff are definately cecils! Check your change
Franner - 29 May 2004 13:26 |
great . being a very irish area, and near trendy camden town, kentish town is very much an area for guiness and standard lagers . however, this pub has it all many ales, 20-30 german and belgian bottled beers, and czech budvar on tap, which is very rare . from the outside it looks like your typical ubiquitous high street irish shop-conversion , molly o'grady, billy o'fish and such like, but it's not .
dan - 25 May 2004 12:41 |
Great selection of beers, pricey, but then an extra 20p for a decent pint won't kill you. Budvar and San Miguel on tap, and not many places can say that. Good craic at the weekends when the footballs on, but don't be surprised to find the place packed with fellas watching the Gaelic football when it's on. Family run, and they opened at 7am last october when the rugby was on. If you're in Camden, the short walk up Kentish Town Rd is well worth it to get to this place.
James - 27 Feb 2004 10:09 |
One of the best selection of Belgian and German beers in London. A must for beer lovers. Also shows most major sporting events and IS open late on Thur, Fri and Sat. My local!
Bruno - 20 Feb 2004 13:06 |
Ok-ish. If you' re female and want to fish for complements just sit at the bar and wait for the barkeeper who will probably ask you if you' re a rockstar or something. Friendly atmosphere and probably great pub football fans.
Blune - 27 Jan 2004 17:42 |
Bit expensive, but a nice looking pub and great for reading the weekend papers with half an eye on the sports on tv. seems to stay open very late as well, which has to be a good thing.
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Good in that you can almost always find a seat after eleven. Bad in that premium lager is three pounds a pint.
joe - 2 Dec 2003 16:07 |
Great Belgian Beer selection alone makes it worth a visit - barstaff generally very welcoming and knowledgeable about the beers. Should give the christmas beers a go this winter.
Luke - 17 Oct 2003 14:58 |
this pubs ok,but one of the oldest sons is a right moany old bloke,beers not bad and its a good atmosphere for ireland rugby,footbal and gaelic football,
baz tav - 17 Oct 2003 12:50 |
If you don�t let the garish exterior put you off, inside you will find a nicely decorated and well furnished pub. Specialises in Belgian draft and bottled beers and serves a reasonable GK IPA. There is a small garden patio at the rear and TV�s for sports. Decent pub, barmaid is still struggling with the English language.
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One of Camden's best pubs - just too far away from the market to be packed full of tourists, opens late, wide range of beers, loads of atmosphere.
Darryl - 11 Aug 2003 12:30 |
Real nice pub, just out of the way of all the camden freaks/tourists. good selection of belgian beers, there is a brilliant barman there most afternoons, the older gent who sometimes works there (landlord?) and his lady friend seem a bit more confused by it all. and some eastern european girl has just started there. shame she doesnt speak/understand english. oh, and she cant distinguish a fiver from a tenner yet...
apart from that, brilliant pub.
Seb - 1 Aug 2003 23:54 |
I have spent many a good evening in Quinn's - has football on and serves excellent beer with a smile.
Paddy - 26 Jun 2003 14:32 |
Yep - opens late! Good selection of bottled beers, and food during the day is said to be quite good. The real ale, Greene King, see-saws in quality.
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I have to agree with the comments already made. A superlative selection of draught and bottled beers. Very friendly and (mostly) knowledgable staff. There's also a few TVs here for live football and a patio area for when it's sunny. One big advantage is that it's open late (usually til 2) and off the main Camden drag, so you don't get that many idiots in there.
Chris - 2 May 2003 13:39 |
Excellent pub, excellent staff.
Also sells a good range of German bottled beers - mmm...
Open till 2 on thurs, fri and sat.
Spliffy - 2 May 2003 11:20 |
Looks like an Irish pub, but sells proper beer & Belgian beer. Exceptionally friendly landlord. Regular stop on Kentish/Camden town crawls. Opens late I think.
Miranda Oakley - 2 May 2003 08:33 |
