Crooked Billet

We had a really good time at a friend's birthday party here. The Mac and Cheese is delicious, there are many of my favourite session ales on tap, and some excellent wines. Even some orange wine. The beer garden is huge and invites you to watch sports throughout the day. We will definitely come back soon.

Brilliant boozer with lots of options on tap! Lots of local London beers and ales, plus a massive outdoor area!

Had an incredible Sunday roast at this pub! The staff go above and beyond to make sure you enjoy your visit. Tara makes a mean Bloody Mary!! Will definitely be returning :))

I came here the other week with my nan, the bartender Marnie was super helpful and accommodating to us. The food was delicious and my nan loved it, she was visiting me all the way from Lancashire and said she would love to come again. Absolutely wonderful service and very friendly staff, especially the friendly bartender Marnie. Marnie was very patient with my elderly nan and helped her over to the table and with the menu options as she has a gluten sensitivity :) 10/10 would recommend

AWFUL experience. We were a party of 8 (2 families) vacationing in London for the first time from America. Unfamiliar with local rules and not seeing anything visibly posted, we were unaware of not permitting anyone under the age of 18 after 7pm. We were simply looking for a dinner near where we were staying, and this establishment seemed nice. Immediately upon entering, we were essentially attacked verbally by the bartender….particularly our 16 year old son. Had there been a calm approach and explanation, we would have absolutely respected the establishment’s policies. Instead there was rash judgement bordering on the abusive and absolutely contrary to what you would expect from a service oriented business. In reading other reviews, there seems to be a pattern of rudeness and even racial profiling. Mind you, our family is of Asian descent. We never got to experience the food and drinks, which may have been great. If you’re looking for a great experience in all aspects and especially with the service, BEWARE of this establishment. We would not recommend it and there are plenty of other options locally, which, fortunately, we found. Even the owner’s response to a separate post involving the same situation shows a complete lack of empathy and compassion towards understanding a situation before commenting and engaging.

🚇Clapton 🍺 £7.45 Stone & Wood Pacific Ale The Crooked Billet is located in Clapton, Hackney, in East London. The nearest station is Clapton, which is literally right next door. This former Watney's pub was originally built in the late 19th century. It was rebuilt in the 1950’s but it is not clear why, possibly WWII bomb damage etc. In 2013, the pub was extensively refurbished as part of Hackney’s ongoing northward gentrification. In 2023, Young’s took up the reins—this is their second pub in Clapton, the other being the Princess of Wales. This is a large, one-bar pub that is traditionally decorated. At the centre of the pub is an island servery, which faces the rear of the bar. The décor features a combination of a boarded and chequered tiled floor, beautiful wooden wall panels, a fireplace at either end of the bar, and framed Edwardian photos. There is plenty of seating throughout, including a few raised banquette areas set in large bay windows overlooking the garden. One of the most notable features of this pub is the massive beer garden, which includes seating alcoves, covered cabins, table tennis, and several large screens for live sports. The beer selection was quite impressive, offering a mix of familiar favourites, local London brews, and cask ales. I opted for a @stoneandwooduk Pacific Ale — my pint was excellent, price point was a tad high. The food menu features hearty pub classics, a range of pizzas, and Sunday roasts. Fish and chips are priced at £17.50. We arrived at 1 p.m. on a warm Saturday lunchtime in April. The pub was fairly quiet, with a few punters dotted about both inside and out in the garden. The service was on point; the chap who served us was pleasant and courteous. We sat outside to enjoy the weather and check out the beer garden. I heard lots of good things prior to visiting the @crookedbilletclaptone5 and it didn’t disappoint. It was great to see such a traditional interior and the beer garden is a big bonus. We enjoyed our time here and would definitely recommend a visit. 📅 18th April 2025 More London pub info on socials @londonpubmap 🍻

Pub is very close to our home so we really wanted to like it, and on a previous trip had a great experience. But we visited on Friday and one of us got *such* bad food poisoning from it. He had the chicken burger. He was ill all day Saturday and through to Sunday, even had a fever by Saturday night and had to call 111 which said it might be gastroenteritis. Better now, but such a shame as I don't think we will be going back for food again...

This place has such a warm, welcoming vibe, and the staff are honestly so friendly and attentive. The drinks selection is brilliant — perfectly poured pints, plus a great range of wines and spirits to choose from. It’s such a good spot to kick back, relax, and enjoy a really high-quality drink. Definitely coming back!

I first went to this charming, shabby genteel pub in Clapton about four years ago and was charmed by the friendly staff and the marvelous beer garden. I understand it has been taken over by the Youngs group and wondered had it lost it's shine. Not a bit of it! Prices may have increased but the atmosphere is as welcoming as ever. A wonderful place to relax with a frosty pale ale on a warm summer's eve.

After changing ownership in May 2013, I can't deny this pub has had a massive improvement with its pleasant outdoor area, and revamped interior, I have enjoyed going as an alternative to the Clapton Heart, for its range of mostly locally brewed top quality cask ale and similar atmosphere. The staff is always friendly too. Now where the stars dropped: I ate at the Crooked Billet three times, the first two were OK - but don't expect to be wowed if you're a foodie. And the third time will probably be my last. I ordered a burger, asked the meat to be cooked through. I was looking forward to eat as I was pregnant and it was the first meat dish I had fancied eating that week. After feeling very sick I was taken to the emergencies and my urine samples later showed that there was a meat bacteria in my intestines. I wouldn't blame Crooked Billet if I wasn't sure - but it was the only meat I had that week and I had the results of the urine sample. This is a constructive criticism to help Crooked Billet improve. The new Crooked Billet launched in 2013 and perhaps it's time to update your Food And Hygiene Safety Check.

There's a nice ambiance to this place, particularly if the garden out back is open. There were five golden beers on offer which suited me. Big fan of Redemption Brewery so enjoyed a Rock the Kazbek. Whoever is in charge of the beer knows a thing or two I reckon. Not so much the staff (i heard one recommend Dark Star Hophead as a dark beeras it had the word dark in it i guess) although i approve very much of how many people they said serving. It was a lively evening but they were staffed sufficiently to assure rapid beverage replenishment! Chilled music contributed to the vibe too!

Simple but well made pub grub. Yay! The flat iron steak was cooked medium rare. I love that the chef sliced it up on an angle to show off its red in the middle loveliness. Chips were from frozen and could have been crisper but still pretty good. Green salad was a nice touch. We shared the sticky toffee pudding. Yum yum yum for the toffee sauce!

Great beer garden with plenty of seating, capturing the sun and some shade for those who rather not roast. I did pre check the menu before arriving as I am trying my hardest to be vegan. They had butternut squash, sage pasta on the online menu, but not the one in the pub. I asked a barman, if the chef could possibly make me something vegan, answer, Why don't you have the halloumi burger without the bun? I replied, I wasn't gluten free, just vegan. Again I was told to just have the halloumi on its own, as the person believed it was so different from "normal" cheese, that it couldn't be made from dairy. What on earth do people think its made from? Most of the staff there were really friendly and able, so guess it was an abnomaly.

Massive improvement on a dodgy dive. Bit surprised when asked how I wanted my burger cooked, i thought that was now against the law. Having said that it was very nice. I thought the barman was a bit scary to be honest.

Went on a Sunday night, was just the right amount of busy. Good ambience, fun. Food was good but better for meat eaters. I had nut roast and vegan friend had to just have plate of veggie sides BUT the lovely waiter said he couldn't possibly charge her for it :) I would definitely go again.

After changing ownership in May 2013, this pub has turned it's shabby back garden and car park into a very pleasant outdoor area, smartened up its interior, and now serves a range of mostly locally brewed top quality cask ale (with a keg of the fantastic Pale Fire from the Pressure Drop brewery too) alongside some good bottled craft beer as well as some of the usual lagers, Guinness, wines and spirits. The food is pretty good too. They have a way to go to get as good as the Clapton Hart five minutes walk down the road. But they're doing a great job. And unlike the Clapton Hart they are open from lunch time on week days (which is good for those of us who work from home or don't work regular 9-5 hours).

The crooked billet is a trendy gastro pub with a large beer garden and ping pong. I'm a total fan of the "bird flipper" American BBQ style food available during the summer months, but the Sunday roasts are a bit disappointing (overlooked meat, not quite crispy enough roasties and overpoweringly vinegary red cabbage). Overall, a nice spot for a pint and a snack, but head to the clapton heart for a half decent roast dinner.

Really nice pub and great atmosphere. Beer garden with ping pong table is great on a sunny day but unfortunately the dart board has disappeared. Sunday roasts are nice with meat from the Ginger Pig. The cabbage is a bit overly vinegary for my liking though and doesn't seem to go with the rest of the dish. Staff are a bit slow. If you aren't in a rush though it's a good spot for Sunday lunch.

Really nice place - a little bit expensive but no more than the other Clapton pubs. Friendly bar staff - food is really great.