The Red Lion & Sun

We booked The Red Lion after spotting some glowing reviews on social media. The place looked fantastic, so I was genuinely excited to give it a go. It’s a beautiful pub—bustling and lively—with a connected cocktail bar outside and a tented outdoor space that I imagine gets uncovered in summer. Our waiter was attentive and personable, and the menu had loads of tempting options. We chose to share the beef cheek and bone marrow pie as our main, and kicked things off with a couple of starters. The Korean fried chicken wings were just lukewarm when they arrived, which was a shame, but the Korean fried cauliflower was excellent. We brought a birthday cake along, so didn’t get around to trying the desserts. As for the main event—the pie was a bit of a letdown. Too much pastry which overpowered the meat, and the beef cheek itself lacked depth of flavour. And I say that as someone who loves a good crust! My wife had the chicken schnitzel, which was well cooked and really tasty. I’m glad we went—it’s a great setting and clearly a popular spot—but I think I just made the wrong call on the main given the other options on the menu.

*Just a bit disappointing* . I would rate this 3.5 stars if I could. Not quite good enough for 4 stars, but a bit better than 3...This pub is rated number 5 in terms of the Best Gastropubs in the UK and I was expecting a bit more, especially from the cooking. This is especially the case when my main course of Lamb Cutlets was £28. There was nothing about any of the courses that was especially delicious or particularly innovative. Of course, a gatropub doesn't need to serve innovative or creative food if it is amazingly cooked and super-tasty. But it wasn't. It was in no way bad. The dessert of chocolate and caramel tart was actually pretty good (though it could have done with a bit more chocolate and better quality chocolate), but it was tasty, well balanced and well made. The presentation of the food was good. The atmosphere in the garden was pleasant. But the vinegar that went in the oil for dipping the focccia was a bit thin and cheap, the starter of trout was tasty but not especially great and the lamb was too salty with not enough other flavours on the plate to balance this. I couldn't really taste the anchovy in the anchovy and butter sauce, and when I asked for mint-sauce it was way to vinegar-y. The service was pleasant and helpful, but at no stage did anyone ask how my food was. This was disappointing in itself, because I was just a bit disappointed. If my meal had been £30 all in I'd rate it 4 stars, but at this price it has to be a 3 overall.

Nice and friendly local pub. They allow dogs in there as well. The crab starter was exceptional! I would order two of these as my main course next time. The clams, on the other hand, were a bit disappointing - most of the clams turned out empty, only came with the shell. The lamb was very well cooked, slightly overused the butter though. It wasn’t bad at all and probably the main that I liked the most. Their signature pie was also a bit disappointing. The crust was very heavy, we couldn’t finish it.

Lovely pub with a great menu, drinks and top tier service

A fabulous roast with all the hype. The beef, pork and lamb roasts were all exquisite and the wine list is superb.

A Truly Exceptional Pub Experience at The Red Lion & Sun – A Hidden Gem in London From the moment you step through the garden entrance of The Red Lion & Sun, you’re greeted with the unmistakable charm of a traditional British pub – but with an elevated, almost boutique atmosphere that instantly sets it apart. Nestled in leafy Highgate, this place combines countryside comfort with the buzz of urban London life. The outdoor seating area is simply idyllic. Surrounded by greenery and classic pub architecture, it’s the perfect spot for a sunny afternoon with friends or a cozy evening with a glass of wine. The rustic wooden tables and soft lighting give the space an inviting, relaxed vibe. The food? Absolutely outstanding. We tried the lamb chops, and they were cooked to perfection – tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. The garlic butter prawns were another highlight: served generously and grilled beautifully, they brought a touch of seaside indulgence to our table. Portion sizes are generous, yet everything feels thoughtfully presented. Drinks-wise, the wine selection is impressive, and the beers are served cold and crisp – exactly as they should be. Whether you’re a craft beer lover or a wine enthusiast, there’s something on the menu for you. Inside, the atmosphere is warm and lively. The bar is well-stocked, the staff are friendly and attentive without being intrusive, and the crowd is a lovely mix of locals, families, and travelers. You can tell this is a place people come back to again and again. It’s rare to find a pub that balances high-quality food, a welcoming ambiance, and genuinely great service – but The Red Lion & Sun nails it. Whether you’re popping in for a casual drink, a full dinner, or Sunday roast with the family, this place delivers every time. Highly recommended. One of North London’s finest.

Food was ok. Service was great. Thought it would be fresh cold crab but it was hot in a warm over complicated sauce.

Amazing food!!! Really enjoyed the burger and fried chicken wings. I would highly recommend it if you’re looking for a delicious meal. The cocktails are also quite good, we really enjoyed the Palomas. The only thing I would improve is the ambiance. Some better and louder background music is needed as the space at the back is quite small. Having 1 or 2 loud tables is enough to disrupt everyone and make it very uncomfortable.

Recommended by locals and they didn't steer me wrong! Came on a drizzly weeknight, so all the seating was indoors. Quiet friendly pub atmosphere - the staff was attentive but not intrusive. Food was excellent! There was a steak sandwich listed as a special, and the combination of toasted focaccia, fresh tomatoes, and lean beef made it worth the trip. Pub fries (yeah, I know, "chips") were crispy outside and tender inside. I'm here for 5 days, so I'll probably be back!

Lovely gastro pub in a nice neighbourhood. Great food and friendly service. Semi-covered outdoor area is nice too (although there is bound to be smokers, that's just the risk you will have take in this country). Focaccia was pillowy and fluffy. Korean fried cauliflower was great! Sweet and spicy. Veggie roast was good - the sausage-y looking substance in the middle looked very unappetising but it tasted deceptively good. I was very happy with my choice.

A lovely pub with covered outdoor seating . I had the Clams then the Sea Bass which were excellent . Server was pleasant ang attentive. I will be coming back here

This dog friendly pub serves hearty portions of food for incredibly reasonable prices (for the area). The menu seems to change regularly keeping things interesting. The food wasn't mind blowingly delicious but there were some stand out dishes like the crab on toast and salted caramel and chocolate tart. Would definitely come back for the price, because it's a really cool place to chill and they allow dogs inside! Tick, tick, and tick.

The Red Lion and Sun is an impressive gastropub situated in the beautiful Highgate Village. The inside of The Red Lion has that slightly darkened, old-fashioned feel that suits traditional pubs well. What attracted me to the place wasn't its traditional décor; it was its impressive front garden with a multitude of tables to dine at. Reading the menu A-board outside left me in no doubt that the food was going to be above average. A further surprise awaited my partner and I as she spotted a secluded beer garden in the back. This would be our destination. The wine list is long enough to keep you interested, without over-loading you with choice. They offer a good variety of grape from different continents, with a price range to keep the penny watchers and cash splashers happy. As for the food, it was good. We order three starters, Pigs Cheek with Chorizo in a red wine jus, Goats Cheese with tomatoes with distinct flavoured Cress, Roast Beef Sandwich with Horseradish and a side order of Tomato and Onion Salad. All the dishes were very good. The Tomato and Onion Salad was exceptional. It was a very simple concept but oh so good. The Pigs Cheek was a first time thing for both Sarah S and I. It was as tender and tasty as any slow cooked lamb I have had. I was impressed. The Red Lion and Sun isn't the cheapest pub I've been to, but their intention clearly isn't to be cheap. Their extravagant menu alludes to them being a great eatery and bar, and in my eyes they succeed in being a cut above the average boozer.

The Red Lion and Sun is my kind of pub: it's cozy, I can bring my dog and the food is really good! In fact, how come I have lived in the Highgate area for over three years and only recently have I discovered this gem of a pub? What I like about the Red Lion & Sun is that I feel so much at home every time I go there: there's something to be said about low ceilings, wooden interior and a fireplace. Plus, the constantly changing menu has so far always pleased my taste buds. But, be aware that this is a very popular place, so if you're more than two people, I would recommend making a reservation. Also, last time I was here, they'd run out of every special on the menu - they told me that everything is made fresh and so that when things are gone, they're gone. Kind of like that...makes it somehow real! Anyway, I really like it here and me and my dog will keep coming back again and again...

Found this place while stalking some morris dancers (they know all the best real ale pubs) and had a very well kept pint of Rev. James. Didn't have time for a pint of Morland Original though. Pleasant pub but seemed like a nice traditional community inn that they want to keep for trendy locals rather than oiks like me. Nice beer, spacious inside, beer gardens front and back, and good service. Menu looks tempting too but I didn't have the opportunity to try anything. Dishes include a salt beef bagel (£5.50!), gammon and goose egg, Irish rock oysters, and avocado & Saudi prawn salad, as well as more commonly found fodder like hamburgers and fish & chips.

Just had a chicken pie, mash and gravy and I think it was one of the best I have ever had. So much filling and delicious gravy. Thanks

Nice pub with front and back outdoor seating. Good service. Food good and value for money. Wide range of draft beer.

If you're looking for a place you can take your dog with you and also enjoy a nice meal this is a place for you! A dog friendly gastro pub right next to the Highgate high street, you can choose to sit outside or inside with or without your dog which is amazing. The food here is more than just pub food, we had a mix of starters including potted shrimps with toasted bread, Dorset crab with herbs and duck Spring rolls. The mains were all good value too, I had the seafood stew which contained everything from salmon, tiger prawns, hake, squid etc in tomato based broth. The jerk chicken and steak my friends had were really good portions and tasty. Ofcourse not to miss the desserts! They have all the English pub style desserts but I would recommend the sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream and toffee sauce. The staff are friendly and you're welcome to stay however long you want!

This is our favourite pub in Highgate! Seafood and meat is delivered to them daily from local butcher and Cornwall fishermen. Order mussels in white wine sauce, it's so good! And mocha coconut ice cream for desert! When staff is too busy the big boss goes and serves the clients. They had big TV out during football World Cup 18! Very children and dog friendly

This is going to be a weird post for this pub since we actually attended a private function here. Heath the landlord will kill my friends for this but we actually went to a wedding reception here (but they don't do wedding receptions, okay???) It was in full crimbo decoration and that made it all the much better. Staff here worked their arses off for this party and made sure everyone was happy. I'm not sure what's on their regular menu but we had a series of canape plates that came out and let me tell you that my favorite were the Scotch Eggs. but I have no idea what bird laid that egg because they were so very tiny and delightful. Super happy with that. My wife had the full on Turkey dinner with all the trimmings and I opted for the Fillet of Beef. Our meals were spectacular and let me tell you the number of plates that they had to prepare, well, I have no idea how they did it. We both had the Chocolate Mousse for desert and it was one of the best I've had in a long time and it rivaled my Mother's (and she went to a cooking school for awhile to learn that) Just a great night and a memorable evening for my friends as they start their newly married life together. Top top evening and I can't wait to visit my friends again as they live in the village close by which means we can go back under 'normal' circumstances.

Another pub I would prefer if they weren't trying to be too gastro. I could only find a couple of things on the menu that I had ever had before. Yet their website says that the food is traditional!? But I wasn't there to eat I was there for a pint, but that was a bit of a let down too. My pint of ale didn't taste quite right. I think it may have been on the turn. This is all a bit of a shame as inside you have a nice candlelit pub and outside you have nice large wooden tables all ready to take advantage of nicer weather.

This is my favourite pub in London! The last time we went I had an amazing monkfish curry and a glass of Whispering Angel, it was divine! Highly recommend!

Superb, classy pub! Gourmet, high quality cuisine... just love the mussel starter in a rich cream sauce....enjoy the Sunday Roast here...it's so popular that you need reservations! We savoured the briased Welsh lamb shank served with yummy roast potatoes,carrots and cabbage medley, Yorkshire pudding that was delicious and loved the red wine jus. The lamb was so tender it melted in your mouth! Fab wine list for a traditional pub. Wonderful and cozy atmosphere, lovely outdoor patio and attentive,professional staff...

Went here for a Sunday Roast with a friend who lives in Highgate. I opted for the rib-eye and the meat was tender, the gravy was thick, and the Yorkshire pudding was doughy; what more could you ask for?? Great cozy feel to it and I imagine the outdoor patio is great when the weather is warmer. A little disappointed in the local beer selection, but otherwise a great Sunday Roast spot

I tried this place for the first time over the festive season and it was lovely. They served mulled cider expecillay for this time of year and my friend said it was like 'Christmas in a cup'. The staff are very pleasant and there is a good selection of wines and liquor, so if you are fussy there is plenty of choice. I have heard great things about the food so plan to return and something from their menu !

Purple Pineapple and Pluto, Orange Antelope and Venus (Pub names make me giggle) This off the beaten track pub, we stumbled upon while waiting for a tardy bus turned, out to be a chance to feel separated from the buzzing motorways and noise pollution of London. While Lions may not be Red, the Sun was surely shining on me, plunked happily in the rear garden. The goat's cheese and tomato salad on toast was lovely and just the right size. The stab in the dark Pig's cheek was really tender and flavourful and the tomato salad, however simple it sounds, was amazing. I would guess that the tomatoes must have been vine-ripened and grown locally because they were just perfect. The big bonus to this venue is the quiet atmosphere. We sat with our newspapers and books, taking in the sun and breeze while sipping white wine. Seek out the Red, Lion and Sun for an afternoon beverage and a chance to breath deep.

Made the trip up north for my first English Sunday roast. Was not disappointed. The pig belly was excellent!

One of my faves in highgate. Good food, decent wine list, friendly service, cozy indoor space, pleasant terraces and a dyson blade drier in the ladies!

If you're looking for a pub, then this is not it, it's more of a restaurant. We've popped in here a couple of times on a Saturday and Sunday but the place is packed. So we went in yesterday afternoon (Friday) and as you would guess, it wasn't busy (was about 2.30pm). We ordered fish & chips and a steak and a few drinks. First off, the portions in here are big and all tasted fresh. My haddock was delicious and the warm mushy peas were tasty. And the chips, mmmmmm, thin hand cut. The other one had a steak and chips. Now we expected this to be one of those really thin flat (one minute) steaks you get at those chains (ie Cote). But it wasn't. It was a proper piece of meat and was highly enjoyed! The staff here are really nice as well. Again, it is a restaurant, not a pub. When we were in there, all the tables were having their reserved for signs being put on the tables for the night throughout the pub. Would be nicer if reserved tables were just for the back half of the place so if you're just popping in for a drink, you could do so in the front part. The have a lot of outdoor space in the front of the pub so would be nice on those rare summer warm days. We'll definitely return, on a weekday. Oh, and another great thing that they do right so many other restaurants / pubs do wrong. They don't pour the wine into those silver measuring things when you order wine. Something that really bugs me about other pubs, especially when you can taste the wine of the previous pour in yours. So definitely a hats off to you.

The Red Lion & Sun was recommended to me by a number of people so I had high expectations when I arrived and the it didn't disappoint. Six of us came for Sunday lunch and despite the pub being packed the service was friendly and they seated us quickly. The pub had a really cozy atmosphere with open fires and scrubbed wooden tables, very conducive to a lovely lazy Sunday afternoon. The roasts took a while to arrive, which was no great surprise considering how busy they were, and luckily it was worth the wait. I had the roast beef which was delicious, nicely pink in the middle, and served with plenty of potatoes a large Yorkshire pudding and a good selection of veg. I think roast beef can often be a bit hit and miss with pubs but this one definitely came up to the mark and the prices were very reasonable for what it was. For pudding we had the sticky toffee pudding which was very good, if a little small. I would definitely come back here again although early booking is recommended (they were fully booked by Friday afternoon the last time I tried) and I don't think it's worth coming for Sunday lunch if you haven't booked. The pub has a large beer garden so I think it would make a good summer pub too.

Service was mediocre but what really irritates me was after my group ordered their meal, the waitress returned some moments later to advise us they had no lamb left. POOR! I opted for Beef instead which was ok, I've had better and cheaper!

what a let down, beautiful looking pub, rubbish food and drink. I ordered one of the two ale on tap and got the wrong one no big deal really, i'd just make sure i got the other one next round i got the right one next time pretty bland and poorly kept. The food was terrible for the price, i would have expected to pay half the price for the quality of food i received. I ordered the braised lamb shoulder and seasonal veg. I got a pretty rock hard piece of shoulder with a couple of sorry looking chunks of carrot a few grey broad beans some of which were still in there pod and a tasteless stock and i paid £14 for the privilege. It wasn't very busy and i could see why. there are a lot better places in the area for less money. i would recommend following the crowds.

Nice ambience, and location but food not quite what the prices would suggest. I had the warmed artichoke to start which was tepid and the vinagrette sauce served with it was barely seasoned; more like weak olive oil minus the flavour. The halloumi salad was enjoyable but nothing special. Portions were good but as already stated, the prices are too high for the quality of food and service. The bar staff were pleasant but the wait time for food was certainly too long. Overall not a total disappointment, but room for improvement in several areas.

I like that pub and especially the sunday roasts they are sooo good. I prefer going and eating in the casual atmosphere rather than taking the dish for home. They serve very good fish as well. And all prices are affordable.

Reserved a table at The Red Lion & Sun on Tuesday night for dinner. When I arrived I ordered Rib Eye steak from their limited menu to be told that they had no Rib Eye available . I chose the cod and chips, which they describe as coming with "hand cut" chips. When this arrived the cod was quiet oily and very heavy with batter, it was placed on top of a miserable pile of overdone thin oily chips which were about as unappetising as could be . This restaurant like many "gasto style" pubs has become a victim of its own success and no longer cares about the quality or presentation of their food. Not to be recommended unless your starving.

really great food and wine and the odd celeb but a tad bit devoid of atmosphere and bland insiped decor that has inspiration or cohesion . still great on a cold winters night though as they have a real fire