The Wenlock Arms

Love this pub! It is a proper old school boozer. Bar in the middle of the room, fireplace, lots of cask beers. Friendly staff and the beer was amazing. It is just a fantastic place.

Really pleased to finally get to this fantastic London pub. Amazing range of cask ales. Perfectly kept. Keg as well. Just brilliant! Recommended.

A great, well-maintained, traditional London pub. Always a good selection of well-kept cask ales, and prices are reasonable, which is important if you want to attract and retain local customers. I came especially for the Timothy Taylor ‘Tap Takeover’ in September 2025. Great ales. I must return for more ales and try a pie next time.

Excellent pub about 10 minutes walk from Old Street Station. Eight cask beers on handpump when I last visited including a stout. A few seats outside. Very friendly and helpful staff. Dartboard and piano!

On my visit very much a locals' pub, but certainly welcoming and polite. Busy even on a Saturday early afternoon. Beers well kept e.g. 5 points derailed porter, which is always a pleasure to see on in autumn. 3 or 4 cask beers on.

Such a cool friendly pub with an eclectic mix of people and great beers and drinks

What you need a pub to be. A square corner, preserved heritage, vibe focused London community pub with independent brewery legacy. Plenty of pub swing doors into a spacious drinking hall with centrepiece square bar. Vintage, decorative papered ceiling and walls. Simple, classic droplet lamps, understated coving, archway and subtle curved wall edges against the large, name painted windows. It's light and calm in this relaxed, volume appropriate happy classic tuned, friends and community social house. The back bar is an original gem with decorative mirroring, decorative, aged pillars and feature figurines on the overhead with a well loved, vintage bar front and counter. There's wide wood floorboard, bench edge seating and mini stools, comfortable in space and feeling. The original fireplace is overlooked by a heritage cut glass brewery mirror. Vintage decorative pub arts feature on the walls. There's darts and a piano you can imagine many gather rounds have been held. The superb selection of small batch, independent beers on draught compliment this hidden beauty pub with heritage vibes in it's own confidence in the past and what it represents.

A brilliant backstreet pub on the borders of Hoxton. Surprise, actually on Wenlock Street. Lovely people behind the bar, service smart and knowledgeable. Beer is good with a fine eclectic choice of ales both on cask and keg. A lovely place to visit!

I found this pub after I explored the Shepherdess Murals across the road in the park. It's like one of those typical pubs hidden in the back streets, and like a lot of these pubs, there is a congregation of people standing outside, probably smoking. I didn't actually mind it - it did have it's charm, but I won't claim that it is the greatest.

This is a classic pub. You can look up the history, but basically it's one of the few success stories of local spots fighting against property developers. It's tidied up over the years (the toilets are a lot cleaner than I remember), but it's still a classic British spot and well worth a visit, whether you're a Londoner looking for a local or a tourist looking for something that isn't another generic chain. Friendly staff, good neighbourhood vibe, lots of people seem to know each other, but not in the creepy exclusionary way you can get in some spots. Lots of beer/ale/cider options, I'm always happy with my cider and my guy loves their mild. A fire, frequently a dog or two, and what's not to enjoy? Minimal bar food to soak up the booze, but that's not why people come here, they come for the drinks, atmosphere, and company.

This is a great little bar, perfect for any of you who work in the area and need some liquid refreshment after a hard day of facebooking and looking busy. Spread over 3 floors and with a small outside roof garden on 2nd floor, it may be hard to always find a table but if you do certainly think about settling in for the night. The bar is well-stocked with an apple beer my friend loves and the normal stuff for the rest of us. There food is also great. You could opt for any of the well made meals but if there's a group of you go for the shared tapas. We ordered 8 dishes between 4 of us costing £5 each and there was certainly enough to go round and everything tasted really good. The quesidilla was massive, the chipolata's really tasty and the haloumi spot on! Service is very friendly and the place has a nice cosy feel to it. We often end up here after training in the gym, thereby undoing all our good work but enjoying ourselves immensely. Recommended!

Rugged with burnt english bricks the Wenlock Arms reminds me to 50's and 60's London. The windows still have partly covered lace curtains. Its busy with the neighbouring businesses that quench and entertain themselves here. Its dark interiors exception of the main bar and the dusky smell give it a cosiness very welcome especially when the weather gets temperamental. Well known for its ales and cider, and reasonable pub food I suggest a non tepid english experience here.

Tucked away between Angel and Old Street Underground stations, the Wenlock Arms is a renowned real-ale pub in Islington. Thoroughly unpretentious (in an area where the pubs can be suffocatingly so), this is a real, local pub, where the emphasis is on superbly kept real ale. They have twelve hand-pumps, so you are assured of finding at least one to your taste. As well as selecting a range of different breweries, they ensure there is also a choice of beer styles, such as porter and mild, as well as the more common bitter and IPA. There's also real cider and a proper continental lager on tap. Unsurprisingly, it has featured in the Good Beer Guide every year since 1995, and has gained a host of awards over the years. As well as the beer, there's regular live jazz music, a pub quiz and all the other activity you'd expect of a good community pub. The pub even has its own soccer and cricket teams! Bar food includes pasties and generously-sized sandwiches, served 12-21h daily. The web-site is excellent - among other things, listing the current ales on tap.

I can now die happy knowing that I've been to what can only be described as a "proper British boozer." Build in 1835, the Wenlock Arms is literally too legit to quit. 8 beers on tap, a choice of tap ciders, a bar sponsored cricket and football team, jazz nights, pub quizzes, a section for "dogs of Wenlock" on their website, a "food" menu that involves crisps, salt beef and egg sandwiches, and steak & ale pasties, this is precisely the place I wanted to find in London. I'll ask you: Does it get more legit than this gem that I came across on their website: "Upcoming Events: Old Fogeys The old Fogeys meet at the Wenlock every Tuesday afternoon. If you are of pensionable age and like beer come along and join in - membership is free. Alternatively, if you are too young to become an Old Fogey, you can join W'OOFTA (Wenlock 'Oxton Old Fogeys Tippling Association). Membership, valid for life, costs one pint bought for founder John." The answer is clearly no.

I don't get up to this part of the world too much-- when I told the barman I lived in Brixton, his colleague smirked "Someone has to". Which was a bit on the rude side. Besides, Brixton's got more to do with this part of the world than most parts of London, but I digress. What this place is, is, a proper old-style boozer. Hidden away. Funky young and old staff slightly cutting up. Sometimes they have food, sometimes not (and it's pork curry, 'cos that's what they make, and no Sunday Roast about it) 9 (9!) casks. With a board, talking about the beers. From all over, where all over is "a reasonable distance". Two draught ciders, which were good. Full of tat, but the kind of tat you want to see in a pub. Thank you notes from charities and fundraisers. Poppies with names under 'em. Clear souvenirs of how the bar came to be. Convivial atmosphere. Don't go here, Yelpies. You'll ruin it with your custom.

Love this place for being a proper boozer. They serve a good range of interesting beers and good on them that they charge normal, not inflated prices for doing so. It's fairly small and fits my rule of being far enough of the beaten track so avoids the hipsterdom of Old St (which is just far enough away and not on the radar, so good ). The crowd is nice and it's mixed which is a good thing. One or two characters at the bar ranting off about god knows what and some locals and people who work nearby so has a good vibe. It's cosy enough with a few seats on the pavement outside. The staff are great and efficient. Tip: There's a secret Gents loo behind the mirrored door to the right of the dart board but be careful not to get a dart in your head on the way in or out. A favourite pub of mine.

this pub is a great find! and I know many who vote this as one of the best pubs in London. They have 8 beers on tap, as well as a selection of ales and cidres. There is certainly something for everyone! I have been here a few times, and have always had a pleasurable experience. i slightly old mans pub, yet they sometimes have some amazing jazz musicians which helps funk the place up 300 notches. The artists i have seen here have truley been out of this world, I really recommend coming here.

The Wenlock Arms is a dying breed of traditional pubs. Not owned by big brands, it is one of many struggling real ale houses that are at threat of going under. Support this great establishment, and keep an enjoyable part of history going. Keep them open by voicing yourself on twitter at @savethewenlock and on the blog http://savethewenlock.blogspot.com. Or by showing up and having a pint at their bar!

My new favourite spot. Good ales, ciders, SUPER FRIENDLY staff and even the clientele that is always around look super nice. It's just another pub, maybe, but I like to come here when I have the chance :)

2011 update I think this place has gone downhill a little bit as it waits to be taken to the knackers yard. The beer is still seriously good and the choices rare, but the smell of the Gents has now taken over about a third of the pub and the disrepair it has fallen into over the years seems to have got worse since the owners are just waiting to sell the place. I don't like the live music here either..that I have encountered a couple of times, but that is a question of taste I guess. I go the pub for a chat and I get bored if no-one can hear each other. So something of a shadow of its former self, but the original was so good that even the shadow is better than the large majority of the pubs out there! ************************************************************** 2009 Wow, what a fantastic pub this is. It was about time I got here. I've lived locally for a while and had heard about this pub, but I was kind of saving it for when a friend came to visit or some kind of special occasion. Look at all those ale pumps lined up on the barlike a football team during the national anthem. How cool is that. What a great choicealthough mind the stronger brews! Besides that it does other drinks, but this is really a place for ale. The appearance is good old fashioned pub, but the atmosphere can sometimes be a bit more modern and friendly, I guess due to the place's popularity. The seats around the front of the bar look comfyif you can get them as it's often busy. I've been past on a weekend night and the pub is packed and they always seem to having a real good old fashioned knees up. I might have found a place where I can become a regular, if I can squeeze in!

Wow, another hidden gem. The Wenlock is tucked away behind a large council estate and looks a bit tatty on the outside. Well, it's honestly a little tatty on the inside too, but don't let that put you off. It is how it is. And it is good. Very good. The large central bar is absolutely lined with handpumps, whose beer is served by people who seemed to know about the beer they were serving. I wasn't honestly sure where to start, but because it was cold, fancied a darker ale and was recommended a pint of mild (the name escapes me) and it was delicious. They have a fire on one side of the bar so I was able to warm up by it and sample the beer. I also noticed that they had Thatchers Cheddar Valley cider on draught too. I'll have to go back and sample that next time. In a nutshell, the Wenlock is a no-frills proper pub with an incredible and ever-changing range of good beer (and cider). They serve pickled eggs and sandwiches too. If you love the values of a good old fashioned pub, then you will not be disappointed.

A proper british london pub, with a good selection of real ales, and the odd lager or two for the philistines. Pop in for a point before the gastro pubs take over the universe, and support small independent brewers.

The beer selection on tap is stellar, and I love the live music. Nothing beats the atmosphere if you're in the mood for a real pub with real locals. We've never tried the food so cannot offer any opinions on that front. I just heard a rumour that the pub has been bought out by a developer -- can this be true???

Friendly barman, decent selection of real ales but not great. "Food" consisted of cold Scotch eggs, cheese toasties and ham and cheese toasties.

Been here twice now. Great place if you're into this kind of place. The decor is completely ramshackle and unkept, with no apparent rhyme or reason to things, and a fine layer of dust on top of those things. Tons of great beer and brewer ephemera line the walls and surfaces. The clientele ranges from the old locals in the afternoons to the young professionals in the evenings. The bartenders are qute friendly. The food seems limited to packaged snacks, but probably wouldn't eat anything from this place, prepared or packaged. And the beer is great. Has a strong selection that changes on a regular basis. I love this place, because I love a certain degree of seediness.

This is a destination pub. You would not be in this neighborhood for any other reason. I always walk here from the tube, scary. But its a pilgrimage. Its a shrine. Its all about the beer. If it is your passion, then this is a must.

Great selection of beers. Cheap pints. About a dozen beers on tap.

This is a comfy neighborhood pub which offers a fire, darts, and a large number is hand pulled cask ales. I only went (twice) for drinks. Neither the conversation or music was loud, and there was plenty of room to find a seat (on a week night).

Simply my favourite pub in London bar none. I can't add a lot to the comments already made, other than to wax lyrical about the black pudding and fried egg butties. Which reminds me, it's been a while since I've been

Ended up here when we found that the Narrow Boat was closed for renovations. What a great find! Amazing selection of very local and semi-local real ales. Completely independent and very cozy, its easy to see how one could enjoy many evenings here.

After being nagged by a friend to visit the famous Wenlock I finally acceded to his demands and visited in late 2011. My first impression on entering the bar was an overpowering stench of stale urine that became worse the further I went into the pub. Putting this down to an unfortunate plumbing issue I tried one of the fine ales available. It was clearly the bottom of the barrel but the barman served it anyway. I rejected it and was served another which tasted only marginally better. Then I was to discover the source of the stench A visit to the toilet revealed a room that made me gag It smelled like something out of Trainspotting. I left immediately. The sooner they demolish this place the better.

Possibly the best real in the north of London. Just ignore the exterior decor.

another great pub selling real ales and real ciders the food is excellent and reasonably priced shame its up for sale as it will probally go to developers