Old Queen's Head, Islington  

In the ever changeable world of N1's pubs and bars, this one rather has the status of a veteran. Its current incarnation has been here for about three years now, maintaining a reputation for live music upstairs and laid-back drinking downstairs. The eclectically furnished main bar - all antler chandeliers and comfy sofas - regularly packs in a crowd, and as for your drink selections, you're looking at a list of lagers, wines and cocktails that do the job, but aren't the widest selection you'll ever see (if you're looking for beer, then you won't find much past Guinness and John Smiths). The menu keeps things simple (sandwiches and burgers during the week, roasts on a Sunday) and a small beer garden at the back is a decent spot when the sun breaks through. With the benefit of a late license, the upstairs regularly plays host to a wide selection of live music and name DJs, with pretty much every genre covered. It's a formula that you'll find repeated across London, but judging by the queues to get in you'll come across here at weekends, rarely as successfully as here.

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