Drum & Monkey, Archway  

In days gone by, we could imagine this might have been a rather terrifying place for the uninitiated. Inside it's a unreconstructed locals pub, with predominantly Irish, predominantly male clientele. The people seemed friendly enough and the service was certainly agreeable. A recent refurbishment hasn't ripped the heart out of this pub, having simply painted the old wooden features white, added in a couple of couches, some plants and one of those infinite choice jukeboxes (we were thankful those choosing the songs on our visit had good taste). Jazz, DJs and comedy nights all feature at various points during the month, showing what pubs can offer if they put their minds to it. If nothing else, it's worth popping in for a couple of pints of the black stuff and to look back into the mists of time to see how pubs used to be, refurbishment notwithstanding. It also acts well as a respite and counterbalance to the studied, stilted cool of the St. John's Tavern over the road.

pub features:(click on an icon to see an explanation)