- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee |
- All
- Nearest Transit:
-
Angel (Northern)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
££
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
5 reviews for Famous Cock Tavern
All Reviews
The Famous Cock Tavern is our go to pub when we are getting off at Highbury Islington tube stop, want a drink and don't feel like going to a pub closer to home. The pub is fun and inviting. It's a great place to watch a sports event. It does get crowded but I never feel squished. Normally when we arrive we order a few drinks, find a table and just chill. The pub is a great space for that. If you want a snack the nachos and chips are great, they offer other standard pub fare.
I like the Famous Cock Tavern; it definitely has its own identity as far as pubs go. If you want a standard pub with a slightly different feel, you should check it out.
How can you NOT giggle when you see a name like that? I don't care where you are from or how old you are.. Cock is a funny word.
Whenever I get off at the Highbury and Islington tube stop it still makes me smile like I am in on an inside joke.
The pub itself is suitable. It's nothing special, but it makes for a good meeting space. and they have a beer garden, and the bartenders are usually quite young and friendly, and have a tendency to make some good music choices. There is a good tv for sports watching (if you are into that sort of thing). Downstairs they have a venue and if you are lucky you can hear the music while sitting upstairs. FREE MUSIC! haha. Never eaten there, but they look like they have pretty good prices for pub grub.
Why are there no good beer gardens in London? The Famous Cock is no exception to the rule that, in general, if you go to beer garden in London you'll end up feeling like you're in the stasis period between the delivery men and the back entrance of the Kitchen. Aside from this, the Famous Cock (sitting just outside the entrance to the Highbury and Islington tube station) makes for quite a nice pub. The beer here is good, albeit a touch expensive, and the even have one of my favourite beers, Leffe, on tap.
The wine selection is okay as well, and the décor is quite pleasant even if does have a slight twinge of "faux-traditional" about it. They're always playing a somewhat interesting mix of songs as well. The food however is average and a little over priced for what it is; but aside from this I believe that the Famous Cock probably makes for a better meeting point than an all night stop off.
The Famous Cock Tavern gets particularly packed before and after an Arsenal game. Its a short walk to the playing field from here too. If you didn't manage to score a ticket to the game, you can relax here in the warmth indoors of this large old fashioned tavern. There are several TV screens and a large projector, so you don't miss a single shot.
The food is pretty good and reasonably priced, with nachos, chips, burgers, sandwiches and steak on offer. They also make coffee and tea, and have a large number of drought beers on tap. Its a good spot to meet people as well, as its right in front of Highbury and Islington station.
As an American living abroad, I just got a perverse giggle out of the English obsession with naming everything "cock." Maybe it is too long dwelling near the Castro in San Francisco, I don't know. One of my girlfriend's lives on the tube line of the Famous Cock. Nice pub, with a decent selection of beers. Your status quo pub chow, although the "nachos" had a pita bread like "chip." Hmm....
