Latest reviews from Hackney
| 74 /100 Forest Road Tap Room (Bar) 1348 NETIL LANE “A cool, colourful, bric-a-brac decorated taproom under the railway arches. Outdoor seating in front of the arches. A tap line of 11 beers, about half of them from Forest Road. No beer flights, we shared half-pints. Good youthful vibe on a Wednesday eve. Among others, we met people from Two Tribes brewery who invited us over to their place in Camden (see my review from 22. November). The Forest Road Taproom is located further south of central Hackney and close to the new Five Points Taproom (opened in late November '21). (Visited with Finn 17.11.2021).“ |
| 76 /100 Grapes & Hops (Beer Store) 232 GRAHAM ROAD “Solid shop that's split about 50/50 between beer and wine in terms of space. Of note, almost all the beers are kept in fridges. Nice selection, there must be more than a 100 different beers. Lots of quality breweries, some local stuff. I didn't see anything that isn't available elsewhere but this would certainly be a good shop to have nearby. Prices are about par for the course. Staff guy was friendly. I'll definitely pop in now and then.“ |
| 52 /100 Forest Road Tap Room (Bar) 1348 NETIL LANE “Not much to write home about. Forest Road does very few different beers, so don't expect to find any/many specials here. They have the occasional interesting guest beer, though. Ambiance and style is modern brewery tap railway arch. I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to visit this place.“ |
| 72 /100 Forest Road Tap Room (Bar) 1348 NETIL LANE “Another taproom under the railway. Cozy. 11 taps.“ |
| 74 /100 ARCH 17, 16 BOHEMIA PLACE “Good spot overall. They brew some pretty solid beers, although the range doesn't change with enough frequency to coax me in here that often. They round out their taplist with guest beers, sometimes fairly interesting stuff. Nice food offering here. Interestingly, this place is hugely popular with the non-beery crowd, so if you come in during the evening (e.g. Thu-Sat) it tends to be quite busy with evening scene people. Decent value, and beers are available in 1/3 pours. The place itself is a nicely renovated railway arch. I wouldn't call this place a destination but if you're going to the Experiment, which is a few doors down, you may as well pop your head in here to see if they have anything interesting on tap.“ |
| 68 /100 Clapton Hart (Bar) 231 LOWER CLAPTON ROAD “Been here a few times over the years. Decent range usually available across cask, keg and bottle/can. Average pub service. The place itself has an interesting aesthetic, kind of like a big old house, maybe haunted. Really nice back garden area. This place is a little out of the way and not a destination, I wouldn't say. But if you're looking for a Hackney beer scene deep cut, this is an option.“ |
| 74 /100 ARCH 17, 16 BOHEMIA PLACE “In the same row of railway arches as The Experiment. Lots of wooden seating inside. Nice atmosphere. 10-12 beers pouring, the imperial stout was particularly decent“ |
| 68 /100 Quarter Store (Beer Store) 358 MARE STREET “Decent shop with a nice range of quality food and drink, with a mild emphasis on local producers. The beer selection is quality over quantity but still it's a nice variety. Prices are at best average if not slightly above. Service is friendly. Good location, right near Hackney Central. Worth popping in if you are walking nearby.“ |
| 56 /100 Bread Station (Restaurant) 373 HELMSLEY PLACE “Nice spot, good lunch, solid baked good. Decent selection of local breweries, including Kernel, Signature. Not a destination but a good place to grab lunch and have a tasty beer.“ |
| 78 /100 ARCH 17, 16 BOHEMIA PLACE “Visited plenty of times but for review purposes this is 22nd May 2021. In a arch in the Bohemia market is this place. Some alfresco tables plus seating inside. Bar is central with food served and more seating the rear. 12 taps. Only 10 have beer on but these are strange times. Their own beers feature plus the odd guest and a guest cider. Staff are friendly. Service and prices good. Like it.“ |
| 52 /100 Tahsin Food Centre (Grocery Store) AMHURST ROAD “Decent shop for beers. Good selection with locals including Five Points, Two Tribes, East London, as well as stuff like BrewDog and Beavertown. Good selection of continental lagers from places like Czech, Germany, Poland. Prices are competitive, staff is friendly. Not a destination shop but a good place to pick up beers if you're in need and in the vicinity.“ |
| 80 /100 Cock Tavern (Bar) 315 MARE STREET, HACKNEY “Visited many times.“ |
| 48 /100 L’eau à La Bouche (Beer Store) 35-37 BROADWAY MARKET “Nice shop, has a small selection of beers, some in fridges. Emphasis on local breweries. Decent prices. Also has really nice meats and cheeses, coffee, sandwiches, etc. Only worth a stop if you are passing by, not a beer destination.“ |
| 58 /100 Green Basket (Grocery Store) 155 LOWER CLAPTON ROAD “Decent shop with a small selection of craft beers that features a few highlights, such as The Kernel and Siren. Prices are fair. Also nice selection of foods. Not a destination but worth checking the selection if you are nearby.“ |
| 66 /100 Kristina Records (Beer Store) 194 WELL STREET “Small but solid selection of beers. The range includes some London stuff, with a particular emphasis on Inkspot during my visit, along with other stalwarts like Cloudwater. Decent prices. Nice record selection, too, with a heavy range of electronic and related genres. Some coffee and chocolate on offer as well. Worth popping in if you're on Well Street, but not a destination for beer on its own.“ |
| 62 /100 Figs & Grain (Grocery Store) 19-21 BROADWAY MARKET “An upscale grocery store with a decent selection of craft beers. Nice range of London breweries, rest of UK, some Belgian, German, etc. Prices are decent. Staff are friendly enough. Not a place to seek out for acquiring rare beers but a good local option.“ |
| 76 /100 Brew By Numbers - Netil Market (Beer Store) 13, 23 WESTGATE STREET “A stall in Netil Market, been around for a couple months (as of December 2020). Nice option for good beer as there's not much in the immediate area of Broadway Market, which is about 2 minutes away by foot. The stall has a good selection of Brew By Numbers for takeaway or drinking on site in Netil Market, where there are also really good food vendors. Prices are average. Staff are friendly enough. Not really a destination on its own but worth popping in if you're in the area.“ |
| 52 /100 Deviant & Dandy Taproom (Bar) 184 NURSERY ROAD “Not the best taproom going, but it’s a good hub to try the D&D range... which are ok.
A bit spit and sawdust - hodgepodge of rickety furniture and makeshift outdoor seating. Service was a bit slow.
It’s worth a visit when you’re down checking the other places out, but you won’t need to stay long.“ |
| 74 /100 ARCH 17, 16 BOHEMIA PLACE “A really nice taproom. Good interior and lots of wooden furniture. It’s a proper bar, with a big garden area, rather than a spit and sawdust affair. If you go at a quiet time, then you can usually have a chat with the staff. Their beers are solid, and some very good (mainly Impy stouts). What’s crucial is this place is a must down a little strip of taprooms, and it’s probably the second best, after The Experiment.
Had food here, which was tasty. A well made burger. Other food looked very good too. Pretty reasonable prices.“ |
| 78 /100 Pembury Tavern (Bar) 90 AMHURST ROAD “Last Visit 11 Feb 2020
Another place I never reviewed before
.. visited first time in 2006 when was the Milton Brewery Tap Room with good old style beer and even the food was ok , now the local Five Points brewery took over the place and you can get more modern beers in a old fashioned building and pub ! Did not try the food“ |
| 74 /100 Chesham Arms (Bar) 15 MEHETABEL ROAD “(Visited Nov 2019) Nice and friendly pub in a residential area close to Hackney Central. Interior is mainly in brown and red, with the bar close to the entrance and separate seating areas on both sides. Large beer garden at the back. Selection is not huge, but well chosen and managed. Five cask ales from smaller breweries and an interesting selection of keg beers. Visited on a Friday evening, so it was quite crowded, but the atmosphere was friendly and the service was swift. Well worth adetour.“ |
| 68 /100 Mother Kelly’s Bottle Shop online (Internet-based) 186 WELL STREET “Online order during lockdown. Decent selection and easy to find the beers I wanted. Packaging was just in a box with bubble wrap round the bottles. Decent prices considering its London. Would use again.“ |
| 80 /100 Binch (Bar) 51 GREENWOOD ROAD “Great spot overall. Small but sound keg range. Good selection of bottles and cans for on-site or takeaway. Super friendly owner. Prices for the draft beers are a little toppy, but some of the cans are absolute bargains. Seems they offer meet and cheese trays perhaps. This place also specialises in wine and has a solid selection for that as well. The place is very small so feels quite intimate. Worth checking out if in the area. More of a locals spot than a destination.“ |
| 70 /100 Pub on the Park (Bar) 19 MARTELLO STREET, HACKNEY “On the edge of a park. As the name suggests. Quite a small beer selection. Really big outside seating area. I can imagine how busy this will be in a summer evening.“ |
| 84 /100 Cock Tavern (Bar) 315 MARE STREET, HACKNEY “Proper old school pub. Lots of small tables and etched glass. Friendly staff and a long line of hand pulls. Within sight of Hackney central station.“ |
| 76 /100 UNIT 19 BOHEMIA PLACE “Open arch and rickety tables and benches. Only had two core range verdant beers on my visit the rest were pressure drop. Lots of cans in the fridge and some brand new pressure drop beers.“ |
| 82 /100 ARCH 17, 16 BOHEMIA PLACE “Really nice place very close to the verdant pressure drop place. Lots of big bench tables, friendly staff and good food. Mostly their own beers with a few guests. Best place for ambiance in that row of arches.“ |
| 66 /100 Brew Club (Bar) ARCHES 7-8 BOHEMIA PLACE “A bit Spartan and very empty. Some beers I’ve not had. But felt they were getting rid of old stock.“ |
| 68 /100 Pembury Tavern (Bar) 90 AMHURST ROAD “Old building and a fairly retro feel. Big bench tables. Reminds of an open plan working men’s club, just with lots of windows.“ |
| 76 /100 Cock Tavern (Bar) 315 MARE STREET, HACKNEY “Visited with TT 23.08.19. Friendly and lively atmosphere with a good selection of casks and cider. We ended the evening with a pint of Crone's Special Reserve Cider (7.5 % ABV).“ |
| 68 /100 ARCH 17, 16 BOHEMIA PLACE “I thought that Verdant place is popular.. no .. next to it was packed Hackney Church Brew's brewpub. They serve smoked roast and it seems to be popular! Their imperial stout is toasted and has licorice but was quite simple. I love the smell of smoked meat!“ |
| 68 /100 UNIT 19 BOHEMIA PLACE “Hackney Central - under the rail arch is probably the most trendy place in the area for craft people: Pressure Drop X Verdant The Experiment. Especially Verdant is a hip name now (from Manchester). The place is like one from Bermondsay mile and same time it some has US taproom vibe. 80's classics played (Depeche Mode, Eurythmics). Cans to take out, 13 taps. Verdant Neal Gets Things Done is modern, juicy, fruity neipa. Ply Me A River is odd with funky aroma and nectary fruityness. Not a West Coast Ipa as promised.“ |
| 66 /100 Cock Tavern (Bar) 315 MARE STREET, HACKNEY “10min+ walk from Red Hand in buzzling multicultural Dalston thru middle-class housing area back to Hackney Central. Cock Tavern looks like a traditional, a bit run down pub but they have a good selection of craft beer on cask plus real ciders. Customers seem to be from suit guys to not so succesful ones. Cromarty Rogue Wave I've had before, fruity and pale malty. Beatnikz I Smash Mosaice tasty although not the strongest Mosaic showcase.“ |
| 68 /100 HACKNEY DOWNS STUDIOS, MARKET, 17 AMHURST TERRACE “Hackney Downs Studios. About 10 min walk from the Pembury Tavern. Back alley area with art studios, shops and inside this building few street food style restaurants (Myanmar canteen!) and this tiny bar/can shop. 6 taps. Common sitting area in the middle. Orbit Nico I've had before.. malty and fruity kölsch. Bocxar Mind Garden is light and juicy. I seem to be only one drinking beer. And they played Last Christmas ...“ |
| 66 /100 Pembury Tavern (Bar) 90 AMHURST ROAD “My second visit in Dec 2019, 1st one was some years ago. Quite large pub, The Five Points Brewing Company's house tap. Interesting music played: lad rock, Cure, progressive rock ... The Five Points Best Fuggles version is smooth and hoppy.“ |
| 72 /100 Brew Club (Bar) ARCHES 7-8 BOHEMIA PLACE “Visited 20/11/2019. Last stop along the "Hackney hundred yards". Small drinking area with a pop-up type bar area, which fronts the brewing club which goes on in the back. Quite a decent quality wise, if smallish, selection of beers on offer. Nice service. Friendly crowd. Well worth visiting when in the area.“ |
| 76 /100 ARCH 17, 16 BOHEMIA PLACE “Visited 20/11/2019. Much warmer ambiance, very nicely set out and welcoming. Service was fine. Good range of beers, enjoyed range of the Hackney Church beers (new brewery for me), nice friendly crowd in. Planning to return.“ |
| 76 /100 UNIT 19 BOHEMIA PLACE “Visited 20/11/2019. Railway arches/bomb shelter ambiance, but with decent beer and really friendly service. We went for 5 x 3rds of each of the Verdant beers and whilst they ranged from pretty good to very good there wasn’t much variation. Enjoyed the visit though and definitely plan to return.“ |
| 72 /100 Oslo (Bar) 1A AMHURST RD, “Visited 20/11/2019. As a place to pop into for a beer and a bite to eat, this is a decent place. Add to that an excellent gig venue upstairs and it becomes even better. Beer range is alright, bit commercial but still quite decent, but it’s a really nice setting in the former Hackney railway station building, with very good service. Upstairs in the gig venue there’s certainly better than average availability than at most venues. Good place.“ |
| 56 /100 Tonkotsu - Mare Street (Restaurant) 382 MARE STREET “(Visited July 2019) Good ramen restaurant on the pedestrian part of Mare Street a hundred meters from Hackney Central. Bright interior in light wood. Friendly and efficient service. Really good food. I wouldn't go here only for the beer but they have a handfull of good local craft beers in bottles and a house beer on tap from Magic Rock. Not far from Cock Tavern. Worth a visit if you're hungry and in the area.“ |
| 62 /100 ARCH 17, 16 BOHEMIA PLACE “Arrived just after opening on a Friday and was the sole customer the whole time I was in there. Interesting decor although perhaps on the cold side, which also applied to the unfriendly woman manning the bar. Tried a few of their beers which were OK but my enjoyment was perhaps spoiled by some of the other London brewery ticks no longer being on. The food smelled lovely but the pricing was a but random - ~£8 for veg dished and then ~£60 for a steak. Read a review and Jay Rayner loved the food but definitely an example of what gentrification is all about.“ |
| 74 /100 Brew Club (Bar) ARCHES 7-8 BOHEMIA PLACE “I arrived earlier than expected at Arches, before my intended destination had opened so was glad to see this place was open. A small archway with relatively limited seating. A small array of beers on tap but good choices. I was the only customer so the lady on the bar chatted away to me. Will definitely pass by again. Small but well formed. I guess the question is whether the brew your own part takes off.“ |
| 82 /100 Deviant & Dandy Taproom (Bar) 184 NURSERY ROAD “My favourite of the places under the railway arches in Hackney. This one is on the opposite side to the other four. There's a caravan from which they serve the beers, a large outdoor seating area and a magical inside place beyond the gleaming stainless steel tanks which are decorated with fairy lights. There are lots of little cubicles, some at ground level and some upstairs. It reminds me a bit of some of the ruin bars in Budapest. The beer selection is good and the service very friendly. You might need to pick your time to visit carefully though as I've heard it can be full of mad young revellers at times (and we did once see some evidence of this but it was big enough to accommodate us as well as them and they provided a bit of entertainment).“ |
| 68 /100 ARCH 17, 16 BOHEMIA PLACE “This is my least favourite of the clutch of bars in this newly vibrant area, mainly because it feels a bit formal and the seating isn't the most comfortable. Having said that, they have a great selection of beers with lots of choice.“ |
| 72 /100 UNIT 19 BOHEMIA PLACE “One of several places under the railway arches near Hackney Central station. It has mainly Pressure Drop and Verdant beers. A fairly basic taproom but nice to visit (if you can find a seat) and this area is great for a mini pub crawl with good beers on offer almost everywhere.“ |
| 76 /100 Brew Club (Bar) ARCHES 7-8 BOHEMIA PLACE “One of several new(ish) places under the railway arches near Hackney Central station. This one has a separate room where you can book in to go and brew your own beer. I'm thinking od giving it a try! The bar is basic but nice enough and it has a good choice of beers.“ |
| 78 /100 HACKNEY DOWNS STUDIOS, MARKET, 17 AMHURST TERRACE “A nifty little place just off the western edge of Hackney Downs, on the other side of the railway tracks. It's a modest affair, occupying just a small nook in a space shared with a few other businesses. But they pack in a lot of quality across six keg lines and a few fridges. Loads of great beers, including local stuff, the latest hype from across the UK/Europe/US, and a few classics as well. They also offer wine. Prices are pretty fair, staff are friendly. It is perhaps not a destination beer spot but for a local it's a really good option.“ |
