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“Little Gem”
Review of The Woodbine

The Woodbine
Ranked #12,036 of 25,636 Restaurants in London
Cuisines: Bar, Grill
More restaurant details
Restaurant details
Neighbourhood: Islington
Description: Established in 1919, we are an independent Irish bar with service and quality at our core. Irish bars for as long as there was alcohol were places to listen to good music with good people in friendly comfortable surroundings and we work hard to maintain this. We are proud supporters of Arsenal FC for over 100 years. Welcome to our pub, we are glad to have you!
Reviewed 27 August 2016

Came across the Woodbine by chance and I have to say, I'm happy I went in. Staff is super friendly and knowledgeable (RE the ales). They have a very nice selection of ales and lager.

Tried the Thai food (excellent by the way) and freshly made.

Been there a few times since the first visit and loving it more & more. Great atmosphere.

Music is played on a turntable which is really cool.

I definitely recommend this little gem.

Date of visit: August 2016
    • Value
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Thank Salim S
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviews (54)
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27 - 31 of 54 reviews

Reviewed 27 August 2016

I always find the Woodbine very welcoming, both by the staff and the locals. It’s got a well stocked and varied bar; the food is also very good. The décor is quite funky (read the numerous signs on the walls if you get a chance). It certainly is one of the best, if not the best place to drink around the Finsbury Park area.

Date of visit: August 2016
    • Value
    • Service
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Thank 336timf
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 12 August 2016 via mobile

Walked in at around 7 o'clock having not had a beer for a few days only to be greeted by a very rude barmaid that promptly told me she thinks i have had too many! After replying, im sorry but i havent had a drop all week she continued on being very impolite and refused me a drink, after asking why she told me it was just her choice i would advise not to step foot over its threshold (especially when sober), me and my friend only wanted a beer and something to eat after a hard day working, no wonder it was empty

Date of visit: August 2016
2  Thank gareth w
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 24 July 2016 via mobile

I was with a female friend. We had come to the pub for one drink. We were sitting outside and approached by 3 men 2 of whom started to abuse myself and my friend.
A member of the bar staff came outside and asked myself and my friend to" drink up and leave". We finished our drinks and asked what was the problem. To my astonishment the barmaid said "you have had too much to drink" this was our first drink of the night.
So as 2 women alone in a pub it would seem that it is ok with the management of the pub that I am verbally abused and then blamed by the bar staff for being abused ? Women and men of integrity please do not not drink at the Woodbine on Blackstock rd
I am a local and have lived here for 9 years, I try to support local businesses but I can no longer do do when local businesses do not support myself or local women
I felt hurt and vulnerable by this experience.

Date of visit: July 2016
3  Thank AnneM4964
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 22 July 2016

Visited here a few times. Management can be unfriendly - we were waiting outside on wet day at about 12.30 and he rudely gestured that they would not open until 1 pm. He was in the bar, so why he couldn't just open the doors and let us at least sit out of the rain is beyond me. We ended up going to a nearby pub and received a much warmer welcome!

On the up side, if you ignore the grumpy landlord, the wine Wednesday offer is a good deal. Buy 2 glasses and get the rest of the bottle free. So about £13 for 2 large glasses. Not great wine, but drinkable at that price. Bit steep for about £18.

The star of the show at this pub is the Thai kitchen. We had a takeaway one night. Gorgeous pad thai, fragrant red curry and the most amazing short beef ribs I've ever had, meaty, fell away from the bone in a generous sauce. Would return for this dish alone.

The pub is a fairly "locals" affair, with fairly rustic feel.

If the management cheered up there might be a better ambiance!

Date of visit: July 2016
    • Value
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1  Thank Shiraz64
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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