Stags Head

This pub is literally on my homes doorstep and I have passed it, a lot! I made a pit stop with a friend who wanted to watch football. It was quiet enough and not packed, to enjoy the game (Liverpool v West Ham). Anyways, thank you football (I never thought I would say this), as I stumbled on to a little gem. They do pizza, and I mean really good pizza. They have a fire place which is lovely considering the cold weather. They have a stage for live music, which I am yet to enjoy. There were a group at a table playing cards (youngish folk). The pub was lovely. It is literally that place that you pop into on a quiet eve when you fancy a drink and chill. Yes.

Was a fantastic rockabilly place. Now full of Hooray Henrys masquerading as hipsters and their stupid dogs. Pint prices have skyrocketed.
O Haggerston…
Shame as the staff are lovely and efficient. Recommend avoiding the beer garden and instead staying inside with the old locals.

This used to be my local. It is still awesome after it reopened. A local pub early in the eve, a punk/​rockabilly/​hardcore/​ska hotspot at night (well Fridays at least, likely Sat too), the pub at the moment has the right balance of people, energy and ales. Rotating real ales, on tap. Cool staff, welcoming mood whatever the theme. I wish I could take the Stag with me, and that’s possibly the only place in London that I feel that way about.

A recently reopened pub that I was sure was gone for good Fortunately it has not turned out to be the case. The pub is back. It probably looks like it could do with a bit of doing up, but I like places that look a bit rough, like this. Not sure that they have settled on a beer range yet. First time I passed by there was a very predictable London selection. the next time there were 3 beers from Redemption available, which was a lot better. If it is warm enough you can go and hang out with the car in the back yard. They have started events too. Last time I was here there seemed to be quite a talented open-​mic night.

Tucked away just off Kingsland Road, next to Regent’s Canal, The Stag’s Head is an old school pub, refurbished (a little) with a great mix of older locals and a younger crowd.
Décor is slightly drab but original — keeps a feel of an old boozer in an area/​era of silky smooth yet faceless refurbs.
Free BBQs and a ghetto blaster out in the garden in the summer are a great way to while away your Saturday or Sunday afternoon… Sky Sports on a big screen inside, and a pool table to boot
The Stag’s Head also boasts a number of live music gigs in its small but cosy function room (Sky Sports and pool table are shipped out for the duration). A number of up and coming bands feature, and Florence and The Machine played at the launch
Definitely worth a look if you are in the area

Real dirty old boozer is right.
I’m not sure if the snow had sent everyone doo-​lally but perhaps I did not catch this pub on a good night. Staff are extremely sweet but were having a tough saturday night when I came to visit. Their main toilet was bust, a couple of the beer pumps were dry and they had run out of ice half way through the night. Hopefully that means the takings were good but the drinks are so affordable, probably not.
I happened to be with a great crowd of friends and did indeed also have a great number of good chats as per the last reviewer, so there must be some magic about this place, but other than my circle the crowd seemed pretty local and essentially comprised of the Pete Doherty types who all strive to be different but ironically all end up looking exactly the same. Rude too — one even shot a party popper into my eye — if I was a bloke I may have lumped him but don’t worry I’m a laaady. The pub’s located amongst a variety of council estates which perhaps explains this.
There is an area upstairs also available for private hire, conducive to a house party feel, and this was pretty kicking.
Massive respect for the pub landlords who keep this place alive. Probably a cool place if you’re a local, but I wouldn’t seek it out.
If in the neighbourhood I’d be much more likely to head over to the Rosemary Branch, down along the canal towards Baring Street, which is an extremely pleasant pub that occasionally has live music on.

The Stag’s Head pub in Orsman Road is the kind of place where you get engaged in chat (and this is very different from being chatted up by) in the urinal by the pub drunk who has been peeing all over his shoes in that same spot for the past thirty years. The décor is not dissimilar. This is what is great about the place; it is a real dirty old boozer.
When we went on Saturday night the place was heaving, one half of the bar full of the traditional drunk patriarchs of an English family and one half of the bar (and the garden) full up with lycra wearing hipsters trying to recreate Brooklyn by a canal in Islington. Throw in a free barbecue out the back whenever we go and my hangover (despite a few jars of ale and some monster munch) is no where near as bad as it should be.
I just hope I am still one of the hipsters and not the alternative.
Price — two packs of monster munch for a quid