Nag's Head — Restaurant in London

🚇Denmark Hill 🍺 £5.50 Cruzcampo

The Nag’s Head is located just up the road from Camberwell Green in South London. Denmark Hill is the nearest train station, Oval is the closest Tube.

This former Truman’s pub boasts a rich history dating back to 1856. Its most striking architectural feature is the elegant green tiles and distinctive lettering.

In 2017, the Nag’s Head faced closure when its owners doubled the rent and planned to convert it into luxury flats. A successful community campaign secured its status as an ‘Asset of Community Value’ by Southwark Council.

This is a one-room, old-school pub with a well-seasoned, oblong-shaped bar. The servery is located on the left-hand side, wrapped in blue carpet and lined with plenty of barstools. To the left of the servery is a compact area with a tall chest of drawers, along with Scottish and Irish flags. Opposite the servery is a large TV, a fruity, and a jukebox. At the back of the bar, you’ll find a pool table and a period fireplace. The décor includes bare floorboards, damask wallpaper, and a mix of upholstered seating. At the rear of the pub, there’s a decent sized paved beer garden.

The beer lineup features a selection of well-known mainstream keg brands. I went for a Cruzcampo — my pint hit the spot, and the price was below average. They don’t serve food, but there are crisps and nuts if you’re feeling peckish.

I arrived at 11 a.m. on a sunny Saturday morning in May. When I got there, one local punter was sat at the bar, Guv’nor Bill was by the hatch, and a Jack Russell was keeping an eye on the door. The atmosphere was relaxed — we were all watching the FA Cup build-up.

The pub shows Live sports and hosts Karaoke nights.

This is what you call a proper boozer, absolutely loved it. There are not many of these pubs left around the capital, make sure you pay it a visit.

📅 17th May 2025

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One of the pub ladies shouted at us and was aggressive - it was scary and definitely racist. When some of our friends went to the garden to see if there was seating she said 'i saw you sent your people to the back' - she chased them and aggressively told them they have to buy drinks if they are coming here. She also shouted at us when we were moving a stool closer to the table. She plugged out all the machines by our table - the TV and the slot machine when we sat down. The other staff members served us ok, but they didn't address their colleagues behaviour and ignored that she basically chased us out of the pub. It was a terrible experience and I'm never spending money...

The décor was simply to die for. Still George would have been proud. The local folk were welcoming beyond all levels never have I had a fresh frosty kroenenberg. The facilities were quite devilish! It was wonderful to finally find a location in London at which a whole bunch of Elvis could be heard; a decent amount of motorhead could also be heard drifting amongst taps and friendly folk. To put this in the words of...