The Highbury Barn Tavern — Restaurant in London

Well, my opinion is very different from the previous ones... to the degree it has prompted me to redact a few lines.

I had a wonderful lunch there on Saturday 17th August, the place looks amazing, it was the opening day of the season and the atmosphere was vibrant, the food excellent, and being only a short walk from the Stadium, I understand how it is the perfect spot for a bit of lunch before the match.

I had the chicken liver parfait with red onion marmalade which is an absolutely excellent combination and then the chicken with honey mustard sauce which was a good portion size and again excellent on the palate; I could have smothered that chicken in spoonful's of that sauce, used my fingers and then licked the plate clean if I had forgotten my manners and my partner didn't keep me in line... She very much enjoyed her Prawn cocktail starter and then her sausage and mash as well as the Eaton mess which I finished for her. She loved the atmosphere, it was a full pub both inside and outside and it had that pre-match buzzing feel to it whilst the fans were watching the televised game from the earlier kick off.

I later found out that the head chef has spent time with some of the most renowned three star Michelin chefs this country has seen and that he spent a good 7 or 8 years perfectling his trade in a private members club, no surprise there as to why this match day menu works perfectly!

The timing on the service was faultless and the waiting staff excellent, they are efficient, know to ask the right questions when taking the order and work well as a team. The food exited the kitchen in a timely manner and it felt like the perfect short pause between placing the orders, receiving the drinks and then the starter and then between the starter and main course, this was brilliant coordination between the kitchen and the front of house and credit is due to the manager for getting this right.

The place is brilliant, I can't see a rival to it anywhere in the area. The fit out is excellent and it works perfectly as a restaurant and a pub.

It's the perfect local gastro pub but, enough said... judge it...

The pub is one of a few competing for upmarket trade in Highbury, but it performs very badly indeed. The manager, a guy called Tony managed to get into no less than two fights with two separate parties of customers during the evening I went. An odd looking fellow, the manager interacts awkwardly with his customers and a little disturbingly with his female staff.

The owners bought the pub from Punch a few years ago and have done their best, but their best is not enough and an expensive pint does not a Gastropub make. I have lived in the area for many years and prefer the pubs in Highbury Corner to this poor excuse for a local. Locals are supposed to have locals in it, that's why they're called locals, but the manager of the Highbury Barn has done all he can to rid the place of locals, preferring punters out for a night wanting to eat food. He can also rely on the football match day trade which will come whatever the service. The outcome is a pub without personality.

What are the good points? It’s generally clean and tidy and a new makeover gives a fresh feel to what was a stale décor. The outside seating is perfect in summer, but obviously not good in winter and the owners are too tight to turn the heating on when it’s cold. In winter you’ll see everyone sitting round wearing coats. Hardly the cosy atmosphere of a home from home. The ales are badly stored and the lagers too warm to want, but a drink is what you’ll need if you end up here.

In many respects the Highbury barn lives up to its intention, to serve food and avoid being a pub in the true sense. In a location like Highbury, with a huge selection of quality restaurants on Upper Street the food needs to be fantastic, but it’s just average. Where does the Barn go from here, it’s not a pub and not a restaurant. A change of manager with an ability to get on with people would be a...

🚇 Highbury & Islington 🍺 £4.95 Becks Vier ❤️ A large bright and airy Highbury pub with a welcoming neighbourly feel. . I have frequented the majority of pubs in and around N4 & N5 but never managed to visit The Highbury Barn Tavern. I visited here as part of a crawl from Finsbury Park and this was my final pub of the day. This pub is situated amongst a parade of mixed independent shops which makes the area feel very neighbourly. So what is this pub all about? Well the architecture of the building is beautiful, the Victorians really knew how to build a pub and detail it. On the left hand side of the pubs entrance there is a great outside space with plenty of tables and chairs to enjoy the warmer weather. As you enter, you walk in to an open and spacious bar area which is bright, airy and modern in appearance. I ordered a Becks Vier which is a hard to find beer in boozers these days, it was a decent pint and for under a fiver was good value. The food offering here is hearty British classics with seasonal changes, fish & chips is £15 and Sunday roasts are in around £17, there are also weekly steak nights. The service was good and the team here were upbeat. The atmosphere was relaxed and had a locals pub feel to it, you do feel comfortable in your surroundings here. On Arsenal match days it will probably get very busy here along with all the pubs in and around Highbury. . Visiting the @highbarnpub was a nice experience. I love the feel of the area which eases you in to your visit here. This a classic Victorian pub with a relaxing modern interior with good drink and food choices which won’t break the bank. If you fancy a bit of chilled London life, put this pub on your “to visit” list. . 📊 Information correct on...