The Prince — Restaurant in London

Recently bought & refurbed by new owners. The bar staff were cheery, helpful & fast. Inside they've made a lot more space which is great & the decor is good.

But... by creating more space with it's existing high ceilings, tall windows & no soft furnishings, it is now exceptionally noisy. Even with just a few people in there you have to shout above the chatter and banging glasses of the bar area. Trying to have a conversation is a task, and that's when there wasn't even any significant music playing. Once the music is on, forget it. Then it's just a case of having to shout in people's face and hope they interpret your lips moving correctly.

There's also a new gastro pub menu which looks good but is massively over priced, even for N16. I ordered the broad beans with mint & sheeps curd & asked how it came - thinking perhaps it's simple description was similar to St John's where it just lists the 3 main ingredients but if you ask you get a lot more detail and it's always more delicious then you think. The waitress told me they came with a 'lovely sauce'. That was all she could give me. Took a punt on a 'lovely sauce' & received a plate of broad beans (with skins on, which some people hate), a few had been mushed together with some mint to create the "lovely sauce" (i.e. mushy beans) and sheeps cheese had been crumbed on it. It was pleasant but bland and not worth £12.50 by any means. Off menu are burgers (£9). We discovered this by seeing some being served, as it wasn't written the menu or on any boards - nor were we told about them when we were given the menus. The waitress said they were 'the best in town' and my friend said his was really good, so maybe go for that instead of mushy beans. Chips were available but they had to be asked for & were additional cost. The waitress didn't know how much they were "I think £3 or £3.50, something like that". And she didn't think it was necessary to go and ask anyone or come back to confirm.

It's in it's first month of opening & despite my issues with it, it's pretty busy. Certainly busier then when it was a quiet local boozer. So if you want to go an hang out with a lot of people shouting and drinking Sipsmiths this is the place for you. Hopefully they'll sort the loud noise levels out and maybe...

🚇 Stoke Newington 🍺 £5.90 Budvar ❤️ A laid back Stokey local. . Perched on a corner in a quiet residential street in N16 you’ll find The Prince. The nearest station is Stoke Newington Overground which a ten minute amble away. . The Prince or The Prince of Wales as it was first called, was built by Charringtons around 1880. Many pubs have dropped “Arms” “Tavern” etc from their name to appear more appealing, can you stop that please! . The decor here is rustic with a traditional feel, this pub had some nice features throughout. The servery has a contemporary look with a mix of parkay cladding, a metal glass shelf and tiled back bar. The seating is a mix of traditional tables and chairs, a couple of poser tables plus comfy leather buttoned banquettes. There is a beautiful staircase with detailed iron work that heads up to the loos and a simple but elegant fireplace with artwork above. . The beer line up was impressive with a focus on local craft beers, for the cultured imbibers, three cask ales are available. I opted for a pint of Budvar, my pint was excellent and cost just under six quid. There is a burger based food menu, I saw a few being served and they did look very nice indeed, a 6oz cheeseburger costs £12.50. This pub has a strong Sunday roast game, a Chicken roast costs £18.50. . I visited just after 2pm on a Saturday afternoon, on arrival the pub lacked atmosphere and was very quiet. Someone behind the ramp must have realised it felt flat and put the music on, instantly you felt you were in a completely different pub. It’s funny how much background noise makes a difference to your mood. The crowd was local which comprised of solo drinkers, friends catching up and families enjoying the burgers. The service was good, the two chaps on duty were welcoming and laid back. . @theprincen16 is a relaxing pub which is popular with the local community. The beer line up was impressive and the food looked great. This corner pub has some nice architectural features which make for a pleasant stay. Definitely worth a look. . ℹ️ Info correct on...

This place has fast become my favourite drinking establishment in Stoke Newington. The recent refurbishment has done a world of good to the place giving so much more light and whilst other reviewers describe it as noisy I would argue it now contains much more of an atmosphere that is welcoming as soon as you head through the door. If anything The Prince's location back from Church Street makes it a lot quieter than your average Stoke Newington establishment.

There is a constantly rotating menu of high quality locals beers, ales and even ciders and the wine list is pretty decent too. The staff are engaging, helpful and chatty unlike some of the boozers in Stokey being run by moody hipsters.

The Prince reopened this Summer and they are really accommodating if you want to take a chair or two out front to enjoy the sunshine and they also have a nice beer garden out back. I can also see the place being a welcoming sanctuary from the cold come winter.

I've not sampled the food but everything I've seen other punters sampling has looked...