Old Red Lion Theatre Pub in Islington

My favourite pub in London. Great decor and atmosphere, and ticks all the other boxes you need. Has a lovely old school charm in an unpretentious, authentic way - whilst remaining friendly and welcoming to all. It shows football as well if you're into that, but rarely feels like an overwhelmingly football pub. It feels fitting that their adopted team is St Pauli; a German club known for being the first to align itself with the anti-fascist movement back in the day. All in all a real gem.

Certainly a pub with lots of character. I only stopped for one pint of Fullers, but it was very pleasant, and I might visit again.

I came here during Camden fringe to see a play. Lovely pub with a secret theatre upstairs. It was such a novelty.

Nice enough pub with small theatre. Bag stolen from one of our party. Clearly happens a lot. Staff totally disinterested in the fact that thieves operate in their pub. Unwilling to look at CCTV. Don’t trust anyone.

Great place, shows St Pauli games, nice people, great theatre.

They are rude...worst customer service

A Mesmerising and Touching Performance at the Old Red Lion Theatre Pub I recently had the pleasure of attending the theatre production 'Hole' at the Old Red Lion Theatre Pub, and it was an experience that will stay with me for a long time. Written by Hannah Morrish, directed by the talented duo David Fairs and Conor O'Kane, and performed by the exceptional Matsume Kai, this play tackled the difficult subject of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) with remarkable sensitivity and brilliance. Matsume Kai's solo performance was nothing short of spectacular. She brought depth and authenticity to the character, making the audience feel every ounce of pain, confusion, and hope. The story of 'Hole' is touching, delving into the protagonist's journey with BED, a condition that is often misunderstood and stigmatized. The direction was masterful, blending elements of fantasy and reality seamlessly, reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland meets Pan’s Labyrinth with a Lynchian twist. The narrative was both haunting and enlightening, making it a truly immersive experience. The Old Red Lion Theatre Pub, a 600-year-old gem in the heart of Angel, provided a cozy and intimate setting for the play. The pub itself, while showing its age in places, exudes charm and warmth. The outside area is an ok spot to enjoy a drink before the show, and the theatre upstairs offers a comfortable and engaging space for performances. This venue is one of London's oldest and most beloved, and it's easy to see why. The combination of a historic pub atmosphere with cutting-edge theatre makes for a unique cultural outing. The theatre's commitment to showcasing ambitious and challenging work is evident, and 'Hole' is a prime example of this ethos. If you're looking for a theatre experience that is both thought-provoking and deeply moving, I highly recommend 'Hole' at the Old Red Lion Theatre Pub. Matsume Kai's performance alone is worth the visit, but the overall production is a testament to the power of theatre to address and illuminate complex issues with grace and creativity. Don't miss it!

Lovely pub in the heart of Angel, a real diamond in central London. Rez has been a fantastic host, can’t fault the atmosphere, will come again

Typical real old fashioned pub , staff are great prices are cheap for Islington.

A giant ruby needing more love. A claim of London's oldest theatre pub & a 600 year history wall is interesting in this vast theatre hall pub. There's a secret route through the back with a hidden, alley space courtyard. Original, highly decorative textured ceiling in red starts the pub in theatrical style, followed by the vintage pattern theatre wall paper. Patterned cut glass front window and internal partition creates a bar in the bar private area. The long bar is simple with an okay range of draught beers 🍻 There's a variety of stool & big sofa seating. The long perimeter bench is heavily taped & there's glimpses of where more love would help polish this heritage property. Decorative pillars & a beautiful feature mirror are set against too many instructions & posters. The bunting works well to the theatrics & the space has fantastic potential being squashed perhaps by the mixed, inconsistent reviews. There's great, easy tunes & plenty of screens for sport. A gem stone of pub history which needs a vibe lift of love.

Very disappointing visit. Should’ve been concerned when other pubs in the area were busy and this was very quiet. Looked very interesting on entry. Decided to order the Ghost Ship which tasted off, so it was replaced with London Pride which also tasted off. This was replaced with Brixton IPA and bags of crisps at no extra. The IPA was perfect. The staff were most apologetic and tried to rectify the situation but overall very disappointing.

Decent Islington pub at the top of St John Street a few yards from Angel tube Station. Two cask beers - and one cider - on handpump when I visited. A few tables outside in a small garden to the rear. Popular theatre upstairs.

What a wonderful evening at the Red Lion Theatre

🚇 Angel 🍺 £6.50 Moretti An Historic Oldschool Theatre Pub. The Old Red Lion is located at the northern end of Clerkenwell close to Sadler’s Well Theatre. The nearest Tube is Angel, it’s a two minute walk to get here. This pub was founded in 1415 which makes this one of the oldest surviving established pubs in London. The original pub appears in the painting "Evening" by 17th century born painter William Hogarth. The building you see today dates from 1899 The Old Red Lion Theatre is located upstairs, it opened its doors in 1979 and is still going strong today. This pub is also home to the Capital Canaries the official London fan club for Norwich City. This is a traditionally decorated one bar pub that is red by name and red by nature. There is a characterful oldschool feel to the place with a couple of original features surviving. The servery stretches down the right hand side and has a 1930’s back bar. At the front right is a Victorian etched glass glazed screen which divides the main bar with what would have been the old Saloon Bar. The seating is long banquettes, little red stools plus a couple of comfy chesterfields at the far end by the projector screen. One of the most interesting facets of this pub is the historic timeline of the pub which is on the left hand wall, this definitely worth a read as part of a visit here. To cement this pub’s ‘proper pub’ credentials, there is a patterned red carpet running throughout. The beer selection is good and includes cask and craft beers from local brewers @hammertonbrew , there are also popular mainstream brands too. I decided on a Moretti, my pint hit the spot, price point a little above average. The pub doesn’t have a food menu at present. I visited a couple of times last year, my last visit was back in October. We arrived just after 12pm so we could have a good look around the pub before it got busy. We met with Guv’nor Damien who was telling us all about the history of the pub and the challenges he faces in running an old theatre pub in London. He also kindly gave me a copy of a book called ‘The Red Lioness’ which is about a woman who visited 650 pubs in 4 years, a kindred spirit. Visiting The Old Red Lion was an enjoyable experience, who doesn’t love an oldschool boozer. The beer selection was good, there’s lots of history and there’s a passionate Guv’nor at the helm. This pub is well worth a visit if you’re in the area. ℹ️ Info correct on visiting 14.10.23

Friendly Staff even right before last call

Fun pub. Staff unpatronisingly explained the difference sizes of alcohol beverage as I wasn't used to the parlance and greatly appreciated that. A doggo in a diaper is always a good doggo.

Just finished attending the performance Bones Bones and I need to say that was the best play I never seen! Thank you! Please more of this

Came to the theatre Saw Tea Leaves was brilliant Had a beer after and met loads of really cool people Was a great evening can’t wait to come back

Very friendly staff and sports programmes easy access

Old and tired, but friendly also. Above average venue, needs a little push in parts, overall will be back when in town.

Basic lack of hospitability from manager. Forcing respectful customers around like cattle and shoving into them passive aggressively. Charming gaff in general but when you get treated like this it sets you off and you need to leave. Just a terrible attitude. If stressed do not take it out on customers.

Used to be a lovely friendly pub all change now with people working in the theatre kicking you to get passed instead of saying excuse me and the bar staff being rude and rushing you when ordering drinks I know it won’t make a difference because people don’t care but won’t be going back to a pub I’ve been going to for 40 years

Went here randomly as was going to see a show down the road. There were showing a st Pauli game when I went, which I liked. Has an old school vibe so not the best facilities but I think it's adds to the charm.

We visited this pub pre-theatre, and were not very impressed! The place seemed to be falling to bits - garden benches too wobbly to sit on, washbasin in the toilets 'out of order', and general air of neglect. There was also a dog wandering around, which didn't seem very hygienic. They were not serving food, but didn't mind us picking up a takeaway to eat in house. The staff were friendly, and the play excellent, which made up for the miserable surroundings..

I went with my husband to this pub on a Sunday evening. The atmosphere was not the liveliest, I believe because it was Sunday. On one side there was a table of friends accompanied by two children, on the other young people cheering for a football team and some lonely figures cheering for the other team. The staff were kind and helpful. There were a few beers left and the chips were tasty, typical pub food. The building is quite nice, but the façade was under construction. The interior could perhaps be better looked after, especially the leather sofa which is badly unmaintained. Unfortunately, I did not see the pub's canine mascot, he was outside that day. I intend to return to this pub, but perhaps on a weekday next time and to go to the theatre as well.

Great pub! Nice staff, traditional, interesting interior. I've seen a few great plays at the theatre upstairs! Worth popping by or checking their website every now and then to see what's on!

Fantastic show was excellent and the beer was great

Rez and Danny were wonderful bartenders! They made my girlfriend and I feel like we were old friends ☺️ Both of them offered great advice for travelling and staying in London, helped us navigate the theatre show. And by the end of the night Rez even told me I should marry my girlfriend of 5 years.. which, advice I probably wouldn’t give anyone I just met, is a testament to how close we became so fast! Thanks for creating such a magical and cozy environment! ❤️ the red lion theatre pub!!

Payed for the theatre upstairs only for it to be over booked so we had nowhere to sit and after standing in the middle of the theatre we felt so uncomfortable we had to leave. No one offered any apologies or tickets for an alternative date very upset and will be making sure to avoid this place in the future

Stunning performance in Tomorrow might be my last. Incredible energy and Southern comfort drinks.

Very cozy, historic pub with a theatre upstairs. Great selection of ciders when I went (my favorite was Rosie rhubarb). No problem getting drinks or food orders in. Relatively friendly / professional staff. Their food is no longer pie minister, but a combination of pub and Indian food. I loved their fried scampi - very satisfying, though be prepared for slightly thicker, super crunchy skin. Their Indian falafel wrap was nice, as was their falafel bowl. Their falafel is lentil and spinach, and is called something else in the Indian part of the menu. Be aware that the prices are a bit high for the amount of food. I love how the pub really showcases their history across the wall opposite the bar. The walk up to the theatre is also lined with old theatre posters.

The pub has a great atmosphere, it's chilled, good selection of beers and good views of the sport from most places but the big big thing that is actually stopping me going back is the seating. It is terrible. Those sofas you see in the pics have completely collapsed inside, the benches are torn up and lumpy and bumpy or too hard. They need a serious investment into their seating because it is genuinely ruining it.

Jokers just raised prices again...bye bye Boycot 👊

Great place and intersting theater.

Great pub. Super service. Also great place to watch footie!

Playing a morcheeba album which I am actually in love with - best pub

Nice place, there are other pubs around that i liked more

Such a nice vibe. I went to have a calmer drink during a Saturday night and had a wonderful time. Not too lively but a very alive and nice atmosphere.

Lovely old fashioned pub with cask beers

Spacious pub with a giant beer garden. Came here for a play and upstairs, the theatre has an intimate atmosphere where is easy to connect with the actors and be absorb by the story. A great traditional pub with great beers, superb service and an intimate theatre upstairs.

Proper old school pub. The beer is well kept and they have a decent selection of crisps. If that’s not enough, it’s also dog friendly which is a bit of a rarity in this part of town.

Went in with a friend to watch the football game. Barman was very passive aggressive within minutes of sitting down trying to pressure us buying a drink saying how expensive it is to show the game in the pub. Me and my friend said we we were going to buy one to watch the game however he came up again VERY RUDELY within minutes saying buy a drink now or leave.

The guys at Tifo recommended this place in one of their videos. Went there last week and the place is super cool, great for watching football, lovely staff

We had a great time watching the St. Pauli match! Thank you again

Nice, old, friendly public house, great play, overall a really good night 👍🏾

A brilliant independent pub with friendly staff, good range of drinks and a theatre upstairs. They show sports but I won't hold that against them as it still has a warm safe atmosphere. It's a proper decent London pub

Great, historic old pub, great selection of drinks and fantastic staff. The theatre upstairs is a must watch

A really nice, traditional pub. Friendly staff. Friendly pub dog wandering around sometimes. I've also seen some great shows in the little theatre upstairs. Unfortunately there's sometime sport on a screen, but other than that it's a lovely relaxing place for a pint.

A pub that's how I remember pubs, and how I still like them to be: comfortable, slightly grungy, not fancy or modernised. The ale (Wherry) was in top form, and the food was pretty good too (although my son would have preferred it served on a plate, not in a paper bag, but that didn't bother me). It wasn't what I'd call cheap, but these days nowhere apart from Wetherspoon's is cheap, so I can't really complain, and I'm sticking with five stars.

Fantastic establishment. Best place in London to watch England march to victory

Amazing pub! Came here for the FA Cup final & would absolutely visit again. 48 hours before the final I had a pub booking elsewhere randomly cancelled, ended up emailing Damien on the off chance that there would be space for two to watch the match. Let us stay for most of the day. Beautiful pub, staff are so welcoming & give amazing service. Adapted to support covid guidelines which kept us all safe, but still allowed an amazing atmosphere. Well worth the visit!!

Worse place ever to watch football. No atmosphere at all, we could barely hear it and they didn't show the game on time!!! Will never return.

Fantastic historic pub, super friendly staff and dog.

Love this place! Uncle Damien is both TRILL & chill.

Shout out to Uncle Damien. Top class lad and Pub. I'm looking forward to the daily meet and greet with Seb SB.

Really friendly staff. Felt covid secure. Great job nice to be back in the Theatre.

Great service, lovely enclosed area and really friendly patrons. Plus very, very cold beers. Will be great to go back once indoors is open, as that looked lovely too!

Great local little pub! Small but full of character. Cosy beer garden. Rolo the dog is the main attraction, I'd say! 😍

Lovely old English theatre pub. Superbly kept beer especially the N1, brewed just down the road. Fresh, clean and tasty. Damien the landlord is a super chap and very knowledgeable. A great venue to watch the football as it right next to Angel tube for getting home.

Great pub with really friendly, attentive staff (and a very sweet pub dog). Loved the upstairs theatre.

Great terraces, great service (shout out to Claudio!), great vibes.

Really great local pub - we went during covid and they've really made the best of the outdoor space. Staff are lovely and attentive. Good beer selection

Great atmosphere, great food, and big shout out to Claudio who was friendly and helpful all day!

Norwich city pub. What more do you want 💛

A few decent beers on and very friendly staff. Top dog is also sometimes in there - Rolo the boxer. Overall, a good boozer.

Kind staff. Excellent distancing. Brilliant adherence to track and trace. Table service with contactless. Big TV for live sports. Clean WC. AMAZING STAFF

The only pub playing the premier (on big screen) when all others only care about rugby. 5 stars

Good beer, not too busy, got a table, bit expensive though

Bar staff were warm and bang on. It,s a proper pub. It,s traditional which considering it,s one of the oldest pubs in the city is no suprise. Not stupidly themed so genuine character. It felt welcoming and you left feeling they,d like to see you again. Cheers!