Swimmer at the Grafton Arms in Islington

Bar staff always really friendly, food is excellent too, and a great, interesting beer selection

This place has quickly become by absolute favourite. Love art first bite. I knew I was becoming a regular from the first instance

Lovely setting for a roast, cosy and the staff are so friendly. The chicken was cooked so nice and was really tasty, spuds were also good. The cauliflower cheese let it down a fair bit- was lacking flavour and uncooked. Same with the broccoli. Yorkshires on the oilier side, but not bad just need some work. Would also love a little extra gravy on the side. Overall not a bad roast

Great beers selection. Amazing food!!

Traditional pub with very nice service, good food and beers. We especially liked the baked camembert with bread. The Czech Premium Litovel was most welcome to see on offer.

Very friendly staff, a quiet and cozy first floor to have a good pint. A place to put on the pub crawl. The food portions are generous, except for the hummus which is a bit scarce. Recommended!!

Second pub on our route, recommended, very friendly treatment and delicious food.

Super cute place, lovely kind staff! Such a cozy place to get a roast

On a return visit back down Holloway Road, I decided to call back in the Swimmer at the Grafton Arms to make sure this visit was as good as my last, and I was not disappointed. This time I ordered the hearty Sausage & Mash and presentation was what you'd expect. 3 tasty Cumberland Sausages on top of a creamy Mash with buttered carrots and green beens on the side. Full of flavour and filling. I know I'll be calling back again..

This is my favourite pub in this part of town. They have a good selection of beers and whisky (including cask beers). I paid £12.60 for a Bones lager and a Neck Oil. The food here is excellent, check out the 2 for 1 burgers on a Monday evening. This pub can get busy on Arsenal home games but there is jupstairs seating as well as a large exterior seating area. The service is always good. There is free iced water at the bar and a free to play juke box. A delightful pub well worth a visit, but check opening times first because it does not open until 5pm during the week.

Lovely pub with good atmosphere, but unfortunately when we went, the beer and cider we had were fairly obviously off.

Fabulous pub. Highly recommend.

Second visit. Confirms first impressions and ate this time. Food was good

Nice pub with delicious food and drink.

Great value food and lovely staff!

Lovely pub with nice outdoor seating.

Great beers, friendly staff, good food. Great customers. Great place all round.

Perfect local pub with great staff and food

Stumbled on this place today. Best Sunday roast I have had in a long while. Simple, homely cooking. Very fast friendly service, and nice atmosphere. Will be back. I would give food a 5 star but in honour of the other 5s . But the food is exceptional.

What a gem! Food was excellent and the Bloody Mary was to die for! All served by really friendly staff. What a pleasure! We will be back!

Lovely vibe about the place. I had a meatless burger and hubby had a wagyu burger. Both presented nicely and were very tasty. Glad we found this place while holidaying in London 😊

Great place to have a drink, inside or outside

The sweet potato friesand coffee were delicious.

Great pub with a variety of beers to suit everyone! The fish and chips was enormous so really worth its price. On the other hand, the mushrooms with cheese were disappointing as there almost no mushrooms, I wouldn't recommend it. The service was adequate, it's a self service so you have to go to the bar to order anything. The atmosphere is the classic one of a British pub. Bonus point for having a nice yard so you can sit outside when the weather is nice.

A great pub with a very friendly staff and very tasty pub grub. Huge fun to be had on Tuesday’s quiz night!

We had a wonderful family outing at the pub this Sunday! The food was delicious, and there was plenty of space for the kids to play. They really enjoyed the games provided, which made for a relaxed and enjoyable afternoon for us as parents. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a family-friendly spot!

Very disappointed with the Sunday roast very badly presented won't be going back there again

Loved this new find, very cozy, comfortable.

Best beer pub in north London !

A nice place, just off the hustle and bustle that is Holloway Road. There is plenty of space for people both inside and outside. The pub itself is full of character. The food on the menu is a little bit expensive. However, it is totally worth it. The cod was huge, steak cooked to perfection, and a decent size, and the homemade onion rings were great! It got a bit busy due to it being an Arsenal game, but still, had a nice atmosphere.

My favourite pub in London (and my local). Great food, service and atmosphere. Drinks and food are well priced. Lovely fireplace for the winter and outside area for the summer.

My friend took me, windy rainy for 2nd time this family friendly fireplace cozy inside and outside outside under covered space

Solid atmosphere, open fire, jukebox and great choice of books and board games. Large outdoor space with shelter and heating. Function room but didn't get a visit. Decent value but a welcoming local pub for whose in the know.

We went to The Swimmer for the traditional Sunday Roast and it was a delicious feast! The portion is really big, the quality is excellent, we had the lamb and pork belly, and the price effortable. The service is also very nice and both food and drinks are quickly served. Make sure to be there a bit earlier as it fills up quickly. Reservations don't seem to be possible.

Nice people around, nice ambience, different and tasty food, and I loved the games/books/free juke box!

Nice pub with helpful and friendly staff. Nice and busy without being too full on a Saturday evening with a nice buzz of chat and people playing some of the many board games available to choose from.

Great friendly pub just a block off Holloway road. Helpful staff and delicious food. Go for the Litovel Premium, you won’t regret!

A great pub to enjoy a drink with mates as you dissect the latest Arsenal performance after the game.

One of the better pubs in the area at least beer wise anyway. Worth visiting just to try the Omnipollo Prize Pils beer. Friendly service and a decent atmosphere.

Really lovely local boozer with a cosy fire for the colder winter months. Pub quiz is great and their guinness is my favourite I've had in London.

Greatest pub in London. No competition.

Lovely pub with nice Christmas atmosphere and good mulled wine. We’ll come back for more.

Fantastic local! In an area lacking great pubs this is a go to venue!

Traditional English pub. In a quiet street off the main road. Good wide ranging food and beer menu, traditional and modern, great fish n chips. Good prices. Very friendly staff . Wheelchair accessible. Nice outdoor covered area

Not only is this pub top-notch, with delicious food and beers, but the staff are absolute gems! I left a chocolate advent calendar behind for over a week and those legends didn't touch a single piece. That's some serious self-control and customer service! 5 stars

great neighbourhood spot. high calibre pub grub. only downside is the closing time - 11pm on a Saturday !

Great food and beer. On my visit they've been pretty slow to cook a couple of starters.

A great boozer with an excellent choice of beers. Good atmosphere too.

We came here for lunch and had a lovely time. The food was very tasty and the portion generous. Staff was very attentive.

Sunday roast was okey, but the bloody mary was AMAZING. One of the best ones I’ve ever had

Great pub, lots of seating is outside, but mostly the quality of the food is superb. A little pricey but worth the extra for the raised level. Ive had a couple of wagu burgers and a roast here.. always delicious, but little gems like pulled ox cheek and chorizo shepherds pie and other small plates are the real winners imho. Highly recommended

Fantastic service and food, brought family here from overseas to experience a traditional English Sunday Roast and was bowled over by how accommodating staff were for my little 2 year old girl. Didn't mind us moving doors to get the pram in, moving fans cos it was hot. Got her entertainment in form of colouring books. On top of their excellent service the good was very good, four beef roasts arrived quickly piping hot with delicious Yorskhire puds. Apple crumble for dessert was marvellous too. My new go to roast pub...and I'm NOT a local!

Great option for Sunday Roast, very tasty and good draught options

Chicken Parmi was amazing can’t remember the last time I had one that good! Service and the beer garden was also great! Will be coming back for sure!

Great pub that is a favourite after football venue. Good outside space. We had sunday lunch here a couple of weeks ago which was really good.

Nice local pub with a lot of outdoor seating. The staff is friendly, I'll definitely come back!

Always fun, very friendly and attentive! Great outside seating!

Lovely pub in a calm street, with a pleasant terrace, juke box, board games and a great choice of beers (e.g. Brugse Zot on tap!)

Dropped in, on a one night stay in London. Lovely staff, very helpful and friendly. In time for last food orders, which were excellent. Very lively and young crowd; so my wife and I stood out but great craic, great pub!

SUCH a nice local. The staff here are so so friendly and the clientele are equally lovely. Such a nice atmosphere for a casual drink or a meal. Came through by chance and it was the most wholesome experience.

Pub de quartier.. très sympathique... accueil chaleureux... à recommander

Great little find, good range of beers, including some excellent low alcohol on tap.

Beautiful gem a bit hidden from the main road (which makes it even better). The staff is friendly and smiley as you enter. There's plenty of beer options and the food menu is fantastic. Recommend the Cod Goujons. We had Sunday Roast and it was delicious. Wish I lived in Holloway.

Been here a few times for a roast and honestly of the of the best roasts I’ve ever had. If you’re getting roast GET THE PORK BELLY! Super tender and juicy, super generous portion and very reasonably priced. Best roast in this area for sure!

Great spot. Friendly vibe, delicious food

Usually drop in here for a pint or two before/after the game. Very decent selection of beer/ales. Last night I went for food and was not disappointed. Great food always tastes better when accompanied by great staff and atmosphere. Also, decent customers. The mackerel pate was perfect and the fish n chips really top notch. A dream of a place in Holloway.

Amazing roast dinners on Sunday! Lovely staff! Highly recommend!

One of the best pubs in the area and certainly one of our favourite. The highlights here are the great selection of beers, the extremely kind staff and the environment, but the cuisine in this pub outstands everything. The fact that you can actually see people cooking next to the bar makes the experience even better. They want to do a good job and they nail it. There's a nice burger offer on Mondays which I'll let you guys discover by yourselves. They have been hosting ales from the Five Points and Siren Craft Breweries which I personally love, but I'm sure everyone can find the right pint to pair with any dish on the menu. Take a look of those nice t-shirts they sell!

Leuke rustige locatie waar veel locals zitten. Heerlijk gegeten, bestellen aan de bar, en ook lekkere drankjes waaronder de vlierbessen spritz. Personeel super vriendelijk en behulpzaam.

I had one of the best roasts I’d ever had in London here. Buzzy atmosphere and big outside area at the front of the place.

Kind service, good selection of drinks.

Great veggie burger, excellent prices in a lovely dog friendly pub. Will def be coming back!!! Impressed by the amount of vegan/veggie options, a definite find :).

Wonderfully decorated with loads of outside seating and a great, friendly staff. The food is much better than general pub food and they stock many different wines. The best place in Islington!

This is the perfect pub. I have lived around the corner for almost 5 years now and it's still my favorite pub in London. It's unpretentious and cosy without being scruffy or run-down, there's always a good mix of people and the team there are so friendly and welcoming. If you want a reliable spot for a pint in a proper pub then the Swimmer is your best bet. The food is good - not gourmet but reliable pub food.

Our stop off when visiting the Emirates for the football (coming from Birmingham to watch Aston Villa) Easy walking distance from the stadium and a great find, first impression was a homely feel with outstanding friendly staff. A range of very decent beer covering various strengths and some phenomenal food. My fish and chips were amongst the best I have ever tasted and my friends (3 of them) raved about the burgers stating they were magnificent. We will return here every time we are back at the Emirates, what a find.

To be fair. Not my first visit. But first time in a while. This pub remains my favourite pub in London. Why? Because it’s got great beer, great food, music is good and run by good people. Most of all because the staff are excellent. I’ve not been for months and I’m welcomed like an old friend. Stayed for a couple of beers. Can’t wait to go back. It gets very busy when Arsenal are at home, but that’s no reason not to go. Good atmosphere and you’re still made to feel very welcome.

Just had two wonderful meals here , Saturday lunch and Sunday dinner The Sunday roast was fantastic and I had fish and chips which was huge. So wish it was my local

Very nice atmosphere and nice food. The waitress that served me was Saiyaara very attentive and I felt at home. For sure will recommend it

Here to set our daughter up in a flat (from USA)... OMG, absolutely wonderful!!!! Food was fantastic and HUGE PORTIONS! As for the service, you couldn't ask for better, prompt and friendly!!!! This place is super clean and they disenfect everything after each customer!!!! This is a definite revisit location!!!!

The first thing that struck me is how very little of this pub there is! In fact, it took some considerable persuasion by my partner to convince me that what we could see really was all the pub there is! Still, this makes for a cozy intimate space with a rather nice fire at one end. We all had a roast, which was delivered to the table swiftly after ordering. There was good array of vegetables, but my beef was tough to cut and chew, although partner had no problem finishing it up!

I came to The Swimmer at Grafton Arms on a Friday night in October. Overall the service is good, the beer is well served and the pub has a really nice atmosphere. If you want a nice old school pub with a modern twist in North London then The Swimmer is a fantastic choice.

Probably the best Sunday lunch I have eaten in a pub for some time, puddings are good too. A small pub tucked away down a side street .

I went here for the first time to eat with a group of friends to mark the departure to Wales of one of my friends. A nice little touch was a tile with a Welsh dragon on and a drawing of my friend. The food included a good choice of traditional food with some more exotic specialties with a good vegan/veggie choice. The food when it came was tasty, good quality and in generous portions. The price by London standards was very reasonable.

Me acabo de mudar a la zona y este pub es excelente. Se siente más al norte que otros pubs en la zona. Las pintas vienen generalmente bajo un fiver. Hacen platos grandes y abundantes de comida y hay un buen ambiente. También una máquina de discos y juegos de mesa. Y un gato. Encantado de llamarlo mi local.

Cozy, charming little north London boozer offering good food, good beer and a friendly service ..worth a visit 👍🏻

When I arrive and was ignored by the barmaid. Two people came in after me and were served before me. Walked out after 15 minute wait. Even though I have been a customer here many times before - will never go here again. If you don't mind locals getting served before you, then this is the pub for you!

Este excelente pub es mi hija y (ahora! Me encantó mucho) hijo suegros local. Querían tener a su familia cerca allí después de su boda y aunque era la primera vez para el pub nada era demasiado problema.Excelente selección de interesantes para mí y ginebras buenas cervezas para los chicos. La comida era muy buena. Que estaba hambriento, así que afortunadamente no nouvelle cuisine!El personal incluso han hecho un banner para la feliz pareja.No podría haber sido mejor.Gracias Laila. xxx

Still a proper pub, ot a Gastro Pub or a hipster joint, but with sophisticated atmosphere, good beers, very good and reasonably-priced food. Unspoilt and very friendly staff. Dogs allowed too, indeed very much welcomed and given a sausage!

Mi socio elija este pub antes de ir al Arsenal como un cambio a nuestro 12 años de evitar que la rutina. La entrada tenía ganas de salir. Abarrotada con nueva generación de gambas sándwich para comer 'evento' fútbol todos pululando alrededor al azar ventiladores plantea la presión sanguínea al 'curboom! ! "Los niveles rápidamente.Por desgracia, mi socio había adquirido una bandeja de té mesa crowbarred en al lado del inodoro y él tenía hambre, así que me vi obligado a estancia debido a fidelidad.La Guinness era un desastre lo siento por una restauración de juegos y mi hamburguesa tenía sabor debido a la falta del componente principal, es decir, queso. . . Seguramente que debe ser visto como el factor decisivo cuando ordene la cosa? Me proporcionó no cubiertos y tenía a la caza buscando algunos condimentos para proporcionar humedad a la pulpa seca de carne queso gratis metido entre un panecillo crujiente. Las patatas fritas eran aceptables y servido en un cubo de hojalata pequeña que sólo atrae a la aquellos que necesitan un algunas fotos para su cuenta de instagram.Un pub abarrotado en gran parte debido a la distribución de un vagón de tren recuerdan a los pobres, pero puntery cerveza y comida servida en un trozo de pizarra para más poncitude ai no hacerlo por mí. .Que no hacer negocios nuevo sha. . .

maybe the worst pint of Guinness i have ever had. if they cant look after Guinness I dread to think what damage their food would do on the average person .I did try to complain politely but was given the brush of

I’ve visited The Swimmer many times. Always a great atmosphere. Staff are brilliant. Beer is kept really well. Food is well worth a try. Can’t recommend this place highly enough.

I’ve mainly drank here but is all you would want a local pub to have. Good beer, really great staff, occasional dog to pet as you can’t have one, board games, good music. I’ve eaten here once and was not disappointed, went for fish and chips was perfect. My parents loved it to.

Prensa: La nutria parada ha ido! Pero ha sido sustituido por un relleno o carpas, bacalao, de celacantos. Un pez de algún tipo. Si sólo íbamos para la nutria, tomar cobijo en el estupendo menú, preparado desde la nada --mi-mangas - Guv'nor cocina abierta. Salchichas y puré de rábanos, los asados del domingo que, una rareza en Londres - no son una estafa, y de sinvergüenzas un build-a-menú Burger. Vinos muchísima. Muchísima cervezas. En barril. juegos de zot, cómodos asientos, butacas incómodas (lo siento), y un tocadiscos que encontramos una pared de ladrillos alrededor de 1972 y nunca se ha movido.

This is quite a nice classic English pub just off Holloway Rd, which attracts a local and regular clientèle. Did not try the food yet, and probably wont: places which serve food on a slate do not typically take my vote.

Great ales. Great food. Quality quiz! Nice and homely. Staff really friendly and personable. Sell Honey Dew Ale (big thumbs up) and have an amazing gin selection.

Love this pub especially on a Tuesday when they have the quiz. Started serving Weiss bier on tap so even more to like about it

This is a nice local pub just between Holloway road and seven sister rd . They serve good English food, big portions (the fish and chips was huge!) . I liked the cozy ambient with fireplace. There also are some board games .

Estábamos por la zona y entramos porque desde fuera nos dio el flechazo de que era un sitio muy acogedor para tomar algo.... y no nos equivocamos. Era acogedor, y tenia un olor la comida que, esas dos pintas se convirtieron en una burguer deliciosa y otra vagana (de garbanzos... espectacular!) Fue todo un acierto, tanto que, todos los días parábamos o a tomar una pinta o picar algo.

Pasar por aquí todo el tiempo -- después de nadar, sentarse en sus mesas de picnic y tener una coca-cola y recoger yo antes de tomar el tren de vuelta a casa. Fuimos allí el martes por la noche - Concurso demasiado mal no sabía más REINO UNIDO Premios anfitrión presentador, jaja! También tienen buenas cervezas, sidras, etc. de barril - Instalaciones para banquetes, Cambio de ropa, yoga, y música en vivo. Excelente personal, perfecto para una visita si estás en la pista, o si hemos recorrido un largo camino y quieres ver cómo viven los londinenses guay!

Como estudiante en Finsbury Park es un lugar frecuentado para mí y mis amigos. Muy razonable (para Londres), con una buena selección de bebidas, en especial me gusta la gama de sidras!