The Earl of Essex in Islington

It’s alright but they have posh beers and only 10 people outside at a time. Garden closes very early

Very poor and disgraceful attitude from the girl in the glasses with long hair behind the bar I asked her for something that’s not strong and also asked for help as I cannot read the menu due to my poor eyesight she bluntly said to me look at the board when I already said to her twice I cannot read the board due to my poor eyesight if you’re working in a pub you should know what is a weak drink and what is a strong drink on the menu And recommend something to me instead of giving me attitude … Never going in here again would avoid.

The waitress there has a stink attitude, won’t go again

One of the first proper craft pubs I ever came to quite some years ago and still awesome. Great selection of beers and buzzing atmosphere.

Great pub with a rotating beer selection, food options and welcoming service in a quiet, comfortable space.

Característico pub Islington, a pocos minutos a pie de la estación Angel. Las tarimas desnudas y la decoración minimalista dan al lugar un gran ambiente de pub. El antiguo servidor del bar parece haber permanecido inalterado durante años y tiene un atractivo anticuado propio. En él encontrará una fila de bombas manuales, cada una sin clip de bomba. ¡Pero no temas! Los ales no están todos apagados - es necesario consultar la pizarra contigua para ver qué cervezas están disponibles. Estos cuentan principalmente con cervecerías independientes más pequeñas, algunas locales, incluyendo las excelentes Five Points. El menú es bastante básico con Hamburguesas, Fish & Chips, Salchichas y Puré y así sucesivamente a la orden del día. La comida está bien preparada, pero con opciones limitadas; disfruté de mi Fish & Chips, servido con un buen puré de guisantes. Los precios son aproximadamente promedio para la comida, pero definitivamente los precios de Londres para las cervezas. El personal no es precisamente desagradable, pero tal vez una sonrisa o dos no vendría mal.

Pork roast was huge and succulent! Loved the veges, but potatoes were a little sad. Otherwise, one of my best Sunday roasts had to date!

Came in yesterday for lunch. The staff were so lovely and the food was incredible! Everything was just perfection! Great range of beers too, both alcoholic and non alcoholic.

Amazing pub located in the quiet streets of Angel, I'd highly recommend this place. Staff were incredibly friendly and wanted to chat, excellent beer selection plus non alcoholic / low alcoholic options. Then it turns out the roasts are fantastic, I got the porchetta (pork) and it was lush, lots of others ended up getting it after I ordered it.

Worst service I’ve ever received in a pub. I asked for three pints of Guinness, the guy serving said we don’t do Guinness and started serving someone else next to me. The next person serving me told me what the alternative was, poured half the pints and walked away never to be seen again. I had to ask someone else to finish them off for me. Shame because it’s a nice area and nice pub.

One of the best pubs in London. Amazing local friendly social atmosphere. Very welcoming vibes. Good and attentive staff and beer garden at the back. Beer selection is awesome in keg & cask beers. There’s variety in beer styles from Ipa to stout, all good. Love to have a plate of hot food in lunch. Islington is nice area worth to walk and explore it more next time.

Good pub w nice food and good beer selection

The pub is a nice standard pub. The food was pretty bad though. I ordered a side of mac and cheese ‘with a herby crust’. It was tiny and just plain, overcooked pasta with melted cheese on top. Like child menu food.

Great selection of craft beers! Far too loud to sit inside. Nice garden out the back.

No. Booking out every single table in the pub. Really? That’s not a pub. Bad vibes. Go away.

Perhaps they were just having a bad day today, but unfortunately I can’t recommend Sunday lunch here. After not being asked for our order after we sat for a while, went to the bar to get our food. I ordered the beef and my friends ordered the nut roast. My beef arrived suspiciously quickly, whilst my friends’ dishes only arrived after I had finished mine. On first appearance the roast looked good - large Yorkshire puddings and a healthy amount of gravy in a pot. However the beef was completely grey and chewy. I’d expect to be able to choose pink meat for a Sunday roast and this just didn’t cut it. We finished our meals and left quickly. We had paid when we ordered and couldn’t really be bothered to make a fuss, but I wouldn’t return here. It didn’t help that a really loud table sat right next to us whilst my friends finished their food. They did make a good Bloody Mary and the interior looks nice so not zero stars.

Good pub. Good service. I’ve come before and loved it then as well. It’s loud but a fun vibe. Also they are quick to serve at the bar and food is brought swiftly. Always a good night out.

One of my favourite pubs in Islington mainly due to the excellent selection of craft beers! Cool art and good lighting too.

A great place for a family holiday season get together

Perfect place especially for a foreigner

Located in the back-waters of residential Islington, stripped-back functional and unassuming with a garden area. Impressive selection of craft beers/ales with pronunciation on less familiar brewers and bound to delight enthusiastic imbibers. Again the Wine list exploratory and diverse - by the look of it - the menu, typical contemporary “gastro-pub” fare visiting well-trampled territory. Lively and exuberant here and obviously a popular destination.

Gracias a Dios por este pub. Llevé a 2 novias a tomar unas copas para celebrar mi cumpleaños y unos pequeños platos de comida que había reservado en The Island Queen a la vuelta de la esquina, pero cuando aparecí no tenían nota de reserva y no estaban haciendo la comida hasta las 4 pm. Fue una lástima que el gerente Richard no estuviera en el Island Queen si hubiera estado habría sido encantador. Así que llevé a mis amigos encantadores a The Earl of Essex y nos lo pasamos genial. La comida del personal y todo era excelente. Edyta nos sirvió y qué dama tan encantadora. Muchas gracias por encajarnos y en tan poco tiempo.

Do you drink good beer? If so, and you are near here. Go in. Enjoy.

Very loud buzzy pub with excellent beer list. Would be 5 stars with acoustic panels or soft furnishings to fix the noise problem, and spare a lot of hoarse throats

Huge selection of beer, including real ale which is a big plus in my book. Some unusual beers to so it's worth going to check out the selection. Food was good too, it gets very busy so it's noisy but it's a nice atmosphere. It's worth booking during busy times.

Quaint little pub in Islington. Garden at the back. Good choice of drinks and lively atmosphere.

Busy and fun! Recommend for lively Friday night

Great beer in a lovely setting with a nice garden at the back. Only issue was they dimmed the lights about 6.30pm, making it dark and gloomy.

Great selection of well kept cask and keg beers. The interior retains some interesting original features . Staff were friendly and well informed. One of the best pubs in the area if you're into drinking good beer

Really good selection of craft beer on keg and cask. Attracts a young crowd on weekend. Beer garden closes at 21:00

Really nice pub with lots of trendy beers available listed on a huge beer board. Good food too.

Outstanding beer selection. Even an alcohol free DDH pale ale that was superb

The staff are some of the rudest I have ever experienced. When asking what do you have on draft the response was it’s on the board. Just extremely impersonal. Food came out without cutlery when I went back to ask for some they seemed annoyed and said we are preparing some for you in a cold way.

Great pub and a superb range of beers

Great selection of beers and the bar snacks were very tasty.

Nice pub with some rude staff. Food was fine.

A neighborhood gem. Only spaces for 20 outside but inside is big enough.

A neighborhood gem. Only spaces for 20 outside but inside is big enough.

Haven’t experienced the food here as I have only been once, but the drinks selection is great. Great g&t menu. A fun and lively atmosphere on a Saturday evening.

Nice staff usually but not the best experience today so we moved on to another pub down the road

Nice staff usually but not the best experience today so we moved on to another pub down the road

Great local. Top food and great beer selection. Love sitting out the front in summer.

Lovely pub with great selection of beers and great garden. Staff are friendly and helpful. Will go again!

Food review only: if you’re looking for very average but highly priced food. This is the spot. Of course being a pub I don’t have unrealistic expectations of the food. However when my food came. I was genuinely speechless. I had a teriyaki salmon with broccoli, the salmon was dry and not fresh. Not to mention very very small. The spring onion garnish on top is clearly left over from the night before (unless it’s just been chilling on the kitchen counter for the past 10hrs). The broccoli was oven roasted, fine. This would have been okay with me apart from the fact that this cost £17. For a very small portion of food at below average quality I think you’ll be able to find much better options in the area.

Great atmosphere, but I saw the staff completely respect a group of boys who were just trying to have fun. The staff made them feel like they were doing such harm where as they were lovely and entertaining. Be better

Really cool spot, definitely worth checking out. Great beers, great selection and good food menu to follow. Love the vibe here

Beers superb, lovely garden at rear. Didn't eat so can't rate but looked good.

Food is expensive but good. I I paid around £27 for four portions of chips with two different sauces. Drink range good, garden good.

Great pub with a great selection of beers and lovely menu. Staff very friendly and attentive and all round a great place to visit. Nice little garden to the rear to enjoy the sun in

Absolutely perfect roast dinner! Vegetables amazing as well as meat. Thank-you!!! Also that grapefruit beer mmmmmmmmm

Lovely variety of draft beers. The interior of the pub is very nice ,they play cool music and the bartenders are very kind.

Great selection of beer, sours and ipa. Lovely garden. Alen was very attentive and knowledgable.

Lovely pub on a quiet road, great selection of drinks. Even a couple of good ciders for cider drinkers like myself. Friendly staff and a quiet little beer garden out back.

Nice pub, friendly service, beautiful setting.

I'm not sure why I haven't reviewed this pub sooner, given how often I've been there. But better late than never, right? This place is a real hidden gem, ticking off all the boxes for a great neighbourhood pub: cosy atmosphere, excellent beer selection, charming garden, delicious Sunday roast, and friendly staff. It's everything you could want in a local pub. Huge thanks to the team for always making it such a pleasant experience, whether it's a casual evening or a lazy Sunday meal.

I don't know why it took me so long to review this pub because I've been there many times. But as the saying goes, better late than never. This pub is a proper hidden gem, delivering all aspects of what makes a great neighbourhood pub: a cosy atmosphere, an amazing selection of beers, a lovely back garden, delicious Sunday roast, and all served by their friendly staff. What else can someone ask for when looking for a great local pub? Thank you team, for always delivering such a great experience, whether in the evening or for Sunday roasts.

Hittade puben av en slump och blev glatt överraskad. Underbar och lugn innergård på baksidan och fullständigt underbar mat. Vi åt räkor, champinjoner och en roll med kronärtskockor. Allt var perfekt friterat och sammansatt. Trevlig personal och humana priser. Rekommenderas varmt!

Self service pub with a good range of beers. Afraid the food was very mediocre for the price. Fish batter was to soft and fish not very fresh. Flat iron steak was a bit chewy.

A real Hidden gem, with a wonderful Hidden garden. The good is great and so well combined. Wanted to try the whole meny. Awesome handcrafted beer & cider

Large variety of high quality beer and generally nice environment in the heart of Angel. The food - as other reviews have also highlighted - is inedible. Service is rude and we were treated very poorly. It took ages to be served and then we have been kicked out halfway through our meal (a birthday celebration!) as the table was booked back-to-back for two hours only.

Great local pub. Always busy so make sure you book!

Good atmosphere and a good variety of of beer. Nice garden.

Cool pub, nice beer garden, lots on menu

Great food, fantastic range of keg beer. Cask beer not on brilliant form. Atmosphere loud on a Friday night (as to be expected). Staff are excellent.

I had dinner in Angel and I was looking for a drink. It wasn't too late but it seems every pub we looked for was closing around 23:00. I managed to find a pub that was open till late, this was the pub. The earl of Essex is quite a quirky pub, that looks old but I don't think it is. The staff were lovely and friendly. I will definitely go to this pub whenever I'm in Angel 😊

It was really worth the slight detour along the canal towpath to come here from Angel. A really good Breakfast Stout and Devon cider, very friendly staff, beautiful light pub. Very good beer range.

Great vibes, craft beer Friendly local pub with homemade food and a garden section

Great bar with a great selection of beers. No Guinness though! :’(

Pleasant public house, welcoming and friendly staff. Fantastic choice of beers and lagers - many local brews. Food was good. Atmosphere is good - busy but relaxed. Impressive outdoor space out the back. Plenty of cycle parking at the front. Located in an interesting area. UPDATE February 2024 - revisited during the day on a weekday and it was quiet. Great selection of cask beers. Pleasant staff. Recommended.

This is a great spot any time of the day, any day of the week. I loved swinging by for some Sunday roast and a bit of mulled wine and a few IPAs.

Great food and beer. The beer menu is something to behold.

But roast is very disappointing. Poor portion size. Pay extra for Yorkshire pudding. Cauliflower cheese is very poor for £6.50. Avoid the Rioja, really tasteless for £36. Atmosphere is good and beers are good.

Visiting this pub was a disappointing experience. We showed up in four, including a pregnant woman. The beer, while commendable, could not compensate for the bad quality of food. The fish in the fish and chips was nearly raw, with undercooked batter, and the beef, which was supposed to be roast beef, was cold, overdone, and emitted an unpleasant odor. To our dismay, we had prepaid for our meal, a decision we quickly regretted upon the arrival of our unsatisfactory dishes. Although the staff offered to replace our meals, considering the health and safety of the pregnant guest among us, we were reluctant to take further risks. A refund or partial compensation for the inedible meal would have been a just and appreciated gesture. We left feeling neglected and treated poorly as perceived tourists, despite being long-time London visitors. We know the standards of good pubs.

As an old Islintonian going out with friends,went into here and 1st thing ,no bitter,then was told to look at the list on the wall to see what was on tap,no labels on taps,then after deciding what to drink & have already got a "whip" going on,was informed no cash !WTH,an old pub for new people,any pub has to cater for all,not just locals 1 star !

Great pub, nice atmosphere and good selection of beers

Awful awful pub Lots of beers but all lager or the lager substitute Pale Ale Spent£44 on one round and asked for a glass of water and was told to get it myself from the sink..when we asked what lagers they had we were told curtly’look at the list’

Smart, cosy pub with great selection of craft beers, a small and perfectly formed menu, and a really warm atmosphere.

Lovely place and great service however portions were pretty measly, chips were undercooked and salad was over-salted.

Ah the acoustics!! :( Some good beers and good old classic pub songs though.

A real beer lovers’ pub. Great range of cask ale, pale ales and larger. Down side is the lack of space and seating. The pub has a great beer garden, but due to neighbours complaining, they’ve had to remove the roof to the beer garden sadly.

Excellent service and a great beer list with many different kinds of beer on tap and bottled. Lively neighborhood vibe.

Fun neighborhood pub with lots of beer choices. I had a red fruit sour and it was outstanding. There are a bunch of seats and lounge areas for your comfort. Staff are very friendly and super helpful.

Very large selection of beers! Finally something different to try!

Very good pub about 10 minutes walk from Angel Underground Station. Four cask beers on handpump when I visited along with a lot of keg craft beers. Lots of outdoor seating in the garden to the rear some of it covered. I was only there for a quick beer but the food menu looks interesting. Friendly and helpful staff.

Great beer selection. Nice atmosphere. Were sitting outside enjoying the sun.

Great range of beer, nice people, reasonable prices. Happy days.

Really nice location for a pint or three. Enjoyed it a lot

Please fix the door 🚪 Good beers though, cheers 🍻

Great selection of cask and keg beer served by friendly staff. The fish and chips were really delicious.

If you value the craft of beer and genuine approach to elevated pub food, then this quaint little neighborhood spot is a must try. Awesome atmosphere. Great selection of craft beers on draft and cask. Cool vibe. They don’t take themselves too seriously.

Amazing food and friendly staff. I had the chips and homemade curry sauce (vegan), as well as the banana, peanut butter and toffee cheesecake (also vegan); both were so delicious I nearly forgot to take any photos!

Truly one of the best pubs in London if you want amazing keg beers and maybe a decent plate of hot food. Also has a nice small walled garden round the back which is pretty shielded from the wind. They had a great range of beers in different styles. In a lovely area of Islington housing. What an local pub this is!

One of the first craft beer pubs with a huge menu. It's definitely a popular place and can be hard to get a table most evenings. Still, excellent and knowledgeable and friendly bar staff. Bike parking directly outside too is a bonus.

Called into Pub as part of a Half Pint Pub Crawl, and wasn't disappointed - do visit.

Good selection of beers and ciders. They have a cosy terrace in the back

Great bar staff and beer selection.

One of the great pubs. The Earl of Essex is apart of a local group of amazing craft beer pubs. All of them have a great selection of rotating taps from across the country. The Earl of Essex has a lovely garden out the back, and a well designed interior with lots of seating. The food is usually really nice, and the truffle Parmesan chips we had were very tasty. The only thing to note is that it is slightly more expensive than your average boozer.

Aussies will love that they have a parma on the menu (seasonally). Staff are good value. My mate recommended the Sunday roast chicken—great value. Super juicy. Large range of beers on tap. The Neck Oil is an easy drinker. Lovely location right next to the canal.

Wicked little pub off the beaten track. Great, well kept beers and a sweet hideaway of a garden out the back. Thanks everyone!

Nice pub. Cute garden. Gets busy at weekend