The Highbury Barn in Islington

Overall the food and service was great, as usual. Unfortunately, there was a man with a large Akita dog sitting beside us and the dog had a large neckerchief on with a swear word plastered across it. The man also said that the dog wasn't friendly to other dogs, which was quite unnerving as the dog was wandering over to our table, where I had a small dog. I overheard him say to another couple that the dog also didn't like children, so the couple kept the children in their seats. This isn't a direct fault of HB, but as a dog and child friendly place, there could perhaps be some measures and considerations in place to ensure that the dogs on the premises are safe to be there so that everyone can feel comfortable and enjoy their experience, without worry.

Worst Sunday Roast we've had in a long time. Luke-warm to cold, sad excuse for roast belly of pork (fat not rendered at all, sweaty, and skin damp and tough), bad gravy, cold cabbage, Yorkshire stale. Overall, a bad taste in the mouth. The kitchen wanted to gtf out of there and the roasts served to us tasted like it. We should've sent them back (we got 2 pork, only option that was left along with nut roast) but we were with a 2yr old and hungry, so we picked through it. We were also forgotten about after our server ended her shift, so we weren't checked up on. I complained about the food to the bar staff when I went to pay, but the newly arrived staff member was not that understanding. Got one roast removed from the bill and a "it's industry standard" lecture about 2 mins preparation time after ordering (thanks) and a "I'll report it to the manager" (cool). £28.75 for a disappointing and, frankly, rubbish roast (£21 per roast!), a pint, and a small bottle of water. Madness. Maybe it's on us for going there at the end of the day on a slow Sunday, but really, isn't it industry standard for the quality of food and service to be the same regardless of the time of day? Especially for a place charging £21 for a *standard* roast. We should've walked out without paying, no one would've noticed. The Aussie barman was nice.

Great roast. Good Guinness and excellent staff.

A good place to watch an Arsenal match and have some good pub food. The atmosphere in the bar for the game was lively. Reservations are available and recommended on the weekend, especially for match days. The Sunday roast was generous and tasty, available to order in both the restaurant and bar. There was an issue with our booking but the staff were really apologetic and accommodating, trying their best on a busy match afternoon to find us a suitable table.

Great staff Tommy and girls are very good with the customers

Worse pub meal ever. Out of 6 meals, only the sausage meal was nice. Everything else was dry, burnt and disgusting. Wait time was long despite it being a quiet night. Atmosphere was poor. Don't waste your money.

It’s just such a lovely location. The barn Community is quite amazing. Actually we’ve got businesses here that I’ve been there for 50 years plus, the pub is actually exceptional. Great staff well managed And at times filled with interesting characters, the food is fantastic and it’s got better and better over the years. The Christmas tree is up at the moment so it’s a wonderful place for families to come and visit and the children will love the gigantic Tree that’s been erected this year. It’s worth A visit

Best place to watch Arsenal games if you didn't manage to get a ticket for the stadium

Highbury Barn Tavern is a solid local pub on the main street near Highbury Fields. It’s a decent choice if you’re looking to catch up with friends over a casual pint, with a laid-back, friendly vibe that’s comfortable and unpretentious. They do show games on a projector from time to time, which is a nice touch for sports fans, though it’s not strictly a sports bar. The food menu looked appealing with some classic pub options, though I haven’t had a chance to try it myself yet. Overall, Highbury Barn Tavern is a reliable spot, perfectly decent for a relaxed evening in the neighborhood.

Just a quick couple of pints before an Arsenal match. Staff were prompt and courteous. Security were friendly

I have nothing but great words to describe The Highbury Barn! Everyone here is so friendly, always greeted by each staff member with a smile on their faces. The atmosphere is brilliant, as well as their service and food. The manager Tommy has an infectious smile that brightens up my time here, a huge shoutout to staff members Ali, James, Francis and Nicole, who are always going above and beyond! Food always so fresh and tasty, keeping me coming back for more alongside quick and efficient service. Thank you!!!

Nice pub with a bit of added history. Serves a good lunch. I recommend the sausage and mash, very tasty.

Lovely pub with friendly and helpful service. The burger I had was amazing, best I’ve had recently. Would recommend going for the nice atmosphere, service and food.

Super nice staff. Great atmosphere. But the food was disappointing. One item left off entirely. Got our starter and one main course at the same time. Had to wait on the second one to be re-ordered. Had to order a soft drink as one of us was pregnant, it was WAY off, lots of carbon and little of the drink flavoring. More than half the menu was unavailable, not sure if they were just sold out or if there is a shortage but literally more than half the items we saw online were not available when we got there. Again, very nice staff and very nice atmosphere.

This is my local pub and I absolutely love coming here. The staff are so friendly and accomodating and add to the enjoyable experience. Tommy is incredible as the manager and is always such a positive vibe! James and Francis are amazing behind the bar and amazing friendly people! One of the best pubs I have been to!

Great pub, great food. My go to before an Arsenal game.

Fabulous! Great selection of drinks and pub grub with option to dine in restaurant or bar. Friendly yet professional service. Great atmosphere. Family & pet friendly

Conozco y me gusta el pub - tristemente mi amigo estaba muy decepcionado de que no había corriente británica amarga en esa noche, aunque había una selección masiva de cerveza. Llevan a cabo una noche de preguntas que los clientes estaban disfrutando Estábamos allí para una bebida en lugar de una comida

Limited selection. Guinness not poured correct. Decent price. Good atmosphere. Decent pub.

lovely pub great atmosphere was served by a very nice girl called Ella very good customer service and very efficient

Amazing experience! I just spent my 36th birthday here on Sunday and I had the best time I Love this pub, the food is absolutely delicious the staff are so welcoming and friendly the atmosphere is unmatched, it’s child friendly. The list is endless I’d highly recommend 🫶🏼

The food was fresh and tasty, and the pub was cleaned.

Great pre-match pub, a couple of minutes from the Emirates. Amazing friendly service and a great atmosphere. Highly recommend this place!!

The staff are extremely polite (all of them), been to a few pubs where staff make you feel unwanted, definitely not here! Love it in there! Had a beautiful Prime Time lager, first time I’ve tried it, good to see a gluten free beer on tap! Gorgeous venue as well, cool outdoor bit, clearly looked after inside too. Be there again soon!

I decided to watch the England finals there with my friends and it did not disappoint! The pub was packed with atmosphere and the bar staff were super friendly considering how busy it was! I met Tommy the manager who I could see was excellent at his job and making sure everyone was having a good time. We didn't even have to wait ages for our drinks like you would in such a busy bar other places! Charmaine was buzzing around making sure everyone was looked after and keeping the bar in order. Such a lovely girl! Ali and James have really looked after us too! Found us a little space on a table which had a better view for the screen too. So thoughtful, nothing was too much trouble. What a lovely team they have there. Definitely worth a visit! Thanks guys!

Very pleasant athosphere and friendly service

Had my special birthday party, 50 people, it was so well catered for, lovely people.

Popped in for two coffees and a coke yesterday. Ordered and paid via app. It took absolutely ages for the coffee to arrive. One of the cups was cracked all the way down. Coke never arrived and we had to go and collect it. The pub wasn't busy. We won't be returning.

Very welcoming and cosy pub! Barman William was very professional and recommended some food dishes! Food was excellent and our doggie was very welcome as well! Highly recommend 👍🏻

Vino aquí el martes a comer algo. William el barman lo atendió rápidamente. Pub es muy bonito y limpio! Pedimos calamares y papas fritas hulumi para empezar! Ambos somos absolutamente deliciosos! ¡Entonces tenía la lubina y mi amigo tenía la salchicha y el puré! Wow! ¡Ambos deliciosos! El servicio era muy amable y nuestro perro fue muy bienvenido también! Muy recomendable y volveremos.

Un ambiente, comida y servicio muy mejorados. El personal es muy servicial y atento. El curry vegano también es muy bueno y tienen un brownie vegano 😊Grande para los consumidores de carne y veganos. ¡Gracias!

Food was Excellent. Fish and Chips is a Must here. Sunday Roast is also a Must here. everything was absolutely perfect. Does not serve food on bank holidays though, be aware.

Good place to go for watching a match.

A firm favourite for relaxed atmosphere and great staff

Love this place and when visiting my family is my new local

Nice place to have a drink before the game

Went here for some drinks and something to eat. Really nice space. Charmaine looked after us and was really nice. I had the haddock and chips which was lovely and filling. Will look forward to coming back here again.

Here right now and all I want to say is that you NEED to have the calamari (better said, “Chipirones”). They’re cooked to perfection and taste like you’re beside the beach. The Chicken and Avicado sandwich was also great as was the beer (Camden Hells). Great service too! Well done The Highbury Barn Tavern!

Lovely atmosphere and service. Food especially was delicious, highly recommended the sunday roast. Bar staff was also very attentive, Esme specifically.

Nice pint after getting off the bus.

Dropped in for a late lunch Beer was good Had to ask for condiments

A bit pricey but otherwise very nice pub above the stadium

The niceness of this pub is ruined by the massive tv screens and football fans

Went for a Suday Roast and the lunch was delicious. I recommend to anybody and the staff are nice, welcoming, friendly and always with a smile. Will return as has been my favourite Pub in the past and I don't see why it shouldn't be otherwise, plus the fact it's close to home and easy access to anyone.

Excellent bar manager- calmly sorted out a dispute over games showing and screens with people losing their tempers. Did well.

Busy Sunday! Came highly recommended after the football. Service was so so slow and it’s such a shame because the food is amazing! Beef (£19)served rare and 2 large slices. Roast pots, veg. Yorkshire not overdone like most places! Plenty of red wine jus. Cauliflower cheese could have been a bit saucier-bit dry! Left with a menu for 10-15 mins. Food came out quickly as they’re only serving roasts! Plates cleared 15-20 mins after finishing. Had to ask for a dessert menu. Ordered. 30mins later gave up with no sign of sticky toffee pudding (sad). Could have walked out without paying and I don’t think one of the 4 wait staff would have noticed! Would defo give another go as food was really good. But service like this again and it would be my last visit.

A good old fashioned boozer with great food

The pub looks good again but the same old problem. We asked for a brandy and they didn't have any It was a pub 🤔. What pub doesn't have brandy it's crazy and the same thing happened the last time we were there it seems Highbury locals don't drink Brandy?.

🚇 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 visiting 09/10/21

Absolutely amazing! had great service and a fantastic meal can not recommend enough!

Superb staff. Great food. Watched the football there. Definitely get yourself down there

Welcoming, warm and good location for dates and mates.

Very lovely waitress in there so friendly and attentive. Food was lovely would deffo come back

Service is great, atmosphere just doesn’t seem to tick the box for me.

From the moment you step into Highbury Barn, you can sense the positive changes brought about by the new management. The ambiance strikes the perfect balance between cozy and vibrant, making it an ideal spot for both casual gatherings and special occasions. The real star of the show, however, is the food. The menu, a delightful fusion of classic pub fare and innovative culinary twists, caters to a wide range of tastes. Each dish, from the hearty burgers to the lighter salads, is prepared with attention to detail and bursts with flavor. The ingredients are evidently high-quality and locally sourced, adding a touch of freshness to every bite. What truly sets Highbury Barn apart is the exceptional service. The staff are not only attentive and prompt, but also exude a genuine warmth and friendliness that makes you feel right at home. They're knowledgeable about the menu and eager to offer recommendations, ensuring a fantastic dining experience. The drink selection is impressive, featuring a range of local ales and spirits that are a testament to the pub's commitment to supporting local businesses. Whether you're a beer aficionado or a cocktail enthusiast, you'll find something that suits your palate. Tommy at Highbury Barn has done a remarkable job in elevating the entire experience while maintaining the pub's charming character. It's a must-visit for anyone looking for delicious food, great drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommended!

We had our lovely mums wake in here. It was fantastic. The staff, the food, the atmosphere, everything was amazing. Cerise and the whole highbury barn tavern team were brilliant. Highly recommended.

Lovely food. very friendly staff, especially James (bartender). Suggested the picpul and I was not disappointed!

I had a lovely time and was served by esme behind the bar who was so warm and welcoming! will be back soon 😁

I was served by a lovely bartender named Jack. The whole staff were lovely, pints were tip top and food was excellent. Would defiantly visit again. Thank god for the new management!!

Went with a couple of my mates and was served by an "Esme" who was funny, kind, and poured a lovely pint. Definitely coming back sometime soon, fantastic pub!

I was served by a lovely bartender named Esme. She was very efficient and maintained a friendly atmosphere at the bar.

Had a great time at the pub on Friday. James was great, very friendly and attentive. Definitely coming back!

Wowzers! Walked in and was amazed by the service of Ali wowow! Had a great conversation! Gave good recommendations ye. ye.

Walked into this bar and was blown away by the barstaff. The manager was absolutely amazing don't know her name but so attentive and friendly. The barman was very friendly. Best pub in the area!!

The roast here is good and the beef is rare which is delicious and hard to find! My husband had the pork which was tender and fullnof flavour. The service is friendly but they were short staffed which meant that the staff there were running around. We will go back as had a pleasant afternoon. But don't go if don't just want to chill on a lazy Sunday afternoon

Went here today for Sunday lunch with the family . Haven’t been for awhile and never had the Sunday lunch before but I must say I was very impressed with the food and the atmosphere . The staff was very helpful great Service. well done to the new manager .

Back to an even higher standard food excelente

Great ambience, lovely staff, fabulous Picpoul de Pinet - had a really nice time. Thanks to Will for looking after us. We’ll come back.

What was once a great gastro pub on the Barn has turned into an unwelcoming pub. Dining tables in the main area have been replaced with high tables to clearly cater for football matches. It was dead on a Thursday night. Sat down, looked at the new pedestrian menu and walked back out. The pub struck a good balance before by catering to both the locals and football crowd. As locals who popped in regularly, we won’t be coming back any time soon. What a shame!

What was once a great gastro pub on the Barn has turned into an unwelcoming pub. Dining tables in the main area have been replaced with high tables to clearly cater for football matches. It was dead on a Thursday night. Sat down, looked at the new pedestrian menu and walked back out. The pub struck a good balance before by catering to both locals and the football crowd. As locals who popped in regularly, we won’t be coming back any time soon. What a shame!

Ordered the burger - was cold in the middle and about the quality of McDonald’s but from memory paid £17. No drinks menu in the restaurant part so just guess what you want to drink. Staff were nice. Probably I would go there for just a pint as it’s a nice looking place but food was awful.

I’ve been visiting this local pub for almost 20 years! I went with friends today for Sunday lunch and WAS NOT impressed with he new management’s changes! The menu was very minutes and had zero desserts. Our meal arrived but was a disappointing version of what we read on the menu. On the plus side we got half a chicken each and a rock hard overcooked Yorkshire pudding, but the vegetables were meagre and lacked anything fresh, a few small soggy roast potatoes and 3 roasted carrots plus a small spoon full of red cabbage. We spoke to the waitress asking where the ‘buttered savoy cabbage and leeks’ were. After quite a while she brought us a bowl of extra roast potatoes and parsnips which we refused as we already had those on our plates! At £17.75 this just isn’t value for money unless you have a teenage boy who just eats meat and no veg! Plenty of other options these days thankfully!

Used to be my absolute favorite pub having lived in the area for the past 5 years. Unfortunately over the past 12 months, there’s been a complete change of staff. New staff are inattentive, prices have shot up like crazy, food portions way smaller, worse ingredients than before, and menu overall sliced down to a quarter of the options they use to have. Shame to see in this state, hopefully things turnaround for the better in the future!

Highbury Barn Tavern was fun and it's a great place to be with friends or solo. The staff is friendly and one can feel very comfortable. Watching all matches was a fantastic experience which I'll do again

A pleasant pub with very friendly staff. We went there to eat but the food was average for the price being charged. We had the fish and chips and beef burger. Edible but I would only go back for drinks.

Looking for a spot for a fast lunch we found this pub. Really comfortable and cosy. Staff is very cool and friendly and is really nice. We ordered food and it came out quite delicious and light. Vegetables where good and well cooked as well as the pie. Also the presentation was nice. Great selection of draft beers. Nice place where to stop!

Very disappointed as this clearly used to be a nice pub, but having visited recently I won’t be back. Poor food and overpriced drinks - avoid!

From a 5 Star pub in one of the most important parts of Islington, to less than 1 Star (because I can’t give less than 1). Since the change of management to this establishment, this has gone to the trash. The changes they made to save money (it’s obvious) is more than just noticeable. Everything has gone... the great menu, the kitchen staff that was top notch... many of the beers, the wine and many other things. This was a pub that didn’t just rely on the football days (it’s in the heart of Arsenal land), it also catered for the demographic that resides here with mums coming to do brunch or lunch and a great selection of pretty good quality food products. All that has gone in what seems to be using the excuse of resorting to a “genuine pub”. That’s the trick owners of these establishments will use to attract the typical drinking clientele at the expense of quality. It’s sad that it’s come to this, but all I can say is that I wouldn’t recommend this pub by comparison to the many you have to choose from near by. The owners that resorted to this should be ashamed of themselves.

No doubt the worst and most expensive pub in the area

Was here for a friend's christening, the food was poor staff were lovely bit had a new girl there when they knew was going to be busy and two drinks came to nearly £20! Plus courvousier was in a straight bottle not a bell neck one and all that drank it, said it didn't taste right. Lovely looking pub but I don't think worth money I'm sorry to say

First time l visited, l didn't eat there, just a drink. The staff l met were very friendly, polite & generally nice. I took a friend who also commented on their friendly nature. I hope to visit again. Good selection of drinks & a large screen to watch games. Spacious, clean. Does attract a crowd when local team plays! Else, enjoy.

Nice little pub but only 2 and mostly 1 staff serving so service was poor.

Lovely beer garden. Nice beer and cheerful staff. Local residents are lucky to have this pub.

Walked in for our prebooked reservation only for the landlord to say our reservation was cancelled and he was closing the pub at 6.30 on a Sunday. That is service for you !

Was in there last sat for a drink prompt and friendly service.👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾 Keep up good work

Like another recent review, they need to sort out their kitchen when it comes to Sunday roasts. Paid for 3 Sunday roasts, waited an hour before a guy said they ran out of lamb. I asked how much longer if I changed it and he didn’t know, then intimated I should cut my losses and get a refund as the kitchen staff were new and inexperienced and it also was his first day. I asked for compensation and he said ‘what, out of my own pocket?!’ Errr obviously not. Used to be a better local, feels like it’s gone downhill.

We came here earlier today for a celebratory Sunday lunch with friends following their kids’ baptism. It was one of the worst restaurant experiences we’ve ever had. When we arrived, we were given a Sunday roast menu which included a “full organic chicken for two” with all the trimmings for £35. We ordered two of those (ie, two full chickens, for £70). We were then served a small single platter with a few pieces of dry chicken and some soggy trimmings. It wasn’t even one full chicken - for instance, it didn’t have any legs - and there were only a few trimmings, but definitely not enough for four (they had two Yorkshire puddings in total, for instance). When we asked if that was the two full chickens, we were told that it was, including by an angry member of the kitchen staff. When we pressed, we eventually spoke to the manager, who said that actually, they didn’t have any full chickens, and that the menu was wrong, but they hadn’t yet gotten around to changing it. So we paid for our drinks and left. And all in all, it was a relief, as the food they had served was borderline inedible. I’ve never had a restaurant experience that bordered on fraudulent, and I’d urge others to be cautious in this place. We won’t be back.

Nice pub and staff are very sweet and helpful, however one in particularl, samona. is quite moody, not very nice and struts around the pub like the gashtao, never seen her smile and is quite unfriendly, keep your distance from her and you'll enjoy your time in the pub with the rest of the staff. UPDATE Barn is now completely empty...not sure what's happening but mo food being served and was even out of coffee beans. Only 2 people turned up for the live music night. Hope things pick up as its always been a nice local.

Very friendly staff. Dog friendly. I would recommend for families and casual drinks in the area.

Lepa bašta. Velika gužva, ljudi bučni. Usluga dobra, hrana dobra, porcije velike

The manager treats his staff terribly shouting at them and being extremly agressive to them not only does he do it to his staff but customers also get his rudness and agressivness

Appauling service the manager refuses to sell alcohol to customers in a pub. He has a sick power thing thinking he owns the pub.

Horrible but really bad, its the worse pub I have ever been, staff are stealing peoples belongings on the quite and the manager doesnt allow alcohol to be sold in his pub appauling exprience

What have they done?!? Been regulars for years, came in again last week for another dinner only to find they've reduced the menu to a handful of dishes and don't cater for kids at all. And no fish & chips!! What food we did order was poor quality, some ingredients weren't available, chips were frozen, and the staff didn't seem to know what they were doing.

Bad place to go. We've booked a table for Sunday roast and when we arrived the kitchen was closed and they couldn't serve any food. They messed up my day. Just a waste of time

Reserve a table for the afternoon for Sunday Roast. When we arrived we were told the kitchen was closed (although the website says food served until 6pm). Place looked ok but the staff were bothered that we wasted our journey. If you decide to go I suggest you call to make sure the kitchen is opened. Or just take a ten minute walk down the road to the Brewhouse & Kitchen where they serve food at the times they said. Atmosphere is a lot better too.

Only did some flooring in here and haven't had a chance to chill but it is a decent pub. Manager very nice and helpful and all the staff get things up and running smoothly 👍🏻

Booked for a roast for Father’s Day. When we arrived we were told no roasts were available, and we were disappointed. We were told by the person in charge that “it’s f**king 4:30 on a Sunday what do you expect”. We would have pre-booked our dinners given the opportunity, but felt that such aggressive service was not very helpful. We promptly left after this poor reception and although couldn’t get a roast, we found much kinder service at the Woodbine down the road.

We visited before and during an Arsenal match. The atmosphere before the match was great. The pace was packed with Arsenal fans having a drink pre game. When it was time for the game it was pretty quiet and they weren't even showing the Arsenal match but I think it was not being televised in the uk which sounds stupid but that's uk/premier league broadcasting. This was pretty disappointing. Otherwise, the selection of drinks is good even though they didn't have some of the beers. The food was great, it was a Sunday so we had to have the Sunday roast which both the beef and the pork were really good with really big portions. The dessert was mouthwatering too. Would visit again even if it was just for the pub food.

Victoire was an amazing bartender/ waitress, great service. I am bow a solid regular!