The Spurstowe Arms in Hackney

Potentially lovely pub ruined by the customers. Such a shame.

Had the steak sandwich and must say it was delicious. Also the Guinness was pretty good . Great interior with a clientele that likes a moustache and a beanie hat that sits high above the ears. If you know you know.

Have been coming here for years and food usually great but the staff is so hit or miss. I get it, you’re cool now but a reminder most of the clientele is local have been spending money in there since it opened.

The Spurstowe is a vibe. Young, trendy things smashing booze like there’s no tomorrow, which is the same as when I first started coming here 19 years ago and was actually young and trendy. The food is now better than it ever was which is a bonus. A proper East London institution.

We went for a Sunday roast. Atmosphere was fine and the staff were friendly. The food was pretty dire though. £26 for the beef roast. Portion size was meagrer, meat was cold and there was barely any of it, flooded with too much watery gravy. Really disappointing. Much better roasts in the area charging lower price.

Nice place to hang out with friends

Dirty beer and water glasses. Three pints had multiple hairs in them, all with smudges and one with lipstick on the rim. Sunday roast (£26) was served cold. Even after getting it replaced, it was unimpressive food swimming in what seemed like broth (no gravy). Disappointing considering the price of everything and the potential given the location and beautiful interior.

V cool and hip pub in Hackney, nice outdoor area though could do with heaters. Pints are on the expensive side.

Great pub, lovely interieur and ambiance!!

Very trendy crowd. Great drinks and lovely staff.

Great atmosphere - menu was very limited - but what I had was nice - although I would have preferred my beef to be a little more well done - toilets were disgusting - a good scrub & a tin so paint wouldn’t go a miss - be prepared for some very crude messages on the toilet walls !!! other than that a real nice pub

As we happened to be in the area, thought we would try it. The menu was one of the most limited I have seen. But then you only need to like one item. Even so, the lack of real choice was disappointing. ¾ of us when for the beef. It was really good. But that was it. The fourth asked for a couple of starters, together, as a main, which she found OK. But the rather nice steak, with a very nice sauce was it. I for one don't take to fries. (Which I thought may have just been from a bag of frozen ones - but I could easily be wrong). The desert was a choice of Creme Brûlée. That was it. Really nice, but that was it.

It’s a vibe-y neighbourhood place. I’ve been coming for years. Very fun place. The reason for the poor review this time around is to call attention to the absurd portions / prices to their latest food menu. AVOID. They’re selling Cumberland sausages and mash in appetiser plates for £16! It’s a Joke. Get a grip.

I feel nice when I go there. Today 1st of October at 19:30 the man behind the bar, the tall guy with the moustache was very rude. We ordered together but when we asked to pay separately his reaction was not nice and not the one you expect from bar’s staff. You just can’t be so rude to customers especially when they have asked something politely. It is just unacceptable to me. Such a nice place should be accompanied with equally polite and nice people

I personally really value kind people with manners. I think it's important to treat everybody with respect. It's cool to be nice :) which is why I avoid the spurstowe *staff*

This my local Pub and is a trendy, hip place which attracts an affluent ,young crowd who have moved in to the area over the past decade or so. Food is served or you can order in food to eat inside. It has a West End feel for a local neighbourhood bar with a Beer Garden at the back and an enclosed outside area at the front for hanging out. A cool, lively alternative to hitting the West End!

Food and atmosphere amazing. One of the best pubs in east London

Nice atmosphere but the food meh

Wow, such a rude doorman. Called everyone in the queue idiots for not standing in the right place while not giving any instruction.

Younger, dare I say it, typical Hackney hipster crowd with loud, fairly unimaginative music and nightclub atmosphere at 8.30pm on a Saturday evening. High prices for basic beer (£7.20 for a Neck Oil! £20 for Navetas steak & chips (didn’t partake))maybe I’m not the target demographic in age or income. Busy, busy, there’s obviously a place for this kinda pub #22 #33

PLEASE START WASHING YOUR BEER GLASSES I BEG OF YOU Great pub, awesome atmosphere, beer is pricey but I get it - however... for £7.20 I expect my beer to come in a clean glass (those bubbles all over the inside of the glasses mean they're dirty / greasy), so the beer goes flat in about 3 mins, Please... I just want the beer to taste good

Good atmosphere, and great beer garden out the back.

I was always put off going to this pub. Wasn't really my local. But damn it's a good pub! Solid beers off the tap that taste half decent. Friendly staff behind the bar and a really buzz going on.

Fun pub with outdoor areas. Great on a sunny day

So I know this place has a too cool for school vibe . But someone needs to remind the staff they still work in hospitality . The lack of care, urgency or any kind service is crazy. The blonde waitress in particular was so Un Bothered , If you hate your job or hate serving people then maybe find a new vocation. In short its a nice pub and it could be amazing if the staff cared a tiny bit about service more than their image.

The quintessential gastro pub, The Spurstowe Arms offers indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a limited but inventive menu. The fish finger sandwich with pickled cucumbers and tarragon was heavenly! Wash it down with a 🍺 and you’re all set.

The security guard posted on the 9 July was aggressive and seemed to take great pleasure in refusing me entry because I had a small folding bicycle that has been allowed into every pub I've been to in London for years, including this one.

Lovely atmosphere, limited beer choice

Loved the general ambience but we didn't have any food

Food is great, though if you’re 40+, you will feel your age. The older staff seems to be known as the ‘Golden Girls’ which is not really a put down, but REALLY?! If you’re American and you try to hold a conversation with staff, don’t bother. Staff don’t talk to consumers at all. Just order your drink and food and sit. Seems to be the norm now in most UK pubs which is sad.

Amazing food. Beer garden is great too. Get anything that this chef makes.

You won’t miss the crowds and you wouldn’t want to

Probably the best looking staff in london especially the lbgt ones

The blonde girl behind the bar was so welcoming that the customer service alone has made me dying to come back. So many pubs lack this kind of comfortability and friendliness. Thank you, Spurstowe Arms.

The blond girl who served me looked miserable and didn't utter a word throughout my transaction. We sat outside because there was no space inside and astoundingly there was not a single outdoor heater on one of the coldest days of the year.

Lovely atmosphere early evening with candles everywhere. Great pint if Neckoil!

Very much an old school hackney pub tucked away in the back streets. Always liked the chilled vibe of this pub. Very popular with locals and Bohemians alike. Has a beer garden and space outside the front to stand in summer. Kitchen is closed on Tuesday.

Nice place, unfortunately it attracts some of the most unpleasant spoilt little rich kids that East London has to offer. A real shame, a good pub ruined.

Not the East End Pub it yous to be.!!

Really nice pub with a great atmosphere, friendly staff, and incredible food (while elliot cunningham is there) Great wine selection too, any pub that sells orange wine is a win in my book

Delectable beers and delectable clientele. Merci beaucoup. Bisous x

Good pub. Extremely disappointing burger especially given it is the only thing on the menu and costs £13.50 if you would like to have it with chips

My fave beer garden in Hackney, top pub!

It's a pub. Everyone wears black. And while it's an institution amongst a certain crowd the food has really taken a dive... But hey who eats at a pub where everyone else is just drinking. Bad food aside I'll be back

Insane food by Eat Lagom, must-try burgers and nice atmosphere. Often extremely packed

Super cute and trendy Hackney pub with a queer vibe.

Decent space, drinks and good food. All you can really ask for.

Food is some of the best in London atm. Definitely recommend going early as it gets very busy and can be hard to find a table. Staff also very grumpy

The chef here is top notch. We ordered the fried fish, tomato salad, baby gem salad and the burger. Everything was absolutely delicious - I’d highly recommend trying the burger it was the best we’ve ever had in London/England. The menu is always changing and is super creative. We’ll be back! (The only let down is the crowd in the pub and staff which make it seem like a chore to serve you)

Amazing garden area with great vibes from the staff and the patrons. (Toilets could be in a better condition though)

There is a difference between inflation and taking advantage of people. Pub garden great but food prices are ridiculous.

Food service is all over the place plus staff are grumpy

Would love food served on a plate 👍🏻

Positives: The food. The burger was amazing. Negatives: insanely busy with a LOT of very young people. The place needs a makeover. There were holes in the ground. The tables are wobbly. The paint is flaking off furniture outside. Staff act like you are being a pain when ordering. A VERY young crowd here

Nice place for a drink, great chips, lovely garden.

It's Amaizing. Such a nice place to spend your time. They have a nice open dining area at the back side. 100% recommended.

A great locals pub with bare floorboards, a big, central bar, tables inside and out, and some excellent food. Definitely one to return to!

Great drinking den with “vibe” until kitchen is sorted and food delivery is encouraged, so we can enjoy the pub and grub. Kitchen hasn’t been sorted for a while now (2019) ! Otherwise, just a pub with no food. And owners have said to go elsewhere … so we are!! End of an era I’m afraid!

I ordered a burger with “skin on” fries. It was probably the tiniest and saddest burger I ever had. A shiny plasticky bun with a beef patty burger and some plasticky cheese inside. No lettuce or any other veggies inside. Probably no organic matter at all in it. I had to ask the waiter where the skin on the fries was. She pointed out it was at the ends… I had to just bote the bullet andl believe that…

Unremarkable pub with bar staff who struggle with a busy bar waited 10 minutes watching people walk through the door and get served..

Great but quirky for food. No Sunday roast!!!! One for the hipster crossovers....

Great British local. Pop in for your daily.

If this boozer was a fray bentos pie it would eat itself...nah

Probably needs an update on the review. No one in the Sunday visited, poor attitude from the barman when asked about beers available. 6 of the 8 were not available. No cask ale. Sad to see as great location and charming place if someone put some effort.

Good pub with great atmosphere. Gets very busy, but the back garden helps spread things out. Finding a table can be a challenge, and bar staff can be a little cold & business driven, but it's a great watering hole for locals and has a feel good vibe.

Traditional East London pub meets tasty restaurant 🍔🍟🍻

Service with an attitude - Poor service from the start and didn’t improve. Bar staff just held out the payment device and left me to pay and walk off, all the time while chatting to his colleague. He could not even bother to say the price (£11.60 for two Amstels) or even manage a thank you. These are just the bar minimum of customer service I would like. A smile would definitely have been pushing it. Recently the reviews for this place are heading in the wrong direction - and it’s the opposite to the prices!

Delicious fries!! Awesome plate of Charcuterie! ;) friendly people serving!

Beautiful pub, nice beer garden, good service

Decent (enough) local pub. The garden is the highlight with plenty of seating for those summer evenings, and few tables out front. Service was fast & friendly. But don't let the back street vibes fool you, it's just as spenny as everywhere else in the area.

Great spot off the busy areas of Dalston/Hackney with friendly staff and a lovely outdoor area. Dogs welcomed too!

Stopped here for a sharpener before meeting some friends. Never have I been met with greater indifference and casual hostility in a pub. 2 pints cost £15 including a service charge which was absolutely farcical. Perhaps it's a place to be seen in or perhaps it is for people cooler than I am but on a general decency level this kind of thing is unacceptable. Try treating customers with kindness and decorum. Even if you're edgier than a set square outside of work. 👍

Great service, bar staff were fun & friendly. Good food menu, vegan choices as well. Mixed crowd, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, lively atmosphere

The pint prices are out of control.

The pub looks nice and all that. But the beer prices are out of control. How about paying 7.40 pounds for a pint of neckoil... that’s a weak mass produced session ale brewed up the road. Go to any other pub in the area and pay 5.50 for the same beer. Feels like they are trying to take advantage of clueless customers, which isn’t very nice.

Decent London boozer but almost £7 a pint is scary

The Sunday roast is great and staff is always friendly. They have a garden which is lovely in summer. It's sometimes hard to get a seat.

Went to this pub with my partner and our dog. The guys working there were very friendly and helpful. The place was packed and yet, the service was quick and efficient. The food is good, and they also have some good cocktails. I would definitely recommend a visit if you are around the area.

Nice outdoor seating and no need to book! Great range of sustainable and natural wine!

Great pub with secluded back garden

Great beer selection. Eye watering prices. Friendly staff.

Great ale, great food, great location. Outside seating area within a walled enclosure so no blowing gusts if wind. Does appear to be the trendy set drinking there on my visit. Well worth a visit.

Bursting at the seams with potential this lovely pub almost intentionally goes out of its way to disappoint. Overflowing with only the most gentrified crowd of hipsters that East London can provide, this pub seems to fetishise mediocracy. The scene (at a drinking establishment) is to cool to be concerned with basics, be that drinking: if you’re looking for a beer, it’s Moretti or bust in this nouveau riche version of Oga’s Cantina & don’t you dare ask for a packet of crisps or peanuts. The eye-rolling could last days. A prerequisite to make the cut as one of the waitstaff here is that you must appear at all times aloof, indifferent to your clientele & resemble an extra in a Rick Astley music video. The heady mix of a pub trying too hard to be anything but a simple, classic pub, results in an unsurprising stale and tasteless aftertaste. Come for the beer garden, don’t stay for the welcoming service or pub experience.

Beautiful beer garden and pub but I was put off at the price of a sausage roll that I ordered which was £4.50. standard enough price but it was a tiny slice. Beers were a tad overpriced too but I think that's just the area. Would recommend a visit but stick to the main Menu.

Lovely little pub a short distance from London Fields. Last orders were at 9:30PM though...

Excellent dealership, quality cars at reasonable price, offered an excellent price on my part exchange, a+

Well organised with social distancing and table service but once again no beer on offer and some of the staff could surely smile? 😀

Excellent lively Friday night vibe

Great food, great atmosphere and people! Must go

Just. So. Cold. Cosy pub this is not. Dickensian it is. No fires. Maybe the coal delivery didn’t arrive.

Was a my first visit here and i reallliked it. Wasn't too busy or nosy great place to hang out. Great service and good food.

Ok great to a point apart from the Chef, jade, the rest were watching me like I stole something haha Covert Bigotry at its finest

We found this pub by following our nose - and had a wonderful time. Picture this: low lighting, quick table service around the circumference of the pub, chilled conversations and an interesting menu. First pub in a long time that has Welsh rarebit in the menu and it was so tasty! Food came very quick, and the chips were also delicious. It’s a “find yourself a table and many share with others type of place” so not formal. Would definitely go back for both drinks and food.

Surprisingly vibing pub tucked deep into the neighborhood. Chatty east end hipster crowds.

For a while I wondered if the barman had no voice - he was so unfriendly and brusque and only spoke when he really had to. Obviously hated his job - or maybe just the customers. And there was no bitter to be had at all.

What a lovely pub! Sold out of a few beers but has a great atmosphere no matter that.

The Spurstowe do the best aperol spritz and the most delicious bread in town. Bar staff are super lovely

Deserves five stars for having dry sherry on the wine list. Good stuff for a pub.

Gorgeous little pub! Looks rather old from the outside but the garden out back makes up for the understated exterior!

Great atmosphere. Perfect place to meet friends for a drink. The food is good too, specially the Sunday Roast. Just a bit overpriced in general.