The Winchester in Islington

Now known as Dicey Reilly’s Bar Been open for 3 weeks Brilliant bar Brilliant staff Great craic A must visit bar

It has recently changed ownership and is now an Irish sports bar and although it might be good for the craic it’s definitely not good for the food!

What a shame! Pros: Overall all very nice food Nice interior setting. Cons: Customer service. I called when the pub opened and reserved a table. When we got there 2 people were asked to move so we could be seated at the 4 table. Which I felt really bad about so apologised myself to them. Specifically booked as on the website it states 2 4 £20 on roast dinners. But outside the board said 2 4 £22. When I asked about this I was just told it’s 2 4 £22 abruptly and he didn’t seem to care what the website said. We waiting over 30mins for our food but as they were busy was understandable but then when it arrive we had one tiny Yorkshire pudding that looked like it was out of a frozen packet when I had seen other dinners come out with the large home made looking ones, again I mentioned this but he looked oblivious and just said “it’s a Yorkshire pudding” So when we got our bill I said we weren’t paying the service change he looked quite irritated and asked why and I repeated the things I mentioned above. One me and my friends don’t agree with “optional” service charges being added and we tip based on the service, and his general reaction to everything was very blasé and then verging on rude when we paid our bill. I also believe he was probably the senior member of staff, which is a shame as everything I mentioned would of been over looked if he had actually showed some interest and concern, instead of just being indifferent. Will not be returning anytime soon.

And I'm from Yorkshire so I don't make that comment lightly! Go. Great food and service! Right up the road from Angel station.

Had a lovely time at this pub/bar, cocktails were great our recommendation is clubsmash it was rather delish! We tried about 9 different cocktails and enjoyed all of them, we came during 2 for 1, so £8 for two cocktails is a steal!!!!! Especially in Islington! Would recommend to a friend 👍 staff were friendly and accommodating they even gave us a free cocktail as they were out of watermelon syrup for a particular cocktail

I have visited here a couple of times and have always had a pleasant visit. The drinks are particularly of a good quality and it is in a good location.

Worst pub ever, don’t bother going. They sold us Tesco finest prosecco and when we complained they didn’t take any responsibility or apologise. Rude manager who doesn’t know anything about customer service. They had a board for 2 for 1 cocktails outside but said they weren’t serving it during the Christmas period. Joke establishment. Food is the only bearable thing. We ended up going to the Wenlock and Essex further along and had a great night.

They literally gave us a bottle of Tesco finest prosecco and charged £30 for it, then got arsey when we complained. Go straight to Tesco and save yourself £25

Probably the worst the pub ever. They sold us Tesco Prosecco for £30 and then denied all knowledge. Rude manager, rude staff and corny music. Food is not bad (hence the 1 star)

We came to the Winchester for Sunday lunch for a pre-Christmas get together and we were all glad we did. The food is of a very good standard, typical roasts e.g. Beef, half chicken, Pork belly with apple sauce, lamb and a three meat roast, all served with roast potatoes seasonal vegetables and Yorkshires. They even do an excellent veggie option. All the people in our group thought the food was superb and enjoyed their meals, all the plates went back empty. The staff were brilliant, really friendly and with a can do attitude. In fact out waiter had the patience of a saint to put up with our rowdy crowd and he did so with great humour a credit to the place. Value wise it can't be beaten £20 for two Sunday roast dinners around the Angel is great value. I would definitely come hear again.

Heard about this place online before we arrived in London: 2 Sunday roasts for 20 pounds is a steal. We arrived around 6pm, and there were a few tables already chowing down. Not realizing how big the meals were, we ordered some fries/chips with several dipping sauces for an appetizer. They were delicious! For mains, I ordered the roast beef, and the hubby got the pork. Two huge plates of food were presented, and we were both amused and flabbergasted in the best way possible. Our meats came on top of roasted root veggies, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, broccoli, and carrots...all covered with a delicious brown gravy. Everything was topped with a delectable yorkshire pudding. My beef was just a tad tough, but the hubby's pork was perfect. I could have definitely used a nap after finishing my plate! The food was wonderful, the price was excellent, and our cute blond server was attentive and thorough. Suffering from a bit of jetlag and confusion with the local currency, I wish I could go back and give him an extra tip for the great service he gave us. Overall, I would highly recommend The Winchester for a great British meal. We'll definitely be back!

Two roasts for twenty quid on a sunday, can't go wrong! After being horrified about the price of dining out in London this was a welcome relief. The food was absolutely delicious, arrived promptly, and the staff are welcoming and friendly. What more could you want.

Lovely service fantastic Sunday roast 2 for £20 ! All fresh even asked for crispy roast potatoes perfect 😀

I visited early evening so there was plenty of space and I enjoyed terrific service. But the food was excellent and represented great value for money

Took my wife, son and grandson to this place for an Easter lunch, was truly awful. Had a family meal here on Sunday, 1st April. My son and grandson had Roast Half chicken and Cajun chicken strips which apparently was adequate but the vegetables with the roast were undercooked. My wife and I had roast lamb which we both agreed was probably the worst bar/pub meal we have ever had. The lamb was so fatty, the vegetables were uncooked and the cauliflower cheese was watery and it was not hot. Terribly disappointed, the staff were stand-offish and not very customer friendly, didn't even say thank you or goodbye, got the impression we were intruding on their time. One guy (the manager?) was never off his phone, 1/10 only because the drinks were ok.

Fuimos al Winchester como parte de nuestra reunión anual de Navidad. Habíamos reservado la mesa en el último minuto, pero el servicio de atención al cliente al reservar era muy bueno.

food and service was excellent and very good value for money they do two sunday lunches for twenty pound and the food is lovely - clean plates all round

Friendly staff, good athmosphere, nice food and amazing cocktails, all this in the heart of angel... what else you need???

He probado un montón de asados del domingo 'en Londres pero este sin duda se destaca de la multitud.

Empezando por el lado positivo, el servicio fue genial. Muy amable y complaciente. Por desgracia, la comida no está a la altura de la misma calidad.

Visitado por navidad el almuerzo; la comida era todo en tiempo, pero no fantástico. La comida estaba caliente, no caliente? Comestible, pero no sabrosa. Coles de Bruselas fueron literalmente raw - nos trajeron un intestino de coles que evidentemente ha estado superficial; y eran bastante duras.

Came here last week with a large group didn't want a roast so ordered something else chips! and a seafood platter that took 45 mins to come me and my child looked on as they served everyone else around us, everyone at our table had eaten and me and my 4 year old were sitting there starving after watching everyone eat , absolutely terrible service and they expected me to pay service charge no way! I will never ever eat here again dare not order a Sunday roast Sunday as you will wait ages for your food! Staff were told numerous times and gave us on the house dry bread as a sorry!

Late-ish midweek arrival. With a group of 8 from work. A few people in. Initially impressed with character and feel. But went downhill with look of the bar, and lack of interest from staff

Este lugar ofrece un fantástico asado los domingos a un precio muy asequible! Mi novia es vegetariana, que puede hacer llevar el domingo un poco de dolor, sin embargo, un fantástico almuerzo en numerosas ocasiones, pero nuestra última visita fue especialmente buena.

We were suddenly in this area on Sunday and were looking for Sunday Roast (naturally :) ) And landlady of...

One of the best sunday lunches I've had for a long time. The roast potatoes were crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. The roasted garlic were a special touch and the two large portions of roasted butternut squash and goats cheese stacks were a great option (albeit the only veggie choice). The gravey wasn't anything to shout home about but it worked well with the meal. Great fresh carrots and red cabbage which I can't complain about. The staff did their job but didn't stand out more than anywhere else to be honest. Never a fan of the service charge added to the bill but it was optional. I'd definitely come again on a Sunday and to try their array of cocktails.

Visited with friends and a young baby. We had four roast dinners and two desserts between us as well as a couple bottles of wine. The road was delicious very filling and home made I enjoyed every mouthful. The dessert I had was apple crumble it was nicer than the cheese cake but both were good. The staff were nice and attentive and found us a table at the last minute so we could sit upstairs. The price was very reasonable at £20 for two roasts. I will return to this restaurant in the future.

Last Sunday, I went to the Winchester pub for a Sunday's roast.The food was really tasty and the drinks were lovely too. I totally recommend this pub, if you are in the area. The girl who served us looked a bit bored and she was not the only member of the staff who could not be bothered to be there.

In all seriousness, I'm aware this isn't the pub from Shaun of the Dead (which I believe has since changed its name) but it's called the Winchester and it's in London so I had to pop in. Great value for money (especially in London) and huge portions. Extremely friendly staff and varied bar.

Went into this place as it looked nice inside and out and just wanted a drink and chat. You got to the very small bar where they have multiple staff but doesn't matter as they don't do anything and you wait ages to be served. £10 minimum to use card as well. They played music through the night a bit too loud but tolerable and then later on pub it up to a nightclub level even though there's no dance floor and it's a pub not a club! Worst of all was I paid my tab and as I left this little waiter shouted after me and accused me f not paying the bill. When I proved I had paid it he then changed his story to me paying my tab but then ordering drinks after I paid. Also a lie. He wouldn't listen, was aggressive and lying. I got so mad. He doesn't know how a tab works! If they didn't add the drinks to the table before I paid that's their fault not mine, even though I am certain they did add it. One of the drinks was water so should be free anyway. Shouting after your customers and accusing them of lying and paying when they have is disgusting. Top it off their was a noisy group in all night, shouting and carrying on and being drunken fools but did anything get said to them? No. Probably because the staff were ripping them off. I'll never go back to this poor excuse for an establishment and I recommend no else does either.

An impromptu Xmas meal for friends and colleagues brought us to this Bar Restaurant. The staff were helpful, the cocktail menu was vast, need another visit to try more. The beef Wellington was tasty if a little over cooked. The atmosphere was buzzing. There were two separate rooms with music to dance off the cocktails. A great venue for a drink or Parteee we'll worth a visit. :)

We were downstairs for a party, which was great. The music was amazing, if you were born in the 80s and like flashbacks, although I'm sure that they would let you take control of the Ipod.The 2-4-20 pound roasts were great value, unless you're a vegetarian, in which case you barely save any money at all. The beef was said to be dry, but the Lamb and the pork were both great. The Gravy was really good.They served cocktails, and had a limited selection of cider and beer, but otherwise it was good.The service was good, when they weren't drinking jagerbombs. I think that given there were so many people downstairs, they could have branched out an got another person down there serving.

We enjoyed very good Sunday roasts and a tasty dessert. Been here for cocktails and have an intimate downstairs area.

The food here was okay, but the service was very slow and brusque. There are plenty of better options nearby.They also have very few beers available.The ceiling decorations are nice though.

The rib-eye was delicious and the service was great. Very friendly staff. One point of improvement would be to turn down the volume of the music a little.

Been here a couple of times for a few evening drinks which has normally turned into a lot!It's a good place with good music a bit cramped at times. There is a good selection of drink and the staff are pleasant.I shall return.

We stopped here in a whim. the service was good, and pizzas light and crispy. However, I felt that they had decided to go for fun and funky toppings without really thinking them through.

But still Very, Very good. One of the Best Hamburgers I have ever eaten, HANDS DOWN. The lunch special is pretty money too :buy one, get one free. Our server was very friendly and very knowledgable about the menu. I didn't order a mixed drink (It was Guinness for me), but apparently, the bartender makes a mean mint julep.

Food. Two Sunday Roasts for £20. Bargain. We went here last Sunday for our Roasts (one beef the other vegetarian). Vegetarian option was butternut Squash. Trimmings were delicious and generous Roasted potato's, garlic, Yorkshire pudding (generous size) carrots, parsnip and broccoli in gravy. Free condiments. Decor and Atmosphere, This is a pub off Essex Road and is charming, does not smell and looks clean, feels chilled and relaxed on a Sunday. Had a great time and tables and chairs mix of soft and hard. Service and staff.The staff were the best so far in terms of service and helpfulness. Really polite, could not do enough for you. Anything they did not know they went and sought clarification (regarding allergy advice etc). Felt they knew what they were talking about and helped us make choices for starters and dessert. Price. I feel the price is a bargain especially whilst this offer is on. Their menu looks diverse and fairly priced (not cheap but competitive for Islington. Would recommend this to friends and family as well as colleagues will be going again this Sunday (I feel a new local coming on). 10 out of 10.

2 roasts for £20 on Sundays. Can't beat that. Friendly service. Will definitely be back. Looking forward to trying the other roasts next time or even their puddings.

I hired out one of the areas downstairs for my 30th and it was great - the staff were fab! I really recommend it for a good dance on a Saturday night.

Looks an ordinary pub from outside but inside has full of cute and funky interiors. We had dinners and Sunday roasts here before. Food is ok, chips are good. Service can be slow at busy times but not bad.

The cocktails in this bar some some of the best ive ever had. Most are unique to the bar itself. They do an amazing one with raspberry and chilli which i think was called te 'raspbomb', and also the espresso martinis are to die for. Worth a visit!

Met up with a group of 7 friends for Sunday Lunch and a get-together. Food quality was ok. 7 of us ordered the roast. The meat was a little over-cooked for my taste. There were plenty of vegetables (baby carrots, roast parsnips and red cabbage) and three fairly crispy roasties. One of the party was veggie and opted for the haloumi burger which looked very nice and was loaded with haloumi. The roasts are normally priced up to £17.95 each! They do have an offer on for 2 roasts for £20. Which is much more reasonable - not sure anyone would really pay the full price. Service was very slow and disjointed ( a couple of plates were cleared and then it was another 5 minutes before the waiter came back for the rest of the plates) we also had a long wait for drinks. On this occasion this was not a problem as we were not in a rush, but on another occasion this could have been an issue.When we arrived the place was quite empty and quiet. However, after half-an-hour they put on the Wimbledon Final at a very loud volume that made it difficult to chat. Presumably they show other events on their big screens, so it is worth checking what might be on if you just want somewhere quiet.Staff were friendly enough Service was automatically included on the bill which is standard for larger groups, but still annoying as the service didn't really warrant much of a tip.The Winchester is a good looking pub.The pub has some chairs and tables outside for people who want to smoke or dine al fresco.Would I go back - perhaps depending on the ocassion, but I wouldn't be in a particular rush.

I booked a table for 7 on 20 th June to celebrate my big '50' unfortunately 2 of the other guests couldn't make it but the remaining party had a great time, food was fabulous, staff were attentive and very reasonably priced too! Definitely recommend this establishment. If ever I am in Islington again, I will re-visit, no question about it. Thank you everyone at 'The Winchester'

Went here with friends to celebrate a friends 50th Birthday on Friday the 19th June. The food here is absolutely amazing, freshly cooked, hot and extremely tasty and I highly recommend it.

Went last night, pub looks nice inside lots of comfy seats, good selection of drinks nice place.Only two gripes are it was fairly quiet for a Saturday night and the fiver charge to get in, stayed for one drink and moved on.

you know that feeling waking up on a sunday and you fancy a roast dinner but can't be bothered to cook well the winchester is the place to head its pretty busy so phone ahead but boy is it worth it good size roast dinner that's not pricey and tastes great, good atmosphere too.

We made a point to head for the Winchester yesterday (Sunday 22nd March) to sample their 'alleged' Sunday best roast, we were very disappointed, 2 small roast potatoes, 3 small carrots, a smattering of curly Kale, meat was OK but generally really not worth the money. The pub ambiance was OK but we were pushed into a small dark corner which itself spoilt the experience. Good service, good beer but that was about it really, we even went to a Wetherspoons pub later to get a sandwich because we were still hungry, we won't return.

Food is fantastic, and will come probably come again. Great value, nice atmosphere, but please don't backdate a reservation on our table as soon as we've paid, having only just received our teas and coffees. It's not kind, and it's Mother's day! Hurriedly left, and spoiled a perfectly good time.

The bar was near empty so we got seated immediately. We were a bit apprehensive with there being no one else there. We ordered eggs florentine and another egg dish. The poached eggs were delicious! Lovely creamy hollandaise sauce. Would be a great bar for an afternoon beer too I'm sure

Nice Decor, laid back vibe..used to go there in the old days before the revamp. Food looked really good too.

Went here for dinner on a Saturday.The place was full so when ordering our dinner we also ordered some hummus and pita to eat while we wait for our food. It took 15 minutes for our drinks to arrive. After this we waited another 30 minutes. We had to ask for our hummus. The english waitresses was so impolite. She simply stared rudely at us and walked away. Our hummus then arrived.... And 1 minute later, our food. (Annoying)The food was delicious at least. The only redeeming aspect of our visit here. (We had burger, fried camembert, kebabs, and risotto.)One guy from our party noticed that he only had one of his two kebabs on the plate. We could not get hold of a waitress to ask though. When we were all done with our food a more polite and apologetic spanish waitress brought the kebab on a separate plate telling us it was prepared separately and waiting in the kitchen because the chefs were busy. (This was a new experience in busy restaurants for me – I didn’t know whether to laugh or “facepalm” or both)As we looked over the dessert menu the waitress spotted us and came to tell us that they were not taking dessert orders since the kitchen was too busy.Here are some tips Winchester Bar: If you can’t keep up decrease the number of tables, or increase the number of staff. Tell your waitresses they're meant to be polite. Tell your chefs that they can’t split out a main course on multiple plates and send them out with an interval between, just because they’re busy.Sorry – The food was good but I won’t bother to come here again. The service was just silly, bordering on ridiculous.

Excellent Local pub for any situation. Nice for brunch or lunch, not bad value and good food. A good pub for afew drinks, Go on a Thursday for 2 for 1 cocktails! Or end your night in Angel downstairs where it's open until 4am, with a mix of music. Recently booked a table upstairs for my birthday and stayed there all night.

I love this place - especially on a Thursday when the cocktails are two for one. Lovely food, good drinks and really brilliant service.And the loos are so much better after the makeover!

I'm always a returning customer at this place! Food is always on top form and up to my standards which is very fussy! Great place for an evening out with good choice of menu

Having friends and family down for easter sunday at the winchester was wonderful. As I couldnt be bothered to cook the winchester was the perfect place. It has a real home from home vibe. The kids were left to there own devices with plenty of board games and staff that didnt mind having a few jokes with them also.When our roasts came everyone was happy, the only thing I would have changed was an option for a childrens roast, but the staff were happy to give us extra plates for the kids and even gave them a cute platter of cookie and treats for free!All in all a great day and would recommend it to anyone. The playlist was even great!

Hi, been here a few times for food, drinks and dancing. Some great 2 for 1 deals on food and drinks...djs playing party tunes til the wee hours,..and super friendly bar staff especially Dhaniella always up for the craic! Oh, the door staff arent bad either!

the restaurant offer a special bank holiday menu, although substantially reduced in size from the usual menu, it still offers great food. the burger with chips and salad is brilliant. i also managed to steal half of my fellow diners fish and chips which was delicious. service was quick and friendly. and I still swear by their Bloody Marys. you can beat them. yum! the quirky interior never tires!

Took the my friend out for the day for a late birthday treat Easter Sunday. By 5pm we were in the mood for a roast. We have both been for a Sunday roast here a few times and it's a good value with its 2 for 1 price. We found a table quickly as it wasn't as busy as expected. I had lamb and she had beef, the food arrived in roughly 10mins. Strangely both plates looked the same and the only way the waitress could tell them apart was the pot of mint sauce on mine. It was defiantly a microwave job, the meat was so tough it was hard to cut and impossible to chew, the veg had absolutely no flavour and the whole plate lacked colour apart from the swede or maybe it was sweet potato (had no flavour so who knows) My guess is the only thing fresh on the plate was the gravy! It was a huge portion but so disappointing, I was a terrible end to a lovely day. None of us ate it despite being really hungry, it was absolutely shocking that a chef had cooked it. Think we would of enjoyed a microwave Sunday dinner more!!After a while a waiter finally came over to ask if we were still eating or finished, we complained saying we couldn't eat it as it was so bad. We tried to explain all the things wrong but he was sort of walking off as we spoke. He said he would pass our comments onto the chef.We didn't get an apology or any discount. Will never eat here again !!!It's a same as I live so close but I never received such a disgusting meal in my whole life. It was never like this before so maybe the chef has changed.

Pleasant staff, warm atmosphere, good food.Prefect.Walked in and made to feel very welcome ,happened to be the steak night on a Monday so I was in luck.Sirloin well cooked, very nice side, onion rings were great, not sure that my workmates will enjoy the garlic mayo as I did.

definitely worth a visit for their Sunday roast. pick from pork, beef, chicken, lamb or the nut roast. comes with all the trimmings and Yorkshire pudding. great value with 2 for 1 (works out at £7.95 each), for a massive serving. really delicious! try their bloody Mary's with lunch. it makes a great combination.

Early evening and a pleasant atmosphere. It was busy but not packed. 2for1 Sunday roasts were on offer at £16.50 and the usual european lagers were not overpriced for the area. The waiting staff were very helpful and attentive. Our food came worryingly quickly - they must have excellent microwave ovens.The meat was plentiful and tasty, as was the veggie nut roast option, and accompanying vegetables were neither soggy nor flangy. The meal was flooded in gravy - perhaps a little jug on the side would be better? There is a massive variety of cuisine in the area, but if you want something traditional on a Sunday, give it a go.

Charging almost £20 a steak you would expect something more from these guys. Both my partner and I asked for rare and medium rare steaks but both were hardly even pink and completely tasteless. After mentioning to the waiter that we were unhappy and explaining how they tasted all he could say is 'we welcome your feedback' he couldn't even manage a 'sorry' or complimentary coffee or even a reduction from the bill. Definitely won't be coming back or recommending this joint!! Disappointing

This is one of my favourite eateries in Islington. A lovely pub, serving top quality food, with great, friendly, funny staff and a good selection of drinks. Sometimes the cocktails are on offer, which makes them good value at 2 for 1.I would recommend this for social occasions, though I've also had business lunches here.

Really nice bar...especially on Thursdays when they have amazing cocktails (and its 2for1, even better!) My friend and I have both had our birthdays there as you can hire out a really nice little area. The food is fab too. I think it's obvious, i'm a regular!!

Best 241 cocktail place in London - (thursday nights and Sundays all day).they put loads off fresh exotic fruits in both the alcoholic and non alcoholic cocktails.I used to come here often for amazing 241 Sunday Roasts, had a very very bad experience last year for a work Christmas dinner here though. And haven't tried the Sunday roast since, but have since been there to eat and the food was fine.

delicious and nice service. They have two for one lunches.. and there is a good selection on the menu.

A group of us enjoyed a lazy birthday lunch - 14 of us in total - the service was good with all the food arriving almost together. The waiting staff coped admirably with 14 of us ordering different food and drinks. And they were even more impressive when it came to each of us paying separately - cards and cash! I felt the price was a little steep for a lunch - a main, 2 glasses of wine and a coffee = £25, so was sorry it was a Saturday - no 2-4-1 deal :(

I agree with a lot of the other reviewers. The 2 for 1 lunchtime deal is definitely a bonus, however the food is a bit hit and miss. If you're keen on a burger then it's ok, but if you're ordering anything else the food is rather mediocre. The service has gotten better, but at times there were only 2 staff taking the orders and serving the food, so the service was very very slow (between 1pm and 2pm). It's very popular on a Friday, so be warned, you might be waiting for your food for a long time. Also it can get a bit chilly if you're sitting near the entrance door. Generally ok. I think there are better places to go to in Islington.

I tend to visit The Winchester on regular basis as I work very close and I think it's a very pleasant place. They serve very good food, amazing burgers (and that's all 2 for 1) and their waiting stuff is always very friendly and ever so helpful. We also had a our last Christmas party there and couldn't complain about anything. The food was excellent, service was always on time and they also looked after us for the rest of the day as some of us stayed also for dinner, drinks and some dance adventure. There is a dance floor and bar on the lower ground which is very convenient for those who like to party a bit longer.

Nice decor, good service and great location.2 4 1 sunday roast was cheap - you get what you pay for! Meat was overcooked and covered in gravy the rest was ok- cabbage was very yummy though. Good atmosphere- would recommend for drinks and dessert but roast was not great.

on a rainy sunday evening we went to this beautiful pub not far from angel tube station. great place, graeat ambience, great food and of course great beer! we had humus and pita bread and nachos for starters. then on sunday they have the 'get 2, pay 1 formula'. so we ordered two roast beefs and two lambs for the three of us. actually we did not want the fourth portion even if it was on the house! anyway we were suggested taking it away and warming it up the next day. however as we are from italy and were in london on holiday we did not have any access to the kitchen in our hotel. out of the blue i had a super idea. i asked for a doggy bag and after we left the pub, we took it straight to the homeless at hyde park corner. a great roast beef with yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, carrots, french beans, broccoli and gravy. i gave it to a guy who thanked me a lot for that unexpected present at night. we would really love to go back to the winchester next time we're in london as everything was absolutely great!!