Equipped for gigs and Sunday roasts alike, the Old Queens Head is a rightly-celebrated Angel institution.

The Venue
Located just off Islington Green on Essex Road, the Old Queens Head’s exterior boasts a large smoking area and wooden benches for outdoor drinks, while inside the main bar is spacious and lavishly decorated. The downstairs room can hold a great deal of customers with its high chairs, sturdy wooden tables, bar stools and booths lining the walls, while a selection of comfortable sofas (and even a vintage barber’s chair) provide adequate space for a postprandial slump around an ornate fireplace. Meanwhile, decoration comes in the form of gilt mirrors and frames displaying specials and announcements, chandeliers seemingly made from antlers, a suspended carousel horse and a great deal of mounted animals – perhaps sourced from nearby Essex Road taxidermist, “Get Stuffed”?

A short walk past a small outside beer garden towards the back of the venue leads you up a wooden staircase to the first floor function room, which, if anything, is even more elaborately decorated than downstairs. With a host of low tables and comfortable booths, as well as its own serviceable bar and nearby facilities, this Victorian space has been luxuriously appointed with old placards and posters, fresh flowers and what appears to be a centerpiece made from gramophones - all of which offsets a large stage and DJ booth near the entrance, which play host to all sorts of events and concerts. Elsewhere, a further trip upstairs leads to a furtive karaoke room, lovingly furnished with plush sofas and plasma screens.

The Atmosphere
As laid-back and friendly a pub as you are likely to encounter in central London, the Old Queens Head attracts a diverse and youthful clientele from nearby Angel and the City. The ambience is conducive to effortless wit and repartee (the steady flow of drinks plays its part as well), and the ever-changing line-up of concerts, DJ sets, stand-up performances and pub quiz’s upstairs keep regulars on their toes – to this reviewer’s knowledge, it’s the only place in town where you can walk in on a Sunday afternoon to be confronted by a burlesque open mic, without anyone batting an eyelid. Throughout, the members of staff are thoughtful and well-versed, the service is fantastic and the music is as on the money as you’d expect given its part of the Colombo Group (The Nest, The Westbury etc). The Old Queens Head really does cater to every occasion, from the hedonistic highs of a Saturday night to the bleary-eyed aftermath over bloody marys and board games the next day.

The Food
The food on offer, while limited in variety, is absolutely superb, not least on a Sunday when impeccable roasts are dished out in their dozens – chicken, beef, lamb and vegetarian options are available for £10-£12, while the Queen’s Roast, a combination of all four which should not be taken lightly, comes in at £19 (not bad for three square meals in one). During the week the menu is fairly basic but immensely satisfying, with steak sandwiches, burgers and sharing platters proving to be big favourites, until Saturday brunch, which takes in spot-on full English breakfasts and eggs benedict for £6.50-£7.50.

The Drink
For a venue boasting two substantial bars, the Old Queens Head doesn’t disappoint, with a vast array of soft and strong drinks alike. Beer and cider is relatively cheap (£3.70-£4), with a few wildcards such as Redchurch ales and Symonds cider thrown in to keep things interesting, while the wine and champagne list is brief but well thought-out, with recommendations according to dishes. Cocktails (£7.50) are very popular as well, with the Patron Espresso Martini providing a much-needed lift post-roast, and the establishments’ signature Bloody Mary offering similar relief after a night on the tiles. It seems the staff have taken to heart the truism about alcohol being “the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems”.

The Last Word
By successfully combining a gastro pub with DJs and live music in an unpretentious setting, the Old Queens Head is one of the friendliest, most well-rounded venues in London.

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