I have lived in Holloway for the past 7 years and the only bar to welcome me to the area and make me feel at home was Big Red and their amazing staff. Its become like a second home to me.

The staff are accepting and polite and its fantastic in terms of their food (you can smell the grill at work unlike microwaved stuff in other places). Its worth the wait!

Unlike the other bars around the Holloway area that are still focused on traditional English pubbers, Big Red cover for the youthful in spirit and the energetic (old or young) Not the coma patients you would find at The Holloway Pub (now gone) and The Hercules.

Yes, it does get busy, crowded and service does get a little slow on Match Days but then I use the good sense to not go if that is the case. I enjoy normal days where there is a good atmosphere, good selection of music for the rockers (Although would love some Linkin Park in the mix) and pool tables are always a good way to make friends.

Having been residing in Holloway for just over a year, and in being a guy thats laid back and alternative I can say, aside from the rougher bars in the area, Big Red is the one I least enjoy drinking in. Reasons being the female staff are on the whole very rude, I have seen people leave the bar due to their attitudes, whether it be not turning the volume up in the bar when it is packed to the rafters for a football game, they have ahuge screen for the games, so they cater for footie, with some pathetic xcuse. Denying to customers that they ordered food and with no apology?! Even tho it was their mistake and just their overall manner when they serve u. Manners don't cost athing. My experience in a sense echoes what fellow reviewers have said about other alternative bars like the Hobgoblin in Camden and the Intrepid Fox in Denmark St, about the younger staff being rude. Immature staff in this case, meaty girls dare I say it, treatin the bar like its their own social club. I guess the influx of students and wannabees that go there, don't question much, and so they get away with it. But the staff in abar can set the tone and in this case it ain't anice one. Shame seeing I believe this part of Islington is crying out for a good alternative bar where all that r authentic r welcome. Perhapes the pockets of Goths that infiltrate Big Red on the weekend see it differently, seeing people tend to keep to themselves or their groups. But either way compared to the vibe in other bars its along way off in feeling like ones local. Well thats my view guys.