O’Neills Holborn is an Irish pub without much authentic Irish influence; however, they serve an excellent Guinness.

The Venue
As you enter, you’ll see a couple of signs in Gaelic such as Craic. And that’s about the only Irish influence that can be detected in the decor. Instead, O’Neills Holborn has opted for interesting tiled floors, sturdy wood and iron tables, and comfy leather seats. Not bad for a pub, but there isn’t any unique character that makes this O’Neills stand out as an exciting Irish pub.

The lighting is fine in the bar area, but in the seating area there is a strong red tinge making it claustrophobic for punters. The widescreen TV is a good addition considering the crowd are sport loving types.

The Atmosphere
This is where you’d expect the warmth of the Irish to win you over, which is true of the friendly staff, but some of the regulars at O’Neills Holborn are the depressive ‘old man pub’ types so they bring down the atmosphere.

During the afternoon, there’s a laid back, down-to-earth feeling of old friends catching up over a leisurely drink, with a few bored blokes in the corner; however, in the evenings - especially sports nights - the place fills out with after work drinkers and lads out to have a good time in a friendly atmosphere. It works mostly, but it doesn’t welcome those who aren’t the blokey pub types as they stick out like a sore thumb.

The Drink
Being an Irish pub, Guinness is the best and only drink to have at O’Neills Holborn. It’s poured well, by bar staff who have become used to serving it, so your creamy, rich pint of Guinness will be given to you as it should be. There are also quite a few beers available to tempt people away from the dark pint, with a small but affordable selection of wines.

The Last Word
O’Neills Holborn is a basic pub that’s neither charismatic nor exciting, but it’s a decent place for a Guinness whilst watching the match.

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