After having had a pleasant experience a while ago, I booked to have our team xmas lunch here. However, the experience we had this time round was completely the opposite. For the price that we were paying, we expected great service (with a smile, no less), great food, and a warm and welcoming Christmassy ambience.

Far from it, we received conveyor-belt style service with staff demanding that we eat our food even though only half our party were there, and constant reminders that we HAD to be out by 2.30pm, as soon as we got there. Plates and glasses were taken from the table before they were even finished on more than one occasion. Drink orders took ages to come, and food portion sizes and quality were below average. The brownie was more of a cake as it was so dry. The cheese 'board' was a very poor excuse for one. And - just a little thing, but it was very much noticed - a very low quality Christmas cracker with only a tiny plastic model for each person. We paid almost £50 a head - we expected a bit more than this. The final blow was when we tried to ask for our bill as we were painfully aware of our deadline to vacate the table - it actually took us over 20 minutes for us to settle the bill as staff were so slow at bringing the card machine to us. The staff then glowered at us for delaying the next table, who were asked to wait around our table, which didn't make the experience any more enjoyable.

The whole party left feeling very underwhelmed, and none of us have absolutely no inclination to return, or recommend this place to anyone else. Steer clear of this if you want much higher quality food and service for much cheaper.

A review to counteract all the moaners. The Albion does the best roast in London. Period. It also has a waitress with the best arse in London. For this it deserves a double thumbs up. Move out of the way all you moaners!

I went last night with couple of friends and the beer garden was full, but managed to get a table and had the most amazing dinner, starter of smoked salmon that melted in your mouth and a meat platter, my friends then shared one of the special steaks and i had the juiciest burger ever. The portions are quite big so didn't go for dessert, but the whole meal was fantastic. I must not forget to mention the service which was great, the staff were busy, but made sure we got everything we wanted, would definitely go back!

I went here on Saturday night for a farewell dinner for a friend staying from the US.

We waited 30mins to be seated at our table. After 35mins of waiting for our food one of my friends asked for some bread and how long the wait was. No one came back and we never saw the bread. At 9.30pm it was too cold to stay outside and we asked to be moved in. We also asked again for the bread. It never appeared but the food finally arrived after over an hour of waiting.

If the staff had explained what was going on and offered us some olives/bread I wouldn't have minded but having to keep asking where our food was and being given curt, angry responses was unacceptable.

It was very good food but we were so hungry when it arrived we bolted it down. The staff were incredibly rude and we ended up having to pay the bill at the bar because no one came to the table.

The evening was ruined by the staff. Looking at reviews this has been a persistent problem the Albion hasn't taken on board. It's a shame given that the food is good and the interior and garden are very attractive.

I went to the Albion for the first time last night for a friend's 30th birthday. It is the most over-priced pub I've ever been to. 55 quid for 6 drinks and a jug of [very weak] pimms. I don't mind expensive bars and pubs but if I'm paying through the nose for crap drinks, I expect the astronomical mark-up to fund things like cleaners for the toilets (which weren't nice in the slightest). The garden and building are both very beautiful but that's not enough to get me back there again.

Very disappointed with this pub! Has the potential to be a great place with its great location , and great decor and layout with a pretty beer garden.

Unfortunately the staff completely drag this pub to a 2 out of 10! Very rude and unwilling to help, according to them either there way or the highway! Food is very over-priced, very pretentious, the pub has a lost identidy between pub and restaurant!

As a local in the area, there are many nice pubs, especially with the crown just 1 minute further down the road, ive never written a review for anything, as i felt i was spoken to so rudely by the staff in this pub i felt i needed to! The selection of beers, ciders and ales is minimal!! I used to work in a pub and enjoyed talking to punters and being helpful, i honestly wouldn't bother with this place!

Singularly the worst pub in Islington with the rudest staff. Last night we turned up in the pouring rain and the pub was open, we walked in and were told our booking was cancelled for a wedding. They wouldnt even let us have a drink before braving the rain. Last week the food on Sunday was so bad we got up and left our food.

What a disappointment this place was. Can't fault the food in terms of quality but massively overpriced.
The main problem though are the really horrible and rude staff who just completely destroy the atmosphere