Having been to this large neighbourhood renovated pub a few times I was surprised at all the negative reviews on this site. A group of 9 of us ate there last night and the staff / service / food were really quite good and seemed to match the pricing and overall feel of the place.

There is a large dining room attached to the pub and the beer garden is also quite large. I can see why it gets very busy in the summer, (with Asahi and Peroni on tap). Understandably when large numbers of people swamp the place on a sunny afternoon, the kitchen and staff might come under some strain serving 100's of guests, but in my experience its never anything beyond the realm of a little patience, or something that would justify an online moan or a bad review.

A perfect example of why review sites and angry opinions of people you've never met should be taken with a grain of salt. Go see for yourself.

Complete rubbish. Seven of us ordered food at the same time. Dishes came out one by one over the course of an hour. Two people left out completely only to be told that they had run out of food. Staff obviously didn't care at all and received attitude when asked for a refund. Steer clear of this pretentious excuse of a pub.

Unpretentious, stylish surroundings, reasonable prices, and good quality food that was well presented and with generous portions. We were slightly unsure what to expect, given the previous reviews, but we'll be coming back! The service was faultless, and friendly. Whatever criticisms have been made in the past, the staff have certainly
acted on them -- highly recommended.

I visited the canonbury pub today to celebrate my birthday. My sister joined me and made an hour trip to spend the afternoon with me. I found the staff simply rude, we had two children with us and they clearly didn't like it. It was 15.00 when we arrived and the pub was Pretty quite but the manager repeatedly asked them to move there chairs and stood watching them. My sister felt uncomfortable and soon left. Apart from this we were served food which we began eating, to our disgust the management said that it was another tables and after us eating a parts of it served it to another table and later brought us ours. I'm a regular visitor here and I am shocked and appalled by the service we received today.

I have been to the canonbury a few times now and am not impressed. The service is very bad and they are very anti children. I have found their attitude towards children appalling especially the managers. For this reason I would not come back. I would not recommend this pub. Food Is only average and staffing is below average.

I have been to this pub a few times and have to agree with the comments here - the staff behind the bar are either slow or confused and the waiting staff pretty unimpressed with everthing - the manager is very aloof - it was actually quite amusing but isay that in a ironicly. Food is not knockout like it could be and the steak was tiny (for best opart of £20!) BEST this is for the lovely large garden and when busy it can have a GREAT atmostphere. It's O.K but not a destination eatery like it could be - occupying such a fantastic location it SHOULD be. Go expecting a smart inside and big garden but in general the place lacks all the fireworks which would make this knockout.

Great beer garden. Food is good when it comes but service is v.slow, staff look miserable and they continually forgot tno bring us bread and sides despite asking them 4times. And they then charged us. Nice. Given it's location and decor you,d expect much better. Go with a patient minset!

Just returned from the Canonbury after trying their new summer menu.
Nothing seems to have changed the food is still bland and the service is as bad as ever. The staff seem to try their best but wander around as if they don't know what to do.
As for the management they are just plain rude, the woman in charge of the restaurant came up to our table and moved the seat cushions from the chairs we expecting our friends to sit at without even asking us if the seats were taken.
This could be such a great pub as the garden is beautiful as is the building. however, the ambiance, or lack of it, makes it appear like some chain pub that doesn't really care.

Today after the third attempt we managed to finally have Sunday lunch at our new local, the Canonbury. Unable to visit before due to weddings we'd been given 2 for 1 vouchers - a nice touch.
We decided to eat our roasts outside as the setting and weather was beautiful - we were looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the bustling atmosphere. However, no sooner than taking a sip of our drinks were the meals in front of us. Quality became questionable at this moment especially after spending an average of £15 per meal. As no surprise all were luke warm. We complained and they brought us new meals (another sip later). The chicken was dry and all meals were still average. We complained yet again, however were told to go in side and find the manager ourselves? When I finally talked to the manager after being re-directed once again, they were reluctant to offer a refund or even apologise. They took my details but I don't think i'll hold my breath to hear from them. Very disappointing.

We have been to the "newly" refurbished Canonbury twice now. The first time was for a lunch after a funeral of a dear family member and we found the staff very kind and helpful and the food really excellent even though we were a very large party with diverse eating requirements. The second time we went for a family sunday lunch and again, the food was great and the service fine. It was a very busy day but we were happy with everything.

A mid-week, lunch-time treat!

What a nice pub. Plush seating, relaxed atmosphere, charming staff – a real find for a lunch-time drink while out and about in North London on a stormy day.
Russell and Barbara
Cardiff

What a shame.
The Canonbury had reopened. I was so happy. One of the lovliest pubs in Canonbury was back in action.
I must say I was a little worried when the refurb took so long.
I finally, recently ventured in to find, sadly, it had been turned into a high street pub. A high street pub? In the middle on Canonbury?
The garden is beautiful and the new oners have obviously put a lot of care and a heck of a lot of cash into the new look. I'm just not sure what they were going for. The garden, I get, it will be lovely on a summers day especially if you were to bring children along. The pub itself is massive and kind of impersonal. Televisions everywhere, random ornaments (did I see a buddha's head?)
Staff not to worried about service, not that I would expect anything extreme, I just don't get the interior, it seems like there should be something more, its too much for where it is.
I know Canonbury people, they care about what happens to buildings, these are the exact people they should be targeting and don't think it will become a regular for many, I can't imagine any destination drinkers or diners either.
I didn't eat, so can't comment on that. My wallet was a lot lighter after only two drinks for me and my friend.

Oh dear Canonbury… Unlike a number of the other posters, I actually quiet liked The Canonbury when it re opened. A venue like this and close to home is perfect for a Sunday roast, so that’s what I marked it down for. My wife and I tried it out for an evening meal, but the atmosphere, menu and wine list just doesn’t cut it for an evening out. So back to Sunday lunches…we’ve eaten a Sunday lunch at The Canonbury about four times since it opened; having tried it out on the first weekend and last time being today (oct 3rd). At the beginning it was great, but I’m sad to report our local Sunday safety net has completely lost the plot! The atmosphere and service style is now akin to a subsidised Cafeteria with food that can’t possibly be cooked by a Chef with pride. Deep fat fried ‘roast’ Potatoes and Parsnips, Roast Chicken tougher than Nandos. Please can someone get a grip?

Just a quick note to say that I’ve not been in the Canonbury for some time and I decided to pay it a visit after hearing it had been refurbished…What a pleasant surprise, I had a house burger (un-original I know) and a pint whilst sitting in the fantastic garden, and I must say I was very impressed. Kat, if I remember rightly, was a great waitress and managed to keep her cool despite the place being full to the brim, top marks to her!
I’ve seen some of the reviews on this page and to be honest, it’s all too easy to leave a negative review and hide behind the safety of the internet these days, rather than saying something positive and praising a local pub. I say well done to the Canonbury!

We went to The Canonbury with some friends for lunch at the weekend. We were very disappointed. We had such high hopes, its in a great location, really nice garden area and lots of light and space.
However, the food is not so great. We ordered rotisserie chicken, it was very bland and I can't believe it ever went on a rotisserie. The roast potatoes were hard and tasteless. The vegetables were cold. The burgers were tough.
Not only was the food a letdown but the service too, no one seemed to know what they were doing, there were plenty of staff but they wandered around doing very little. They were disinterested and unfriendly.
We also thought it was a bit pricey - this is a pub. I don't' mind paying the prices if you've had a good meal. Other pubs in the area are much better with the same prices. Try Marquess Tavern or Duke of Cambridge. They've got loads of atmosphere too, which The Canonbury lacks.
Its worth a drink on a sunny evening but go elsewhere for a meal, there's much better places in the area within walking distance.

DO NOT VISIT THIS PUB! It's a shame you cant give no stars! My husband was in the area of the Canonbury and went in for a soft drink on his way home from visiting friends. He was refused service! He has no idea why this was and he was told he had been rude to the staff on a previous occasion. This is not the case and he was extremely upset and felt humiliated. My husband is Eastern European and maybe they think everyone from Eastern Europe looks the same or maybe they just dont like to serve them! I can't begin to tell you how distressed he is about this. They should at least try and get their facts right before they start banning people from their premises. From reading these review you would think they would be grateful for all the customers they could get! We will be following this up with Islington Council to see if they are prejudice or just plain rude! Please everyone be aware of this as I would hate for anyone else to suffer the same indignity

This is for all of you who don’t want to watch yet another miserably boring Sky Sports match on the television, but listen to some good music at a non eardrum ruining level and have a proper conversation with somebody. It’s a local pub that reflects its neighbours and appeals to those who will pay a small premium to relax in a nice surrounding, a Waitrose of pubs.

The garden is the winning element in this pub and when the sun shines it will be a magnet to all who know it’s there, it is clean and tidy and has proper furniture to sit on rather than park benches and wonky tables. If you’ve not been then I suggest you visit this summer and judge for yourself rather than basing a decision on the slightly ‘extreme’ comments here…

I admit, I was dubious at the beginning but put the initial week of struggles down to the fact it’s a NEW business and things don’t always go to plan! I now find myself in there after work on a regular basis chatting to the staff and relaxing in a comfortable environment, I’ve yet to go past in the last few months to not see it full of people.

The fact that the pub is not full of ‘football fans’ looking for £2 beers to get smashed on is a great appeal to me and my friends, that’s what the Weatherspoons on Highbury roundabout is for, the reality is that most people don’t want to endure that when they drink. There are plenty of other pubs in Islington people can go to if they find the Canonbury ‘difficult’ to get on with, we all have a free choice.

Andrew, Amy & Caroline are always keen to chat with customers and are extremely approachable, Andrew has great experience and as such, real vision for the summer, a garden with an outside bar and BBQ will be a real winner.

The Canonbury is a Sham, the drinks are tremendously expensive and the food is rubbish, there are old western movies on the tv's all the time, for what purpose I don't know. It's the 3rd time I have been in there because i'm a local and if I was the owner I would be very worried, the service is appaling. It's a flop, pitty.

I have asked for 2 lagers and some wasabi peas and the total cost £ 9,95! And there was about 15 wasabi peas on the little plate. The blond little girl there that was in charge is really rude!

Reading the other reviews, most of the criticisms seem to be from old regulars who don't like what has replaced their old pub. I've lived in the area for twenty five years. The old Canonbury Tavern was just another pub. Very spacious, with a nice garden (if that's the word for a largely paved area with lovely trees). The food was from bland to terrible. A drink is a drink is a drink.

The new place is beautifully done, the food is infinitely better than the old grub, and very good in its own terms. The garden is still lovely, paving replaced by decking. Prices are very reasonable for what it is. No longer a run-of-the-mill pub, but half stylish new pub, half restaurant. If you are in the area, worth a visit.

I waited so long for the re-opening and was hugely disappointed. I am still trying to work out exactly what it is trying to be. I have lived in the area for over 10 years and used to go into the boozer to play pool with my mates and chill out. It really was a great pub to have a pint with your mates before you tackled the extremes of Upper Street. All I can say is I hope the place falls flat on its face. It is a horrible place to have a drink nowadays with overpriced drinks and the food really is awful. I ordered a burger which when I cut into it wasnt even cooked.

And what is going on with the tvs. Black and white films being played throughout the night. They could at least put sky sports on to add a little bit of atmosphere into the place. I am definately giving it a wide berth from now on and luckily over the years it has been closed I have managed to find far better drinking holes to spend my hard earned cash. I have just recently recieved a 2-1 voucher on drinks via email however its sad to say the damage and the decor have already been done!

After Visiting the Canon during its opening week I have to say I did have reservations about returning, but a friend was really keen to see the makeover as we used to go quite regularly before it was closed a couple of years ago, so, begrudgingly I returned.Well, what a transformation!!!

really glad I made a revisit as it was a different experience all together. Bar staff were attentive and friendly and the once extortionate drinks prices have been reduced to a much more reasonable level.The food was the biggest turn around in my eyes, arrived quickly and looked great.

My risotto was huge and really tasty and my friends burger came out on a wooden chopping board which looked really good too. she gave both thumbs up! I enjoyed it so much I have actually booked the upstairs room for my work christmas party.

Hopefully the improvements so far will continue to escalate and they will end up with a really nice place again.

One thing I will say is that they need some more comfortable seating in the bar as its all a bit stiff and up right and doesnt encourage me to get cosy and hang around.

It's now 40 years since I had my first pint in The Canonbury Tavern, in what was then a Bass pub, run, not by a salaried manager, but by a tenant landlord who lived on the premises and knew how to look after his beer and his customers.

I've been a regular visitor ever since, on Arsenal matchdays. (I now live 40 miles away).I was desperately hoping that the latest incarnation - and I've seen a few in the interim - would be spectacularly wonderful.

Sadly, I have to agree with the negative comments posted thus far. The Canonbury is no longer a pub, but is now a sort of brasserie/restaurant with drinks prices to match.

Was that the idea?The garden, perhaps the old pub's best feature has been ruined. Have the changes been made, to quote Basil Fawlty, "to keep the riff-raff out"?

It's a huge disappointment to me to see one of my all-time favourite watering holes desecrated in this way. I may be persuaded to return, should the new owners stop charging West End nightclub prices for the beer.

Otherwise it's back to the Highbury Barn for me.

Incredibly disappointing. I've walked past this place for two years, anxiously anticipating the grand opening.The management have sacrificed everything about what this pub was.

The old style, ornate grandeur of this local icon has been smashed. In it's place is just another pub. There is not one thing about this place that says, 'welcome'.The staff are poorly trained and the bar area is too small.

Thus causing the (tiny) bar to become crammed and unwelcoming. If it had not been sunny and people were not in the garden, then I wouldn't have stayed.The Garden is no longer that. It is a wicker chair yard.

All of the character has been sucked out of the place. Shame.When I decided to visit with my girlfriend, we were served lattes that were gone in 3 small sips! Despite the protestations of the bar staff that these cups were the same size as any normal latte glass,

I had to remind them that when I drink from a normal latte glass from the surrounding areas, I can drink for 10 minutes, not 10 seconds. The cups that were used, were actually large espresso cups and NOT latte cups.

On my return with a friend, I decided to have a beer. On ordering Peroni and a Guinness, I was shocked to discover that this place charged over £8 for these two drinks!

In a previous response, the owners have stated that their prices are'in line' with local establishments. The only one I can think of that has drinks anywhere near to that price is The Marquess Tavern, but still, their drinks are 30p cheaper for the Canonbury equivalent and the decor is welcoming.

If that is what the Canonbury ascribes as 'in line' then I think the owners need a new compass!

I feel that the winter is going to bring in a very rough patch for this pub and if they're not too careful ie, drinks prices and general atmosphere, then this pub will again be doomed like it's predecessor.....I can't help but hope for this to happen so s

The Canonbury is a total disappointment. Despite its huge potential and "presentable" appearance, you quickly realise that it has few selling points.

The staff behind the bar lacked any sort of personal skills and were unresponsive and rude.

They looked like they were not properly trained and took an age to do anything. The drinks prices are ridiculously expensive, with 2 beers coming to almost 8 quid, and the menu is typically poor value given the standard of food that is delivered.

The seating in the garden is incredibly uncomfortable, with it presumably installed by a designer for its appearance, rather than for the actual experience and comfort it should provide the paying customers. My visit was awful.

Exceptionally fine job they've done on the decor, looks like a great place for a drink - but I wish the menu had been given equal consideration. Admittedly this was the opening night, but service was very slow and food quite ordinary. Fries massively oversalted, beans tired and tasteless, the meagre mediterranean platter consisted of lowest quality ingredients - Carluccios' one around the corner is a taste sensation for the same money. At least the chicken pie was decent enough. Looking forward to better things to come!