The wall of celebrity photos and the famous landlord gives connotations of an upmarket sophisticated pub, however the Haverstock Arms is merely your standard boozer.

The Venue
Surrounded by the beautiful residential streets of Belsize, and minutes away from Chalk Farm, Haverstock Arms is in a perfect spot to bridge the gap between local, sophisticated Hampstead residents and trendy, more upbeat Camden crawlers. The landlord Andrew, whom you may recognise as the Irish Barman from 90s hit show TFI Friday’s, has attempted to do this by creating a traditional, male-orientated pub. The walls are covered with train, bus and alcohol memorabilia, perfect for all the little boys inside the regulars. One wall, however, is covered with photos of Andrew with his many celebrity friends, with every name from Pierce Brosnan to Barbara Windsor. There’s also a table complete with signatures of all the celebrity guests that have graced the pub with their presence. It does add a unique twist to your average pub, and maybe even a hint of history and exclusivity, but this is fleeting as the venue itself cannot hold its own against this. Dull red booth seating lines the wall, and the darkness of the wood panelling only adds to the heavy feel. The three screens, which almost always have sports showing on them, add to the manly feel.

The Atmosphere
During the day, this is old man central, as they scatter themselves around the pub nursing pint after pint, staring vacantly at the TV screen. However as the night falls, a more varied crowd begins to come in. This isn’t a particularly young, trendy pub, so the crowd are of the more laid back, older types. You may even get a glimpse of a celebrity as the wall suggests, but it seems to be the same faces that line the bar rather than preened, polished stars. The bar staff are fun and friendly, which makes you feel welcome, and they're happy to enjoy a bit of banter with the regulars.

The Food
There are two menus to choose from at the Haverstock Arms. The first is pretty much what you’d expect - standard British pub grub such as steak and ale pie and scampi and chips, with everything costing around £7. There is also a good choice of Thai food, with typical curries and other dishes also for around £7, for those feeling more adventurous.

The Drink
To please the regulars of this establishment, there’s a decent range of beers on tap, including all the usual favourites, as well as three traditional ales and a choice of bottled beers. Draught pints are £3-£4, whilst the bottled varieties are a bit more expensive. The wine list offers a handful of options for red and white, and with the house wine for only £8, it’s hard to complain.

The Last Word
This pub could be a lot more, but it seems to place to much emphasis on its celebrity landlord rather than take the opportunity to create a cosy yet traditional pub.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (1) image gallery (4)