The Artillery Arms

Really struggled between a 3 and a 4 so will break it down along both lines.
It’s a 3 because it is always super busy (spilling out well into the street) when I decide to go there. It has quite a narrow square footage, with the top floor providing some sanctuary… that is, if you can get to the stairs. Not a whole lot of variety in terms of ales. I didn’t find the staff particulary friendly and it’s patrons are often suit-​and-​tie professionals or lawyers from Slaughter and May which is almost a little too close to the pub. Not sure how they get any work done ;)
It’s a 4 because it is solid Fuller’s pub, slightly tucked away and on the boundary of a graveyard, giving some edge to what would otherwise be a neat and tidy pub, ‘pub for the junior partners’ without much character. The prices are reasonable for the area and there is not a lot to find fault with. It doesn’t have a city feel, but I rather like a bit of London in my pub. Good Old Street location for a night out in Hoxton… though maybe not after 5pm on Fridays… you won’t get near the door.

Bit of a peculiar location, right opposite the graveyard,
but fair enough «life goes on».
Good choice of beers, pleasant atmosphere, close to the city and thus a lot less busy on sundays than during the week.
Food is neither expensive, nor exciting;
sunday roast was «okay», coffee mediocre.
This is a good beer drinking location!

I’m in London 4−5x a year for work. My last trip was last week. Thursday night, met up with some of the lads for beers. Great spot. It’s their usual haunt, but was completely new to me.
Nice selection of beers/​ales, and excellent value relative to overpriced spots I’d visited earlier in the week with other co-​workers and customers. All in all, a lovely spot that’s very worthwhile to stop in for a pint. Afterwards, a short walk to Old St, and 15 minutes later, I was off the tube and back at the hotel.
I’ll be back, for sure.

A great city pub where locals mix it with city workers and the art crowd from the nearby Barbican. Gets very busy on Thursdays & Fridays when the office workers pour in to enjoy the good selection of Fullers ales. Now serves food seven days a week. A nice place to stop at if you’re in the area.

This is my favourite city pub, not too many city types. Well kept ales, one bad point is they have a new policy of short filling pints. Also the governor has start looking a miserable old git.

Nice local pub, normally showing sport so is a good lunchtime destination when the cricket is on. Not a wide range of beers, Grolsch on tap which is fine for me.

I haven’t reviewed this place sooner despite numerous visits I was torn between a 3 rating and a 4 rating.
This is a very popular pub a stones throw from the city. It doesn’t feel like a city pub, which paradoxically is why it’s so popular with city types. On any given weekday, if the temperature is above freezing, there are more people drinking outside than there are inside, strewn around all over both sides of the roads that meet there, like a group of rioters that have simultaneously forgotten just what it was they were rioting about.
So far it doesn’t sound like I really like it but I have also dropped by at the weekend where its actually possible to get inside the pub and to the bar where they have an excellent selection of drinks, with a number of ales. I have found the staff and weekend drinkers there to be friendly types.
They also have 2 TVs for the sport and this is where I finally found something to tip me off the 3 star/​4 star fence. I mention sport a lot in my reviews, either from going to see it live or enjoying it in a pub. I’m a big fan of both cricket and football, but when a pub chooses to show to random Spanish football teams (not even the big teams) playing each other ahead of the national team playing cricket it annoyed me and finally made up my mind. I know it probably says as much about the state of the sport in the UK as it does about the pub, but at least I finally get to write my review of this football.
In conclusion I would highly recommend this pub at the weekend, if you’re not a cricket fan.

The Artillery is a rare example of a good pub in the too-​trendy location of old street and hoxton. Although it gets mega busy on a friday evening, you are always left with the sense that you know about a good thing when many don’t.
The beer is excellent (fullers pub) and the price is very reasonable. They will show the football and if you can get a seat I guarantee you will stay all night.
The upstairs bit is lesser known, so check it if it is busy downstairs. It is also a great place for a relaxing sunday pint — very quiet and good for meeting friends away from the bustle of old street.
Recommended for all occasions, especially if going out in hoxton later on.