The Barley Mow

The Barley Mow is one of those spots that will change on the night you go.
Sometimes, it’s a really fun old man’s pub in the heart of hipster village, making it an anomaly all on it’s own. They bring in great local spots to run pop-​ups and serve some delicious eats and it’s a good spot to grab a good beer.
But other times, like late on a weekend or if a game is on, this place is chaotic, loud, dirty, horrible to sit and try to eat or hang out with friends. Unless you’re there for the party, you don’t want to be there.
Just know what night it is and know what you’re getting into and you’ll be fine.

Wow turned up had a few drinks in here. They had a quiz night on which we joined in on the first round. At first we didn’t know they did food as its not really advertised that well but when we did we had a hamburger each and wow. They were so tasty def a 10 out of 10.
Would def revisit.

I finally had a visit from a Canadian friend, albeit a brief one. With the plethora of drinking establishments in Shoreditch I could have taken her anywhere, but I opted for The Barley Mow because of the ‘traditional pub’ label it’s been given on here.
It’s small and narrow. The walls are dark. Everything smells of fresh beer and wood. It’s absolutely wonderful and exactly the type of place to go if you want to get a more traditional feel in the midst of the trendiness and styled kitsch of Shoreditch. The bar staff are friendly and make great recommendations, and are always offering to let you have a taste of what’s on tap before grabbing a full pint. I can’t say much about the selection itself as I don’t drink beer, but there seemed to be a wide variety including the usual London Pride, in addition to a couple more crafty brews.

I LOVE THIS PLACE. The beer selection is tip top and it has that really nice old man feel lost in some trendier new spaces. Shame is it gets full to brim on a Friday so that it is impossible to get anywhere near the bar. I enjoy it midweek or on a Saturday/​Sunday afternoon after a mosey around Spitalfields market.

Recently moved to London from California, and found this gem within a week of moving in. I now stop off there at least once a week. Great place to hang out when the hipster Shoreditch bar scene is overwhelming you. I recommend going to their quiz nights (19:30 Tuesdays and entry is FREE).
They have hands down the best Thai food in the area.
Great bar with cozy atmosphere and friendly staff. A must go.

This place is great. Friendly good beer both lager and bitter. I have stumbled into a gem

This pub is excellent. I went here on a Sunday night and it was near empty, but it didnt have that hollow feel about it, it was cosy, it was pubby, it was just right. Good beer, the patrons were Hoxton set naturally and the whole place had that sort of welcoming warming glow about it. A classy bare floorboards sort of place. It is truly an excellent pub.

There’s nothing better than having a local pub that is less than 100 meters from your flat. And a GREAT local pub is even better. This place is cozy and cheap-​ish. They even have a beer I love– Leffe Blonde! Woo hoo!

I remember when my mum used to come here after an art opening and i would be allowed to curl up in the corner and sleep for a bit. It was just as popular then as it is now and it really hasnt lost any of its proper east end/​artsy mix of people and décor. and now that i go there to drink occasionally its interesting to see its spanning the generations of my family.
I havnt had the opportunity to go there as much as i’d have liked, but i would really recommend it.

Isn’t it a pleasure to be able to find a proper boozer in the midst of all the trendy’ed up bars and the like in Shoreditch.
Only a stone’s throw, or a generous roll to most of the aforementioned, but better, much better.
The only slight down side is the selection of draft lager — all Litovel. Which I don’t like very much, why not Staropramen, or Budvar? — If it has to be Czech lager. They do have a good range of other draft drinks — incl fruit beer, and real ales. The selection of bottles beers n stuff is good, plus wines etc.
Now for the important bit — this pub is a real gem in the heart of this area. Wooden floor, wooden bar, tables, stools, benches etc. Has a welcoming feel about ti, particularly on a cold, wet Sat night.
It is a tad on the compact side, however I think this adds to the ambience of the place (more seating upstairs actually) It gets pretty busy on a Fri & Sat night, after about 9.30pm Reckon it’s the pre-​club goers place to meet for a quiet one, prior to having their ear drums severely assualted in the nearby clubs/​bars etc.
Staff are cool, and friendly. The service is quick enough, even if a few people waiting. Come the end of the evening for the Barley Mow — which is a surprisingly early 11pm on a Sat night, the clientele are encouraged to move on. Lucy, the manager, has been known to employ music as a weapon at this time, if people aren’t drinking up quickly enough. The only time the music will interupt your conversation — something which can’t be said for the most of the local bars etc.
All in all, this is a pub, proper and as such it’s a real pleasure. Get away from the rest of Shoreditch, sit and have a drink, chat to your mates, chat to the staff, or chat to the person next to you.
Do yourself a favour, pop in here when in the area, you won’t regret it, I think you’ll love it!

I wonder sometimes if Nathan Barley was named after this place.
Ace location, better than average ale selection. The best name for a pub ever. Best in the Summer time, when the corner overflows with drinkers.

Full of character, far from quiant, the Barley Mow is an active member of the Shoreditch family without any of the drawbacks. In its favour: a traditional pub environment; narrow premises; low stools and benches; real ales on tap; sharp, friendly staff. Typically packed on drinking nights (read: Thursday, Friday, Saturday) until forcibly emptied at the ringing of the 11pm bell, you’re best off to visit this place in the mid-​late afternoon when it shows its true colours. About as far from the fashion cocktail crowd found elsewhere in the neighbourhood as you could hope for.

The Barley Mow is a refreshing change from most bars in this area. Whereas the majority are increasingly opting for style over substance, this charming little number focuses on what a true pub should be about: a good pint, good company and a friendly atmosphere. This place generally attracts locals who’ve been coming for years and a smattering of youngsters eager to escape the pretension of the rest of Shoreditch.
The staff are friendly and chatty and offer a decent if not great range of lagers, spirits and wines. Prices here are also generally cheaper than most coming in at around £3 a pint.
The one big downfall of this place is the size (admittedly not really the fault of anyone) which means that during the summer, and especially on the weekends during the day, the place can get full to bursting meaning its not always the relaxing experience it really should be. This aside, a great little pub.

Shoreditch’s answer to the darling Golden Heart nearer Spitalfields Market, The Barley Mow is a diminutive but charming little boozer which is one of an ever dwindling number of Shoreditch pubs that has not fallen prey to the curse of gentrification.
Yes, it’s small and I rue the day the local council banned the tables and chairs outside that once made this the perfect Summer pub. Regardless, the Barley Mow retains an authentic charm and an unpretentiousness that should serve to remind its patrons of what this area was once like.

Small, intimate and cosy, the Barley Mow is a great, traditional pub, with a good selection of beers, ales and wine. It can get busy, being on the corner of Curtain rd, but if you go at the right time and manage to get a table, it can be a refreshing change from some of the more pretentious bars in the area.
In the summer people spill out onto the pavement, it always makes me laugh when I buy a drink from an expensive bar and stand out on the street corner. But when it’s so hot and busy inside you don’t have much choice, unless you go onto another bar with a beer garden!

On the corner of trendy Curtain Rd, this is a small pub perfect for intimate drinks or catching up with someone you haven’t seen for ages, it is too pokey for large groups unless its the summertime and you stand outside with your drinks. They have an upstairs area which is available to rent out with free wifi access, and they serve super strength Litovel beers. Perfect for a free dinner beer, but considering it’s so small it gets super SUPER busy.

Great pub. Got no pretentions or intentions but to serve a drink to those in need. And not in such desperate need as those at the Bricklayers down the street.

When it comes to night-​time, there are not many places that are more alive than the area of Shoreditch. Umpteen bars and music venues line its broken glassed streets, but what about those old traditional pubs, you know the one’s, where fine ale is still served and the structure is made of wooden beams, a bit of style.
The Barley Mow is a tiny little pub, right in the middle of the heaving mayhem, small in size, but large in soul with two rooms on seperate floors. The bar area is narrow, with about five tables to sit at, don’t expect to get a seat, although you might get lucky. Should you require to rest your weary legs, then there is an upstairs too with a further six tables.
The upstairs looks down over Curtain road and is a little oasis of calm away from the drunken tomfoolery of the outside world. The beers are good and the atmosphere is friendly, even if you do step on everyone’s shoes trying to get by