The Nags Head

Pros — Conveniently located very close to Angel tube station making it a great meeting point, good range of beer and two for one cocktails Sunday to Thursday. Cons — not much bar space to drink at if the tables are full and you don’t get much change from a tenner from two standard largers.

Average pub, we head over here after work if The York is exceptionally busy. Standard ambience and good staff but nothing exceptional. Not a regular one for me.

Great place to hangout and chat with Islington locals. Arsenal attire a must on game days. Been coming here for more than 20 years and it never disappoints!

Not likely to become a regular of mine, for years I’ve walked straight past the Nags Head pub with out a second thought. Since venturing inside for a drink and some lunch I found nothing to surprise or change any preconceptions I had. This pub appeared quite lifeless and offered little reason to for me to explore beyond the doorway. At least now I have had my low expectations met, although nothing was dreadful in this visit there was also nothing to enjoy.
The bar offers nothing interesting, just standard lagers, ales and ciders. Everything looks quite gloomy; low lighting, darkish wood panelling all over and — on my visit — a rather sombre but not unpleasant soundtrack. Pictures adorn the walls but the light doesn’t allow the details though. There isn’t a bad or sour atmosphere; merely a lack of one. A couple of televisions show the news and let’s be honest, that’s always gloomy.
The food is on the cheaper side but only just, it’s also not very good. My Bangers and Mash (with gravy) failed to meet the dizzyingly average standards set by the rest of the pub. The sausages were burned. I like blackend meat as much as the next fellow (!) but three fat sausages later I was with left a smokey, charred taste in my mouth which I’m not entirely keen on, and what’s more, my good lady was convinced her Four Cheese Pasta with Green Pesto was a standard shop-​bought product.
Of the staff I only really had to deal with one bar-​lady and although I’m not sure where she was from, I am sure that Personality isn’t her first language. Though she wasn’t unhelpful she was certainly indifferent towards me. I don’t expect people to like me but if you serve customers the least you can do is pretend. Someone may have once told her that smiles are actually quite pricey, so save them up. An example being when I ordered my food and the Poker-​Face stated «we don’t have this». Have what? I’ve given you food and drink orders? Rather like she was hurrying with me to move on to the next customer who wasn’t waiting to be served.
All in all this was rather like a non experience, almost a non event. We arrived, we consumed, we left. A mere blur in the passing of time that afternoon. With other, better choices nearby there is no reason to return to the Nags Head.
TTFN,
Ian

The Nags Head is one of the most traditional pubs i’ve been to in awhile, great little place to pick up quick bite for lunch. The whole feel of the place is very warming if not alittle difficult to get seated on a weekend. Right next to the tube so makes getting home a non issue.

Essentially across the street from York pub, Nags had the older crowd of the night (nothing wrong with old, just nice to be around similar young professionals when you’re going out on the town), above average priced drinks. Not bad, not great, close to the tube.

One of the many pubs that are lined up on upper street. the nag’s head is alright and i think a good pub to gather and start off. The prices are petty much the same as everywhere else, I do like the atmosphere inside though. And on off nights you can find a band playing inside or as me a presumably 70-​year-​old singing elvis songs! the nags ehad is nothing fancy, just a little pub, but because it’s a bit smaller and narrow it doesn’t feel like it gets too crowded in there.

The first thing that needs to be said about this place is its an Arsenal bar. I do not suggest to anyone wearing the colors of another team stepping foot in here with the risk of facial disfigurement.
Now onto a lighter note, Nags Head is a great place to sit outside on Upper Street — when its a nice afternoon out, you could sit there and basically watch the world go by.
Clothing, Colors, Styles, Attitudes — — The art of people watching can be greatly honed sitting at an outside table here at Nags Head.

I see this as a weekend afternoon watering hole rather than an «another round» kind of place. Perhaps because it is quite dark and gloomy inside, I always get the «you are entering a dive bar» kind of vibe, though the mental preparation isn’t necessary to head in here.
I used to go in here more often but now I end up across the street or better yet the Camden Head. The bartender was nice enough to put on an American football game when I asked one Sunday afternoon (the other option was cricket — you be the judge).
When Arsenal is playing, there is a bouncer at the door — for good reason. It is a wildly Arsenal bar given its location and the regulars do not take kindly to strangers.
Grab a pint and sit outside for some primetime people watching.

I think the Nags is the type of place where becoming a regular is either suggested or necessary. It feels like a sit and stay type of pub rather than a pop-​in-​and-​out, though it’s a bit dark and gloomy for my liking. Which I guess is why people get sucked in, it’s like a Vegas casino, when you don’t see if the sun is still up or not, you’ve got no idea what time it is, and *another* always sounds like a good idea!
It really is a lot bigger than it lets on, I never stopped in because I was expecting a place with 3 tables and an employee, but it was certainly not what I expected. It was pretty slow when I was in, so you might want to take someone else’s advice on the weekend crowds.

The best pub in angel? Just might be! Good mix of crowd and friendly staff combine with decent music and a nice selection of beer and spirits. So close to the tube makes it a perfect meeting/​starting point. well worth a visit.

This is a pretty harmless place to have a pint during the week where you can find a table or a spot at the bar, have a drink, and not compete with the music or the crowd. Diverse group of people – shady people, normal Angelites, the ocassional work drinks crew, and the odd hipster from time to time.

I’ve been here once or twice as I have a friend who lives in the area.
I have only ever been here during the day for a quick drink so I’m nut sure how busy it gets during the weekend. But during the day it’s very chilled out and a really sweet place to have a drink.
The last time I was in here there was a mix of families with young children, couples and friends.
There are some nice stools at the bar as well which is handy if you are waiting for someone.

I came here on a Friday evening shortly before it was closing, and it was packed. Thank goodness the company was good, otherwise it isn’t somewhere you’d really want to sit about in for hours.
But with the right company, it isn’t too bad a place to go to for a few pre cheap drinks and a natter before you head off elsewhere to continue the night.

If you like boisterous pubs, the Nags Head will not disappoint, especially on the weekend. It gets really busy and crowded, and a little rowdy from time to time. There are some large screens for football, but it gets so busy that you might be better off going somewhere else.
There is a marked contrast on the weekday, when its almost empty most of the time. That is the time when you can take in the old fashioned décor, but I find it a bit eerie to sit there surrounded by a large number of empty tables and chairs crowded together.
So its not the best of either worlds. A good place to have a chat on the weekday is the strongest recommendation I can offer.

If you visit Nags Head on a Saturday night, you’ll be confronting a busy, grim bar full of loud, rowdy people.
If you visit Nags Head on a weekday, you’ll visit a quaint, sweet pub on the gentrified Upper Street.
I have visited at both of the times listed above; the weekend was a nightmare, the weekday was wonderful. They have tall seats for you to perch on, crowd round the table and share a bowl of nachos. They’re gross nachos, but in a comforting ‘pub’ way that makes it ok.
The absolute best thing about the Nags is the huge screen, showing all sporting action. Arrive early for sports occasions as it gets so busy, but if you manage to get a table the atmosphere is electric! It’s pretty spit and sawdust, but if you don’t mind that then you’ll appreciate Nags Head.

Pubs in London are like pupuserias in El Salvador, they are everywhere so it is very hard to stand out from the crowd. The Nags Head does not really do much to be ‘ahead’. Sticky tables, not so good service and cold food.
The only good thing are the big screen tv’s for football games and other sports. The pub gets too busy for my taste and more than a couple of times I have seen some pretty dreadful behaviour. The only reason I come back is because one of my friends loves it. More specifically she loves the open mic nights on sunday. Maybe secretly and unconsciously I love them too?

The Nags Head must be one of the best names you could call your pub these days, it’s very hard for any only fools and horses fan to walk by and resist popping in for at least a cheeky one. Unfortunately it only resembles Del’s local in name alone really but its still a nice little pub all the same. Bedecked with wood panelling all over the place, they’ve gone down the traditional, whack a load of old pictures and stuff on the walls to attempt the old time feel, which hasn’t really come off. The seating is a bit of an issue on the weekend, cause if you don’t get one or a place at the bar, there’s not much in the way of standing room. It is a lively place though, I do like it and would go back again. They’ve a good range of beers, some very attractive barstaff and it’s one of the nicer pubs in Angel.