The Holly Bush will always hold a place in my heart as one of my favorite pubs. It's a gorgeous pub, and is the perfect environment for some food and drink. The burger was perfect, as were the chips, and was perfect with a pint. Nothing to complain about, will always find myself coming back here. read more

Holly Bush - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

U can sit down in the bar or eat in 2nd floor restaurant.. food was top notch and also service.

Enjoyed a Sunday roast here recently. The pub itself is lovely, down a pretty street in Hampstead. We were the first seating and got our table very quickly. Service was good, friendly; our waitress answered questions and was attentive. I was a bit disappointed with the Yorkshire pud. It was greasy, greasier than I had expected. I had chicken which was very flavorful, my child had the beef and my partner had the lamb. All of us loved our meals. The potatoes were well cooked and so were the veg. Overall a delicious meal. read more

Holly Bush - Sunday Roast (chicken) - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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Very disappointing. Hampstead is so cute, and this place has a great rep. Went for Sunday roast. Asked for a bottle of sparkling water, instead was brought still, room temp tap water in a carafe. Son prefers not to send things back, so there it was. The food was tepid - all of it - and plate not heated. The food all tasted quite good, but this was overridden by it being essentially cold. The exception to the good food was the Yorkshire pudding; was huge and overdone, quite crisp, without any spongy base at all. Couldn't cut it with a knife, and the point of Yorkshire pudding is to soak up your gravy and eat along with the beef. Not possible with this one. The horseradish sauce that was brought out was chilled, which only added to the coldness of the food, so I skipped it. The service was also poor. No one checked on us during the entire meal, and had to ask 3x for the bill, and to actually have my card run. Annoying that a service charge of more than 10% added on - I would have tipped 20% if it was deserved, but with the errors and neglect would have given nothing. Would never recommend to friends. Giving 2 stars for the atmosphere. read more

Loved!!!! Make a reservation for Traditional Sunday roast! We started with the cheese plate, the shrimp and ended with the traditional roast. This place has a lot of history. It is a quick train ride just outside central London. Worth the visit! Be sure to make a reservation. Ps- Order 1 mac & cheese and share it amongst the table! You wont regret it! read more

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I believe more research into this thing known as "Sunday Roast" is in order. And I believe I'll enjoy it! I'm still new to the whole concept, being a long-time bruncher... but I'm pretty sure I could get used to it. I ordered up the lamb roast (supposedly with capers and mint) and it was virtually indistinguishable from the more traditional Beef Wellington that my cohorts were served up - in fact, the only way we were able to tell them apart was that -theirs- had a pastry on the plate. Oddly, I encountered neither capers nor mint on my dish, but I did uncover a mound of perfectly roasted potatoes, fresh cruciform vegetables, a root vegetable or two, and a sprinkling of beans and peas. If the pristinely clean plate that stared back at me twenty minutes later was any indication, it all went down just fine. I will admit to resorting to some generous additions of salt and pepper, though. The staff is just lovely, being ever-so-patient with our reservation confusion. Fortunately, they take down the phone numbers of everyone who books, so we were sorted after much confusion. And they make a solid bloody mary, though you may need to ask for ice. In the future, be sure to enunciate carefully when calling to put your name down. Otherwise you might end up in a pickle. Not that there's anything wrong with that... right, VOAR? read more

Holly Bush - Lamb - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

My only regret in London? I did not get the chance to dine at Holly Bush. We stopped for beers at Holly Bush during our London Walks Hampstead Pub Crawl and loved the cheery, cozy atmosphere in this pub. The pub attracts quite a large crowd of locals and tourists in the evenings. Judging by the delicious smells wafting from the kitchen and the cheap beer prices it was quite obvious why! We drank our pints outside with the locals since the bar area and the tables were all packed. TIP: Reserve a table or avoid the dinner rush if you don't want to stand during your visit! read more

Holly Bush - Outside the Holly Bush. - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Very rude manager, staff just as bad. Food undercooked and gpt very sick after it. Avoid at all costs

This is a lovely traditional pub, tucked away in a tiny street, a few minutes' walk up the hill from Hampstead underground station. Cited by some as one of the best pubs in London, I'm not sure I'd go quite that far, but it is very nice, and the best pub in central Hampstead. The atmosphere is almost Dickensian: wooden floors and wood-panelled rooms sprawl away behind the bar, and it has real fires blazing in the winter. Actually starting life as a stable around 1650, the pub is a Grade-II listed building. With a very good selection of well-kept real ales, the extensive food menu has a good reputation, and it's not too pricey for this neck of the woods. (I much prefer it to the food at the nearby Horseshoe gastro-pub, which I find pretentious). They do a nice pot of olives as a bar snack, too. At week-ends you can book ahead if you want to eat (advisable). It can get rather busy, especially at the slightly cramped bar area. Parking nearby is very limited indeed, and although most of the pub is on the level, there are a few steps to the lavatories, and the doors to them are not wide enough for wheelchairs. The hill up from the station is also rather steep - but that adds to the Dickensian feel... read more

Holly Bush - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

A fantastic place to sample a finery of beers, ales spirits along with soft drinks, nevertheless you should try the food it's simply sublime it's also a place that pets are welcomed. Dolly is so relaxed read more

Holly Bush - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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If you're looking for a classic Sunday Roast, look no further. A friend recommended this spot for Sunday Roast specifically and it did not disappoint! Definitely recommend making a reservation because this place is popular. Got the scotch egg (YUM) to start while we waited for our roast. The Sunday Roast serving is generous so don't have to get apps if you're not in the mood. We tried the lamb and the beef, both were delicious. The Yorkshire Pudding was perfect - crispy on the top with some chew in the middle to absorb all those juices. The veggies (crispy roasted potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and turnips) that come with were bomb - would've gotten extra if given the choice. Worth the ride away from city center to experience this meal. If the weather is nice, take a walk through Hampstead Heath afterwards! read more

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One of our favorite pubs in London. It always gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling like it's Christmas morning. Very appropriate given it's name, the Holly Bush! It's usually full of friendly locals and we've even spotted the occasional celebrity. It's a bit hidden up a little street off the main road but that only adds to its charm. They've got a good selection of beer on tap, and it's dog friendly! And as far as pub food goes, it far exceeds our expectations. It's a great place to grab a pint and chips after a long walk through Hampstead Heath! read more

It's a nice place, go there on a Sunday for a 10/10 roast Good variety of beer as well read more

The Holly Bush is one of my favourite pubs in London. Tucked away on Holly Mount it's a very quaint place. Old oak flooring, etched windows and wood paneled walls give it a quintessentially English feel. It's a real olde worlde drinking hole dating back to the nineteeth-century with lots of original features, but thankfully without any of the tackiness that recreated interiors end up with. You wont find brass horse shoes and tankards lining the frieze here. With it's positioning it has the potential to be a Barbour clad, old boys pub, but thankfully you're always bound to find a mix of interesting characters drinking with you. From thespian types sat on a lone table running through their lines to Heath walkers who pop in post-walk. On a lunch time it's usually full of people with a HB behind their ear and a stack of papers piled up on the table. All come here purely for an honest love of a good pub. I've eaten here many times and sometimes it can be a bit hit and miss which is a shame as I really can't fault the drinking aspect. Their pies are delicious though, especially the 'Organic Beef and Harveys Ale with Chedder Mash' that really hits the spot after a chilly autumn walk. It's the sort of place that would be good to be in as snow collects outside on the window paynes whilst you sit by the open fire and drink a glass of mulled wine. It's quite simply, toasty. read more

This restaurant/pub is a located a little off the main road from Hampstead station. The setting is quite picturesque and cozy.The food quality is very good, way above normal pub level.It is also very reassuring to see locals enjoying their meals. Not cheap but certainly worthed. read more

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The Holly Bush is a legendary pub in London - that is much revered by locals and visitors alike. It is admired because it is non-corporate - because of its quirky decoration and feel - and because of the people who run it and go there. Possibly our experience was atypical - but our experience was awful. The place is Non-corporate unquestionably - and I hate chain pubs with chain beer just as much as anyone else does. It is a bunch of tiny little rooms cut up in a jigsaw puzzle of different ways with old historic pictures of the neighborhood on the wall. The neighborhood outside is quaint and quirky (and you could never afford to live in those quaint and quirky cottages unless you won the lottery - but that doesnt make it any less picturesque). It was mobbed - with the lovers of the classic establishment etc etc. It was filthy. (Leftover plates and glasses and stuff from previous patrons everywhere most with food scraps, dirty napkins or other detritia). This also applies to the bathrooms. Physical maintenance was also in bad shape, as I leaned on a stair railing while going upstairs to have it come off the wall. On a 9:30 on a Saturday - they only had corporate brewed beers because they were OUT of 7 out of 8 of the non-corporate brews. (How can you be out of beer by 9:30 on a Saturday night?) The one non-corporate beer they did sell us was "water beer". I do acknowledge that some older forms of real ale pride themselves on an authentically watery taste - and this was one of those and that some people call that legendary beer. I probably should have just bought one of the other microbrews - if they had any (cough cough). The bartender drew both me and my wife SHORT Pints!!! What kind of serious bar fills the glass 85% full and calls it a pint????????? They also took our money for a scotch egg despite the kitchen having closed an hour before our order. (Someone else notified us of the kitchen closing in a more or less timely way. They did give us our money back - but we had to ask them to.) We left in disgust - our beers barely touched. I am sure that if you live in Hampstead and the best finest decent-est people in the world go to Holly Bush - that you would want to go with them to Holly Bush too. But I would say between not cleaning, not doing basic repairs, not ordering basic supplies and stiffing the customers on the drinks - there is not much to admire here. Maybe they were having a bad day? read more

Walked in at 17:30 on Saturday. It was bustling with people in the front bar area despite a bad weather. The back dining rooms starts at 18:00 but we asked them to let us have a seat despite having a booked table at 19:00. They willingly made a adjustment to accommodate us. There was also a dining room upstairs. More spacious and lighter!! clean and nicely decorated. Artichoke&onion soup was amazing.rich and perfectly seasoned. Beef cheek pie was also perfectly cooked.A little bit plain so I put salt, pepper and some kinds of mustard they brought us. Salmon fillet was also amazing! 2 starters, 2 mains, 2 glasses of beer totally cost 60 £. Not bad considering their attentive services and nice food. I'd definitely come again ; ) read more

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The Hollybush is one of those pubs with history that gets passed down the generations, and has remained a Hampstead treasure. After a walk on the heath on a Sunday it can get quite busy in here - it has such a homely feel to it with its low ceilings and dark wood panelling and a fireplace. It offers a great Sunday roasts and ales which is very popular with the punters. I myself am a big fan of their pot pies. They have a certain formula in here that has worked for decades and they shouldn't change it one bit. As London Nightlife said, it's "everything a pub should be". read more

Holly Bush - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

My dad & sister really set the bar high for Sunday roasts, so I knew I probably wasn't going to come away declaring this was the best ever. However, I was excited to have roast beef, as that's my favourite but in my house we normally have lamb (not that I'm bitter about that. Although I am). We got there early and had no problem getting a table, albeit in a somewhat unattractive back room. We ordered a couple of small plates because we were concerned the roast might take a while. As it happened, the roast came out first, which was a bit weird as the server specifically said they would bring the small plates beforehand. Also, they got the lamb and beef mixed up and then couldn't remember which of the beef was rare and which was medium rare (in fact, neither were either of those things). Actually it seems weird that there could be an option, unless they have a "rare joint", a "medium rare" joint etc. The meat was fine but not particularly good. Roast potatoes also below average. The other vegetables, however, were outstanding - varied, perfectly cooked and tasty. The serving was very generous, which is good because it's pretty expensive. I also loved the scotch egg we had - best I've ever had - so much better fried than eaten straight out of the fridge! (What? I never do that). Sausage roll was also good. Everyone also enjoyed their desserts - I tried the fruit crumble with creme anglaise. The creme anglaise was absolutely delicious, perfectly flavoured and so moreish! With better service and better roast potatoes (and also knowing what is beef, this would be four stars. It's a great place to stuff yourself before walking it off on Hampstead Heath. But dude: know your meat. read more

Well what can I say about the holly bush that hasn't already been said. This place holds a lot of memories of Sunday roasts with my family after a long walk on the Heath. It must be listed in some London guide now as its packed with tourists with backpacks ordering coffee. You can't help but love this place. GreAt for the ale drinks and very cosy on a winters day. read more

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In a word, bland. I loved the rustic, homey atmosphere and enjoyed the bloody but the food was merely decent and far from mind-blowing. I wonder, have the kitchen staff settled in too comfortably? Is it time for the owner and the head chef to come in and resample what they're churning out? Compared to other excellent Sunday roasts in London - Hawksmoor, The Garrison, Duke of Cambridge - this one just didn't measure up. read more

We stopped in at the Holly Bush for a late lunch in Hampstead. The pub was nearly empty, so we had our choice of seats. The Holly Bush is actually an old house that was renovated into a pub, so it has a number of cozy rooms where you can sit. The room we chose boasted a skylight and a stack of British board games. I really liked the atmosphere, which seemed classically English to me. Food was excellent; I chose the cod and lentils after learning my first choice, the meat pie, was not available, and my husband had a sausage roll with jalapeno ketchup. Our pints of beer also satisfied, although I wish there had been a printed beer list vs. having to ask our server to rattle off a list of draughts from memory. I liked this place well enough to go back; my sister, who lives in the neighborhood, is a huge fan, so something tells me we did ourselves a disservice by coming to the Holly Bush during a downtime. read more

Holly Bush - Cod with lentils. - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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Incredible neighborhood bar... and I do mean neighborhood. Shhhh... on departure, people ate sleeping next door. Fireplace, friendly service, cost atmosphere. Great for group fun or quiet two. read more

Had a lovely lunch upstairs here with my friends and the server was really sweet. I would say they salads are skimpy and they forgot the broccoli on my salad which is the reason I would give it a 4. The pea soup was great and my friends meals were yummy they said. read more

Holly Bush - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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In a quiet little cul de sac in Hampstead lies a pub with real old fashioned charm. The Holly Bush is located on Holly Mount near Hampstead Tube Station, accessed via a steep stone stairway just off Heath Street. It was built in 1643 as a stables owned by painter George Romney. Shortly after Romney's death in 1802, the stables were converted into a tavern. Samuel Johnson and James Boswell are rumoured to have drunk here. Now a Fuller's pub, it serves a wide range of beers and real ales on tap and has an extensive food menu (including Quail Pie and Baked Goats Cheese) which is perfect for sharing over a bottle of wine. There are plenty of cosy little corners to snuggle up with a loved one or catching up with friends and there is a small seating area outside that is lovely for enjoying a pint in the sunshine. All in all when you enter The Holly Bush, it is like taking a step back in time and you feel like you have discovered a piece of London's history that was meant just for you. http://www.itsnosmallthing.weebly.com read more

Holly Bush - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

This place is quintessential Hampstead gastropub with all the old trimmings. It's so authentic you can practically feel the souls of Londoners sitting by the fire and discussing local goings on. The menu consists of pheasant, sausage, đer, beef cheek, mussels, fish and chips, thrice baked potatoes... And beautiful draught ale and cider. Make the short steep walk to experience the 1807 establishment and relax by the fire with friends as so many travelers have gone before you. read more

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The Holly Bush is a very quaint, but large pub. We ate there when we were visiting our friends in Hampstead. I had the fish and chips with an ice cold cider, which was perfect. My fiancé had a fish cake, that he loved with an almost room temp beer from the tap. I'm not sure if this is a cultural difference, where the Brit's drink their beer at a warmer temp? He found it to be less than refreshing. Overall, the Holly Bush is a very sweet pub with great food. We would definitely return. read more

Does it get more idyllic for a Sunday afternoon in London? As roast-virgins, we made our snowy way to Holly Bush to pop our...chickens? Yes, pop some chickens. It was a lovely one to kick things off with. Protip: make a reservation. Sundays get quite bustly, and you'll want to sit and enjoy this. One smart gal in our party thought ahead and we arrived at 2pm to a reseved table (with our name on it, to boot!) ready and waiting. Let the inaugural roast commence! OUT OF SCOTCH EGGS. Oh, the humanity. Cannot report on them. We started with the chicory salad (very good!) and the sausage rolls (indulgent), and sped quickly into the main affair: ROAST. I had the chicken and he had the lamb. The chicken was sizably bigger, but I am a good sharer. The roasted potatoes and root veggies were just the trick to soothe on an uncharacteristically wintery day. There was a bit of delay (likely with the crowds) so it wasn't quite as hot as I would've liked, particularly the ares outside of the chicken (veggies, sauce, etc). Minor tweak. The snow is falling. The windows are foggy,. The roast is roasting. It's a pleasant (and very quick) little jaunt up the hill from Hampstead tube station --- you'll feel a bit like you are in a movie once coming upon it. Well, i did anyway. *dog-friendly. there were many! *service is quite alright, no service gratuity added in...so make sure to leave something. *reservations accepted First roast accomplished and with vigor. Will surely return when in the area, the vibe is great for this spot, comfy, cozy and well-priced. read more

Sunday Roast * Sunday Roast * Sunday Roast * Sunday Roast * Sunday Roast. Why the repetitive chants of Sunday Roast bliss? Two reasons. For starters, you simply NEED to know about this place! And two, I really want this to come up on the search engines as the best place in London to go or Sunday Roast, because it is fantastic. We stumbled on to it via Yelp last night when a craving for Lamb (I swear this whole trip has been a nonstop lamb craving for me because London Lamb is so damn tasty!!) I searched Lamb and got a few listings. I searched Sunday Roast and found a few more, but then Ebony and Ivory came together and the Holly Bush was born. So many 5 star reviews? Could this be true? We would have to find out. We hopped the tube and about 20 minutes or so later we found ourselves at the Hamstead aka Land of Delicious Pleasures stop. We hiked up the hill and looked for the rumored stairs and there they were, yay, we were on the right track. As we curved through the narrow alleys and climbed the steps we were like two little kids in a candy store. Giddy, excited and so ready for the Sunday roastage. (Yes, I'm aware that isn't a real word... go with it.) There it was The Holly Bush, a welcoming sight in the grumblin' tummy night. We walked in and the place was filled with happy, drinking people. We grabbed a seat downstairs, but my friend took a quick lap to see what other options were available and sure enough there was an upstairs dining hall. And a gorgeous upstairs dining hall at that. Super high ceilings with yummy mint wallpaper and white trim. Mismatched tables and chairs that created a warm and friendly environment. And lighting that would make anyone look good. So key! There were a few parties or varying sizes from 2 to 10 people enjoying the offerings of the Roast and once I saw Lamb Shank on the menu. Oh yes, let's get this party started! We ordered the brie as a starter and I have to say, it was my least favorite dish I've had in London. It just tasted a bit like paste and the toasted soldiers were a bit raw. We went with a nice Southern Rhone blend wine that totally hit the spot and of course there was that lamb shank. It was so moist and delicious that it couldn't wait to fall off the bone and make a mad dash for my mouth. Delicate, full of flavor and really, wow, just amazing. It came with these cheese mashed potatoes and the combination of the elements were like poetry in my mouth. And how often can you say that as a single girl. Wait, what? All in all, the Holly Bush is THE place to go for Sunday Roast. The only thing I don't like about it, is the fact that I am leaving London in a few days to head back to the States and I won't get to again next Sunday. Wah :( read more

The 'what would your last meal on earth be' game is always a fun one to play, no matter who you're talking to. Sometimes you'll find instant affinities with people you thought you didn't have anything in common with and other times you'll be shocked and disgusted by someone you thought you knew very well. I've genuinely known people to say that they would, as their last meal on earth ever, have a Domino's pizza - you have to question someone who's wildest dreams only stretch to the shops on their local high street. Personally, my answer is always roast. OK, this might sound a bit safe, a bit mainstream, but if you think about it, it's actually just a reflection of my greedy belly. If I don't specify a particular roast, I can include everything from classic beef and gravy or pork with crackling to spiced roast duck and lamb with anchovies. Hell, I could even go for the curb ball nut roast option. The world is my oyster now had me the gravy. Having heard Laura N harp on about the Holly Bush on at least 3 occasions, I knew it must be something special - she is after all a Yelpasaurous. True to her words, this place didn't disappoint. Beautifully located, the Holly Bush has a slight Lords of the Rings ale house appearance. It's sunken windows and dark interior scream cosy hide away. In fact, Frodo and the gang could have saved themselves a lot of hassle if they had just popped along here. To eat, I had the roast beef and my boyfriend the pork. Not to make ordering too competitive, but I definitely won. Properly aged and full of flavour, the roast beef was of the quality you can only yearn to recreate at home. That's not to say that the pork wasn't delicious but my bonus Yorkshire pudding definitely swung the balance. Although there have been a couple of negative words about the service here, I would completely disagree. Our waiter was lovely, very charming and even though he made a couple of mistakes (mixing up the order with those next to us) he was far to nice about it for me to quibble. And so the point to my ramblings - if like me, you are a true roast fan, scoot your toosh to The Holly Bush - it won't disappoint. read more

After an hour long walk in the Heath it was lunch time. My trusty Yelp app let me know that Holly Bush wasn't too far and off my friend and I went. When we arrived there was no one but the pub staff there. I was afraid it was closed but we were assured it wasn't. Soon after arriving the lunch crowd started pouring in. I ordered a Pimms to drink and it was beeeautiful. Full of delicious fruit and a nice healthy serving. For my lunch I ordered a beef and ale pie. Too heavy for lunch? Sure. But whatevs. I just walked the freakin' Heath for an hour! Lunch took a while to come out (40 or so minutes?) but it was worth the wait. My pie was piping hot and full...no...I mean FULL of chunks of beef. The mash potatoes were fluffy and came with a wonderful beef gravy. I wasn't able to get it all down my pie hole but I do believe I will have to return soon to try again. I'm no quitter. read more

So you know how there are some places that you go to at least once a week? I just can't stop coming here! I've had the pleasure of having the full Holly Bush experience: happy hour drinks, excellent dinners in the upstairs dining room, traditional Sunday roast, casual pub grub by the fireplace...and I still can't get enough! I'm mildly claustrophic, too, and this place is ALWAYS crowded. It's just so great that I think I've been cured of this phobia - with the exception of the Tube during rush hour. The staff is very friendly, too. I would give them 6 stars but they don't serve the mulled cider year round, thus giving me a reason to look forward to winter. Which is weird because I'm from California. read more

This place has had some stunning reviews and this one will in part only confirm what has gone before. The Holly Bush looks like a traditional pub with lots of little hidden areas to sit in and socialise. There is a constant buzz of happy drinkers, and this combination of atmosphere and classic wood surroundings gives The Holly Bush a wonderful stay all day feel. What makes The Holly Bush really special is the food. The menu offers impressive English gastro delights such as calves liver and bacon and meatloaf. The food is excellent in its appearance and taste and although expensive for what is in essence a pub, once you've tasted the food you know it is money well spent. Do not expect great service, it is functional and efficient but not impressive. The enjoyment comes in the surroundings and an almost certain promise of having a fabulous meal. read more

This is a top-notch pub. It's like a country pub, but wedged in a back lane on a hill in Hampstead, just steps from the Northern Line station there. It has several rooms of different shapes and sizes, and a lot of original wooden tables and benches. You get a good mix of ales and lagers. The food is very good here, and there's a dining room upstairs in the evenings if you want to focus on their culinary expertise. Sunday roasts are popular here, as is the whole weekend. People often spill out onto the pavements at these times. Easily the best traditional pub in Hampstead, and one of the nicest in North London. read more

This is a beautiful pub but the food is revolting and incredibly overpriced. I think they need a new chef and/or management. Its such a let down since they have nice drinks, nice location, nice atmosphere. I will go back just to have a beer or a glass of wine. But I will not eat there again for a long time. Was willing to spend a lot on a lunch but we spent £80 on almost inedible food - and the most expensive dishes were hugely bulked up with rice and cheap stodge. I got a dish of fish and rice slop that tasted particularly sour. It was so bad I told the waiter and the did give us the drinks free but I felt like I had wasted my time. I would change this review if they sorted out their food. No excuse, been to plenty of places in london with amazing food even cheaper so if you are paying £80 for lunch for two and two drinks it should be at least DECENT, this was disgusting. read more

Nice pub and all that, but really not all that special except for the location and history. People have been banging-on about the Sunday Roasts here for years on Yelp but based on the one I had here this year I really don't see why. Sure it's decent enough but not a 4 star meal and certainly not a 5 star delight. Look. A roast should either be a banquet of traditional comfort food perfection, or should be a cheap old faithful like dropping round grans. Too many places in London are doing circa £20 a head roasts that fall badly down the gap between nan's Sunday lunch and a fancy-ass feast at a posh hotel on the Monopoly Board. Nice rooms though. read more

Cozy, warm, happy place. The coolest, most historic pub in hampstead. It's a must see. Go there and you will be very pleased with yourself. I got the chills from drinking beer in this magical, creaky old wooden living room style pub. This place in enchanted inside and out. read more

The Holly Bush is one of my favourite locals. If you can, sit in the back as they have a make-shift conservatory which was a room converted from the old living quarters. They make a really good Sunday roast - and I've also enjoyed the lamb dish. They have a nice selection of 5 ales on handpull as well - so it makes for a nice place to plop for a Saturday/Sunday afternoon and just relax. Located on Holly Bush Lane, this pub is an easy walk (albeit uphill) from the tube station. It's not a posh as The Old White Bear, but has a more authentic pub feel. The inside of the Holly Bush Pub is cozy, with wood paneling and wood-burning fireplaces which greet you. Tip: Walk up to the Holly Bush from Heath Street. It's a nicer walk. If you are facing Foxton's (near the tube station), take a right and ensure that you are on the same side of the street as Lombok. Once you've reached Pacifica Day Spa, take a left. That staircase is a nice shortcut which leads you to the pub! read more

This is my local pub, so I'm a bit biased. But honestly, I love this place and it is one of my favourite places in London. A lot of the once pubs in Hampstead are turning into more upscale, gastropubs now and have restaurants too. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of these gastropubs, the Wells, the Horseshoe, the Old White Bear, I absolutely love them all. But the Holly Bush stays true to the traditional English pub. And it does it well. The decor of the Holly Bush is one of my favourite parts about the pub. It is a true "old man pub," with it's mismatched furniture, old photos on the walls, and dark hard wood flooring, and I love it. It is cozy and perfect to enjoy a quiet one and enjoy a bite as well. There is also a small seating area outside that is lovely enjoying a pint in the summer. As a wino, i must say that I think the wine at this pub is actually quite good, with a fairly good selection. It changes quite often as well, which is good for us regulars. Most true English pubs only have two or three options, but the Holly Bush has more to offer. Also, the wine glasses are glorious, large and perfect for a huge glass of red to warm you up from the crummy London weather. The Holly Bush stays true to English pub culture and is always be a Hampstead favourite. read more

NOTE FOR AMERICANS: It was an absolutely awesome experience. Having been in central London for the last two days it was really cool to see more of a neighborhood area with tons of locals, I think me and my friend were the only Americans in the place. The surrounding area is quite quaint. I don't know about other pubs here but this one seemed totally old school. Just a heads up, there's no system for getting seats, there's no waiting list, and no central place to line up for a table. Lots of the tables have reserved signs on them, but I have no idea how hard it is to get a reservation. So just be a little aggressive and grab a non-reserved table as soon as you see someone putting on their coat and getting ready to leave. The Chicken and Leek pie was awesome, and veggies were perfectly seasoned. The only thing I would have changed was the fact that my roast beef wasn't pink like I'm used to, maybe its just how they serve it there, but it was still really good. If I went back I woud definitely get the Chicken and Leek pie. This was hands down the most English experience I've had here so far. read more