Super friendly staff willing to give a taste of the drafts before you commit and a laidback environment with a great outdoor space and good prices makes this easily a five-star pub to me. This isn't a gastropub by any means--when I went, they were only offering sausage rolls and pies, pickled eggs, and a cheese plate (granted, I went around noon with a couple of friends). I actually thought the sausage roll would be warmed up. It wasn't but that's okay because the rest of the experience made up for it. I had a delicious cider on tap (and they had a few!) and I liked that they highlighted smaller brewers and cideries. The bartender was really friendly and the outdoor space was super cute with hanging planters and flowers! Unfortunately, some bees thought so as well, so we did have a bee that drowned itself in one of our glasses. The general vibe was really friendly and exactly what I imagined an old-school pub would be like. Anyway, this isn't a spot to go out of your way for (and it's not trying to be), but if I lived in London, I'd be happy to have it in my neighborhood to hang out in. Five stars for just being a good local pub. read more

Southampton Arms - Sausage roll, £4.25 - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Love this fucking place. Pork baps bomb. Cheese plate bussin'. Scotch eggs....aight. Service 100% Also shout out to that time I bumped into Matthew Morrison, who plays Tara Misu and Felix on Eastenders. If you want the baps, roll up early. This place is very popular now. Stick to the drafts. The cider is cute here. There is also a pleasant backyard area. Always stop by when I'm in town. Ladies and Gentleman is a short walk if you're in the mood for average cocktails but a chic scene. read more

What a great pub! I love the atmosphere here: down-to-earth, local, and friendly. They have a great selection of independent beers on tab, which I always find a sign of a well-taken care pub. I don't know what much else to say, but that I felt absolutely in tune with this place. "Bless" the people who keep a place like this going and not trying to make it evolve with the times. It's perfect as it is! Note: they have a nice backyard, too. Great for warm summer nights...or for those who still smoke. read more

Southampton Arms - Who could resist a beer with such a lovely name? - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Pork buns are delicious and the cheese plate is well worth the price. We also had the sausage roll, which was just ok. I wanted to try their pies, but they had sold out. It's a cozy pub worth going to for the local beer and ciders and pork buns. read more

See all

Upon arrival at Southampton Arms this pub has a old skool vintage look, with wooden benches, round/long tables. An Old fashioned piano wooden floor, open fire place and black and white photos of people from the Victorian times I think, and a small beer garden at back. This pub seems to cater well for a groups because it didn't seem like a loner drinker kinda pub. I mean for a Wednesday night, that pub was rammed! and sure the people did not come to hear the senior citizens playing jazz (they have jazz every Wednesday night). This pub attracts people in their 20s and 30s crew. I cant tell you how much the drinks were because mine were paid for, but my shandy tasted great. Again I did not get a chance to try the food, but it seem to range from £3 to £10. The toilets! I know you want to keep it old skool, but do you have to put carpets inside the loo, for a woman's toilet it had that urine smell, it was not killer, but it was not necessary. Anyway I like it and if I'm in the area which is rare and feel like a drink and need to step in another decade ill come here. read more

See all

Cider and a friendly 'wiggling' barmaid - awesome!! This pub is welcoming and charming with seriously sweet staff, and lovely chatty punters. I was a little bewildered by the great choice of cider, so I asked the barmaid to recommend one. She gave me some advice, and let me dry three different types before I decided to go with the amazing (but strong) cider that is brewed in rum barrels. As she moved around behind the bar, the barmaid was dancing and wiggling - this place must be a sweet place to work when the staff are this happy and friendly!! The 'Eep' factor: - Remember to bring cash! - There is only one ladies loo(!) After drinking this much cider, you may need a tinkle...but if you get a slow person (or two) in front of you in the queue, it's a bit of a nightmare!! read more

You guys, I just really love this place. I've noticed that every time someone comes to my neighborhood and wants to go for a pint, my first instinct is to take them here to show off my local gem. As I said before, the staff is incredibly helpful. I walked in there the first few times knowing nothing about beer or cider, but now can at least explain what it is I like to the bartenders. And thanks to their wonderful recommendations, I now know that I like porters and some stouts - even though a few months back I would never have even tried a dark beer. It does get crowded, and can be impossible to get a table after 4 or 5 pm, but the people are friendly and the dog is even friendlier. It's a small neighborhood joint, but it's a great one. read more

Good pub. It does get a little rammo in the evenings and space a premium on Friday and Saturday nights. There are a few places in the area if you know where to look that rival or better this pub. Although there is something quite magical and Dickensian about this pub on a cold winters night. Defiantly worth checking out if in the NW5 area but wouldn't travel out of my way to visit if not. read more

See all

Good concept with good beer and honest pub food. Slow service and a general feeling of unfriendliness of bar staff and regulars let it down, the Holly Bush would always be my preferred option. read more

Totally on board with this pub! A huge selection of ciders, ales, beers and delicious morsels, such as the Roast Pork bap make this a place to try if you're in the Camden/Kentish Town area. Came here for a birthday party for two friends and throughly enjoyed watching them trying to try every single ale in there (I don't think they succeeded either). Be warned, they only accept cash, and the nearest cash point is a good ten minute walk away so don't be caught unawares! Otherwise, excellent place! read more

The Southampton Arms is still OK and has a good beer selection, but going a bit the wrong direction. One of it's appeals was that it's "old school", meaning that it's no nonsense and about the beer and cider. It's now no longer cash only, so it's getting more and more annoying hipsters. You know the type.... ask to taste first with a queue behind them, buy it with their Mobil App, take a picture of the tap and post it on Instagram before they've even had a sip. Please stop with the credit card payment, it's attracting wankers. read more

What an absolute gem. The Southampton Arms combines an outstanding selection of English craft ales and ciders -- twelve handpumps for beer and six for cider -- with the rustic, lived-in comfort of the best English pubs. The server knew the characteristics of the beers he was pouring and was able to give an intelligent, nuanced recommendation. If this place were any closer to home, I would happily kick back in the church pew beside the open fire from minute they opened until they chucked me out at closing. My selection for CAMRA North London Pub of the Year. read more

Southampton Arms - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

See all

I love this place - great place to go before a gig at the Kentish Town Forum (it's about 200 m up the road and not as packed as the pubs closer to the venue) and I'm looking forward to it being my local. The Southampton Arms has 18 taps of ale and cider, and they choose their stock very very well. Standard pint price is around £3.20 which is pretty reasonable in my book. The pork pie was great too, first time I've had one with piccalilli. Yeah, it's a bit of a dinky pub, but it has a nice cosy feel to it. Really looking forward to swinging by here on a regular basis! read more

Ale. Cider. Meat. Yes. Yes. Yes. I walked by here a zillion times on my way to work and thought it looked like a place I belonged. Turns out, I was right. You'll find that they pick a few things to do and they do them well. I've also been told they have the best Scotch eggs in London, which I have yet to try, but suffice to say that if you're looking for a great non-chain pub with buckets of charm to spare then you should probably put this on your list. It's also one of the better places you could spend your time if you're waiting for a gig at the HMV that isn't one of the blah bright bars outside the tube. You will love it, unless it's too busy to get a seat, then you'll have to come by another time and love it then. read more

However one looks at the Southampton Arms, it's difficult not to award them top marks. Sure, it has its quirks, but I don't think they're sufficient to seriously threaten their 5 star credentials. Its strengths? 18 odd ales and ciders for one on draft, with prices for the ales at a staggeringly low £3.30 per pint and £1.65 per half pint. Only the likes of Sam Smiths bitter or Wetherspoons will get you a cheaper pint of ale, but those found at the Southampton Arms are incomparably better. There is typically a mix in quality amongst the ales and ciders, but there are always a few in the ever-revolving selection that are worth their salt. Another noteworthy aspect is that the beers come from small UK breweries, something that the Southampton Arms claims makes it the only one in London. From the perspective of this Brit keen to see the boom in new UK craft breweries continue, that's definitely a good thing. Further, the interior is uber-homely, with low lighting, long tables and benches and a log fire. It's all rather evocative of how one might imagine pubs to have been in the merry old England of the 17th or 18th centuries. Outside is a small beer garden occupied mainly by smokers. The clientel are the 30something, knitwear-clad middle class professionals you might expect in such a warm (temperature, lighting and atmosphere) place. A few beer-loving locals too. Pretty much par for the craft beer scene. The main quirk is the lack of option to pay by card - it's cash only here. That is annoying. But for all the other factors it's still 5 star, and indeed, largely unique, material certainly worth sampling for ale, cider or pub-lovers. read more

Nice pub tucked away in the normally bland Kentish Town. Pros: Lots of unique cask ale on tap Lots of independent cider Cheap pints Roast pork sandwich! (Get this!) Cons: Bathroom is semi-outdoors...not going to bode well on a cold day! For some reason they served the sausage roll and scotch egg cold. Really sad. Check it out. Reminds me of a smaller version of CASK. read more

Food: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Cleanliness: 3/5 Decor & Style: 5/5 This is a small pub with a really cool outdoor patio. Inside, it reminds me of a classic western Saloon and there was even a piano player playing classic saloon music! Amazing beer food served (deviled eggs, breads, olives, cheese plates), and of course good beers on tap. A great place to hang out at all the time if you live nearby, I know I would! read more

Best pub I found in London. Very casual vibe, great craft and cask beers and ciders, and a piano! Plus tunes on vinyl. Cash only. read more

Southampton Arms - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Pretty much perfect for me. Great selection of independent brews, tasty bar snacks, music from a record player. Cash only. read more

This is a brilliant pub, cosy, wooden surrounds and only independent brewery cask ale and cider. If you like a few pints of fosters and want to pay with a credit card then you will probably be laughed out of the place. The traditional pork sandwich is an honest delight and something to behold...then devour! read more

The best beer in London bar none. The only pub in London that offers ales and ciders exclusively from small English brewers and I've never had a beer there that wasn't great. The corporatization of pubs and English ales has destroyed the quality of pubs here as so many marques pose as hand-crafted artisan beer when in fact they are bearding brands that mask the chain or giant brewer behind the psuedo-small label. At Southampton Arms, however, you're getting the best beer and cider available in the UK. read more

What an excellent find! Stumbling in from a freezing stroll on Hampstead Heath, we were greeted by the sight of 12 handpull ale pumps stretching down the bar and a log fire in the corner. Bliss. Serves only ales and ciders from independent breweries, all in excellent condition, at sensible prices. A great stop off after a weekend wander - make a visit! read more

Southampton Arms - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Unfortunately, this pub is one that we will never go to again thanks to the bartender Alex's poor behaviour today. This is a shame, as they do have a lovely selection of beers. It all started with me returning two empty pint glasses that were at the table we sat down at. I was yelled at, and told in no uncertain terms that this was the place that he was preparing food now, and basically to F off. I was shocked and deposited the glasses on the main bar and went back to where I was sitting, feeling like a scolded child. A couple of friends joined us, and the guy came over to "apologise". He never actually said that he was sorry, but he did explain that they are quite busy and that glasses can get broken.... blah, blah, blah. I can respect that point, but his point could have been much more understood if he would have said something along the lines of "sorry, it's quite a small space here, I appreciate you assisting us with bringing the empties back up, but could you please bring them to the main counter"? I said that I appreciated him coming over, but that that I had been offended by his handling of the situation earlier and didn't appreciate the way that he had spoken to me. He decided to combat it instead of actually saying he was sorry, he decided to say that he felt that I needed to develop a thicker skin if I was to spend time there, and that he tells people to piss off all the time and that's just the way it is in a busy bar. Flash forward a time, and I was in need of a new beer. A friend and me went up to the bar, and unfortunately he was the one that was there when it became our turn to order. I ordered the three and a half pints I needed, and it seemed as if we would let bygones be bygones. He even offered to carry the beers to our table through the back. I mentioned that I appreciated it but it was not necessary as there were two of us. He was adamant that it was easiest for him to carry them over, so I obliged. He then asked which one was mine. As a joke, and to try to lighten the tension, I asked why he was asking - if he was planning to spit in my drink. From there, it got ever so much worse. He called me crazy for asking that, he said that I deserved to get Trumped - whatever that means, but in the current political climate, I can only imagine what he meant, and it wasn't nice, he said that I was looking for a fight and tried to turn everything around into being my fault. My crime? Bringing up some empty glasses of other people and then for standing up for myself when someone treated me very poorly for no apparent reason. I have been to this pub on multiple occasions, and on this one, I brought in TWELVE adults. Never Again. To the owner/bartender: if you feel that this is just your personality, and your "fun sense of humour" you can get away with it as it's your pub, I guess, but that does not make it okay. You treated me very badly and I really do not appreciate what you said to me during any of our interactions. I will never come to your pub again. My husband will never come again. Our friends will never come again. And by the way, your whiney complaint about your sign being copied that you have posted on your website, and posting on twitter about the fact that you have been skipped over by CAMRA crawls are completely juvenile, stroppy, and just pathetic. Maybe they didn't add you to the crawl because of you. read more

This place used to be a rough and unfriendly local's pub, with cooking lager and Sky Sports. It has totally changed now, however. The transformation couldn't have been more astonishing. There are now around 6 real ciders and perries, plus 7 real ales, always including a Porter and a Mild. I've been 3 times in 2 weeks and the turnover must be pretty good, as I've never seen the same drink on more than once. The atmosphere, the amazing beer, the brilliant service, the music coming from the 45s, hot pork sandwiches at the bar. It feels as if it's been like this for years. Also a fan of the real log fire. The overall decor is almost Edwardian in it's approach, with wooden furntiure, and a white tiled back bar. Well done to those involved. Ingenious in it's simplicity, others would have stripped it and called it a 'bar and kitchen'. read more

Dubious aromas, but great ales and some rather dangerous ciders. I like that the interior feels authentic and the clientel are unpretentious. read more

Oh dear.... Went here yesterday on the advice of Burnley Dave and Steve Barnes from the Wenlock Arms. First pint was Edwin Taylors Extra Stout, lovely. Second was Cliff Quay Tumblehome, lovely again. Third pint was Farmers Ales A Drop of Nelsons Blood, flat, absolutely no condition at all. Brought it back to the bar to complain and was told by the barmaid she couldn't refund the pint. I told her that it was undrinkable and flat. To which she replied '' all the beers are flat...''. In real life I'm the cellar-man of a Camra Good Beer Guide listed pub, I think I might just know what I'm talking about. Anyway, after much humming and hawing, I got a replacement pint, Tryst Blathan which was fine. When someone has a genuine complaint it should be dealt with properly, and not be dealt with in a state of denial. And there are no hand drying facilities in the gents... So, all in all,this place has potential but until the staff are shown how to distinguish between fresh and flat beer, I wouldn't rate it very highly... Good selection of cider though read more

An amazing pub - great beer, brilliant bar snacks and the most delicious pork and apple sandwiches

This pub is AWESOME! The staff are AWESOME and they welcome dogs! Highly recommend *******

Roaring fire, wood-panelled interior, directional lighting, brain-fryingly strong ciders, dayglo ales, pork 'n' apple baps, a friendly crowd (you really do start talking to everybody), vinyl-only music policy, upright piano. No credit cards. No bookings. No idiots (other than the occasional territorial real ale drinker). read more

Such an amazing pub. Arrived and pulled up a stall at the bar. So many independent ales to chose from, you won't find anything mainstream here. Staff are extremely friendly and had a great knowledge on what's behind the bar. They don't have a food menu but just a board on the wall with bar snacks. To be fair the snacks are decent enough to keep you going, amazing pork bun and even better pork pies. Nice little fire going on in the middle of the pub. Best avoided if you come as a big group as it was extremely busy and we went on a Weds. It's also cash only, so make sure you stock up your wallet beforehand, as you will want to try and go through all of their casks. (Visit - 11/02/2015 Evening) read more

Am amazing pub, serving fantastic local products and on my visits really friendly and helpful staff. Its a tiny place so always busy. Some great live music one vist and the others have had vinyl playing. Ideal place to spend a Sunday. Highly recommend for ale and cider drinkers! read more

One of my favourite pubs ever. Great beer selection, great atmosphere and great regulars. Of course it would be nice if it were still a bit obscure like last year, but they deserve to get all this business. read more