The Black Heart is a glorious goth and metal bar located behind Camden High Street, around the corner from Camden Town Station. Having to access the entrance through what can only be described as an alleyway but it's actually a street named Greenland Place, The Black Heart demands you to find it and not everyone will know that it is there. But if you know where to walk (and know up to follow your Map app), you will find a bar that plays awesome metal music while you knock back pints or drinks. The vibes are cool, the bartenders are cool. We enjoyed the drinks that weren't exorbitant. The music was excellent. It's a great hangout to hang during the day or at night. read more

Your friendly heavy metal bar inconspicuously located in a back alleyway, During peak weekend hours, this place gets super loud. And the heavy metal they play will dominate the airwaves such that any sorta chit-chat will be made inaudible. And the noise is compounded by the small capacity space. But, the atmosphere is great. They have many shows (paid and free) on the second floor too . read more

Did you know they show movies upstairs? Nope, neither did I until Eamon B organised an event here. Hidden off the high street this little pub is as close to a "local" as you're going to get in the area. Friendly staff even made me a cuppa to warm me up after my cycle there. I really can't fault the place! I also know its a favourite spot of Miguel's and the bar man even knew his name. It's things like that, which make a pub not just good but great. I shall be back here. When I next need a pre-gig drink or someone asks that question, "Is there actually anywhere good around here?" I'll point in the direction of The Black Heart. read more

The Black Heart - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Popped in for a gig and it was very Camden but had a bit of new-ness about it that didn't make it too authentic, but more hipster. But maybe it is trying to be mix of both which is fine by me to be honest. Gig was good out back. Very much like the Camden gig bars which are small and intimate. read more

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Should I be sad or happy that the pizza here only gets three stars? If it was better I'd probably end up in this place way too often, so I think I'm ok with it. It's a thin crust pizza and for the 3.5 quid you get a decent amount of food. The pizza is rectangular and cut on the diagonal so you essentially have two big slices. There are 7 pizzas to choose from, each named after one of the deadly sins. First time around I went with the Greed pizza, which was a bit of a schitzophrenic mess of toppings. If I remember correctly it had achovies, capers, pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, jalapenos, ham and pineapple. All in all a bit too much, I guess that's what you get when you act on your greed. Kept it simple second go around and ordered the Envy with ham and pineapple. Probably won't eat the pizza again unless I'm already here for the beer as it's not much more of a walk to Al Parco. read more

The Black Heart beats for the Camden locals - and it's tough not to love it for that alone. While other Camden establishments aim to bring in the camera-flashing tourists, the strung-out punks, the overly emotional musicians, the angry goths, or really, just anyone to make it seem like 'this bar embodies Camden', the Black Heart just does its thing, (watched over by hi-fi biblical shrines, no less), tucked away on a back street near the tube. It's the *other way* on Camden High Street, which eliminates about 90% of Camden's usual traffic. Yes they do beer, yes they do movies, yes they do pizza, but the reason you'll go to The Black Heart is because they're in Camden, but they don't painfully hype up the "HEY! CAAAMMMMDEN! YOU'RE IN CAMMMDEN!" thing. It's refreshing. As is the aforementioned beer. read more

I've been to The Black Heart twice now. Both times for food. First for Kimchi Cult and second for Tongue'n'cheek. It's always a bit of a shock walking in as the music playing is music reminiscent of my childhood. It's not necessarily the music I listened to, but it's the music my sister listened to, so I'm quite familiar with it. Both times I've come, I've had some beer, and both times I've been quite impressed with the beer I've had. The cask ales aren't the ones that you find at many of your chain pubs, and it's a nice selection that seems to have a lot of thought put into it. One thing about coming to Britain is that there seems to be a certain feeling and atmosphere when walking into a pub. It has a certain Britishness about it. I don't hate that feeling, but it's nice to find a pub that has a different vibe and a different clientele than your standard British pubs. It's also incredibly close to the Camden Town station, so that's awesome too. I like it. I really do. It's won me over with its clear non-Britishness and the nostalgic thoughts I have when I'm inside. And the beer. Good beer can always win me over. read more

Secretive, dark, with a vibe that makes you want to stay; I am quite taken by The Black Heart. Now I am not talking about the sister ship to Jack Sparrows Black Pearl, I am talking about Camden's newest bar on the block. Once you enter try to look past the rather confusing shrines and artwork of Jesus; no not some famous chump named after the son of God, the real Jesus of Nazareth, and enjoy the relaxed beginnings of a bar that could become a Camden legend over time. There is a good offering on ale, beer and cider, with a healthy back bar that will appease most drinkers of spirits. You can even purchase food, pizza to be exact. These offerings are named after the seven deadly sins, but there isn't really anything deadly about them. Individual, thin crust pizzas costing around £4 are enough to tide you over till you grab a proper meal, but not much else. All the same, I enjoyed my gluttony pizza and revelled in the excitement of working my way through two banana bread beers. For a drink away from the hustle and bustle of Camden High Street, come to The Black Heart, find a few of your favourite songs on the juke box, decide which of the two floors you want to sit on, and relax. read more

Camden is no town of saints, no Sunday school parish of virtue and faith. It's dirty, it's dark, and The Black Heart beats for sinners to come to play. Lurking down a side street, I knew I'd love this place before I even stepped in the door. I'd lived and loved Camden for a long time, but no pub there ever really called to me. With a large black heart on the wall outside, you might almost miss this place in the darkness, but the lit up neon menu draws you in. The Black Heart is hip and very cool, its theme the blending of good versus evil. Walls are lined with religious imagery, paintings of Jesus and a shrine. On the menu, the house pizzas are named after the 7 deadly sins. Which sin are you? After you leave The Black Heart, you may have notched up a few more. Speaking of pizzas, order one. Trust me, they are small enough for a snack but delicious enough to satisfy. I love that the staff here are friendly and fun, they play a great blend of music from rock 'n' roll, to blues, to retro hits. If you're looking for a laid back place to hang out, you can prop up the bar on a weekday night. But I imagine that at the weekend, this Camden heart of darkness wakes up for trouble. read more

I'm from Belgium and I love this pub ! A little bit expensive for drink but the pub is so beautiful and very cool n read more

The Black Heart - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

This is definitely my favorite place to grab a beer in Camden. It's off a side street, and thus slightly buffered from the normal Camden insanity. The vibe is relaxed but slightly sinister, despite the many pictures of Jesus on the wall. They have their own IPA on tap which just may be my favorite beer brewed in London. Finally, they have an upstairs room where they regularly screen films. I went for 'Withnail and I' and had a hell of a time. Definitely hit this place up if you're out in Camden. read more

Great selection of beer. Rock bar. Black decor. Loud music. If you're up for the vibe it really hits the spot. But it might not be for you, that's ok, it's camden, go somewhere else. Has a good vibe. Loud and chilled. They used to do some great food. They don't anymore (at the writing of this review), which is a shame. read more

An Amurrrrican bar in Camden. Tattoos and rock n roll music and religious latino inspired paraphernalia strewn about (like From Dusk Till Dawn with less blood and mexicans) Plus there was a jukebox on the wall that let you browse the albums but it wasn't actually connected so it was just a tease. OH and a bartender short changed me. Yes it was only 10p but it's the principal of the thing. The other bartenders gave me correct change. Ok ok I sound a bit harsh but I just wasn't feeling it that night. I think I was just tired and wanted to sit but there was no place to do that with our big group. Already packed on a thursday night at 9. If we had a little spot of our own I would have been happy chatting and hanging out all night though. Oh and there's an upstairs area for live music. The girlfriends/groupies of the band playing at the time were trying to get us to go upstairs with them. read more

The tables are sticky, the tables are wobbly but you don't care once you've had kimchi cult. Read about my sexy burger adventure on the kimchi cult review page. Alas, Black heart was not as pirate sexy as I thought it would be, there were no Jack sparrow's hanging about. (wait, that was the black pearl....Fail whale!) The tables were sticky, the tables were wobbly and there was a massive floral arrangement like the type you get at funerals saying BLACK HEART. So morbid, as was the soap in the loos. It wasn't as much soap, it was a massive bag of grimy antibac gel. kinda icky. but it does fit with the morbid theme. Tip: take your own nice smelling anti bac. The cocktails are pretty yummy but they take AGES to make, or at least the girl serving did. I was PARCHED by the time I received it. But Kimchi cult is an indefinite pop up there for the timebeing so I'll definitely be back, regardless of everything because I LOVE KIMCHI BURGERS. read more

You know my criteria for a good bar: Hidden in an alleyway and filled with... oh right, it's not that kind of bar... but it is filled with chill people that aren't up their own asses (for the most part) trying to look like Amy Winehouse; which for camden, is sometimes a feat. Prices were good, service was great, and it looks like it'd be a great place in the summer if they open up the front panels. We were there late on a friday night and it wasn't super packed, which was nice. And after reading Leon's review that there's banana bread beer (you know how I feel about both banana bread and beer), I'll be making a trip back in 3...2.... read more

Alternative bar/pub with a wanna be "dia de los muertos" feel to it. It's cool to hang out and enjoy some drinks. They have an upstairs venue as well and sometimes there are live bands playing or they're showing movies. If the weather is nice, the folding windows open and they have pizzas named after the 7 sins...uuuuu, I need to try one! The staff was quick, we got our drinks in a jippy -even though the bar was busy- and the door dudes were ok but a bit arsy. Nothing out of the ordinary in Camden. read more

I *love* the Black Heart. I think it's my favourite pub in London. It's nicely hidden away in the alley, with barely even a sign out front. Perfect for keeping the tourists away! It's dark and cosy and no TV screens. The music is amazing, the art and decor is really interesting. I love it. There's always an epic choice of beer available and whilst the specials aren't cheap, they are worth it and there are always a few old favourite available at a slightly more reasonable costs. The toilets are unisex (although I think there are a few cubicles that are supposed to be separate) and I have to be honest during a night out there's piss everywhere. It's pretty grim, but y'know you can be precious about it or not. There's also a mini venue upstairs which actually has some pretty good gigs going on. Personally, the best time to go is during the day where you can actually get to the pool table, sit down at a table and actually have a conversation without having to shout or guess what your friends are saying. Also, if it's quiet during the day they let me bring my dog in, so I love them for that. Perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. read more

First, the good points about The Black Heart... the staff. The staff here are really friendly and attentive - quick to serve. The place also has a nice layout, decent selection of beers on tap and they can make cocktails. Great for a couple of drinks and if the weather is nice, the folding door/windows are opened up bringing a bit of fresh air in (and also makes it easier to pop out for a fag). They have personal pizzas, haven't had one of these but they seem to be popular. The bad point and this goes for so many bars/pubs in London - the music. Old "classic" / safe tunes. Why oh why for an area that is supposed to be cutting edge and hip do all the bars including The Black Heart not play up to date rock/indie music. the tunes here are all "safe" (ie Rolling Stones, a message to you Rudy - if I hear this one more time....). come on Black Heart, you have the opportunity to get it right and play new tunes for us looking for a good bar that's a bit more edgy! read more

i'm surprised no one has reviewed the black heart yet!! Down a side alley just before you get to camden tube. Went here for a mates Birthday. The trendy decor has a dark mexican day of the dead feel to it, making this bar/ pub a cool place to 'hang out' in. Friendly door men and bar staff. I recommend you pop into this real hidden gem read more

The Black Heart - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Great pub in Camden slightly hidden away. The only signage is a large black heart hanging outside so could be easily missed. I like the style of this place and it has a good selection of drinks read more

Probably my favourite pub in Camden, for a number of reasons but mainly the excellent selection of drinks and it's location. Away from the high street you're spared the expensive tourist prices and most of the people that put me off going to some of the more well known pubs in Camden. The pool table is a definite plus too. The staff are friendly and I never have much trouble getting served, even on a Friday or Saturday night when the place is usually packed. On these busier nights finding a seat can sometimes be hard, but once most people clear out to go to clubs it's much easier, also they have bar stools which are a good alternative if there's only two or three of you. All in all an excellent pub for both a quiet drink during the week and a big night at the weekend. read more

I love the Black Heart - and have been there for both work and play! The drink selection is wide and varied. I am a cider drinker more so than beer, and they regularly have new and interesting cider options. The beer choices are huge, on tap, in cans, local and worldwide. I can't speak with much authority on them, but I'm assured they're awesome. The food is amazing. Kimchi Cult is long gone (and much missed) but the BBQ food currently being served is incredible. My meal of choice is the chicken wings and some fries, not forgetting the fantastic blue cheese dip. They do look at you a bit questionably if you request cutlery though, so just get your hands in there. Some of the reviews here seem to be complaining that the music is too loud and so on. It's very definitely a rock bar, so if that's not your cup of tea, don't expect to come in for a quiet pint. Having said that, it's quite quiet in there most Saturday afternoons, so is quite chilled out - certainly compared to the madness of the rest of Camden just around the corner. The venue upstairs is a 150 cap room where bands of all kinds play - but typically at the heavier end of the spectrum. Top tip: if the room is sold out, it will be VERY hot, but at the back on the left, in front of the bar, there's an air conditioner. Stand in front of it. read more

Think I've definitely found my favourite pub in London. Its in Camden, but a bit hidden away which is cool...they have the flowers like,e you get at a funeral saying 'dad' or whatever but with 'black heart' on the wall which is very striking. The place definitely has a Gothy/punky vibe but I like it a lot. They also do comedy nights in the space upstairs which is really cool. read more

Rock and indeed Roll, as i always end up rolling out pissed, this place is my new pre gig pub, has a wide selection of beers and a wide selection of spirits to, the Jukebox is a winner, something on there for everyone, One minute your chilling out to Bob Marley the next nodding along to some Sludge Doom metal. They also do food, Pizza's are very nice a reasonably priced, so if you like your music and beer, go here. read more

It creeps me out a little that the website for the Black Heart is www.ourblackheart.com. Was www.theblackheart.com taken? Or do the owners really have pure evil at their core? Whatever the reason, one can't fault them for picking a theme and going full on with it. The Black Heart is a black metal pub with a small venue on the upper floor. It's the type of place that you would expect to be the hangout for a biker gang in a movie with dark walls, slightly dim lighting, and a pool table in the corner. The clientele are similarly dressed with black being the colour of choice and I think I lost track of how many white guys walked by with the trademark black beanie on despite the warm temperature inside. The bar takes up most of the central space and is woefully understaffed with the average wait time for a beer somewhere around 15 minutes. While the beer list on the wall looks impressive, be warned that they don't have a good portion at any given time so always get up there with a back up in mind or you may face another wait before you can get served. Prices are also a bit much at £5 for some of the nicer bottles (330ml still) and pints around £3-4. Card minimum is £10 so keep some cash on you unless you are buying a round. But none of this is why we were here. We came for Kimchi Cult and damn I'm glad we did. Kimchi Cult was born as a street trader slinging juicy burgers to the hungry masses. Naturally, as the name suggests, their signature burger, the Kimchi Cult Special, is topped with a generous serving of kimchi made by the man in charge. I first ran across them a few years ago at a Korean festival and I've been an avid fan ever since. Given the winter weather makes for poor street stall trade, they are running a six week pop-up at the Black Heart. I won't go into too much detail on them (see the Kimchi Cult reviews for that), but I will note that because they have a larger kitchen (which isn't saying much) this time, they are also offering up some loaded fries. The kimchi fries are doused in a kimchi hot sauce and packs some serious heat. The bulgogi fries are topped with a massive serving of delicious bulgogi (some of the best I've had in London). Both are huge portions that will definitely fill you up...unless you are Rob H...in which case even the ribs from the Flintstones aren't enough. Back to the Black Heart, it's an alright pub for Camden but unless you are into the metal scene I'd probably give it a miss. The beer is better (and a little cheaper) just down the street at BrewDog and you have more interesting places to people watch further up the locks. And I'm still slightly annoyed that after going through the effort of making a reservation for 8, they forgot about it completely and stuffed us on some tables in the middle of the busiest walkway in the pub. Not cool. read more

Good beer selection. The pub, like all London/Camden haunts, is bound to be screaming loud, even at 3 in the afternoon. The toilets, while unisex, were clean enough. The bartender assured me the wifi was up &,running but I couldn't connect no matter how hard I tried & she didn't seem to care. I liked it all right. I would go back. read more

My favourite bar in Camden. Great pre-gig spot. Drinks to please everyone and good level of music. No danger of them playing bad pop. Good crowd. If you're there for a gig upstairs, wear layers - it gets ridiculously hot. read more

One pub I take for granted living in Camden... but sometimes realise just how awesome it is to have a pub with such an awesome decor and playlist and pints of craft beer under £5 as of summer 2019 even if you split them in half, and usually enough free seats (shh). Love showing this place to non-Londoners. read more

All the pics do it justice - it's dark, cavernous and gritty. Rock is the order of the day, and it's well complimented with a delicious selection of crafty brews and even the odd decent whiskey (they had my fave from Ireland - Green Spot - deeeelish). To quote Arnie, I'll be back... read more

Nice boozer with good service. The staff are friendly and care for the details. The ambient is classic pub style and the food is nice also. Give The Black hearth a try, you will be glad. read more

I really like this pub! Awesome rock and roll grunge looking with hatch food delivery -Pulled pork ect which was ace, fairly pricey but pretty standard type camden prices, good drink selection, great for that kindda of dirty grimey sexy atmosphere for a great night out with mates, haven't experienced the band aspect but want too, loos are shared which doesn't bother me in the least but expect shocked guys when you stroll through! My only downfall is occasionally you get a bar member with an attitude problem and not in the cool way just the buzz kill way! So long as they keep an eye on that I'm happy as larry! Can't wait to go back! read more

Great selection of beer from around the world with wicked live music. Nuff said!!

Nice ambiance and beer isn't bad, but I had a pretty bad experience at this forgettable pub. The manager intentionally overcharged me. When I realised about 1 minute later he refused to return my money. I could forgive him for this as the pub was hardly full, but he was extremely rude to me when I asked for the correct change. Poor customer service is never a way to help your business. read more

Love this pub. Tourist free as down a side street. Super dark deco, freindly staff on door and bar. Not the quickest to serve but hey, this ain't some Weatherspoon's where they are trying to plough through masses of shouting people. Don't know if they do food but recommend you come here for drinking only (plus a little dance if there's room!!) One bad point, cider is way too expensive here and they do the poncey Swedish stuff in bottles for £5 each. They are 3 for £5 at Sainsbury's round the corner. read more