The Shaftesbury Tavern

Reviews

• Katya L.

  star star star star star_border 12 June 2026

  Popped in for dinner and a few rounds with some of my friends. Another friend living in the area had told us that this was his local, so we decided to give it a go. We weren't disappointed.
  
  The space is larger than it might appear from the street, nicely decorated and clean. There's a big back room with a fireplace, couches and cozy booths, which was where we sat. The place was done up all festive for the holidays and had a good, convivial vibe going. We managed to wander in for the pub quiz accidentally as well, and decided to participate. We didn't win (didn't even place) but it was fun all the same.
  
  Service was whatever. The teenage girl working the bar/running food looked like she had about a hundred places she'd rather be, but we weren't bothered. The slightly older guy at the bar might have tried to chat me up as I was leaving, which I found particularly hilarious. Decent selection of beers and cider on tap.
  
  Food was good. Oddly enough the menu has an Thai bent, listing things like fish cakes and pad thai alongside burgers. We ordered a round of appetizers to share - calamari, the aforementioned fish cakes, dumplings, and chicken wings - which were all fairly tasty, although the portions were a bit skimpy. Food all came out pretty quickly. For my main I had a salad with scallops, which was excellent. I also tasted a friend's pad thai - light on the spice and a bit tangier than I'd have preferred, but certainly edible.
  
  With the welcoming, cozy interior, better-than-average pub grub, and plenty of space to hunker down over a pint, I can easily see how the Shaftesbury might become one's local of choice. I'd certainly be back.

• Sarah A.

  star star star star star_border 7 June 2026

  They have outdoor space which is always a win in London, downside is it overlooks Hornsey Road, which isn't the most scenic.
  
  In the winter they have a back section that has an open fire, but be prepared to come early and stake it out if you want to get a spot in front of it. The inside is deceptively large, the bar is good, excellent selection of draft beer and cider and good wine. The menu looks good although we didn't eat properly we just had some chips between us.

• Liberty F.

  star star star star_border star_border 1 June 2026

  I had a decent Sunday roast here - the meat in particular was cooked very well. It was a bit heavy with sweet tasting gravy though. The burgers are mediocre. The lamb massaman seemed very good, as well as the Thai coconut crepe dessert that they have. But the dining experience is somewhat marred by the extremely load music that they always seem to have playing. The place could also be cleaner - we had to wipe bits of food off our table and chairs.

• Rachael H.

  star star star star star_border 30 May 2026

  Though their outdoor space is somewhat ruined by the busy Hornsey Road right outside this is still a pub that manages to be a notch above the normal boozer.
  
  Surprisingly large inside, there is a nice atmosphere in the Shaftesbury coupled with a good selection behind the bar and what looked like a really nice menu (the bbq sticks in particular looked intriguing).
  
  It's dog friendly as well, which is great for those of us who don't have pets and just want to coo at an adorable dachsund the table over to get their cute animal fix of the day.
  
  I'll definitely head back to the Shaftesbury - it looks like it will be worth it in the winter with the prospect of a cosy open fire.

• David P.

  star star star star star 20 May 2026

  Having lived round the corner from this place for a few years, this was kind of my local. I know some of the reviews are a bit harsh, but the pub was recently refurbished and I *think* a change of ownership.
  
  The pub itself is large, the staff are always friendly and they play football on big screens.
  
  They have a performing area in the back for bands and groups to rent out, which sometimes can be fun.
  
  The pub quiz was stupidly hard last time I went, so if you are a pro, then you might do well here, for anyone else... it could be fun.
  
  I couldn't find any other pubs in the area as nice and relaxed as this place, would take friends and family here for a roast on a Sunday too as the food was pretty good. When the kitchen was shut, they allowed people to bring a pizza in from across the road and eat it which I thought was a nice touch.