The Horseshoe

Since the Horseshoe redecorated in 2015 it’s a much nicer place to sit with a few beers and some snacks. The food has always been very good quality, although the veg options can be very limited. Unfortunately the service is a little hit and miss. Their efficiency and friendliness depends on who is serving and how busy they are, which is a shame.

The modern style renovated Camden Town Brewery attracts me because of the cool interior and seemingly good kitchen. I hadn’t been there in years but had a positive memory of the food. This time I wasn’t convinced by my grilled polenta with chanterelles, artichokes and cannellini beans. The sound of the dish is totally up my street but the execution was a bit disappointing — everything was oozing with oil and I would have expected a bit more volume for the 14 pounds they charge for it. A couple at the neighbouring table returned their plates because their roasts were too cold — so maybe the chef was just a bit under the weather that day.

The Horseshoe is prominently situated on the high street, literally a stone’s throw from the Hampstead underground station. It has the distinction of being the birthplace of Camden Town Brewery and open since 2006, but it has been recently refurbished.
The revamp has improved the atmosphere of the pub greatly, rendering it a more energetic and relaxed setting with a strong focus on the bar. The interior is less minimalist than I remember, the beer is prominently presented on a large chalkboard menu, the walls have been painted and the floors have been tiled.
We were on the hunt for a Sunday roast, but there was only a beef roast on the menu. I was disappointed as I don’t eat red meat, and while the rotisserie chicken looked mouth-​watering, it was a meal for two and my boyfriend couldn’t be swayed from beef. I conceded and ordered a vegetarian plate of grilled polenta with mushrooms, artichokes and cannellini beans for my main.
We were provided with complimentary filtered and sparking water on the table– a nice touch, as I usually opt for plain tap water. We also had warm bread and butter brought to the table.
We ordered a smoked salmon starter paired with toast, capers and a lemon mayonnaise sauce. The salmon came in a generous helping and melted in the mouth. The toast and zesty mayo made it a substantial starter.
The roast arrived and the beef was exceptionally rare– my boyfriend commended it for this. The Yorkshire pudding was spot on and the trimmings consisted of imposing hunks of roast potato, carrots and green beans. It was a generous portion size, but I would have been keener on a wider medley of veggies– this is a bugbear of mine, whereas my boyfriend characteristically remarked that there wasn’t enough gravy.
My polenta dish exceeded my expectations– it was bursting with colour and the polenta was charred and grilled nicely on the outside, retaining a pleasant soft texture on the inside. The dish was well seasoned and very flavoursome– it was a good lighter option for a Sunday.
The beer selection is fantastic (as expected) and the staff were very eager and pleasant, but service was a bit clumsy– this might be down to teething after the refurbishment, but we were given flat drinks and the wrong order was brought over to us– and this seemed to be happening with all of the tables in close proximity as well. Everything was quickly rectified, however, with profuse apologies.
I overheard some diners being turned away because the kitchen closes for a break at 4:30pm on a Sunday, so plan your visit accordingly. There were some tables available when we visited, but I imagine this can change very suddenly on a rainy day with walkers coming from the nearby Hampstead Heath.

Love this place! I’m a big fan of the Camden brewery and do coming here to drink makes me happy. In addition, the staff went out of their way to find us a spot to sit so we could have lunch one day. This will become a regular drinking hole.

Lovely pub with a good selection of beers and wines. The staff is friendly and the venue clean and neat. I would visit again…

An outpost of Camden Town Brewery. There is a line of taps of their beers, fairly trendy stuff but varied and cared for. They have a fridge full of beers including some German classics like the Schlenkerla Rauchbier and Augustiner Hells, though you are looking at around six quid for one of these.
It’s comfortable and friendly here. The food looks good though I’ve never thought of trying it having been more fixated by their beer menu.

OMG what have they done? The food used to be good; nice chicken, steak or fish and chips etc. Its completely changed. The food is horrid. Awful menu, salty dry food. yuk. :(

This place used to be great before the remodel, but unfortunately the new menu is pretty terrible. We went there and tried a wide variety of things recently, and only the sausages were good.
The place looks fantastic as far as décor goes, and the beers are really great! It’s just super unfortunate that they have this new German menu going on, I miss the days of the epic Horseshoe burger to end all burgers. :(

This bar has potential to be a neighborhood gem but needs to improve on friendlier and more attentive service. I write this review after multiple visits. It is usually quite busy & difficult to get a table. If you want to eat in the restaurant– they have additional seating behind the main bar. Be prepared to wait though as staff does not immediately come to help. The food is good but is a bit pricey. They have a lot of cool craft beers from the camden town brewery & also some American Lager’s. Drinks are also a bit pricey but I suppose you are paying for a more eclectic selection. Solid 3 stars as would be willing to pay more if service was more attentive.

Expensive for a pint. Food is ok

Get to the Chase:
Pros:
1) Dog-​friendly
2) Some delicious eats!
3) Amazing selection of beers/​lagers and ciders (and much generous portion than the US… for all you Americans)
4) Menu changes daily, and is printed out with the weather and date… real nice touch
5) They had one time a shepherd’s pie which was to die for, other times they had an amazing mulled wine with a hearty soup and chips
Cons:
1) Little heating, and be ready to sit your bum on a had plank of wood
2) Waitress maybe was just off the day I went, but I had to wave my arms as if calling for a lifeguard to get her attention… she was busily drinking her cup of coffee and chatting with the chefs
3) The loo looks like something I could build in my garage
4) On a Thursday 1:00 PM, they had their seats somewhat filled, but there was clearly a long bench which they had stacked boxes of beer/​food, when we asked if we could sit there, they said sure, but watched as we (the CUSTOMERS) lifted each box ourselves to make seating… come on now
5) Not all the dishes are superb (Some overpriced, and skip the cheese-board…sparse and stale)

Met friends for sunday brunch and they took us to their neighborhood gastropub. What a pleasant surprise. Love the interior — clean, bright, lots of wood, very Scandinavian. I had the grilled sardines on toast and I love it, Sardines grilled just right and I especially love the toast, great texture, right amount of chewiness for me. We also shared the mussels with very tasty sauce. My friend ordered the fresh artichoke and it was so pretty, it’s like eating a flower and it also tasted really fresh. Good selection of beer and alcohol too if you fancy a drink. Servers were very attentive although I have to say service was a tiny bit slow. Well, but who cares, it’s sunday morning maybe that’s how it should be. Cute place in the heart of hampstead, and dog friendly too, will go back.

A great place for lunch on a Sunday! Good selection of beers. We had the mussels and shrimp with mayo & chips — both very tasty. The restaurant lets in a lot of natural light, so it’s not your typical dark-​pub feel. I’m sure traditionalists don’t take to it, but for the young and modern who like gastropubs, this is the place in Hampstead!

Ambience is lacking, not quite a pub, nor a restaurant, décor of the bland blonde wood variety. It’s noisy as sound seems to bounce off the walls. Agree with previous reviews on surly staff.
Shame as it’s in a lovely building, with simple, good food plus decent booze selection.

This bar is like a well-​crafted personal ad. Bright, but not too bright; friendly, but not too friendly; lively, but not too lively; noisy but not too noisy.
It’s got just the right amount of everything to make it a nice little pub to meet up with friends if you’re by the heath. I didn’t get to venture into the food options, but I’d certainly come back for a pint. It’s not on the super-​cheap-​side, but nothing in this postcode is going to be.

The service borders on rude, but that aside I have always had a consistently good meal at The Horseshoe — particularly for Sunday brunch.
Staff haven’t really decided whether you’re supposed to go up to the bar and order or wait for table service, resulting in waiters looking at you oddly when you try and grab their attention, and bar staff sighing when you try to order a meal off them.
When you do tie them down, they can also be a little stubborn with orders: I wanted a poached egg with mushrooms and toast, rather than the fried advertised, but was told it wasn’t possible. I’m not sure whether this is becase they prepare the eggs or because they don’t know how to poach them, but either way I would have thought it would be an easy request to follow. However, when the food arrived it was just the thing to overcome a hangover with. Likewise, The Boy’s scrambled eggs with smoked salmon made him far less grumpy, and far more willing to face the day ahead rather than crawling back into bed and sleeping off the alchohol fug until Monday.

My friends and I ended up here after our first choice wasn’t open for dinner until later in the evening. Nothing on the menu was calling to me so I went for a cup of mulled wine, some soup and chips. Random combination, I know. I ordered a white bean and garlic soup. It was more like a cup of cream with some garlic thrown in. I was halfway through with it and still questioning if it had any beans in it. I know what it didn’t have: salt and pepper. I had to spice that bad boy up. And sadly it was still okay. The creaminess just got to me. It was too rich. On the other hand, the chips were awesome. They stayed crispy until the very last one. I think the worst part about this meal was the price: £14.
The place has a really nice open atmosphere and I would return here to have a few drinks but not for a meal. They have a huge menu for wines and beers.

After living right down the street from this place for 2 years, I finally tried it tonight. It was a quaint pub atmosphere — and surprisingly romantic for my wife and me. The pub is somewhat separated from a few tables which comprise the dining area toward the back of the building. We were pleasantly surprised about the relaxed, candlelit atmosphere. The servers were very attentive and the food was served quickly. The meal started with some free, fresh bread and butter. I then endulged and selected the daily special — lamb. I was not disappointed as it had been roasted and was quite good. My wife wasn’t very hungry, so she had the split pea soup and and green salad — both which hit the spot.
We were a bit disappointed in our pinot noir wine selection — but we should have probably sampled the ales anyway. We’ll definitely give those a try next time around.
This place always seems to have a consistent stream of people coming in and out. It’s a great place to grab a pint and enjoy a relaxed meal.
Tip: They change the menu daily, so each time is a unique experience.

The Horseshoe is a great place in Hampstead to grab a pint, glass of wine, and a fresh, local meal. The beer and wine selection is more extensive than your average pub, as they offer many more unusual brews and wines. My English boyfriend was excited to see his favourite brew from America, Sierra Nevada on the menu.
Also, the food menu changes daily as the restaurant supports local meats and produce. I am a firm believer in choosing local foods as well, so I well enjoyed my mussels drenched in a garlic and white wine sauce.
The Horseshoe has a friendly, bright, and lively ambiance. There is a good amount of seating outside for the summer time and the inside of the gastropub is brightly lit and spacious. Overall, the Horseshoe is a great option if you would like something a little nicer than your average English pub, with a great variety of drinks and tasty, local menu.

A pleasant gastropub in this middle-​class neighbourhood. After being in the States for 5 years I’d almost forgot what a pub could be: a cosy pub with a select range of food on offer that’s well executed and not too pricey.
After arriving in north London Maurice and I walked here and got fish and chips. He added a lager top (lager with a splash of lemonade aka Sprite in the US) after he cancelled his shandy (lager and lemonade mixed together.) I got mulled wine since it was a cold winter’s day. The fish was thin fillets of haddock (i think) with a light batter and served with a modest portion of thick fries/​chips. This was definitely gastropub fish and chips and not your local fryer as the lemon wedge even came in a muslin cloth. A couple of drinks and two meals cost 38 quid ($ 70) which isn’t too bad.
Since we lost a few hours here with friends I guess this has be to ranked a good find. The closest thing to this (but on a larger scale) near me is The Village Idiot on Melrose Ave, (Los Angeles.)