See you at the pub: The Arsenal Tavern

When you’re in New York, you’re at Nevada Smith’s. When you’ve got money, you’re at Emirates. But where to go while in Highbury? We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to Arsenal pubs in North London, so we’ll try to take you though some of our experiences in our search for the perfect pub.


The Arsenal Tavern
175 Blackstock Road
London N4 2JS
Match attended: Bolton v Arsenal, 17th January 2010

When we arrived, there were a few older gentlemen watching the Aston Villa v West Ham match that preceded the main event (all of whom were supporting the Villains, as one should!) There was one out-of-tune man who occasionally launched into random singing, but as the pub filled up with pensioners and families, the atmosphere was primarily one of genteel applause (and the occasional “fuck.”)

Drink selection: Poor. The only cider on tap was Strongbow, and the other beers were all of the generic type: Guinness, Stella, and so on.

Drink price: Good. Two pints were only 5.80, which, if you’re doing math at home, brings you to about the cost of one pint with tip in New York.

Screen size and visibility: Good. A relatively large projection screen took up one wall, with smaller televisions around the pub. The shape of the pub—one large square—made viewing easy, with sightlines available from all tables.

Crowd: Okay. Mostly older gents, with almost no women (excluding the most adorable little girl in the pinstriped away kit—ahh!) who applauded and shouted, but never too loudly.

Singing: Poor. Not even a single off-key “Arsenal FC” was heard.

Location: Good. Ten minutes from the Finsbury Park Tube, not far from either the Gunners or the Twelve Pins.

Overall rating: Okay. Good for watching the match in a more serious way, and good for cheap drinking, but could use with a bit of excitable young blood beyond the toddlers.