The Lock Tavern

sarahbean

camden institution 25th September 2009

0 found this helpful

The Lock is probably the best place to go in Camden. Been going for years so they gave me a regulars card which means I don't have to queue on weekend which is a bonus.

I generally gof ro the music programming and have seen some amazing djs, LCD Soundsystem, Simian Mobile Disco, Hot Chip, Vampire Weekend, play there in such an intimate atmosphere.

The garden and terrace are also great to whiling away a lazy Saturday or Sunday with a roast and usually a bloody Mary.

Only let down is the toilets which need a major overhaul, major!

LOVEANDKATE

5th June 2009

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I love this pub with the outside space - its good to meet up with people on saturday afternoons for a session rather than arrive after 9 and get Id'd and asked for a regulars pass which becomes tedious.

Been to some really good sunday sessions here - spent and sunday best

curlyfries

Eee, it's not what it used to be... 5th November 2008

2 found this helpful

This place used to be a favourite of mine for its great roast dinners (which continue, albeit somewhat blandly in my opinion), although I have to admit to finding Square Pies a bit uninspiring. It's a nice spot for a pint on a quiet sunny afternoon.

Food and quiet sunshiney pints aside, however, it's become a bit of a pain trying to come here for a drink on the weekend. It's definitely one of the better pubs in Camden, and most of the real idiots are trying to get into the Hawley Arms down the road: but even if the unnecessarily unpleasant bouncers let you in after you've stood out in the cold for half an hour you'll only be surrounded by kids in skinny jeans and bad hair (the ones that aren't working behind the bar) and half the MTV workforce. Crumbs, I must be getting old.

Playing nicely: the beer garden's lively and relaxed, if you can find yourself some space, and the veranda upstairs isn't half bad if you can make your way onto a table. The music tends to be pretty good, too, although the crowd tend to be a bit too cool to dance; and the drinks aren't really overpriced, just Londonpriced.

Niamheen at 05/11/08

Lol, agreed. Square pies have gone downhill as they've expanded too :-(

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Niamheen

30th October 2008

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Just across from the chaos that is Camden Stables Market, lies the Lock Tavern, with it's gorgeous beer garden and roof terrace. There's good music, often big indie dj nights, especially at bank holiday weekends. There's also very decent food - pies, sausage and mash, salmon goujons... exactly what you would want and expect from a pub. It does get ridiculously busy though, and on a Saturday night it can be too much. It's also egging on the wrong side of trendy at times, just too much angled hair and skinny jeans for one location. Avoid it on a Saturday night, and you'll probably like it quite a lot.

hollowlegs at 30/10/08

I get ID-ed every single time I cross this pub's doors!

Niamheen at 30/10/08

Lol, I wish I could say the same :-)

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papayoyo

Summertime frolicks in Camden Town. 29th August 2008

1 found this helpful

Situated just opposite Camden Town's Stables Market, The Lock Tavern is a splendid place to while away a sunny summer's afternoon or evening with its luscious garden bar and terrace. Somewhat labyrinthian in layout it is decked out downstairs with comfy leather sofas and has a classy but cool atmosphere. Usually rammed with Camden's finest trendy young things, there are weekend gigs upstairs and the place exudes that "happening" Camden vibe. They also do reasonable pub grub and the usual british selection of beers. The main attractions are the locale, the foliage bedecked garden and the indie music oriented terrace. A fine place to sink a few ales with a few good mates and the scenery of the female kind (and male I've been told) is generally easy on the eyes. If the doormen like you they'll even give you a VIP card, whatever that's for.

sparklepants

A Camden Institution 28th August 2008

1 found this helpful

A fantastic bar, probably at its best weeknights and afternoons!! The garden is lovely, even in the cold weather as they have heaters and a covered area. When it’s sunny, head for the roof terrace. Be warned...since the wonderful Hawley has left us (RIP) it get extremely busy and it wouldn’t be unusual to have to queue on a Friday or Saturday night. The food is your standard pub food, but not bad for what it is! Keep your eye out for a breaking band or two! Very relaxed, beautiful staff, beautiful punters! Weekends get a bit 'I wannabe Pete Doherty'

Niamheen

Camden trendster 19th August 2008

2 found this helpful

The Lock Tavern is a great spot. Decent pub grub (square pies, sausage and mash etc.), lovely beer garden and roof terrace. Great music, good dj's at weekends. The only thing is it's almost painfully trendy at times and if you don't get there early on Saturday you have to queue - hence 4 stars instead of 5. It's always fun once you're in though.

gilka

18th July 2007

3 found this helpful

this is a huge place with difference zones-
my favourite is the outside area. Sometimes they have a band playing. Food is good- staff are too cool like the ones who looks like they are in a successful band and they don't care about people but even with that, this place is one of the best bars in Camden. When we were there around 11 pm at the outdoor space they turned on their super huge lights on us to make us leave... that was very bad! not very pleasant way to tell people to go...
They are very strict about closing time...One of our friends got bitten by a teenager outside this bar because he didn't have cigarettes to give him so watch it there...

shelo9

5th May 2007

2 found this helpful

Had my birthday bash there which was cool. Booked the area a few months in advance and asked for the balcony outside. Unfortunately there was a blizzard so the nice people at the tavern called up and said they would move my space inside to a cool area. Lovely pub, cool people and prices arent bad. Good pub to go to chalk farm.

sokratis

What confusion 10th November 2006

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OK, this is instalment 3 in Sokratis' Friday diary. So, after going back charging phone up, grabbing a bite to eat it was time to continue, so we headed down to Chalk Farm to a familiar place – the Lock Tavern. I think it's one of the best ones you'll find on Chalk Farm road. It's a very young, trendy crowd that goes there usually and the music is pretty good with a different DJ set every weekend or live music. OK, reasonably priced drinks, a nice beer garden, which can be used in the winter too and a lively, friendly atmosphere. It seems to be a bit of a pulling joint as well with lots of the punters getting very friendly with each other.

Some of the staff are very good as well – they had a problem with their card reader and I was let to walk away from the bar with a full round of drinks on the promise that I would come back to pay, which of course I did.
This is the end of the review, now for a personal recount of the night:
The funniest bit was this girl who came to talk to us, being really, really, really drunk (I seem to be developing a magnetic field for these). She was being friendly, so I reciprocated asking what her name was. It took a few minutes to work out she wasn't called Livvy, Libby, Lilly or Lithee but actually Lizzy. The slurring was so bad she couldn't get her z's out. It was not a very deep or long conversation as she fell of her chair after all that effort of saying her name.

The other funny bit was with this very nice Polish dude (who's actually a PHP developer) I had a chat with – told you the place is friendly, people just talk to you. The music is very loud, and we were sat under one of the speakers and the conversation was again quite difficult, so here is part of the dialog:

Polish guy: there is a Polish party in Charing Cross. Do you guys want to come?
Me: no thanks man, we'll just stay around the area.
PG: (this where it got confusing) Are you lying?
Me: what do you mean, why would I lie?
PG: there's …inaudible…lying!
Me: (now getting annoyed) I don't even know you, why would I lie to you?
PG: there's a good line!
ME: (and this is when normality came back) AAH. You mean there is a good line? The Norhern Line! On the tube?
PG: YES
Me: no thanks, we'll stay in the area
PG: OK

You don't get things like that in most bars, so give this one a try.