The Dolphin Tavern
Pub
A small, wedge-shaped pub with a wooden bar and seating in booths down one side of the pub and bar stools down another.
44 Red Lion Street, Camden, London, WC1R 4PF, United Kingdom
Live on the Realtime map
Where to go out in north London
North London is the best part of the city for pubs, and it is not close. Camden, Kentish Town, Islington and Angel between them cover proper old boozers, live music rooms, canal-side terraces and a bar scene that never had to try very hard because the pubs were already good.
Realtime shows live activity from venues across the area, so you can see which end of the Northern line is worth your evening.
74venues on the map
Within 3km of north London
Worth a look
Places to try in north London
A selection of venues on the Realtime map. Open the app to see which are busy tonight.
SH
Shakespeares Head
Pub
Friendly Pub
1 Arlington Way, Islington, London, EC1R 1XA, United Kingdom
Kings Arms London
Pub
With a long and proud history as a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community, it’s no wonder we’re Soho’s oldest gay bar. As firm favourite to the Bear community over the years, they affectionately call us ‘The KA’, and refer to us as ‘London’s Favourite Bear Bar’. At weekends we have Guest & Resident DJ’s playing disco, house and electro beats and not forgetting our Legendary Bearaoke (it's been going for over 25 years!) With our traditional charm, warm and friendly welcome, great entertainment and a well-stocked bar, be sure to put the Kings Arms at the top of your list of pubs to visit.
23 Poland Street, Westminster, London, W1F 8QJ, United Kingdom
The Horsehoe
Pub
Comfortable, traditional pub serving real ales and staging folk music and live jazz shows.
24 Clerkenwell Close, Islington, London, EC1R 0AG, United Kingdom
Camden and Kentish Town
Camden's night out is built around music. The venues around the High Street and Chalk Farm Road pull crowds most nights of the week, and the surrounding pubs run on that overflow — which is why Camden feels busy on a Tuesday in a way most of London does not.
Kentish Town, a stop north, is the local version: fewer tourists, better pubs, and a short walk back down the hill if the night escalates.
Islington and Angel
Upper Street is one of the densest runs of bars and restaurants in London — a straight line from Angel station north, with everything from wine bars to late-night bars along it. It skews slightly older and slightly smarter than Camden, and it is reliably busy on a Friday.
The side streets around Essex Road and Exmouth Market are where the good, quieter options hide.
Canal-side and Sundays
The Regent's Canal from Camden through to Angel and King's Cross has picked up genuinely good waterside pubs, and on a summer evening they are the best seats in north London.
Sunday in north London is a roast and a pub garden, and Realtime shows which places are actually full rather than which claim to be popular.
More in north London
Other places on the map
The Cocktail Club Shaftesbury
Bar
224a Shaftesbury Avenue, Camden, London, WC2H 8EB, United Kingdom
The Ladybird Bar
Bar
70 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0NY, United Kingdom
Be At One - Greek Street
Bar
17 Greek Street, Westminster, London, W1D 4NQ, United Kingdom
Simmons Bar | Camden Town
Bar
7-9 Kentish Town Road, Camden, London, NW1 8NH, United Kingdom
Museum Tavern
Pub
49 Great Russell Street, Camden, London, WC1B 3BA, United Kingdom
The White Hart
Pub
191 Drury Lane, Camden, London, WC2B 5QD, United Kingdom
The Queens Head
Pub
66 Acton Street, Camden, London, WC1X 9NB, United Kingdom
Soho Zebrano
Bar
18 Greek Street, Westminster, London, W1D 4DS, United Kingdom
The Clachan
Pub
34 Kingly Street, Westminster, London, W1B 5QH, United Kingdom
The Wilmington
Pub
69 Rosebery Avenue, Islington, London, EC1R 4RL, United Kingdom
The Sir John Oldcastle
Pub
29-35 Farringdon Road, Islington, London, EC1M 3JB, United Kingdom
The Bar at Home
Wine bar
W1F 7HS, London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom
Going out in north London — the basics
Where is the best night out in north London?
Camden for live music and a busy midweek scene, Islington and Upper Street for a denser run of bars and restaurants, and Kentish Town for a more local pub-led night.
Is north London good for pubs?
North London has arguably the best pub scene in the city, particularly around Kentish Town, Islington, Highbury and the Regent’s Canal.
How do I see which north London pubs are busy tonight?
Realtime maps live activity from venues across Camden, Islington, Angel and Kentish Town so you can see where people are heading. It is free on iOS and Android.
