The Old Queen's Head

The Old Queen's Head sits on Essex Road in Islington, a short walk from Angel and Highbury and Islington stations. The 1830s corner building blends a Victorian-decorated pub downstairs with a busy upstairs events room, and it has built a real music reputation. Resident Advisor and Songkick both list a steady run of gigs and club nights, with Foals, the Kooks and Bombay Bicycle Club among past acts.

This is the Islington pick for a pub that turns into a venue, not a quiet local. There is live music, DJ sets, stand-up, a karaoke booth and a fixture Tuesday quiz. Anyone after a calm pint should pick a weekday afternoon over a gig night.

Downstairs is the draw for a drink, lavishly decorated in Victorian style with a wooden floor, a turquoise tiled bar, a carved plaster ceiling and an imposing 17th-century fireplace. It is one of the more characterful pub rooms on Essex Road.

Upstairs is the engine of the music programme, a separate events room that runs gigs, DJ sets, comedy and club nights. The split lets the pub work as a local and a venue at the same time.

The bar runs draught lager, craft taps and a decent Guinness, with pints around 6.50 pounds and a short cocktail list for the events crowd. It is a pub-priced drinks list rather than a cocktail destination.

The kitchen serves British pub food to keep the early evening going before the music starts. Reviewers on DesignMyNight and Google flag the room's looks and the events line-up. Order a pint downstairs, then check what is on upstairs.

Weekday evenings pull a relaxed local and after-work crowd into the downstairs bar. Gig and club nights bring a younger, music-led crowd that fills the upstairs room.

The Tuesday quiz is a fixture, and the karaoke booth and comedy nights round out the calendar. It reads as a social, event-driven pub rather than a quiet neighbourhood local.

• "Downstairs is gorgeous and the upstairs gigs are consistently good value." — r/london
• "Seen some brilliant small shows here. Proper Islington institution." — Google review (n=1,300+)
• "The Victorian room is stunning and the Tuesday quiz is a laugh." — DesignMyNight

• A live gig or DJ night in Islington
• The Tuesday quiz with a downstairs pint
• A drink in a striking Victorian room
• Avoid gig nights if you want a quiet chat

Sources: The Old Queen's Head official site (2026-05); Resident Advisor; Songkick; DesignMyNight; Google Maps reviews (n=1,300+).