Arsenal pub review: The Twelve Pins, Finsbury Park

I’m starting a new series where I check out the best Arsenal pubs in London and write about them. First suggested was The Twelve Pins, an Irish pub with dark Victorian themed decor. I went there Saturday to watch an absolute mullering of Southampton.

Twelve Pins Facebook page

The place was easy to find - a quick trot from the Finsbury Park tube station. The station itself is massive because it also serves National Rail, but it only took us two Americans a few minutes to get out. It was also prime time rush hour in the tube, and delays plus extra time for people to shove themselves in at each stop meant we got there about 15 minutes after we’d hoped. We walked in as the teams were making their way on to the field.

With our late arrival, we feared the worst as far as crowd size and finding a spot, but fortunately, the crowd wasn’t too bad! The main floor area was filled and pretty much every table in the main area was occupied. There’s also nice function room to the side that had a few people in it, with smaller screens. The atmosphere was what I expected from FA Cup; there were a few chants, notably after Theo scored each time, and the general mood was quite positive. The general atmosphere was not as rowdy as a Premier League game, so I definitely will be back here. Everyone was easy to talk to and having a good time. Of course, it may have been a different story if we were down five goals, but regardless, it was fun.

It was easy to get to the bar and get served though, and the bartender waited a minute for my Guinness to settle, which is always nice. 4 quid or so for a pint; I can deal with that. The main projector screen was nice and big, but it wasn’t THAT good quality-wise. Can’t complain though, and it was easy to see from most places in the main room.

Brian Duffy

My friend and I grabbed pint #2, Stella this time, and found a table to grab dinner at halftime. The food was seriously good, and not overpriced. Unfortunately, our view from the table was partially blocked by a pillar, so when the second half started we had to hurry up and eat so we could stand back on the main floor again. Not a huge problem, but if you want to sit and eat and watch the match, get there early to get a spot so you don’t have to deal with obstructed views.

Overall, we really enjoyed the experience here. Let’s take a look at the ratings:

Atmosphere: 4/5

Food & Drink: 5/5

Screen & Visibility: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

Really enjoyed this place and I would definitely recommend!

Where should I go next? Let me know in the comments.