The Stag

I do wish this was my local. The food is lovely; big portions and and interesting selection including platters to share. Go early on a Sunday for the roast as the chicken can sell out.

The music is nice but not intrusive and the crowd are a mixed bunch and friendly enough. I went with a large group and they let us stay at our table longer than planned, moving the next party to an alternative table. They were also very happy for us to pay contributions to the bill separately which saved a lot of hassles splitting the bill.

Would definitely venture back when I'm nearby to try out the steak night.

I LOVE THIS PLACE
We go there nearly every week end with the kids, the staff is very nice to them and doesnt say anything wether we are outside in the (very cool) garden and the kids run around and even play with stones and disturb the other custumers, or inside where they run a bit around or spill their drink. Staff is always nice, polite and warm with them
We also go there at noght, very cool ambiance, fun themes of quizz on wednesdays usually and very good selections of bands to play live (friday or saturdays)

Food:
Very good sirloin, amazing whole roasted chicken, excellent selection of cheese (and I'm french!). If they had good bread it would just be heaven !

Parking is hard but there is a few buses, 2 tube lines, overground (Hampstead Heath at 5mn) and Nothern Line (Belsize Park 5mn too). Taxis easy to catch on Pond Street, 2mn walking.

I wavered between 3 and 4 stars for this place. It can be a great pub.

Minuses (only starting with these as there are more pluses): pretentious doorman (although depending on the fellow, can be nice guys--- more the fact that The Stag has one than the doormen themselves), inconsistent food (sometimes great, sometimes... not), inconsistent bar staff (some are great, some are... not).

Pluses: mixed crowds (great variation and often across demographics, particularly on quieter evenings), themed nights, solid beer selection (plus they offer champagne-tequila!), nice & large outdoor space (with little nooks and crannies), perfect volume of music, dogs welcome.

The refurb of this place is great and they also have good tunes playing. However, the crowd can be a bit pretencious and it seems to have become a "destination pub" and caters to visitors rather than locals.

The Stag Pub is a lovely pub, has a great atmophere. They have obviously put some work into it and the effort shows.

There is a very comfy upstairs area (which I believe is new) and on Sunday evenings there is live music up there. The crowd was a good one and the room a good set up for the intimate acoustic sets played.

For the summer there is a large garden that they have BBQ's in as well.

There seems a good selection of bears, wines and spirits and a food menu but I have yet to have a chance to try it myself.

Bar staff have always been friendly and efficient.

So all in all a great place to spend a couple hours.

I’m not hugely impressed by this pub. Initial impressions were favourable. I like dimly lit places and I also love places with a beer menu, even an expensive looking one.

However the black sheep ale was so vinegary you probably could have had it on your chips. Sent my pint back and got something else, which they accepted, which is nice at least. They even stopped serving it for a while but after a tattooed supervisor decided it tasted fine they put it back on again which is a disgrace as a few other people tried it and agreed that it was dodgy. For that reason I will not be back to this place, beer menu or no.

For putting the dodgy ale back on…it has to get just 1 star! Shame.