The Enterprise

I don’t know what it is about the Enterprise but on the surface doesn’t have loads going for it. Slightly worn out and your usual array of larger and beer and not much in the way of ale. Toilets are on the ruff side and the bar staff struggle to crack a smile when serving.
Yet it does have a very warm and welcoming appeal to it that makes it a great pub.
For years I’ve never been able to put my finger on it but the atmosphere generated by the regulars makes it somewhere you don’t want to leave.

Went to The Enterprise when my friends were playing a gig upstairs. The pub itself is pretty good for drinking, interesting décor without being pretentious like the majority of other pubs in the area. The range of drinks was good but service was a little slow, that could be down to the fact that it was a busy Saturday night, but I’d still expect better bar management.
The gig venue is upstairs (a very narrow but pretty standard pub staircase, be careful if you’ve had a few). I seem to remember the walls of the room being pasted with Amok posters though I could be wrong. The room is very small, which you’d think would give atmosphere but unfortunately it doesn’t.
I might return for a few drinks, but I don’t think I’d go to a gig here again.

Football watching: yes
Drinks with friends: no
I’ve been in twice. Once, during the day while football was on. Seemed like a good crowd, people actually into the game.
On Friday, I went for drinks with the Irishman’s colleagues. It was obnoxiously loud. It was dark. I got stared at and commented at by male strangers on my way to and from the toilet (and it was only 6:30 pm). No thanks!
We might go back to watch the odd football match but that’s about it.

decent pub for a pre or post gig drink. during the day you can normally always find a seat, and i like the pleasant chilled out atmosphere. at nights, especially at the weekend, it can get quite manic.

Quite a ‘hip’ sort of pub due to its proximity to so many music venues, but you won’t feel out of place if you’re just here for a casual drink. Nice roomy bar done up with interesting old furniture and plenty of old books; good beers and friendly bar staff.

Move along. /​/​Passé ton chemin.
[English below]
Si jamais tu assistes un concert au Roundhouse et tu veux grignoter quelque chose, reste là ! La bouffe (en particulier chez Meathouse, le barbecue sur terrasse) est moins chère et –il faut le dire –plus saine.
Séduit par des avis qui ont des avis ailleurs (pas Unilocal … mauvaise idée) qu’il y a des bons burgers, on a mangé chez The Enterprise avant un concert au Roundhouse. Je dis encore une fois: mauvaise idée.
Quelques heures plus tard, je transpirais comme un cochon (je sais, les cochons né transpirent pas), j’ai serré mon cul par crainte de l’explosion, et l’odeur de la bière (que j’adore) me donnait envie de vomir.
Mesdames, messieurs, je vous dis que l’intoxication alimentaire n’est pas amusante. L’intoxication alimentaire qui se manifeste pendant le concert de ta vie? Putain. De. Ce. Pub. De. Merde.
«Mais mon cher Omid» tu dis. «Peut-​être c’était un autre resto ?» C’est une question valide, mais je né me vante pas: mes repas précédents à Londres étaient fait par les chefs étoilés. Sans blague. C’était ce premier repas au pub qui a bouleversé mon ventre.
J’ai mangé au dizaines de pubs sans souci. The Enterprise est le premier d’avoir me touché comme ça. Putain.
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If you ever attend a concert at the Roundhouse and you want a bite to eat, stay there. The food (particularly at the Meathouse, the barbecue on the terrace) is less expensive and –it has to be said –healthier.
Convinced by reviews that I’d seen elsewhere (not Unilocal… bad idea!) that they have good burgers there, we ate at the Enterprise before a concert at the Roundhouse. I’ll say it again: Bad idea!
A few hours later, I was sweating like a pig (I know, pigs don’t sweat), I clenched my ass for fear of explosion, and even the scent of beer (which is something I love) made me want to upchuck.
Ladies and gentlemen, you know damn well that food poisoning isn’t fun. But food poisoning kicking in during the concert of a lifetime? Fuck. This. Fucking. Fuckhole. Of. A. Pub.
«But, my dear Omid,» you say. «Maybe you got it from another restaurant?» A valid question, but I’m not bragging: My previous meals in London had been made by Michelin-​starred chefs. No joke. It was this first pub meal that fucked me in the stomach.
I’ve eaten at dozens of pubs with nary an issue. The Enterprise is the first to have done me like this. Fuck ‘em.

Un pub traditionnel animé avec une cheminée, quelques livres, des tournois de flechettes sur les écrans en semaine, des concerts de rock le week end.
C’est un des meilleurs pubs de Camden, surtout dans l’apres midi ou en début de soirée.

Have had really fun nights here and really slow nights here as well. If you’re barhopping down Chalk farm, the Enterprise is definitely worth a visit. There’s a little dance area and it gets really packed on weekends. But unless you’re doing the Chalk farm /​camden pub crawl, I wouldn’t recommend just going here for a one-​off drink.

Tipped up here the other night for a friends gig, was loving the patriotic bunting, cardboard Marilyn Monroe cut-​outs and general wall tat when something started to happen… Sweating. This place is ridic hot and humid. The bar prices are sky high though the service was quick and cheery. My bum ached on the rock hard stool until the beer numbed the pain but the worst was yet to come. Football was on. Loudly.
Upstairs is where they hold the gigs and I was shocked at how titchy the space was but that was the least of my worries. It’s literally a sauna. I could’ve performed Bikram yoga and left a svelte size 8, why didn’t I? The band was too good. Ahem. I was loving the owner/​light person type man who put my jacket safely under his sound desk thingy. Do hate holding a leather jacket in a sweat box. I would come again but only in deepest, darkest winter. Do not wear anything but shorts and vest to this joint.

The Skinny: Go on Fridays for the Oldies and Soul. DJ Sue will rock your boat!
The Fat: Other than the above mentioned, there’s no cheap booze here. I bought a Corona for about £3.50 ! The pub is always hot, humid and sweaty. The security isn’t that good. The few times I went there were drunks grabbing people’s ass and tossing beer all over the place. Sure, I don’t care because it’s a pub but there’s people really playing horse ass grab ass in there and the pub’s only that big.

Went there for a friend’s gig recently. Even though I live right by Camden I had never been! Didn’t think much existed past Marathon bar. Traditional Camden boozer. Full of auusie types though, watching the football, and some older pub-​goers. Drink prices average. Room upstairs was like a sauna when the gig was on — but this is normal for intimate gig venues in mid-​summer. Would go again for an event or gig, but on the whole, pretty average.

Good music, homely atmosphere and some great epic sandwiches!

I went to The Enterprise to enjoy some live music a while ago and it was nice enough. The live music venue upstairs was a little worse for wear, with very sticky floors, but it was warm inside so I was happy.
Downstairs appeared to be rather busy, with people waiting at the bar for tables. There was a lovely wood fire burning, adding to the cosiness of the place and although the I didn’t try the food, the chips smelled yummy!
Wasn’t terribly pleased with the toilets though — it looked like it wasn’t cleaned regularly.
Will be going back for more live music, so will see if things have changed!

After watching a bum pass out on the ground in front of me and shit himself outside Lock Tavern, I unknowingly wandered the wrong way and came across this quaint pub. I definitely felt a friendly vibe coming through the door; no earpiece-​wearing meathead or pompous doorman here. The crowd at the Enterprise was quite pleasant as well, mostly in the 20s age group with a healthy mixture of girls and guys. I remember the booze being relatively cheap (still horribly overpriced by international standards) compared to the other pubs in the area.

When the Hawley or Lock Tavern is too full to even consider joining the one-​hour entrance queues, simply walk a few more yards North towards Chalk Farm station and you will find the Enterprise which will provide you with just as good a night. This pub also fills up pretty fast, but it is a lot more bearable and the drinks are cheaper.
This slightly less pretentious version of other Camden locals is great for some drinks with friends. The atmosphere is usually pretty good, and there are always a few people who decide to dance to the cheesy indie tunes or golden oldies.
The upstairs also offers an intimate gig venue which is perfect for aspiring bands and musicians. You usually have to a pay a couple of quid to see the bands, but it’s worth a look if you are into the local music scene.

The Enterprise is probably the least Camden of the Camden pubs in this area. Not being a Camdeny Camden type, I feel out of my comfort zone at the Hawley and the Lock Tavern, I don’t really enjoy the atmosphere in those pubs and am not particularly interested in catching a glimpse of Johnny Borell or Amy Winehouse doing a guest appearance behind the bar or whatever they do in the toilets.
What I particularly like about The Enterprise is the array of old man drinkers that have clearly frequented this pub since time began, taken a look at the young whippersnappers of recent years in their bizarre outfits and decided to carry on regardless. Last time I went I ended up dancing to Smooth Criminal with a man old enough to be my granddad’s granddad. It was great.
The music in general is pretty bad, a combination of commercial Indie and golden oldies but it’s warm and cosy with an open fire and good pub grub, Most importantly though, it’s a nice pub to have a pint in without being pretentious or ridiculously expensive.

The enterprise is not the sort of place I would normally go to, but the night I did visit this pub I did have a good time. There were a lot of scenesters in there, but I just enjoyed myself, it was a friday night. the drinks arent particularly expensive, the DJ was spinning some good tracks and overall it was fun fun fun.
It was really busy when I went there which means that there muct be something good about it, right? I don’t know why I am so reluctant to be more positive about it, it was hardly as bad as say, the Lock Tavern. I think I would like to come again when it is a little more quiet and give it another go. The atmosphere was deffinately on of joy.

I have only ever been here on a Friday night and it was so busy that it took ages to get the bar. After fighting my way to the bar and then back to my friends I did have a good night, if not a little squashed. One of the best things about The Enterprise is that it lacks the pretentiousness of other North London bars. There is always a mix of people ranging from Peaches Goldoff lookalikes, locals and people who have enjoyed a meal nearby. After a few drinks I quickly forget how packed the pub is and it takes me back to the days of house parties crammed with people everywhere evn on the stairs! If Summer arrives in 2009 I will definately be trying this place.

If you’re a fan of listening to new bands and upcoming artists then should definitely check out the Enterprise near Chalk Farm Tube. A sparse and saw-​dusty type of place, the main area is merely a holding pen for most acts upstairs. The bar is pretty much all black and the staff are typically Camden. Not a large selection of drinks but the price is okay.
The upstairs area is small and when I’ve gone to see stuff its sometimes been too cramped. The acoustics are good, though, and the whole experience is very intimate with many artists appreciating people attending and putting on a good show.

In the summer the Enterprise was always busy. It constantly had people spilling out all over the pavement enjoying a cold beer. Attracting a loyal following of 20 & 30somethings it has the feeling of being a local that keeps the place bustling well into winter.
They have a good selection of draught beers and ales at a reasonable price, and a selection of bar snacks, backed up by a hot food menu.
The Enterprise is often frequented by those attending the Roundhouse due to its proximity to the theatre. This means Enterprise has a good mix of locals and newbies.
The music through the week is alternative, and on Fridays they have a DJ who mixes classic soul with ska and punk.
I drink there on a Sunday when I’m watching the football. It is in no way your typical laddish twenty pint watering hole, but you can enjoy a beer, simmering atmosphere and a basic yet well made food menu.

This place is the kind of place where you end up when everywhere else shuts — and it does the job very well! Sticky floors, random mix of people, dim lights, big bar. Excellent.

The Enterprise is an old school indie boozer, like many around Camden, but good value for it. It is always full of a great mixture of people, helped by the fact that the newly re-​furbished Roundhouse has just re-​opened over the road.
It is a fairly big place with plenty of tables, and open late most nights. There is a standard range of beers and food is available.
Live music is also often available upstairs, completing its indie rock profile.
The Enterprise is also a great way to spend weekends, as it is a lot more relaxed during the day. Feel free to flop out and read the paper with a couple of slow guinness, away from the madness of Camden market…