The Old Ship

We had an amazing stay. The hotel staff and bar staff were all very polite. Lila and Hope at the bar were amazing, helping us find our way around London and being really attentive.

This place is a gem in the middle of Mare street Hackney. I’ve lived in Hackney for years and can’t believe I’d never been to this fabulous place before. It’s a warm, inviting spot for drinks, tucked off the main road, with a nice outdoor seating area. The staff were amazing, especially Christobell. She was knowledgeable, polite and professional, and made our first visit to this public house memorable. We’ll be back. We tried the halloumi fries with their lovely sauce, and they were delicious. The kitchen area looked very clean, and I’m looking forward to trying more from the menu. It’ll definitely be my go-to pub when visiting the Empire next door or meeting friends nearby. Highly recommended. Card only.

The burger and chips were the best we’d had in ages, with good meat, tasty chips and just the right amount of sauce and garnish. Everything came out at the right temperature and was nicely presented. We’d arrived right at opening, 12pm, because we had a 1pm show at the Hackney Empire. The young woman who served us had shoulder-length shiny black hair, sorry I didn’t get her name. She was lovely and attentive, checked our timing with the chef, and the food arrived within the promised 20 minutes. Wish we lived closer so we could come back regularly!

It was okay, but not great. The pub was nicer than some others, and the food came out reasonably quickly. Getting someone to take my order was a bit slow, though. The chicken portion seemed small compared with other roasts, and carrots were the only vegetable side.