The Shacklewell Arms in Hackney

It said it was open online. Yet pon arrival we were left dumbfounded. You see, twas closed. I could not believe my eyes. The gate left fear upon one’s soul, nightmares cometh I fear. Harken thee to not tremble upon one’s pub again.

This was my go to pub after work for few pints with my friends. Always buzzing in there. Garden with a tv, what more do u want

Very cool and hipster space. With live music and very welcoming. It is frequented by alternative people. You can also watch football games. It is very large and has several spaces, including one outside.

I had such a great time here! The staff, in particular the GM Jack was so accommodating! It is a safe space for disabled/chronically Ill people. Will be coming back soon!!

Not sure if it was a coincidence but a crapped my pants the second I walked in. 5 stars

Love this place- music on sat is always perfect and the staff is amazing! Super friendly and welcoming and u always meet the coolest people ❤️

Great event space to see new interesting bands .. Poppy Jean Crawford was a recent highlight

Super good service, but what happened to the old video games vibe ? Would say it was more welcoming than the new deco! Still a pleasure to come though but the place feels a bit empty. Cheers

Forget everything I said, there is no pool table. But it still rocks!

Good music led pub, needs our support!

Great staff and service. Seen some of the best live music gigs here in London, especially for a small venue. Their music programme is ace. The club nights are decent too hit or miss tbh. Good outdoor garden, covered and with heating. Some get massively crowded at peak times tho. They have a decent selection of drinks, nothing fancy though. Beers range from £5.50-7 but wine is pretty cheap and doubles are all £7 which is mad good for the area. I can recommend very much, especially for live music!

It does have a good dive bar feel to it and it's obviously reknown as a gig venue. Intimate gigs, quite loud. We came here for music and beer only.

I went here to see a couple of bands for 6 quid brilliant value. One band was ok and the other was really good. I can't remember either of their names though

Old school boozer with a separate music venue out the back

This is a fantastic little pub and amazing live music venue with excellent service and great accessibility. We were able to get a PA/companion ticket with no issues and the manager put a chairs right near the stage for us so we wouldn’t miss anything and if you’re in a wheelchair, there is wheelchair access Into the venue that’s easily accessible. As a live music venue, it has great views and atmosphere.

Girl Ray was a great gig. Top band & lovely people too.

Cool place, but get gender neutral bathrooms pls, piss situation is a nightmare

I'm about twenty years too old, I'm joking more like thirty!!

London's best indie music venue, without a doubt.

Great bar/ gig venue to see exciting music. Rough and ready, but brilliant for it.

Great place with nice outdoor area but recently changed management and now looks completely different and has different energy

THE PLACE TO BE. Great venue for gigs and old school punky vibes. Don't expect silver service and fancy cocktails. Do expect beer, bands and a BRILLIANT night. All ages too 18-108. Go.

Great pub not far from Kingsland Road. Good music, nice atmosphere, and mix of people. And a great little music venue.

Great bar, felt like it was 1989 again 🤣

Proper pub, great music venue. Two amazing bands in one evening. 'Frank', psychedelic rock. 'Sweet Giant ', alternative rock, brilliant 👏

Warm welcome, great friendly staff and a buzzing vibe!

Staff were very helpful in ensuring that I had a comfortable seat as I have a disability. Saw three great bands. Great friendly atmosphere

I recently attended the Shacklewell Arms on a trip from Glasgow to London for a gig at the venue. The place is casually and intentionally grungy, if that makes sense. No pretensions about the place, and it feels like the venue cares more about the atmosphere and sensibility, rather than trying too hard to be inviting and contemporary. The staff were really welcoming and I quickly relaxed into the place. It soon filled up for the gig and the football on the big screen. The place always felt cosy and safe. The gig was fantastic and I left very happy with the overall experience. Thank you, Shacklewell Arms!

I saw Judy and the Jerks here and it was brilliant! Really up close to the band, loud, fairly well priced. Perfect for those small, low ceiling, punk gigs.

Great place for a sleazy night out and local music

Fantastic music night! Friendly, welcoming staff. Relaxed atmosphere. Thank you.

Great grassroots gig venue, staff really friendly. (Didn't have food, hence no rating.)

First time visiting was for a gig and a really good time, decent beer selection and atmosphere!

Great, friendly venue. May not be to everyone’s taste but this a great venue for the sorts of events that it hosts. Separate venue room and outside smoking area for those that want it. Felt very comfortable as an older, solo, gig goer.

Great small bar and music venue.didnt eat sonno idea about the food 😊

Saw Yinyang and Yard here for a free gig....Good beer choice and cheap too

Whilst I absolutely love the gigs there, the venue has failed me several times, such as charging more than the price of the drink, and tonight a girl tried to punch me on the dance floor; I flee the situation and got the bouncer but the girl was not thrown out like she should have. She even had an attitude to me in front of the bouncer, and called me posh as a way to justify her behaviour, clearly jalousy.

A quirky little pub with a room for music. Decent beers, no food when we were there. Old TVs display VHS videos. It is run down, but homey.

Great spot, 3 stars for service is how much i love it tho, you dont need to be an actor to work here

Cool place, loved the bar and the ambiance, will definitely visit again.

You don't come here for the food. You come here for the immaculate vibe. Can't explain how much I love this place. The club nights on Friday and Saturday are great fun and you'll always see some immaculately dressed people. I love the diversity of music to be found in the gigs and I love the PS1 in the bar playing Tekken.

Saw a great band here. Charlie Vaughan. Brilliant atmosphere!!

Really fun. Decent drinks and not expensive, and we had a blast in the club at the back, open till 3am and only £8. A great atmosphere, even the bouncers were friendly. Loved it

Gritty old school music venue with a punky grungy vibe. Decent sound and lighting, and a good choice of drinks at the bar. The only drawback is the layout of the place, with a bottleneck making it difficult to see the stage unless you're right at the front. Great vibe, though!

I return to this place not understanding whether I’d been here before, nostalgia hit like a heron, and suddenly I understood my place. I’d had been here before seeing a Russian metal band performing live quite ferociously, a memorable experience nonetheless. Love you, toilets could be improved, tap doesn’t produce aqua. Xoxo :))

Accidentally paid for tequila when I could've walked away. 10/10

A great indie/punk bar and gig venue. The staff are great and friendly. And the toilets were small..very small but functional The gig venue is again small but put packs a punch for atmosphere and sounds

Amazing atmosphere, sound is excellent in the back room. We need more venues like this!

Good prices!, good entertainment! And generally a great venue. However… Customer service nada! Entitled teenagers behind the bar, who obviously hate the jobs they do! Literally. Please train staff to be more welcoming and friendly. The moody Goth vibe is getting rather boring.

Amazing pub, love the vibes in there

this is a great pub, always come back to listen to the bands or just to chat with friends. pints to doubles are all super cheap. smoking area is great and under cover, one of the hidden gems of london

Loved the variety of music selected and the lighting enhanced the experience — donations had gone to a local charity. Lots of young adults & was a great atmosphere with a spacious smoking area. Played Studio Ghibli films on the TV to watch whilst waiting to be served.

Great bar staff. Great band Roller Derby

The interior is great, nice vibe but SO busy, like to busy to be comfortable, the smoking/ outdoor area bar area and gig venue were all packed, nice other than that however.

Great pub with good live shows!

Nice pub for a meet up with friends 👌👌

Must visit pub with live music in East London.

Great pub for gigs, one of the best.

Lovely pub with room for performances and dance parties, and a large nice beer garden

Been to the Shacklewell Arms a few times to see gigs and always enjoyed it. Proper down to earth London pub.

This is the perfect place for older drinkers as it isn't hip in any way. Imagine a proper old pre-gentrification boozer staffed by really friendly youngsters and footie on a big screen. Perfect.

Beautiful unassuming music venue with quality sound

Visiting London was well worth it, even just for the gig there.

I've enjoyed a night at this pub great live music and environment

Traditional no frills gig venue. A throwback to student days in the 1980s. Aircooled were excellent, great band.

Just an institution and landmark. This place has seen so many bands and music lovers, it is a living piece of music history! Despite its somehow unassuming appearance, its configuration creates a buzz that has made this part of London vibrate for a long time! We really hope it stays open for long.

Beatiful pub and rock roll style. Music live and more..

Beautiful little pub with a stunning view of the city skyline from the rooftop terrace. With an abundance of red wine from around the world, this pub is perfect for a first date. The best selection of tayto’s I’ve seen in any boozer. My and my granny loved it here and will be returning next year. Thanks to the team for a wonderful experience!!

Great spot for a pint and a dance.

German small club gig lover, first time in The Shacklewell Arms: Cool place, alternative bar with seperate gig room. The concert was loud af and certainly cool people around. Highly recommend, if you like underground clubs for gigs. Look on the Dice app to see whats on.

Great place for gigs, beer and friendly people.

Lovely pub and gig space with an incredible atmosphere!

Best pub in London. Great music, even better vibe. ✌️

Small pub & music venue in Hackney. Can't comment about the food as I was there for a gig. Reasonable selection of beers in the bar (although at London prices!). Music room holds about 150 at a guess, so you're always close to the action. Could maybe do with a slightly better lighting rig, but sound quality was very good. Staff were friendly. Walking distance from a couple of TFL Overground stations. Feels like a decent venue to see unusual & up&coming acts at decent ticket pricing. Worth checking out!

A desperate place for desperate people who wish to be sardines in a sweaty tin. The place is almost entirely white, filled with children and begs. People on the door have a memory less than a goldfish and the capacity must is illegal. If you don’t understand that washing your hands will remove the stamp, then you’ve been washing your hands incorrectly for your entire life.

The Shacklewell Arms is just off the A10 and Dalston Junction and Dalston Kingsland stations are not too far away. There are also plenty of buses serving the area so it is not too difficult to get to. The pub is cosy and the staff are friendly and welcoming. As it is not very busy if you have a seat you will probably be joined by other patrons so you can have a chat with them. At the back of the pub is the venue. If you are expecting something like the O2 you will be very disappointed as it is not very big but this is why I love it. It's a really great venue where you can be up close to the band and have a great time dancing and enjoying the music. I have been here a few times and NEVER had a bad experience. The staff are all really friendly including the security staff that are there to look after you. If your favourite band is playing there go and check them out at this great little pub!

New find for me. Great on a Saturday night. Will definitely be back.

Fantastic venue with huge garden at the back, and great decor, definitely a must visit for the alternative bunch 💓

Love this place for gigs and just a drink with friends, always a good vibe and staff are great <3

Top place. Great music. Usually just about remember walking home. Thank you as always!

Great pub for a small venue gig experience.

I remember that legendary Babyshambles gig in the Shacklewell Arms back in ‘83. rock & roll is not dead !!!!

Great place to have a drink and see some excellent live music. A venue to be cherished!

This is a place. A place that feels like it's simultaneously falling down and falling up. A place where the staff, strangely young; attractive but old, smile as they move around you, weightless. A place you might think spooky if it wasn't so comforting. The music, the people, the beer and some kind of secret hidden from you - but felt inside as you open the door. Shacklewell.

Been there for some alternative rock jigs. Loved the 90s atmosphere. Service quality as expected for the environment. Didn't had any food but there is plenty of choices around.

Amazing venue. Great service. (There’s no pool table - they got rid of the pool table years ago)

Great bar with a really nice venue and fair prices

Lovely little pub with an awesome area round the back, and great gig area. Really nice atmosphere with lil bits and bobs about the place that really gives it character.

Good music, good beer, reasonably priced

I haven't been in a place like this since the mid 90s, love it. Good beer choice, great atmosphere

One of my favorite place in London. Local pub but with a nice concert program, nice beer garden and good services.

The Shacklewell Arms is a top spot for live music in Hackney. I've been to a fair few gigs there and the atmosphere is always buzzing - it's a pretty small venue, which means you're up close and personal with the bands which is always great. The decor is eclectic and cool with a mix of vintage and modern touches that give it a unique vibe. The bar serves a decent selection of drinks, and the staff are always friendly and helpful.

Great venue for gigs and nice ales on tap

Decent beer. Gig felt oversold though.

Oh... My God. Such a hidden gem in London. My first ever Gig experience from this pub. The lights, all writings and decorations,, its an example of vintage era. They have such a secret Gig and party room. Mostly.. The place is dark. Never miss this pub, try to book for a gig and enjoy. I was dancing for 2 hours on last fiday gig. 🤩🤩🤩

The pub has very nice vibes, and atmosphere! We ordered the hoummus but it took 40min.

The Lebanese food was incredible and full of flavour, it felt satisfying to have landed on this lovely little find. It’s one of the few pub-like venues who thankfully don’t serve burgers like everywhere else. The venue itself is very quirky and unique which makes it the perfect space for either a drink or a gig night. It’s peppered with geeky memorabilia and has a laid back atmosphere.

Great venue with bustling atmosphere and good sound!

Great personality with lots of retro vibes. Free music on a Friday night which was fantastic.

Always a welcoming venue, with a great little gig space, surprisingly big garden, and cosy, funky bar area.