Filthy McNasty's
68 Amwell Street, LONDON, EC1R 1UU
Tel. 0871 332 5189
Four out of Five stars
Filthy McNasty's - Filthy’s to its friends - is a legendary pub with a cult status across the capital.
The Background
It’s rumoured to have once been owned by Shane MacGowan, is frequented by up and coming bands and the bad boy of rock, Pete Doherty, is also said to enjoy a tipple or two in the Islington boozer. Incidentally, Mr Kate Moss also pulled pints behind the bar with Carl Barratt before the Libertines hit the big time.
The Venue
There’s not a shamrock in sight at this Irish venue, which instead looks more like a rock ‘n’ roll hall of fame. The walls, which were given a well needed lick of paint in July, are covered in Buzzcocks, Primal Scream, Pogues and Libertines memorabilia.
The Atmosphere
Divided into two sections, the back room regularly attracts a wealth of live music from local and international acts, in addition to occasionally playing host to some unconventional performance art exhibitions which have even been known to take over the toilets before. And talking of toilets, they don't appear to be the cleanest in the city, so don’t expect fresh hand towels and complimentary perfume, but that’s rock ‘n’ roll for you.
Arrive early to secure one of the few benches outside, the same goes for the oversubscribed tables or sofas inside on a Friday or Saturday night. The intimate pub can get extremely cramped, particularly during bank holidays when crowds spill out onto the street.
The Drink
As you’d expect from an Emerald Isle establishment there are three taps dedicated to Guinness, and other beers include Hoegaarden, Red Stripe and Adnams. Wine drinkers beware however, as the selection is limited – you’re better off sticking to the black stuff! It also comes as no surprise that the Whiskey Café has a varied selection of good glens, bourbons and malts.
The Food
Thai Food is on offer at lunchtimes, not only is this an odd choice for such a venue, but the limited kitchen hours means that chef gets off lightly most days. Rare steaks and manly cut chips would surely have been a more suitable choice for ageing rockers?
The Last Word
Punters come in all shapes and sizes – but to fit in, the more tattoos and piercings the better. Filthy McNasty's is definitely not a pub to dress up before going to or to take a first date, and although not as close to Angel tube as Upper Street, Filthy’s is a hidden gem brimming with character.
Reviewed by - James Fryer
This article was published on ViewLondon.co.uk in the summer of 2005 and can be found here.