Photo: CAMRA / WhatPub
Park Tavern: Darts in Finsbury Park, London
The Park Tavern is a traditional two-bar local on Tollington Park, a short walk from Finsbury Park station. It is the sort of proper old North London boozer that is getting rarer: a Victorian pub with a saloon and public bar, a beer garden out back, and a dartboard for anyone who fancies a few legs. The most useful thing to know is that the darts here are pub-casual and free. You just turn up, grab the board when it is free, and play. There is no booking and no session fee. It suits darts players who want a relaxed game with a pint rather than a high-tech booth setup, and it pulls a sports crowd thanks to the HD screens showing Sky Sports and TNT Sports.
Contact
- Phone 020 7263 1800
- Address 164 Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, London, N4 3AD
Opening hours
- Mon 13:00-00:00
- Tue 13:00-00:00
- Wed 13:00-00:00
- Thu 13:00-01:00
- Fri 12:00-01:00
- Sat 12:00-01:00
- Sun 12:00-00:00
Good to know
- Darts
The darts setup
This is classic pub darts rather than a dedicated darts venue. The Park Tavern has a dartboard as part of its games offering, set up in a traditional saloon-and-public two-bar layout. You bring your own approach: grab the board when it is free, chalk up, and play your own format, whether that is 501, around the clock, or just a casual knockabout. There is no automatic scoring, no booth, and no host walking you through rules. It is the kind of board you play on with a pint in your other hand. Bring your own arrows if you are particular, though casual players manage fine with whatever is to hand.
Good to know
You do not need to book and there is no charge to play, so it works for a spontaneous evening or a small group. The pub keeps long hours: it opens at noon Friday through Sunday and from 1pm the rest of the week, with late licences taking Thursday to Saturday through to 1am. Alongside the dartboard you get HD screens with Sky Sports and TNT Sports, so it doubles as a sports pub on match days. There is a beer garden for warmer evenings and a smoking area. Note that cask ale is no longer poured here, so expect standard keg and lager rather than a real-ale lineup.
Getting there
The Park Tavern sits at 164 Tollington Park, N4 3AD, just off Stroud Green Road in the corner of Islington that borders Finsbury Park. The easiest approach is Finsbury Park station, served by the Piccadilly and Victoria lines plus Thameslink and Great Northern rail, a walkable distance away. Crouch Hill on the Gospel Oak to Barking Overground line is also close. The area is well stocked with buses running along Seven Sisters Road and Stroud Green Road, so it is straightforward to reach from across North London for an evening of darts and sport.
Common questions
- What is the Park Tavern in Finsbury Park?
- It is a traditional two-bar Victorian local pub at 164 Tollington Park, N4, a short walk from Finsbury Park station. It has a dartboard, a beer garden, and HD screens showing Sky Sports and TNT Sports.
- Is darts free to play at the Park Tavern?
- Yes. The dartboard is a standard pub board, free to use with no booking or session fee. You just grab it when it is free and play.
- Do you need to book to play darts at the Park Tavern?
- No. There is no booking system. It is a walk-in pub board, so you turn up and use it when it is available.
- Is the Park Tavern good for groups?
- It suits small, casual groups who want a relaxed game of darts alongside a pint. With one pub board, free play, and sports screens, it works for an informal evening rather than a large organised darts party.
- What are the Park Tavern's opening hours?
- It opens 1pm to midnight Monday to Wednesday, 1pm to 1am Thursday, noon to 1am Friday and Saturday, and noon to midnight Sunday.
- What is the nearest station to the Park Tavern?
- Finsbury Park station (Piccadilly and Victoria lines, plus Thameslink and Great Northern rail) is the closest and within walking distance. Crouch Hill Overground is also nearby.
Other darts bars nearby
- Corner Flag Archway / Holloway
- North Nineteen Upper Holloway (Islington), N19
- The Crown (Archway) Archway (Islington), N19
- The Crown Archway, Islington (N19)
- Nambucca Archway / Holloway (Islington), N7
- Tommy Flynns Islington