The Crown (Archway), darts in Archway (Islington), N19

Photo: CAMRA / WhatPub

The Crown (Archway): Darts in London

FreeWalk-inLeague pubPool & dartsLocal boozer

The Crown is a proper corner local on Holloway Road in Archway, the kind of old-school boozer where the dartboard is just part of the furniture. It sits in a handsome listed building with angled, leaded and coloured windows, and inside you get the classic combo: a board on the wall, a pool table, sport on the big TV and a well-poured Guinness. There is no cover charge and no booking. You turn up, grab a drink and ask to use the board. It suits darts regulars, casual players after a relaxed throw, and anyone who wants a traditional pub rather than a polished bar-and-oche venue. One thing worth knowing: this is a working league pub, so the board can be busy on match nights.

Contact

  • Phone 020 7272 1819
  • Address 622 Holloway Road, Archway, London, N19 3PA

Opening hours

  • Mon 12:00-25:00
  • Tue 12:00-25:00
  • Wed 12:00-25:00
  • Thu 12:00-25:00
  • Fri 12:00-25:00
  • Sat 12:00-25:00
  • Sun 12:00-24:00

Good to know

The darts setup

This is a single pub board, the traditional set-up you would expect from a neighbourhood local rather than a multi-lane darts bar with automatic scoring. You play it the old way: chalk or your phone for the maths, and you sort the order of throw between yourselves. Alongside the darts there is a pool table, so a group can rotate between the two. Because it is a regular pub board and not a bookable oche, availability comes down to who got there first, so it is worth eyeing it up when you walk in. No hire fee, no time slots, just a board on the wall in a pub that has kept its games.

The darts scene here

The Crown is a genuine league pub, not just a board nobody touches. It fields teams in the Archway & District Darts League, a traditional eight-a-side competition that runs on Thursday nights through the winter, and it shows up in local darts circles including City of London Darts Association coverage. That means a real darts culture: regulars who can actually play, banter, and proper match atmosphere when fixtures are on. If you want a casual throw, aim for a quieter afternoon or a non-match night. If you want to watch decent league darts in a proper pub setting, a Thursday in the colder months is the time to come.

Good to know

It is free to play and you do not need to book. The pub keeps long hours: from noon until 1am Monday to Saturday and noon to midnight on Sunday, so there is plenty of time for a few legs. Drinks lean traditional. Real ale is not really the draw here (the handpumps have been quiet in recent years) but the Guinness has a good local reputation, and there is a small yard out the back. Getting here is easy: Upper Holloway station is about a five-minute walk and Archway tube is close by, with frequent buses straight up the Holloway Road.

Get directions

Common questions

What is The Crown in Archway?
It is a traditional corner local on Holloway Road in Archway, N19, with a pub dartboard, a pool table and sport on TV. It is a home venue for the Archway & District Darts League, so it has a genuine darts following.
Is it free to play darts at The Crown?
Yes. It is a normal pub board with no hire fee and no cover charge. You just buy a drink and ask to use the board.
Do you need to book to play darts there?
No booking. The Crown is a walk-in pub, not a bookable oche venue. The board is first come, first served, so it can be in use, especially on league match nights.
How many dartboards does The Crown have?
It has one traditional pub dartboard, plus a pool table if you want to mix things up. It is a classic local set-up rather than a multi-lane darts bar.
What are The Crown's opening hours?
Noon to 1am Monday to Saturday, and noon to midnight on Sunday.
What is the nearest station to The Crown?
Upper Holloway station (Overground) is about a five-minute walk, and Archway tube on the Northern line is close by. Plenty of buses run along the Holloway Road.

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