Boston Arms, pool in Tufnell Park (N19)

Photo: Boston Arms

Boston Arms: Pool & Snooker in Tufnell Park, London

FreeWalk-in2 tablesPool leagueGroupsLive music

178 Junction Road, Tufnell Park, London · N19 5QQ · Mo-We 12:00-00:00; Th-Sa 12:00-02:00; Su 12:00-23:00

The Boston Arms is a big, family-run Irish pub in a Victorian building right opposite Tufnell Park tube. It is a proper old-school local with two pool tables, darts, sports on the screens, a heated garden and live music rooms attached. That makes it a solid choice if you want a relaxed game with a pint rather than a polished pool hall. The most useful thing to know: the Boston Arms is the home pub of a Chalk Farm Pool League team, so the tables get serious use and league nights can tie them up. Walk in, grab a table when one is free, and settle in. It opens midday every day and runs late on Thursday to Saturday, so there is no rush on a game.

The pool setup

There are two pool tables here, sitting in among the darts and sports screens rather than in a dedicated games room. This is a pub game, so the vibe is casual and you play whoever is up next, not a booked-by-the-hour slot. The Boston Arms also fields a team in the Chalk Farm Pool League, with its own home table, so expect competitive players around and the chance the tables are reserved on a league night. If you want a guaranteed quiet frame, come earlier in the day rather than a busy weekend evening.

Good to know

It opens at noon every day, runs to midnight Monday to Wednesday, to 2am Thursday to Saturday and to 11pm on Sunday, so late games are easy at the end of the week. It is a large space with several seating areas and a heated garden, plus the Boston Music Rooms live venue attached, so gig nights can make the front bar busy. Dogs are welcome. There are deals worth knowing: 25 percent off draught Monday to Friday noon to 6pm, and 2-for-1 cocktails daily 6pm to 9pm.

Getting there

The Boston Arms is at 178 Junction Road, N19 5QQ, directly opposite Tufnell Park station on the Northern line, so it is about as easy to reach as a London pub gets. That tube-door location and the late weekend hours make it an easy pick for a group meeting from different parts of town. Several bus routes also run along Junction Road and the wider Holloway Road, so you have options if the line is down.

Get directions

Common questions

What is the Boston Arms?
It is a large, family-run Irish pub in a Victorian building opposite Tufnell Park tube, with two pool tables, darts, sports screens, a heated garden and an attached live-music venue, the Boston Music Rooms.
Is pool free at the Boston Arms?
No source confirms a price for the tables. It plays as a casual pub game rather than a booked, paid-by-the-hour slot, so check with the bar on the day.
Do you book a table or just walk in?
You walk in and play when a table frees up. There is no booking system for the pool tables, though league nights can tie them up.
How many pool tables are there?
There are two pool tables, alongside darts and the other traditional pub games.
What time does the Boston Arms open?
Noon every day. It closes at midnight Monday to Wednesday, 2am Thursday to Saturday and 11pm on Sunday.
What is the nearest station?
Tufnell Park on the Northern line is directly opposite, with buses also running along Junction Road.

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