The Pembury Tavern, pool in Hackney

Photo: The Pembury Tavern

The Pembury Tavern: Pool & Snooker in Hackney, London

Free poolWalk-in1 tableGroupsFive Points beer

90 Amhurst Road, Hackney, London · E8 1JH · Mo-We 16:00-23:00; Th 16:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-24:00; Su 12:00-23:00

The Pembury Tavern is a big, friendly Hackney corner pub that doubles as the home of the Five Points Brewing Company, with a pool table tucked into its roomy interior. It suits anyone who wants a relaxed game over good beer rather than a serious cue-sports night. The most useful thing to know: it is a walk-in pub, so the pool table works on a coins-down basis when it is free, not a booking. Expect a wide range of Five Points beers plus guest taps, and ACE Pizza coming out of the kitchen if you want to make an evening of it. It opens late afternoon on weekdays and from midday at weekends, so it is more of an evening and weekend spot than a daytime one.

The pool setup

Pool here is a pub table in the open-plan main room, not a dedicated hall, so there is a single table you share with whoever is around. There is also a bar billiards table if the pool is busy, which is a rarer find in London. It is a casual, first-come setup rather than anything you reserve, so the best approach is to grab a drink, keep an eye on the table and put your coins down when it frees up. Quieter weekday evenings give you the easiest run at it; Friday and Saturday nights get busier with drinkers.

Good to know

The Pembury is the home of the Five Points Brewing Company, so the beer is the main draw alongside the games. Expect Five Points Pale, Railway Porter and rotating guest lines, plus wine and spirits. ACE Pizza runs the kitchen if you want food with your game. It is closed during the day Monday to Thursday and opens at 16:00, then from midday Friday to Sunday. There is also a long-running Monday pub quiz, so that night the room leans toward quizzers rather than pool.

Getting there

It sits on Amhurst Road in central Hackney, roughly between Hackney Downs and Hackney Central stations, both a short walk away. London Overground gets you to either, and plenty of buses run along the surrounding roads. The corner-pub location makes it easy to combine with a wider night out in Hackney rather than a destination trip on its own.

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Common questions

What is The Pembury Tavern?
It is an independent East London pub in Hackney, home to the Five Points Brewing Company, with a pool table and a bar billiards table in its main room.
Is pool free at The Pembury Tavern?
It is a standard pub pool table, so it is typically free or coin-operated and played on a walk-in basis. We have not confirmed an exact price, so bring change just in case.
Do I need to book to play pool?
No. It is a walk-in pub with a single shared table, so you play when it is free rather than reserving a slot.
How many pool tables are there?
There is one pool table, plus a separate bar billiards table if the pool is in use.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Wednesday 16:00 to 23:00, Thursday 16:00 to midnight, Friday and Saturday 12:00 to midnight, and Sunday 12:00 to 23:00.
Where is it and what is the nearest station?
It is at 90 Amhurst Road, Hackney, E8 1JH, a short walk from both Hackney Downs and Hackney Central Overground stations.

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