Came here for the Juma pop up that's taking place at the moment, and had a few drinks before hand.
First up, the Cuckoo is a lovely little pub in the middle of Barnsbury. It's a bit off the beaten path and is quiet as a result. I came here on a Saturday night and it was never particularly busy or loud, and there was a nice relaxed vibe with people just enjoying the food and drink they had going.
Drinks wise they had a decent selection but nothing extensive, though a bottle of red Pinot Noir went down a treat at pretty decent value too. Service from the bar staff/waiters was also very good!
Food wise, Juma is doing Iraqi style food led by the eponymous Philip Juma, and is a pretty decent (though not overly brilliant) menu. It's definitely a bit different from the usual middle-Eastern food that will come to mind when you read hummous and baba ghanoush, and it's more of a strange fusion between Greek and middle-Eastern stuff. Stand out dishes for us were the starters and the fish main.
If you're in the area and looking for a nice drink, you could do far worse than the Cukoo. Great pub! read more