Pub, club or both?

It's the age-old dilemma - to pub or to club? Sometimes my local pub in Wandsworth leaves me wanting something more from a Friday night but I can't quite face shelling out a tenner or more for the pleasure of sweating off half my body weight in a big dark room. Isn't there something in between? The answer, friends, is a DJ pub, and the Old Queen's Head fits the bill perfectly.

This grand old Islington pub in Essex Road has gained a name for itself since it reopened a year ago. You can drink, of course, but you can also dance - to regular residencies from big-name DJs including Andy Weatherall and sets from the hottest bands, such as New Young Pony Club.

This is hardly surprising, given that the owners cut their teeth at top clubs Medicine and Fabric. But the OQH sticks firmly to its roots and isn't too shouty - it's still a perfectly nice spot for a drinking session with mates or a roast dinner on a Sunday afternoon. With a 2am licence on Fridays and Saturdays, it has become a one-stop shop where you can eat, drink then dance the night away all under one roof.

Those in the know flock here from all over London, and you only need to look at the line-up of treats on offer to see why. Refusing to be pigeon-holed, the OQH offers up everything from comedy cabaret shows to acoustic folk nights and pub quizzes, along with their legendary DJ nights at the weekends.

"We didn't want to aim ourselves at just one crowd, so we like to have different DJs every week" said manager Nicky Smiles. "We get people phoning up trying to get tickets in advance. They can't quite believe that you just pay on the door."

The night that I drop in with a few pals is no exception - it's a Friday and for just £3, we'll see Hard-Fi's Wrongtom spin his choice of records (if you come before 10pm, you won't pay a thing).

When I arrive at 7.30pm, the place is nicely buzzing, with the evening sun streaming through the front doors. On the street outside, the benches are teeming with punters enjoying their first pint of the weekend. It's a good-looking but gloriously unpretentious crowd. City workers mix happily with students in retro jackets.

My mates are all a bit knackered after a long week, and so am I. We agree we'll have a fairly quiet one. With best mate Rosie in tow I order a round of drinks and we make a beeline for one of the squashy leather sofas for a catch-up.

The pub itself looks like a spacious Victorian living room, complete with a carved fireplace, dazzling chandeliers and stags' heads mounted on the racing green walls.

It's been one of those unseasonably hot days in London, and the OQH's high ceilings and big front windows make for an airy space that's the perfect antidote. The mood is super chilled-out, with groups of friends nattering away at the big wooden tables.