Elephant & Castle

We came here for dinner after seeing a movie nearby.
The food was very poor — the meat was tough and the Yorkshire puddings were soggy. Both seemed to be microwaved. The Asian-​style ‘lettuce cups’ were unusual.
The service was underwhelming; we had to sit ourselves and it took quite a while before the waiter came over to us.
It may be a good place for a drink, however I would definitely not recommend it as a place to eat.

We were looking for somewhere close, enroute to the metro (both to get out of the cold and not go out of the way) get in and out in a reasonable amount of time and be on our way.
They basically delivered? Errr.
Food came out pretty fast, correct temperature, but it was nothing to write home about. Sweet potato fries were bland, the roast beef in my sandwich was super fatty, and kind of tough. Friend’s bangers & mash were better, but if you’ve ever had the real thing, meh.
Waitstaff was nice, but definitely overextended during the lunch rush. We were able to get in and out pretty quickly, which is what we needed — but I would never plan on going back again.

Food was extremely good especially the buffalo wings! The environment was cozy and decorated very nicely! Although the food was good our waiter didn’t check on us that often and we had to wait long to receive our checks and for him to come back for our payment, which is why I have this place 3 stars but for was delicious!

Debating whether to come back after the food was blah and the service seemed selective (if you serve numerous people that came in and ordered after us, that’s a problem)
Had the Salmon Burger which was advertised as having fresh guacamole on it. A thin spread of guacamole doesn’t cut it. The salmon was dry, bland and only filled ²⁄₃ of the bun. The fries tasted like they were cooked yesterday and reheated in the microwave.

I stopped at Elephant and Castle to enjoy some happy hour beverages. Inside their drink menu, it stated all craft local and domestic beers were $ 5.00. I ordered a local IPA and as the server put my check in front of me, I noticed I was charged $ 6.50 for the beer. I asked the bartender why this was as their drink menu stated that craft local beer and domestics were $ 5.00 for happy hour. He said that was a misprint and it did not apply to this craft beer. Wait what?! I tried to inquire more about this obvious false advertising but I was ignored. I paid my tab and left. I am pretty sure I will not return back here which is a shame as many of my meetings are withing a few steps of this watering hole.

Nice lunch today. I had the jerk chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries and my wife had the steak and mushroom pie. Both are outstanding. You need to try the fried pickles here! Fine selection of beer and Scotch Whiskies.

This place serves above average food relative to standard fare you might get at other pubs.

Decent pub fare! I’m a big fan of British pubs generally and stopped in briefly for lunch at Elephant & Castle. I naturally ordered the fish n chips, which was a generous portion of crispy fish and fries and an amazing tartar sauce. Very good! I really liked the old world atmosphere of the pub. Service was attentive and friendly throughout the meal. Great lunch place generally, though the food is a bit more pricey than expected. I guess it’s due to its location in downtown DC. I would certainly visit again for drinks next time!

We had a good time in this nicely placed, fun English tavern on Penn Ave in DC. They were able to provide salt free fare for one of our party with no problem, which we especially appreciated.
I ordered the Shepherd’s Pie, which was very satisfactory. The seasoning was pleasant but not overwhelming or over salted. The salad stood out even more — with field greens and a light touch of vinaigrette, the fresh veggies shone without drowning in sauce. The vinaigrette is a house thing, with real subtleties of flavor. Even better was that the dressing itself was subtly placed for a light and healthy salad.
Having vindicated my commitment to healthy living by destroying my entire salad, I turned eagerly to the Bread Pudding. This is a must have thing at the Elephant and Castle. They use a rum raisin sauce, for starters, which predictably leads to early victory. But, there is more. The pudding is light and fluffy, with sweet raisins and a delicate crema on top. A hint of real maple both closes the taste experience while proving that this is no processed, pre-​made thing. You don’t need to eat the whole thing, but you really should try it.
Good times and a great find in an area where reasonably priced quality can be hard to find.

I really want to like this place because the patio is nice and so is the location. However, the past two times I’ve been the service has been absolutely awful. Both times we sat on the patio too so I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it.
No refills, no checking on us, no following up after our meals are delivered. We asked for a side of dressing that never received.
I really, really, wish this is something they could get right because the food is pretty tasty. Tourist pricey but tasty. I love the fried pickles and the dipping sauce. Which is weird because they are in spears and I typically like the round fried pickles. The nachos are also really good.
But, my heart belongs to the soft pretzels. Oh, these pretzels, oh these dear pretzels, I can’t even begin to describe the feeling I get when I have them. Its a match made in heaven. Soft, salty (not too much), hot and just melt in your mouth goodness.
I really, really want to give more to stars to this place but first they need to improve their service.

Wow, highly disappointed! I’ve been here several times and always loved it, but after todays experience I won’t be returning. The staff is incredibly rude and the food was just par. The bartender has an attitude and a complete lack of interest in serving the customers.
A couple next to us got little service, their food arrived before their drinks, and then when they asked if they could have them the server could barely care. In return, they walked right out. I don’t blame them.
We basically had to work for our food, take out box and check. That to me is poor customer service.

If there is a reason the English are not known for their food then an American restaurant really should not try to emulate it.
I got a steak and mushroom pie and found it salty, but I didn’t complain because almost EVERYTHING seems overly salty to me. I stopped eating it, out of consideration of my blood pressure, and gave it to my salt-​loving friend. I felt vindicated when he jumped back from his fork, shouting, «Damn! Why would they put so much salt in this!!!»
He got the bangers and mash which was just two sad sausages on a dollop of salty reconstituted mashed potatoes.
We also shared a poutine. This rounded out the meal because the gravy was the same salty mess as that in my pie and on his mashed potatoes.
I tried it, I don’t need to do it again.

This place brings a little bit of London to DC and I love it. This location is near Federal Triangle Metro station and is probably the closest restaurant/​bar to the National Mall and my office :) This location has a patio outside that is nice to sit at and people watch and enjoy the nice weather. The bar area has some tables as well as stools at the bar.
They have several domestic and imports on HH for $ 5 a pint. The bartenders are attentive and friendly. This place stays fairly busy and crowded, especially around HH. I’ve only had a sandwich here to eat and it was ok. Nothing to write home about, but decent. I definitely prefer to enjoy the beverages and atmosphere here. If you’re near the National Mall and looking for a place take a break and enjoy a nice cold beverage, I’d recommend Elephant & Castle.

Look, the food is good, and the service is fine, but it didn’t really wow me as seating was kind of helter-​skelter. We could wait for a table or sit near the bar, and if the bartenders aren’t busy, they’d come and take our orders otherwise we’d have to go to the counter to place our orders. Well, it wasn’t that busy when we sat down, but no one came by so we ended up sitting at a table.
Our server kind of disappeared when we wanted the check. Before that, he was very attentive and quick to take our orders and was engaging with us.
I ordered the Deluxe burger, and it was fantastic — well cooked at medium, juicy, and flavorful with Chipotle aioli, Guinness BBQ sauce, peppered bacon, aged cheddar, lettuce, pickle and red onion. Everything stood out on its own but worked together masterfully.
The chicken wings definitely had a kick but wasn’t unbearable. Thankfully we got a few wet napkins because it was a little messy to eat, and wiping your hands with paper towels just doesn’t do the trick.
It is sort of casual, sort of upscale. People in suits came but so did tourists. We made it in a few minutes before happy hour ended so it did pick up in terms of volume but as we progressed through dinner last Friday, the noise level went down.

Great British food and very interesting fusion of different cultures from the British Isles. My wife had the traditional pouting which had absolutely delicious gravy. I had the slum dog which was a Panko breaded, deepfried hotdog wrapped in naan with curried tomato sauce and onions, it was delicious! Great import and local beer selection and it looks like they have lots of events throughout the week like trivia night and half priced bottle of wine nights.
Wish I lived in DC so I could keep coming back to this place!

This place sucks. It is overcrowded. Hard to get a bartender’s attention and enough douchebags that could power the MTA.
Sorry to say but it’s too loud and the only reason I came here was because I had to for a staff happy hour… for my going away party.

This is the first place is wished I’d brought my Bose noise canceling headphones to. Loud! Too loud. When you have to scrunch up to eight inches from a colleague and yell at each other to hear, that’s nuts. But people seem to like the din as the bar area is always packed.
I find the beer selection boring and expensive. That and a surly server don’t make for a place you want to return to.
Lunch food is ok. I’d give it three stars for that. But the noise level makes it a huge turnoff.
Many other places in DC downtown to enjoy better beer, and to be able to have a decent convo with friends or colleagues.

They had all the great British food you’d expect, great service and a menu that included low carb items, as well as great wine. But why o why are there 6+ steps to get up to the bathroom? I asked how a wheelchair user could get to them and got a long-​winded answer about going outside, going around the corner and coming in through another entrance! So despite the good things about this place, it’s only getting 3 stars. How ever does a restaurant in a NEW building get okayed by DCRA for inaccessible bathrooms?

Loved, loved, loved this place. I stopped in for a quick bite last time I was in DC on business. I was very impressed with the abundant beer selection and eclectic offerings of comfort food and pub classics on the menu. You have to love any place that offers five different types of poutine!
I ended up ordering the Butter Chicken poutine which consisted of simmered chicken in a curried tomato cream sauce, cheese curd, cilantro and spiced yogurt. This unique east-​meets-​west style dish was absolutely delicious. The curried cream sauce was a perfect substitute for the usual beef gravy that is served with traditional poutine. Although I sat at the bar, the service exceeded my expectations. The bartender was friendly, diligent and well informed about the beer and food selections.
Next time I am in the DC area, I will be running back to The Elephant and Castle to order the same exact item. I might order two servings.

I got a great flight — coffee porter, strong bow cider, Sam summer. Thanks to the bartender who picked my flight.
Also got the hummus. It is drizzled with vinegar which I liked but both my friends said it took from the flavor. It’s hit or miss if you ask me. Though I loved the toasted pita chips it came with.
Great atmosphere, friendly people, good energy. I would come back if I was in the area. Also, yay for coat hooks under the bar. Girls love these.