The Elgin

My husband and I ventured out here for brunch with our 15 month old daughter one weekend. We walked in to find all the tables full but were greeted by a waitress who assured us it would only be a few minutes wait.
We were able to park our pram right next to our table but did feel like it was a bit crowded and in people’s way. Our daughter ran around the pub for a bit and also cried :(but we didn’t feel like anyone minded too much. There were high chairs but overall I wouldn’t call this a super child friendly pub.
The food was pretty good. I had a burger which was average and my husband ordered scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. He thought they were delicious.
I was very impressed when I asked the waitress for a drink menu and she asked what I wanted. She told me they could basically make anything I want! I didn’t get a drink that day but will be back to test that theory :)

A very descent place in a great neighbourhood. The burger is always a winner, also a nice place for brunch. It’s disappointing though to get the bill before your order especially in their dining room upstairs

It is a relatively newly renovated pub — had a great make over from original elgin pub. It serves very decent coffee and great brunch and dinner menu.
It has a hipster theme running through it and it is quite modern. I used to love going there and it was really one of the best choice in Maida Vale neighbourhood. And to a certain extent, it still is. I just find the place a bit dirty now. The place has a permanent stale alcohol smell and all glasses, cutlery are bit dirty always. Food is supposedly still lovely but I stopped going.
I hope it will get better. If you are in the area and looking for a pint/​glass and bite, stop by and see if you like it.

What a nice little neighborhood spot! I came here for a couple drinks and a small bite and was pleased with their beer selection (nice local craft brews, ciders and international brews). We ordered the fried squid and chicken pâté — both were good portion sizes and delicious. The service was good, but there wasn’t a big crowd there, so that probably helped (it was a Sunday around 6−8pm). The waitress did seem mad that we ordered at the bar (to be fair it was our first time here and at any other pub, you order at the bar). She wasn’t slow or anything, we just didn’t know.
It is located just across the street from the Maida Vale tube station, so it is a nice stop after work. The space is embellished with industrial décor along with some cozy couches and tables — large and small. If it is not too crowded, it is a nice spot for children and babies as well as dogs.

Love this pub! Best coffee in the area, brilliant staff. Delicious food (the burger is always a winner) and the best beers from around the world. Ticks all the boxes and never disappoints! My absolute favorite in the area! Wish they would open earlier so I could grab a coffee to go here in the morning — but then I might end up picking up some of their cakes too :)

I like this pub. There is a lovely atmosphere and all the staff are very friendly. They do a very nice bloody mary, have a very good selection of beers (one gluten free option also).
I have only tried the food once and was not blown away although I will give it another go.

I love the Elgin!
This is one of my go-​to places for breakfast. I love the décor — brick walls, offbeat art and chipped enamel pitchers on the tables. The breakfast menu is pretty classic, I always get the avocado on toast. It has a little bit of chili in it that gives it a great flavor. I’ve also been here for Sunday roast, which is very good.
There’s an upstairs area that’s quieter than downstairs, there are boardgames up there too.
It’s also dog friendly and I love any place that lets dogs in!

Really good atmosphere, excellent beers, but very dry burger…
Better to have a drink! :)

Great food! Amazing service! The porridge was great and came with honey, bananas and pecans. The scrambled eggs were really creamy and light

Came to meet my brother here on the weekend and was pleasantly surprised to find this shoreditch-​esque pub/​eatery/​drinkery right by Maida Vale tube station. Love the décor in here — especially the loungey leather sofas at the back — perfect for a lazy gossip and a catch up.
Food here was excellent — I had the full English, my bro had the burger. Both were top notch. Good beers on tap, and they also make a mean cuppa. Elgin loses one star because I thought the service was a bit off — think they need to work on being a bit more friendly — I’m not much of a fan of being told off for coming to order at the bar (when we were waiting for a good 10 minutes and you still didn’t come to serve us). It doesn’t especially matter in the big scheme of things if we order at the bar, right? I hope this doesn’t sound pretentious BUT… smily, friendly staff make all the difference and this place didn’t cut the mustard in that respect.
Anyhow, 4 stars regardless because it has a great feel, love the décor and the food was top bananas.

We’ve eaten here several times either for breakfast or dinner as it’s really convenient and there aren’t that many places to go. Couple of meals have been fairly good and the service is always good. However, as a vegetarian there’s poor choice, and that’s a compliment — nothing appealing at all. The general menu needs updating. The worst thing about this place has to be the coffee — it’s so bitter. Now I think, they think, it’s a cool French brand but it really isn’t — a cup of instant is better.
The toast is good though.

This ended up being my first meal in London after a long day of traveling from the south of France. After staring at the gastro-​friendly menu for a good ten minutes, I ended up ordering the chicken, bacon and leek pie (which came with peas and mashed potatoes) and a Black Isle Brewery Blonde that wasn’t on the menu (but I could spot it in the mini fridge behind the bar). Everything was absolutely delicious, and I’m glad I chose this spot as my culinary entrance to London cuisine. Minus one star for the fact that the meal ran me 19 quid, which when translated to dollars feels like I might end up spending my entire month’s grocery bill during three short days in London. At least the grub is worth it.
Oh, free wifi (just ask for the code) and super friendly service, too!

Went a few nights ago to sit outside and enjoy the lovely summer weather. The baked aubergine with lentils and pumpkin was quite good– good texture on the aubergine and it pairs off well with the pumpkin flavor. My husband’s croquettes with mustard were bursts of flavor in each bite.
The ciders on tap are good– not too mealy but a nice touch of sour to them. The desserts are TO DIE FOR. The carrot cake for me and banana walnut for him– the frosting is delectable.
Service sucked– hence minus the star– but that;s to be expected in Europe.

This was my local hang out while I was in Maida Vale. I preferred the food here over a more upscale pub not that far away. Beer good and the food is even better. It does get packed so find a table as soon as you can.

The Elgin has become our «holiday local» while visiting London from California. Fantastic place, with delicious food and a engaging, friendly vibe.
We’ve been staying in Maida Vale for 4 days and have had breakfast there twice and just stopped in for a post dinner pint. It’s completely different at night than over breakfast, but just what you would want at both times.
The Elgin is very family friendly during the day — the staff were all so kind to my 20 month old son during both breakfast visits. There were at least 8 babies in there the first day we were there, but the room is so spacious and the babies so good that it didn’t detract from the relaxing atmosphere.
At night, a cool (adult) crowd and great music.
Lots of locals popping in. The staff know many of them (and their drinks). Besides just being a nice place to be, the food really is excellent.
I can’t recommend The Elgin highly enough. We’re going back for dinner tomorrow, for our fourth visit in five days.

We came to the Elgin for breakfast on a weekday. It was very quiet, which was nice. We stuck with standard items of toast and jam and white flats, both of which were wonderfully prepared. The jam is homemade and has the best consistency and sweetness. The flat whites were very rich and also recommended on Time Out London — which we were glad to follow!
I also love that the Elgin overlooks a park. Definitely grab a seat so you can face it!

The management changes… But the toilets still make me gag…
The Elgin has been reborn more times than I can care to remember over the last 15 years… Originally an old-​fashioned boozer that was typical to the area, it has been modernised number of times, with its latest incarnation based around coffee, craft beers and individual and intriguing spirits.
To be fair, the current décor looks great, with lots of natural light during the daytime, plenty of natural, exposed wood and beautiful (quite possibly original?) Green tile work on the left-​hand side as you enter. As I have said, the one thing that never, ever changes here, is the stench that rises from the toilets. I have no idea why this is still an issue, but I know that a number of my friends who are local to the area will not drink at The Elgin because of this.
Quite a while ago, before its previous bankruptcy and closing, The Elgin used to present live comedy here. On the evening is that I did attend, I really did enjoy the entertainment on offer here. It most definitely gave this place and edge that none of the other pubs in the area could match up to.
So, I will undoubtedly return to The Elgin in the near future, but when I do, I will have my gas mask at the ready, if not that, at the very least a peg for my nose.

Great local bar. It can become crowded fast, so grab a table first then your pint. The bartenders were really nice, but the crowd is not overly friendly; if you are there with friends I guess that part does not matter.

The Elgin, located only a minute away from Maida Vale station, reopened in late 2012. I was once at the old Elgin and after I had ordered some food, they forgot to serve me. Now, I cannot imagine this could happen at the new Elgin.
The new Elgin has quite an edgy interior. In general, I really like the new style. But I do not like the rusty metal table, sorry, that just does not work for me. Perhaps the place tries a bit too hard to look cool? Anyway, all in all it’s definitely one of the better pubs in the area.
Days after it reopened I went there for dinner. I ordered their burger and was happy with it. Not a contender for the best burger in London, but a decent effort.
Another day I went there during afternoon for a coffee. And I must say, the coffee was surprisingly good for a pub. They use Volcano Coffee Works (
) beans — a roastery I had never heard of. The coffee tastes quite good. Again, not the best coffee you could get in London, but as Maida Vale lacks good coffee places, The Elgin is currently one of the best places for a coffee in the area.
Living not too far away, I am going to The Elgin from time to time and almost always like it there. When friends visit me, I sometimes take them there, and they always liked the place so far. The Elgin is definitely worth a visit for everyone living locally.

This place has changed ownership and is completely different than before. The burger is excellent as well as the chorizo hash. There are two leather sofas at the back great for a cozy place to have drinks.
Last time I was here they ran out of buns for burgers so there was a 20 minute wait till the next batch but it came out very fresh so worth it!