Jamie W and I were meandering across Kensington from Holland Park with the only goal in mind to make it to the Wyndham Theatre in the West End by 7PM for a marathon performance of Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night". Well, we needed sustenance along the way. We just refused to give into any fast food temptations despite their omnipresence in London. Since Elephant and Castle sounded familiar to us from an unrelated American chain, we stopped here. This spot struck us as a neighborhood watering hole with local eats, and we just weren't in the mood for the more exotic Indian food served at the decorative Churchill Arms. I mean we love curry but not on this particular day when pub fare was calling out our names. Funny thing was that we both landed on the same order, the £9 Ham and Cheese Toastie. Jamie was smart and got the side salad (photo: https://yelp.to/5yK69bjjc8), while I just went with the chips (photo: https://yelp.to/ZLi-F9tSen). We weren't bowled over by our selections, but they did manage to stick to our ribs. Local regulars came by like clockwork to chat with the pub owner and use the most cramped restroom I've ever seen. FOOD - 3 stars...unfancy pub grub AMBIANCE - 4 stars...a true British spot SERVICE - 3.5 stars...convivial enough TOTAL - 3 stars...if you feel like going local RELATED - Exploring London? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3zFACrx read more

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Great English pub within the Nicholson's Pub collection! We returned on our second visit to London because it was closed the first time we tried to dine here. If you're after true london pub vibes, with English food and some drinks in the Kensington area, this is it! Service: We made a reservation online and when we arrived early it was cool to see the large reservation sign on the table. The pub is very small, so keep in mind that seating is pretty tight. Our table for 2 had a booth seat and a stool with no back which may be troublesome for some. The concept is that you can order online using the QR code or at the bar. The staff was great and answered our questions. They even charged our phone so thanks again! Drinks: We enjoyed a cider and an old fashioned. The old fashioned had great flavor, however, was served with small ice cubes instead of a large one like we're used to. The drink menu is extensive and it's cool how they suggest which tonic pairs well with the different gins. Food: We were a bit bummed to see that a lot of the menu items were sold out (which is a good sign as well). I was looking forward to the Chicken and Portobello Pie but ordered the Steak and Nicholson's Pale Ale Pie instead. I was not disappointed! It was a great pie and the gravy served with it was delicious. Loved the mashed potatoes and roasted carrots. I finished the entire thing! A very hearty and warming meal. The Burger was also great. For dessert we tried the Sticky Toffee Pudding which was very rich and had bits of fig in it. The staff recommended it and it didn't disappoint! read more

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Great pub for evening Sunday roast, definitely book a table. Food excellent but can run out of dishes, recommend early seating.

I do quite like these back street pubs, though I have to admit that a lot of people seem to like them as well. Yeah, when I came here it was pretty packed, but then again it was a Friday night, and that is pretty much the case in most places you go to. Still, despite it being packed, it still had quite a bit of charm about it. Yeah, it wasn't all that bad. read more

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We had lunch here and loved it! The staff was very friendly and accommodating to my allergy. They also swapped our fries out for roasted carrots, which I'm sure is a request they never get lol. My mom and I split a pornstar martini and it was SO good! I had the Mac n cheese and it was stunning. The accompanying garlic bread was also delicious. read more

The Elephant and Castle - Mac n cheese - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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The food was excellent. Reasonable beer selection. Staff knew the menu and made some really good recommendations. And it was all topped off by the life size elephant! read more

I just want to give a shout out to this pub. It's just a solid English pub serving people in a very cozy neighborhood and is definitely an institution. The beer selection is solid and the Sunday roast was on point. What else do you need, really? read more

We stopped in for drinks and dinner our first night in London and liked it so much, we returned the second night. Lovely fish and chips, good beers, well made Old Fashioned cocktail. Popular place for a good reason. read more

Another Nicholson pub - I get it - so similar to blackfriars but so we'll done too. Excellent Pimms cocktail, very good food and nice friendly service. read more

We walked here from the Churchill Arms and it wasn't too far. We had a chance to explore the beautiful Nottinghill neighborhood along the way as well. This bar has a good amount of seating inside and some outside as well depending on how the weather is the outside can be a good choice to take in the scene. They offer a good drink selection and delicious food if you'd like. We met a really nice couple here and they ended up inviting us to their table which was really nice. read more

The Elephant and Castle - Exterior - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Wow! What a great find on a rainy Monday. Wonderful food and ambience. Sticky toffee pudding was aces. Wish we had pubs like this in the US.

visited this pub on a trip to London and my only complaint is that they weren't open later on a Tuesday night. such a warm and fun atmosphere for any gathering whether it's a happy hour after work or winding down for a night cap. the service here was great and if (*when) I make it back to London, I will definitely be coming back!! read more

Terrible food. Ordered the steak and ale pie which had apparently won a "gold star". It was watery and flavorless. The "steamed greens" on the menu was actually a bland, boiled cabbage, and the "glazed carrots" were unpeeled and looked and tasted like they were cooked in the same pot as the cabbage. Bland and gross. Probably a fine place for a pint but don't bother with the overpriced and tasteless food. read more

The Elephant and Castle - "Steamed greens and glazed carrots" look different in this pub - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Had a nice lunch here with the bf, nothing horrible, nothing to be blown away but the food was good, service was good. And no crazy loud louts ;) read more

Average pub, it's tight and compact, with quite slow service. Me and a friend went for a festive boozy hot chocolate and were left wanting. I can't complain too much because it was freezing and the drink was a promotion for Christmas, but we could barely taste the Malibu. Toilet wise, literally the tiniest female toilets, I have ever seen. One toilet and a massive squeeze to get in there. read more

I have no idea why this is categorised as a shopping centre, because it's actually a back street pub in Kensington. Located on the very swish, residential Holland Street, just of Kensington Church Street, you'd be forgiven for thining you actually were in Elephant & Castle because the food and drinks here, as far as I can work out, are pretty darn cheap for this postcode. I went there this evening for a taster event for their new Spring Menu. My favourite was the risotto. Yum. Roast dinner's on a Sunday are about £7, and there's a nice seating area outside. It's by no means the nicest pub in the world, but the perfect place to take the weight off your feet, sip a cool glass of wine and grab a cheap-ish bite to eat after a busy day of shopping on the High Street. read more

elephant castle is a great diverse place, with its own shopping centre, ok isn't that great but unique in its forms, there are markets, universities, great bus links and road links. I think its a great place to just visit makes you feel at home.......... And they have the best under tunnels, great for getting lost for a few minutes,lol. read more

This place was the worst pub I've ever been to. I have never been treated so poorly. I would not even give this place 1 star. The bar tender was the rudest human being I have ever met especially in the service industry. I arrived with a group of friends and we are all 19 of age and international. We have had expirience going to clubs, bars and other pubs and never had a problem. However when the bartender asked us for our IDs we showed them our national ids (not English) and they were deemed unacceptable. This man was very taunting he was smirking and laughing while letting us know he cannot serve us because they were not driving liscence or passport. Two of my friends finally were " allowed " drinks and they offered me a sip out of pity after being humiliated by this man. Once he saw me take a sip he STORMED to our table and YANKED the drinks off of our table almost spilling on us. We had to bargain for him to even pay us back!!!!! I have never felt so humiliated and discriminated for my nationality ever in my life!!! read more

"large" fish n chips amounts to a single piece of fish of which half the breading was empty. No places to sit at bar cause there's no stools. Every table reserved. Only free "high table" had no appropriate chairs. If you want to stand and drink, good place; sit and eat, nope, find somewhere else. read more

Not my favorite pub in the area, but still pretty damn close. If I'm just looking to have a few pints and talk to locals I head to a different go-to spot in the area, but if I want to actually eat something I head here, as food is pretty tasty. Their Fish & Chips are really yummy and portion is huge. Relaxing, quiet pub in Kensington. Has a nice small area to sit outside too if the weather is cooperating :) read more

I visited because of a recommendation from a friend. Have heard great stories about this place, and was not disappointed. Very quaint and delicious food and drinks. Will go again when I visit London! read more

Got a pint of White Shield there. I was probably the only "tourist", which is good for a pub. I agree with the other reviewer about the surly-service, but it is LONDON! why expect something different? read more

A nice Nicholsons pub on a quiet street in a Kensington neighbourhood. Has a typical cask range for a Nicholsons - about six to eight different beers. There is a lovely terrace for outdoor drinking. Prices are average, bartenders were fine. If you're in this area this is likely one of the only pubs you will find with any cask ale variety. Worth a visit. read more

Legend is I first went to Elephant and Castle at 3 years old and as a baby always yelled out "elephant n casool" I havent been back since those day. London is different these days. Sorta like New York, I do not have the need to go see the Statue of Liberty, or the Empire State Building. But i miss elephant and castle, it is a part of me. read more

I came here for the Malibu Hot Chocolate promotion which I was quite disappointed with as you can hardly taste the Malibu. The pub is really nice and tucked away but thanks to google maps, finding it wasn't a issue. It is a cute local pub with good selection of alcohol. Didn't have any food so can't comment on that. As it is tucked away I would come back if I was in the area. read more

From the outside this is a cute looking pub on a quieter neighborhood street with a nice outdoor seating area. With all that going for it, why does the service have to be so surly? Would an occasional smile and a bit of friendliness be so hard to muster? Plus the Pimm's is waaay too sweet for my taste. Think there are better pubs for me to spend my money at. read more

Good place for an after work drink, especially if you go on a Thursday and have their sausage offer. This pub is all about location and ambience, the beer is OK, the food is fine but the company is better. There was a bit of disorganisation both times we visited - they'd run our of crisps and bar snacks and the glass collector lurked liked a hungry vulture. We enjoyed it though! read more

This is the BEST pub. The bar staff is so fun and friendly. We've been searching for a good pub for ages and we finally found it. We come here several times a week now. Amazing! read more