Lunch at Elephant & Castle got me in and out within an hour, which is a good thing on a weekday. Service was pleasant and friendly enough. The food didn't take too long. We were seated in the side room which was a touch less noisy and somewhat more elegant than the main bar room, as it is reminiscent of a library in a rather nice large house. However, the cushy chairs in there seat you way lower than the table, so you feel a bit like a little like a kid as you eat your meal. The single large halibut fillet in the fish & chips had a puffy light batter that, while kind of oily, was still pretty good. The chips were the fat long sort - cooked through, but not particularly crispy. I prefer crispy fries. As for the sweet potato fries I subbed with my burger, now those were rather crispy, and not too oily. Not the sweetest sweet potato fries I've ever had, but they'll do. The burger arrived with a slice of tomato, raw onion, and pickle sitting nestled on the bun top. The tomato should have been a redder specimen given the current time of the year, but the burger was just fine - cooked as ordered but still moist . After finishing my lunch, gee, was I stuffed! 8/26/09 additions - * There was a poster that greeted us at the doorway with an announcement of The Price is Right lunch menu - bbq chicken sandwich $7.99, Today's special pie (cottage today) $7.99, and Daily Lunch Combo 1/2 sandwich of the day with bowl of soup and Caesar salad $8.99... the odd thing was, there was no mention of it at the table! * Fish & Chips with cod fish came in two fillets - moist on the inside with a crispy outer shell * The Price is Right BBQ Chicken Sandwich - grilled chicken breast, bbq sauce, jack chees, coleslaw on a toasted Kaiser bun with your choice of English chips, today's soup or balsamic tossed greens - the chicken breast surprisingly came sliced! But it was tender and not at all dry. While the toasted bun was crispy on the outside as well as on the cut side. The coleslaw wasn't the sweet sort, but more the vinegary sort. * both the dipping sauce that came with the sweet potato fries option and the honey mustard I requested went well with the fries.
(3)
David A.
We came here for breakfast and were pleasantly surprised. The food was great! I had steak and eggs which was the bomb. My partner in crime had the eggs Benedict which she really enjoyed. I don't know previous reviewers complained about the staff they were lovely and prompt. Big thumbs up
(5)
Nate P.
I was in town on a business trip. This restaurant was connected to the hotel I was staying at so out of convenience, I along with a few colleagues decided to grab some grub and of course....drinks. Overall, it was an ok experience. Food was decent. Service was good. but damn...did they have to show the damn Red Sox game? Go Yankees! LOL!
(3)
Meredith M.
Tons of fun. Saturday night. Karaoke starts at 9:30 goes to close. You've got your drunken students celebrating birthdays, the tacky awkward couple that is all about PDA and cheesy duets, the confused/ amused out of towners...and then you have the regulars. The people who actually sing really well and can work the crowd. They are competing for cash prizes and gift certificates. Fun with a competitive edge. The food is decent, drinks are strong. (One house margarita was enough to get me singing.) It's in a great area and the people are friendly. Make sure to stop in on a Saturday night for a drink and some entertainment.
(4)
Heather G.
This is an overpriced, after-work "pub". Though it's styled to resemble a British pub, it's an American chain that simply renames their dishes with British slang and serves some imported beer. The beer is entirely too expensive. Miller High Life was $4.50! That is a crime. Most beers on tap ran $6.50-7 and bottled beers were in the same range. While this must be a go-to place for after work drinks for people in the building across the street (it's always packed on weeknights around 6-6:30), it empties out on the weekend, as it's too far from Faneuil to attract any sort of crowd, and there's really only one residential building in the vicinity (mine). This past Saturday evening, we had dinner and a few beers in the back room, as a really loud karaoke party was going on in the front. I'd recommend staying away if you don't enjoy bleeding ears, but the kitchen closes at 11 and there's little else in the area, so we went with it anyhow. The food, standard pub fare, is actually not too bad. The burger is solid, the fries are absolutely horrific, and the prices are, in my opinion, about $2 more than they should be for the ambiance and food quality. But the bruschetta chicken sandwich on ciabatta is very flavorful and my favorite thing on the menu. Though Dan C. once mentioned in his review that this is a good place to take a date, I will have to wholeheartedly disagree there. Please don't take a date here. This is not a date place. This is a place for after work drinks and flirting with some finance-y twentysomethings, or a place to catch the college basketball game in the back room with your buddies, but not a place for dates. If you take a date here, please expect to not get laid.
(2)
Elle C.
I'd never been to an Elephant and Castle even though I've lived in alot of cities with them. Lunch was ok. They have some different types of sandwiches which sound good. The first half of my sandwich was better than the second half, it had cooled considerably so it wasn't really that great. Maybe a burger would have been a better choice. The salad was clearly made hours before the lunch rush and there were no veggies in it. It was basically lettuce and balsamic, and I had two tomatoes- whoo hoo. If someone want to go to here, I wouldn't protest but there are plenty of other places to give $15 for lunch to that are better in this neighborhood. It would not be my idea to go again. The interior was nice so it would be a great place to get a drink.. if someone invited me, i"m not suggesting it.
(2)
Ellie W.
I'm not a huge fan of Elephant & Castle, but I do have to say, it's a great place for group lunches--they can usually seat a good number of people at a table, or if your party is really large, you'll get a room to yourself downstairs. It's usually pretty tough during the work week to find places that fit something like 10 of your coworkers, so I'll give them props for that. The food, on the other hand, isn't anything to rave about. I've had their shephard's pie--really awful. This is supposed to be English/pub fare, so I don't really know how they aren't able to make a good shephard's pie. Their clam chowder and some of their sandwiches are good, so I can't say they suck completely.
(3)
Timothy O.
Stopped in for a pint and ended up having a bite to eat..... Very friendly and a tasty snack I will return for a full dinner
(4)
Chris B.
This place is so corporate, it's not even funny. I wish they would lighten up and awesomeify. Been 2x now, and both were kind of weird experiences. Breakfast was very hotel-appropriate, and fine. Late night drinks saw trivia night (but I couldn't really tell if anyone was playing!) and complete lack of service sitting in the bar area. There were employees walking around but never really helping customers -- so it turned out you had to walk up to the bar to get your own food & drinks. I should mention - the french onion soup didn't really have a rich flavor; it was more like onions were boiled in hot water. We didn't finish our shephard's pie either -- just didn't really do it for me. All in all, I have to say, this place lacks soul and spirit both.
(3)
John L.
Two quick things: first, the one charge left my account after a few days, which was very good :) Second, this is a decent place to grab some grub before you go out for the evening and down into the State Street area. It's a little on the expensive side, but considering its relative closeness to the party bars down the street, it does have some decent food options. The plates are a decent deal, giving you a chance to get a variety of stuff that the entire group can share easily. I'd still keep it at 3 stars. It's good, but not undeniably remarkable to make me want to regularly seek it out. But it's not a bad place if you're looking to get food before a night out in Fanueil.
(3)
Ted K.
fine downtown spot in the heart of the financial district... I love London Pride so to have it on tap is key.. Can't speak for the food..
(3)
Amelia M.
This place is just okay. Okay food, okay service. I appreciated the English pub setup, but Elephant & Castle really lacks the energy to make it work. We went at dinner time on a Saturday night and the place was quite literally empty, though I expect they might have a bigger after-work crowd.
(3)
Elizabeth D.
Haddock fish and chips. Best fish and chips I've had, HANDS DOWN! Nothing was soggy. The fish was so delicate and flaky and crunchy. The tartar sauce was good. The fries had a nice crisp to them. And the cole slaw was perfectly dressed. I would totally return and order the exact same thing.
(4)
Jeffrey J.
Had a nice breakfast on a sunday morning. Good service. Big TVs. Tasty food. Clean British pub feel. Recommended.
(4)
Megan L.
This review is brought to you by the letter T, and this review is based on Too Many Experiences at Elephant & Castle. T is for Terrible, which the service always is. T is for Trivia, which actually makes it kinda fun. T is for Tonic, which seemed to be all that was in my "Gin & Tonic." T is for Tits, which somehow make their way out of financial district dress code after hours. T is for Too Crowded, meaning you have to throw elbows to get to the bar. T is for Tainted Product, as evidenced by my friend's skunked Sam Adams. T is for Ta Ta...This place sucks and I won't be back.
(1)
Marissa A.
Sunday brunch. The food was good. But the service was horrendous. It didn't help that my boyfriend and I were extremely hungover. First off, it took at least 7 minutes to be seated, even though the place was not busy at all. After my boyfriend hunted down a server, we were finally seated. We asked for water not once, not twice but three times. After our food was served and we were halfway through our meal, they were kind enough to provide a quantity of water equivalent to a Dixie cup, which had no ice in it and was luke warm. Also, no milk or cream was served with the coffee. Like I said, the food was good (he had the scrambled express - hard to mess up, and I had pancakes) but the service was something left to be desired.
(3)
EricaLynn J.
I'm still getting used to this whole Downtown Crossing thing. My new job on Summer Street means that I get to witness all the ca-raaaazy stuff this neighborhood has to offer, day in and day out. My work took me to the Elephant and Castle this afternoon for a long lunch and the four of us who went enjoyed what we'd ordered, but it was kind of a bizarre experience, all in all. Our waitress kept losing her concentration whenever we'd place an order or ask a question. The music selection was awkward: talk about randomizing an iTunes library - this was as random as random gets.... "Pump Up the Jam" by Technotronic, then some Don Henley, and then a song by Jessica Simpson... i think that during the fourth time our table asked for the check we were serenaded by the sweeeeeet sounds of the Friends theme song. I'll be there for youuuuuu but can we PLEASE get the check? I'll be there for youuuuuu but right now I cannot stay... I'll be there for youuuuu if you'll just let us paaaaayyyyyy-yay. But ya know, things are a bit strange in Downtown Crossing Land, as it is. Methinks it's par for the course.
(3)
jenny z.
Probably will not come back to this place and do not recommend this to the curious diner. PROS: 1. if you a Harry Potter fan; my friend told me this was the inspiration for the leaky cauldron - this elephant and castle is a replica of the one in england 2. on that note the ATMOSPHERE is a great weekend pub - lots of commotion and excitement - without this i'd probably give that place one star CONS ; 1. THE FOOD IS TERRIBLE - remember the old cliches of bad british food? Well there's some truth in stereotypes. - their entree selection in slim, less than a dozen - I ordered...some kind of chicken dish....it was a few small cuts of chicken drowned in mushrooms and sauce with a side of potatoes. 2. SERVICE IS TERRIBLE - the waitress we had was nice enough. However, she brought my entree BEFORE the appetizer even came. Not to mention my food was cold by the time everyone else's meal arrived. RECAP - not good for dinner (bad food/ lousy service) - fun if your into pubs and bar food
(2)
Erin B.
Pros: Good beer list, good appetizers, decent atmosphere Cons: Bad entrees (only vegetarian dish, stir fry, almost inedible), poor food timing (apps came out before drinks, entrees came 5 minutes after apps).
(3)
Marilynn L.
This is the kind of place you go after a long and bad day at work. It has that feel to it especially since it is in Boston's Financial district. The beef dip was pretty good and so were their signature sandwiches (they are marked off because it is what they are known for). The place itself is very nicely decorated and we found it convenient because it was right next to our hotel. Sounds great, right? Well, the reason why this place merits a mere three stars is because the service is extremely slow and the waiters were not attentive at all. On our third or fourth visit, we waited like 5 or more minutes to get seated even though the host and other waiters were passing us by. After being seated, the waiter never looked back. We waited maybe 10 to 15 minutes for someone to even take our order or something to drink! Another waiter asked us if we were being taken care of. He took our order which took about 20 minutes to be ready! This was brunch time and there were barely any people. I was disappointed with this place since my previous visits were better than this rated 3 stars. On the plus side, the Guinness was one of the best I've had.
(3)
Lindsay H.
This review is strictly based on the bar, I have yet to try any of their food. We arrived about 11pm on a Friday night, the bar was pretty dead. A handful of yuppies and Suffolk students. It was an awkward vibe but then again I'm not the typical type to hang in these places on a Friday night. The beer selection was relatively small and the cook closed down the kitchen just after we arrived. I drank Blue Moon on tap and a very weak cranberry vodka. Not worth the $8 for a mixed drink.. didn't even get me feeling a little tipsy. Last call was just after midnight and I was kind of confused why a bar was closing down so early in Bean Town.. but they closed about 12:30.
(2)
Sheri Q.
I went for lunch with a former colleage, who gave the chicken bruschetta sandwich the thumbs up. I had the shephard's pie, which was chock-full of meat. The seasoning and the potatos were very good. Our waiter was very attentive, including taking care to bring a lemon for a diet coke.
(3)
Emily W.
You will see me here mostly on Saturday nights - that's karaoke night. The bartenders are great, but the prices still throw me. Coming from the South, where Blue Moon costs $3.50, to pay $7.50 is painful. I guess this should be expected when you are in the middle of the financial district and the bar/restuarant is actually a hotel bar/restuarant. But on Saturdays you get a lively crowd, and are certain to have a few laughs at others' expense when it's time to karaoke or have a dance party.
(4)
Gabriel P.
Just a hamburger joint .. fair at best. It is convenient to the financial district.
(2)
Tammy R.
My husband and I ate dinner at Elephant and Castle on Saturday, 12 February. We arrived around 6 PM and while the bar area was fairly busy, the general restaurant was almost empty. My review pertains ONLY to dinner, not the bar area. I had eaten at Elephant and Castle once before, and found the fish and chips (lunch) to be good. This time, however, we were disappointed. We ordered curry fries for the appetizer, which would usually entail fries and a curry sauce for dipping. What we received were fries (a bit thick and mealy, but that's subjective) and a cup of actual vegetable curry. Not quite for dipping. To add insult to injury, the curry itself was chalky, tasting as though a curry powder mix was used, and not incorporated well into the sauce. We shared a salad, which was essentially two cherry tomatoes and three rounds of cucumber sadly placed atop a mound of chopped romaine. A bit too minimalist, in my opinion. We shared the Roast Beef Stuffed Yorkshire. According to the menu: "Roast beef and caramelized onions stuffed in a Yorkshire pudding, topped with rich gravy. With mashed potatoes and vegetables." Technically, this is what we received. The roast beef looked suspiciously like shaved lunchmeat (think Steak-umms), and the Yorkie was NOT good. It was gummy. --I should mention here that I am, in fact, English, and I know exactly what a Yorkshire pudding entails, both in pudding and muffin/popover form. What I tried to chew on this plate was NOT a Yorkie. The mashed potatoes were good, the gravy and caramelized onions were rich, and the green beans, while too crunchy for our tastes, were fresh and tasty. The sad little pile of shaved beef (I doubt it's of the 'roast' variety) stuffed inside a single doughy bread-muffin was edible but NOT what we were expecting from Elephant and Castle. The staff was efficient and friendly, and the restaurant itself was clean. People were having a grand time at the bar, and in general, it's a good pub. It just really missed the mark with this particular dish on this evening.
(3)
Denise F.
I went to E & C for lunch. I had the club sandwich with a side of clam chowder. The club sandwich was pretty standard. The clam chowder was really yummy. The nachos were meh. The nachos came out cold. The cheese was hard and only on half of the nachos. The nachos came with 3 small containers of guacamole, sour cream and salsa. I really love nachos at pubs so I might be a snob. The price you pay for these entrees should match the quality you pay for but they are lacking in this department. I do enjoy their bar area. I think next time I would go for a couple of drinks and grab food at another pub.
(2)
Sami W.
WOW!! I am surprised of the many negative reviews this restaurant has! I used to come here often when I worked in the financial district, sometimes for lunch and other times for after work drinks. I always had a good time, sure there was a wait around lunch time but it didn't matter to me. Last night I came back with a friend, we both ordered the blue cheese and bacon burger and it was AMAZING!!! I left the restaurant with the same grin I get after a good sex session!
(4)
Justin K.
Some colleagues and I traveled to Bahstahn for work and meandered around downtown. We were pretty hungry as we had not eaten anything since we left the Midwest hours before. I quickly whipped out my iphone and pulled up the Urbanspoon app and searched for a relatively inexpensive place nearby serving American food...a shake later produced "Elephant & Castle". So we headed the few blocks from Quincy Market to Devonshire Street. We were seated promptly and a friendly server with a thick Boston accent greeted us and took our drink order. It was around 6pm on a Tuesday and there were no drink specials which was a downer for my colleagues. We all ordered the Clam Chowder as an appetizer and boy was it fantastic...very rich, thick, full of meat, and came with crackers. I ordered the Chicken Pot Pie which came with mashed potatoes and green beans. The mashed potatoes were warm but seemed to have been sitting out for a while as they were a little hard. The green beans were warm but you could tell they had been frozen not too long ago. The pot pie was pretty delicious, not sure whether it was really fantastic or it could be chalked up the fact that I was just starving! The bathrooms are downstairs which would pose a problem for a handi-capable person but I am fairly confident they have an elevator. They are clean, well maintained, and have tissues. Overall, pretty decent place, clam chowder was amazing, food was so-so, the atmosphere makes up for the mediocre food, definitely a great place to people watch!
(3)
Erica D.
This was my first trip to Elephant & Castle and I was joined by my two out-of-state guests. We got there right before the lunch rush--around 11:45a. Within 15 minutes the place was packed. Fortunately service was pretty fast, we were only there for an hour (mostly because we decided last minute to order a sandwich to go). Price: Most of their lunch meals are $10 and up. I'm not sure what the difference is between their lunch and dinner menu. The prices seem to be the same, perhaps the portion size or variety is different(?) Decor: This place is awesome, it's has a really nice British pub atmosphere, lots of random levels, and big windows. It's a nice place to be. Service: Our server was quick to give us the bill, but it was tough to flag her down to add to our order. Business seemed to pick up shortly after we arrived, so she was probably busy. She did seem nice and accommodating and I liked her accent. Food/Presentation: I got the Reuben Sandwich, which came with extra Thousand Island dressing on the side. It was a good size sandwich--not too big or small. It was hot and delicious, but the bread was a little soggy on the bottom. Oh, and it came with sweet potato fries! So good! Location: It's in the Financial District on Devonshire street. The restaurant has two entrances, but only one side has the hostess. Your guess is as good as mine. Recap: Price: 4/5 Decor: 5/5 Service: 3/5 Food/Presentation: 4/5 Location 4/5 Total: 4.0
(4)
Margo L.
My first time at E&C - the food was really very good and the price was right! Went after work with a group from the office and everyone enjoyed their meals and the atmosphere. Loved the sweet potato fries! Yum! On the downside our waitress was terrible and our martini's were sadly watery and served in brandy snifters - what's up with that? I would definitely go back and give this place another try.
(3)
Jessica W.
We were traveling and this place was near out hotel so we decided to try it. The food was fine but in my opinion, the service was exceptional. So exceptional in fact, we ate 3 meals here over the course of our weekend. We had different waitresses all 3 times and all of them were efficient, friendly and extremely nice to our toddler, which we deeply appreciated. Come for the beer selection or a snack, stay for the excellent service.
(3)
LC P.
Ok, I've been around enough to know that the Brits have many good attributes, but they are not known for their cuisine. BF & I have been here twice for Sunday supper- earlyish at 630p or so- as it's one of our closest choices. First visit was quite empty and food was pretty good- I'd say a 3.5 the first time: BF had steak dip, which he liked, and was generous in size. I had Salmon w/penne. I was not asked how I liked my salmon cooked and hence was a bit surprised when it was rare. Sauce was uninspiring, but overall it was about a 2.5. Second visit was a bit later and there were quite a few people at the bar, and at least 4 or 5 other tables. Service was sill timely. We ordered Salmon burger with side salad w/balsamic dressing which was good- again about a 3.5. BF ordered Sunday special of Steak tips with mashed potatoes and a carrot broccoli mix. His arrived with two ice cream scoops of potatoes at one end of a large oval plate with 4 broccoli florets and about 6 carrots at the other end. In the middle was a small oval dish with, as far as I could see across the table in dim light, mushrooms. There were apparently about 6 pieces of steak hidden under the mushrooms, which were tasty according to BF, but not very generous. If plate had been smaller, it might have lent a more voluptuous air to the portion. So, while meat was good, it was a 2.5 due to lack of volume. We'll go back because the food is pretty good, and the location is good for us.
(3)
Rob C.
There was a time when this was a common destination for myself and a large group of friends. Frequently as a feeding stop after drinking our fill at Harpoon brewery events, one of its chief advantages was its ability to seat twelve or more on a Saturday night. Having gone back there again more recently, i am having a hard time remembering other virtues. The obvious jokes about English food are tempting, but on a recent trip to England, i actually had a great deal of quite tasty food in pubs, served with a much more authentic surliness, too. In this case, though, the steak pie i had wasn't bad, save for the fact that it was mostly empty on the inside. The mashed potatoes had a skin on the outside and were cold (prompting me to realize that they've always been that way). The server confused Fuller's porter with London Pride (the latter is not a favorite, but is much better on tap). Maybe i just wasn't drunk enough, but with suburban attrition taking its toll on my usual crew, perhaps the upside is better choices to eat.
(2)
Kay H.
I've gone here a few times for an "adult lunch" with my coworkers. It's always packed but they always find space and the wait is never long. It's definitely a popular lunch spot in the area. Prices are a little steep for my pockets but I don't think it's unreasonable for the quality and the amount of food you get. I'd go eat there again.
(3)
Michael A.
Completely horrible. Chowder was pasty. Burger was terrible. What an embarrassment. I'd be ashamed to serve this dreck. Live and learn - but don't eat here
(1)
JM L.
I used a Restaurant.com certificate and, boy, did we get a great deal for our $! Our waiter was excellent: was very attentive and sweet. The food itself was served in generous portions. I had the fried chicken special of the day and it was comfort food, indeed. The side of green beans were fresh and cooked just enough (bright green). The only so-so was the dessert. A friend and I split the berry cobbler a la mode. Wasn't great, but wasn't bad, either. I'll definitely go back, especially given our tab was less than $18 total including tip for 2 entrees, sweet potato fries, and dessert!
(4)
Stephanie K.
I work near this place and I often go there during lunch or after work. This place is not constant. One day the food can be very good and the next day you order the same thing and its awful. It is also very packed for lunch and it gets busy in the early evening. It is however very good with accomodating large groups.
(3)
Irene R.
Hubby and I went here because this was the only place we could find that had Yorkshire pudding (I come from a British family...I have no other excuse) I had roast beef and yorkshire pudding. It was soggy, the meat was bland, and the gravy was just some brown stuff. The beer selection was good. And since we went in the middle of the day it wasn't crowded. It still took forever for the 1 waitress there to notice we had come in (we nearly went into the kitchen to find someone)
(2)
Greg D.
The place is what it is, an after work spot to hang out with coworkers or a business lunch. Unfortunately due to its proximity to my place of employment, I end up here way to often. It is not the type of place were you are going to meet a Tasty Snacks so BYOB. The food is bland take on English Pub grub. They have the standards across the board. The soup is poorly put together and they would be better off importing soup from their sister company the Piccadilly Pub. The beer is over priced ($6 for a bud light) and the bar closes early. The bar area spills into the restaurant portion and you end up standing on top of each other. The service is quick and they get you out of lunch in a speedy manner back to work. On the flip side, don't expect to always get what you order. To many times I have ended up with the wrong items. If they organized the bar area better and had better prices, it would defiantly be a cool place to hang out. Since the company is really only looking for the corporate after work crowd, take your crew somewhere else.
(2)
Ashley S.
I've only been to Elephant & Castle on Tuesday nights for trivia (6:30pm start). Very convenient location, at least for my trivia friends. Very quick walk from Orange, Green, Red or Blue lines and tons of parking free right out front if you get there after 6pm. First, I strongly recommend reservations if you plan to play trivia. If you are not in the area right near the host, you will not be able to hear the questions. Regarding trivia, the questions tend to be on the more challenging side and there are A LOT of sports questions. Prizes seem to be good (Celtics tickets, Elephant & Castle gift certificates). Both my group and the host have suspected that some teams use iPhones or the like. Just be aware. Drinks are a bit pricey, but it IS the Financial District I suppose. I guess I prefer not having to drink Cosmos made with Absolute or "higher-shelf." Smirnoff is just fine thankyouverymuch. I have been consistently thrilled by the menu. I'm not sure why this is always a surprise, but I have yet to be disappointed by anything I have tried. My favorites have been the Fish & Chips and Sweet Potato Fries (with YUMMY dipping sauce). Although I do not know any details, there seem to be some excellent private spaces on the basement level.
(4)
Milee S.
This is a fun place in the Downtown Crossing area. Our party (2 couples) really enjoyed Elephant and Castle. The place was packed the time we got there, so we were lucky to get a table (Tuesday nights are trivia nights). Us girls had the mojitos, which got mixed reviews as hers was too sweet and mine was too bitter. The boys got beers; Sam Adams and a British beer (can't remember the name but it was chocolatey and coffee flavored). We started with chicken nachos, which come with jalepenos, cheese, olives and tomatos. Also, salsa, sour cream and guac. Pretty good. I liked the tri-color chips. It's definitely meant for sharing and filled the four of us up nicely. The boy and I had fish and chips; mine was hailbut his was cod. The other party got the steak tips salad and the chicken curry. My meal came with 10 large steak cut fries, tarter sauce and coleslaw, along with a decent cut of halibut. You could also get the halibut/cod combo if you were feeling extra hungry :) I thought it was weird that they didn't bring out malt vinegar for the fries, but whatever. The steak looked good while the curry had too much powder in it that wasn't stirred in. But there are a ton of options if you don't want those and prefer some traditional English meals (shephard's pie, bangers and mash, etc). We ended the meal with Irish hot chocolates. Lots of Bailey's but it was really good! I really liked E & C and would love to go back. It's not too bad price wise and the atmosphere is pretty cool and upscale--after work crowd.
(4)
Aditi R.
Elephant & Castle almost always ends up being the first leg of our after work drinks. The place is nice, good choice of beer all around, and it is never TOO crowded. However, it is nothing special either. There is usually an older crowd that hangs around here so when a younger one comes around, they have to check twice and look at you 2 to three times to give you a drink. Not that that's bad, but it just shows the typical crowd in the place. As far as food is concerned, I've had some of their appetizers and they fare well. The prices are fairly decent, however if you are looking to spend a good amount of time after work drinking make this a stop, not your destination.
(3)
Phu M.
This is a so-so place. I'd give it 2.5 stars. I'm a big Anglophile so I appreciate that we have an English Pub here in Boston. Beer selection is good and they have Boddingtons on tap which is a big plus. However, price-wise it's a little expensive, even for the Financial District. What makes me give this place a low mark though is their food. Contrary to popular belief, British food is actually really good. When I was in London a few years back, I had one of the best meals of my life...prime cut of beef with Yorkshire Pudding...it was delicious. I ordered Elephant and Castle's version and it was so horrible. The "pudding" was dried out and tough and the beef was tasteless. I've had some of their other food here too: bangers and mash, burgers, clam chowder, shepherds pie...all miss the mark. If you're looking to grab some drinks after work, this isn't a bad place but don't come here expecting great food.
(2)
Stan S.
Good, hotel-attached restaurant. Pub attitude. Hangout reality. Decent drink and food -- note the order -- with average service. Worth a meal or two when you stay at Club Quarters. They have Laphroaig (single malt Islay Scotch)!
(3)
Susan B.
Stayed at Club Quarters Saturday, March 31st with my boyfriend for a night in Boston to see a play, since the Elephant & Castle is right downstairs from the hotel we figured we'd go there for dinner since it was easy and convenient. We walked in a little after 6pm and the place was quiet, we were seated right away and our food was brought to our table piping hot very quickly after our order was placed. And the food! My boyfriend had the Shepherds Pie and I had the Haddock Fish & Chips. I really liked that you could choose what type of fish you wanted. Both meals looked drool worthy on the plate and were cooked perfectly. Our waiter, Ryan, was friendly and he let us enjoy our meal without hovering over us constantly asking if we needed anything else (which seems to be the norm at most restaurants these days with waitstaff bugging you every minute asking how your meal is), but was also not hard to get his attention when we were ready for our check. While the meal was perfect, Ryan was the icing on the cake making the entire experience so enjoyable that we plan on coming back when we're in town again.
(5)
Ginger C.
Stopped by Saturday night to check out the Karaoke and have a few drinks with a friend staying in the financial district. It was an average generic English pub. The server was great. Very friendly and quick bringing drinks. The drinks were average priced for the area. The crowd was thin but the karaoke was fun.
(3)
Nykiya S.
I ordered the chicken wings (Buffalo Wings) and I should of asked for a side of hot sauce. They were too dry and not hot at all. On the plus side there was a lot of chicken, the veggies were fresh and the food is done in a timely manner. But I wanted a little more sauce on them.
(3)
John B.
Excellent for business lunch, good service and food. Reasonably priced.
(4)
Peter G.
It's always gratifying to be able to walk into a place an order a Black & Tan without getting a funny look. But that's about where the positives end here. Well, okay there's a pretty good selection of English Beer on tap and I did see some Chimay and Samuel Smith varieties on a shelf near the ceiling, but those may have just been for decor. The menu, prices, and decor suggest a pretty nice place. But the actual results are far less pleasing and awfully disappointing for the price. Burgers are "good for a chain" I guess, but certainly not worth the "10.5" you pay for them. Seriously, what is with the snobby price listings when the food screams cheap chain and arrives way too quickly for it possibly to be made from scratch. The salads are anemic on the healthy vegetables and heaped high with crunchy bits and meat. I did order a salad, right? Even a simple classic like curry chips has been bastardized into some almost unidentifiable mess. It literally consists of a plate of chips with a dish of tangy (and not at all spicy) red curry with some barely identifiable vegetal chunks. Somehow they took a truly simply delicious thing (fried potatoes drizzled with curry sauce) and over-complicated it for epic fail. E&C's own website calls itself " North America's leading British Pub and Restaurant concept..." As a concept E&C seems pretty confused with itself. It aspires to be a fancy or at least "nice" neighborhood English-themed pub. It accomplishes that in menu descriptions and price. But what it actually delivers is closer to a Chili's or TGI Friday's slathered generously with stereotypical Anglophilia. When in downtown Boston you are practically swimming in pub options and damn near all of them are better than this place.
(2)
Brett R.
Best English pub I've been to in the States. Dinner was excellent. Friendly staff with prompt service. Beer selection isn't stellar, but not bad. Soccer/baseball is always on the TV, especially English or International leagues. A bit obscure to find, but well worth it.
(5)
Sora K.
I've been to the Elephant & Castle in DC and it was wonderful! The Boston one is horrible. The service was terrible. We ended up having to go to the bar to place food and drink orders because the service was so bad. The nachos were delicious. But, again, the service was absolutely horrendous.
(1)
Kurt E.
Elephant & Castle is only a few blocks from the office, so I've been here a few times for after work drinks and the such. The place is ALWAYS packed, especially after work hours. If I were rating solely on food it would be more like 2 or 3 stars, though I think they've made some major improvements over the past year or so. We had some random apps at a recent 'going away' function and the Pub Pretzels were off the hook, fresh, hot, and served with a killer mustard sauce. The nachos were pretty pedestrian but at least they didn't screw them up like so many other places. Everything else was meat based, so I can't give an opinion on those items, except the 'Bruschetta' which really isn't bruschetta so we won't get into that. The beer menu isn't extensive, but they have all the usual suspects and everything you'd expect at an 'English Pub'. The wait staff was friendly and very attentive to our party which was very appreciated. My favorite thing though is that they don't ask me what a 'Shandy' is when I order it, that alone is worth 4 stars.
(4)
Debra L.
Went here last night. The atmosphere & decor weren't bad but the food was terrible. We had "starters". Spinach, artichoke & cream cheese dip was terrible! It had the taste & consistency of tartar sauce. Steak & Blue Cheese crostini was terrible! Blue cheese was dry, I couldn't tell if there was even any steak on there, and the bread was stale. Crostini with Brie, Cranberry & Black Olives. Odd combination. The brie was not creamy at all and the cranberry was like the jelly that comes out of a can. The bread was also stale. The sweet potato fries were good, but really, how hard is it to mess those up? One of the folks at the table had the cider glazed salmon entree. He said the salmon was good but the rice was definitely not jasmine (more like "Unlce Ben's" plain white rice). The green beans weren't bad, but too garlicky for him. I would say this is a fine place to go for drinks, if you're in the neighborhood. But, I would stick to the burgers and/or try the English food (wish we had) and stay away from the failed "Starters and "Sharing plates"
(3)
Jennifer C.
I read the reviews on here and they weren't that great, but I had a gift certificate so I decided to try it out anyways! When we first walked in, the hostess seemed rather dumb. She was confused by the fact that we wanted a table and not to sit at the bar (it was about 6 pm on a Wednesday, dinner time). She grabbed menus, didn't say follow me or anything, but we followed her anyways. We were sat at a small table and the place was empty. That's okay because our waiter offered to push another table together anyways! We ordered an appetizer of buffalo wings, despite someone's review that they weren't spicy and they were dry. I guess that person came on a bad day because I thought they were perfect. They actually tasted liked buffalo wings and not the wings that every other place in Boston seems to have----chicken with hot sauce on them. They got my stamp of approval. I ordered the chicken pot pie. It came with mashed potatoes and green beans. It wasn't the best pie I've had, but it was good enough to eat! And the potatoes were a little on the cold side, but still good. My bf got a burger that was covered in guiness barbeque sauce. He said it was good. The fries were standard fries, not bad, but again, not the best. If you're looking for a decent meal, I thought it was a fine place. The atmosphere is a little weird. I was confused as to if it was trying to be an upscale place or a bar. The bar area was playing upbeat, dance music, and the restaurant area was decorated as a nicer restaurant. So it was a little strange. I'd definitely visit again, especially if I had another gift certificate!
(3)
Julie C.
do not come here for lunch EVER. its way too crowded and understaffed. came with my work entourage around 1215. there were 6 of us and no reservations were made. they will give you a funny look thats like they are soo stressed out, they dont know if they can accomodate your party. we get seated like a minute after that tho. we get our drinks but no menus yet. hmmmm... so finally we order and wait. its already 1 pm! our food comes out. someone orders a grill cheese- what do they get. bread with melted cheese on it. a whole new meaning to grill cheese. of course we sent it back. i ordered the chicken pot pie. its made in the dishes used to make creme brulee or something. so tiny and sooo unsatisfying. i left still hungry and scrounging around the office to leftovers. everyone else seemed pretty happy with their meals but it was def nothing to rave about. this place is ok for drink but the food here blows. no more.
(1)
Sarah A.
This place gets major points in my book for its proximity to downtown crossing, especially Filene's basement. Come here after shopping for a nice big ol' Hoegaarden. It is a bit loud, true. I can't really comment on the food, having just had some random apps, but will definitely be heading back here soon. Re-Yelp: Was here again last night and unfortunately they were out of the giant Hoegaarden I enjoyed on my last visit. However, there's still a ton of beers on tap to choose from, so I can't complain. My friend and I shared a nachos app that seriously was our dinner. It was huge! The nachos themselves were nothing to write home about but entirely decent with the beer and after all, this is a bar. No expectations of gourment cusisine. They had all the windows open too and there was a nice cross-breeze going on. Also, it was fun to watch the business types wandering around on the street. Re-Re-Yelp: Okay Elephant & Castle, now I am getting mad. Where is my freakin' Hoegaarden? This is the second time I've been here and there is no Hoegaaden. It is on the menu, but it is not on available??? I am very upset. Also, I had the steak and blue cheese salad. There were literally three chunks of blue cheese in the salad. I am not exaggerating. Seriously, three chunks. Bad, bad, bad. Depriving me of Hoegaarden and blue cheese! Criminal. I'm docking you down to three stars Elephant and Castle.
(3)
Patrick S.
If you have come from out of town and are staying at the hotel next door.....stay away from this place. It sucks. Poor and slow service. Dirty utensils, no drink refills. Pass on this place. It is worth a walk down to the harbor to find much better food and service.
(1)
Mathieu B.
We needed to pee bad! We stoped there, yah! they didn't ID us (which is also automatic in the US). It's a beautiful place. old and traditional. Clean. There's some good variety of beer. We get served, beer cost 7$, we're like; where the heck is the good ol' 5$ a beer? then...ohhh REAL PINT! Again staff was kind, we didn't eat so we couldn't really judge about it. Seemed a bit regular nothing exceptional. Overall a nice place to be in between of a good area. I Guess that really sucked. The area seems a bit dead. I could easely see this place becoming a 4 stars in a Tourist trap area with more people joining it. Overall: Great potential, good staff but not the best area and maybe a bit pricy.
(3)
Tina D.
I have been here for lunch and dinner several times. The drinks are delicious, the food is delicious, and the prices are right! This is a great crowd for after work drinks or a professional lunch. They have some wonderful summer salads!
(4)
Bill C.
I was on the fence between three and four stars, but went with four to counterbalance some of the lousy reviews I've seen here. Been here for lunch at least a half-dozen times, and trivia night once (where I carried my team to victory, naturally). Steak & ale pie is terrific, had it 3 times at least. I liked the chicken curry a lot and had one so-so lamb curry (overdone) and one good lamb so the kitchen may have had an off day. Lunch salads are good sized and solid. Service has been pretty fast most times, and I usually have to get back to work so this is much appreciated. May not be the friendliest, but I can live with it.
(4)
Daniel M.
OK so they do have some meat-free(ish) options available. Still, the food is just a'ight and doesn't really live up to the price. We came here for a going-away lunch for a work friend and I was pleased to see that the ham on the grilled cheese as an option, not the norm. Good. I was not pleased to see that all salads contain meat except the summer something-or-other which is loaded with fruit and not much else. I caved and ordered the mahi niçoise. The salad arrived on a large platter of which it occupied only the center strip. Oh, I get it. Schmancy. Compared to the massive portions they serve of everything else this was a let-down. Can't complain too much about the flavor, it was tasty just nothing spectacular and I was left unfulfilled. Really though, any salad over $10 needs to knock me over and make sweet sweet love to me. This tried to hit it but I had a headache, felt fat, or something, so I said 'not tonight' and paid the tab. Ehh. Visit three was nothing to write home about either. Grilled mahi sandwich, barely there with the flavor, no sauce/mayo/anything else on the bun so yet again, meh. I can't take away a star as the food isn't horrible...nor can I give another as the food is unremarkable. They talk a big game but when it's time for the money shot you're left wanting. Elephant & Castle. Home of mediocrity.
(3)
Robert G.
In reference to the lunch menu/experience. The upside - - Slightly better then standard pub food. - Nice atmosphere. - Good selection of beer on tap - Nice menu selection overall The downside - - The lunch time staff do away with "pub friendly" warmth and replace it with efficient courtesy (maybe a plus for some). Specifically, the check was on the table before I finished my plate and dessert wasn't offered. - The added cost of switching to onion rings with my sandwich wasn't mentioned. (2.50). I wouldn't have been so disappointed if the onion rings where above average and plentiful. They were neither. - a little pricey
(3)
Mike M.
There was very few people when i came to eat here at 8:00 am one morning. The waiters were attentive and professional. The food was excellent, and came out in a timely fashion. I had breakfast. Anything on the breakfast menu here is actually pretty good. As for the "british concept pub", I had absolutely no idea what that was, and still don't. But I'd like to see the market research that claims there's a demand for it. The breakfast alone could have gotten 5 stars, but this is not strictly a breakfast place. The pricing here was very fair also.
(4)
Jon S.
This place is located in the downtown financial district of boston so the prices of things are going to be a little higher than a regular boston bar. The drinks are about 5-6 bucks for a pint of beer and the food ranges about 9-13 dollars. So nothing this before hand the place isn't bad. It does get packed around 5-7 because people getting out of work will head over but during the late nights this place isn't as packed for most people just move on. It isn't my cup of tea but will grab a drink in there every once in a while. I'm cheap with my money so I tend to stay away.
(3)
Wonder W.
Came here cause it was attached to my hotel and I was tired from er... doing stuff on Memorial weekend. Anyway, the bartender was awesome and the decor of this bar is great (as many have noted). I do not tend to frequent English pubs, I'm not really choosy about my bars as long as the food is decent and they can something similar to a Sam or Fat Tire. So since this bar met all of the above it was something I was willing to try. A friend had told me that the Shepard's Pie was ok, but I opted for the chicken pot pie. The dish came with red skinned mashed potatoes and some green beans, but the pot pie itself was pretty small considering the plate cost me $12. I wasn't all that impressed with the food either, since the crust was a little undercooked, not enough to make me send it back however. I'll let you know tomorrow if I get sick from it... trust me. But the beans were pretty good considering I'm used to fresh veggies from a Farmer's Market. The mashed potatoes were a tinny bit dry, but otherwise nothing spectacular. Which in it's own way is a good thing I believe. What really brought this place up from a 2.5 was the bartender, she was friendly, prompt, and knew her beers. In my book that's way better than food when I'm at a bar. Unless she charged me twice.
(3)
Shari J.
Meh. The place was packed with upper-30-somethings grooving to lite rock music. Not exactly my scene. My buddy wanted to stick it out to get his favorite beer, so luckily we managed to score a table near the bar. Didn't stay very long though...it may be close to work, but when there are so many bars to choose from, this one definitely doesn't rank at the top of the list!
(2)
Julie N.
I've been frequenting the EandC for some time for trivia. There are good things about the EandC and there are not so good things. First the positive. The staff is pretty great, especially the bartenders. I never want for a beverage which is saying something given the size of the bar. The location is convenient for after work shenanigans (if you work downtown like me) and the front windows open to the street on nice days. Not quite outdoor seating but will do in a pinch. The food is hit or miss. Safety Items include: -The potstickers - small app portion but tasty -The fish and chips - actually pretty good! -Chicken pot pie - it's served with green beans and mashed potatoes. Personally I find the mashies to be overkill so I opt out of those, but the pot pie is quite good and the beans are fresh and cooked crisp. -Chicken bites - small portion but pretty yummy -The Turkey club - healthy option and quite good -Burgers are good and the sweet potato fries are delish! Stay away from - The veggie stirfry and veggie curry. Bleh it was like mush with very little veggies and lots of onions. The french dip - meat is pretty stringy and fatty. Not good, The artichoke dip - to creamy. not enough chunks of artichoke. Rich and heavy just for the sake of being rich and heavy. Not worth the 5,000 calories per bite. The Tuesday night trivia rocks. It's a decent place to catch a game. I also see a lot of tourists in there with the kids in tow in the dining room area. The private rooms are downstairs in the basement near the bathrooms. They are fine but a bit cheerless and musty.
(3)
Dawn A.
OK, I have been to Elephant & Castle more than a few times now for lunch. The food is pretty darn good. The chicken pot pie keeps me coming back (it is VERY good), but I had a good French Dip sandwich too. Most of the food going by looks excellent. Particularly the wraps. The fries were very good steak fries, nice and thick and potato-ey. I usually sit at the bar and the service has been impeccable. They get me out quick which is important when you are on your lunch hour. The bar stools are comfy and the atmosphere is pleasant. Again, not the cheapest lunch in the Financial District, but it's not bad for a sit down place right next to a hotel. They could sooo take advantage of their location and charge more. E&C is my go-to chicken pot pie place :) I had the steak and ale pie the other day and I was somewhat disappointed with it. It says on the menu that its a pie made with steak and mushrooms. I asked the server if there was anything else in it and she said she believed there were carrots and other root vegetables. There were not. It was just meat and mushrooms and maybe some cooked down onions. I didn't care for it at all, but then I ordered it based on the information the server gave me, not the menu. So, lesson: believe the menu, not the server!
(4)
Darren G.
Don't make an effort to go here. I guess it is okay if you're just looking for something to eat but the quality of service and food is less than that of an Applebee's or the likes. The food options are diverse and good but the actual food tastes processed. This was probably the only restaurant i've been to that actually had a scented candle on the table...that is pretty much a huge no for restaurants. The music was also terrible - think pop station on loud. Waiters were rude and didn't care that they got the the orders wrong. It actually took some effort for them to pay attention and get us the right food. As I'm writing this I realized how bad it was...so I moved it down to one star. I guess the location is good...eh?
(1)
Emily M.
Yum---I liked the food! I brought my family here and everyone from the 15 year to my parents were happy. Nice layout, great menu, but the service was lacking. Huge portions...I'd recommend the fish & chips!
(4)
Deb K.
Thanks E&C for making me break my New Year's resolution of only going out once a week on a work nights, already. But it was worth it. Amstel Light on tap, really awesome freshly made chips with the apps we picked, and an attentive nice bartender. I even got a chicken wing from the dude next to me and it was nice and hot. Oh! And there was an authentic Brit at the bar with us too. We ended up in there after trivia was over and I think we promised our bartender that we would be back next week to play. Good times, good times.
(4)
Nathan L.
I would like to go back one more time to try the buffet brunch they had. That looked really good but our fish and chips were also pretty good and so overall it was a pretty good place. Although we were here during a pretty random time I think so maybe we didn't get the full experience. but I would go back.
(3)
Garth S.
The Elephant and Castle is a "British" pub by way of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a country smart enough--or maybe lazy enough--to wait a hundred years after our war for independence before embarking on its bloodless but not entirely complete extrication from Britain's grasp. I'm not ashamed to admit that I probably would have been a Loyalist had I been a British American in 1776 but I was not alive then and today I am quite pleased that my historical forebears committed their treasonous acts against Mother England. Yet, two hundred-odd years after 1776 and a hundred plus years after 1867, some of us still feel nostalgic for--well, I'm not quite sure what. I thought a trip to the Elephant & Castle's website would explain why Americans and Canadians were so fascinated by all things British but the best I could find is this quote: "Today, E&C has grown to over 20 restaurants across the United States and Canada from Toronto, Boston, and Chicago to Vancouver, San Diego, and San Francisco. This record of 30 years of stability and success is due to E&C's continued commitment to be the standard of what North American consumers demand of a British pub and restaurant concept - Bang On Food, Bang On Drinks, and Bang On Service!" I have to tell you, I didn't know any North American consumers--especially the Mexicans (they're part of North America, too)--demanded a "British pub and restaurant concept." Is this a case of the supply creating the demand? All I know is that after the movies last Friday, my friend and I decided on the Elephant & Castle for dinner because it was a short walk from the theater and close to our respective T stations. Who knew we were doing anything so corporate as demanding a British pub and restaurant concept? I thought we were just having dinner. The Elephant & Castle isn't a bad place. The dining room is large, the lighting is low and the overall feel is more like a bar than a restaurant. It's definitely a step up from TGIFriday's and the late Bennigan's. The entrees are hit or miss. I like the chicken pie and the Guinness stew when it's on the menu. Friday night's lamb curry, however, was a disappointment: the rice was undercooked, the lamb was tough and the curry was bland. I don't recall ever having a bad dessert: The bread pudding is great and so is the Bailey's cheesecake. Putting aside the "concept," if you happen to be downtown one evening and you want some adequate pub food, there are many worse places than the Elephant and Castle but please make sure that "bang on" never appears anywhere in your vocabulary.
(3)
Marc C.
I won't go back. My roommate and I are still traumatized by their Plowman's Platter. Let me explain. We order the cheese platter, and start munching away. When we get to one of the cheeses, we realize it is kind of stuck to the plate. Thinking it was just the result of a moist cheese sticking to a dry plate we pick it up. The reason it was stuck to the plate was mold. We then move the other cheeses, they were moldy as well. No thanks. There are plenty other options in the area.
(1)
Marwan A.
nice ambiance. the food was average. service can be better
(3)
Tom E.
If you want authentic then let me tell you this place has it in spades. It made me both homesick and sick of my old home. It almost perfectly recreates a shitty British chain pub in the Elephant and Castle district of South London. Why anyone would want to do that is beyond me - Elephant and Castle is one of the most horrible places on Earth; two complicated rotaries and a dilapidated mall providing the fulcrum between two of Europe's most crime-ridden housing projects. You go there to catch hepatitis A, B or C, not dine out. Crappy English Chain Pub Authenticity Checklist ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Food that tastes suspiciously microwaved - DONE Low imagination with the beer selection - DONE Arsenal or Chelsea games always on TVs - DONE No-one sitting at the bar except old guy - DONE Painful surfeit of 1970s pattern carpet - DONE Embarrassing inability to cook English food - DONE Great place to get wasted silly during trivia - DONE Polite / scared staff doing their best to make a living - DONE Cliche framed photos of London and the Queen - DONE Real antique red British phone box just outside - DONE Phone box full of massage / prostitute call cards - NOT DONE Table of chavs clad in Adidas + fake Burberry combo - NOT DONE Monthly knife fight leaving stain on carpet - NOT DONE Black light in bathroom to deter drug use - NOT DONE Left over boxes of fried chicken littering the door - NOT DONE
(3)
Dana L.
This is a decent venue, which offers a restaurant, a bar, and some conference rooms downstairs. I recently attended a small conference here, so I got ample opportunity to eat the food. The meeting rooms are perfectly adequate meeting space, and the back room of the bar is a good place to hang out for a while before hitting the clubs. As for the food, I thought that sandwiches were pretty good, but the breakfast buffet is kind of pricey. $18 for an omelet and some pastries seems a bit high, but I guess that its only a couple of dollars higher than I would have expected. The donut holes were pretty good, though. I had one of the chicken sandwiches - the fries were great, and the sandwich wasn't bad.
(3)
Andrew X.
Drinks are ok, but food is overpriced.
(3)
Champagne C.
Met my husband here for lunch - halfway between our offices. Sat at the bar - the bar tenders were welcoming. I had the roast beef sandwich au jus with a side salad. He had a different sandwich with the English chips. No word of a complaint from either of us. The sandwich rolls were light, crispy and warm. The meat was tender and warm and the beef "jus" was GREAT! I stole several of those English chips from my husband's plate - he ate half of my sandwich after finishing every crumb of his. Worth going back again. Actually, can't wait!
(4)
Matt K.
Fairly respectable beer selection considering this joint is actually a chain restaurant, the food won't kill ya- but I'd go elsewhere if you had the option.
(3)
Sandy W.
A great experience and great food for our small group of businesspeople! Thank you to the general manager for chatting with us!
(5)
Luke P.
I've been consistently going to E&C for over 6 years now. I both live and work within 5 minutes of the place, so it's super convenient. I've almost never had a bad experience there regarding the food and drink. Nearly everything on the menu is solid pub food. I think their Sheppard's Pie is one of the best you can get in Boston and is almost always reliable and consistent. It's got a ton of spice and flavor and, while the fries here are excellent, it's nice they serve the entree with a mixed greens salad. The Guinness meatloaf, stew, and the Jameson Chicken are also all really good. Although a bit overpriced, the Grilled Salmon is pretty tasty is you want something less heavy. I haven't had too much experience with the burgers, salads and sandwiches, but I don't remember them being remarkable in anyway. I almost never order from that part of the menu unless I'm getting takeout. The one bad experience I can recall with food was ordering dessert. I think I ordered some brownie sundae that tasted like it had been sitting in the open freezer for months. I haven't ordered dessert since. The beer selection here is much better than your typical Boston bar. I'm not into a lot of the English ales (Fuller's) they have, but there's still enough options beyond crappy macro lagers and boring imports. Atmosphere is always pleasant especially on weeknights and Sunday. The place does get crowded between the hours of 6-8:30, especially on Thurs and Friday as many office workers come here for happy hour. There's enough secluded seating though so it's never too loud or obnoxious. Service is generally good, although I've had a few inattentive waiters and bartenders. It's never been so bad that I've left upset though. The food and comfort of the place is really why I keep going back. It's a really decent value too as most of the items I order are not expensive at all for Boston. I wouldn't seek it out (it is a chain afterall), but if you need to make a quick decision on where to go for dinner or drinks and you're near E&C, give it a shot as it will likely be very reliable.
(4)
Erica S.
This is one of my go-to spots for a sit-down workday lunch in DTX. It's predictably decent pub style food. It has all those yummy Irish pub favorites, like bangers 'n mash, shepherd's pie, and stuffed yorkshire pudding, and I also hear the burgers are good. Bonus: I can vouch that they fries are excellent, and if you're trying to be healthy, you can choose salad instead of fries to go with your meal. It's pretty bad for vegetarians, so beware: Since I quit meat, the only thing on the menu I can have is the veggie burger, or I can dismantle another dish (I can take the ham out of the grilled cheese, the meat out of a salad, etc.). Yep, not even one of their salads is vegetarian. I dig the scene to get out of the office on a weekday, but probably wouldn't come here otherwise.
(3)
Marcus D.
I suppose it's perfectly acceptable to stop in here for lunch, whether you work in the area or are just passing through (in that case, pass on by), otherwise this place is just one of many that caters to the after-work crowd (you know how much fun those guys from Fidelity, State Street and Brown and Company can be, watch out!).
(2)
Michelle C.
Twenty of us were here Saturday night for the first leg of a Bachelorette party. We took part in an a murder/mystery dinner theatre production in the "Mystery Cafe" (one of their function rooms downstairs). It was a fun, audience-interactive "Who Done It" murder/mystery played out in between a prefix three course dinner served by the actors themselves. This I thought was funny, but I'm guessing they're working within a tight budget. The food was good, we started with a Caesar salad, served with a lemon wedge, which I loved, since I like my Caesar on the lemony side, entree of half roasted chicken (huge, and very yummy) along with a baked potato and super-fresh green beans. Dessert was an individual baked cranberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Nothing uber-fancy, just comfort food served on a fall evening. We also had a small, private bar in the room so we didn't have to trek it up to the bar for drinks. One of the 'actors' announced that after the play, karaoke was available upstairs if we wanted to stick around... After most of the ladies left (Mother of the Bride, Jr. Bridesmaids, etc...) seven of us headed upstairs where we were greeted by the *worst* rendition of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'". Needless to say, we got a table. We love this sort of entertainment!! I mean, we suck too, so who cares?!?! Some of the actors from downstairs joined us also, turned out to be a great start to our night. Drinks were a little expensive, BUT, there was no cover, and the location was within walking distance to our hotel (Hilton) and to Faniuel Hall, so really we can't complain. Good times had by all.
(4)
Rachel S.
Wimpy. Don't bring clients here if you want to hear them talk. This joint is a wannabe British pub and they are failing miserably. I had the Chicken and Brie Foccacia sans mushrooms and it was pretty good, but not great. The English Chips... were nothing special. They were the hand cut fries anyone can pick up at the grocery store. The service was good. Our server came by often to check on us... like every three minutes. I hate to say it's a negative because often that's what I wish I had, however, I'm mid-sentence and she comes by AGAIN to interrupt my schpeel to ask AGAIN if every thing's okay. Lunch is chaotic with the loud patronage. Hey, I get it. It's a bar. If I were just bringing a couple friends in for a quick bite I would use E & C as a last resort safety. I wouldn't bring customers here unless I had nothing to say to them and wanted the noise to fill the uncomfortable silence.
(2)
Joe R.
Great English Pub in the heart of the Financial District. E&C offers a variety of Fuller's authentic beers, serving them all in a true pint glass (~16oz.). I didn't get a chance to sample any of the food, but it looked pretty good (for pub grub). Great atmosphere / live music some nights...
(4)
stacey l.
I guess I disagree with most of the recent experiences people have had. I think they have done a good job of fooling people that this isn't the same caliber as a Chili's TGI Friday's. Nothing on this menu was revolutionary or a must have and the food I've had here was overpriced and uninspired. I've been to this place in other cities and haven't had quite the same feeling, but I would recommend keeping to drinks at this establishment. Last time I went will probably be my last time - we went as a group of 5 and because it was busy they threw us at a small 4 spot by the door that was not suitable for the number of people, drinks and plates we accumulated. The service was average.
(2)
Daphne M.
This place isn't that bad, but it didn't make me jump for joy. It was ok for what it was trying to be. I went here for lunch with a few people from work and I would say it didn't make a lasting impression on anyone. First the good things: It was super speedy...almost weirdly speedy. There was no wait; we were seated almost immediately. The food came unnaturally quickly as well. It felt like 5 minutes after we ordered, our food suddenly appeared. It was not as if there was no one eating either. Maybe we are just special. The whole meal probably lasted 35 to 40 minutes. This is good if you just have one hour for lunch. The bread was really good. It had an interesting sourdough taste. Finally, the napkins were cute. They had the meaning of "Bang on" for all of us American that don't speak British slang. Alas quirky napkins and tasty bread do not an excellent dining experience make. So I move on to the Bad: Could you be any less inventive in the menu? You could practically get anything they served at TGIFridays. Typical pub fare of burgers and sandwiches. My sandwich, sonoma chicken sandwich, was ok, but it had nothing to do with sonoma. Weird name. They also for some reason decided the mayo, guacamole and salsa all belong on it. Kind of gross. The waitress wasn't that good. She never spoke above a whisper and it is a loud place so that really didn't work out. So my conclusion is that I might come back but since there are a million other restaurants in the Financial District I probably won't.
(3)
Dan C.
When you think of world cuisine what comes to mind? The rich flavors of the French? The complexity of Korean? The stick to your ribs flavor of Southern BBQ? Why in the hell someone would think the food of the British isles is fit for the human palate is totally beyond me, but c'est la vie. Ridiculousness of British cooking aside, this place isn't that bad. It is located in the middle of nowhere, but maybe that is what the clientele is interested in. Speaking of which, the clientele is a little more classy than what you would find at the Rattlesnake or some other bar in the area. For a Friday night the place was pretty dead, with crowds coming through in waves. The inside is nice and gives it an expensive feel, but the prices are pretty reasonable. I came here with some yelpers to make use of groupon which allowed us to hit up their tasting plates. The tasting plates are the love child of tapas and side dishes--too small for a meal, but big enough that you don't mind sharing. One sharing plate is $6, but you can go for three for $16...not the deal of the century but whatever. We more or less tried all of the plates but the winner in my heart was probably the sweet potato fries and the pot stickers. Word of caution though, you only get six pot stickers so you may want to get two. Drinks were cheap at $5.50 for a Tom Collins. I think the only real drawback to this place was the fact I had a little piece of plastic in the bottom of my Tom Collins that almost choked me to death like a seagull (on that note, remember to cut up the plastic six pack holders). Bottom Line: Good potential date spot. Relaxed, laid back, and cheap booze.
Good for happy hour or lunch if you are in the area and do not want to go anywhere associated with Quincy Market. Happy hour features very large appetizers and live music when I was there. The down-side is that it can be very loud and the staff can be very disinterested in anything but getting the order in. Our waitress did not even hover long enough to care or hear that I wanted something other than fries. More vexing was a surcharge for hot peppers -- a surcharge I was fairly sure was there because I had the nerve to ask for something from the waitress. Nothing like feeling like a pain for saying something other than "it's fine" when she wandered past us and as an afterthought asked how are meal was. If you truly hate your customer service job, please find a happier place for your employment.
(2)
Melissa A.
I went here one night and it's totally a Friday-after-work kind of place, but at this time, it was 9PM and it was Saturday, so the people that were there with their loosened neckties and cardigans draped over the back of a chair were probably feeling pretty saucy. We had the starters where you pick three small plates. I actually liked them. I think we got the steak & bleu cheese crostini [steak was dry, but still pretty good], the brie & cranberry crostini [always one of my favorite combos], and something else which I can't remember. And I had a special key lime martini [it was okay, but I had one at Milky Way that was better/cheaper]. It was karaoke night and you know what that means. Bunch of amateurs. But it was actually pretty entertaining. There was an older gentleman named Jake who kept singing songs from the 70s, women in their 40s singing songs from the 80s, girls in their early to mid 20s singing songs from the late 80s/90s and just about everyone sitting at the bar was singing along, especially during the many, many Bon Jovi songs. And the packs of girls in their 20s kept singing songs in groups. I always said that people who sing karaoke songs together show a sign of weakness. They'll learn. Once I tried to sing a duet of "Bohemian Rhapsody" with my boyfriend at a work Christmas party and it ended with him leaving the stage and me by myself going "Galileo! [Galileo!] Galileo figaro!" trying to be two voices. That was the last time I "dueted." By the end of my night there, I was chanting for my favorite singer. "JAKE! JAKE! JAKE! I LOVE YOU JAKE! MARRY ME! HAVE MY BABY! SING MORE BEE GEES!"
(3)
Cathy H.
If you aren't drinking, you might not enjoy your food. We went for lunch, and the service was really slow. When our food came out, it was obvious it had been done for a while and the whole plate had been sitting under a heat lamp. Could have just been the one server. I might try again for happy hour, but was overall unimpressed.
(2)
Samantha M.
Somehow this place has turned into the Thursday night hot spot for me and my co-workers. Seems that way for a lot of people. Must be the sweet potato fries. They are AMAZING. We usually get the sharing plates and some spinach dip. I recommend the Brie and cranberry toast, fries, pretzels and beer from the tap. Thursdays are crowded, but we've never waited more than 15 minutes for a table, even when we have a group of 7 or more. Last night we had a great waiter. We even got the giant brownie as desert. Delicious! And big enough for five people to share. Not the kind of place I would go for privacy or to try to have a conversation. Also, many items are a bit on the pricey side, hence the sharing plates :)
(4)
Natalia T.
I went there for lunch with a couple of co-workers this past friday. First of all, the place is huge!! and it was packed!!! We were seated in one of the side rooms, and it had a weird feel of a conference room at an old hotel (with those kinds of tables and chairs). The food was pretty good, much better than I expected. I had the Thai Chicken salad ... the flavor combinations were very good, chicken was a little too dry and if it wasn't for the sweet sauce on top, it would've been tasteless. The wait staff was a little lost, they brought me 2 wrong things before my salad came ... Ppl in my party had fish n chips, steak tips, burger and onion soup ... all pretty average. The prices were decent for downtown, we ended up paying $17/pp Nothing I would ever crave I would go back there at night to try their fabulous selection on beer
(3)
Bridget B.
eh. whatever. next.
(2)
Craig C.
SO many better bars near by. Food here is over priced and not very good. Go to Peking Tom's, The Good Life, Silvertone, Beantown Pub, Hub Pub, West Street, and more. Chain Bars generally suck. Except for Bennigans god I love that place. just kidding.
(2)
Natasha A.
Elephant and Castle is a big typical pub in the middle of the financial district, but far enough from the trourist hell that is Fanueil Hall. It attracts an after-work crowd of professionals and is not obnoxious as some of the areas other establishments. The menu includes typical pub grub as well as small plates of yummies such as spring rolls and burschetta that are great for sharing while downing a few boozes. Their calamari is also quiet good with a side of herby white dipping sauce.
(3)
Rachel W.
I've been here a few times and have always received good service - quick, friendly, and attentive. Ya, it's not gourmet, and the waitstaff won't stop running long enough to conversate with you like many other restaurants but they really know how to take care of their guests. The food is generally good too. I love the fish n chips, shepherd's pie, and desert. Skip the chowder though, it's a little bland. The list of beer is extensive too and they also have several functions rooms downstairs that can accomodate more than 100 people for parties and events. If your in the area definately check this place out.
(5)
Brendan M.
Dying for a pint of London Pride? This is where you should come to get yourself sorted. They've clearly gone to some lengths to make this pub look fairly authentic, although the fare is still closer to typical American pub-grub than anything you'd find in ol' GB (not that this is necessarily a bad thing...) The E&C is a very popular Friday after-work-drink location. If you get here at 6 pm it will be bristling. By 7.30 things start to be a bit more sedate - it may liven up again later in the evening but I haven't stayed around to find out. Also a decent place for a pub-lunch
(4)
JeNnIfEr S.
I always get the E&C Spinach Dip appetizer anytime I eat here. It's f*cking orgasmic! You won't want to share! The rest of the menu is pretty good... BUT nothing compares to that dip. YUMMY!
(3)
Greg M.
As welcoming as a big, loud place could be. But I didn't appreciate being seated at a small table in the middle of the dining room. We had a lot of shopping bags with us and the tiny space we were given couldn't really accommodate them. I guess that's what happens when you go to an after-work bar after work. The burger was OK. A little too greasy and not too much flavor, but I liked the option of having a salad of baby greens instead of fries. The bangers and mash were among the best I've had, with apple chutney and onion strips adding a very nice touch. Reasonably priced food, I guess - I'm sure every entree would be a dollar or two cheaper in another area. And a pint of Guinness was $6 - making the beer officially overpriced. One more thing: Why was there a large framed picture of wax sculptures of the Spice Girls? I know the place has a British theme. But really now. The Spice Girls? Not only are they irrelevant now, but the picture is from after their heyday when Ginger left. And why not just put a picture of them? Why the wax sculptures of them?
(3)
Justin V.
This place was connected to the lobby of our hotel, so we decided to give it a try. We had the Bruschetta Chicken Sandwich and the Hot Turkey Sandwich. Both were very good and we really had no complaints on the food. The only thing that was annoying was the long wait time for our food when the restaurant looked as if only 25% of the tables were occupied. Very inexpensive and VERY GOOD FOOD!
(4)
Melissa C.
So I only went here for one drink, didn't stay long or try the food. All I can tell you is get the Pumpkinhead. It wasn't on the menu when I went, but it is in season and available. It comes in a cinnamon rimmed glass that makes this already delicious brew brilliant. Also, the waitress was adorable, friendly and loved North Carolina, so all around pretty nice place to get Pumpkinhead.
(4)
Tez C.
The only place I could find that serves Yorkshire Pudding. I had a huge craving so went with a friend for lunch/brunch. She got a Caesar salad which was huge. I got the stuffed Yorkshire Pudding which was pretty good. A nice British fix if you need it.
(4)
Diana A.
I stayed at the Club Quarters right next door to this restaurant, when travelling for work I usually try to stay away from the hotel restaurant. But it was a cold night and I was a lazy, tired gal (I should have known better) I ordered the Mushroom and Cheese Burger medium rare...30 minutes later I got a well done burger. I was lazy (as I mentioned earlier) and didn't want to deal with sending back my burger. The sweet potato fries were good...but then again I love sweet potato anything.
(2)
Anna F.
I had higher hopes for this place. As a total Anglophile, I love the idea of a traditional British pub. However, the meal I was served was charred. They were quick to replace the plate but when they found out I had a Groupon they charged me for the plate that they would otherwise have comped me. Fair enough, but couldn't they have offered a drink or dessert? I sat for 20 minutes while I watching my companions eat (I couldn't make them wait...). You'd think they'd be invested in making a better impression. My friend liked her bangers and mash and I was happy to have a real 20 oz pint.
(2)
Ed M.
If you consider this place is an authentic English pub, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. It is a chain restaurant with average tasting very expensive food and overpriced pints of a couple English (mostly Fuller's) beers. The wait staff and bartenders clearly do not want to be bothered to help you, serve you or talk to you since you are not an old businessman on a Friday afternoon who orders a bottle of Bud Light. Since I work across the street, I walked in after work on a Wednesday last Spring, I asked them if they could put on ESPN2 so I could watch the UEFA Champion's League semi-final (European club soccer tournament) and I was glared at and told "Uh, we don't have ESPN2" while the tv's had an assortment of fishing and poker (NESN and ESPN) on. All summer I looked in and saw ESPN2 on the screens there many, many times. I bet that would not happen in England...
(1)
Christopher R.
Thier pretzels are amazing. I love the feel of the place, and its one of the few spots in the area that is open later for getting a drink. So much closes so early around there. The only problem is the DJ/Karoke bits...it was so loud, and I really just wanted to watch the game.
(4)
Michelle P.
So yesterday was one of those days that just seemed to take forever and so after work and a couple of hours shopping. I stopped into Elephant and Castle with my co-worker for dinner. Our server was young and friendly and practically a newbie at the business. What is it with places making you ask for a glass of water? Those really should be poured the minute you sit down especially in any restaurant above in and out sitdown franchise quality. Like Greg M. we were seated in the middle of the restaurant at a tiny table for two, I almost would of rather to sit at the bar, thankfully we only had one bag each. We ordered our drinks, I got a frozen margarita, and my friend got a mudslide, that was so thick she could barely drink it. We got your typical pub food, neither one of us being in the mood to be overly adventurous. We ordered calamari as a appetizer, then chicken fingers, fish sticks, and sweet potato fries. Yeah we were in the mood for greasy stuff last night. All of which were delecious and came with their own house cut and cooked chips. I could not get enough of those chips. Yummy in my Tummy. We then finished the night off with a Baileys Cheesecake which was ok, not the rich delectable dessert we were looking for but it was ok. So overall, it wasn't a bad dinner, next time I'll try to dress a little more business casual because even though was wearing nice jeans, and a button down top I still felt underdressed.
(4)
Byron M.
We went here for a work related holiday party and we had a wonderful time. The food was done right and we did not have to wait too long. The server was attentive, and the place was festive and easy going. This is a nice - better - than - average pub with comfortable surroundings and good service. Cheers.
(3)
Brian A.
We dropped by for a quick bite today around 3 PM. I had some great fish & chips (plenty of good tasting fish, non-creamy cole slaw & a very tasty tartar sauce). She had what she called "the best veggie burger ever in a restaurant". Looked like a nice bar / beer selection, even though we didn't have any. Check it out!!
(4)
Todd K.
Although the prices are a bit high for pub fare I think the E&C is a pretty cool place. Friday lunch is extremely busy (and loud as hell) but the service is surprisingly good and efficient (at least the times I've been) for how many people are in and out of there between noon and 2pm. Their food is nothing special, but the pub has a lot of character. It's worth stopping in for a pint or lunch...
(3)
K J.
Its 5 PM EST, late night in Moscow where the atmosphere is tense. It is end of regulation time in the Champions League finals and Man Utd and Chelsea are still tied. Should I continue to sit at my desk and pretend I am working or should I leave. The tension is killing me.To hell with it,I am going. And I barged into the Elephant & Castle. Yes they have football on all the time. I will give a lot of stars for that. The first time I went here, the waitress (later we learned was it her first day on the job) had a dude behind her all the time. We thought it was one of them who is beginning work but not sure who was shadowing who. It was kind of weird to see him follow her around. No problems with the food whatsoever. The next time I went in, I ordered the Union Jack burger which came with way too much sauce and too few napkins and a friend ordered the Ploughman's platter, which I later learned was typical English food. Another FYI I had was the chips in Fish & Chips refers to the thick fries that is served. I always wondered who would ever have fish and potato chips as food. Most part of the review may not be about the place, but I learn a lot when I am at this place. Also FYI Man Utd won that day to make it a double that year and all the female bartenders there cheered for Chelsea. I am taking down one star for the service. It has been progressively getting bad. Almost a 15 min wait for Curry n Chips (with a not too impressive curry) another 15 min for Onion rings $)($#_$# beer served in a broken bottle. Totally disappointed.
(3)
Rico S.
The bar was dead and even though, service was terrible. the waitress needed a serious attitude adjustment. The worst of many pubs we visited.
(1)
Rebecca C.
Eh. Pretty good and everything, but nothing special, and I'm always wary of fake pubs trying to be real ones. The food is perfectly serviceable, and I gave it an extra star, because at least at one point, they had Hoegaarden on tap. MMMM.
(4)
Enrique D.
i like this place. hey its a pub. dont come here expecting gourmet food and royal service. its good bar food. great portions.
(3)
Eric W.
A London pub, American-style. Somewhere between the Shepherd's pie and lamb curry, you'll likely find a dish that fits. Eating here isn't at all an experience: the staff doesn't seem to want you to be there, and the atmosphere (as suggested here by others) isn't far off your standard American chain, e.g. Friday's. Still, a fine place for some food and beer, if that's what you're after.
(3)
A. W.
Rainy days like today, are good for sitting in the ye olde Elephant & Castle Pub. I like to hide away here on my lunch break and sup an onion soup....that's stacked with lots of bread and cheese on top and shoved in the oven, just like how my mum makes it. And then I pretend I'm stuck somewhere in the motherland of the UK. It's easy cause they have a big photo of Margaret Thatcher pointing at you, whilst you skull your pint of Guinness (I don't really drink Guinness on my lunch break). It's not a bad spot. Service is fast and the staff are chipper. The place is full of suits.....and anything remotely british looking. I like the big red phone booth at the front door. But I think they need more union jacks and a dalek from Dr Who aswell, just to make it all the more genuine. It would be a nice first stop for a drink after work.
(3)
camilo a.
i just have to say if u go in don't leave with out having a bottle of chamay and some of there very good strawberry short cake its bye far one of the best i have ever had in a sit down restaurant very discreet location in the heart of boston near several t stop which for me is a must but even if u just sit at the bar and have a drink defiantly stay for lunch our just an appetizer
(4)
Sophia C.
This is a nice little pub with a good atmosphere. The waitstaff is very friendly and the food is basic bar food - nothing remarkable, but not bad. There are not many vegetarian/vegan options and, if you order their spinach/tortellini/chicken salad with parmesan and request no chicken/tortellini/parmesan, they still charge you the full price anyway. The first time I spent eleven dollars for a spinach salad with some pine nuts. Im not holding this against them though - they are a nice little bar that I return to occassionally.
(4)
Missus F.
don't go here on a thursday night to catch up with someone you haven't seen in 3 years. also, don't go here if you want constant refills on your beers. go here if you want super standard appetizers that are done as well as any other place, and go here if you like blue moon, but don't go here if you want to drink more than one cause they're not coming around to give you a new one.
(2)
Matt W.
Wife and I stopped by here after Red Sox Game as we stayed next door. Came in with low expectations as it seemed fairly generic, but food was actually above average and drinks were excellent. $6-7 a pint doesn't seem that much to me given it's downtown. Pleasant surprise.
(3)
Kristin Y.
i visit the e & c in sf because it's located relatively close to my work, it has decent food and of course serves booze. for me those are the reasons for the three star rating. the only difference for me with the boston e & c was instead of being relatively close to work, it was located on the bottom floor of the hotel i was staying. it was perfect, as i knew exactly what to expect from it after spending waaaaay too many hours in jfk earlier that day. kudos to you e & c of boston for consistency with sf!
(3)
Liz D.
Their grilled cheese sandwich is $9.50... and it wasn't even that good! biggest rip off ever.
(2)
Kevin C.
Downtown Boston Irish Pub which draws the after hours business crowd. The service does not impress as rookie mistakes are constantly made (dropping dishes, incorrect orders, long wait times etc) and the food is average at best. The convenience of this restaurant keeps me coming back but there is no item on the menu that I can rave about. A positive is that the pub can have a great atmosphere if not too corwded and does hold fun events such as trivia.
(2)
bex g.
we stayed away from this place for a few months for the simple reason that we went there too much! every lunch out, co-worker going away party and client visit was held here, so we had to take a break! typical pub food -- i remember from my meat-eating days that the chicken fingers were great, and their honey mustard sauce is super yum! deserts are pretty great too! great location if you are in the financial district/downtown crossing area.
(4)
Ashley M.
your typical pub - good reasonably priced food, tvs to watch the games, nice place to grab drinks.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Vivian C.
Lunch at Elephant & Castle got me in and out within an hour, which is a good thing on a weekday. Service was pleasant and friendly enough. The food didn't take too long. We were seated in the side room which was a touch less noisy and somewhat more elegant than the main bar room, as it is reminiscent of a library in a rather nice large house. However, the cushy chairs in there seat you way lower than the table, so you feel a bit like a little like a kid as you eat your meal. The single large halibut fillet in the fish & chips had a puffy light batter that, while kind of oily, was still pretty good. The chips were the fat long sort - cooked through, but not particularly crispy. I prefer crispy fries. As for the sweet potato fries I subbed with my burger, now those were rather crispy, and not too oily. Not the sweetest sweet potato fries I've ever had, but they'll do. The burger arrived with a slice of tomato, raw onion, and pickle sitting nestled on the bun top. The tomato should have been a redder specimen given the current time of the year, but the burger was just fine - cooked as ordered but still moist . After finishing my lunch, gee, was I stuffed! 8/26/09 additions - * There was a poster that greeted us at the doorway with an announcement of The Price is Right lunch menu - bbq chicken sandwich $7.99, Today's special pie (cottage today) $7.99, and Daily Lunch Combo 1/2 sandwich of the day with bowl of soup and Caesar salad $8.99... the odd thing was, there was no mention of it at the table! * Fish & Chips with cod fish came in two fillets - moist on the inside with a crispy outer shell * The Price is Right BBQ Chicken Sandwich - grilled chicken breast, bbq sauce, jack chees, coleslaw on a toasted Kaiser bun with your choice of English chips, today's soup or balsamic tossed greens - the chicken breast surprisingly came sliced! But it was tender and not at all dry. While the toasted bun was crispy on the outside as well as on the cut side. The coleslaw wasn't the sweet sort, but more the vinegary sort. * both the dipping sauce that came with the sweet potato fries option and the honey mustard I requested went well with the fries.
(3)David A.
We came here for breakfast and were pleasantly surprised. The food was great! I had steak and eggs which was the bomb. My partner in crime had the eggs Benedict which she really enjoyed. I don't know previous reviewers complained about the staff they were lovely and prompt. Big thumbs up
(5)Nate P.
I was in town on a business trip. This restaurant was connected to the hotel I was staying at so out of convenience, I along with a few colleagues decided to grab some grub and of course....drinks. Overall, it was an ok experience. Food was decent. Service was good. but damn...did they have to show the damn Red Sox game? Go Yankees! LOL!
(3)Meredith M.
Tons of fun. Saturday night. Karaoke starts at 9:30 goes to close. You've got your drunken students celebrating birthdays, the tacky awkward couple that is all about PDA and cheesy duets, the confused/ amused out of towners...and then you have the regulars. The people who actually sing really well and can work the crowd. They are competing for cash prizes and gift certificates. Fun with a competitive edge. The food is decent, drinks are strong. (One house margarita was enough to get me singing.) It's in a great area and the people are friendly. Make sure to stop in on a Saturday night for a drink and some entertainment.
(4)Heather G.
This is an overpriced, after-work "pub". Though it's styled to resemble a British pub, it's an American chain that simply renames their dishes with British slang and serves some imported beer. The beer is entirely too expensive. Miller High Life was $4.50! That is a crime. Most beers on tap ran $6.50-7 and bottled beers were in the same range. While this must be a go-to place for after work drinks for people in the building across the street (it's always packed on weeknights around 6-6:30), it empties out on the weekend, as it's too far from Faneuil to attract any sort of crowd, and there's really only one residential building in the vicinity (mine). This past Saturday evening, we had dinner and a few beers in the back room, as a really loud karaoke party was going on in the front. I'd recommend staying away if you don't enjoy bleeding ears, but the kitchen closes at 11 and there's little else in the area, so we went with it anyhow. The food, standard pub fare, is actually not too bad. The burger is solid, the fries are absolutely horrific, and the prices are, in my opinion, about $2 more than they should be for the ambiance and food quality. But the bruschetta chicken sandwich on ciabatta is very flavorful and my favorite thing on the menu. Though Dan C. once mentioned in his review that this is a good place to take a date, I will have to wholeheartedly disagree there. Please don't take a date here. This is not a date place. This is a place for after work drinks and flirting with some finance-y twentysomethings, or a place to catch the college basketball game in the back room with your buddies, but not a place for dates. If you take a date here, please expect to not get laid.
(2)Elle C.
I'd never been to an Elephant and Castle even though I've lived in alot of cities with them. Lunch was ok. They have some different types of sandwiches which sound good. The first half of my sandwich was better than the second half, it had cooled considerably so it wasn't really that great. Maybe a burger would have been a better choice. The salad was clearly made hours before the lunch rush and there were no veggies in it. It was basically lettuce and balsamic, and I had two tomatoes- whoo hoo. If someone want to go to here, I wouldn't protest but there are plenty of other places to give $15 for lunch to that are better in this neighborhood. It would not be my idea to go again. The interior was nice so it would be a great place to get a drink.. if someone invited me, i"m not suggesting it.
(2)Ellie W.
I'm not a huge fan of Elephant & Castle, but I do have to say, it's a great place for group lunches--they can usually seat a good number of people at a table, or if your party is really large, you'll get a room to yourself downstairs. It's usually pretty tough during the work week to find places that fit something like 10 of your coworkers, so I'll give them props for that. The food, on the other hand, isn't anything to rave about. I've had their shephard's pie--really awful. This is supposed to be English/pub fare, so I don't really know how they aren't able to make a good shephard's pie. Their clam chowder and some of their sandwiches are good, so I can't say they suck completely.
(3)Timothy O.
Stopped in for a pint and ended up having a bite to eat..... Very friendly and a tasty snack I will return for a full dinner
(4)Chris B.
This place is so corporate, it's not even funny. I wish they would lighten up and awesomeify. Been 2x now, and both were kind of weird experiences. Breakfast was very hotel-appropriate, and fine. Late night drinks saw trivia night (but I couldn't really tell if anyone was playing!) and complete lack of service sitting in the bar area. There were employees walking around but never really helping customers -- so it turned out you had to walk up to the bar to get your own food & drinks. I should mention - the french onion soup didn't really have a rich flavor; it was more like onions were boiled in hot water. We didn't finish our shephard's pie either -- just didn't really do it for me. All in all, I have to say, this place lacks soul and spirit both.
(3)John L.
Two quick things: first, the one charge left my account after a few days, which was very good :) Second, this is a decent place to grab some grub before you go out for the evening and down into the State Street area. It's a little on the expensive side, but considering its relative closeness to the party bars down the street, it does have some decent food options. The plates are a decent deal, giving you a chance to get a variety of stuff that the entire group can share easily. I'd still keep it at 3 stars. It's good, but not undeniably remarkable to make me want to regularly seek it out. But it's not a bad place if you're looking to get food before a night out in Fanueil.
(3)Ted K.
fine downtown spot in the heart of the financial district... I love London Pride so to have it on tap is key.. Can't speak for the food..
(3)Amelia M.
This place is just okay. Okay food, okay service. I appreciated the English pub setup, but Elephant & Castle really lacks the energy to make it work. We went at dinner time on a Saturday night and the place was quite literally empty, though I expect they might have a bigger after-work crowd.
(3)Elizabeth D.
Haddock fish and chips. Best fish and chips I've had, HANDS DOWN! Nothing was soggy. The fish was so delicate and flaky and crunchy. The tartar sauce was good. The fries had a nice crisp to them. And the cole slaw was perfectly dressed. I would totally return and order the exact same thing.
(4)Jeffrey J.
Had a nice breakfast on a sunday morning. Good service. Big TVs. Tasty food. Clean British pub feel. Recommended.
(4)Megan L.
This review is brought to you by the letter T, and this review is based on Too Many Experiences at Elephant & Castle. T is for Terrible, which the service always is. T is for Trivia, which actually makes it kinda fun. T is for Tonic, which seemed to be all that was in my "Gin & Tonic." T is for Tits, which somehow make their way out of financial district dress code after hours. T is for Too Crowded, meaning you have to throw elbows to get to the bar. T is for Tainted Product, as evidenced by my friend's skunked Sam Adams. T is for Ta Ta...This place sucks and I won't be back.
(1)Marissa A.
Sunday brunch. The food was good. But the service was horrendous. It didn't help that my boyfriend and I were extremely hungover. First off, it took at least 7 minutes to be seated, even though the place was not busy at all. After my boyfriend hunted down a server, we were finally seated. We asked for water not once, not twice but three times. After our food was served and we were halfway through our meal, they were kind enough to provide a quantity of water equivalent to a Dixie cup, which had no ice in it and was luke warm. Also, no milk or cream was served with the coffee. Like I said, the food was good (he had the scrambled express - hard to mess up, and I had pancakes) but the service was something left to be desired.
(3)EricaLynn J.
I'm still getting used to this whole Downtown Crossing thing. My new job on Summer Street means that I get to witness all the ca-raaaazy stuff this neighborhood has to offer, day in and day out. My work took me to the Elephant and Castle this afternoon for a long lunch and the four of us who went enjoyed what we'd ordered, but it was kind of a bizarre experience, all in all. Our waitress kept losing her concentration whenever we'd place an order or ask a question. The music selection was awkward: talk about randomizing an iTunes library - this was as random as random gets.... "Pump Up the Jam" by Technotronic, then some Don Henley, and then a song by Jessica Simpson... i think that during the fourth time our table asked for the check we were serenaded by the sweeeeeet sounds of the Friends theme song. I'll be there for youuuuuu but can we PLEASE get the check? I'll be there for youuuuuu but right now I cannot stay... I'll be there for youuuuu if you'll just let us paaaaayyyyyy-yay. But ya know, things are a bit strange in Downtown Crossing Land, as it is. Methinks it's par for the course.
(3)jenny z.
Probably will not come back to this place and do not recommend this to the curious diner. PROS: 1. if you a Harry Potter fan; my friend told me this was the inspiration for the leaky cauldron - this elephant and castle is a replica of the one in england 2. on that note the ATMOSPHERE is a great weekend pub - lots of commotion and excitement - without this i'd probably give that place one star CONS ; 1. THE FOOD IS TERRIBLE - remember the old cliches of bad british food? Well there's some truth in stereotypes. - their entree selection in slim, less than a dozen - I ordered...some kind of chicken dish....it was a few small cuts of chicken drowned in mushrooms and sauce with a side of potatoes. 2. SERVICE IS TERRIBLE - the waitress we had was nice enough. However, she brought my entree BEFORE the appetizer even came. Not to mention my food was cold by the time everyone else's meal arrived. RECAP - not good for dinner (bad food/ lousy service) - fun if your into pubs and bar food
(2)Erin B.
Pros: Good beer list, good appetizers, decent atmosphere Cons: Bad entrees (only vegetarian dish, stir fry, almost inedible), poor food timing (apps came out before drinks, entrees came 5 minutes after apps).
(3)Marilynn L.
This is the kind of place you go after a long and bad day at work. It has that feel to it especially since it is in Boston's Financial district. The beef dip was pretty good and so were their signature sandwiches (they are marked off because it is what they are known for). The place itself is very nicely decorated and we found it convenient because it was right next to our hotel. Sounds great, right? Well, the reason why this place merits a mere three stars is because the service is extremely slow and the waiters were not attentive at all. On our third or fourth visit, we waited like 5 or more minutes to get seated even though the host and other waiters were passing us by. After being seated, the waiter never looked back. We waited maybe 10 to 15 minutes for someone to even take our order or something to drink! Another waiter asked us if we were being taken care of. He took our order which took about 20 minutes to be ready! This was brunch time and there were barely any people. I was disappointed with this place since my previous visits were better than this rated 3 stars. On the plus side, the Guinness was one of the best I've had.
(3)Lindsay H.
This review is strictly based on the bar, I have yet to try any of their food. We arrived about 11pm on a Friday night, the bar was pretty dead. A handful of yuppies and Suffolk students. It was an awkward vibe but then again I'm not the typical type to hang in these places on a Friday night. The beer selection was relatively small and the cook closed down the kitchen just after we arrived. I drank Blue Moon on tap and a very weak cranberry vodka. Not worth the $8 for a mixed drink.. didn't even get me feeling a little tipsy. Last call was just after midnight and I was kind of confused why a bar was closing down so early in Bean Town.. but they closed about 12:30.
(2)Sheri Q.
I went for lunch with a former colleage, who gave the chicken bruschetta sandwich the thumbs up. I had the shephard's pie, which was chock-full of meat. The seasoning and the potatos were very good. Our waiter was very attentive, including taking care to bring a lemon for a diet coke.
(3)Emily W.
You will see me here mostly on Saturday nights - that's karaoke night. The bartenders are great, but the prices still throw me. Coming from the South, where Blue Moon costs $3.50, to pay $7.50 is painful. I guess this should be expected when you are in the middle of the financial district and the bar/restuarant is actually a hotel bar/restuarant. But on Saturdays you get a lively crowd, and are certain to have a few laughs at others' expense when it's time to karaoke or have a dance party.
(4)Gabriel P.
Just a hamburger joint .. fair at best. It is convenient to the financial district.
(2)Tammy R.
My husband and I ate dinner at Elephant and Castle on Saturday, 12 February. We arrived around 6 PM and while the bar area was fairly busy, the general restaurant was almost empty. My review pertains ONLY to dinner, not the bar area. I had eaten at Elephant and Castle once before, and found the fish and chips (lunch) to be good. This time, however, we were disappointed. We ordered curry fries for the appetizer, which would usually entail fries and a curry sauce for dipping. What we received were fries (a bit thick and mealy, but that's subjective) and a cup of actual vegetable curry. Not quite for dipping. To add insult to injury, the curry itself was chalky, tasting as though a curry powder mix was used, and not incorporated well into the sauce. We shared a salad, which was essentially two cherry tomatoes and three rounds of cucumber sadly placed atop a mound of chopped romaine. A bit too minimalist, in my opinion. We shared the Roast Beef Stuffed Yorkshire. According to the menu: "Roast beef and caramelized onions stuffed in a Yorkshire pudding, topped with rich gravy. With mashed potatoes and vegetables." Technically, this is what we received. The roast beef looked suspiciously like shaved lunchmeat (think Steak-umms), and the Yorkie was NOT good. It was gummy. --I should mention here that I am, in fact, English, and I know exactly what a Yorkshire pudding entails, both in pudding and muffin/popover form. What I tried to chew on this plate was NOT a Yorkie. The mashed potatoes were good, the gravy and caramelized onions were rich, and the green beans, while too crunchy for our tastes, were fresh and tasty. The sad little pile of shaved beef (I doubt it's of the 'roast' variety) stuffed inside a single doughy bread-muffin was edible but NOT what we were expecting from Elephant and Castle. The staff was efficient and friendly, and the restaurant itself was clean. People were having a grand time at the bar, and in general, it's a good pub. It just really missed the mark with this particular dish on this evening.
(3)Denise F.
I went to E & C for lunch. I had the club sandwich with a side of clam chowder. The club sandwich was pretty standard. The clam chowder was really yummy. The nachos were meh. The nachos came out cold. The cheese was hard and only on half of the nachos. The nachos came with 3 small containers of guacamole, sour cream and salsa. I really love nachos at pubs so I might be a snob. The price you pay for these entrees should match the quality you pay for but they are lacking in this department. I do enjoy their bar area. I think next time I would go for a couple of drinks and grab food at another pub.
(2)Sami W.
WOW!! I am surprised of the many negative reviews this restaurant has! I used to come here often when I worked in the financial district, sometimes for lunch and other times for after work drinks. I always had a good time, sure there was a wait around lunch time but it didn't matter to me. Last night I came back with a friend, we both ordered the blue cheese and bacon burger and it was AMAZING!!! I left the restaurant with the same grin I get after a good sex session!
(4)Justin K.
Some colleagues and I traveled to Bahstahn for work and meandered around downtown. We were pretty hungry as we had not eaten anything since we left the Midwest hours before. I quickly whipped out my iphone and pulled up the Urbanspoon app and searched for a relatively inexpensive place nearby serving American food...a shake later produced "Elephant & Castle". So we headed the few blocks from Quincy Market to Devonshire Street. We were seated promptly and a friendly server with a thick Boston accent greeted us and took our drink order. It was around 6pm on a Tuesday and there were no drink specials which was a downer for my colleagues. We all ordered the Clam Chowder as an appetizer and boy was it fantastic...very rich, thick, full of meat, and came with crackers. I ordered the Chicken Pot Pie which came with mashed potatoes and green beans. The mashed potatoes were warm but seemed to have been sitting out for a while as they were a little hard. The green beans were warm but you could tell they had been frozen not too long ago. The pot pie was pretty delicious, not sure whether it was really fantastic or it could be chalked up the fact that I was just starving! The bathrooms are downstairs which would pose a problem for a handi-capable person but I am fairly confident they have an elevator. They are clean, well maintained, and have tissues. Overall, pretty decent place, clam chowder was amazing, food was so-so, the atmosphere makes up for the mediocre food, definitely a great place to people watch!
(3)Erica D.
This was my first trip to Elephant & Castle and I was joined by my two out-of-state guests. We got there right before the lunch rush--around 11:45a. Within 15 minutes the place was packed. Fortunately service was pretty fast, we were only there for an hour (mostly because we decided last minute to order a sandwich to go). Price: Most of their lunch meals are $10 and up. I'm not sure what the difference is between their lunch and dinner menu. The prices seem to be the same, perhaps the portion size or variety is different(?) Decor: This place is awesome, it's has a really nice British pub atmosphere, lots of random levels, and big windows. It's a nice place to be. Service: Our server was quick to give us the bill, but it was tough to flag her down to add to our order. Business seemed to pick up shortly after we arrived, so she was probably busy. She did seem nice and accommodating and I liked her accent. Food/Presentation: I got the Reuben Sandwich, which came with extra Thousand Island dressing on the side. It was a good size sandwich--not too big or small. It was hot and delicious, but the bread was a little soggy on the bottom. Oh, and it came with sweet potato fries! So good! Location: It's in the Financial District on Devonshire street. The restaurant has two entrances, but only one side has the hostess. Your guess is as good as mine. Recap: Price: 4/5 Decor: 5/5 Service: 3/5 Food/Presentation: 4/5 Location 4/5 Total: 4.0
(4)Margo L.
My first time at E&C - the food was really very good and the price was right! Went after work with a group from the office and everyone enjoyed their meals and the atmosphere. Loved the sweet potato fries! Yum! On the downside our waitress was terrible and our martini's were sadly watery and served in brandy snifters - what's up with that? I would definitely go back and give this place another try.
(3)Jessica W.
We were traveling and this place was near out hotel so we decided to try it. The food was fine but in my opinion, the service was exceptional. So exceptional in fact, we ate 3 meals here over the course of our weekend. We had different waitresses all 3 times and all of them were efficient, friendly and extremely nice to our toddler, which we deeply appreciated. Come for the beer selection or a snack, stay for the excellent service.
(3)LC P.
Ok, I've been around enough to know that the Brits have many good attributes, but they are not known for their cuisine. BF & I have been here twice for Sunday supper- earlyish at 630p or so- as it's one of our closest choices. First visit was quite empty and food was pretty good- I'd say a 3.5 the first time: BF had steak dip, which he liked, and was generous in size. I had Salmon w/penne. I was not asked how I liked my salmon cooked and hence was a bit surprised when it was rare. Sauce was uninspiring, but overall it was about a 2.5. Second visit was a bit later and there were quite a few people at the bar, and at least 4 or 5 other tables. Service was sill timely. We ordered Salmon burger with side salad w/balsamic dressing which was good- again about a 3.5. BF ordered Sunday special of Steak tips with mashed potatoes and a carrot broccoli mix. His arrived with two ice cream scoops of potatoes at one end of a large oval plate with 4 broccoli florets and about 6 carrots at the other end. In the middle was a small oval dish with, as far as I could see across the table in dim light, mushrooms. There were apparently about 6 pieces of steak hidden under the mushrooms, which were tasty according to BF, but not very generous. If plate had been smaller, it might have lent a more voluptuous air to the portion. So, while meat was good, it was a 2.5 due to lack of volume. We'll go back because the food is pretty good, and the location is good for us.
(3)Rob C.
There was a time when this was a common destination for myself and a large group of friends. Frequently as a feeding stop after drinking our fill at Harpoon brewery events, one of its chief advantages was its ability to seat twelve or more on a Saturday night. Having gone back there again more recently, i am having a hard time remembering other virtues. The obvious jokes about English food are tempting, but on a recent trip to England, i actually had a great deal of quite tasty food in pubs, served with a much more authentic surliness, too. In this case, though, the steak pie i had wasn't bad, save for the fact that it was mostly empty on the inside. The mashed potatoes had a skin on the outside and were cold (prompting me to realize that they've always been that way). The server confused Fuller's porter with London Pride (the latter is not a favorite, but is much better on tap). Maybe i just wasn't drunk enough, but with suburban attrition taking its toll on my usual crew, perhaps the upside is better choices to eat.
(2)Kay H.
I've gone here a few times for an "adult lunch" with my coworkers. It's always packed but they always find space and the wait is never long. It's definitely a popular lunch spot in the area. Prices are a little steep for my pockets but I don't think it's unreasonable for the quality and the amount of food you get. I'd go eat there again.
(3)Michael A.
Completely horrible. Chowder was pasty. Burger was terrible. What an embarrassment. I'd be ashamed to serve this dreck. Live and learn - but don't eat here
(1)JM L.
I used a Restaurant.com certificate and, boy, did we get a great deal for our $! Our waiter was excellent: was very attentive and sweet. The food itself was served in generous portions. I had the fried chicken special of the day and it was comfort food, indeed. The side of green beans were fresh and cooked just enough (bright green). The only so-so was the dessert. A friend and I split the berry cobbler a la mode. Wasn't great, but wasn't bad, either. I'll definitely go back, especially given our tab was less than $18 total including tip for 2 entrees, sweet potato fries, and dessert!
(4)Stephanie K.
I work near this place and I often go there during lunch or after work. This place is not constant. One day the food can be very good and the next day you order the same thing and its awful. It is also very packed for lunch and it gets busy in the early evening. It is however very good with accomodating large groups.
(3)Irene R.
Hubby and I went here because this was the only place we could find that had Yorkshire pudding (I come from a British family...I have no other excuse) I had roast beef and yorkshire pudding. It was soggy, the meat was bland, and the gravy was just some brown stuff. The beer selection was good. And since we went in the middle of the day it wasn't crowded. It still took forever for the 1 waitress there to notice we had come in (we nearly went into the kitchen to find someone)
(2)Greg D.
The place is what it is, an after work spot to hang out with coworkers or a business lunch. Unfortunately due to its proximity to my place of employment, I end up here way to often. It is not the type of place were you are going to meet a Tasty Snacks so BYOB. The food is bland take on English Pub grub. They have the standards across the board. The soup is poorly put together and they would be better off importing soup from their sister company the Piccadilly Pub. The beer is over priced ($6 for a bud light) and the bar closes early. The bar area spills into the restaurant portion and you end up standing on top of each other. The service is quick and they get you out of lunch in a speedy manner back to work. On the flip side, don't expect to always get what you order. To many times I have ended up with the wrong items. If they organized the bar area better and had better prices, it would defiantly be a cool place to hang out. Since the company is really only looking for the corporate after work crowd, take your crew somewhere else.
(2)Ashley S.
I've only been to Elephant & Castle on Tuesday nights for trivia (6:30pm start). Very convenient location, at least for my trivia friends. Very quick walk from Orange, Green, Red or Blue lines and tons of parking free right out front if you get there after 6pm. First, I strongly recommend reservations if you plan to play trivia. If you are not in the area right near the host, you will not be able to hear the questions. Regarding trivia, the questions tend to be on the more challenging side and there are A LOT of sports questions. Prizes seem to be good (Celtics tickets, Elephant & Castle gift certificates). Both my group and the host have suspected that some teams use iPhones or the like. Just be aware. Drinks are a bit pricey, but it IS the Financial District I suppose. I guess I prefer not having to drink Cosmos made with Absolute or "higher-shelf." Smirnoff is just fine thankyouverymuch. I have been consistently thrilled by the menu. I'm not sure why this is always a surprise, but I have yet to be disappointed by anything I have tried. My favorites have been the Fish & Chips and Sweet Potato Fries (with YUMMY dipping sauce). Although I do not know any details, there seem to be some excellent private spaces on the basement level.
(4)Milee S.
This is a fun place in the Downtown Crossing area. Our party (2 couples) really enjoyed Elephant and Castle. The place was packed the time we got there, so we were lucky to get a table (Tuesday nights are trivia nights). Us girls had the mojitos, which got mixed reviews as hers was too sweet and mine was too bitter. The boys got beers; Sam Adams and a British beer (can't remember the name but it was chocolatey and coffee flavored). We started with chicken nachos, which come with jalepenos, cheese, olives and tomatos. Also, salsa, sour cream and guac. Pretty good. I liked the tri-color chips. It's definitely meant for sharing and filled the four of us up nicely. The boy and I had fish and chips; mine was hailbut his was cod. The other party got the steak tips salad and the chicken curry. My meal came with 10 large steak cut fries, tarter sauce and coleslaw, along with a decent cut of halibut. You could also get the halibut/cod combo if you were feeling extra hungry :) I thought it was weird that they didn't bring out malt vinegar for the fries, but whatever. The steak looked good while the curry had too much powder in it that wasn't stirred in. But there are a ton of options if you don't want those and prefer some traditional English meals (shephard's pie, bangers and mash, etc). We ended the meal with Irish hot chocolates. Lots of Bailey's but it was really good! I really liked E & C and would love to go back. It's not too bad price wise and the atmosphere is pretty cool and upscale--after work crowd.
(4)Aditi R.
Elephant & Castle almost always ends up being the first leg of our after work drinks. The place is nice, good choice of beer all around, and it is never TOO crowded. However, it is nothing special either. There is usually an older crowd that hangs around here so when a younger one comes around, they have to check twice and look at you 2 to three times to give you a drink. Not that that's bad, but it just shows the typical crowd in the place. As far as food is concerned, I've had some of their appetizers and they fare well. The prices are fairly decent, however if you are looking to spend a good amount of time after work drinking make this a stop, not your destination.
(3)Phu M.
This is a so-so place. I'd give it 2.5 stars. I'm a big Anglophile so I appreciate that we have an English Pub here in Boston. Beer selection is good and they have Boddingtons on tap which is a big plus. However, price-wise it's a little expensive, even for the Financial District. What makes me give this place a low mark though is their food. Contrary to popular belief, British food is actually really good. When I was in London a few years back, I had one of the best meals of my life...prime cut of beef with Yorkshire Pudding...it was delicious. I ordered Elephant and Castle's version and it was so horrible. The "pudding" was dried out and tough and the beef was tasteless. I've had some of their other food here too: bangers and mash, burgers, clam chowder, shepherds pie...all miss the mark. If you're looking to grab some drinks after work, this isn't a bad place but don't come here expecting great food.
(2)Stan S.
Good, hotel-attached restaurant. Pub attitude. Hangout reality. Decent drink and food -- note the order -- with average service. Worth a meal or two when you stay at Club Quarters. They have Laphroaig (single malt Islay Scotch)!
(3)Susan B.
Stayed at Club Quarters Saturday, March 31st with my boyfriend for a night in Boston to see a play, since the Elephant & Castle is right downstairs from the hotel we figured we'd go there for dinner since it was easy and convenient. We walked in a little after 6pm and the place was quiet, we were seated right away and our food was brought to our table piping hot very quickly after our order was placed. And the food! My boyfriend had the Shepherds Pie and I had the Haddock Fish & Chips. I really liked that you could choose what type of fish you wanted. Both meals looked drool worthy on the plate and were cooked perfectly. Our waiter, Ryan, was friendly and he let us enjoy our meal without hovering over us constantly asking if we needed anything else (which seems to be the norm at most restaurants these days with waitstaff bugging you every minute asking how your meal is), but was also not hard to get his attention when we were ready for our check. While the meal was perfect, Ryan was the icing on the cake making the entire experience so enjoyable that we plan on coming back when we're in town again.
(5)Ginger C.
Stopped by Saturday night to check out the Karaoke and have a few drinks with a friend staying in the financial district. It was an average generic English pub. The server was great. Very friendly and quick bringing drinks. The drinks were average priced for the area. The crowd was thin but the karaoke was fun.
(3)Nykiya S.
I ordered the chicken wings (Buffalo Wings) and I should of asked for a side of hot sauce. They were too dry and not hot at all. On the plus side there was a lot of chicken, the veggies were fresh and the food is done in a timely manner. But I wanted a little more sauce on them.
(3)John B.
Excellent for business lunch, good service and food. Reasonably priced.
(4)Peter G.
It's always gratifying to be able to walk into a place an order a Black & Tan without getting a funny look. But that's about where the positives end here. Well, okay there's a pretty good selection of English Beer on tap and I did see some Chimay and Samuel Smith varieties on a shelf near the ceiling, but those may have just been for decor. The menu, prices, and decor suggest a pretty nice place. But the actual results are far less pleasing and awfully disappointing for the price. Burgers are "good for a chain" I guess, but certainly not worth the "10.5" you pay for them. Seriously, what is with the snobby price listings when the food screams cheap chain and arrives way too quickly for it possibly to be made from scratch. The salads are anemic on the healthy vegetables and heaped high with crunchy bits and meat. I did order a salad, right? Even a simple classic like curry chips has been bastardized into some almost unidentifiable mess. It literally consists of a plate of chips with a dish of tangy (and not at all spicy) red curry with some barely identifiable vegetal chunks. Somehow they took a truly simply delicious thing (fried potatoes drizzled with curry sauce) and over-complicated it for epic fail. E&C's own website calls itself " North America's leading British Pub and Restaurant concept..." As a concept E&C seems pretty confused with itself. It aspires to be a fancy or at least "nice" neighborhood English-themed pub. It accomplishes that in menu descriptions and price. But what it actually delivers is closer to a Chili's or TGI Friday's slathered generously with stereotypical Anglophilia. When in downtown Boston you are practically swimming in pub options and damn near all of them are better than this place.
(2)Brett R.
Best English pub I've been to in the States. Dinner was excellent. Friendly staff with prompt service. Beer selection isn't stellar, but not bad. Soccer/baseball is always on the TV, especially English or International leagues. A bit obscure to find, but well worth it.
(5)Sora K.
I've been to the Elephant & Castle in DC and it was wonderful! The Boston one is horrible. The service was terrible. We ended up having to go to the bar to place food and drink orders because the service was so bad. The nachos were delicious. But, again, the service was absolutely horrendous.
(1)Kurt E.
Elephant & Castle is only a few blocks from the office, so I've been here a few times for after work drinks and the such. The place is ALWAYS packed, especially after work hours. If I were rating solely on food it would be more like 2 or 3 stars, though I think they've made some major improvements over the past year or so. We had some random apps at a recent 'going away' function and the Pub Pretzels were off the hook, fresh, hot, and served with a killer mustard sauce. The nachos were pretty pedestrian but at least they didn't screw them up like so many other places. Everything else was meat based, so I can't give an opinion on those items, except the 'Bruschetta' which really isn't bruschetta so we won't get into that. The beer menu isn't extensive, but they have all the usual suspects and everything you'd expect at an 'English Pub'. The wait staff was friendly and very attentive to our party which was very appreciated. My favorite thing though is that they don't ask me what a 'Shandy' is when I order it, that alone is worth 4 stars.
(4)Debra L.
Went here last night. The atmosphere & decor weren't bad but the food was terrible. We had "starters". Spinach, artichoke & cream cheese dip was terrible! It had the taste & consistency of tartar sauce. Steak & Blue Cheese crostini was terrible! Blue cheese was dry, I couldn't tell if there was even any steak on there, and the bread was stale. Crostini with Brie, Cranberry & Black Olives. Odd combination. The brie was not creamy at all and the cranberry was like the jelly that comes out of a can. The bread was also stale. The sweet potato fries were good, but really, how hard is it to mess those up? One of the folks at the table had the cider glazed salmon entree. He said the salmon was good but the rice was definitely not jasmine (more like "Unlce Ben's" plain white rice). The green beans weren't bad, but too garlicky for him. I would say this is a fine place to go for drinks, if you're in the neighborhood. But, I would stick to the burgers and/or try the English food (wish we had) and stay away from the failed "Starters and "Sharing plates"
(3)Jennifer C.
I read the reviews on here and they weren't that great, but I had a gift certificate so I decided to try it out anyways! When we first walked in, the hostess seemed rather dumb. She was confused by the fact that we wanted a table and not to sit at the bar (it was about 6 pm on a Wednesday, dinner time). She grabbed menus, didn't say follow me or anything, but we followed her anyways. We were sat at a small table and the place was empty. That's okay because our waiter offered to push another table together anyways! We ordered an appetizer of buffalo wings, despite someone's review that they weren't spicy and they were dry. I guess that person came on a bad day because I thought they were perfect. They actually tasted liked buffalo wings and not the wings that every other place in Boston seems to have----chicken with hot sauce on them. They got my stamp of approval. I ordered the chicken pot pie. It came with mashed potatoes and green beans. It wasn't the best pie I've had, but it was good enough to eat! And the potatoes were a little on the cold side, but still good. My bf got a burger that was covered in guiness barbeque sauce. He said it was good. The fries were standard fries, not bad, but again, not the best. If you're looking for a decent meal, I thought it was a fine place. The atmosphere is a little weird. I was confused as to if it was trying to be an upscale place or a bar. The bar area was playing upbeat, dance music, and the restaurant area was decorated as a nicer restaurant. So it was a little strange. I'd definitely visit again, especially if I had another gift certificate!
(3)Julie C.
do not come here for lunch EVER. its way too crowded and understaffed. came with my work entourage around 1215. there were 6 of us and no reservations were made. they will give you a funny look thats like they are soo stressed out, they dont know if they can accomodate your party. we get seated like a minute after that tho. we get our drinks but no menus yet. hmmmm... so finally we order and wait. its already 1 pm! our food comes out. someone orders a grill cheese- what do they get. bread with melted cheese on it. a whole new meaning to grill cheese. of course we sent it back. i ordered the chicken pot pie. its made in the dishes used to make creme brulee or something. so tiny and sooo unsatisfying. i left still hungry and scrounging around the office to leftovers. everyone else seemed pretty happy with their meals but it was def nothing to rave about. this place is ok for drink but the food here blows. no more.
(1)Sarah A.
This place gets major points in my book for its proximity to downtown crossing, especially Filene's basement. Come here after shopping for a nice big ol' Hoegaarden. It is a bit loud, true. I can't really comment on the food, having just had some random apps, but will definitely be heading back here soon. Re-Yelp: Was here again last night and unfortunately they were out of the giant Hoegaarden I enjoyed on my last visit. However, there's still a ton of beers on tap to choose from, so I can't complain. My friend and I shared a nachos app that seriously was our dinner. It was huge! The nachos themselves were nothing to write home about but entirely decent with the beer and after all, this is a bar. No expectations of gourment cusisine. They had all the windows open too and there was a nice cross-breeze going on. Also, it was fun to watch the business types wandering around on the street. Re-Re-Yelp: Okay Elephant & Castle, now I am getting mad. Where is my freakin' Hoegaarden? This is the second time I've been here and there is no Hoegaaden. It is on the menu, but it is not on available??? I am very upset. Also, I had the steak and blue cheese salad. There were literally three chunks of blue cheese in the salad. I am not exaggerating. Seriously, three chunks. Bad, bad, bad. Depriving me of Hoegaarden and blue cheese! Criminal. I'm docking you down to three stars Elephant and Castle.
(3)Patrick S.
If you have come from out of town and are staying at the hotel next door.....stay away from this place. It sucks. Poor and slow service. Dirty utensils, no drink refills. Pass on this place. It is worth a walk down to the harbor to find much better food and service.
(1)Mathieu B.
We needed to pee bad! We stoped there, yah! they didn't ID us (which is also automatic in the US). It's a beautiful place. old and traditional. Clean. There's some good variety of beer. We get served, beer cost 7$, we're like; where the heck is the good ol' 5$ a beer? then...ohhh REAL PINT! Again staff was kind, we didn't eat so we couldn't really judge about it. Seemed a bit regular nothing exceptional. Overall a nice place to be in between of a good area. I Guess that really sucked. The area seems a bit dead. I could easely see this place becoming a 4 stars in a Tourist trap area with more people joining it. Overall: Great potential, good staff but not the best area and maybe a bit pricy.
(3)Tina D.
I have been here for lunch and dinner several times. The drinks are delicious, the food is delicious, and the prices are right! This is a great crowd for after work drinks or a professional lunch. They have some wonderful summer salads!
(4)Bill C.
I was on the fence between three and four stars, but went with four to counterbalance some of the lousy reviews I've seen here. Been here for lunch at least a half-dozen times, and trivia night once (where I carried my team to victory, naturally). Steak & ale pie is terrific, had it 3 times at least. I liked the chicken curry a lot and had one so-so lamb curry (overdone) and one good lamb so the kitchen may have had an off day. Lunch salads are good sized and solid. Service has been pretty fast most times, and I usually have to get back to work so this is much appreciated. May not be the friendliest, but I can live with it.
(4)Daniel M.
OK so they do have some meat-free(ish) options available. Still, the food is just a'ight and doesn't really live up to the price. We came here for a going-away lunch for a work friend and I was pleased to see that the ham on the grilled cheese as an option, not the norm. Good. I was not pleased to see that all salads contain meat except the summer something-or-other which is loaded with fruit and not much else. I caved and ordered the mahi niçoise. The salad arrived on a large platter of which it occupied only the center strip. Oh, I get it. Schmancy. Compared to the massive portions they serve of everything else this was a let-down. Can't complain too much about the flavor, it was tasty just nothing spectacular and I was left unfulfilled. Really though, any salad over $10 needs to knock me over and make sweet sweet love to me. This tried to hit it but I had a headache, felt fat, or something, so I said 'not tonight' and paid the tab. Ehh. Visit three was nothing to write home about either. Grilled mahi sandwich, barely there with the flavor, no sauce/mayo/anything else on the bun so yet again, meh. I can't take away a star as the food isn't horrible...nor can I give another as the food is unremarkable. They talk a big game but when it's time for the money shot you're left wanting. Elephant & Castle. Home of mediocrity.
(3)Robert G.
In reference to the lunch menu/experience. The upside - - Slightly better then standard pub food. - Nice atmosphere. - Good selection of beer on tap - Nice menu selection overall The downside - - The lunch time staff do away with "pub friendly" warmth and replace it with efficient courtesy (maybe a plus for some). Specifically, the check was on the table before I finished my plate and dessert wasn't offered. - The added cost of switching to onion rings with my sandwich wasn't mentioned. (2.50). I wouldn't have been so disappointed if the onion rings where above average and plentiful. They were neither. - a little pricey
(3)Mike M.
There was very few people when i came to eat here at 8:00 am one morning. The waiters were attentive and professional. The food was excellent, and came out in a timely fashion. I had breakfast. Anything on the breakfast menu here is actually pretty good. As for the "british concept pub", I had absolutely no idea what that was, and still don't. But I'd like to see the market research that claims there's a demand for it. The breakfast alone could have gotten 5 stars, but this is not strictly a breakfast place. The pricing here was very fair also.
(4)Jon S.
This place is located in the downtown financial district of boston so the prices of things are going to be a little higher than a regular boston bar. The drinks are about 5-6 bucks for a pint of beer and the food ranges about 9-13 dollars. So nothing this before hand the place isn't bad. It does get packed around 5-7 because people getting out of work will head over but during the late nights this place isn't as packed for most people just move on. It isn't my cup of tea but will grab a drink in there every once in a while. I'm cheap with my money so I tend to stay away.
(3)Wonder W.
Came here cause it was attached to my hotel and I was tired from er... doing stuff on Memorial weekend. Anyway, the bartender was awesome and the decor of this bar is great (as many have noted). I do not tend to frequent English pubs, I'm not really choosy about my bars as long as the food is decent and they can something similar to a Sam or Fat Tire. So since this bar met all of the above it was something I was willing to try. A friend had told me that the Shepard's Pie was ok, but I opted for the chicken pot pie. The dish came with red skinned mashed potatoes and some green beans, but the pot pie itself was pretty small considering the plate cost me $12. I wasn't all that impressed with the food either, since the crust was a little undercooked, not enough to make me send it back however. I'll let you know tomorrow if I get sick from it... trust me. But the beans were pretty good considering I'm used to fresh veggies from a Farmer's Market. The mashed potatoes were a tinny bit dry, but otherwise nothing spectacular. Which in it's own way is a good thing I believe. What really brought this place up from a 2.5 was the bartender, she was friendly, prompt, and knew her beers. In my book that's way better than food when I'm at a bar. Unless she charged me twice.
(3)Shari J.
Meh. The place was packed with upper-30-somethings grooving to lite rock music. Not exactly my scene. My buddy wanted to stick it out to get his favorite beer, so luckily we managed to score a table near the bar. Didn't stay very long though...it may be close to work, but when there are so many bars to choose from, this one definitely doesn't rank at the top of the list!
(2)Julie N.
I've been frequenting the EandC for some time for trivia. There are good things about the EandC and there are not so good things. First the positive. The staff is pretty great, especially the bartenders. I never want for a beverage which is saying something given the size of the bar. The location is convenient for after work shenanigans (if you work downtown like me) and the front windows open to the street on nice days. Not quite outdoor seating but will do in a pinch. The food is hit or miss. Safety Items include: -The potstickers - small app portion but tasty -The fish and chips - actually pretty good! -Chicken pot pie - it's served with green beans and mashed potatoes. Personally I find the mashies to be overkill so I opt out of those, but the pot pie is quite good and the beans are fresh and cooked crisp. -Chicken bites - small portion but pretty yummy -The Turkey club - healthy option and quite good -Burgers are good and the sweet potato fries are delish! Stay away from - The veggie stirfry and veggie curry. Bleh it was like mush with very little veggies and lots of onions. The french dip - meat is pretty stringy and fatty. Not good, The artichoke dip - to creamy. not enough chunks of artichoke. Rich and heavy just for the sake of being rich and heavy. Not worth the 5,000 calories per bite. The Tuesday night trivia rocks. It's a decent place to catch a game. I also see a lot of tourists in there with the kids in tow in the dining room area. The private rooms are downstairs in the basement near the bathrooms. They are fine but a bit cheerless and musty.
(3)Dawn A.
OK, I have been to Elephant & Castle more than a few times now for lunch. The food is pretty darn good. The chicken pot pie keeps me coming back (it is VERY good), but I had a good French Dip sandwich too. Most of the food going by looks excellent. Particularly the wraps. The fries were very good steak fries, nice and thick and potato-ey. I usually sit at the bar and the service has been impeccable. They get me out quick which is important when you are on your lunch hour. The bar stools are comfy and the atmosphere is pleasant. Again, not the cheapest lunch in the Financial District, but it's not bad for a sit down place right next to a hotel. They could sooo take advantage of their location and charge more. E&C is my go-to chicken pot pie place :) I had the steak and ale pie the other day and I was somewhat disappointed with it. It says on the menu that its a pie made with steak and mushrooms. I asked the server if there was anything else in it and she said she believed there were carrots and other root vegetables. There were not. It was just meat and mushrooms and maybe some cooked down onions. I didn't care for it at all, but then I ordered it based on the information the server gave me, not the menu. So, lesson: believe the menu, not the server!
(4)Darren G.
Don't make an effort to go here. I guess it is okay if you're just looking for something to eat but the quality of service and food is less than that of an Applebee's or the likes. The food options are diverse and good but the actual food tastes processed. This was probably the only restaurant i've been to that actually had a scented candle on the table...that is pretty much a huge no for restaurants. The music was also terrible - think pop station on loud. Waiters were rude and didn't care that they got the the orders wrong. It actually took some effort for them to pay attention and get us the right food. As I'm writing this I realized how bad it was...so I moved it down to one star. I guess the location is good...eh?
(1)Emily M.
Yum---I liked the food! I brought my family here and everyone from the 15 year to my parents were happy. Nice layout, great menu, but the service was lacking. Huge portions...I'd recommend the fish & chips!
(4)Deb K.
Thanks E&C for making me break my New Year's resolution of only going out once a week on a work nights, already. But it was worth it. Amstel Light on tap, really awesome freshly made chips with the apps we picked, and an attentive nice bartender. I even got a chicken wing from the dude next to me and it was nice and hot. Oh! And there was an authentic Brit at the bar with us too. We ended up in there after trivia was over and I think we promised our bartender that we would be back next week to play. Good times, good times.
(4)Nathan L.
I would like to go back one more time to try the buffet brunch they had. That looked really good but our fish and chips were also pretty good and so overall it was a pretty good place. Although we were here during a pretty random time I think so maybe we didn't get the full experience. but I would go back.
(3)Garth S.
The Elephant and Castle is a "British" pub by way of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a country smart enough--or maybe lazy enough--to wait a hundred years after our war for independence before embarking on its bloodless but not entirely complete extrication from Britain's grasp. I'm not ashamed to admit that I probably would have been a Loyalist had I been a British American in 1776 but I was not alive then and today I am quite pleased that my historical forebears committed their treasonous acts against Mother England. Yet, two hundred-odd years after 1776 and a hundred plus years after 1867, some of us still feel nostalgic for--well, I'm not quite sure what. I thought a trip to the Elephant & Castle's website would explain why Americans and Canadians were so fascinated by all things British but the best I could find is this quote: "Today, E&C has grown to over 20 restaurants across the United States and Canada from Toronto, Boston, and Chicago to Vancouver, San Diego, and San Francisco. This record of 30 years of stability and success is due to E&C's continued commitment to be the standard of what North American consumers demand of a British pub and restaurant concept - Bang On Food, Bang On Drinks, and Bang On Service!" I have to tell you, I didn't know any North American consumers--especially the Mexicans (they're part of North America, too)--demanded a "British pub and restaurant concept." Is this a case of the supply creating the demand? All I know is that after the movies last Friday, my friend and I decided on the Elephant & Castle for dinner because it was a short walk from the theater and close to our respective T stations. Who knew we were doing anything so corporate as demanding a British pub and restaurant concept? I thought we were just having dinner. The Elephant & Castle isn't a bad place. The dining room is large, the lighting is low and the overall feel is more like a bar than a restaurant. It's definitely a step up from TGIFriday's and the late Bennigan's. The entrees are hit or miss. I like the chicken pie and the Guinness stew when it's on the menu. Friday night's lamb curry, however, was a disappointment: the rice was undercooked, the lamb was tough and the curry was bland. I don't recall ever having a bad dessert: The bread pudding is great and so is the Bailey's cheesecake. Putting aside the "concept," if you happen to be downtown one evening and you want some adequate pub food, there are many worse places than the Elephant and Castle but please make sure that "bang on" never appears anywhere in your vocabulary.
(3)Marc C.
I won't go back. My roommate and I are still traumatized by their Plowman's Platter. Let me explain. We order the cheese platter, and start munching away. When we get to one of the cheeses, we realize it is kind of stuck to the plate. Thinking it was just the result of a moist cheese sticking to a dry plate we pick it up. The reason it was stuck to the plate was mold. We then move the other cheeses, they were moldy as well. No thanks. There are plenty other options in the area.
(1)Marwan A.
nice ambiance. the food was average. service can be better
(3)Tom E.
If you want authentic then let me tell you this place has it in spades. It made me both homesick and sick of my old home. It almost perfectly recreates a shitty British chain pub in the Elephant and Castle district of South London. Why anyone would want to do that is beyond me - Elephant and Castle is one of the most horrible places on Earth; two complicated rotaries and a dilapidated mall providing the fulcrum between two of Europe's most crime-ridden housing projects. You go there to catch hepatitis A, B or C, not dine out. Crappy English Chain Pub Authenticity Checklist ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Food that tastes suspiciously microwaved - DONE Low imagination with the beer selection - DONE Arsenal or Chelsea games always on TVs - DONE No-one sitting at the bar except old guy - DONE Painful surfeit of 1970s pattern carpet - DONE Embarrassing inability to cook English food - DONE Great place to get wasted silly during trivia - DONE Polite / scared staff doing their best to make a living - DONE Cliche framed photos of London and the Queen - DONE Real antique red British phone box just outside - DONE Phone box full of massage / prostitute call cards - NOT DONE Table of chavs clad in Adidas + fake Burberry combo - NOT DONE Monthly knife fight leaving stain on carpet - NOT DONE Black light in bathroom to deter drug use - NOT DONE Left over boxes of fried chicken littering the door - NOT DONE
(3)Dana L.
This is a decent venue, which offers a restaurant, a bar, and some conference rooms downstairs. I recently attended a small conference here, so I got ample opportunity to eat the food. The meeting rooms are perfectly adequate meeting space, and the back room of the bar is a good place to hang out for a while before hitting the clubs. As for the food, I thought that sandwiches were pretty good, but the breakfast buffet is kind of pricey. $18 for an omelet and some pastries seems a bit high, but I guess that its only a couple of dollars higher than I would have expected. The donut holes were pretty good, though. I had one of the chicken sandwiches - the fries were great, and the sandwich wasn't bad.
(3)Andrew X.
Drinks are ok, but food is overpriced.
(3)Champagne C.
Met my husband here for lunch - halfway between our offices. Sat at the bar - the bar tenders were welcoming. I had the roast beef sandwich au jus with a side salad. He had a different sandwich with the English chips. No word of a complaint from either of us. The sandwich rolls were light, crispy and warm. The meat was tender and warm and the beef "jus" was GREAT! I stole several of those English chips from my husband's plate - he ate half of my sandwich after finishing every crumb of his. Worth going back again. Actually, can't wait!
(4)Matt K.
Fairly respectable beer selection considering this joint is actually a chain restaurant, the food won't kill ya- but I'd go elsewhere if you had the option.
(3)Sandy W.
A great experience and great food for our small group of businesspeople! Thank you to the general manager for chatting with us!
(5)Luke P.
I've been consistently going to E&C for over 6 years now. I both live and work within 5 minutes of the place, so it's super convenient. I've almost never had a bad experience there regarding the food and drink. Nearly everything on the menu is solid pub food. I think their Sheppard's Pie is one of the best you can get in Boston and is almost always reliable and consistent. It's got a ton of spice and flavor and, while the fries here are excellent, it's nice they serve the entree with a mixed greens salad. The Guinness meatloaf, stew, and the Jameson Chicken are also all really good. Although a bit overpriced, the Grilled Salmon is pretty tasty is you want something less heavy. I haven't had too much experience with the burgers, salads and sandwiches, but I don't remember them being remarkable in anyway. I almost never order from that part of the menu unless I'm getting takeout. The one bad experience I can recall with food was ordering dessert. I think I ordered some brownie sundae that tasted like it had been sitting in the open freezer for months. I haven't ordered dessert since. The beer selection here is much better than your typical Boston bar. I'm not into a lot of the English ales (Fuller's) they have, but there's still enough options beyond crappy macro lagers and boring imports. Atmosphere is always pleasant especially on weeknights and Sunday. The place does get crowded between the hours of 6-8:30, especially on Thurs and Friday as many office workers come here for happy hour. There's enough secluded seating though so it's never too loud or obnoxious. Service is generally good, although I've had a few inattentive waiters and bartenders. It's never been so bad that I've left upset though. The food and comfort of the place is really why I keep going back. It's a really decent value too as most of the items I order are not expensive at all for Boston. I wouldn't seek it out (it is a chain afterall), but if you need to make a quick decision on where to go for dinner or drinks and you're near E&C, give it a shot as it will likely be very reliable.
(4)Erica S.
This is one of my go-to spots for a sit-down workday lunch in DTX. It's predictably decent pub style food. It has all those yummy Irish pub favorites, like bangers 'n mash, shepherd's pie, and stuffed yorkshire pudding, and I also hear the burgers are good. Bonus: I can vouch that they fries are excellent, and if you're trying to be healthy, you can choose salad instead of fries to go with your meal. It's pretty bad for vegetarians, so beware: Since I quit meat, the only thing on the menu I can have is the veggie burger, or I can dismantle another dish (I can take the ham out of the grilled cheese, the meat out of a salad, etc.). Yep, not even one of their salads is vegetarian. I dig the scene to get out of the office on a weekday, but probably wouldn't come here otherwise.
(3)Marcus D.
I suppose it's perfectly acceptable to stop in here for lunch, whether you work in the area or are just passing through (in that case, pass on by), otherwise this place is just one of many that caters to the after-work crowd (you know how much fun those guys from Fidelity, State Street and Brown and Company can be, watch out!).
(2)Michelle C.
Twenty of us were here Saturday night for the first leg of a Bachelorette party. We took part in an a murder/mystery dinner theatre production in the "Mystery Cafe" (one of their function rooms downstairs). It was a fun, audience-interactive "Who Done It" murder/mystery played out in between a prefix three course dinner served by the actors themselves. This I thought was funny, but I'm guessing they're working within a tight budget. The food was good, we started with a Caesar salad, served with a lemon wedge, which I loved, since I like my Caesar on the lemony side, entree of half roasted chicken (huge, and very yummy) along with a baked potato and super-fresh green beans. Dessert was an individual baked cranberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Nothing uber-fancy, just comfort food served on a fall evening. We also had a small, private bar in the room so we didn't have to trek it up to the bar for drinks. One of the 'actors' announced that after the play, karaoke was available upstairs if we wanted to stick around... After most of the ladies left (Mother of the Bride, Jr. Bridesmaids, etc...) seven of us headed upstairs where we were greeted by the *worst* rendition of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'". Needless to say, we got a table. We love this sort of entertainment!! I mean, we suck too, so who cares?!?! Some of the actors from downstairs joined us also, turned out to be a great start to our night. Drinks were a little expensive, BUT, there was no cover, and the location was within walking distance to our hotel (Hilton) and to Faniuel Hall, so really we can't complain. Good times had by all.
(4)Rachel S.
Wimpy. Don't bring clients here if you want to hear them talk. This joint is a wannabe British pub and they are failing miserably. I had the Chicken and Brie Foccacia sans mushrooms and it was pretty good, but not great. The English Chips... were nothing special. They were the hand cut fries anyone can pick up at the grocery store. The service was good. Our server came by often to check on us... like every three minutes. I hate to say it's a negative because often that's what I wish I had, however, I'm mid-sentence and she comes by AGAIN to interrupt my schpeel to ask AGAIN if every thing's okay. Lunch is chaotic with the loud patronage. Hey, I get it. It's a bar. If I were just bringing a couple friends in for a quick bite I would use E & C as a last resort safety. I wouldn't bring customers here unless I had nothing to say to them and wanted the noise to fill the uncomfortable silence.
(2)Joe R.
Great English Pub in the heart of the Financial District. E&C offers a variety of Fuller's authentic beers, serving them all in a true pint glass (~16oz.). I didn't get a chance to sample any of the food, but it looked pretty good (for pub grub). Great atmosphere / live music some nights...
(4)stacey l.
I guess I disagree with most of the recent experiences people have had. I think they have done a good job of fooling people that this isn't the same caliber as a Chili's TGI Friday's. Nothing on this menu was revolutionary or a must have and the food I've had here was overpriced and uninspired. I've been to this place in other cities and haven't had quite the same feeling, but I would recommend keeping to drinks at this establishment. Last time I went will probably be my last time - we went as a group of 5 and because it was busy they threw us at a small 4 spot by the door that was not suitable for the number of people, drinks and plates we accumulated. The service was average.
(2)Daphne M.
This place isn't that bad, but it didn't make me jump for joy. It was ok for what it was trying to be. I went here for lunch with a few people from work and I would say it didn't make a lasting impression on anyone. First the good things: It was super speedy...almost weirdly speedy. There was no wait; we were seated almost immediately. The food came unnaturally quickly as well. It felt like 5 minutes after we ordered, our food suddenly appeared. It was not as if there was no one eating either. Maybe we are just special. The whole meal probably lasted 35 to 40 minutes. This is good if you just have one hour for lunch. The bread was really good. It had an interesting sourdough taste. Finally, the napkins were cute. They had the meaning of "Bang on" for all of us American that don't speak British slang. Alas quirky napkins and tasty bread do not an excellent dining experience make. So I move on to the Bad: Could you be any less inventive in the menu? You could practically get anything they served at TGIFridays. Typical pub fare of burgers and sandwiches. My sandwich, sonoma chicken sandwich, was ok, but it had nothing to do with sonoma. Weird name. They also for some reason decided the mayo, guacamole and salsa all belong on it. Kind of gross. The waitress wasn't that good. She never spoke above a whisper and it is a loud place so that really didn't work out. So my conclusion is that I might come back but since there are a million other restaurants in the Financial District I probably won't.
(3)Dan C.
When you think of world cuisine what comes to mind? The rich flavors of the French? The complexity of Korean? The stick to your ribs flavor of Southern BBQ? Why in the hell someone would think the food of the British isles is fit for the human palate is totally beyond me, but c'est la vie. Ridiculousness of British cooking aside, this place isn't that bad. It is located in the middle of nowhere, but maybe that is what the clientele is interested in. Speaking of which, the clientele is a little more classy than what you would find at the Rattlesnake or some other bar in the area. For a Friday night the place was pretty dead, with crowds coming through in waves. The inside is nice and gives it an expensive feel, but the prices are pretty reasonable. I came here with some yelpers to make use of groupon which allowed us to hit up their tasting plates. The tasting plates are the love child of tapas and side dishes--too small for a meal, but big enough that you don't mind sharing. One sharing plate is $6, but you can go for three for $16...not the deal of the century but whatever. We more or less tried all of the plates but the winner in my heart was probably the sweet potato fries and the pot stickers. Word of caution though, you only get six pot stickers so you may want to get two. Drinks were cheap at $5.50 for a Tom Collins. I think the only real drawback to this place was the fact I had a little piece of plastic in the bottom of my Tom Collins that almost choked me to death like a seagull (on that note, remember to cut up the plastic six pack holders). Bottom Line: Good potential date spot. Relaxed, laid back, and cheap booze.
(3)Michael K.
Very good at a reasonable price. I had the chicken curry and my fiancée had the grilled chicken bruschetta sandwich and we loved it.
(4)Kathy K.
Good for happy hour or lunch if you are in the area and do not want to go anywhere associated with Quincy Market. Happy hour features very large appetizers and live music when I was there. The down-side is that it can be very loud and the staff can be very disinterested in anything but getting the order in. Our waitress did not even hover long enough to care or hear that I wanted something other than fries. More vexing was a surcharge for hot peppers -- a surcharge I was fairly sure was there because I had the nerve to ask for something from the waitress. Nothing like feeling like a pain for saying something other than "it's fine" when she wandered past us and as an afterthought asked how are meal was. If you truly hate your customer service job, please find a happier place for your employment.
(2)Melissa A.
I went here one night and it's totally a Friday-after-work kind of place, but at this time, it was 9PM and it was Saturday, so the people that were there with their loosened neckties and cardigans draped over the back of a chair were probably feeling pretty saucy. We had the starters where you pick three small plates. I actually liked them. I think we got the steak & bleu cheese crostini [steak was dry, but still pretty good], the brie & cranberry crostini [always one of my favorite combos], and something else which I can't remember. And I had a special key lime martini [it was okay, but I had one at Milky Way that was better/cheaper]. It was karaoke night and you know what that means. Bunch of amateurs. But it was actually pretty entertaining. There was an older gentleman named Jake who kept singing songs from the 70s, women in their 40s singing songs from the 80s, girls in their early to mid 20s singing songs from the late 80s/90s and just about everyone sitting at the bar was singing along, especially during the many, many Bon Jovi songs. And the packs of girls in their 20s kept singing songs in groups. I always said that people who sing karaoke songs together show a sign of weakness. They'll learn. Once I tried to sing a duet of "Bohemian Rhapsody" with my boyfriend at a work Christmas party and it ended with him leaving the stage and me by myself going "Galileo! [Galileo!] Galileo figaro!" trying to be two voices. That was the last time I "dueted." By the end of my night there, I was chanting for my favorite singer. "JAKE! JAKE! JAKE! I LOVE YOU JAKE! MARRY ME! HAVE MY BABY! SING MORE BEE GEES!"
(3)Cathy H.
If you aren't drinking, you might not enjoy your food. We went for lunch, and the service was really slow. When our food came out, it was obvious it had been done for a while and the whole plate had been sitting under a heat lamp. Could have just been the one server. I might try again for happy hour, but was overall unimpressed.
(2)Samantha M.
Somehow this place has turned into the Thursday night hot spot for me and my co-workers. Seems that way for a lot of people. Must be the sweet potato fries. They are AMAZING. We usually get the sharing plates and some spinach dip. I recommend the Brie and cranberry toast, fries, pretzels and beer from the tap. Thursdays are crowded, but we've never waited more than 15 minutes for a table, even when we have a group of 7 or more. Last night we had a great waiter. We even got the giant brownie as desert. Delicious! And big enough for five people to share. Not the kind of place I would go for privacy or to try to have a conversation. Also, many items are a bit on the pricey side, hence the sharing plates :)
(4)Natalia T.
I went there for lunch with a couple of co-workers this past friday. First of all, the place is huge!! and it was packed!!! We were seated in one of the side rooms, and it had a weird feel of a conference room at an old hotel (with those kinds of tables and chairs). The food was pretty good, much better than I expected. I had the Thai Chicken salad ... the flavor combinations were very good, chicken was a little too dry and if it wasn't for the sweet sauce on top, it would've been tasteless. The wait staff was a little lost, they brought me 2 wrong things before my salad came ... Ppl in my party had fish n chips, steak tips, burger and onion soup ... all pretty average. The prices were decent for downtown, we ended up paying $17/pp Nothing I would ever crave I would go back there at night to try their fabulous selection on beer
(3)Bridget B.
eh. whatever. next.
(2)Craig C.
SO many better bars near by. Food here is over priced and not very good. Go to Peking Tom's, The Good Life, Silvertone, Beantown Pub, Hub Pub, West Street, and more. Chain Bars generally suck. Except for Bennigans god I love that place. just kidding.
(2)Natasha A.
Elephant and Castle is a big typical pub in the middle of the financial district, but far enough from the trourist hell that is Fanueil Hall. It attracts an after-work crowd of professionals and is not obnoxious as some of the areas other establishments. The menu includes typical pub grub as well as small plates of yummies such as spring rolls and burschetta that are great for sharing while downing a few boozes. Their calamari is also quiet good with a side of herby white dipping sauce.
(3)Rachel W.
I've been here a few times and have always received good service - quick, friendly, and attentive. Ya, it's not gourmet, and the waitstaff won't stop running long enough to conversate with you like many other restaurants but they really know how to take care of their guests. The food is generally good too. I love the fish n chips, shepherd's pie, and desert. Skip the chowder though, it's a little bland. The list of beer is extensive too and they also have several functions rooms downstairs that can accomodate more than 100 people for parties and events. If your in the area definately check this place out.
(5)Brendan M.
Dying for a pint of London Pride? This is where you should come to get yourself sorted. They've clearly gone to some lengths to make this pub look fairly authentic, although the fare is still closer to typical American pub-grub than anything you'd find in ol' GB (not that this is necessarily a bad thing...) The E&C is a very popular Friday after-work-drink location. If you get here at 6 pm it will be bristling. By 7.30 things start to be a bit more sedate - it may liven up again later in the evening but I haven't stayed around to find out. Also a decent place for a pub-lunch
(4)JeNnIfEr S.
I always get the E&C Spinach Dip appetizer anytime I eat here. It's f*cking orgasmic! You won't want to share! The rest of the menu is pretty good... BUT nothing compares to that dip. YUMMY!
(3)Greg M.
As welcoming as a big, loud place could be. But I didn't appreciate being seated at a small table in the middle of the dining room. We had a lot of shopping bags with us and the tiny space we were given couldn't really accommodate them. I guess that's what happens when you go to an after-work bar after work. The burger was OK. A little too greasy and not too much flavor, but I liked the option of having a salad of baby greens instead of fries. The bangers and mash were among the best I've had, with apple chutney and onion strips adding a very nice touch. Reasonably priced food, I guess - I'm sure every entree would be a dollar or two cheaper in another area. And a pint of Guinness was $6 - making the beer officially overpriced. One more thing: Why was there a large framed picture of wax sculptures of the Spice Girls? I know the place has a British theme. But really now. The Spice Girls? Not only are they irrelevant now, but the picture is from after their heyday when Ginger left. And why not just put a picture of them? Why the wax sculptures of them?
(3)Justin V.
This place was connected to the lobby of our hotel, so we decided to give it a try. We had the Bruschetta Chicken Sandwich and the Hot Turkey Sandwich. Both were very good and we really had no complaints on the food. The only thing that was annoying was the long wait time for our food when the restaurant looked as if only 25% of the tables were occupied. Very inexpensive and VERY GOOD FOOD!
(4)Melissa C.
So I only went here for one drink, didn't stay long or try the food. All I can tell you is get the Pumpkinhead. It wasn't on the menu when I went, but it is in season and available. It comes in a cinnamon rimmed glass that makes this already delicious brew brilliant. Also, the waitress was adorable, friendly and loved North Carolina, so all around pretty nice place to get Pumpkinhead.
(4)Tez C.
The only place I could find that serves Yorkshire Pudding. I had a huge craving so went with a friend for lunch/brunch. She got a Caesar salad which was huge. I got the stuffed Yorkshire Pudding which was pretty good. A nice British fix if you need it.
(4)Diana A.
I stayed at the Club Quarters right next door to this restaurant, when travelling for work I usually try to stay away from the hotel restaurant. But it was a cold night and I was a lazy, tired gal (I should have known better) I ordered the Mushroom and Cheese Burger medium rare...30 minutes later I got a well done burger. I was lazy (as I mentioned earlier) and didn't want to deal with sending back my burger. The sweet potato fries were good...but then again I love sweet potato anything.
(2)Anna F.
I had higher hopes for this place. As a total Anglophile, I love the idea of a traditional British pub. However, the meal I was served was charred. They were quick to replace the plate but when they found out I had a Groupon they charged me for the plate that they would otherwise have comped me. Fair enough, but couldn't they have offered a drink or dessert? I sat for 20 minutes while I watching my companions eat (I couldn't make them wait...). You'd think they'd be invested in making a better impression. My friend liked her bangers and mash and I was happy to have a real 20 oz pint.
(2)Ed M.
If you consider this place is an authentic English pub, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. It is a chain restaurant with average tasting very expensive food and overpriced pints of a couple English (mostly Fuller's) beers. The wait staff and bartenders clearly do not want to be bothered to help you, serve you or talk to you since you are not an old businessman on a Friday afternoon who orders a bottle of Bud Light. Since I work across the street, I walked in after work on a Wednesday last Spring, I asked them if they could put on ESPN2 so I could watch the UEFA Champion's League semi-final (European club soccer tournament) and I was glared at and told "Uh, we don't have ESPN2" while the tv's had an assortment of fishing and poker (NESN and ESPN) on. All summer I looked in and saw ESPN2 on the screens there many, many times. I bet that would not happen in England...
(1)Christopher R.
Thier pretzels are amazing. I love the feel of the place, and its one of the few spots in the area that is open later for getting a drink. So much closes so early around there. The only problem is the DJ/Karoke bits...it was so loud, and I really just wanted to watch the game.
(4)Michelle P.
So yesterday was one of those days that just seemed to take forever and so after work and a couple of hours shopping. I stopped into Elephant and Castle with my co-worker for dinner. Our server was young and friendly and practically a newbie at the business. What is it with places making you ask for a glass of water? Those really should be poured the minute you sit down especially in any restaurant above in and out sitdown franchise quality. Like Greg M. we were seated in the middle of the restaurant at a tiny table for two, I almost would of rather to sit at the bar, thankfully we only had one bag each. We ordered our drinks, I got a frozen margarita, and my friend got a mudslide, that was so thick she could barely drink it. We got your typical pub food, neither one of us being in the mood to be overly adventurous. We ordered calamari as a appetizer, then chicken fingers, fish sticks, and sweet potato fries. Yeah we were in the mood for greasy stuff last night. All of which were delecious and came with their own house cut and cooked chips. I could not get enough of those chips. Yummy in my Tummy. We then finished the night off with a Baileys Cheesecake which was ok, not the rich delectable dessert we were looking for but it was ok. So overall, it wasn't a bad dinner, next time I'll try to dress a little more business casual because even though was wearing nice jeans, and a button down top I still felt underdressed.
(4)Byron M.
We went here for a work related holiday party and we had a wonderful time. The food was done right and we did not have to wait too long. The server was attentive, and the place was festive and easy going. This is a nice - better - than - average pub with comfortable surroundings and good service. Cheers.
(3)Brian A.
We dropped by for a quick bite today around 3 PM. I had some great fish & chips (plenty of good tasting fish, non-creamy cole slaw & a very tasty tartar sauce). She had what she called "the best veggie burger ever in a restaurant". Looked like a nice bar / beer selection, even though we didn't have any. Check it out!!
(4)Todd K.
Although the prices are a bit high for pub fare I think the E&C is a pretty cool place. Friday lunch is extremely busy (and loud as hell) but the service is surprisingly good and efficient (at least the times I've been) for how many people are in and out of there between noon and 2pm. Their food is nothing special, but the pub has a lot of character. It's worth stopping in for a pint or lunch...
(3)K J.
Its 5 PM EST, late night in Moscow where the atmosphere is tense. It is end of regulation time in the Champions League finals and Man Utd and Chelsea are still tied. Should I continue to sit at my desk and pretend I am working or should I leave. The tension is killing me.To hell with it,I am going. And I barged into the Elephant & Castle. Yes they have football on all the time. I will give a lot of stars for that. The first time I went here, the waitress (later we learned was it her first day on the job) had a dude behind her all the time. We thought it was one of them who is beginning work but not sure who was shadowing who. It was kind of weird to see him follow her around. No problems with the food whatsoever. The next time I went in, I ordered the Union Jack burger which came with way too much sauce and too few napkins and a friend ordered the Ploughman's platter, which I later learned was typical English food. Another FYI I had was the chips in Fish & Chips refers to the thick fries that is served. I always wondered who would ever have fish and potato chips as food. Most part of the review may not be about the place, but I learn a lot when I am at this place. Also FYI Man Utd won that day to make it a double that year and all the female bartenders there cheered for Chelsea. I am taking down one star for the service. It has been progressively getting bad. Almost a 15 min wait for Curry n Chips (with a not too impressive curry) another 15 min for Onion rings $)($#_$# beer served in a broken bottle. Totally disappointed.
(3)Rico S.
The bar was dead and even though, service was terrible. the waitress needed a serious attitude adjustment. The worst of many pubs we visited.
(1)Rebecca C.
Eh. Pretty good and everything, but nothing special, and I'm always wary of fake pubs trying to be real ones. The food is perfectly serviceable, and I gave it an extra star, because at least at one point, they had Hoegaarden on tap. MMMM.
(4)Enrique D.
i like this place. hey its a pub. dont come here expecting gourmet food and royal service. its good bar food. great portions.
(3)Eric W.
A London pub, American-style. Somewhere between the Shepherd's pie and lamb curry, you'll likely find a dish that fits. Eating here isn't at all an experience: the staff doesn't seem to want you to be there, and the atmosphere (as suggested here by others) isn't far off your standard American chain, e.g. Friday's. Still, a fine place for some food and beer, if that's what you're after.
(3)A. W.
Rainy days like today, are good for sitting in the ye olde Elephant & Castle Pub. I like to hide away here on my lunch break and sup an onion soup....that's stacked with lots of bread and cheese on top and shoved in the oven, just like how my mum makes it. And then I pretend I'm stuck somewhere in the motherland of the UK. It's easy cause they have a big photo of Margaret Thatcher pointing at you, whilst you skull your pint of Guinness (I don't really drink Guinness on my lunch break). It's not a bad spot. Service is fast and the staff are chipper. The place is full of suits.....and anything remotely british looking. I like the big red phone booth at the front door. But I think they need more union jacks and a dalek from Dr Who aswell, just to make it all the more genuine. It would be a nice first stop for a drink after work.
(3)camilo a.
i just have to say if u go in don't leave with out having a bottle of chamay and some of there very good strawberry short cake its bye far one of the best i have ever had in a sit down restaurant very discreet location in the heart of boston near several t stop which for me is a must but even if u just sit at the bar and have a drink defiantly stay for lunch our just an appetizer
(4)Sophia C.
This is a nice little pub with a good atmosphere. The waitstaff is very friendly and the food is basic bar food - nothing remarkable, but not bad. There are not many vegetarian/vegan options and, if you order their spinach/tortellini/chicken salad with parmesan and request no chicken/tortellini/parmesan, they still charge you the full price anyway. The first time I spent eleven dollars for a spinach salad with some pine nuts. Im not holding this against them though - they are a nice little bar that I return to occassionally.
(4)Missus F.
don't go here on a thursday night to catch up with someone you haven't seen in 3 years. also, don't go here if you want constant refills on your beers. go here if you want super standard appetizers that are done as well as any other place, and go here if you like blue moon, but don't go here if you want to drink more than one cause they're not coming around to give you a new one.
(2)Matt W.
Wife and I stopped by here after Red Sox Game as we stayed next door. Came in with low expectations as it seemed fairly generic, but food was actually above average and drinks were excellent. $6-7 a pint doesn't seem that much to me given it's downtown. Pleasant surprise.
(3)Kristin Y.
i visit the e & c in sf because it's located relatively close to my work, it has decent food and of course serves booze. for me those are the reasons for the three star rating. the only difference for me with the boston e & c was instead of being relatively close to work, it was located on the bottom floor of the hotel i was staying. it was perfect, as i knew exactly what to expect from it after spending waaaaay too many hours in jfk earlier that day. kudos to you e & c of boston for consistency with sf!
(3)Liz D.
Their grilled cheese sandwich is $9.50... and it wasn't even that good! biggest rip off ever.
(2)Kevin C.
Downtown Boston Irish Pub which draws the after hours business crowd. The service does not impress as rookie mistakes are constantly made (dropping dishes, incorrect orders, long wait times etc) and the food is average at best. The convenience of this restaurant keeps me coming back but there is no item on the menu that I can rave about. A positive is that the pub can have a great atmosphere if not too corwded and does hold fun events such as trivia.
(2)bex g.
we stayed away from this place for a few months for the simple reason that we went there too much! every lunch out, co-worker going away party and client visit was held here, so we had to take a break! typical pub food -- i remember from my meat-eating days that the chicken fingers were great, and their honey mustard sauce is super yum! deserts are pretty great too! great location if you are in the financial district/downtown crossing area.
(4)Ashley M.
your typical pub - good reasonably priced food, tvs to watch the games, nice place to grab drinks.
(4)