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Elephant & Castle

3 star rating
based on 91 reviews

Category: Pubs  [Edit]

Neighborhood: The Loop
185 N Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 345-1710
Nearest Transit:

Randolph/Wabash (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Green, Pink)

Lake (Red)

Washington (Blue, Red)

Parking:
Street
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Price Range:
$$
Good for Groups:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Music:
Juke Box
Best Nights:
Thu, Fri, Sat
Happy Hour:
Yes
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Smoking:
No
Coat Check:
No
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91 reviews for Elephant & Castle

Review Highlights   

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"Great place to go after work, it's always packed." (in 26 reviews)
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"They have a great selection of beer and tasty fish and chips." (in 21 reviews)
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"I did love the sweet potato fries, though." (in 5 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of Erin B.

Elite '09

296

530

Erin B.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
11/17/2009

came here for a pretheater cocktail.  It was pretty busy, and service was decent.  Food was good, but way overpriced.  I wouldn't say this is the go-to-place for a pretheater drink, but it will do the job if you're in a pinch.

Not superduper, just a-ok.

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Photo of matty z.

Elite '09

39

119

matty z.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
9/16/2009

I've seen "British" listed as a category for this place.  You can't just hang up a sign of the Queen (current or past) and call yourself an English Pub.  It just doesn't work that way.

The place is okay.  Nothing memorable, but as far as loop establishments go, it's "eh".

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Photo of Jonathan H.

Elite '09

77

108

Jonathan H.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
9/14/2009

Every time I am in river north I seem to end up at the Elephant & Castle. It very comfortable and the service is always good. I enjoy getting my Guinness and then having a Shepard's Pie.

It's like a meal that I wash down with...a meal.

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Photo of Lindsey M.

 

6

21

Lindsey M.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
9/14/2009

I don't usually go to bars downtown. In fact, I try to avoid them at all costs. But, if at some point in the future I happen to need a bar downtown to meet some friends at, I might suggest Elephant & Castle.

I didn't try the food and I sat at the bar. But, it was a comfortable place to sit and have a drink before a show, the music wasn't too loud, the patrons weren't too obnoxious, and the decor was pretty nice. The  beer selection is good for downtown with quite a few imaginative draft options and not just the standard domestic fare available everywhere else. The drinks were a bit expensive by my standards, but not unreasonable. If you must go to a bar downtown, Elephant & Castle is definitely one of the better options.

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Photo of Calysta J.

Elite '09

24

83

Calysta J.

Austin, TX

3 star rating
10/4/2009

Went in here with my friend that I haven't seen in about 9 years and his partner.  It was a good place to get a beer and play catch up and get out of the torrential downpour that was occuring outside. Talked to a cute guy named Landon, so a star for the customers.  They have these great buttery and pillowy soft pretzels with dipping sauces, and a good selection of import beers on tap.

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Photo of Edwin Q.

Elite '09

21

62

Edwin Q.

Chicago, IL

2 star rating
7/28/2009

I've been at Elephant and Castle for Lunch and dinner. Food is ok... not the best Brit food I ever had...
Their selection of beers is ok too. Not to happy with their alternative of Blue Moon... Not all beers with a slice of orange can taste like a Blue Moon!
Service was also ok... As average as it can be!

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Photo of Jim D.

Elite '09

5

53

Jim D.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
8/24/2009

I once swore this place off back in 2008. One of my co-workers and I were watching soccer in the afternoon, when the bartender threw up two red flags by saying "if the Cubs game was on, we wouldn't have to watch this crap" and "all these damn Europeans are taking bar stools from my regulars". First of all ma'am, the Cubs are terrible, and if you take the day off to watch them in a bar you might as well go to Wrigley. Second, your regulars are alchies if they are there at 1PM regularly, and Europeans as well as I tip pretty damn well with good service, so suck it!

After that ordeal I wrote a complaint to the manager, got a free lunch and drinks with friends and all was forgiven. With that I digress and give you the substantive end of my review

There are a few constants
-the food is always pretty good, not great, but pretty good. A little on the expensive side for a Loop lunch, but bangers n' mash has never left me unsatisfied

-the beer selection, while uninspired, is pretty decent by Loop standards. You can get something other than Miller Lite and Guinness here, which is saying something downtown

The outdoor patio is pleasant, except for the L tracks which make you HAVE TO YELL TO communicate every now and then. If you can DEAL WITH THIS MINOR ANNOYANCE it really isn't too bad and the service is quick

The best time is when its half-crowded and the waitresses can actually move through the tight spaces in the place. Service is quick and pleasant, and the food hasn't been lying around for 20 minutes waiting to be picked up. Unfortunately, happy hour packs this place to the gills with young professionals talking shop and hitting on co-workers. Not that I haven't done it myself once or twice, but the place needs a bit more breathing room and wouldn't qualify as a 'go-to' after work place. Then again, I still don't have a place like that yet, so I'm open to suggestion.

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Photo of Molly O.

Elite '09

62

198

Molly O.

Chicago, IL

2 star rating
7/3/2009

A few visits to E&C is a few visits too many. This place works because of it's convenience factor - the after work crowd looking for somewhere in the loop to meet for a drink. If there were more options, I am sure this place would not see as much business as it currently does. Both of my visits I have gotten spotty service, even when it's slow.

It's just, well, meh. Boring. Snooze.

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Photo of Katie P.

Elite '09

17

123

Katie P.

Chicago, IL

2 star rating
7/26/2009

I've been the Elephant and Castle a couple times now and if the actual dining experience was as cool as the name, we'd be good to go.  Unfortunately, such is not the case.

E&C appears to be far overpriced for what you actually get.  The menu, while trying to be a British-inspired, also features your friendly quesadilla, spring rolls, and pot stickers plus any other kind of food you can imagine.  This isn't a hard and fast rule, but anytime I see that much variety on a menu, I assume that's not going to end well.  That's always been the case here.  Food is so-so.

Beer and wine list is okay, but again, really expensive for some pretty typical brand names.

And so far, the service hasn't won me over.  Honestly, I go here because it's sometimes convenient but it's not a destination place for me. And, even when it's convenient, it doesn't always call me.

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Photo of Helena B.

Elite '09

248

307

Helena B.

Chicago, IL

2 star rating
5/11/2009

I've been wavering on this one, but the truth is, I *have* experienced better, and right nearby in the Loop.

Elephant & Castle holds itself to be a "British Pub" ostensibly because they serve fish and chips.  Ah, what the Brits must think of us.  

The beer selection was decent (mostly "macro"-type brews) and our bartender was very friendly and attentive, it's just that this place is... nothing special.  There are so many other (arguably better) places for you and your coworkers to go for a drink after work.

To summarize (for you Gaelic speakers in the crowd) Elephant & Castle can Poag Mahone.

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Photo of Sarah B.

Elite '09

138

178

Sarah B.

Chicago, IL

2 star rating
4/29/2009

Not my scene.  At all.  A friend suggested we meet here for dinner before a show at the Chicago Theater.  Not the best choice.  Not her fault but man it was bad.

The place was so packed that we had to yell at each other just to have a conversation.  I guess Guiness or similar was having some promotion/give-away thing so the bar was busier than usual, but man, seriously, it was freaking loud.  I dont know.  Maybe I'm just old.

Our waitress seemed a bit put out.  When we asked for a second menu (she only brought one?) she looked at us like we were crazy and said, "You want another one?"  Um, there were TWO of us.  Weird.

I wasn't feeling too hungry and the menu wasn't grabbing me so I settled on the quesadilla.  I know you cannot expect too much from this dish..I mean its cheese, chicken and a tortilla.  Yeah, it wasn't that good.  The tortilla was stale and the filling was lukewarm and without flavor.  And, to top it off, we paid an extra $1.50 for guacamole (almost a spoonful).  I'm not one to bitch about paying extra for stuff but if I'm paying extra give me a least more than a bite.  Lame.

Our apathetic server, the boring food, the noise..not worth a repeat visit.  This is why I avoid chains.

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Photo of Elleb K.

 

0

23

Elleb K.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
7/29/2009

Been here a couple time after work for drinks.
Nothing special about the place.
I havent tried the food, friend tried a burger and it was decent.

Just come and destress over drinks.

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Photo of Amanda C.

Elite '09

173

485

Amanda C.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
4/17/2009

Another Friday, another lunch.

This week found "just the two of us" who happen to be not picky and indecisive.  Talk about frustrating.  Good news!  One of us decided he wanted fish 'n chips, so we trekked off to this place for a bite.

We had to wait about 5 minutes, but then were seated and served promptly.  Good selection of bar food, although a bit pricey...'tis the loop, I suppose I should be used to it after over three years of working down here.

Of course, my coworker had the fish 'n chips, which looked lovely, and tasted lovely, even after he smeared it with Coleman's.  (Which prompted a discussion: he said English food isn't so good, but they have excellent condiments.  I said the condiments are there cuz the food isn't so good.  So, which came first?  Crappy food or the condiments to cover up the crap?  You decide.  Let me know.)

I had the sonoma chicken wrap with sweet potato fries, which was pretty tasty.  But here's my issue with the wrap: It had all the right ingredients, but they were completely separated.  I had one bite of just chicken, then one bite of jalapenos and black beans.  You gotta mix that up, yo.  In any event, after some carefully choreographed bites, I got the right mix of spicy and chicken-y.

The sweet potato fries were delish.  Perfectly crispy, and not greasy in the least.  But seriously, I paid $13 for a sammie and a few sweet potato fries.  That just seems a little nutso.  But I ate it and enjoyed it thoroughly, so that might mean I'd venture over here again.

Service was adequate and attentive, and our food came freakishly fast, which was good cuz I was hungry.

In sum, a nice spot to stop for lunch, albiet a little pricey for everyday.

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user photo

Elite '09

46

340

Brent W.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
4/14/2009

You know what, I actually am a Fan of the E&C on Wabash;  the respectable pub-like look / feel of the place, the beer selection, and (specifically, food-wise) the buffalo chicken wrap and delectable sweet potato french fries.  

The A-ok is more a victim of my tax-day circumstance that left me w. a somewhat bitter taste in my mouth.  After leaving my tax adviser's office, i was rather focused on money (or, in particular, money that i'm departing with)....to wit: how does a $9.50 buffalo chicken wrap sandwich turn into a $20 lunch ?? Well, let's see:

Buffalo Wrap:       9.50
Pop:                       2.50
sub SP Fries        2.50 (reg "chips" come at no cost)
Tax and Tip           5.53
================
=                             20.03

2.50 for a  pop ?! really? F. F. S. *shakes head*

2.50 *extra* to get sweet potato french fries instead of regular chippies?!  I find it hard to believe E&C is incurring such a marginal difference in their bulk food expense in these two items compared to what they are charging the consumer to justify an extra 2.50.

Please.  

Not even the Chelsea vs. Liverpool game on the telly made up for my foul financial mood (perhaps I should have just bought that Smithwick's on draught  I was contemplating).

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Photo of Shane H.

Elite '09

85

149

Shane H.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
4/15/2009

I went here to meet some friends for lunch and had some curry.  While it wasn't the best that I have had it wasn't bad to appease my craving.  I can tell that in the realm of chain pubs like this, they take a bit more seriousness in their approach.  Some pride.  I was a bit put off at the waiter being snotty when one of my friends didn't understand that fries were called chips.  But we all had a laugh teasing our friend anyway.  

I would go again.  But not right away.

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Photo of Matthew S.

Elite '09

275

133

Matthew S.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
3/15/2009 2 photos

This is a great place to discuss Hitler.

Yes, you read this correctly. Last night, I went to see a screening of Mein Fuhrer at the Siskel Film Center. After the movie, three of us decided to keep the evening alive, and continue to discuss the film, even though there really wasn't much to discuss.

We walked over to the E&C and were greeted by a friendly door man. He informed us the kitchen was done serving - but we were welcome to sit for drinks. He seated us at a table. It was not packed. Mind you, this was 11:45 pm on a Saturday night. Last call is 12am.

Our waitress was a sweet girl, who was obviously tired of dealing with drunken St. Patrick's day revelers. She even told us that "we were the most pleasant table she'd dealt with all night."

I volunteered to vomit to spice things up, but she declined, saying they'd already dealt with that a few times today. But she appreciated the gesture.

How can you not love a bar that embraces bulimia?

The service was fast, and prompt. I like going to a bar where even if the rest of the night has been crazed, they do not carry over baggage from other more demanding customers. It was refreshing. It is this sort of service that earns repeat patronage from me.

We had our drink, and ventured out for one more.

And we decided that Mein Fuhrer was just "meh", and nothing to write home to mother about.

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Photo of Ryan W.

 

5

25

Ryan W.

IL

3 star rating
6/20/2009

Always a nice experience, but this place is NOT about the food - it is all about the ambiance. The menu issolid, though not very exotic.. definitely very Irish/UK.

I only think of it when meeting friends in the loop after work for drinks, because that is exactly the kind of place it is :)

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Photo of Amy S.

Elite '09

12

198

Amy S.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
5/20/2009

I can't say anything bad about this place, but I definitely don't have anything spectacular to say about it either.  The first time I went I split a salad with my mom...it was the Thai Chicken salad.  It was ok, just nothing spectacular.  This time I also had a salad but I tried the pub onion soup and it was good.  Very similar to French Onion soup...which is a favorite of mine.  

The place does have a nice sidewalk patio which is great for after work drinks or before a show at one of the many Broadway in Chicago theaters.

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Photo of Abigail T.

Elite '09

55

217

Abigail T.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
3/19/2009

This location is a lot like the Adams location.  We came on a weekday at about 6 pm.  The bar was packed, but it had really died down by 7:30.

Our waitress, Michelle, was very attentive.  She gave her honest opinion for entree options.  I always value a dead-honest opinion!   I've always seen my friends happy with getting the Fish N Chips.  My other friend ordered the Roast Beef Stuffed Yorkshire.  I got the Steak and Ale pot pie.  It came with fresh green beans (as opposed to the limp ones from the can) and some tasty red skin mashed potatoes.  Everyone seemed pleased with their food.

The service was quick and friendly...just how I like it.

I appreciate the wide selection of import beers (we got Smithwicks/Smiddicks and Hoegaarden) as well as the seemingly authentic pub menu selections.

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Photo of Nick M.

Elite '09

305

369

Nick M.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
12/17/2008 1 photo

Really deserves a 3.5 but that's because I really just dig their name!!

I liked it even though it's a chain (20 locations across Canada and the U.S.). Look past the trendy locals and confused/amazed tourists and you have a nice bar. A little packed for me at especially at 5:30 but we really only waited for 10 minutes. The host was extremely nice too bad our waitress wasn't as cheerful. She was busy I get it and her other tables were a lot larger of a group but she still could have been a little nicer.

Like the other reviewers say "Not the most authentic", but they did have some of the British classics on the menu. Not to mention the decor of the place. The veggie platter, pretzels, and chicken skewers with peanut sauce were good; but note to self do not order the veggieburger ever again, it simply tastes like mass produced frozen burgers. It was bad and I wasn't impressed with their sweet potato fries at all.

If I was around there I would stop in but I wouldn't make a special trip if I were you.

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Photo of Sarah B.

 

11

28

Sarah B.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
5/19/2009

This place is decent.  The food is pretty tasty (I had a chicken pot pie and my bf had the fish and chips).  Our our server was super friendly and attentive, even though the place was buzzing with the 'happy-hour' crowd.

I don't think I'd go out of my way to eat here, but it held us over while waiting to see "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me" at the Chase Auditorium.

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Photo of Becky K.

 

2

22

Becky K.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
6/24/2009

Elephant & Castle is right across the street from where I go to school. I have been there on a number of occasions and each time that I have been mostly satisfied with both my food and beverages. Their fish and chips are very good along with their loaded beef dip. They have a good selection of beer. One thing that I did not particularly care for were their salads. It's obvious they use premixed bags of lettuce and other vegetables. I don't think their salads are worth what they charge but that is pretty much my only complaint. Staff has always been friendly and this place is always full so they must be doing something right!

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Photo of Lisa C.

Elite '09

24

62

Lisa C.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
7/1/2009

Self advertised as a gastro-pub.  Food is ok, not that UK.  Beer list rather limited.  If you want a touristy time in Chicago, pretending you are in an English Pub, E&C is not bad. The menu isn't terrible but is more Chili's/Benigan's with a few pub items thrown in.  Definitely geared towards tourists rather than seriuos pub fans.  The appetizer list is mediocre, including such items as potato skins, brushetta, pub pretzels.  You can also get some fried items like fried cod and fried chicken fingers.  This is most definitely an after work, happy hour type of bar.  It will suit the purpose of some beers after work in a cool atmosphere but isn't an all night type of place.

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Photo of chad n.

Elite '09

35

191

chad n.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
3/4/2009

Good beer, decent food, nice pub feel.

Has a good selection of beer for those who want something better than a budweiser, has decent pub food and apps like chips and cheese dip, big pretzels, lamb curry, salads, burgers and fries, fish and chips.  

One of the few spots in the area to grab food after 8.

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Photo of Carol K.

Elite '09

369

973

Carol K.

Chicago, IL

2 star rating
9/26/2008

You would have thought they were giving free beer away with how packed this place was on a Wednesday night.  But they weren't.  In fact- it was difficult to get a beer that I was paying for!

The first issue we had was that we wanted to sit at a table.  The host took our name but we were never called, even though he said the wait would only be 15 minutes or so.  Hmm . . .very odd.

So we grabbed a table in the bar- bussed it ourselves and flagged down a server to get us some food as I had limited time as I wanted to make a show at the nearby Chicago Theater.

The food came up very quickly- almost too quickly (was it someone else's food?) but we couldn't eat it as we had no flatware.  We asked our server and he said they ran out of flatware but would bring us some napkins.  Nice gesture but hard to eat fish and chips with a napkin!  Finally- the flatware arrived but by this time the food was not hot.

Solid list of beers on tap and the menu has a range of English food stuffs like Shepard's pie, Fish and chips, and Steak and Ale pie. The bartender alone got this place an extra star cuz in all that craziness- he was quick with a quip and always had a beer suggestion.

If you don't mind self service, cold food and no flatware- then the Elephant and Castle should be right up your alley.  As for me?  I'll go down the street to the Emerald Loop and actually have someone wait on me. The beer tastes better to me that way!

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Photo of Jenn D.

 

4

18

Jenn D.

Chicago, IL

5 star rating
3/11/2009

I know I know, I'm usually a bit too generous with the stars, but this location gets some kudos for the service. I'll explain in a moment.

We randomly picked this place because we were wandering around das Loop in the rain and we needed food and a dry environment. Even though it was busy, we were seated right away, and the host was nice.

The food was good! Comforting chain food. Two out of three of us had burgers, I had the fish and chips, and the lame one with us had a turkey sandwich (where's the sense of adventure in a turkey sandwich?). We're the kind of people to sample each other's food, and it was all good. Here's a heavy suggestion: ORDER THE SWEET POTATO FRIES. THEY ARE THE WIN.

But that only qualifies this location for four stars. The FIFTH star goes for our waitress. I'm kicking myself now for forgetting her name, but she was very nice, very patient (my group suddenly got really demanding), and quick. She's blonde and spunky, if that helps.

Oh, and btw. Their Guinness is beautiful. I've had crappy Guinness on tap for so long that I didn't remember why I loved it so much.

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Photo of Michelle C.

Elite '09

26

370

Michelle C.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
1/10/2009

We came to Elephant & Castle for happy hour on a Friday. A couple people went early to grab a table for our group, which ended up being a good move. The place attracts a decent after work crowd; however, it thins out by around 7. Good selection of beer here, with average prices. We tried a few appetizers, which were okay, but not great. The nachos featured too many chips and not enough topping. For $13.50, I expect a heaping amount of toppings. The guac had a LOT of lime in it. I like lime and all, but it should not be the only flavor I taste. Pretzels were nice and warm and come with a grain mustard - this was my favorite out of the ones we tried. The potato skins, which come with bacon and cheese, were nothing special. There were only like 4 skins, so we had to cut them in half so everyone at our table could get one.

Our server was pretty nice and was quick to come by every time someone new showed up to our table. There were a couple of times when he was nowhere to be found when we needed him, but I can understand that happens when it's busy.

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Photo of Shradha A.

Elite '09

79

458

Shradha A.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
11/2/2008

Wow I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place until today - I worked across the street from it for 6 months!!

Now that our office has moved, I went back here for dinner last week for the lack of other options, and was reminded once again how much I enjoy this place!

It's highly vegetarian-friendly for being a British pub, with amazzzzzzing Veggie burger, really good appetizers like Bruschetta, Potato Croquettes and Spring Rolls.

Just a quick warning - most of their soups have Chicken broth and their "Indian vegetables" have Chicken broth too. But most of their servers actually know what's vegetarian and what's not - not like the other restaurants where they don't know what being vegetarian means.

I also really miss their Strawberry Salad they had this summer and it's not coming back.

The one star it lost is 0.5 for service, which is a hit or miss, and the other 0.5 for desserts - they suck!

But just a quick note - I don't drink and this review is really for the restaurant, not so much the pub!

(Veggie Burger Type from Soy, Vegetables, Seitan, BlackBean = Soy)

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Photo of Lindsay R.

Elite '09

7

41

Lindsay R.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
6/7/2009

A good place for after work drinks. Its does have outdoor seating but fairly loud since it is located under the "el". The revolving door spits you right into a usually crowded hostess area. I wouldn't go here for a "great" dinner but if your looking for a "safe" meal its good. I prefer Emerald Grill a block away for dining and Elephant & Castle for drinks only.

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Photo of Kristen F.

Elite '09

49

222

Kristen F.

Brighton, MA

2 star rating
5/19/2009

I was caught in the rain while walking around DT Chicago and frantically looked for a place to keep dry, and get a decent draft beer. This place delivered on both.
However, I was alone... and this place did not make me feel good about that. I was traveling with my sister and waiting for her to get out of an interview, so I thought... no biggie to stop into a pub, have a beer, read a book, watch sports. I thought wrong. I felt like I was pretty much invisible. I flagged down the bartender to get a beer and he didn't seem willing to serve me, though he did.
When my sister showed up about 40 minutes later the bartender warmed up to us. I guess he either was afraid of just me, or felt bad since I was all by my lonesome. When it was two of us, his attitude sure did change.
We ordered some spinach and artichoke dip which was okay, except the top was coated with cheese that was like rubber, I had to take the layer off to be able to get to the dip.
Anyway, pubs like these are a dime a dozen (I should know, being from Boston) and this one did not deliver on Chicago's "We're glad you're here" motto.

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Photo of Laura K.

Elite '09

9

57

Laura K.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
12/11/2008

The lunch scene is pretty good - decent food, but nothing to write home about

Not sure how the after-work or weekend scene is, but if you are in the area and are looking for a place with a hearty lunch and a good beer this is a good spot.

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Photo of Michael H.

 

2

68

Michael H.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
6/19/2009

Usually chain pubs are a bit vanilla.  Acceptable but nothing special.  On a rare occasion, a chain will defy that definition.  I think Elephant & Castle is such a chain.  It is always lively right after work no matter what day it is.  They've got the usual assortment of British lagers, ales and stouts and quite a good menu.  Once again, it is nothing unusual...fish & chips, etc.  Not groundbreaking but classy, solid & happening.

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Photo of Brian W.

 

2

52

Brian W.

Chicago, IL

5 star rating
12/26/2008

I was a little bummed to learn that this was a nationwide chain, but I'll get over it.  Five stars seems a little dramatic, admittedly, but I have always been pleased with my visits.

Passing through the Loop on my way home from work, I have often met friends here for dinner -- maybe ten times in the last couple years?  I've only had to wait for a table twice, and on both occasions we were seated in less than 10 minutes.

I've had standard fish-n-chips, a burger with a Guinness sauce, French onion soup, steak-n-chips (with molassesy baked beans), steak & ale pie, and Guinness meatloaf.  It's all been delicious, really.  When I'm hungry for "pub grub" and want to be in a place that is both boisterous and intimate, I come to E & C.  I know it's not fine dining or anything -- I guess it's just comfort food for me.

Also:  I typically visit the Wabash location, but I've also been to the one on Adams.  When I was in grad school, my program had happy hours there, and they did a great job of patiently accommodating a large group of people coming and going.  Props for that.

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Elite '09

24

298

Esther Y.

Chicago, IL

1 star rating
11/20/2008

Barwise, fine (if you like the faux English pub thing.)
Foodwise, blech.

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Photo of Keira S.

 

46

75

Keira S.

Chicago, IL

2 star rating
4/27/2008

To truly get an idea of the habits and lifestyle of the species Normical dudeius, one would do best to observe this strange and frightening creature in its natural habitat. My esteemed colleague and I entered the unrelentingly harsh climate of the Elephant and Castle. We were greeted by the deafening sounds of the screeches of the females--a truly horrifying, piercing sound that chilled us to our very cores. On the walls of the habitat hung television sets all turned to some sort of sports game, which added to the chaotic feel of this jungle.

We were seated at a table and our guide took quite a while to take our orders. This added to our slowly mounting feeling of unease. But lo! What is that sitting at the table next, whooping and jumping and hollering? It was a pack of Norms! Scientific jackpot!

Silently, so as not to disturb them, we watched. What we saw was behavior so mystifying that it pains me to put it into words. The group of them--six or seven in number, I believe--had large pitchers of an amber, urine-like substance they kept pouring into crude, tall containers and imbibing. With every sip, the Norms' behavior grew more and more riotous. We noted that they seemed to be partaking in the ritual known as "happy hour", and quite a few of them donned strange, silky patterned nooses around their necks that they had loosened, giving them a disheveled look.

Their vocalizations were frequent and booming, but consistent. The most oft-uttered cry was "Yeah, baby!!!!", which was often punctuated by one Norm holding out a hand, palm out, which another would then hit with his palm with a mighty smack. This seemed to signify some sort of satisfaction.

We observed another Norm use the phrase "Yeah, I used to wear Kenneth Cole all the time, but now . . . " My colleague and I made sure to make note of this phrase, for we knew not what it meant, but it was chilling. Ominous.

Our food arrived and while my partner said that the dip sandwich and French fries were very satisfactory, my curry (which, honestly, I'm not sure why I ordered) didn't taste any different than a Tasty Bite from Trader Joe's.

After another exceptionally long wait for our guide to return with the check, we stumbled out of the blaring Norm's habitat, convinced that we had enough information about this beast. We promised each other never to observe at this spot again.

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Elite '09

76

194

Elisabeth N.

Chicago, IL

1 star rating
6/22/2008

While the food isn't horrible, and the ambiance isn't unappealing- it's definitely not an authentic British pub. If you are British, don't bother eating here.

If your fish and chips comes with coleslaw instead of peas or baked beans (in tomato sauce), or (gasp!) tartar sauce, then I'm sad to say, it's not authentic. Which it wasn't. It didn't taste horrible, it just tasted like what an American who'd never been to England thinks fish and chips taste like. The batter wasn't right and the chips were not the right consistency, even when drenched in copious amounts of malt vinegar.

They offer Yorkshire pudding (which warms this Yorkshire lass' heart), but I can't bring myself to eat at a 'British' 'pub' with no mushy peas. If you're English, give this place a miss. It'll just make you long for home that much more.

Ps. It is interesting to note that this place is named after an area in London that is actually quite sketchy, which I find rather amusing.

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Elite '09

52

224

Nicole J.

IL

2 star rating
5/7/2008

The Plymouth rooftop is closed until May 21 so I went here on my birthday after work.

Psh.  The waiter came up to our table and was like, "What do you guys want?"  And I was like, "It's my birthday!  I'm 25!"  And he's like, "Me too.  I'm not even kidding."  But he was so weird about it.  Plus, it took a million years to get our watery drinks and stinky food.  What kind of "starter" is THREE pieces of chicken on a stick with a splash of peanut sauce?  I said it was my birthday.  And then he's like, "Do you want a free brownie?"  No.  I've already eaten a ton of cookies today.  Throw me a free drink or an extra chicken on a stick, wouldja?

This place pretty much sucks and always smells like feet.  I know it's malt vinegar but it smells like feet.

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Elite '09

120

319

Sarah L.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
4/24/2008

Went here today for lunch with a couple of co-worker pals. We all ordered burgers and we all liked them. It was a basic cheeseburger so it wasn't too complicated.

The food was served hot and fast so that was a bonus. We were in and out less than an hour. I will probably go back for happy hour after a long work week!

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Photo of Stacey A.

Elite '09

216

298

Stacey A.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
3/4/2008

Blahblahblah British pub chain downtown.
Blahblah pot pie.
Blahblah Newcastle.
Blahblahblah.

Actually, this place isn't bad at all, especially if you're meeting for lunch - the service is exceptionally quick. But for happy hour? Blah.

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Elite '09

24

60

Will V.

Chicago, IL

2 star rating
4/13/2009

Meh. I don't care for the beer selection, the food is mediocre, and the bar is often inexplicably packed, and sometimes it's hard to get the attention of a waiter or bartender. I can think of a lot of other places I'd rather go for a drink, but for the loop, I suppose it's OK.

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