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Homemade Shepherd's Pie with angus beef, peas, carrots, savory gravy topped with mashed potatoes. All Day! Neighborhood Pub, Full Bar.
Announced 31 hours agoMon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
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Alright. I've been meaning to do a review of this place for a long time. Even wrote down some notes last time I was there.
This is a pretty cool place. I first became aware of it before it opened, because I had a business acquaintance nearby. Since I first started coming to the area, it has improved so much.
The place has really high ceilings to make you feel small, painting of old expired English nobility (Henry VIII, I am), and an industrial feel appropriate of an English mill town (yeah, been there). It has kinda a fun house feel. I like their happy hour, though the beer and the appetizer selections are limited. What it really nice is that the sound levels are down to a point where you can actually communicate with the people you are with. Not like going to the yard house or another place where you have to get within 2 inches of your date to hear her.
The wait staff has always been good and attentive. I've been here for lunch too and they have some interesting selections. Like the Ploughman's Lunch. Can't really describe, so you should check out the menu. Parking is difficult in the area, but I have never had a problem. Usually find parking on Mateo. Avoid trying to park on Industrial.
One last thing. The last time I was there, the water didn't suck. Usually does...
Black and Tan anybody?
I was here for a birthday last night. How the birthday boy picked this venue for his celebration, I am not too sure? The location of this English bar is quite obscure ( though I am not too hip) tucked away in downtown LA where nothing upscale comes to mind and instead a bunch of destitute individuals take up refuge on the streets.
Politics and ignorance aside Claytons had a really nice and inviting setup. The bar featured a nice pool table that was ripe for friendly wagers between other groups and ours for buying drinks and other random privileges throughout the night.
As far as the drinks were concerned (nothing special), average selection of beer and an expected bunch of hard alcohols available to the drinking crowd. I had one interesting drink "the river Thames" which consisted of lychee juice and Belvedere vodka. My bartender--the lady wearing a cap and a little bit older-- was an absolute sweetheart (she was talkative and friendly) putting up with some stupid blathering from me and others. She was cognizant of my vanity and put my drink into a rocks glass.
I had a good time here. My main complaint was that there was not enough people to make this a happening shindig. What I liked most though was the low volume of the music, so that I could talk with people without really vexing my vocal chords.
The other night, while taking a full moon stroll through the moors of downtown Los Angeles, I decided to seek refuge from the rain and werewolves by ducking into Royal Clayton's for a happy hour pint and boy am I glad I did.
From it's decent offering of English/Irish brews on tap, to it's strangely appealing ye oldey dead royals portraiture decor, Royal Clayton's doesn't disappoint. After absorbing the British atmosphere and a couple of Bass Ales, I decided to order from the menu which has a range of everything from Bangers n Mash to Breakfast Burritos (for the "tourists" in the establishment). I went with the Fish n Chips while my friend had the Ribs n Mash. Both dishes were sufficiently greasy and filling in the best possible way (if a little pricey)...and perhaps more importantly, laid down the perfect foundation for the additional pints we poured on top of them in between games of pool.
In summary, with it's great atmosphere, friendly service, and exceptional beer selection, Royal Clayton's provides the perfect English getaway where you'd least expect it.
Located in the industrial downtown LA area,the walls have paintings of Royalty hang high on the ceilings and the themej of course is Royal English century decor, My friends and I had fun tonight at the pub with the DJ playing 60's soul and brit pop. The staff was extremely fun, friendly and the food was great for pub night. The prices were moderate but tasty. Theres a pay parking lot across the street and street parking.
Leffe Dark on tap + free pool table = 4 stars
After a particularly fruitful jam session (hmmm, that one just kinda came to fruition naturally, no pun intended yo!), my bandmate and i decided to roll out for a self-congratulatory pint or three of HH goodness at the R.C.
for some inexplicable reason, my bandmate became discombobulated while driving and decided in mid-stream that we should go to the Blue Dahlia instead for their HH. I was like,
'ummm, yea, i guess so if you wanna. whatevs. jus' do it quickly, cuz it's almost 7 and we're already razor thin on dilly-dally time to make the cut.'
so there he goes and pulls up...to....HUH?
Wha? WTF? Blue Dahlia is not on 1st St!
Dood that's the effin' Bordello, yo!
And. ummm. yea. they're CLOSED.
What the hell have you been smoking?
Aye. so Space Cadet (actually he's a Rocket Scientist--no bullshit!--)
peels out and makes a beeline for the TRUE Blue Dahlia, and as we sit at the traffic light with the pedestrian crosswalk counting down (please join in with me, remembering the chime for the blind chiming in the background):
'10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.'
'BLAAAAAH!' (that's me, making a buzzer sound like the one on Family Feud when you get three strikes).
'Ok, man, it's 7pm. You've officially Killed Happy Hour!!'
So he drives by the Dahlia and of course it's primarily a wine bar. It finally registers with him and he continues his herky jerky driving (sober all the while, just to clarify) right on by, careens onto Mateo and punches it down to 7th and Industrial and our little sliver of Wanna Be Lower Manhattan BioSphere-esque Social Experiement that is the Biscuit Loft Zone.
On one side of the street you've got leering pub smokers from the Royal C facing the yuppie, on a date, ritsy-titsy al fresco set. Both sides staring each other down with contempt (or so i perceive it in my dramatic little world)....
Luckily, I am one of those who can chameleonize myself and feel (almost) as equally comfortable in each bio-sphere environment. :O}
Anywhoozers, I digress...HEAVILY.
So, it's 7:07 when we walk in, and of course, the 'Computer' has turned off the HH spigot precisely at 7. So we are told by the waitron, with a fatalist 'look, we can't challenge the machines' nonchalance.
I glare at my bandmate-turned-session-break-drinking-buddy.
He compensates and placates by plunking down some plastic and ordering rounds.
'Yea, it's my fault.'
Sitting at the bar, it's a pleasant chill down from my Mr. Toad's Wild Ride of a few minutes earlier.
FOOD AND DRINKS!!!! FINALLY!
The Leffe Blond (Belgian) hits the spot, and goes REALLY well with their most excellent Mac and Cheese.
In fact, this is one of the only Mac and Cheeses i've had that still pleases the palate without some seminal components, such as the (up until now) ESSENTIAL cheese and breadcrumb Crust that must accompany the molten goodness magma-ing up from below.
this one's just molten magma, but a tasty, lightly spiced cheesy one it is!
i tried it without the fresh ground black pepper first (they give you a grinder for self-service), and it can stand on its own, and i like the addition of red and green bell peppers mixed on up in that magma mess.
the ground pepper does make it even better, i must say.
Meantime, while the Burger is no Hellman Burger (Pete's is the Downtown Burger Crown King, yo!), it was still pretty tender and Hella tasty (yes, i said, 'Hella!'), with Swiss, fresh tomatoes, non-wilty lettuce, pickles, and some pungent red onions that left no mistake on my breath. It being a Turkey Burger (you can choose Turkey, Beef, or Veggie), sure it's hard to compare Semi-Flightless Birds to Cows, but i'm sure the Beef one still wouldn't stand up to a Hellman.
Heeeellll No!
And the large steak fries were boss.
A fitting session break.
Now back to work.
Er. um
I mean.
PLAY!
DONE.
there's something percolating on the erstwhile moribund corner of Industrial and Mateo.
amid the…
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Very Impressed.
My last name is Flanigan (Black Irish lol) great food, and a great atmosphere - I was really surprised to see such a good scene and young people, I am not sure how they found it...
The food was terrific and the staff was great.
Royal Clayton's has become one of my favorite breakfast / lunch places in the city. I will drive anywhere for a good feed but I'm lucky because RC just happens to be right next door. The food is awesome and well priced so I eat there almost everyday. Plus the staff is hot ! ... cheers.
This is a great bar to go to if you ever find yourself in the industrial area of the city. Yeah it is a bit small and dark inside but I love it. The drinks and cocktails are decently priced and the food is decent to munch on. I wouldn't make a full meal out of it but while having a few drinks it's fine.
When I do come here I feel a bit guilty like I'm crashing a locals party but hopefully more people will come to the area so that other businesses and bars will move in. It would be great to have another developing district downtown.
I love Royal Clayton's for its convenience. There is nothing over around 7th till you go all the way down Alameda. Its perfect casual lunch or dinner place. The prices are a little high though. I have to say the portions are pretty big. I had the hummus & pita appetizer with the house salad. It was delicious. My cousin had fish & chips which she very much enjoyed. We both ended up with serious left overs. The wait for the food is kinda long but the staff is ultra friendly so you kinda forget about that part. One time I stopped in there & the bartender kept making me margaritas and I got very comfortable and sleepy. It was tasty. They have a pool table and its not crowded at all during lunch or early dinner. In fact I've never seen it crowded but I have also never been there on the weekends.
English Pub with an American twist...
*~**~*
WOW!
a total shocker...been 2x already and it was pretty neat!
a place where you feel like you're right in NEW YORK but in LOS ANGELES.
coming from the west side, this place is in the GHETTT~~~~TOOOO but well worth it! area is pretty sketchy, but give it a few, and i'm sure this will be THEE spot.
overall, it hits the spot for food, booze, crowd and not to mention, service!
try to come in for a Monday night. they have these fun lil games where you can get free stuff! they even have something called monday night curry club from 7-11pm. haven't tried, so can't comment on that....
2 happy hours... one in the late 'noon from 4-7pm, where they have more stoof to nibble on ranging from $6-10 (pizza, calamari, hot wings, fries and onion rings), cocktails, and another from 10-12am where most drafts are $3, and only chips and salsa for the late night snackers, which sucks because my tummy growls for food both times... booo!
there is NO OTHER PLACE to seriously enjoy watching a LAKERS game other than royal claytons! THIS is how you should watch the game!!!
$5parking lot across or around the area.. the bartender told me that there are hidden cameras all over, so the area is well protected..
This is one of my favorite places to eat in LA, it's extra convenient that it's in my building.
I always order the caesar salad - it's fantastic (and I know caesar salads!), for mains mac & cheese, shepherd's pie, bangers & mash are all amazing. If you're really hungry fish and chips is a good choice it tastes really good but the fish has more breading than you can possibly believe.
The calamari is so-so and despite the food in the restaurant being great it's never very good as take out, I really have no idea why.
The neighborhood is industrial downtown LA, so don't expect white picket fence houses on your approach, but once you get there it's totally fine. There's an attended parking lot for $5, or grab a street spot (although if there isn't on in the immediate area I'd suggest springing for pay parking). The area is buzzing most nights, it's an awesome area if you don't know it.
I'm listening to KCRW and it's their semi-annual fundraiser. They're apparently trying to pawn a gift certificate to Royal Claytons off on some poor unsuspecting soul. Don't get me wrong this place is good for a British pub but does anyone really want to go to a British Pub for food? Bangers and mash? Shepard's Pie? Pretty good food if you're really hungry but don't expect too much its still just mash potatoes and meat. I ate here on a Monday so I was able to enjoy some trivia action so that helped distract from the average tasting food.
The venue itself is pretty nice and very welcoming. The service was attentive and friendly but that's a lot more then I can say about the area this place is located in. Aside from the block this pub is located on the rest of the area is pretty shady and most people wouldn't feel too safe. Check it out on a Monday for trivia but if you want food go to Church and State across the street...beware though it's closed on Mondays hence trivia night at Royal Clayton's.
Whoah, this place is pricey. There's nothing more British than fish tacos! :D
My other half and I wandered around downtown Los Angeles and its surrounding areas Saturday night, not quite sure what to do. It was "Let's go get a drink..." "okay....""Hop Louie?" "...nah..." "Cosmos?"..."i don't have any cash...." "What about that 'pub' we drove by?" "it looks like something that is in New York already that the owner HAD to recreate over here...""oh come ON...""ohhhkaaay."
The area was not that shady for 11 o'clock at night. There were tons of well heeled bridge and tunnel people walking around. BMW's aplenty.
We found street parking promptly. Our waiter came around a few times, but I think he got disappointed because we only ordered booze. I got the willies at the prices of the food, so we just stuck with beers. Place was hip and done up with every body's favorite sinister fat bastard King Henry VIII. I didn't feel like sitting at the bar, so we went for the restaurant section. Sometimes my other half George suddenly gets hungry, so I like to be prepared. Cookies and milk for EIGHT DOLLARS? I had ciders and he had a couple of the Black and Blue (Guinness and Blue Moon.) The total with tip ended up being $33.00 for four drinks. Yikes?
Sit by the window to enjoy the view of the kitchen at Church and State. Nothing better than watching the chefs have their celebratory end of the night drink.
I must first admit my obsession with Mateo St. and Industrial St. This whole strip is so cute. You forget that you are in LA, because you find yourself in an industrial warehouse corner. Away from the heavy traffic of the city, you find Royal Claytons. The Lofts above RC are said to be heavenly and the rooftop deck is also supposed to be heavenly. Well I'm a bit jealous. If anyone lives amongst these lofts, maybe we should befriend each other??
So Royal... I am a huge fan of the chips and salsa. So fresh and crisp.
Amazing selection of Beers: England/ French / Belgium / Italy
I really like coming here with a friend and enjoying a beer and snacks over a nice chat.
There is a pool table, bar counter with stools, flat screens, great interior design, and cute candle light high tables by the window.
I adore this place. Without a doubt check it out
I always order the caesar salad! ALWAYS! I am a huge Caesar salad fan and I am pretty picky about the dressing. THIS PLACE MAKE THEIRS HOMEMADE and I am very tempted to run into the back and bottle up some for myself. Also, they make very yummy martini's. And who can beat there awesome happy hour prices. I would recommend this place to anyone in the area.
I love the neighborhood that Royal Clayton's is in. It's actually very industrial and there's not much around except for another restaurant (Church and State-yum!), lofts, and a convenience store. It feels New York-y, like a street in Tribeca.
Royal Clayton's is interesting inside and out. You walk in through some royal heavy wooden doors, and the huge stained glass windows are gorgeous. There's a pool table and some flat screen TVs on one side, the bar in the back, and the dining room on the other side. It's a cozy place-I'd estimate that it probably seats about 50 people.
I like that they have Tetleys, a yummy english ale. They also have wine and cocktails, but I've never had any of their's.
The menu features several english items, like fish and chips, bangers and mash, and shepherd's pie, but for the most part it's american bar food-wings, calamari, breakfast served all day, burgers, sandwiches, salads, pizzas. So while the menu is expansive, it doesn't feature as many pub menu items as you might think.
The wings are quite good, which I didn't expect. Their subtly spiced and cooked/fried perfectly. The blue cheese (Stilton) dipping sauce they're served with is nice too. The calamari is decent.
The fish and chips were great on one visit, and a little soggy on the next. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that the time they were soggy was probably a rare occurrence. Either way, it's delicious. The tartar sauce is delicious too.
The "Gloucestershire", a BBQ pork sandwich, was good. The pork was a bit dry/overcooked and there seemed to be more onion relish (delicious as it was) than pork, but it was still good. The bread it was served in was fresh and delicious, perfectly buttery and toasted.
The "Moby Dick" fish tacos were basically battered fish on tortillas, with salsa and sour cream. Nothing really exciting. The Baja Shrimp Wrap was good. I love anything with shrimp and avocado, so it was a natural winner.
Every time we go the service is great. The servers are quick, efficient, friendly but not meddling. Racquel was our server today and she was wonderful. I don't remember the servers the other times I've been, but they've all been great.
So...three stars because the design, location and service are all great, but the food is just OK.
Went here on a Monday night and they were having a Trivial Pursuit championship of some sort.
I had the burger ($14) and was very pleased with it, although it was a bit pricey for a pub.
Great beer and wine list, free pool and a really cool crowd.
Will be back for drinks for sure!
Approaching this location was pretty sketchy because of it's surroundings. But once you get to the street, it's like a mini-New York. Lofts, bars, and restaurants will grace your presence.
This is a British bar which has a pool table oddly placed, flat screen tvs, and a separation for the restaurant side. The bar is big and all the staff is VERY friendly. I was pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere and the good food. Drinks were insanely cheap. At the end, the kitchen also sent over a free cheese pizza to our table which was like a slice of heaven.
A definite good place to hang with friends!
Yelp needs to make it so we can give negative stars. :P
Roomie and I came for a friend's B-day dinner. The place looked promising enough... cool vibe, interesting people. We all finally got seated when everyone was there and that's when the problems started!
Some of us waited for a friggin' year before we got our drinks. Granted, it was busy, but c'mon!! We were also starving so we ordered buffalo wings. We waited and waited and waited and watched one of my friends be a windmill as she flailed her arms and begged for her drink.
I can't rate the food because we never did taste the wings - they got delivered to the peeps in the other table. They seemed to enjoy it as they devoured it before anyone realized the mistake. We mentioned it to the jerky waiter. He mumbled a 'oops, sorry' and I haven't wanted to punch an English dude so much in my life (I was hungry!! :P)
In short, service bites. Never again!!!!!!!
Every time I've been here, I've regretted it. Horrible -- I mean, HORRIBLE service. Whatever good things I've experienced I can't remember.
I'm not kidding, one day they asked us to leave by taking our food away from our table -- telling us they need the tables. When we told them that we weren't done w/our food, they got boxes and threw our food in the boxes, literally -- threw the food into a box and said, "you need to go."
We later found out that they had confused our party w/another party, but they didn't even tell us that -- they just told us we had to move, took our food away and handed us a bill. They didn't even apologize.
Royal Clayton's has always been good for drinks, but a year ago, it wasn't so good for food. They really have turned it around! The menu is large and varied - everything from bangers and mash to ahi tuna wrap. If you've had a less-than-appealing experience in the past here, I strongly urge you to come back.
Let's start with the most important - RC's has the BEST fish and chips. The cod is beer battered, crisp and flaky. You can even get the cod in fish tacos, which is sinfully delicious. I recommend getting the fish with a caesar salad instead of fries. It's almost healthy.
They have several vegan soups. That's right. An english pub with vegan tortilla soup. The baja shrimp wrap is delicious. The calamari is yummy. Grains and Grills is a personal fave (I add tofu).
And, lastly, they have a great selection of beers on tap including Tetley's, which tastes exactly the way an English draught should.
ok!
returned on Aug. 1st 2009 at about 8pm
Just finished dinnner at the awesome church and state and we decided to go accross and have a few drinks....
well, the dinning sections was reserved for a party and only the bar and the rest of the bar was available for customers. But the rest is like 4 tables... woohoo!!
All of a sudden alot of people showed up to the party and they only had 2 people attending the bar and customers.
Thats it!! a million people and 2 people attending, ONLY!!!
WTF!
we ordered a round to start and we played pool. I wanted a second beer and tried to order them.. THEN I GOT UPSET...!!
Ok! i understand they were busy..
but dont take the order and not bring anything.
i waved the bartender/waitress down a few times and SHE SAW ME and pretended that she didnt.
I had to stop the waitress/bar tender and ask for the beer again.
and nothing.
I almost walked out without paying.
paid the tab which took another hour to get until i told her that if i didnt get it now I was leaving....
this place is ok, not all that!!
fuck this place when its busy......
gl3
Hello govna!
Nice cool bar, again in the ghetto of Los Angeles..
Well kinda, it's around Mateo and 7th…
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I'm devestated! They changed the recipe of my favorite item on the menu: the Chicken and Dumplings. I haven't been to Royal Clayton's since the last time I reviewed it. As I took the first bite of it, I knew something was different. It tasted lighter and had more broth to it, rather than the cream, butter, and buttermilk version that I taken a liking to. I brought this up with the waitress who offered to replace my entree. Depressed, I said no.
It is probably healthier now, but I really liked that cream and butter version better because it was the most decadent and luxurious thing had ever eaten.
I hope they didn't change the recipe to the Mac & Cheese or else I will deduct 2 stars because that dish is perfect as it is.
Stumbled in here after a raging night at my friends upstairs. Not hungover, but feeling tired and… Read more »
Great spot to chill before an art show. Good vibe when you walk in and pretty decent modern british and american classics. Wish they had more space because this place can get packed fast during the after work hours.
Nice beer selection and happy hour prices.
Many thanks to our waitress for letting us still order even though we got there right after last calls for food orders! It was a godsend at midnight after my friends and I'd been at an art show around the corner. Not everything on the menu was available, but appetizers suited us just fine--we got the hummus/pita plate, chicken wings, and the "Tower of London," which was a stack of onion rings on a bed of fries. The hummus was good, and the pita was nice and piping hot when it came to us. The chicken wings were a bit on the salty side for me, but not bad at all. I really liked their onion rings that came on the Tower of London; I think the batter may have contained horseradish or something, it had a nice spicy kick that didn't linger. Kind of overly greasy, but still good. The fries were very meh--probably been sitting around, as they weren't very hot or fresh-tasting, but we let it slide.
So the food alone would probably only warrant 3 stars, but I had to bump them up a notch for the exceedingly friendly and professional service (even the bouncer dude), and the cool decor. I remember when this place used to be some kind of a sandwich/salad place, and I think this is an improvement--especially since they're open so much later! The place was about half empty, so it was a nice and mellow atmosphere. We had a nice relaxing time here; I recommend it!
Last night I wanted to try something new.
I was like I am getting out of work early, why not go have a drink and get the weekend started. So I looked through some local bars in Koreatown but there wasn't anything that just stood out. But then I looked in the slums of Los Angeles and this is when I found Royal Claytons (RC).
First of all, when you are driving on your way to RC you can't and feel like "Am I going the right way". Now for those that know where the Greyhound station is in downtown los angeles, that is where it's located. So you can understand why I thought I was lost....but yet as soon as I made two turns on Mateo and 7th street it all changed.
As soon as you walk in it's very dim and covered with paintings from old British people. The first impression after seeing the paintings, I felt like I was back in the haunted house in Disneyland.
They have a good happy hour where they have draft beer for $2 to $3 dollars on most beers. They even have a metal stein where you can drink from. It roughly is the equivalence of 2 1/2 beers that is what the bartender told me. Had I know, I would have gotten one for myself, but I was already 4 beers in my system.
After a few drinks I wanted to play pool and I was worried I had to get change for a dollar...and I hardly ever carry cash. But then I saw a couple just start playing for FREE!!! I am a huge fan of FREE, so that made this place very awesome.
The Bartenders and management were very nice when I went yesterday and trust me I can't wait to go again and have myself a STEIN.
I started going to Royal Claytons when they first opened, literally their first week. We ate there a couple times, had one great meal and one shabby meal, and partially because they were open before the neighborhood was developed it was always slow. Despite the cool vibe, we likes some peeps, so we stopped going.
We visited again last night and had a great time. Drinks were not too expensive, al the natives were incredibly friendly, i love the big tvs, and the pool table is free. Did you hear that? The pool table is FREE! I get to knock guys' balls around gently for FREE!
Ya- know every time I come here my immediate reaction is to run. There is something with the decor that bugs me BUT every time I go- I stay--- for at least one drink that ultimately turns into 2 or 3....
Great beer selection, bartenders know how to shake or stir up a good cocktail and the food- I haven't tried but will consider it next time :)
The bartenders are dawm nice! I don't mean sticky sweet- but just quick to get you some booze, get you more as soon as you finish the first and then leave you alone! But not for too long- they always seem to know when you want "another" or "check please"...
I like this bar. Plus free pool tables for those of you who are into sticks and balls on green felt...
I have a well-documented dislike of peas. But, did y'all know that I have an equal, but not as well-documented, love of dumplings? Sadly, a dish popularly known as chicken and dumplings combines these two. Even more sadly, the two do not cancel each other out.
What makes me sit down to write this review for Royal Clayton's is the supreme sweetness of their chef. While I didn't meet this paragon of service, I want to extend my thanks for personally picking out each individual pea, thus rendering my dish exceedingly yummy, not to be marred by the mushy green blahness that I consider peas.
Without the peas, the chicken and dumplings is rich and creamy, the perfect comfort food for when the nights are long and dark and cold. The cream sauce stints on neither the cream nor the butter. The chicken chunks are hearty, moist and tender. The dumplings are perfect -- cheesy and soft with still a bit of a chew left on them. Washed down with a black and tan, the meal is enough to fatten you up for the winter.
I liked the space...but that was about it.
Sis and Cos were in town, so I figured I checked to see if the Yelpers prefer Church & State or Royal Claytons; RC was the winner, and boy that was a mistake...or maybe they both suck?
We ordered the Cheshire Cheese Steak Rolls, the Cheese Burger, and the Mac & Cheese.
The Cheshire Cheese Steak Rolls are more like egg rolls with chewy steak and cheese that looks like Velveeta for $10....
The Mac & Cheese was litterally in a soup of cheese. Sis and Cos didn't mind it so much, but geez for $9.50, you figure they can do better. I have to make sis try the Chicken Lady's Mac & Cheese and then she will know what's good.
Now onto the worst part of the meal, the Cheeseburger. WOW, was it SALTY! I love salt. In fact I'll be shaking salt for a long time on my eggs. I'm also an off and on smoker, and when you smoke you destroy your tastebuds making a smoker add more salt to his/her food. I mentioned to my sis and cos that they put too much salt in the meat. My cos thought the salt was on the bun. My sis said that it was on the bun and in the meat. RC's cheeseburger was completely inedible and it cost $13.00 --I was totally raped. Sure, the cheeseburger came with fries (not bad) but for $13, I could have had a 25 Degrees' burger....
The service was eh. I think there was only one waiter on a Saturday night...I really get annoy when waiters pretend that they remember your order. The waiter was like, "yes, I have your order. you had the..." my cos finished his sentence.
The bottom line? ONLY FOR DRINKS and check out the space and play some pool (line might be long since it's free).
What makes this English Pub American-friendly is a list of things: a disc jockey providing background indie music, an eclectic menu that features some American, Italian and even Mexican items to cater those who wish not to eat English foods like Bangers & Mash, Shepherd's Pie, Sunday Roast and Bubble & Squeak, and beers foreign to a pub such as Asahi and Corona.
I paired a pint of Boddington's ale to shrimps and chips which came with malt vinegar, ketchup, cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, and lemon wedges. The Bass ale-battered jumbo shrimps were very good considering the place is known as a pub more so than restaurant, and the fries fair but not too exciting. It was impressive to see actual English brand condiments like Sarson's malt vinegar.
The server who took the order had a full English accent and probably with a touch of Cockney. I thought it was appropriately fitting to the theme of this place. Unfortunately he appeared stressed and was rushing around. He also appeared to be the only server for the entire restaurant.
The area appears sketchy since you're not far from Skid Row, but is generally safe to drive into, park and then walk to the bottom floor of this certain historic industrial building that is the pub.
Once inside, you see a bouncer that checks IDs, a billiard table to the left, bar straight ahead, and seating and dining area to the right. Interior is described as intimately dark yet cheerfully inviting, loft-like with its cold exposed concrete flooring and high ceiling beams, mixed with dark woods that clad portions of the establishment. Royal portraits of archaic monarchs are displayed throughout. It's quite eclectic, intrinsic, neat, and probably classy enough to bring a date, and I recommend bringing friends to this place.
UPDATE:
We got hooked into trivia night on Mondays. It seemed harmless at first, but quickly became an addiction.
By the time we realized that this wasn't a good idea, it was too late.
The usual hosts Pamela and William are great, but when they aren't in town, STAY AWAY.... The substitutes they had were intelligible, ridiculed me for asking repeatedly to repeat a question (mumble much?). The icing on the cake was that the subs were players last night and were CHEATING AT TRIVIA. Who the fuck cheats at trivia after having run it?!?! (*double standard!!!*)
When I called them out on it, they denied it and then basically insulted me and my team until we decided enough was enough.
We paid the bill and left before the third round.
We drop over $300 weekly with our team and will not be doing so anytime soon. It's the closest bar to my house and I won't be going back.
It is hit or miss with the food, the drinks and the service. I really like one of the bartenders and she makes a mean manhattan, but that's not enough to keep me coming back.
RIP Royal Claytons
Update August 2008:
Not the restaurant it used to be. Now - strict pub fare. No innovative…
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I came here with my girlfriend a few years back as we were visiting friends on the east side and it wasn't that great... bad service and average food for the price.
But we came again a few weeks ago and wow, what a change around. I ordered the fish and chips and kinda crossed my fingers but it was honestly the best Brit style fish n batter I've had, here or in England. The service was friendly and quick. We even stayed later and played some pool for free. The bar service that side was a little attitude but by that time we didn't care. RC seems to have pulled it around in the time we've been away!
I just want to clarify something, since people are calling this a little English pub-type place. Before heading out into the open wilds of downtown, you should be warned: do not think that this is anything like an actual English pub. The high exposed ceilings and furniture made of hard, modern composite material definitely suggest more "industrial warehouse" than "cozy old-World charm." Plus, the draught beer selection is heavy on typical American crap, rather than the many casks of bitter English crap that would be gracing the taps of any pub that claimed real Briton influence. The most telling point: my Boddington's was out of a can.
However, they did at least have Boddington's.
And in general, it's not a bad atmosphere for a generic downtown bar. Just don't get into it expecting a British experience.
fair enough as english pubs go. royal clayton's certainly has the largest number of non-blacked-out windows i've ever seen in a pub.
my favorite part of the interior is the numeous elizabethan portraits of past monarchs and noblemen, including henry viii. [yes i know he's not elizabethan but i can't think off the top of my head what his era was...
shakespearean? henry-ian?)
i was surprised by the limited beer selection. i ended up with a bass ale of all things, somewhat garden variety, but still good.
i thought the food seemed rather high-priced.
my fellow diner had a cobb salad [see photo] which looked magnificent. i coveted it throughout. my other bud had the bangers n'mash [basically, bratwurst, mashed potatoes and beans. and the beans looked suspiciously familiar, like those tinned ones so common in u.s. markets... can't recall the name of them now either.] he was unimpressed by the dish, having recently returned from london with high expectations. [that is, if you can raise expectations for wurst, potatoes, & baked beans... ]
monday night had a trivia game with various prizes, as many british pubs do both in the uk and here.
importantly, when devon & company weren't doing the trivia questions, the music in the pub was played at a civilized level, as opposed to the typical blasting imposition of music at other bars, or even restaurants, that think that loudness in volume is equivalent to 'having fun'.
Such an awesome place on an awesome street in an awesome loft style building. Great beers, supercool, friendly staff and nice food. New takes on british pub food. There are some odd curtains that separate the entrance from the rest of the restaurant but overall this place works 100%. I love it here and the whole block with the lofts and galleries is so cool. It makes me excited about living in LA again.
What a weird little place in the middle of an industrial wasteland. I didn't mind the neighborhood so much as the "come here, have a couple drinks and now you're stuck here" issue. I certainly wouldn't come here for the food but if you are in the downtown area with nothing else to do, this British pub should deliver a random evening for you. I was there on hipster night where every guy in the room wore Elvis Costello glasses and ugly mustard colored pants and the ladies in the house wore things like pleather and fake cheetah fur coats with bright pink leggings. The pool table provides hours of useless entertainment so thank god the drinks are stiff.
HUGE portions. Very reasonable prices (particularly for LA).
Nice interior in this "gentrifying" warehouse district - a terrific find while poking around downtown LA!
Re: Bad neighborhood
If you don't like it, go to the west side. Yes, the roads are bad and the streetlights sparse. Yes, there are big bad warehouses scattered round. But really, how much danger can you really be in walking literally 20 feet from your car to Royal Clayton's? I'll answer that: NONE.
Re: Sickness?
Last night, I was very aware of the dangers of salmonella running rampant, so I ordered a turkey burger with a fat slice of tomato. No vomiting 'er nothing. My domestic partner eats here almost every day for lunch break and has found himself energized and full of protein and other nutrients to get through the day.
Re: Awesome, English pub?
Yes! The decor/ambiance is great. I felt like I fell into a time/place warp. It isn't all kitschy and stupid like a theme restaurant. I would characterize it as legit.
Their "happy hour" is absolutely great. You can't get much better than $2-3-4 dollar beers and $5 small plates. Their Guinness on tap was a little flat, however, I enjoyed more than a fair share of Blue Moons. The service is great because the employees have character, and throw laughs and jokes all over the place.
My turkey burger was perhaps the best one I've had, especially 'cos it was served with a heaping mound of sweet potato fries (thick-cut, just the way I like them). I did chose something boring, sorry. There are interesting selections on the menu which I am excited to try next time.
We watched the Lakers game ( :[ ), played a round of pool, ate, drank, people-watched, and left into the scary, monster-filled neighborhood, luckily back to safety.
Neighborhood: Downtown
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