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- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
46 reviews for Elephant & Castle
Review Highlights
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"My friend and I shared the Big Ben Brownie and it was HUGE..." In 3 reviews -
"...chocolatey brownie with vanilla ice cream drizzled with..." In 3 reviews -
"...yorkie for a main course loaded with roast beef, very good." In 5 reviews
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46 reviews in English
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Review from Chantal R.
Maple Ridge, BC
5/10/2012
A pub with super high ceilings and your typical British pub-fare.
I had the bangers & mash here, and it was pretty good. I never expect anything amazeballs when it comes to simple food or pubs, but the portion was nice for the low price ($10), then I ordered the breadpudding, I LOVE their breadpudding (I went back there just to eat it again).
What I'm trying to say is: Go for the booze & breadpudding, the rest is just a bonus. -
Review from Stephene C.
Vancouver, BC
4/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Met up with some highschool friends for dinner and had no idea where to go. At first we decided on Joey's but then one of my friends didnt want to go somewhere that felt too businessy or trendy, plus we had a soon to be 4 year old with us (one of my other friends kid). So the first friend that vetoed joey's suggested elephant and castle. I was all for it since I've never been. luckily this place was child friendly and they even supplied a coloring sheet with some crayons.
This place feels like an old english pub where all the gents in the gentlemens clubs go to have a cold one. For my main I orderd their blue cheese burger, which seemed kinda fancy for a place like this, but I'm all for blue cheese. For me, It's one of those things that make everything taste good or better, kind of like ketchup! I wouldn't say it was the best blue cheese burger I've had, but it was still fairly good.
My friend had ordered some sort of pie dish with organ meats cooked in a brown gravy. I know, I make it sound so appetising right? In truth, it was actually ok, until the talk turned to gout and how eating too much organ meats can cause this affliction, bleh! I'm glad I don't have a penchant for organ meats.
Overall, wasn't blown away but wasn't dissapointed either.
St3Fin -
Review from Danielle B.
Vancouver, BC
3/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been to the Elephant & Castle about a half dozen times and tried a variety of dishes. On my latest visit, I was with a large group of people (about 30+) for lunch. We had actually pre-ordered our meals due to the size of our group and everything went very smoothly.
I ordered the cranberry chicken salad with glazed walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette. I asked for the dressing on the side as I'm not a huge fan of most salad dressings. This one wasn't bad, but I found my salad didn't really need any dressing due to the nice mixture of ingredients and well-seasoned chicken. The portion was huge and a very good value. I was a pleasantly surprised because I wasn't expecting a great salad from an English style pub, so kudos to E&C for a job well done.
Others around me had the stuffed Yorkshire pudding, the shepherd's pie and the Thai chicken salad. Everyone really enjoyed their meals and I didn't hear any negative comments.
Service was prompt, efficient and friendly so I would definitely go back - it's a nice place to hang out with a group and enjoy a beer or two. -
Review from Philippe G.
Calgary, AB
2/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Seemed like a good pub to get a beer between meetings at TOTC this year....I was wrong. Riddled with Domestics, staff that are not really "checked in" and a massive open room that feels very dated and worn down.
All I need is a great bartender to come back....ours offered us the "Budweiser" promotion when we walked in with Tales of the Cocktail Lanyards and gift bags... -
Review from Anna W.
Vancouver, BC
2/29/2012
Came here for a work lunch. We were seated upstairs. The decor is nice but the bathrooms were down 2 flights of stairs.
We ordered a few appies to start. Nachos, onion rings and hot wings were good. There was a good selection of beers and wines. I ordered the chicken and since we had a large group (~12 people) I expected at least one missed/incorrect order. I spoke too soon as it was my meal that they forgot. I ended up waiting an additional 10-15 minutes for my food but the waitress was very apologetic and they even took care of my wine which was a nice gesture. When my food finally came it was good in terms of pub food. The chicken came with a side of green beans and mash.
The food was a hit and miss. While I enjoyed my lunch some co-workers didn't like their food too much. The service was good and our drink orders were filled throughout our meal. Overall, it was a decent casual lunch spot for a large crowd. I would come back for lunch and after work drinks. -
Review from Edward L.
Came here with some buddies to try out their beer and wings.
Parking here sucks, so hopefully you took public transit.
To be honest, the inside looks like nothing special. You have your typical (think Earls or Cactus Club type) chic decor, except the walls aren't painted black. There didn't seem to be too many large tables, so I'd suggest keeping your group below 4-6.
The wings and ribs looked suspiciously like what you'd find at Earls. But the wings weren't drenched in sauce and the ribs weren't dry as sand. This is worth mentioning because Earls keeps messing up these 2 dishes.
As we were eating, the fire bell went off. First it was intermittent, then it was continuous. You could see smoke rising from the kitchen too. Interestingly enough, nobody asked us to evacuate. So everyone sat there and ate while going deaf. All of our ears were ringing for 30 minutes after the firemen showed up and disabled the system. Oh well, at least we can't blame them if we burn to death.
One minor complaint: they don't do pitchers here. So beer does cost more. -
Review from Allan-ester D.
Vancouver, BC
5/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
eatin' here on 3 different occasions...location is great...beer is good...food is a little above average...service is the same...make sure your expectations are not too high going here to grab a bite to eat and everything will be fine
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Review from Shoppa H.
Vancouver, BC
4/22/2012
We were seated upstairs as we had a large group. The waitress was very attentive. The food wasn't too bad nor was it the best. The drinks were okay. But after a few drinks, we had to descend two floors of stairs to find the bathrooms in the very basement. We almost peed our pants getting there as it was also quite crowded that night. It wasn't a bad atmosphere.
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Review from Dena D.
10/26/2011
Ugh! I went for lunch and it was clear they weren't prepared for the crowds, which was odd since they are very near the convention center and I went on the 3rd day of a conference.
The food I ordered looked as though it was under a heat lamp for about a thousand years. A friend had asked for no nuts on a salad since she is allergic, and it came back twice with nuts. She finally had to give up and eat elsewhere. I would definitely not recommend this place for anything other than a beer. -
Review from james m.
Vancouver, BC
11/22/2011
Feels like the restaurant is going downhill. I've been a few times in the last couple years. I've had some really great times here, gold medal hockey game 2010 and some really bad times.
The last time I was there I ordered the Bangers and Mash. I've had this dish before and it was enjoyable but this time the bowl was slopped with gravy, the mashed potatoes were cold, the sausage were overcooked and dry. Then to top off the whole thing when I finished (yeah I finished it, I like food no matter how bad) I put my knife and fork it the bowl and it literally split in half right in front of me. Needless to say but the bartender was nice enough to give me a 10% discount. Thanks that didn't ever cover the HST.
i won't be returning for fear that my pint glass may explode mid drink. -
Review from Scuba B.
Whitby, ON
8/24/2011 2 Check-ins Here
After flying in and getting our hotel this turned out to be a pleasant surprise and a great choice for a quick and easy family meal.
My son and I actually ended up here a second time as he loved the chicken pot pie. Overall a good spot! -
Review from Ninja B.
Vancouver, BC
1/22/2012
This place was great! Great atmosphere, great staff, great specials. We had the burger and beer special. It was yum. We were sitting under a picture of david bowie and had a great view of the main seating area and Burrard street. The only thing we didn't like was that the trash heap smell near the bathrooms at the bottom of the steps. You had to travel through a methane stench to get to the WC.
Luckily the food was so good and pretty to look at that is was outweighed. On a Friday, the after work crowd were abundant and you'll be sure to hearr glasses a dropping, we heard four break.
The only problems we had was that we had a coupon and the manager couldn't seems to understand it and tried to overcharge us by ten dollars. After several explanations it finally clicked for him. It was annoying but a fluke and I wouldn't hold it against the establishment as we will be returning. -
Review from Scott P.
7/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is your typical FIDI lunch spot. A spot where a gout of you from the office head to because they can accommodate a large group and there is something for everyone.
You have the usual suspect: burgers, grilled chicken, wraps and all kinds of salads. The food is satisfying just not great. The service is fast and furious the way you want it at lunch.
I enjoyed one of their new summer salads - buffalo chicken salad. This was their version of a classic Cobb salad. I should have went with a standard Cobb because the buffalo style chicken just ruined it.
I say stick with one of the many food carts around the city for lunch. However, if it is raining or you are doing the work group thing then this is an acceptable offering. -
Review from Jason D.
Vancouver, BC
1/25/2011
Hmm what to say? This place is just blah!
This is the first time I have went to Elephant & Castle. We went for lunch. For starters there interior really needs improving. When we arrived we were seated at a table in the "Bar Area". Our Server then later proceeded to ask us for ID because we are sitting in the bar section (we didn't choose seating here) regardless of the fact I was not drinking.
Anyways, for the food. Very basic and boring pub type food except there is much better pub food at other places downtown. All I can say about the food I ordered is that I was not impressed....I am not saying it wasn't good but I have had better elsewhere....
I would recommend somewhere like Cactus Club or Milestones over elephant & castle any day though. -
Review from Amy L.
12/14/2010 1 photo
They were showing the George St Pierre fight here for free. Free! That deserves a cool vote right there.
We got a seat right in front of a flat screen, ordered up a few drinks and watched the fight. We just came from dinner so we were stuffed and full, but made room for the Big Ben Brownie! It's 2 thick pieces of warm, moist, chocolatey brownie with vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel and chocolate syrup. Heavenly.
In the states where I'm from, there aren't nice pubs like this with great service. I really enjoyed the atmosphere here and the crowd. Gorgeous stained glass chandeliers hung from the high ceilings. Nope, this is definitely not a dirty, dive bar.
Classy.
Cheers!Listed in: Vancouver Eh?
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Review from Amy T.
12/10/2010
If I can give Elephant Castle 3.5 out of 5, I would... but since I can't, I'll round it to 3/5.
I had the Yorkshire Pudding - gravy on top of roast beef, pastry and carmelized onions. For dessert had The Big Ben, which is vanilla ice cream with brownies and chocolate sauce. Both items were good and I will definitely go back. They have a good beer selection as well.
I found the prices a little high for what you get, but it is what it is. -
Review from Joshua N.
4/14/2011
Why have I not been here before? Looks nice, smells nice. Comfortable booths. Inexpensive food. Many different kinds of beer on tap at reasonable prices (and yet my friend still ordered a Budweiser. I guess there's no accounting for taste).
A pint of Russell Pale Ale and cod fish and chips came to $24 incl tax and tip. There was ample fish and the fries were actually pretty good. The batter was good, crispy but not oily. There was even a side of cole slaw which I thought was a nice touch. -
Review from Valerie J.
Vancouver, BC
1/7/2011
I like the ambiance, I like the food specialy their Yam fries and the Cheesecake and I like the Beer!
It is nice pub and bartender is very friendly and the service perfect! -
Review from nina n.
Vancouver, BC
6/19/2011
Its location is very convenient-- just a couple of blocks from the Burrard SkyTrain. Inside, the decor is nice and clean. The washrooms are, strangely enough, located down a long flight of stairs.
The first time I went there, I ordered some nachos for everyone to share. Despite my request to omit the hot peppers, they still left them on there. No big deal-- my companions and I just picked them off. Two people at my table ordered some chicken tenders to share. We gawked at the "dish" when it arrived. Three small pieces of chicken on a bed of potato chips. Seriously? Seriously. I also ordered some yam fries, which were okay.
The second time I went there, back in the fall of 2010, my companions and I noticed the menu said that an automatic 15.00% gratuity fee would be added for parties of eight or more. Then our server informed us that it was 16.5%. My friend pointed out that the menu still said 15%. "Oh, yeah," shrugged the server. "We haven't scratched that out yet." My friend asked how long this had been in effect. "Since before the Olympics," the server responded.
I ordered the beer battered onion rings. They were sensational. Nice and crispy, with a good batter-to-onion ratio. My friend ordered me some pasta. It tasted like Chef Boyardee spaghetti mixed with chopped up veggies and Parmesan cheese. I ordered a gin and tonic, which had blueberries floating in it. To my horror, I discovered a moldy blueberry floating around in it.
One friend ordered the Big Ben dessert. She waited well over forty-five minutes. Finally, the apologetic server showed up and said it was on the house. It took four of us to finish it.
Overall, this place is just okay. The ambiance is certainly nice, and the location is super convenient. The service is not the best, and the food is just average. I probably will not return. -
Review from Doris L.
Vancouver, BC
5/10/2011
Very average pub food all around. But I like it because it's average and not really overpriced like cactus club. The burgers are around $11 and the bangers and mash (which I enjoy) is only $11.5, which isn't really all that bad for pub food.
Normally I would have given them 3* and I've never bothered to Yelp about this place once again because it's just so average that there's nothing much to tell you about. But yesterday, I had the most hilarious story that I couldn't keep it from Yelp.
We went in during the busy lunch hour rush and it was busy for a Monday which was a good sign. But then I notice that the only reason why there was a wait in the front is because the wait staff was just disorganized. There were two or three people who could have been the hostess walking around the front but all of them were not the hostess. So people waited and waited and I looked on to discover that there was an entire section that wasn't even opened near the top of the restaurant.
When our hostess came around, we knew about it. She had the worst attitude I've ever experienced here at Elephant and Castle. The service used to be just average, nice and friendly enough, but nothing exceptional to write home about. But not this time, our hostess told the first group of people (rather curtly) that they have a table. My friend was just standing close to the front and she tells him (out of nowhere). "You're just gonna have to wait until I serve these people first". Whoa. Where the F*** did that come from? It was out of nowhere. He didn't ask her anything. He was just standing there... waiting to be seated.
After a moment, a woman walks into the restaurant and proceeds to wait for the hostess' attention. She finally looks up and sees the customer and asks her for how many. The lady says for two and she's replies with "we have a list right now so give me your name". Then she made the woman speak louder because she couldn't hear and then she tells her to get closer because she just can't here. But the way she said it was like some angry mother who was fed up with her child's nonsense. It was rather scary and when she gave us our seat, I thanked her profusely. Out of nothing but pure fear.
The meal went about and it was rather average. Our server was very average. But when our server disappeared for a while, my friend asked for some more water from the hostess. Big mistake. She gave said she'll let our server know and threw in the BIGGEST side of attitude we had ever been served.
Anyway, it was rather funny because it was so ridiculously bad. Maybe she's in the wrong type of work. I could see her in some medical office where they don't really need any more patients or maybe at the reception of a hospital emergency room.
So maybe next time we will visit any of the myriad of places around downtown that doesn't like dishing out free attitude. -
Review from Anita T.
Toronto, ON
10/24/2008
Ugh. Not impressive. You know, I was thinking, this is a newer place -they resurrected it from way back in the day- so it should be good, right? WRONG.
My nachos were burnt (to a crisp), my grilled cheese had more tomatoes than cheese (seriously, what kind of grilled cheese sandwich has tomatoes?). AND NO REFILLS ON POP/ICED TEA. -
Review from Scott W.
Vancouver, BC
10/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nothing really SPECIAL about this pub.. it is a typical english pub style restaurant, but with less beers on tap. Beers are a little over priced, the waitresses are not as attractive as many nearby restaurants.. but the food is good, and not overly priced. I go there often - but really only because of its location, i dont think i would go out of my way for it.
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Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
10/17/2010
This place wasn't my first choice for lunch, but after two other places we tried were too busy to take us right away, we found ourselves ordering some good old fashioned pub grub. The atmosphere was definitely "old English pub" in a classic, cavernous sort of way.
My standard for whether I can/will eat in a proper English pub is generally "do you have curry?" (the only food you'll find on a true pub menu on a semi-regular basis which I like and which may not contain gluten). So curry it was...
The curry was actually very tasty - the rice, chicken and veggies were perfectly cooked, and the tomato-based sauce was very flavourful. It also came with mango chutney, one of my favourite parts of a curry meal.
My fellow diners had the ploughman's lunch and sheppard's pie - not my preference but they seemed to enjoy them.
Although extremely busy, my water glass was always kept filled (very important when you're eating curry!) and our service was decent.
I can't say I'm in a rush to return here over other places, but I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as awful as I remember the E&C in Ottawa being, and there were a few decent GF menu items. Good place for a big group or a true pub night. -
Review from Victoria R.
Vancouver, BC
4/10/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I lived in Britain for 4 years.. despite the Brits being infamous for their 'boring' cuisine, I still found myself missing Sunday Roasts, Sausages and Mash, Yorkshire Puddings and all the rest of it.
Elephant & Castle is the most amazing place for a bite of britain. I absolutely recommend their roast beef stuffed in a yorkshire pudding, covered in gravy and served with mashed potatoes. -
Review from Barry M.
12/10/2009
Plenty of servers, but not enough service... our group was large and willing to drink... but no one in sight when the time seemed right..
And I *think* I double-tipped if they added on the stupid retarded pre-gratuity to our bills... I didn't bother looking since we didn't arrive all at the same time, and weren't all ordering food... grrrr -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
2/14/2010
Decent joint with a very classic pub vibe as other reviewers mentioned. It's a little plain vanilla - but that's the strong point. Tons of brews and pub food and a bar/dining area inviting you to soak the drink in front of you in your nook. No cover. No doorman. No dance floor. No live bands. No bullshit.
I was here for a couple of beers after Olympics sightseeing on a Saturday night. Being that it's away from the usual gong-show on Granville, we were able to find seats immediately. Service was so-so, there were some periods where we had trouble finding down our waitress - which was surprising as they looked fully-staffed for the Saturday night traffic. Felt like we should have sat at the bar.
Burgers and fries were pretty good. And there's about 20 beers on tap - with much of it going for about $6 - $7 for a 20 oz. pint. Much of draught selection focused on well-known European beers and lots of Canadian/American megabrands. The selection of microbrews was more limited than I am accustomed to but maybe it's just the beer snob in me talking. As I said, it's a plain-jane and that's a good thing sometimes. They did offer a pretty good selection of whiskey.
The crowd vary greatly in age range and the music is your usual middle-of-the-road rock anthems.
Solid pub - just be aware that being in the heart of the financial district, the parking meters nearby are pricey (about $4/hr) and they now extend to 10PM. -
Review from Karen R.
So where do 14 people without a reservation go after a show at the Fringe Fest? Well, since the show was in Gastown we tried a few places who pretty much laughed us out of their establishments. Eventually we get to Waterfront Station and someone has the bright idea to call the Elephant and Castle to see what the wait there is like. They took my name and 20 minutes later we had a table. And they were busy! No judgement or attitude when I said there were 14 of us.
The hostess and wait staff were all really friendly. My friend and I shared the Big Ben Brownie and it was HUGE (see photo). 2 massive rich brownies covered in fudge and caramel with a layer of vanilla ice cream between them with a pile of whipped cream on the side. It was very very rich, and two of us couldn't finish it. For $7.50 it was a bargain!
These guys saved our night where we could enjoy drinks and dessert all together without disdain. -
Review from Roanna Z.
12/3/2009
This place is cavernous ! I mean you could walk an Elephant through there ;-)
In the historic Marine building and impressive in the details.
It's classic pub fare, and pretty good. The Yam fries are really yummy and I quite enjoyed the green salad with a nice Balsamic. Good selection of beers too.
The server was efficient for our ever growing group, but not particularly friendly. Oh well. A good place if you're working in the area for sure. I also noticed some outside tables. -
Review from Dani B.
12/9/2009
One of the most beautiful "sports bar's" i've ever been to. The ceilings tower above you accompanied by elegant chandeliers. They have a pretty good beer list (but nothing special, seasonal, or unique unfortunately) but the food is pretty standard pub food, which means not the most veg. friendly.
No worries, you will be totally distracted by the lovely archetecture and the numerous screens playing everything sports (and of course poker too).
This is a great place to go for a drink after work or to catch up with your macho male friends but this place isn't a dive bar (mostly because its located in the financial district) so show up semi-classy and you'll blend right in. -
Review from Kelly G.
9/8/2009
While visiting Vancouver on a rainy Sunday night my boyfriend and I spent hours walking around the city. We weren't quite sure what we wanted to eat yet, but a Japanese restaurant with Shabu Shabu looked like it might be the place. Unfortunately everyone else had the same idea so we gave up and started our quest once again.
Being from Houston the cool and oh so rainy weather put us in the mood for some comfort food. Fish and Chips, right?! We remembered seeing the Elephant & Castle while walking around and hoped they might have what we were looking for. Eureka! We scored!
When we walked in out of the rain the mood immediately changed. The restaurant has a live band that plays on Sunday nights and they are really quite good.
My boyfriend and I shared the Fish & Chips (they offer a choice of Cod or Halibut) and a salad tossed with balsamic vinegar. It was the perfect amount of food for us. The Cod was nice and flaky on the inside and crunchy on the outside from a tasty beer batter. The Chips were perfect alongside the fish and we doused everything in malt vinegar. Yum!
The waitstaff was very friendly and we enjoyed the experience quite a bit! The Elephant & Castle just seemed perfect for us that night. -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
4/19/2009
After Canucks Playoff Game #2, I stumbled to Elephant and Castle with some friends and didn't know what to drink, so the bartender suggested a mango mojito with dark rum - I requested extra mint.
It was DELICIOUS.... didn't taste too much of the mango.. but the mint makes the mojito so thumbs up to that!
... and the bar hopping continues... -
Review from kath r.
3/6/2010
According to my credit card receipts I spent an awful lot of time and money at this bar during the Olympics. Stationed next door out of the Pacific Rim hotel, I'm hardly surprised.
All in all, the food, the service, the vibe and the prices weren't bad; which is to say that some days the food hit the spot and the service was right on, and others...not so much. Portions are a decent size for sharing and offer good value for money, there's plenty of comfortable seating, several tvs for sports viewing and they have the Stanley Park Amber on Tap.
What I'm not a fan of? That horrendous smell that always permeates the carpet and back area of the bar as you head down towards the washrooms = vomit. *Ewwww*
When the pickings are slim and you're in this part of town, it's a considerably better lunch option than the competition (the horrendously overpriced food court at Waterfront Station and The Lions Pub both come to mind [and no I don't do Cactus Club]). -
Review from Kemis N.
2/12/2010
Ok so i was living in Vancouver for a year and this was the closest thing to a pub i could find, well closest to one of the styles o pubs which are popular back home, also the fact there were pictures of local sights close to my actual home made me feel a little bit more welcome there, also the decor was nice and cosy, high ceilings and big windows, cosy booths and spacious tables...
I have to say that the choice was prety good but not the best (a particular cider i wanted, Kopperbeg and Bulmers were not available, although i hear they had Bulmers but took it away...) prices i thought were pretty decent compared to som of the other "so called" pubs in Vancouver although Smileys on Pender was close except they trick u at first when u wak in its like an old day pub but u get in the room and it opens up into this crazy open hall type place (didn't like it)
Anyways back to E&C, the atmosphere is is pretty alrightu get a mixed bag of people, some offie workers there for a pint, and then u get some touristy people (Most likely looking for a tradutional style pub...lol) i found the crowd seemed to be a little older and by oldr i mean late 20's upto say 50's unlike some bars that are packed with anone legal (19) which can sometimes effect the atmosphere...
Service is not too bad it depends who you get, but i have to say i have been lcky to have nice staff every time, some were a little slow but service was still good, i mean the place can get really busy at times but hey its a pub, if you could actually go to the bar and order (Like a real pub) things would move along alot faster...lol
Food here isn't the best i have had but not the worst, i would say go with the Appies they are pretty good, Yam Fries are great with the Aiolie =) dry ribs are good and my friends always liked the Fish bites, one thing i have to say is NOWHERE in Canada serves the right kind of baked beans, and whoever heard of Chutney served with Bangers and Mash??? although i have to say they got it right with the Bangers they're not the Weiners that most places try to pass off as a true British pork sausage...lol
I have spent many a night drinking at E&C with friends and i would also go back because it was the closest thing to home i could get but not only that, i actually liked it, i feel they got the vibe right, staff were friendly and options reasonably varied...
I had my goodbye function there were was held upstairs in their Mezz section of the pub which was nice and pvt but still part of the pub vibe, th staff were soooo helpful and service was great that night (As i said depends who you get one the night) the best thing is theres no hire fee or reservation charge, if the space isn't booked itsyours and i had only 27 peopl in my section but iwould say you could easily have 100 no problems, so if you want to have a gathering of friends in a good social atmoshere E&C Burrard street is a good place, its almost like a little slice of London UK...
Now i'm back in London and is funny but i do miss E&C a little but i'll be back no doubt... -
Review from Chris S.
Coquitlam, BC
11/28/2010
Had the sausage sampler for a starter, 1 bratwurst and 1 banger, very tasty. Stuffed yorkie for a main course loaded with roast beef, very good!
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Review from R. R.
8/8/2009
The ice cold Russell Pale Ale and Stanley Park amber on tap went great with the finger foods we ordered (spring rolls, beer battered chicken, and sweet potato fries). Plenty of HDTV's at the bar to watch the baseball game, while I enjoyed a few cold ones.
I bought a few souvenirs and the bar tender threw in a free tee shirt. The bar and dinning area are very clean, and looks new. The only draw back was the construction going on outside, but its not their fault. -
Review from Greg S.
Fonthill, ON
10/3/2009
I remember the first time I visited an Elephant and Castle, years ago. At the time, it was a brave attempt to bring the English pub experience to North America, and it was a lot of fun. Fast forward to last night, and I find myself bitterly disappointed.
On the positive side, the decor is still pretty realistic, and features a long and prominently displayed list of beers, including microbrewery beers, so you're not stuck with the factory stuff. The menu does include a number of distinctively English dishes. (Not just fish and chips, but steak and kidney pie, or a ploughman's platter.) The food that I had was pretty good (although the Big Ben Brownie should come with a warning from the Surgeon General that it's big enough to feed the horse, rather than being named after the clock). My waiter refilled my iced tea without even being asked. And, at least for a science fiction fan, it's pretty cool to be in the Baxter Building (or the Daily Planet, depending on your preferred story universe).
On the negative side, the management have obviously bought into the same foodie trends as a number of local chains. The menu lists prices in integers, so the prices are jacked way up. And the 20 identifiably English dishes on the menu are outnumbered by another 25 trendoid items like crispy dried ribs, pot stickers, quesadilla, bruschetta, sweet potato fries, and Thai chicken salad. Not that those things are bad, but they have squandered the opportunity to differentiate themselves from any number of "me too" places in town, like Earl's, Milestone's, Cactus Club, and Brown's. I used to love Vancouver for the variety of the cuisines available, but now I'm beginning to wonder if, in a few years' time, we're going to end up with nothing but chains offering up virtually identical menus, only in different colours. (Come to think of it, even the outfits the staff wore looked like they were transplanted from another chain.) My advice is to ditch the trendoid stuff and replace it with more English fare: toad in the hole, roast beef with (not in) Yorkshire pudding, Lancastershire hot pot, Melton Mowbray pork pie, sausage rolls, treacle putting, Bakewell tart, Eccles cake, ginger beer, and so on.
But probably the most annoying thing was the noise. The muzak was just blasting, and I spent most of the night yelling "WHAT?" at my companions. I'm not sure if the management were under the impression that lots of noise makes the place seem like it's more "hopping" than it really is, or if they're making a deliberate decision that having a conversation with your friends is a vastly overrated pleasure, and what they really want us to do is just shut up and drink.
On the "what were they thinking?" side, the men's loo, which you need to go down a flight of stairs to get to, includes a handicapped stall.
On the "they probably couldn't help it" side, there are stairs everywhere. Probably, that's a result of trying to squeeze the business into a space which wasn't designed for it, but if anyone in your party is mobility-challenged, don't even attempt this place. -
Review from Jasmine O.
Vancouver, BC
1/27/2010
This place is lovely, and after visiting London last year i can certainly see the resemblance. High ceilings, dark wood bar, tons of beer on tap, yummy pub-grub and close to home.. yesssss! I come here to watch hockey and they deliver. Good sound and screens. At first it seems a little more up-scale than I normally go for, with several tables filled with after-work groups from the surrounding buisnesses, but then after a second look around (or a second glass of red) It feels just as comfy as my usual pub picks.
Listed in: Drink it up
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Review from Mina B.
2/8/2010
3.5 stars.
been here a few times to watch hockey.
love me some appies. house salad and bruschetta please. the pretzel are pretty good too. Funny that they call them JUMBO pretzels tho. They are small and come in 3. The dip is great.
Also tried the veggie curry. Was good. Little overprices for what you get.
I'll be back -
Review from Ashley P.
8/2/2010
This place specializes in English food, bangers and mash, fish and chips, etc., but the burger and cesaer salad I had were excellent. It was really busy (I went right at noon) but I didn't have to wait for a table and my server was on top of things, she refilled my Diet Coke as soon as it was empty. Good food, good service, reasonable prices, 3 stars!
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Review from Erin I.
Vancouver, BC
3/18/2010 1 photo
On St. Patrick's Day I went on a hunt for the best traditional Irish stew in Vancouver. I did not find it here. Though tasty, the tiny portion of beef stew surrounding mashed potatos and topped with fried onions (served in a deceivingly shallow bowl) was missing traditional Irish soda bread and lacking in substance. There might have been five tiny pieces of beef in my bowl. Nonetheless, the atmosphere was lively and the service was quick and friendly. Wouldn't return for the stew, though!
