Elephant & Castle Pub - Washington DC
Summary
Elephant & Castle Pub in Washington DC is a charming English pub just a few blocks walk from the capital. They offer a broad selection of pub fair and English cuisine. During my visit I tried the crisps and dip appetizer, a berry ginger mule, a side salad, a flight of miniature savory pies.
Food Overall
Service
Atmosphere
Location
Value for Money
Overall
What I Ordered
Berry Ginger Mule
$10
The Berry Ginger mule was comprised of ginger beer, lager, and raspberry vodka with a lime wedge. I thought the mule was very strongly poured and only had a hint of berry. Though you got your money’s worth in liquor it was not a very tasty drink.
Crisps & Dips
$9
The crisps and dips appetizer consists of a bag of fresh potato chips served with curry ketchup, dill garlic aioli, and coarse ground dijon mustard aioli dipping sauces. The chips were freshly made in house, thick cut, and crispy. The curry ketchup was my favorite dipping sauce and quite literally tasted like ketchup with curry seasonings mixed in. The dill garlic aioli was my second favorite dipping sauce with a nice strong flavor creaminess. The Dijon aioli was my least favorite, just because I am not a big mustard fan. If you love mustard, this was a good one, freshly round with very strong flavor. Overall, this appetizer was simple but very tasty and easy to share.
Noble House Side Salad
$4
The side salad included greens topped in cucumbers, goat cheese, craisins, almonds, and a red wine vinaigrette. This was a great side salad with a generous serving size. If you can get all of the toppings and dressing together in one bite that is the best. It is a great balance between sweet, sour, and savory.
Wee Pie Flight
$12.50
The Wee Pie Flight included four miniature savory pies: shepherds pie, cheesy potato leek pie, steak and mushroom pie, and chicken pot pie. Overall, I enjoyed being able to try all of the pies and thought the presentation was very attractive and adorable.
The cheesy potato leek pie was my favorite with a subtle, savory, and creamy flavor. I think the leeks really made the dish by providing the subtle but fantastic depth of flavor. Second, was the chicken pot pie which was also creamy and savory with chicken, peas, and carrots. The shepherd’s pie included beef, lamb, and vegetables topped in mashed potatoes. I thought the shepherd’s pie was alright, very savory, but pretty bland overall. Lastly, the steak and mushroom pie included beef, onions, and mushrooms in a gravy, which sounds phenomenal. However, it was surprisingly not very good because it was bland and extremely salty.
Overall Food
Overall, I enjoyed the food at Elephant & Castle. They had a wide selection of pub fair and drinks as well as traditional English cuisine. I think the servings were generous and the food was generally very savory and a bit bland. If you decide to order a pie I would suggest the cheesy potato leek pie or the chicken pot pie.
Service
The service at Elephant and Castle was decent. They do take reservations and we were sat quickly. The server did not check back very much and was a bit forgetful but very friendly. Having a drink or an appetizer makes the slower service less noticeable.
Atmosphere
Size
There were about 30 tables inside and 10 outside as well as full bar seating.
Who Goes Here?
It looked like a wide variety of families, friends, dates, and individuals dine at Elephant and Castle.
Overall Atmosphere
Elephant and Castle Pub had a very neat, comfortable, British Pub themed atmosphere. They had a lot of dark woods, neutrals and jewel tones, and antiques. Additionally, they have a neat embossed tin ceiling throughout. It does appear older and well warn but that adds to the casual comfortable atmosphere.
Location
Elephant and Castle Pub in Washington DC is located within walking distance to the capital and the Smithsonian Museums. It is in a clean and attractive area surrounded by historic buildings and office buildings. The only down side to the location is the lack of parking, however it is close to the metro stops and very walkable. It is a very convenient choice of restaurant for those visiting the museums and sites in DC.
Interested in finding things to do around Washington, DC?
Value for money
I think that Elephant & Castle Pub is a good value for your money. It is in a convenient, prime location with a very pleasant welcoming atmosphere. The drinks and appetizers are pretty pricey but the entrees are very fairly priced. Additionally, the food quality is pretty good and the serving sizes are large.
Overall
All in all, I think Elephant and Castle Pub is a good choice for anyone looking for a walkable restaurant from the Smithsonian in DC. The food was hearty and pretty good. Also, the atmosphere is very comfortable and charming. I recommend the cheesy potato leek pie and the chips and dip appetizer for a group.
