The Elephant Inn, North Finchley, N12

Visited 13/05/25 Cask comprised ESB and L Pride in this Fullers venue. Keg offering of Fosters, Guinness, Cruz, Siren Lumina, Amstel, Asahi, Tiny Rebel quaffs Clwb Tropica & Rebel IPA, Peroni, regular SB, Gamma Ray plus the array of the flavoured Thatchers ciders. Also, a new one for me, the Fullers keg stout called Black Cab! Seating area out the front, partly covered. Large U-shaped bar counter with left hand side serving a nice seating area with regular tables and chairs on an old bare boarded floor plus a leather banquette around the bay window. There is a log burner in an attractive fire surround and the walls are wood panelled with some attractive leaded glass on some of the internal doors at the rear of the venue. A door with patterned glass panels announces the Thai restaurant is upstairs. The front has a couple of tables but there are no pumps or taps on the front side of the bar counter. The right-hand side has another, shall we say more worn, leather banquette fitted around the bay window and along the right-hand wall and serving regular tables with green leather dining chairs the other side thereof. Again, stool seating at the bar counter. At the back of this side there is a large room, sharing a corner of the bar counter, carpeted with a pool table in the middle of the floor space. A large projector screen resides suspended from the ceiling in the near right hand corner. Seating via regular and tall tables and a dart board lurks in the back corner. Rear French windows opened leading to the advertised Secret Garden, essentially some regular tables and chairs on a gravelled area but nicely shaded. The venue advertises heavily it shows live sports. Pleasant Fullers venue but let down by the extensiveness (or lack thereof) of its cask offering.

A very good looking pub on a large corner plot,it has a CAMRA heritage rating of one star but deserves more.The left hand lounge area with a wood burner has three very fine doors to the gents,ladies and the upstairs Thai restaurant.The light wood panelling is a significant feature.Going to the right there is a mid ship snug with dividers with stained glass before a long seating arera with brown leather benches along the perimeter ,five flatscreens and some noisy muzak.Beyond is a large,square pool room with high tables down one side,a small servery and doors to the beer garden.A four section pub still retaining their own access to the bar,with partitions still in place is a very pleasing feature ,and although some dates from the early 90's,I applaud the sensitive way in which changes have been made. It's a Fullers tie ,with on my trip London Price,ESB (NBSS 3 ,10% CAMRA discount offered not asked for) and their seasonal Grand Slam.The thai food has a very good value two course option at weekday lunchtime at £11,while median mains are £13. There is a bridge night,other community activities and both Sky and BT Sports and if I lived locally this would be a regular haunt.Well worth a visit if in the area ,a proper heritage pub and 2025 GBG listed.

As well described in the reviews below, this is a pleasant characterful Fullers pub in North Finchley. I tend to use it on a Saturday evening as it conveniently breaks my convoluted two bus and one train journey home from the Saracens Stadium in Mill Hill. At these times it’s quite lively and buzzing, especially if there is a late Saturday evening football game being shown on the telly, Which you can choose to watch either in the smart lounge side or the more public game side with its couple of pool tables and large screens. Or you can choose to ignore the sport and take your point outside onto the very pleasant front patio area under the cover of a couple of large umbrellas, as long as the weather is permitting. Usually a decent range of Fullers ales on which sometimes includes their seasonal brew. And as others have mentioned there is a decent Thai restaurant upstairs in what looks from the photos to be a very pleasant panelled dining area, although have to say I’ve never ventured up this far.