Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Elephants Head, Camden Town, NW1
NW1
NW1 8QR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Elephants Head
Long and thin street corner boozer with some very good exterior glazed tiling in brown and some pleasing features inside.The tap room has quarry tiling and is open plan but the kinked ,long bar hints at a previous two room layout as confirmed by the side entrance door to the rear area.The bar front is very attractive,wood carved in a church cloister pattern .There is a raised section at the front,a stand alone drinking shelf further back,with most of the traditional seating at the rear.The soundtrack wasn't too loud and well selected rock and blues standards.The Wurlitzer juke box was out of action.The service was swift and the punters inside seemed less transient than at most of the other pubs I visited in Camden.The interior was surprisingly calm compared with the chaos outside,this is young tourist central .
The biggest let down was the ale,with just a single London Pride handpump,served far too cold and out of condition (NBSS 1.5) and a total rip off at £3.85.
Marks awarded from the fabric of the pub ,great shame about the beer.
On 29th October 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Elephants Head
A very busy pub due to its location, long and narrow inside it had quite a vibrant and quirky feel, for Rex's benifit from the previous review, the Wurlitzer Jukebox is still present. On the beer front it's disapointing, a general theme in Camden Town with only London Pride On, I went keg with Brixton Reliance Pale Ale. Again in this part of town, I quite liked the pub, the beer left more to be desired.
On 20th December 2021
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Elephants Head
This pub is in the centre of Camden tourist central, and was thus quite busy when we visited on a Monday lunchtime. It's still as described by previous reviewers, and although I didn't spot the Wurlitzer juke box they mention, it doesn't mean that it wasn't still there somewhere. Our attention was drawn immediately to the bar counter front, which was embellished with extravagant wooden Gothic arches(!), and the antique bar back. It looks an impressive pub from the outside with its original brewery brown tiling, and hanging baskets full of colourful petunias.
They still do London Pride and Elephant's Head Bitter (£4.60 for two halves). They do a pub grub menu at lunchtime, but I didn't scrutinise the menu. This is a pretty decent pub, although a bit too touristy for my taste, with loud pop music being played. Fair enough for a swift one though, and the Elephant's Head house beer (Caledonian 80/- apparently) was in good condition.
On 7th September 2018
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Elephants Head
This is a Georgian pub, dating from 1832 when it was built as the brewery tap for the Elephant's Head brewery across the road, which still displays its old livery. The once illuminated Courage sign to the side of the pub hints at past ownership and although it's around 25 years since I was last in here its a definite improvement on its old self and seems to have been improved relative to some of the earlier reviews, below.
There's an attractive tiled floor and Wurlitzer-style jukebox to the rear where once a pool table held court. Furniture is traditional with peripheral wooden settles. Overall it's quite pubby, though the music is a little loud. Clients are mainly locals and tourists - the Camden Weird Brigade are conspicuous by their absence.
Ales: Fuller's London Pride and Elephant's Head at £2.20 a half and fine.
I'd return if in the area but wouldn't go out of my way to actually be in this area.
On 4th October 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Elephants Head
This prominent pub on Camden High Street must attract a fair amount of passing tourist trade thanks to its striking tiled exterior, which means that like other pubs in the vicinity, it probably doesn't feel it needs to do much to keep people coming back. The pub has a simple, single room location befitting its street corner location, with a narrow rectangular, tile floored room extending some way to the rear beyond the servery which runs down the right hand wall. There is a slightly raised seating area to the front offering limited tables and low stools, before a more cramped space opposite the bar provides high stools along drinking ledges. The walls are half panelled throughout and the servery has a nice dark wood counter and bar back, which gives the pub a more traditional feel than the likes of the Oxford Arms over the road. Much of the seating is under large windows, providing the opportunity for some top people watching. Further to the rear there are high tables and stools and a couple of pews on the right hand side beyond the end of the bar. Décor includes lots of blackboards listing events and promotions, a few elephant themed pictures, a fair bit of Guinness memorabilia and all sorts of posters for local gigs. A large TV screen to the rear right was turned off and there are some nice mirrors back here including a cut glass mirror with a martini glass motif. A Wurlitzer juke box takes pride of place to the rear under a large clock and a reggae soundtrack played throughout most of my visit.
Two ales were available on this visit - Fullers London Pride and Elephant's Head Ale, which is apparently rebadged Caledonian 80/-. I gave the latter a try at £4.00 a pint, and thought it was probably a bit past its best, but still drinkable. The staff seemed friendly enough, which isn't always a given in the touristy pubs of Camden, and despite being only half full, there was a good vibe on my midweek visit.
This pub certainly has its limitations and probably suits the needs of a small band of locals and an endless supply of passing tourists much better than it does the discerning drinker in search of a good pint and comfortable surroundings. There are certainly much worse pubs in the neighbourhood and whilst I won't be making regular visits, I wouldn't entirely rule out a return at some point.
On 26th July 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Elephants Head
Narrow pub serving 2 real ales and food. Nice tiled exterior.
On 21st November 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Elephants Head
Traditional narrow, rectangular bar in a style that reminded me of certain Dublin pubs, but thankfully without most of the tat. Small seating area up one step also looks like it may act as a stage. Decent jukebox. Two pairs of handpumps on the bar counter, both offering Pride and Courage Best (£3.75). Overall, hardly brilliant, but one of the better places on this part of Camden Hill Street.
On 27th October 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Elephants Head
A street corner boozer with no pretensions, unless you count the £2 I was charged for a half of Courage Best. The other option was Fullers London Pride. I quite liked the pub, with its somewhat distressed furniture and fittings, the no-nonsense bar and the typical Camden Town mix of locals and foreigners, plus The Only Ones on the loudspeakers: I don't know when I last heard Another Girl, Another Planet in a pub.
The beer was truly awful. Maybe it was the weather, but it was warm and totally devoid of condition and taste. I could have complained, but couldn't be bothered. Other customers were drinking lager, which looked cool and bubbly, so it looks like they just don't know how to keep and serve real ales. Not one I'll be in a hurry to revisit.
On 27th July 2012
- rating: 3
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3470 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Elephants Head
Among Camdenville's numerous watering holes, I have always found the Elephants Head to be one of the area's more charismatic pubs. The exterior boasts some wonderful tiling that just hints at the shabbyness that lies within. Situated in the heart of one of London's weirdest areas, the pub certainly attracts an eclectic mix of people and this is often reflected in the jukebox that churns out everything from punk, metal and indie to old 50's crooners. The long and narrow interior has bright walls and ceilings and the place at best can be described as pretty tatty with battered tables, slashed upholstery, worn out letters on the bare windows and a mishmash of a tiling on the floor. A large clock is housed in a wooden cabinet at one end and it is a wonder that it actually tells the right time. Comfort is certainly not its strongest selling point but like a decent worn out pair of shoes, it all fits nicely and feel that the place has given many people a lot of mileage over the years. Only 1 ale available (Courage Best) despite 4 hand pumps but the quality has always been pretty decent even if the price (£3.25 at the moment) is a bit hard to take for such an ordinary beer. It is certainly not a place that will appeal to everyone but for my money, it beats most of its tarted up neighbours.
On 20th August 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Elephants Head
This is a decent pub that had four nice and competent barmaids serving during my visit. There are four ale pumps, but only two were in use and they were both delivering Courage Best. There is also one premium lager and a few bog standards.
The bar almost stretches the length of the pub making it very narrow so it doesn't take that many people to fill the place up. There are a few more tables at the rear next to the toilets, but the back door is not used so you still have to fight you way along the bar to get to them.
The music was a little loud for my liking, but other than that I enjoyed myself and would recommend to others.
On 18th November 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]