I'm staying in town for a few days. After looking at the menu, I was enthusiastic about trying this place. I ordered the Calamari (small bites). They were scrumdidlicious! . I also ordered a beer made in London. It was quite good as well. It is Camden Hells lager. My cousin ordered nachos. It was a large portion meant for sharing. The chips/crisps were flour, not corn. She liked it a lot. We will return. read more

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Actually surprised that we enjoyed our visit here. We live around the block so we tried to avoid the weekend portobello road tourist crowd at all costs but desperate times calls for desperate measures, we came in after squeezing through all the people walking so slowly enjoying their holiday. As you can imagine the pub is extremely full and we were quite hopeless to get a table ourselves let alone having a staff checking us in. Nope, we were welcome with full attention from it seems to be the only staff that's working there and tried his best to get us a table. We were not left hanging around for drinks and we didn't find ourselves waiting for a long time to order. The food is actually very yummy and we are left satisfied. Only thing is that they cheekily increase the price in this branch for the conscience of the location. read more

The Castle - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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We stopped here thinking we'd get drinks and food. The bartender was very unfriendly and seemed more interested in his phone than in helping or serving drinks. The vibe of the place was fine and there were a few customers having fun so I can't complain there... we decided not to stay to eat because of the service. read more

I am an American who is timid when it comes to asking for help bc of that but I asked for ice water an this team was happy to oblige.

This is a bar, not a restaurant. It should be clear that the food here (despite some of the reviews?) is not actually edible and should not be served. We gave this restaurant a few tries, but only one attempt at eating. The first time we were turned away at 8:15 because the kitchen was closed (open until 11pm though) and the second time was just way too loud because of a live band. The band was playing on the street earlier, I'm guessing some sort of regular of the Portobello Road Market that happens 5-6 days a week. The third time we actually made it to the restaurant at a rather non busy time of the day. There were probably 5 other occupied tables, and nobody eating, which was probably not a great sign. We ordered steaks because it was actually recommended by a few people on Google reviews (and Flat Iron up the street apparently just closed permanently, and we were looking for steaks). Expected a bar steak and didn't even get that. Came out completely raw and just void of any taste. We asked for a box to take it home and try to salvage the meat by cooking it ourselves, but were told we couldn't take the food out of the restaurant? Second red flag. Literally never once heard this at any restaurant. The cook tried grilling the steak for another 10 minutes, and it came out just as raw. Tasted awful as well. We were refunded one of the steaks, so this became a rather expensive mistake on our parts. When we left the barback told the next customers who came in and requested steaks (just...lol at somebody else ordering that on the same evening) and were told they were sold out of everything except fish and chips. In summary, this is a bar and not a restaurant. Go here if you want drinks, or go somewhere else entirely. Staff was kind of weird. read more

English Pub with a great selection of beer and cider; the atmosphere was lively on a Friday night. I don't typically enjoy live music while dining, but the band that night was on point with their covers-- particularly with their version of Radiohead's Creep! I had the Meat Pie which had a super flaky crust on top of ample chunks of tender stewed beef. Hearty, satisfying, delicious, and perfect with my crisp & refreshing hard cider! read more

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Coming from the US, I asked the bartender if I could tip on card, to which he replied, "just leave a review!" Phenomenal service from everyone. Staff is so kind and endearing. 11/10 recommend or a quick drink, or a delicious meal! Amazing spot. read more

Food was Insane! I love this place. The beer was amazing and service was on point! So good! Definitely will be coming back here. If ever in the area hit up this place read more

While wondering around Notting Hill on a Sunday in December with my husband we deside to have Sunday roast after a stroll down Portobello market. We had a busy day ahead and wanted a big meal. The Sunday roast (beef and chicken) was ok, bit dry and blend but fair for the price We waited good 70 minutes for the food and when it finally came we were mostly annoyed with time lost. We had ordered a bottle of wine..and we'll, that we had drunk when the food finally arrived cold... so they gave us a glass of wine to make up for those 70+ minutes and a 20% discount Cosy pub to chill and if you have a lot of time, order food... read more

The Castle is in prominent location right on Portobello Road and on a busy junction. Having ignored it for years I've found myself meeting friends here several times recently and it's OK. During the week the few tables outside are taken over by hardcore locals. It's not too great sitting this close to traffic and I prefer grabbing a table inside. The Castle looks and feels like a good old-fashioned pub. The selection of beers and wines is OK, the soft drinks a real let down. Generic sodas from a gun and watered down juices served on too much ice. Nothing to write home about but it'll do if you need a convenient place for a catch up and can't be bothered walking a little further. read more

Amazing food. The best Chicken Cesar Salad that I've ever had in my life. I might fly the 10 hours from home just to have the experience again if not for the climate change bit. You locals are lucky folk. read more

A more higher end, classier kind of pub. It wasn't that packed by the time we got there because it was about 2 hours to closing time. They had weird large four seater bar tables. My feet shouldn't dangle and make me feel like a kid when Im drinking a jack and coke and possibly slurring my speech. Ordered from the bar but then when the drinks were low a waitress came by and took another order. That was nice. Nothing really special about the place though. Unless you like to swing your legs while you drink. read more

While we were walking the Portobello Road Market, we had decided to check out The Castle. We had a great time. Our server (Valerie) was great (from what I remember, she was from Scotland and has family in Florida, USA). She was super friendly, had a good sense of humor and was very attentive. The bar had a decent amount of beers on tap and bottled (British cask Ales, American Craft beers, etc.). Just like America, this bar had no problem allowing one to try a small sample of beer to see if you like it or not ('try before you buy'). I had a few of the Leffe beers as well as a few from Camden Brewery. The food was good. We had split a Roast Chicken Caesar Salad. We also had the Pork & chorizo burger and the Free range Gloucester Old Spot sausages. The prices were reasonable. We would return to this bar if we are ever in the area again. read more

Great food, atmosphere and service. We had the chicken pie for lunch and it was amazing. I would def recommend if in Notting Hill!

Really nice local pub. The best times to go are Wednesday and Saturday nights when they have an open mic night. I've heard quite a few good music acts and am always impressed with the variety they have there. The service isn't the fasted but you're always greeted with a smile. This is not the best pub for food. We had the calamari and pita starters, which were really nice. However, the shepherds pie was dry and tasteless and the best part of the sausage and mash was the gravy. All in all a nice local pub with good music. Just make sure to eat before you head down. read more

Three stars instead of four, because it gets obnoxiously packed on the weekends with Portobello Market-goers. Three instead of two, because of the Homer Simpson quote on the chalkboard: "Beer: The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems." We managed to snag a couple seats on the May Day Bank Holiday. Was it just me, or did not many people actually have that 'holiday' off? Anyway, they have a nice selection of beers and my favourite Bulmer's Cider over ice. The hubs reported that the house burger was quite good, while I had the fish and chips. Which, despite a couple of small bones near the end, were also quiet good. The mushy peas weren't Hix's, but I assume they're more along the lines of how everyone's British grandmother makes them. A little unappetizing to look at, but tasty enough. This place is definitely worth trying. Just avoid it during the day on weekends, unless you're into the touristy Portobello Market thing. Or, well, if you are a tourist, please go elsewhere. What? I asked nicely... read more

A large, inviting gastro pub in the heart of busy Portobello Road. It's always been absolutely rammed in here when I've visited; if you're looking to sit and eat you may have to mill around a bit, scowling at table hoggers. If you do manage to get a seat, then the food is definitely worth it. Good, filling pub grub, pies and the like, are served up, The clientele is really friendly, very smiley and warm. They do a decent bottle of house red too. The only downside is quite how busy it gets. read more

This wasn't a great pub and due to it's location it's not somewhere I'll probably visit again but I really liked the atmosphere in here and it feels like a comfortable pub you could spend a night in. The beer selection wasn't great as they were changing over 2 ale taps during my visit but the pint I had was decent. I tried a burger while I was there that was great value. £10 for a burger, fries, onion rings and a pint. They also had quite a few other options for the same price so it would be worth checking out during January as I'm not sure how long it will last. read more

Good food, excellent service and a great selection of beers. We had the fish and chips, very good. The kitchen manager personally checked on us to make sure everything was okay. The bartenders were very helpful in selecting beers. The atmosphere was good. Check it out if you are in the area! read more

The fish n chips were very bland. They were downright awful. Have a beer and skip the food.

This is a typical, no frills English pub. I went on my last night in town and it was ok. One of the bartenders was really rude and another guy that worked the bar was ok. It's a nice neighborhood pub, but nothing special to it. read more

During a walk on Portobello Road decide to have a quick lunch with my friend. Can't describe my disappointment when they brought us burgers with burned beef cutlet inside (buns were burned too). Fries were overcooked as well. Basically they managed to spoil everything they could. And we paid 12 pounds each, plus drinks, when could go to MacDonalds and get some better food there for a cheaper price... Very poor performance. Even taking into consideration that there were two people working in the kitchen at that moment... Very disappointed, will never come back there... read more

My sister and cousin are visiting from NYC and were looking for a pub in Notting Hill since we were visiting the Notting Hill House from the movie which is conveniently located across the street! Valerie was great in helping us decide what we should order to eat. We got a nice deal - 3 appetizers and a bottle of wine for £20. We were really hungry so we got the squid, chips & gravy, chicken skewers, and the ham & salami. We enjoyed it all thoroughly! We also ordered a British beef burger with fries and split it. If you're from America you'll notice that the portions are a little smaller here...that's why America has an obesity problem! Nevertheless, the food was great - my favorite was the squid! It was absolutely delicious - very crispy and the sauce was sweet. We had 2 bottles of cidre rosé. It was sweet and smooth. We enjoyed the first one so much that we got a second bottle! Valerie was a great help and super friendly, we talked about the rest of our Eurotrip and she gave us a few pointers. I'd definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a "pubby" atmosphere and yummy food! read more

A good selection of drinks and nice big wooden tables, doesn't make up for the staff being rude, it being busy and generally cramped. I'm not impressed with this place, it's nice enough, but with better bars in the area (and places to eat), I wouldn't return to this place in a hurry. read more

This pub is really cotched- with massive sofas in every corner and pillows strewn over the large wooden benches it will be hard to leave once you are settled in. They serve really good food which perhaps doesn't come in your usual massive pub sizes, but they serve delicate dishes like Thai fishcakes and the like. As anywhere on Portobello Road, it's hard to get a seat on a Saturday but definitely worth a try! read more

Came for the burger and beer for £10 deal. Was a little disappointed. I ordered the black pudding burger and it was a little dry and over cooked. Our onion rings came after most of us had already had our meal. I also found it surprising that only small lemonades could be given as the soft drink in lieu of a pint. Hardly seems fair to swap a pint of beer for a thimble of lemonade! read more

Good atmosphere but food and service not that great. We had Sunday roasts, the portions were good but the food not unforgettable. Wouldn't recommend... read more

Decent menu and beer selection. While in a super touristy neighborhood, I was happy to find a place that at least felt authentic enough. American tourist tested & approved. read more

I can't say I completely approve of this pub, although it gets incredibly busy. It's regarded as a local pub for those that live in the Portobello market, yet the crowd is mixed. What I can admit is that this place is not plush nor expensive. You get tourists, Londoners and drunkards coming in here, which is why I try and stay away from this pub. It's a bit of a shame, really since it does own a décor that tries to invite people with more loaded pockets. They display the freelance work of artists, which are brung up in conversation and have decent fabric and leather seats, Yet, somehow it still fails to impress me. It's a local pub and that's all that it is. Very crowded during the weekends, but I'd say go to the Prince Albert in Notting Hill instead. read more