Philadelphia actually used to have two Elephant & Castle Pubs, one in Center City on 18^th Street, one block south of Market, and one in the Northeast, in the Franklin Mills Mall next to the movie theatre. Unfortunately, the Franklin Mills location has gone under.

Nonetheless, The Elephant & Castle (CC Location) provides a very good selection of British and American beers and cider. The menu (it's a chain, they're all the same) consists of the normal American bistro items along with some British specialty items like Bangers and Mash.

As I was enjoying a nice pint of Double Diamond and since I had no place to go, decided to order the Bangers and Mash - a British favourite. The Bangers and Mash was a mixed blessing. The Bangers (sausages) tasted very authentic, with them somehow finding a British-like sausage over here in the States, but the mash was horrible.  It was incredibly powdery with no taste and it appeared to me that the spuds were instant (Another place that has Bangers and Mash is The Dickens Inn. They have good mash, but the Bangers are American breakfast sausage—not good!). Let's get our act together people! 

I frequented the Elephant & Castle in the Franklin Mills mall more than the Center City location. It was seemingly in an excellent location because it gives you a place to have a pint before or after you see a movie (better after so you do not have to hit the rest rooms during the flick -  a tip from the Nutty).  And if the more independent film types are up your alley, then the Woodhaven Mall Theatre was only a wee bit down the road.

The last time I was at the Franklin Mills' Elephant & Castle, the place was empty. I was talking to the bar tender while I waited for my friends to arrive. I asked him if it was always this dead and he said in the middle of the week it was, but it picks up a bit on the weekend. This did provide us a quiet atmosphere to talk, but the lack of patronage ultimately did this location in. 

- As reviewed by The Nutty Irishman

His other reviews include: Oscar's Tavern, The Samson Street Oyster House, Maggie O'Neal's, Barnaby's, Shampoo, Rio, The Great American Pub, The Boat House & Valley Forge Brewing Company.