First, to compare this to the business that previously occupied the space is an unfair comparison. Â The Elephant was a punk rock bar that got a little too "punk" at the end. Â
The Stag and Lion, on the other hand, presents itself as a solid pub--an English one at that.
The place has been cleaned up, significantly, and now features a kickback room that can be rented for a party. Â Pretty solid idea.
The food is pretty good. Â My wife had the tortilla crusted chicken and I had the fish and chips. Â She was a big fan of her food. Â I, well . . . Â fish really isn't my bag. Â I dig fried fish because it tastes more like fried food than fish (if that makes sense to my seafood obsessed fellow yelpers) so it's passable for me. Â This fish, however, was massive--something I wasn't expecting. Â While a generous portion, it proved too much for my picky palate (I'm not saying it was bad, just saying that I couldn't quite handle it. Â Real fish heads will dig it, I'm sure). Â The "chips," on the other hand, were phenomenal. Â Great seasoning and cooked quite well. Â The tartar sauce was a bit heavy on the whole chunks of onion (another food I don't like), which was predominantly unexpected.
Plate sizes are a bit small, so eating gets a little tricky. Â I recommend larger ones.
Beer pours are proper pint glasses, 20 frigging ounces. Â Yes, please! Â Great selection of solid beers and ciders (thank the beer gods they put Smithwicks back on tap).
I will certainly be back in the future (stopped in, twice, in one week). Â Ben, the owner, has a great thing going.
I read a lot of recent reviews and thought I would check out the new pub in town (I had been to Hensleys before). Not going to lie, I wasn't blown away by the "major changes" so many reviews talked about. The place looks more open - and MUCH cleaner - but other than that the look and feel is pretty much the same. The service on the other hand was great. Our bartender was friendly and offered very good service. My boyfriend and I split the fried calamari with the pesto mayo - really, really good. The main bummer (other than the total darkness) was the atmosphere. It was Saturday night and there couldn't have been more than 10 people in the whole place. Despite this, or perhaps to make up for it, rock (weird mix of heavy metal and 90's pop rock) was blaring. Totally unnecessary. In the end, the cons outweigh the pros and I doubt that I'll be back. Too bad, that was some really great calamari...
Review Source:Bad calamari over cooked and super greasy. The Scotch egg's...Over cooked and greasy. The only saving grace was the fish and chips. Fish was way over done but the fries were good. Ha!!! First time and last. Do not recommend to any one. Unless you like greasy over fried food.
ONE WORD THAT SUMS IT ALL....OVERCOOKED FOOD AND TASTELESS!!
After reading about how great this new establishment was, and seeing how yummy the food looked in the photos, I thought it would be a great place to try for lunch. If I had to sum up my lunch into one word, it would be OVERCOOKED.
I don't frequent English pubs so I have no idea if  English food is normally like this. I suspect not. Between the two of us, we shared the calamari, the scotch egg, and the fish and chips. The menu choices were based on the recommendations from other reviewers.
I liked the flavors on the scotch egg - the dijon mustard, which I normally dislike, actually worked well with the dish. However the yolks were hard and the sausage pretty stiff from overcooking. It's my first time trying a scotch egg, but according to my Food Network shows, the egg is supposed to be soft boiled.
The calamari looked NOTHING like the photo I'd seen on Yelp, which appeared light both in color and texture. What we received was dark, stale, rubbery, greasy, and cold. It was as if they took last night's calamari and attempted to reheat it for us. We complained and they remade a fresh batch. The bartender serving us said the cook made fresh batter for this one. Maybe that's why it took so long even though we were the only ones in the entire place. The second batch was a little better, but still very, very greasy. The aioli it came with had a very light, vaguely artichoke flavor to it... maybe a little too light. It was a bit like dipping the greasy tidbits into mayonnaise. It kinda makes you queasy.
The fish on the fish and chips was fried a bit too long as well. The edges of the fish were a little rubbery. The tartar sauce looked home made, but tasted like coleslaw. It wasn't bad, but it could have used some tartness to cut some of the greasiness of the fried fish.
By far the best part of the meal were the fries (or "chips" if you're British). They were deliciously moist inside the way I like them. (I hate dry, crunchy fries that taste like potato chips.) They were seasoned, and the ranch dressing we dipped them in was just as good. I might consider going back just for the fries! These were what earned the extra star in the review. Fries like these are hard to find.
So most of the food was a fail. It also took a strangely long time for the food to come out as well. We went on a Tuesday afternoon. It was totally dead with just us and one other fellow.
Lastly, the look of the place... it looks like they simply painted over a dated venue. This might have worked if they hadn't chosen to cover the textured walls with semi-gloss paint. The shininess just makes the entire place look cheap, like I was standing inside an old bathroom.
Overall I didn't hate the place, but I'm not likely to return. Maybe you'll have better luck with the cook during your visit, but my first impression was not favorable at all.
A clean and light pub with friendly and efficient service, unique food and drink choices in a convenient location. Â The Scotch Eggs are a must try as is the fried bologna barbecue sandwich. Â The sliders are decadent. Â Great beer selection and the Bloody Mary is a full on meal. Â Good vale and a great time. Â They have a nice meeting area and a game room with a cool shooting game, pool tables, darts and more!
Review Source:A friend told me I had to try the new Stag & Lion restaurant in Carlsbad.  We went today.  I had excellent food and service and everyone was friendly.  I ordered the spring salad with chicken and the menu said pine nuts were included.  Some restaurants I've been to forget the pine nuts but not this place!  LOADED with pine nuts.  Very good.  Also tried the scotch eggs  - very yummy and the bread pudding was exceptional.  Prices not bad either!  We will be back!
Review Source:I have been coming to this establishment since it was squid joes and I have seen this place transform from a dive to what I would consider a great place for a beer and some games. I love the chicken spinach salad (with feta not blue cheese) and the bread pudding blew me away. I don't even like bread pudding but I love Stag Lion's bread pudding. My husband says the beer selection is second to none and we both love Mike's bloody marys. We are always on the look out for a good bloody mary and this takes the trophy. Nice Job!
Even more reason to come to Stag Lion is, it's family friendly! My son loves the video games and we really enjoy the atmosphere.
I would say over all a great improvements, friendly staff, and the food is incredibly fresh!
Great atmosphere, greats service, great food, great beers, great drinks. Â This place really has it all!
The menu isn't very large, two pages, but there's so much to choose from. Â The Mac n' cheese is heavenly (the real thing, no Kraft in sight!); the beer cheese soup to die for, rich and creamy; the angel hair pasta filling; the fish and chips includes a huge piece of fish perfectly fried and real English style chips; and the bread pudding, it's really the best I've ever had (and I don't even like bread pudding!). Â
The service is great. The bartenders are super friendly and will definitely make you feel welcome.
There's a number of beers on tap, and even more by the bottle. Â Some stuff that you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere else- like London Pride on tap! They even have Crabbie's Ginger Beer (tastes just like ginger), and this crazy beer that tastes exactly like banana bread!! And they have a full bar, so any drink you could want, you can have. (I suggest trying a shot of Sinfire, it's like Fireball but with less sugar and more organic so none of the nasty sugar hangover in the morning!!)
Overall, I would say Stag and Lion is not a place to be missed!
I was never a big fan of this place when it was Hensley's so I rarely came in. This building has been through a lot of changes in the past 10 or so years so I wasn't too surprised when it changed ownership yet again. I was drawn to it because I knew there had to be a connection to Game of Thrones and I had to check it out to find out for sure. (NERD ALERT: there is)
I've never been to an english pub before. I've been to plenty of Irish pubs but this is a fun twist on something that has come to be commonplace.
I tried the scotch eggs and the bread pudding. OUTSTANDING! Drink prices are decent. Staff is friendly. Its brighter and more feels more open. I'll be back for sure.
When this place was Hensley's Flying Elephant, I absolutely hated it, but since the business changed ownership and is undergoing a renovation, I definitely approve of the improvements. Initially, I was drawn there by the name--Game of Thrones, anyone?
Anyways, the boyfriend and I were famished and decided to give this place a try. We went at 11:30 on a Thursday afternoon and we were promptly seated by our waiter. There was still work being done: a painter adding another coat of paint to the ceiling, putting finishing touches to what used to be the stage area but now is a pool room, and they also have a new lounge area in the back of the bar.
We started off with waters and an order of Scotch Egg for our appetizer. I had never had it before but it was really delicious--slices of sausage meat coating hard boiled egg with drizzles of house-made mustard and a micro salad (3-4 leaves of chopped up baby spinach with a light dressing). Until June 1st, there's a grand opening promotional discount on the Scotch Egg. Usually it costs $4.99 but they will take two dollars off. Just make sure you mention it or point out the coupon that is on the table.
Next, I ordered the Bass Ale Battered Fish and Chips ($11.99) which comes with 8 ounces of lightly battered cod, chips (thick-cut fries), green peas, house-made  tartar sauce, and two lemon wedges. The fish was so good! I felt like it was more than 8 ounces. It tasted fresh and was fried to perfection. The chips were great too because they weren't too crunchy and were very moist. The green peas only had salt, pepper, and some type of oil/butter to it but simplicity has its own merits. Usually I don't like tartar sauce but they make it very light, so it was a good pairing with the fish.
My boyfriend ordered the Tortilla Encrusted Chicken With Mango Salsa and Southwestern Potato Hash ($11.99) and ate it all, so I assumed it was good.
We were pretty full after the meal and the waiter pretty much sold us on trying the Raisin Bread Pudding with Jack Daniels Glaze. It was pretty small (about 4x4 inches), with a side of whip cream and a sliced strawberry on top of that, but it was the best bread pudding that I have ever had in my life.
All in all, The Stag and Lion is definitely a place I will not avoid unlike its predecessor. The new staff is friendly and on top of their job (another waitress constantly refilling our waters). The place was actually busy by 12 PM and the customers didn't look like they were there to make the place depressing. For happier customers and staff as well as good food, I will definitely be coming here to try the rest of their menu.
Wow.  I'm English, by birth, so I'm always eager to try British pubs.  While the interior design of this place is rather basic, the food is terrific -- and surprisingly authentic.  The Fish & Chips are excellent, as is the Steak & Ale pie.  An appetizer, Curry & Chips, has a curry just like Mom used to make.  The Bread Pudding dessert is simply perfect.  There's also a nice selection of British import beers.  I'll DEFINITELY be going back.  What a nice addition this makes to  our local restaurants.
Review Source:Recently went to the Stag and Lion and I have to say that I really like what hey have done with the place so far. I think they need a bit more decor on the walls but that is about my only complaint. Try the scotch eggs, they are amazing, and they have a great beer menu now too. I will definitely be going back, It seems like they are trying very hard to seperate themselves from the previous business. Definitely worth a try!
Review Source:As I read through the reviews it reminded me of the old saying...a complaint will be told to 10 people, while a satisfied customer will never say a word! ...The early reviews seemed to prove this...
I had gone into the old place a number of times and was never impressed with the drinks, food, attitude of staff, cleanliness or theme of the restaurant.
I went in recently and loved that I could breath without the stale smell that used to permeate the entire building. The bartender was friendly and smiling, in fact the entire place was full of smiles staff and patrons alike! The drink was mixed well and the bartender took the time to explain the "football" (soccer) match they were watching and what kind of tournament it was as they cheered on a English home town team. The food was hot and fresh and very tasty.
The manager told me they were putting a twist on "British" cuisine, showing that it did not have to be dull, tasteless and heavy as is the case a lot of times. The menu is small and manageable...I personally don't want to read a book when I am ordering lunch.
There is some work to be done on ambiance...but my feeling is from the time the Elephant closed to the time it reopened as the Stag and the Lion they did a lot of clean up and freshening up of the old black on black on black venue. It is loud and could use some additional decor to dampen the echos or the swell of conversations as it becomes busy...but I am sure that will come.
All in all...YES definitely GO! Give it a try and bring your good time attitude...if you were a big fan of the previous venue you may not want to compliment them...but you will want to come back!
Horrible. Not only was the service slow and not very friendly but I had to send my drink back 2x because each time there was a giant crack in the cup and glass floating in my drink. The food...equally horrible. The $8.99 salad is actually a plate of lettuce and the other appetizers that we got were no better. Then to top it off we had a spilled drink and when I asked for more napkins to pick it up the waiter said "it's cool, just leave it" and left the mess next to our table. I will not be going back there anytime soon and I will be letting my friends know not to waste their time.
Review Source:To Dan D, you suck at writing reviews... Elite 13? Â Get somebody that knows how to analyze a place before giving them a title. Â First, Flying elephant is no longer there, so why are you comparing a completely new business to it and giving it a fairly bad review for it? Â The Elephant was never a mark for comparison to begin with...
This is a totally new restaurant, that happened to hire the old bartender that needed a job because the elephant went out of business. Â The wings were awesome, Scottish eggs was something I have never heard of and was actually good, and I didn't feel like I was going to get stabbed when I left the place.
To all my neighbors that have steered away from the old punk rock venue that would like a family friendly environment, without the traffic of the village, check this place out before taking this hipsters word for it. Â All the negatives are the reasons why people did not go to begin with, and the plusses are reasons why normal people would appreciate a restaurant!
- Cleaner
- Brighter
- Friendlier
- Better service
- New menu items
Josh S., you suck at reviewing other reviewers. Â We can bloody well use any bloody point of comparison we bloody well please.
Case in point. Â
I think it was about three years ago that, having been back about six months after a few years in Oregon, and having worked our way through all the other shitty, overpriced, tourist-oriented eating places in Carlsbad, we found ourselves at Hensley's Flying Elephant Bar & Grille. Â
On that ordinary average day, one of us had some kind of fish dish, the other had a burger. Â We both had beers. Â The tab was a shade under $40 including tax and tip. Â The service was okay, but not stellar. Â The food was okay but unmemorable. Â The acoustics sucked, and the grunge "background" music was annoying as hell. Â And even though Hensley's was only like 7 or 8 minutes from our place, we never managed to go back again. Â When we heard later about knifings in the parking lot ... well, that just kind of sealed the deal.
Imagine our surprise then, when passing by the Tamarack offramp on the I-5 the other day we spotted a new sign at Hensley's which read "The Stag & Lion". Â
So today when we were out and about, and ready for a late lunch, I had the brilliant idea of suggesting we look the place up on Yelp to see what's what. Â Which revealed that the all-new Stag & Lion was all different from the same-old Hensley's Flying Elephant. Â Just ask Josh S. if you don't believe it!
So in we went, expecting it to be all different and, you know, pub-like. Â Which seemed weird right away, seeing that it looked exactly like the old Hensley's Flying Elephant. Â I mean, there's even a stupid Flying Elephant logo still on the wall of the men's lav. Â Oh, sure, the name on the menu and workers' shirts was different. Â But really ... big picture windows looking out of an English Pub with palm trees and pink tropical flowers all about? Â We could tell right away we weren't back in the Midlands!
Anyhow, we figured, how bad can it be? Â So sat down we did.
Well, one of us had some kind of fish and chips dish, the other had a burger. Â We both had beers. Â The tab was a shade under $40 including tax and tip. Â The service was okay, but not stellar. Â The food was okay but unmemorable. Â The acoustics sucked, and the grunge "background" music was annoying as hell. Â
Long story short, even though the Stag & Lion is only like 7 or 8 minutes from our place, I doubt we'll ever manage to go back again.
Next!
This is more of a Mehhhh.
As compared to the Flying Elephant
The pluses....
- Cleaner
- Brighter
- Friendlier
- Better service
- New menu items
the minuses...
- Smaller menu
- Smaller portions
- Fries & burgers were not as good
So you math majors may see more pluses than minuses...but overall they cut the menu by more than half including many of the classic items ....(i.e. replaced the roast beef burger with the less than inspired hot dog burger, removed the club, replaced the fries with english chips (yuck)) and as of now didn't have any specials. Â Bartender was the same. Â I understand new ownership wants to put its stamp on things....I get it...but you took way too much away...and didn't replace it with much?.....check out the menu and you'll understand better what I am trying to spew out here. Â One thing they did say was the beer selection was greatly increased...though only a s a lunch stop for me I won't be able to partake...at least not and review it!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
