THE OLD SHIP – English Pub waiting to be experienced on the other side of the world.

The inside is typical English Pub from its dark wood interior to its old world charm.  But wait its located in Santa Ana, California not in England.  Although you could hardly notice the difference once you walk in as you are teleported to England and the patrons are all English.  The stout is strong and accent is cockney.  If your homesick for England then this place is must see.

The food on the other hand is unseasoned and rather bland.  However, that is typical English Style.  The fish and chips needed seasoning or rather a pinch of salt.  The fish itself was light and flakey.

I experimented with the Cottage Pie.  Now that was definitely different than Southern California traditional fare.  The broth was rich and made with lentils.  There was a little to many peas for my liking, although the carrots were sweet and added another dimension of flavor.  In its simplicity Cottage Pie is a stew, vegetarian or meat based baked in the oven covered with mashed potatoes.  Now this was well seasoned as the flavor comes from the broth.  The potatoes had a crisp top from the heat of the oven which really added the needed crunch.  I would have thought that they do Fish and Chips well but that was not the case it was the Cottage Pie which was the winner here.

 

Do not come on a day when soccer is playing as the place will be packed with transplants.  You may need ear plugs when Chelsea scores a goal.  The atmosphere is friend as you would expect it to be from an Englishman.  My waitress was all smiles even when she had to bend down to hear my order as Chelsea scored a win.  There are flat screen televisions throughout the pub and in order for it to be a family affair there is restaurant around the bar so feel free to bring the little ones.  There is nothing like the comfort of an English Pub for a family outing.  This is where the Americans got it all wrong.  Bars vs. Pubs – I will pick a pub any day of the week.

The food here is not healthy or seasoned to my standards but the Pub is hands down a winner.  So unfortunately it only gets 2 Forks Up but don’t let that deter you.  If you want a nice afternoon out in traditional English Pub style this is the place to go.  Remember to expect a packed house during soccer time.

Located at 1120 West 17th St, Santa Ana, CA 714.550.6700 - $9.00 daily lunch specials.