Black Labrador

The Scene – This cozy English pub is perfect for enjoying a pint of ale, a game of darts and a bite to eat. On the patio, a human-size chessboard is designed into the pavement and is even occasionally used. Couples canoodle by the roaring wood-burning fireplace near the main bar or sit at wooden tables in the main dining room. The all-female waitstaff dons traditional khaki skirts and long black socks, helping to carry the pub theme through to the friendly service. – – The Food – The kitchen isn't strictly English--burgers and Tex-Mex dishes turn up among the…

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Editor's Tips

Good for Groups:: Reserve the Churchill Room for your private gathering. No reservation fee.
Parking:: If you need to park in the garage, the Black Lab will validate your ticket.
Know Before You Go:: Look like a regular, and buy your own mug to keep at the bar.

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User Reviews (46)

ambiance	88.88999938964844% positive	“Black Lab offeres a comfy atmosphere, tucked behind ivy-laced walls and a giant chess set.” “They deliver exactly what you what expect - good (hearty, not haute) food in an authentic British Pub atmosphere.” “I've been going to the Black Lab for years -- the food is constantly delicious, the atmosphere relaxing and conducive to a long stay with friends, and the location is beautiful and convenient to the great museum district.” “This was a very comfortable pleasant dining experience.” “Good English Food, Cozy Atmosphere, but the parking is awful” “LOVE the atmosphere.” “huge chess set adorns the outside and is always fun, specially after a few "pints of plain" (again, Guinness).” “Great atmosphere and relaxing outdoor seating, its a great place” “The atmosphere was charming, the location looks amazing outside, the food was spot on, and the service was top notch.”
dessert	73.33000183105469% positive	“Inedible fish pie (unbelievably salty).” “Bangers and mash,, and sherpard pie are great.” “had about 35 EFO members who love jazz, and we got to enjoy the Black Lab's famous British desserts--English trifle and bread pudding, huge dishes big enough to be a meal and smothered in whipped cream.” “Order the Shepherd's Pie, the Bangers and Mash, or the traditional Fish and Chips and you'll start to wonder how it is possible that British cuisine has such a bad rep. I can't think of a meal I would rather have when I'm drunk than a big plate of shepher” “The spinach dip was amazing, the Shepherds' pie was so good.”
drinks	58.33000183105469% positive	“As an added bonus, the waitstaff congenially accepts lame attempts at British accents without ridicule and the beers on tap are on target with the UK theme.” “It has great soup and salads and an extensive beer list(modestly priced).” “was in there with 5 co-workers last night (4/3/08), we typically had to go to the bar to either ask for our waitress to be sent over or to order drinks instead of waiting on the waitress to show up.” “Expensive beers, nice pub” “We went in afternoon, place was empty, had a good waitress, nice bar wish I still drank.” “Not a bad place, not bad food, not bad beer, not bad service but then not great on all accounts.” “HOWEVER drinks are expensive!” “The food is great, the single malt scotch menu is good, and the beer selection needs a little work.” “ate at the bar, had some drinks, chatted with the bartenders (who were very friendly and entertaining), and had a great evening.”
food quality	68.48999977111816% positive	“My favorite is the Welsh Walnut Salad with chicken.” “The food was bad, mediocre and my 10 year old niece could cook better than this.” “had about 35 EFO members who love jazz, and we got to enjoy the Black Lab's famous British desserts--English trifle and bread pudding, huge dishes big enough to be a meal and smothered in whipped cream.” “In sum, if you are laid-back and looking for a (very) leisurely dining experience and good comfort food, the Black Lab is a good choice.” “I've been going to the Black Lab for years -- the food is constantly delicious, the atmosphere relaxing and conducive to a long stay with friends, and the location is beautiful and convenient to the great museum district.” “Even though my boyfriend usually enjoys the food here, we will NEVER return!” “Good food, poor service.” “Just don't expect to get nice food.” “The atmosphere was charming, the location looks amazing outside, the food was spot on, and the service was top notch.” “It has great soup and salads and an extensive beer list(modestly priced).” “The atomosphere is amazing, the waitstaff, while sometimes MIA, is generally pleasant, and the food.” “Its seems that if you come to a place like this you would understand that well good food always takes time to cook and will be cost more than a buck (thats what makes it fresh and delicious) but some people ruin the experiance for others when they are con” “It's not the money that burns me, it's the death of a pub that HAD great food and good service.” “The cheese soup, usually my favorite dish, tasted horrible.” “The food is a bit pricey, and if it weren't for that and the pitiful service, I would give it a full 10.” “Some of us wanted to order food and the waitress never came back to take our orders and one person in our party had ordered an appetizer which never was delivered.” “Inedible fish pie (unbelievably salty).” “called the manager, and he denied that it was his fish and chips (we did not eat anything else, and only the people eating the fish and chips got sick).” “They deliver exactly what you what expect - good (hearty, not haute) food in an authentic British Pub atmosphere.” “Horrible food.” “Not a bad place, not bad food, not bad beer, not bad service but then not great on all accounts.” “While the prices might not be exactly cheap, they are certainly better than the city's only other British pub, The Red Lion, and when you taste the magnificent food offerings, you'll understand why the prices are such, and feel like you're getting a barga” “Bad food, terrible service” “Food was very good, I was with a party of 5 others-everyone enjoyed their meal.” “The food is great, the single malt scotch menu is good, and the beer selection needs a little work.” “Order the Shepherd's Pie, the Bangers and Mash, or the traditional Fish and Chips and you'll start to wonder how it is possible that British cuisine has such a bad rep. I can't think of a meal I would rather have when I'm drunk than a big plate of shepher” “Solid food; horrible service” “and if you don't have the money for good food, don't ruin for everyone around you and go down the street to the jack in the box or burger king its only three blocks over along with the rest of the fast food places.” “good food.” “Most of the menu offerings are reliable, from the fairly authentic British favorites to the local Tex-Mex fare.” “Bad food Bad service.” “Mussels, burgers and sandwiches are O.K. Pity, this could be such a nice place!”
menu variety	100.0% positive	“Most of the menu offerings are reliable, from the fairly authentic British favorites to the local Tex-Mex fare.” “It has great soup and salads and an extensive beer list(modestly priced).” “They have the best bloody mary, I enjoy all the meals on menu, They have the best brunch on sunday and I just love this place.” “The food is great, the single malt scotch menu is good, and the beer selection needs a little work.”
overall	100.0% positive	“Seemed like a great place that should have a bigger crowd.” “Mussels, burgers and sandwiches are O.K. Pity, this could be such a nice place!” “They have the best bloody mary, I enjoy all the meals on menu, They have the best brunch on sunday and I just love this place.” “Great atmosphere and relaxing outdoor seating, its a great place” “found a good place.”
return potential	100.0% positive	“Even though my boyfriend usually enjoys the food here, we will NEVER return!”
service	44.569997787475586% positive	“The wait staff is adorable with there outfits and sometimes efficiant with there service, but its kinda hard to get great service when they are having to deal with rude customers who think that the whole world revolves around just them!” “The service is TERRIBLE.” “few hours later all three people were throwing up and stomach pains, the whole night and the company had three people with sick leave the next day.” “Good food, poor service.” “(The English Breakfast and Hobo's Breakfast are two winners) Although the service isn't perfect, I have been several times and have found the waitresses to be friendly and fairly attentive.” “Its seems that if you come to a place like this you would understand that well good food always takes time to cook and will be cost more than a buck (thats what makes it fresh and delicious) but some people ruin the experiance for others when they are con” “The food is a bit pricey, and if it weren't for that and the pitiful service, I would give it a full 10.” “Terrible service.” “We went in afternoon, place was empty, had a good waitress, nice bar wish I still drank.” “Solid food; horrible service” “We asked for more and the waitress brought us another batch of stale chips.” “Some of us wanted to order food and the waitress never came back to take our orders and one person in our party had ordered an appetizer which never was delivered.” “Sure, the hostess needs a little work, but the wait staff has always been VERY friendly!” “ate at the bar, had some drinks, chatted with the bartenders (who were very friendly and entertaining), and had a great evening.” “Bad food Bad service.” “The atmosphere was charming, the location looks amazing outside, the food was spot on, and the service was top notch.” “called the manager, and he denied that it was his fish and chips (we did not eat anything else, and only the people eating the fish and chips got sick).” “Adding 20% to our check for a party of 5 is a sure way to eliminate any chance of expressing your dissatisfaction of bad service.” “Not a bad place, not bad food, not bad beer, not bad service but then not great on all accounts.” “Bad food, terrible service” “It's not the money that burns me, it's the death of a pub that HAD great food and good service.” “was in there with 5 co-workers last night (4/3/08), we typically had to go to the bar to either ask for our waitress to be sent over or to order drinks instead of waiting on the waitress to show up.” “Give this restaurant a try-it really has great service!”
value	71.4300012588501% positive	“The food is a bit pricey, and if it weren't for that and the pitiful service, I would give it a full 10.” “huge chess set adorns the outside and is always fun, specially after a few "pints of plain" (again, Guinness).” “While the prices might not be exactly cheap, they are certainly better than the city's only other British pub, The Red Lion, and when you taste the magnificent food offerings, you'll understand why the prices are such, and feel like you're getting a barga” “had about 35 EFO members who love jazz, and we got to enjoy the Black Lab's famous British desserts--English trifle and bread pudding, huge dishes big enough to be a meal and smothered in whipped cream.” “and if you don't have the money for good food, don't ruin for everyone around you and go down the street to the jack in the box or burger king its only three blocks over along with the rest of the fast food places.” “It's not the money that burns me, it's the death of a pub that HAD great food and good service.” “HOWEVER drinks are expensive!”
wait time	100.0% positive	“I've been going to the Black Lab for years -- the food is constantly delicious, the atmosphere relaxing and conducive to a long stay with friends, and the location is beautiful and convenient to the great museum district.”

02/03/12

Fishing for compliments

by Texas Tyke

As an Englishman wandering in to a new pub in the States is always an adventure and I always look for the good things to pass on to fellow travellers. My trip to the Black Labrador left me searching for plusses.

The service was polite and prompt, and the waitresses outfits were charming, but that's about it.

I went for a standard British meal of Fish and Chips. I should have tried their Shepherds Pie !

From their size, the fish were apparently goldfish, not cod (and tasted more like pollock), the batter was too thick and not cooked in hot enough oil, and the 'chips' were fast-food fries. Very disappointing, especially for $13. Not much above Long John Silvers, I'm afraid.

Advice : if you do eat with the dog, try something else....

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11/07/11

Management, service, and experience are horrible

by Loves2EatOut

I've had to deal with the manager Armando on several occasions. His customer service and etiquette can be compared to that of a construction worker. I am truly shocked that this place continues to stay open. If it wasn't for the location and good beer selection, I'm sure it would close down in a week.

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12/09/10

BAD FOOD AND OWNERSHIP

by piperpiper

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08/15/10

One of the worst

by user500

Was at the Black Lab today for the 2nd Time in as many months. On my first visit, a Saturday about 7PM. I was with a group of about 20-25, that had reserved the Churchill room. Meals were preselected and paid for When we got there, the room was not ready, however they seemed to be doing a brisk business in the other areas. OK, they were a little busy, maybe, we got there a little earlier than they expected. The room was set up, in a unorganized way, with our help. The food was good, served slowly but OK. Then today again we had the Churchill Room reserved. We entered, no one there to greet anyone at the front door. Again we were a group of 20 -25. Some like myself had been there before we knew where the room was and went on in. About half of the party wandered out side and in the restaurant until one of the group rounded them up and showed them where to go. We filled the room. We were all seated, No Black Lab. employee in sight. Then a young woman came in to the room from the back, looked at all of us and left. A few minutes later she and another server appeared and started handing out menus & taking orders for beverages. The drinks came quickly. I was with a group that was seated in the middle of the room. They handed out the menus to all that were seated against the walls and windows and left. After about 20-30 minutes they returned and started taking orders from those that had been given menus. We were left sitting. They took orders from those with menus, picked up the menus and felt. After a few minutes, I got up, went to the front entrance,stop a server in her tracks, with a tray in her hand, and asked her to please give us menus. She apologized for missing us, gave us the menus, Then she immediately wanted our orders. We hadn't even had time to read the menu. Told her so,and she went on to do others things. We made our decisions and we sat there. We had to hail a server to take our order. She did and then we sat. The orders of all the other were delivered, they started eating. We were sitting. One or two tables, that had small children, got served first, then the others . We sat. The tables with the children finished, paid their bill and left. We sat. We flagged down a waitress and asked if she could please take out order.The remainder of the room were almost finished with their meals, we were sitting with no food. they were clearing tables when ours arrived. My food was room temperature at best, the others at out table said theirs were on the verge of being cold. We were so hungry and had waited so long we were afraid to ask that they take the food back and warm it up. The woman across from me had pancakes and the butter did not melt on them. If the food had been hot I would not be writing this because it was good. We were finished and ready to leave and had to again ask one of the staff for our bill. Then we had to sit again and wait for that. I was really tempted to just walk out, but I did not. I paid exactly what was on the check and left. This might be a good restaurant if it was organized a little better. They knew we were coming both times and both times they did not seem to have enough staff or people that cared enough to try . I do not plan on going back.

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03/31/10

British cuisine. Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron?

by KitchenInc , Citysearch Contributor

The Black Lab delivers everything you could want in a British pub, specially, a large selection of British beers. It is one of the few places where you can ask for "a pint of the black stuff" and they'll actually know what you're talking about (Guinness for those who don't). Their black and tans are superb, as only a true British pub can deliver. But the absolute best thing about the black lab is the location. For those of you that have never been there, it almost feels as though you've been transported to London, cobbles and all.

A huge chess set adorns the outside and is always fun, specially after a few "pints of plain" (again, Guinness). By this time, though, you'll probably be ready for a spot of supper, and this is where the Black Lab shines. Order the Shepherd's Pie, the Bangers and Mash, or the traditional Fish and Chips and you'll start to wonder how it is possible that British cuisine has such a bad rep. I can't think of a meal I would rather have when I'm drunk than a big plate of shepherds pie, and a big plate it is, my SO and I usually share one plate and are more than satisfied.

While the prices might not be exactly cheap, they are certainly better than the city's only other British pub, The Red Lion, and when you taste the magnificent food offerings, you'll understand why the prices are such, and feel like you're getting a bargain.

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Black Labrador

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What People Are Saying About Black Labrador

Joshua Hinsdale

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Editor's Tips

02/03/12

Fishing for compliments

by Texas Tyke

11/07/11

Management, service, and experience are horrible

by Loves2EatOut

12/09/10

BAD FOOD AND OWNERSHIP

by piperpiper

08/15/10

One of the worst

by user500

03/31/10

British cuisine. Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron?

by KitchenInc , Citysearch Contributor

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