Fondren Public

Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

2765 Old Canton Rd
Jackson, Mississippi, 39216-4308
United States

(769) 216-2589 | map
fondrenpublic.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.74
Reviews:
3
Ratings:
7
pDev:
27.01%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by ahommell:
Photo of ahommell
Rated by ahommell from Mississippi

4/5  rDev +7%

Feb 25, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of cogitaveritas
Reviewed by cogitaveritas from Texas

1.65/5  rDev -55.9%
vibe: 1 | quality: 2 | service: 1 | selection: 2 | food: 2
I have yet to have a good experience at this bar. I lived in the area before this place opened, so I was excited the first time I came back in town to try a new bar.

The first time I visited, I was denied entry because my Texas driver's license "didn't look real." Apparently "real state IDs don't highlight the birth date." So strike one to them.

The next couple of times I visited, I was allowed in fine, but was thoroughly underwhelmed by the place. Maybe I was spoiled from living in Austin for too long, but the beer selection was lacking, the staff was inattentive at best and downright rude at worst. The whole place just felt kind of grungy, but not in the good way like a dive bar. I tried to give it another chance, because the location is pretty great. (I like to go to dance salsa around the corner at Salsa Mississippi, so a nice drink or two beforehand would be nice.)

The next time I arrived, I once again had an issue with the driver's license. This time, the door guy (who was a JPD officer) tried to confiscate my license for being fake. (Again, it didn't look real and my current hair wasn't as long as my picture. I knew JPD didn't hire the brightest, but wow.) I ended up having to call the police, at which point I was given my license back and told to "get out of here."

That was a year ago. None of that angered me enough to write a review, until last Saturday night. I was back in town with my girlfriend (who is from Mexico and therefore has a Mexican ID) to show her where I had grown up, and we decided to meet some friends at Fondren Public for some drinks. All of us show our ID to the doorman, except for my girlfriend who is stopped by the JPD officer standing out front and told to just show hers to him. When he sees the foreign ID, he looks up and smiles, then tells her that she is not allowed in. I ask him something about "are we just not accepting Mexican IDs then? Her birth date is right there on it." to which he replies that if it's not American it's not accepted.
So we leave, angrily. I'm pissed off because of the smug way this officer acted when denying her access. I understand that the official rules are "state/government ID or passport," but the attitude of this officer was terrible.

But the kicker, the thing that caused me to right this, was the little twinkle-finger wave and smug smile the officer gave us when we drove away.

So in short: the bar is staffed by rude people, "guarded" by assholes, and isn't even worth the effort once you get in. On the bright side, now that most of the college binge drinking occurs at Fondren Public, the Bulldog is definitely a much better and more inviting place to drink.
Nov 14, 2016
 
Rated: 4.12 by Summer92 from Mississippi

Oct 06, 2014
Photo of Ravenclaws
Reviewed by Ravenclaws from Mississippi

4.15/5  rDev +11%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25 | food: 3.75
FP is a great choice for craft beer lovers in Jackson. Fondren is the artsy section of downtown, and is within walking distance of a couple of other good food spots. Check out Sal and Mokies for good pizza, which offers a smaller craft beer selection. If I had another craft beer lover visiting we would start at FP for a couple rounds walk up to S&Ms for pizza then pop back into FP for another one or two.

The beer selection is very good. Maybe not quite as good as Bulldog. Food is good but quite as good on value in my opinion. Standard southern pub food, if there is such a thing.

They have a outside area for the smokers or for those who want some fresh air.

I stick to the bar area myself, I have got faster beer service there.

The atmosphere is a good 'craft beer bar' feel and is worth checking out.
Jul 03, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by miguellunarusso from Mississippi

Jun 17, 2014
Photo of brewskifan55
Reviewed by brewskifan55 from Mississippi

4.28/5  rDev +14.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
If you want to enjoy friends for craft beer in Jackson, MS, Fondren Public is the place. FP just received three awards in the Jackson Free Press "Best Of" for 2014. Best Bar, Best New Bar and Best Bar For College Students To Hang Out.
Situated in the back corner of one of Jackson's oldest shopping centers, the parking lot gets filled up fast with arriving craft beer lovers. Get there early. Happy hour is from 4-7 with $1 off draft beers. Haven't tried the pub food yet, but it appears adequate.
Most draft beers range from $6-$8. The bartender will let you try a sample is you're not sure. Draft choices are really good, with lots of Mississippi breweries and several Belgian offerings. Ask for the beer menu, it'll save time and questions. You can even get growler fills in a FP growler ($5) or bring your own.
There's a game room in one area, several big screen TV's in most all rooms, and a huge patio area that could hold a hundred people easily.
The owners of FP have a passion for craft beer and its patrons know it. Pint Nites are held periodically to showcase new beers to the area.
There's no website at the moment, but their Facebook page is very active. Twitter is also big.
While FP caters to the mid-20's crowd, my wife and I felt comfortable with our beers. I'll definitely be back...with friends.
Jan 22, 2014
Fondren Public in Jackson, MS
Place rating: 3.74 out of 5 with 7 ratings