Ye Olde Cock N' Bull

Stopped in for a beer while in Toledo.

Sports bar vibe, lots of TV's showing football, they also have a small stage for live music. 35 taps, so a good selection. No special releases, but a good mix.

 

 

 

This place just opened up and, as of this review, has been in operation for a couple months. Atmosphere's a bit tough to rate due to objectivity and preferences, but it looks like they got a design expert in here simply because the use of space and how things are arranged to suit everybody's particular needs is nearly perfect. The bar doesn't look massive but can seat a large number of people without being crowded. There are two silent TV's on either side of the bar. When I go in the afternoons and it's me by myself and maybe another person or two there, they're nice to have, and they're not a huge distraction either. There's a stage that's tucked into a corner but big and with lots of open space around it. The seating is spaced enough apart so that the place can be packed without really seeming like it is. There's a porch that's open to the sidewalk but for a railing and glassed on the inside wall, together but still separate enough. All in all, it really is a well-designed place. There's enough local memorabilia to awaken some nostalgia or garner some local feel without looking like an Applebee's. But enough about that. Ye Olde Cock n' Bull features 34 taps (really good if not outright phenomenal for the area) and a selection of bottles as well. The count is 23 micros, 7 macros (including Yuengling and Yuengling light, so it depends on your views on that), 2 faux craft (at the time Blue Moon and Shock Top), and 2 craft ciders, which I think is excellent to offer as well. I was told that most of the taps remain the same through the year but 5 or so are left rotating for new beers. Service isn't bad, but the few times I've gone it's been pretty dead and the girl who's there usually isn't particularly prompt. They're always friendly, though. They generally know what they're talking about with the beers, though my server has sometimes had trouble knowing styles and the like. Apparently the kitchen is contracted out so that the bar and the restaurant portion are both owned by the same person but not run by the same person to ensure that good food can be served and be improved. The food I've had has always been good and a step up from typical pub fare; some, in fact, has been excellent. Prices are good and I can get 2 beers in an afternoon, at least, for about $7-$8 for the good stuff.
This place is definitely worth checking out and a nice addition to the downtown beer scene.