What you like about a/your BAR

I like Argosy in Atlanta, GA. They always have a solid selection on tap and now that GA gets Prairie they have had Bomb! on tap the past two weeks also, about 3 weeks ago they had Tequila mex cake on tap (unfortunately, I didn't get any). Plus, the atmosphere is really laid back but still maintains a classy aura so it's perfect for a good dinner with the girlfriend, a business meeting, or just hanging out and throwing back a few brews. Prices are reasonable as well and they have proper glassware. TV's aren't prevalent throughout the bar but there are some hanging behind the bar, which I like. I don't go to a bar to watch TV, I go to drink and talk to people. If you live in ATL I definitely recommend it.

 

Beer selection, value, and quality and the three most important criteria for me.

My favorite bar (Lures Bar and Grille) has a really good and changing craft beer selection and great happy hour specials. Half price drafts and beer paddles (which means $4 for four 5-oz pours). They also have a beer of the month club--one free beer every month and a free meal during your birthday month. The food is fine but on the pricey side but I'm ok with that since I go for the beer, not the food. Right now they have Bruery Oude Tart on draft which is awesome; a 5-oz pour essentially costs $1, which multiplied out gives a price of between $5-6 for the equivalent of a 750ml bottle--which runs well over $20 at the liquor store! Not a bad deal.

Ambiance is important as well (especially for my wife) and since Lures is on the upscale side it's a great place for us to visit. It can get too loud for her if we go at the wrong times but in general it's great.

Customer service is important too and I'd give Lures a 7.5 out of 10. The bartenders aren't always the most knowledgeable but on the whole it's fine.

 

Either a nice craft beer line-up OR a total dive bar with a juke box and a pool table. One or the other.

I would be in heaven if I could combine both!

 

My favourite local bar has:

1. Around 12 beers on draft, all very well chosen, usually representing a varied range of styles (i.e. it's not generally going to have 6 DIPAs on at one time)
2. Awesome food.
3. Great music (for my tastes) that's not played too loudly that you can't easily have a conversation.
4. No table service.
5. A great vibe - a real mix of people go there (which is important to me).
6. A TV (which I could do without personally, but I understand why it's thee) which is always on mute, is small, and not placed front and centre

And the best part is that by NYC standards it rarely gets crowded, even though they often tap some real gems

 

My preferences changed in recent years because the beer bar trend has changed. For example, the "buy local" movement has its tentacles pretty far, and I'm tired of going to a place that would normally have 20 "best in style" examples for each offering but now has about 10 of those taps taken over by local stuff that isn't in the same league.

So,

1. Minimal TVs or no TVs
2. Craft taps are among the best for their styles, not local ones unless that local beer = among the best.
3. Good service - no empty glass in front of me, reasonably polite. Don't care if ignorant about beer. Just good service.
4. Decent food, or better.
5. Suitable location, ambiance, and pricing so that it is more of an adult, professional customer base.

 

My favorite local is Holy Grale:

-Located inside of an old Unitarian Church - really neat atmosphere, exposed rafters, brickwork, etc.
-Has an outdoor biergarten that is fantastic place to take in a beer and a warm evening
-Has a ridiculous tap selection that is always rotating in unique/rare offerings
-Has (quite) reasonable prices on the draft list - given the selection of unique rare offerings
-Solid bottle list - although generally more expensive than the price one can find select bottles selling for elsewhere locally
-Strong gastro-pub menu - pricey, yes, but delicious; plus all of the ingredients are locally sourced = freshness
-Is attached to a BnB which serves great breakfast/brunch

 

If the jukebox plays "Chicken Fried" by the Zac Brown Band and the beer isn't infected one way or another, I'm good. A pool table under $1.00/game never hurt, either.

 

Hear, hear.

I prefer a place where the ambiance does not involve shouting over excessively loud music (I have enough tinnitus, thank you), and does not involve throngs of people in sports attire. Decent, quality selection and staff knowledge is more important to me than 50+ taps with a bartender who thinks "biere de garde" is a brewery (I wish I was making that up) and serves everything in a frozen shaker pint. Crowd levels should either be fairly small, or the crowd should be more of the professional ilk.

As far as what the place looks like, I couldn't care less, as long as the glasses are clean (and beer-appropriate) and the tap lines likewise. I also do not care about bottle selection, because I am not going to pay 100%+ markup for an experience I could have more leisurely at home - I have yet to see a bar anywhere around me that gets bottles I can't get myself for half the price or less.

 

Good beer selection at good prices with a friendly and knowledgeable staff.

 

My favorite place is Cap Ale in Midlo. Lately they have slipped a touch by adding TV's, dumbing down the beer menu and removing the ice bar, but from a business standpoint I kinda get all three moves. On the plus side, 82-ish taps plus an unfathomable number of bottles, food is always very pleasant and the bartenders are typically fairly knowledgeable on the beer. I usually only go when it's going to be fairly quiet, so the low volume blues or rat pack music always sounds great.

 

- Beer kept and served properly (clean lines, etc.)
- Choice of pour size
- Plenty of options w/o going overboard (not because more=better, but because more="better chance of having something I want")
- Good prices
- Coconut shell cups
- Accurate online beer list
- Good food
- Room to sit at the bar
- Friendly staff
- Music I like and no music I don't like (mind-readers)
- Early opening time
- Near public transportation
- Imports and locals on tap
- Caged tiger
- Coat hooks
- Cask
- Events/takeovers
- Clientele that talk about things other than beer

 

Haha awesome

And the last point is key

 

Yeah, for me it certainly is. I'd go so far to say that I have a better time at a place when the stranger next to me doesn't tell me how his beer smells or when I don't have to endure the guy trying to impress his girlfriend by explaining the differences between East and West coast IPAs.

 

2 dollar draft pints on Thursday and Tuesday. All the Alpha King, Breakfast Stout, and Gumball Head I can drink.

 

Thanks for reminding me about the music. I forgot that one.

The ambiance and adult, professional criterion weeds out much of the stuff you mentioned, including the sports jerseys, screaming fans, insanely loud music. Have you ever been to a real wine bar with huge TV's, guys in sports jerseys screaming at the TVs? More beer bar owners and entrepreneurs ought to have the wine bar model in mind, in my opinion. Respect Beer.

 

making many of us jealous.

 

After reading the OP's suggestions and giving it some thought, my favorite bar is...home, sitting on the couch in the same room as my beer fridge. I like everything about it. Dorothy was 100% correct.

 

Zid I think covered all bases. These are mine, with the last point being perhaps the most important.

 

I find that it is getting harder to find bars in the #1 category, I prefer a bar/pub where the people provide the atmosphere...perhaps a bloke with a guitar in the corner.

I agree with all your others...and #5 brings up a pet peeve...bars/pubs that allow children during "adult hours." (this is allowed in my province) <Rant>Sure, during the day and perhaps around supper hour, bring some well behaved kids...but realize that the majority of the patrons are there to enjoy a pint and have time among peers...not be subjected to screaming and rowdy kids. So once you are finished eating, GTFO and leave the rest of us alone. If you want to meet up with your friends for a pint and bring the kids along...go to a Wild Wings or a TGIFridays...leave our pubs to us.</Rant>