Unique Beer Bars

It's been years since I visited one of their locations, but the Hard Rock Cafe chain deserves mention here because of all of the rock memorabilia hanging on the walls at these places. They're like a museum.

 

You know, in all the times that I've been to Solvang over the years I've never gone to The Backroom. It slips my mind that it even exists, and I usually end up going to Firestone Barrelworks or Figueroa Mtn in Buellton. I'll have to write a reminder note about that place next time I'm in the Solvang area. Sounds like a cool spot to hang out for a bit.

 

Tun Tavern on the 2nd floor of the Marine Corps museum . Open 11-4. Leave it to the Marines to find an extrordinarily valid reason to put a bar in a museum.

Quantico, VA.

 

I was visiting somebody I met a few years earlier. I was looking for craft beer bars in the city and the Bierkeller showed up on a few blogs. What I didn't realize at the time was that it was not open to the public. My friend was with me and he talked with the doorman about why we were there, and we were let in.

 

All-American Brew Works in Anaheim CA is basically an homage to military and first responders. Most of one wall is covered with unit patches for military/fire/police. Eric, the owner is Marine reserve. He holds memorials for locals lost in the line of duty and takes Memorial Day very seriously. Military and first responders get a discount. All the (excellent) sandwiches are named after military aircraft (Eric works on attack helos in his Marine role). He hosts blood drives and co-sponsored a fund raiser with me for the Semper Fi & America's Fund, raising a few thousand dollars for injured veterans. Everyone at his establishment is expected to be tolerant and respectful of those having opposing viewpoints/political affiliations/sexual identities, etc, and he will ask you to leave if you aren't. Probably not the place to pick if you want to go on a vocal anti-American rant, though...Marines have limits on their tolerance for that kind of thing.

 

Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh, Pa comes to mind.
Not really a Beer Bar per se, but a brewery.
It's just really neat. The brewery is up where the alter & holy people would normally be. The stained glass is still there and it is painted beautifully.
Plus, the beer and food are really good too.
Their logo is their stained glass window above the entry door.
Old churches make neat breweries.

 

Very nice!!!

 

Beyond the Falling Rock (RIP), the first places I thought of were the Silver Stamp, Horse Brass Pub, Bull & Bush, Churchkey, Sovreign, Delirium Cafe, and a little known place in La Crosse Wi called Bodega. Places that can feel like home even if you're just a tourist there for the day.

 

You might be interested in knowing there is an effort to 'rebuild' the original Tun Tavern in Philadelphia: https://thetun.org/

Cheers!

 

Will do! You had me at 12 Schell's beers on draft!

 

https://www.cafe-olivier.be/en/

Wonderful bar/restaurant in a converted Utrecht NL church

 

Bar that is no more. McDini's National City Ca. Walls filled with bottle labels of all descriptions. Hundreds, maybe thousands. In the early 70s they had a lot of taps, including the perennial Irish favorite, but many others. In the evening it was quiet, and we'd have corned beef sandwiches. It was unique then.

 

Texans will recall that Fredericksburg (old German town) has a "B&B" on the main drag. Bed and Brewery. The upstairs is a hotel with a half dozen or so rooms in different (not beer related) themes. First floor is a functional brewery / German restaurant. Food is good. Beer is serviceable.

 

I highly recommend the Silver Stamp in Las Vegas

only had time for a beer , but, would definitely make a return trip to this retro beer bar with a very nice selection

 

I'm surprised that place is still open. I remember a friend of mine brought a growler of their coffee porter to The Ginger Man in Houston one day. Which is pretty good, and we shared some with the bartenders. Well, they thought up of mixing that with the Linermans Framboise they had on tap, and some ice cream that one of the bartenders happened to bring by that day. I'm not big on mixing beers, let alone anything else with beer, but man that was a really good ice cream float ha.

 

"Very nice selection" seems anti-retro?

 

The decor is retro, the beer list is modern

 

I was being a bit facetious...that actually sounds pretty cool

 

It really was..it reminded me of the dive bars I would visit in my Midwest youth, retro beer signs , wood paneling , pickled eggs…with modern ingredients..it’s all good…where in the world shall we meet next for our next beers?