What you like about a/your BAR

Went to my favorite bar last night , Lynnhaven Pub . It's a small place and kind of a dive bar but they get some great beers . I'm a regular there and they start me a tab when I walk in without asking for a credit card . And it's about 3 blocks from my house .

They had a New Belgium tap takeover last night . 6 Taps of NB stuff . I started with a pint of Le Terroir (nice hoppy sour ) and next had a Hop Kitchen DIPA . Both were tasty . My total tab for both was $9 . It's easy to tip big when it's that cheap . I usually do anyhow because the service is great and the bartenders are real friendly .

They have had some great beers on tap , like BCBS and BW , KBS , DDBA and alot more . And the cold case holds about 100 craft beers . There is always something good in there if I don't like whats on tap . A nice selection including BA beers and sours . And they are all available to go for 20% off . I bought a Love Child #4 to go there a while ago .

Have met all kinds of people there including fisherman , beer reps , airline pilots and brewery employees . It's a place where you can be sitting next to someone drinking a bud lite or a fireball shooter and no one cares .

They have some TV's with the sound off and the music is whatever people play off the digital jukebox . The bar area is kind of tight but past that are a few tables . They also have a pool table and a tent covered out side area with propane heaters . Smoking is allowed there .

And they fill growlers , you just have to bring your own .

 

I'll also be repetitious, I suppose, but-

15-20 well selected and varied taps
Lots of elbow room
Optional table service- grab any table you want
Some couch seating areas
Cards and games available
A few TVs with closed captioning
Pandora (not commercial radio!!!) playing at moderate volume
Casual social crowd
Close to public transportation

 

Franklin House in Valparaiso, Indiana

-Great beer selection.
-Updated beer list both in-house and online.
-Special releases from Northern Indiana/Chicago breweries.
-Its quite before 5 pm if I just want to enjoy a few beers and chill with the wife.
-Amazing burgers.
-Arcade.
-Free Pizza at halftime of MNF.
-Trivia night.
-Patio area.
-Events like Tap-takeovers, Beer tents, Halloween Bash, Oktoberfest, and concerts/Battle of the Bands.
-Its also at the end of a nice pub crawl route.

 

It's all about how I feel when I go in. I like a pub to wrap itself around me and make me feel comfortable and welcome. It does help if it's old rather than clinically designed like an operating theatre as modern taste seems to dictate.Not too bothered about how many beers they have provided that they are well kept. Thankfully at least round here that side of things is no problem.One of my favourite pubs only has three beers on the bar but nevertheless visiting it is pure joy and I never want to leave.
A major factor is the staff which can make or break a pub regardless of what other attributes it has.

 

I think for me....

*12-15 taps. enough to get a good cross-section of styles, balance local/national, but not so much that it takes me 20 minutes to decide.
*A focus on beer - proper glassware, clean lines, knowledge from bartenders about what they are serving...but still accessible.
*Dark, quiet, atmosphere - good for conversation
*Quality jukebox
*One or two strategically placed TVs. I want to keep an eye on sports, but do not need them to be a focal point
* A fun, relaxed atmosphere. I take my beer more seriously than others perhaps, but it is still just beer, and drinking is meant to be fun.

Places to me that most embody the above: Black Squirrel in DC and Map Room in Chicago. Black Squirrel in particular was walking distance from my apartment in DC. That was a place that I spent some TIME.

 

I like unnecessarily crappy music, overpriced, under-poured beer and a bad attitude from the bartenders. I'm looking at you, popular Downtown San Jose beer bar!

 

Also, when a Boston team is on the verge of winning a championship, there's no better feeling than being surrounded by a hundred ridiculously excited screaming drunks.

 

Ditto about bottle selection as well. If I am out imbibing, I am also exploring, no need to buy a bottle/can that my local sells as well.

 

I only go to bars to watch sports when it's something I can't watch from home (Pac-12 channel, I'm looking at you), then I go to specific bars where I know I can see the game and still drink something I'd want to drink and where I know the crowd isn't going to be obnoxious. The rest of the time, I can do without a TV in the bar.

 

What's on Tap? in Greenville, SC, craft beer (wine for my girlfriend), nice atmosphere, music on the weekends, and you can bring food in...plus it's only a mile from home

 

I'll say rotating taps. I am surprised by how many places figure out craft sells and pick some nice ones but every time you go it is the same line-up.

 

Went to college in Auburn AL and while there are two good restaurants with a large selection of craft, my favorite bar was a place called Avondale. A small staircase off the street leads to an upstairs bar that reminds you of a speakeasy. Upscale bar with a wide liquor selection and only 8 taps, but all taps are regional craft usually. Plus the staff is great. Great knowledge of all forms of cocktails. Plus I worked at a college bar and made good friends with the people working there. Always great conversation.

TL;DR Great atmosphere and easy going staff. The craft selection doesn't have to be the biggest or best, but the staff needs to know a little about it or at least care about how everything is presented.

 

- A well curated list of craft beers (meaning not all IPA's)
- A nice selection of American Bourbon
- Nice and friendly bartenders (I used to live in Williamsburg, NY and they have some of the worst bartenders per capita. Before anyone gets hot and bothered, this is my experience. Perhaps yours is different.)
- Great music
- Great Food
- Beautiful women
- And a diverse crowd is nice. I don't want to hang in a bar with a bunch of suit and ties, and hipsters.

Isn't this all anyone needs?

 

Busy Bee in Raleigh has an awesome tap and bottle menu.

Brewmasters, also in Raleigh, have maybe 10 or less taps but none of them disappoint. What they're known for is their cup of bacon (cuz 'Merica)

Carolina Ale House is a sport bar chain down here that's a great place to eat drink and watch games.

 

Not a huge selection but there is one within 2 miles from home that always has Two Hearted and another tap that will have Revolution Anti Hero or sometimes a Lagunitas IPA or whatever other IPA that will show up. As a sidenote this bar always seems to have a girl tending bar with.....a view that is impossible to not notice.

 

Rustic dark wood, exposed bricks and rafters, a fireplace in the fall and winter, tables and booths but more of the latter, 10-20 drafts: 1-2 crap macros for non-craft friends and the rest It between rock solid regional/local, wider craft, and high quality imports. Two pour sizes. No frosted glasses. Small, rock solid menu locally themed and sourced if possible. One tv, but in a room w a pool table or two and small tables, away from the main room(s). Quiet, welcoming atmosphere w picnic tables outside for warm weather drinking.

 

My favorite bars are the two beautiful home bars that members of our brew club have built. Nothing better than hanging out with a dozen people at a bar talking about making beer. Also we are drinking the latest creations. Some of these have been IMHO world class or at least state fair winners. We usually have light background music of classic rock. My idea of heaven.

 

The yacht club we belong too (for most it's just a social club because the town was dry until not too long ago) is kid-friendly, which, for us, is a godsend. My wife and I have been taking our daughter there more Friday evenings than not since she was just a couple of months old. The clientele love seeing her and we love that she learns to behave appropriately and that we get a nice drink after a long week. I would like better beers on tap, though. There's an occasional very good beer but it's mostly just OK.

 

Its all about the people to me first. Second its about the chairs. third do they have something that gets me there other than the people? knowledge or lack of never bugs me, but I do not want to sit for 15 minutes before some one asks me for a refill.

a place you can hear your self talk is nice bonus.