What do you look for in a pub?

[midnighthour]

What type of things in a pub(besides the beer selection) impress you and make you want to frequent/return to a pub?

I'm quite interested. :)

I also wanted to add that I've been browsing this site for a few months now and love the community here. This is a great place guys and you should all feel proud to be the part that makes it what it is.

[ClockworkOrange]

Friendly atmosphere knowledgable staff, the ability to carry on a conversation without leaving with a sore throat,reasonable prices, decent jukebox(the newer internet jukeboxes are cool)...I'll think of more.

[DecoJuicer]

Big chested serving wenches...wait, that is what Pirate Deco looks for in a pub. I second ClockworkOrange.

I also think that entertainment in a pub should be limited to acoustic instruments. There is nothing like the rich sound of an acoustic guitar to accompany a pint. Although I really like hearing folk music at the pub, I don't mind a little jazz or even blues.

Friendly, knowledgable, and experienced staff is big plus also. I hate having to fire off a signal flare to get another round, but I also don't like the waitress sitting down at my table while I'm having a conversation.

[chazwicke]

NO sports bar or huge TV set up. No loud music. Decent beer with well cared for cask offerings. Friendly staff that know the beers and can discuss them knowlegably. Comfy seating. Dark wood. And a real feel not a plastic or manufactured ambiance. Welcome to the board!

[wortchillergoal]

Before I was married, the pub had to have a good selection of beer and a large number of women who would go home with me. Now that I have a lovely wife, I want a good slection and a large number of women who say damn, I wish he wasn't married.

[ClockworkOrange]

Frequently cleaned draft lines.

[Halgarmeister]

First and foremost, good beer. Being an ale drinker, large selection isn't necessary, though I do like to try the entire offerings just to know what they're like. While I don't care for heavier beers, I do appreciate a well crafted one. After the beer, the staff must be friendly, all but one of the bartenders at the pub I frequent are excellent, and I avoid the place like the plague when the bad one is there. She's just a witch with a capital B! I'm typically there for the beer, I guess that makes food the next thing. I've yet to have really GOOD food at a pub, but the two that I like here have decent offerings. All the pubs tend to be pretty loud, must be the beer that make people deaf... LOL I don't mind a TV or two, though I'm not a sports fan, so I'm not there to watch the game. On occassion, I have gone to the pub for playoff events and it really pisses me off when live music or another event is scheduled during these times. I enjoy chatting with other regulars while there and having comfortable seating is a definite plus. My pub has several "events" throughout the week. Thursday is trivia night and if you don't get there early, you won't find a seat. Friday and Saturday they have a DJ or live music and food specials most of the week. This establishment also does things outside of the pub, like golf tournaments, trips to neighboring cities to ball games, etc.


Hey, do you suppose if I told the owner how much I talk about their place I could get free beer for life??? LOL

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by wortchillergoal
Before I was married, the pub had to have a good selection of beer and a large number of women who would go home with me. Now that I have a lovely wife, I want a good slection and a large number of women who say damn, I wish he wasn't married.

we're on the same page, here

[Audiopup]

Originally posted by ClockworkOrange
Frequently cleaned draft lines.

I second that motion.

I frequent a place because of the relaxed atmosphere, good tunes but not too loud, and a good, modestly priced beer selection. Also, since I am one of those who smoke when they drink, a bar with no smoking is nice because I am not tempted to bum one.

[wild]

As mentioned above:
Good beer selection
Knowledgeable staff
Excellent service
Great conversation
Warm atmosphere
Dark woods
Comfortable seating
And a clean bar. I hate sticking to my surroundings.

Wild

[Richard English]

Good cask-conditioned beer
Knowledgeable bar staff
Conscientious Landlord

AND NO:

Smoking
Big-screen TV
Loud music
Chemical fizz lager

The Garland, Redhill, is perfect apart from the first item - and that will soon be a thing of the past in England where smoking in all public places is to be banned from summer 2007.

[wild]

Originally posted by Richard English
and that will soon be a thing of the past in England where smoking in all public places is to be banned from summer 2007.
That is in our not-too-distant future also but I'm in no rush. We have a place in town called the Fox and Hound that has a "Smoking Room" furnished with comfortable leather chairs, billiard table, and soft volume (music) just for cigar smokers. Luckily their beer menu is substantial and growing (unfortunately no casks are available yet). I frequent there when time permits and have enjoyed each visit. When the public smoking ban reaches Glendale, I'll not visit as often due to that very reason.

Wild

[Sladek]

I'll second what others have said here:

No goddamned loud music; if it has music, a jukebox with a wide variety is nice (not the usual crap I can hear on the radio)
No sports blaring on big-screen TV
No smoking a huge huge plus
Ambience--dark wood, for example (Gingerman in Austin rules), nice bar at which to sit
Friendly knowledgeable staff
Good beer selection, of course, which is well-maintained; even better if it's a brewpub
Clientele that actually know and like good beer

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by Sladek

Clientele that actually know and like good beer

good one

[Seymour]

Comfortable seating, breweriana decorating the walls, lots of John Wayne and western memorabilia, a handsome shotgun rack, golden oldies on the hi-fi, smoke free environment, a well-stocked beer cooler, knowledgable staff, toys strewn all over the floor, chattering little rugrats under foot...

Wait a tick...that sounds like MY pub:D (or at least what my wife calls my "man room")

[MeridianFC]

A decent selection of good beer that is well kept. Sure I like 100 taps at my beck and call, but most times 4-5 good and varied taps will trump because the beer moves. Seasonally appropriate is a bonus. Balance of local flavor with domestic/international standouts is a good thing. In this country the pressence of a beer engine will always turn my head.

Comfortable environment, prefer cozy to big but it more depends on the specifics that the architecture allow.

Music is fine if it's in the background. If I wanted to go to a Metallica concert I would go to a Metallica concert.

Non toxic air.

In general prefer locals to action strips locations. A little character would not be amiss. Just throwing crap on the wall does not make a place unique.

Friendly staff. Or curmudgeonly in a friendly way. The opposite of the chain restaurant fake friendly or the pissed off that they're in the service industry types.

Decent prices.

That certain something that can not be defined. You know it when you walk through the door.

The patronage should be good too. Bridge and Tunnel tooo much spent on wardrobe brasseries, desperate alkie hour pig pens, and backwards baseball hat brigade shooter parlors usually do not meet with my approval.

I prefer no tvs, though sometimes it's nice to watch the game. Forget that, no tvs.

Good food would be nice.

[hops99]

If I were in London, I'd definitely go to the Winchester.

[chazwicke]

Where is it? I'm going in a few days...:)

[Vienna Lager]

Good clean lines are of the utmost importance, and the only way to make sure the beer is good.

Also have to be reasonable with prices and a happy hour seems to help.

The best place to drink about 15 yrs. ago was Venues at the Ramada on 494 in Bloomington MN. It had 4:30 to 6 pm 'double bubble' and a free buffet that had lots of munchies, breaded mushrooms, califlower, tater tots, pizza, potato rolls with ham, rumakie etc. It also had a great d.j. and at 8 pm the house band played.

About the second best place was the Peanut Bar at Eddie Websters for happy hour and the the lounge in the basement after 8p.m.

When I was 18 the best place to drink beer had happy hour and also a brass pole in the center of a stage behind the bar. Mmmmm..

[ClockworkOrange]

A kitchen that consists of more than a microwave and/or deep fryer.

[DecoJuicer]

Originally posted by hops99
If I were in London, I'd definitely go to the Winchester.

It's great for quiz night, but too many zombies. LOL. Sorry, I didn't mean to use the zed word.

[chazwicke]

I'd keep away from the Slaughtered Lamb. And definitely keep off the moors. Stick to the roads.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by ClockworkOrange
A kitchen that consists of more than a microwave and/or deep fryer.

Yet, some of these types of pubs allow you to bring in your own food as long as you're drinking their beer. I like BYOF.

Cheers!

[chazwicke]

There is a famous local dive near here that has always been a beer joint. They do serve craft beers and lots of AB. in fact back in the 70s they were the largest distributer of AB products on the East Coast. (They sell kegged beer too) They have some silver awards hanging in the place to proove it. I have always liked this place even though it is a dive. And they have limited food. mainly very famous chili dogs. This place is also a perrenial winner of "Best Local Dive" in Washingtonian Magazine.

http://www.viennainn.com/history.htm

[DecoJuicer]

Originally posted by chazwicke
I'd keep away from the Slaughtered Lamb. And definitely keep off the moors. Stick to the roads.

Ah-wooo

I just thought of something else that I look for in a pub...an "open" sign!!

[Seymour]

If you wind up in the Dew Drop Inn, look out for the one ol' drunk chick and the fellar with green teeth.

[Beer Monkey]

Originally posted by Seymour
If you wind up in the Dew Drop Inn, look out for the one ol' drunk chick and the fellar with green teeth.

they sound like two to watch out for no matter where you are...

my favorite bars tend to be the ones with a good selection, friendly staff that will remember me after a few visits, and good food. food really is becoming more and more of a deal breaker for me. at the same time I'm noticing a trend where the better restaurants will have a better beer selection.

[HogieWan]

for me - beer selection is a deal breaker in that you have to have something other than BMC and the standard imports (Bass, newcastle, heineken). Friendly staff is key. If I show up alone for a beer after work, I expect the bartender to attempt some small talk.

[midnighthour]

Thanks for the very helpful replies guys. I've had most of these idea's for a pub already, but I was still swaying on the smoking issue and I think I've decided to definetly nix the smoking. These ideas are great — keep 'em coming!

Hogie, you don't live that far away from my town(Houma). If my plans actually make it into reality I'd love for you to come by and let me know what you think of the joint!

Brandon

[Beer Monkey]

definatly nix the smoking, it makes for such a pleasant atmosphere (hey look a pun)

another one that I tend to like alot is an environment that is kinda different from the standard bar stools and bar tables. found a bunch of great places that have couches and similiar more comfortable intimate seating. the problem is that they get real loud real quick, best on weekend afternoons. Friday and Saturday night they tend to be full of amateurs too loud too drunk.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by midnighthour
Hogie, you don't live that far away from my town(Houma). If my plans actually make it into reality I'd love for you to come by and let me know what you think of the joint!


Definately! What's the time frame looking like?

[conrad]

All of the important points have been touched on... good beer, atmosphere, no smoking, etc. Let me stress price! There are a couple of great establishments in town that have priced themselves out of my pay grade. Do a survey of typical prices in your region, and don't go overboard on the markup. If you are too cheap you will attract cheap clientel.
One thing I like about my local, is the cook. He comes out of the kitchen once in a while to chat up the diners. This is not gourmet stuff, just good pub fare. He is happy with the compliments, and takes the critiques very seriously. If you say the chicken wings were overdone, or over sauced, or wimpy, he will make adjustments. He doesn't rely on the bar wench to relay messages, but goes straight to the customer.
Back to the beer: While every pub must carry the mainstream stuff, I am happy when I see some local craft brew on tap. Support your local business.
I like a decor that has some local touches, perhaps some insignia from a nearby military base, or home town team photos.
As for TV: Halgarmeister said "I have gone to the pub for playoff events and it really pisses me off when live music or another event is scheduled during these times." -This is Canada. There are just no pubs that will bump a hockey playoff game for live music or another event. Sacrilege! Blasphemy!
Cheers.

[Triple Freak]

Seasonal rotations & new beers are always a bonus. That's why I like Duclaw so much.

[too far gone]

1. Two empty bar stools (it is weird to sit at a table anymore)
2. At least one decent beer on tap (can't be picky in my small town)
3. Half decent pub food (see above)
4. Nice bartenders

Bonus stuff:

# More than one decent beer on tap, maybe even a rotating beer
# Pinball or pool table (but not those video games that take up bar space)
# Easy parking
# Happy hour
# Regulars to talk with (or talk about !)

[newportstorm]

-Good beer
-Friends
-Anything else is really just a bonus.

Cheers!