Updated on May 20, 2024
A good bar doesn't have to have great food, but it certainly helps! We've searched high and low for the best pub food across the country.
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Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, Mobile
Just about every town has an Irish pub, but some are more legit than others. Callaghan’s Irish Social Club in Mobile was founded in 1946, and fosters community through a laid back atmosphere, and great Irish food and drink.
Double Musky Inn, Girdwood
Girdwood, near Anchorage, might not be where you expect to find a tavern serving great southern cuisine, but appearances can be deceiving. Double Musky Inn serves New Orleans classics with Alaskan seafood, crab-stuffed halibut topped with Creole beurre blanc sauce. The restaurant and watering hole has been lauded by a long list of respected publications, but inside it’s as cozy and unassuming as you’d expect an Alaskan pub to be.
Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub, Phoenix
With a happy hour menu that’s tough to beat (crispy cod sliders and $5.50 cocktails!) the Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub in Arizona’s state capital hits every craving. Don’t forget to end your visit with brioche bread pudding and a brew to wash it down.
Dugan’s Pub, Little Rock
Dugan’s Pub is an ode to the Irish culture that its owner loves so much. In fact, much of its pub food—like the Irish poutine appetizer, topped with Guinness mushroom gravy, fried mozzarella and corned beef—is inspired by traditional Irish fare. Grab any of the signature cocktails, with names like “Leprechaun” and “Nutty Irishman,” for the full Dugan’s Pub experience.
The Lion’s Share, San Diego
San Diego is one of the best beer cities in the country, and plenty of pubs around the city pair that beer with excellent food. The Lion’s Share offers an intimate, eclectic pub atmosphere with meticulously hand-crafted cocktails and a thoughtful beer list with some of the best bar food in the country. Their “game-heavy menu” includes starters like a sausage board with rabbit, wild boar and buffalo and entrees like coffee-rubbed elk loin.
Bramble and Hare, Boulder
Boulder’s Bramble and Hare is a farm-to-table tavern that runs its own 130-acre organic farm outside the city, raising over 250 cultivars of produce and numerous heritage livestock breeds to supply their restaurant as well as a local farmers market. Select from a wine or cocktail or from the brief but well-considered beer list, a few small plates to share and settle in for the 3-course Farm Dinner.
The Griswold Inn Tap Room, Essex
The Griswold Inn opened for business in an auspicious year—1776—and is one of the oldest and most decorated bars in the country. Their tap room menu offers such New England classics as clam chowder and fish and chips, and if you like the place too much to leave, you can stay in one of their 33 guest rooms.
Dogfish Head Brewery, Rehoboth Beach
Dogfish Head Brewery has been one of the most innovative breweries in the country for over 20 years, and their Rehoboth Beach headquarters Brewings & Eats offers an awesome food menu to go with their “off-centered ales.” Try simple comforts like the fried pickles, or dive in deeper with wood-grilled burgers or wood-fired pizzas.
Just be sure to leave room for some of the quirky and eye-opening beers!
The Pub Orlando, Orlando
The Pub Orlando allows you to experience a British pub right in the heart of Orlando, no passport needed. If you love seafood, the award-winning haddock is a must-try. Otherwise, there are plenty of pub sliders and sandwiches from both sides of the pond. Choose a draft from Great Britain, like Belhaven Scottish Ale, to pair with your meal.
Holeman & Finch Public House, Atlanta
Holeman & Finch Public House serves perhaps the most celebrated burger in Atlanta, but there’s a catch. They start each shift (lunch and dinner) with 24 burgers prepped to cook, and when they’re out, they’re out. They started serving their famous burgers to industry professionals coming off shift at 10 p.m., but demand led them to expand…slightly. Get here on time for the best burger in Atlanta, and wash it down with some great beer.
Waikiki Brewing, Waikiki
With four locations, Waikiki Brewing in Waikiki offers a gorgeous setting to enjoy excellent craft beer and beer cocktails (Jalapeno Amber Michelada, anyone?) with some classic pub food cooked with Hawaiian flair. Try the Crispy Pork Belly and pair it with the Hana Hou Hefeweizen.
Sockeye Brewing & Grill, Boise
Sockeye Brewing & Grill‘s two Boise locations serve up hearty food with a western sensibility to go along with their refreshing beers. Start out with the Sockeye salmon cakes and, if you want to stay on theme, try salmon cooked three ways for your entree. Wash it all down with the Lonesome Larry Lager.
The Publican, Chicago
Chicago has more great brewpubs and taverns than you can get through in a year, including the country’s only Michelin-starred brewery with Band of Bohemia. But the best pub in the city is The Publican, and they have their own cookbook to prove it. Their hearty menu offers gourmet versions of old European peasant dishes, and pairs with an astonishingly accomplished beer list.
The Red Key Tavern, Indianapolis
First opened just as the death knell of Prohibition was being rung, The Red Key Tavern is a historic bar in Indianapolis that maintains a casual, unassuming attitude. Their burgers have been voted the best in Indianapolis, and while that might not sound like the most creative food for a list like this, it’s exactly what you’ll want when you step into this old school dive bar.
El Bait Shop, Des Moines
With the largest tap list of American craft beers in the world, El Bait Shop has a lot going for it, but it’s not just the liquid in this great pub that brings people to its doors. Start with the Velvet Elvis Dip, try some of their awesome wings and settle into the comfort of their signature Chicken Pot Pie.
Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka
Blind Tiger in Topeka is as impressive as its namesake jungle beast. Spread over eight floors with a deck in warm weather and fireplaces in the colder months, this is the place to eat and drink in Topeka. Spent grain from their brewery is fed to bison at a nearby ranch, which are then harvested and served in the restaurant’s legendary Kansan Burger. (The bones? They’re given to tigers at the Topeka Zoo.)
Holy Grale, Louisville
Holy Grale is a temple to good beer and good food. In fact, it’s housed inside a Unitarian church built in 1905, and they revere their brews and bites here. An eclectic curated menu of European dishes and American farm-to-table options supplied by local producers perfectly complements the bar’s amazing beer list. Try the celery root and chive dumplings.
NOLA Brewing, New Orleans
When you’re in the Deep South, you’d best avail yourself of the region’s incredible barbecue. NOLA Brewing in New Orleans found themselves with extra space in their large warehouse, and decided to invite a purveyor of slow-cooked meats to share their place. Enjoy ribs, pork, brisket and more at this brewery “on a street tourists can’t pronounce.” (But seriously, how do you say Tchoupitoulas Street?)
Ebenezer’s Pub, Lovell
Down a dirt road in the middle of nowhere Maine sits one of the most storied beer pubs in the country and perhaps the world. Ebenezer’s Pub is a holy land for Belgian beer and rare vintage beer bottles, and these holy libations are paired with Instagram-worthy small plates and hearty Belgian cuisine de biere like mussels and frites.
The Brewer’s Art, Baltimore
The regal but cozy dining room and bar at The Brewer’s Art in Baltimore combines the best of the chef’s craft and, yes, the brewer’s art. A limited range of beers brewed on-site are served with housemade pastas, decadent entrees like Grilled Hudson Valley Duck Breast and rich desserts. Every Wednesday, The Brewer’s Art hosts multicourse beer dinners to match their dishes with their beers.
The Haven, Boston
The Haven, a lively pub in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, promises “Scottish food, drink and great banter.” Whether you engage in the banter or merely enjoy overhearing it is up to you, but be sure to indulge in the food and drink either way. Thoughtfully selected Scottish beers and an extensive Scotch whisky list pair cozily with authentic dishes like Fisherman’s Pie, made with haddock, salmon and vegetables.
Brewery Vivant, Grand Rapids
While it’s housed in a former funeral parlor, Brewery Vivant is as lively as can be, and they infuse their passion into their French and Belgian-inspired food menu as much as to their rustic but refined beers. Try the luxurious bone marrow board, and pair it with the brewery’s Farm Hand farmhouse ale made with Michigan wheat and their house yeast strain.
Day Block Brewing, Minneapolis
Pizza and beer! Pizza and beer! Sorry, we got excited there. While we love fancy food as much as the next person, sometimes it’s nice to fall back on the classics, and Day Block Brewing in Minneapolis makes some of the absolute best specialty pizzas in the country. Try the Vietnamese-inspired Banh Mizza, or (if you dare) the Leviathan with ghost peppers and jalapenos.
The Pig & Pint, Jackson
The wonderfully named Pig & Pint in Jackson only does two things, and it does them very well: barbecue and beer. An all-southern beer list washes down a dizzying list of barbecue options, from classics like wings, sandwiches and plates to diversions like barbecue tacos and multiple ‘cued nachos.
Martin City Brewery Pub, Kansas City
A Missouri friend recommended Kansas City’s Martin City Brewery Pub, and now we’re recommending it to you. The food menu is all over the place with barbecue, Chicago-style Italian Beef, Spicy Avocado Salad and dozens more unique options. The Pub pours a short list of their own beers along with an extensive guest tap list.
Charlie B.’s, Missoula
Charlie B.’s in Missoula is the best kind of dive bar—the food and drink is top notch, the barkeeper knows your name and the locals have made it their living room. The bar’s attached eatery, the Dinosaur Cafe, serves up phenomenal Cajun food, despite being far from Creole country.
Benson Brewery, Omaha
Omaha’s Benson Brewery brews eclectic beer styles and pairs them with southern and country comfort dishes and a handful of oddities. Baked mac and cheese and classic poutine share a menu with awesome sandwiches like a banh mi, a Reuben and a Cuban.
Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint, Carson City
Carson City’s Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint definitely lives up to its name. There’s a hippie feel to this space that prizes diversity and personality, and that’s reflected in their menu. Try the Superfraggacheesalicious Loaf, a sourdough round stuffed with garlic and cheese. A fun beer list provides the perfect liquid accompaniment to these creative dishes.
Portsmouth Brewery, Portsmouth
Portsmouth Brewery in the eponymous town serves a lot of expected pub standards, but it executes them incredibly well. Try the fresh mussels or hot Pastrami on rye, but be sure to save room for their delectable desserts, like the Stout Macerated Strawberry Trifle. Of course, the brewery’s fine beers offer plenty of refreshment along the way.
The Ship Inn Restaurant and Brewery, Milford
The Ship Inn in Milford in the Delaware valley was the first brewery to serve beer in the Garden State since before Prohibition, and offers a warm English pub atmosphere. The historic building offers a gorgeous setting for enjoying clean, well-made beers and an extensive list of whiskeys with an English and German-heavy pub menu. Stay on-theme and order the fish and chips.
The Wellhead Restaurant & Brewpub, Artesia
Nestled inside a historical building, New Mexico’s Wellhead Restaurant & Brewpub has previously been home to a United States Post Office and a National Guard Reserve. Now it’s serving up unique, tasty dishes like Elk Bratwurst.
Sato Brewpub, Buffalo
We’re not picking a spot from the Empire State that you might be expecting. Instead, we’re heading to Buffalo, where Sato Brewpub serves up incredible, authentic ramen from the ground floor of the city’s oldest skyscraper. Try the Green Curry Ramen with their Rabbit in the Moon ale brewed with brown rice, green tea and Belgian yeast.
Brewery Bhavana, Raleigh
Brewery Bhavana‘s downtown Raleigh brewpub location brings together two food crafts with long histories and rich attention to detail: Belgian abbey and farmhouse ales and Chinese dim sum cuisine. The lovely space offers meticulously crafted dumplings and related dishes with some of the best Belgian beers being brewed in the country today, with impeccable hospitality.
The Toasted Frog, Grand Forks
Grand Forks’s cleverly named The Toasted Frog has a limited beer list but a lengthy wine list and creative martini list to go with the pub’s quirky but delicious menu. Try the salmon tartare topped with a waffle cone, or choose from multiple Lavosh options, including one with spinach, wild mushrooms and havarti cheese.
Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery, Dayton
There are a ton of great food-centric watering holes in Ohio, but we’re following our hearts here and going with Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery in Dayton. They have one of the best beer lists in the city, often featuring rarities and special releases, and their menu of hearty pub fare is comforting and delicious. Try the beer-battered chicken and waffles!
The Tavern, Tulsa
Tulsa’s The Tavern bills itself as “a modern interpretation of the classic neighborhood pub,” and chef Ben Alexander offers everything from established pub standards like fish and chips to more esoteric fare like Charred Octopus Agualchile. On the liquid side of things, an extensive list of whiskeys, cocktails, wines and beers make sure you won’t leave thirsty. You can even buy a six-pack for the kitchen staff as a thank you for $10.
Horse Brass Pub, Portland
The storied Horse Brass Pub in Portland is a classic English-style pub, claiming that “if it were more authentic, you’d need a passport.” The Old World menu features spot-on British favorites like bangers (sausage), steak and kidney pie, and vegetable pasties. An excellent list of over 50 craft and imported beers accompany the food at an establishment that regularly makes lists of the best bars in the world.
La Cabra Brewing, Philadelphia
La Cabra Brewing in Philly’s Berwyn neighborhood makes some of the best brewery food in the country. Their upscale Latin-inspired dishes range from small plates like Chilled Shrimp Salsa Verde and Duck Fries, and entrees include Scallop & Chorizo and Chimichurri Hanger Steak. Of course, the brewery’s diverse area of beers provide the perfect table companions for the fine food.
Blackie’s, Smithfield
Blackie’s in Smithfield weds a fine list of beers, cocktails and wines with a beautiful seasonal food menu. Try the Romanesco Cauliflower Parmesan or the Cod Acqua Pazza, or dive into one of the delectable pizzas. Just be sure to save from for one of their “Happy Endings,” like the Carrot Cake Ice Cream Sandwich.
Swig & Swine, Charleston
You can’t drink and dine in the Carolinas without enjoying some Carolina barbecue. One of the best locations for doing so is Charleston’s Swig & Swine, an airy joint for good brews and good barbecue. They have some personality too, and their website announces, “My brisket brings all the boys to the yard.”
Monk’s Ale House, Sioux Falls
The curiously but cleverly named Monk’s Ale House in Sioux Falls has dozens of great beers on tap and hundreds in bottles and cans, but they’re also serve up awesome pub food to go with those liquid treats. Killer pizzas include the Cajun Chicken Alfredo and the hilariously titled Bang the Dragon made with teriyaki peanut sauce, chicken, pineapple, mozzarella and bacon.
Two Ten Jack, Nashville
Two Ten Jack in Nashville looks across the Pacific for its food inspiration, featuring top notch ramen, sashimi, sushi and more in a relaxed setting. Pick from a great tap beer list, and a selection of sake, cocktails and whiskey to pair with your bites, and settle into this unique fusion of Japanese culinary traditions and American pub culture in Music City, U.S.A.
Hopfields, Austin
Trying to pick the best pub food in all of Texas is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. (Or, in this case, a hop field!) Hopfields in Austin combines French farmhouse cooking with a fantastic craft beer list in a casual but classy environment. Try Ratatouille or Steak Tartare and select from the list of over 40 craft beers on tap.
Squatters Pub Brewery, Salt Lake City
Squatters Pub Brewery brings classic pub food and craft beer to the heart of Salt Lake City. Founded in 1989, the pub features an extensive menu of hearty comfort foods like bacon-wrapped meatloaf, along with standards like burgers and pizzas.
Ye Olde Tavern, Manchester
Ye Olde Tavern in Manchester might have a quaint name, but it’s not an affectation. Their building was erected in 1790 and has been a tavern and inn since before Vermont was even a state. Step through these storied doors and enjoy rustic renditions of Cheddar & Ale Onion Soup or Lobster Bisque or feast on a Venison “Denver Leg.” Long Trail Brewing even brews the tavern its own 1790 Taproom Ale.
The Answer Brewpub, Richmond
An Bui already had a hit with Mekong, his beer bar and restaurant in Richmond when he decided to up his game with his own brewpub. The Answer Brewpub offers authentic Vietnamese dishes with often entertaining names like Pork Yu So Crazy or Ra Ra Ramen, and pairs them with the brewpub’s own line-up of creative beers and (brace yourself) fruit-infused beer slushies.
Tankard & Tun, Seattle
The Pike Brewing Company’s Tankard & Tun restaurant in Seattle’s legendary Pike Place Market neighborhood is a craft beer institution, but it’s worth visiting just as much for its unbelievably fresh Northwest seafood. Start with oysters on the half shell, raw Washington Albacore Loin or cave-grown mushrooms, and just try to pick from the list of fish entrees. It’s not an easy task, but we believe in you.
Garden District
The District’s best pub food comes from Garden District, a pub and beer garden serving excellent barbecue sandwiches pulled pork or brisket with a limited but carefully selected beer list. Try a German bratwurst with sauerkraut and a Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier.
Morgantown Brewing, Morgantown
West Virginia’s Morgantown Brewing Company in the town of the same name creates eclectic variations on pub standards in the big, friendly taproom and outdoor beer garden. Have an Eighty Shilling Scotch Ale or Brookside Saison with the kitchen’s Mediterranean Pesto Wrap or Catfish Tacos.
The Old Fashioned, Madison
Madison’s The Old Fashioned is “inspired by traditions of Wisconsin taverns and supper clubs,” and features many German-inspired Wisconsin classics like brats and lots of yummy cheese. Try the Lake Perch Fish Fry, or the grilled eggplant sandwich, and pick a great beer to go with it, like brews from sought-after New Glarus Brewing, available only in Wisconsin.
Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, Jackson
Located on the town square in downtown Jackson, Million Dollar Cowboy Bar has as big a personality as the name implies. Established in 1937, this pub has never lost its larger-than-life Wild West attitude. Order a Buffalo Burger and a craft beer and enjoy the frequent live country music and dancing.
