Name a great townie bar…

[Hawki97]

…close to where you live. I’m talking a place that can make a mean burger/tenderloin, legit food specials like a steak or fish night, ice cold beer, a friendly staff that can give shit as well as take it, a bunch of old boys at the bar, etc.

For me, in Johnson County it doesn’t get any better than 218 Tap in Hills. Love that place.

 

[lonestar50]

Not near where I live but I love Gerb's Bar and Grill in Stacyville. It's our usual hangout when hunting around there. Never had a bad meal there. Fantastic pizza.

 

[SeaPA]

San Ann Liquors, in San Antonio, FL. Classic small-town dive bar that has been around for 60 or so years in the same place; still the spot where everyone gathers on holiday weekends, college kids are home, class reunion weekends, or other times when a number of folks who've moved away are in town to visit family.

Locals still refer to it as Ralph's Bar, after the founder & owner for the first 30+ years. He sold it 25 or 30 years ago & the legal name (and sign) changed, but to anyone who's from here it will always be Ralphs.

 

[Bonerfarts]

I always liked my time at Shakespeare's in Iowa City. It was nice to get away from the college scene and drink with people who had real jobs.

 

[seminoledq]

There's one here in Seminole called the Angry Pepper that fits your description. Also Joto's Pizza that is 100% local, most of the staff goes to the high school up the street and Seminole High memorabilia is all of the walls. We enjoy going to both to be local rather than always hanging with the tourists on the beach.

 

[ThorneStockton]

Don't live in IC any longer but the Club Car remains my favorite bar and one I'll stop by whenever I'm back.

 

[WisestIowan]

Dingus in Knoxville, Iowa. My Sister's Place in Carlisle. Bea's Place in Baxter.

 

[cjnoles9399]

Brass ring pub in North Palm Beach. Haven’t been there in ages but was a total dump 25 years ago. Hopefully it still has its charm.

 

[T-East]

Riverside Tavern in Lehigh, Iowa. They have wing night every Tuesday. You can get 15 wings and a bucket of beer for less than $15.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

…close to where you live. I’m talking a place that can make a mean burger/tenderloin, legit food specials like a steak or fish night, ice cold beer, a friendly staff that can give shit as well as take it, a bunch of old boys at the bar, etc.

For me, in Johnson County it doesn’t get any better than 218 Tap in Hills. Love that place.

I grew up in that bar- .25 in the Bus Stop Pinball machine and .25 in the Jukebox for 3 plays...
1. Jumping Jack Flash
2. Sweet Cherry Wine
3. All Along the Watchtower

Previous names starting in 1958:
Charlies Place
Poad's
Jerry and Sandy's
Hank's Place
Irene's
Critters
Jack's Office
Max's
Billy Suter's
Fessler's
Iguana's
218 Tap

I likely missed 2 - 3...

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

The Chicken House in Kalona was where we went after softball games. Red could cram about 100 people in about 500 square feet. Natural gas explosion blew the place up about 3 am one night or it could have been the " Great White " tragedy right here in Kalona..

 

[SansSouci]

I’m going with the Half Pint in Waterloo.

 

[UNIowaHawk]

It’s on the sign yo….

 

[mnole03]

Friendly staff that can give it and take it.

 

[WhiteSoxClone]

The Panther Lounge in Cedar Falls. Been there forever, nothing fancy. Just a classic local townie bar.

 

[HungryHawk]

T-Bock’s in Decorah

 

[JWolf74]

Cumming Tap probably counts, but they don't have food. 804 Main in Norwalk fits the bill.

 

[ICWestfan]

T-Bock’s in Decorah

A shit hole and the owner is an asshole. I prefer Your Place, Tom and Teresa are good folk, at least when they had it. Lorie is good folk as well.

 

[ICWestfan]

The Leaderboard Bar in North Liberty. The towns only "bar".

 

[Slim45]

The Chicken House in Kalona was where we went after softball games. Red could cram about 100 people in about 500 square feet. Natural gas explosion blew the place up about 3 am one night or it could have been the " Great White " tragedy right here in Kalona..

Hard Luck fits the bill now, believe they were runner up for best tenderloin in the state a few years back. Renee’s Roadhouse another 1, it’s also had quite a few names, most locals just call it windham. She has really good food

 

[Hawki97]

I grew up in that bar- .25 in the Bus Stop Pinball machine and .25 in the Jukebox for 3 plays...
1. Jumping Jack Flash
2. Sweet Cherry Wine
3. All Along the Watchtower

Previous names starting in 1958:
Charlies Place
Poad's
Jerry and Sandy's
Hank's Place
Irene's
Critters
Jack's Office
Max's
Billy Suter's
Fessler's
Iguana's
218 Tap

I likely missed 2 - 3...

God damn…you are old school southern JoCo! How many wooden nickels have I bought you over the years?

 

[Hawki97]

A shit hole and the owner is an asshole. I prefer Your Place, Tom and Teresa are good folk, at least when they had it. Lorie is good folk as well.

I actually love both places…

 

[Hawki97]

Riverside Tavern in Lehigh, Iowa. They have wing night every Tuesday. You can get 15 wings and a bucket of beer for less than $15.

EXCELLENT call….

 

[Hawki97]

Dingus in Knoxville, Iowa. My Sister's Place in Carlisle. Bea's Place in Baxter.

Is there really a bar called Dingus’?!

 

[Hawki97]

The Leaderboard Bar in North Liberty. The towns only "bar".

J&A’s bro…all day breakfast too.

 

[Dogecoin]

Paul’s Tavern - Dubuque, Iowa

 

[billanole]

The Oyster House on Haywood Road in Asheville, NC is solid.
Good mix of locals and touristas.

 

[HawkCapt1912]

Longest Yard - WDM, IA.

 

[Hawki97]

Paul’s Tavern - Dubuque, Iowa

Somebody like’s game on the wall! Classic joint.

 

[HawkCapt1912]

Paul’s Tavern - Dubuque, Iowa

Lost a lot of brain cells there.

 

[orod741]

Mt Hamil tap

 

[TailgateTom]

The Chicken House in Kalona was where we went after softball games. Red could cram about 100 people in about 500 square feet. Natural gas explosion blew the place up about 3 am one night or it could have been the " Great White " tragedy right here in Kalona..

Red passed away here several weeks ago.

 

[Derekd3408]

T-Bock’s in Decorah

You talking about the place that doesn't serve any hard alcohol and has mediocre food?

 

[Derekd3408]

A shit hole and the owner is an asshole. I prefer Your Place, Tom and Teresa are good folk, at least when they had it. Lorie is good folk as well.

Never went to Your Place after a few customers told us to avoid it. Went to Corner Bar instead and what another shit hole. Between Corner Bar and T-Bocks, I could care less to have another beer in Decorah again.

 

[JRHawk2003]

Tuck's Place on Linn Street.

Back in the day that is...

 

[fredjr82]

218 Tap in Hills.

Not bad. Better when it was Iguanas Mexican restaurant.

 

[fredjr82]

From my home town, probably Lebowskis (used to be Hoodwinks).

In CR, we like Nick's Bar and Grill. Good food, especially breakfast.

I will say a true dive bar doesn't serve food. In that case West Side Lounge. They only take cash too.

Some other favorite haunts in CR

Gilligan's
Rumors
CJs
Just Coz

I may drink too much 🤣🍻

 

[BubsFinn]

When you don't live in a college town, every bar is a townie bar.

 

[St. Louis Hawk]

Cat’s Meow in Soulard in St. Louis. Just a couple blocks from the brewery.

Limited food options - Potato chips you grab off a wire rack, or they will heat up a TJ’s pizza in a toaster oven behind the bar. That’s it.

It’s a tavern, not a bar, but it’s perfect.

Pitchers of beer for $1.65 back in the day; that’s gone up some but still great. Cash only; no cards. Old school mechanical shuffleboard type bowling game; great juke box; second shift brewery workers getting a pre-work eye opener; Wash U co-eds coming in from the County. @JWolf74 will back me up in this one.

The perfect tavern.

 

[Flie]

Corner Pocket Bar and Grill in Tallahassee.