Favourite bar/pub foods on the British Isles include the aforementioned earthy pies, then scotch eggs (of the spicier variety) and ploughman's earlier in the day. And of course, a Sunday roast with pudding and vegs, although I do not dare to order this in unfamiliar places for fear of disappointment.

On the Continent, boudin noir/black pudding with mash, mussels in white wine or maybe a raw milk cheese plate. In Germany, a Sauerbraten is a perfect Sunday meal in a pub setting.

Spot on. ^ Pride is my preferred beer at home (iit seems to bottle well) but Youngs Bitter on draught is a real treat.

Absolutely. I'd only order a pub roast based on a trusted recommendation. Like you, too many bad experiences including once being charged GBP2 for an extra Yorkshire pudding.

I've not read any other posts. Am answering as I define a pub or bar, which is to mean a place not known primarily for food. So my answer:
1. Pleasant wait and bar staff.
2. A good selection of beers.
3. A clean bar for mixing cocktails...don't reuse the same shaker without a good washing for example.
4. A small but decent menu should I get hungry.
5. Good seating...not too cramped, lots of options for table height and chair count.

a good bar would have a lot of beers on tap, quite a few in the bottle domestic and imported.

a very good juke box

bartenders with low cut shirts.

very little food were talking best pubs/bars not chain restaurants.

a good selection of hard liquor

in New York city coyote ugly is the best bar. there are some in midtown like the pignwhistle.
in the suburbs sutters mill a great bar, Irelands, shamrocks, chugging Rhino
these are great bars.

For me its the people that make a great bar.

-A friendly conversational bartender is the foundation for a great bar. Preferably two.
-A good selection of beers and liquor
-Comfortable seats - nothing worse than a sore bum when trying to have a good time.
-Good food.
-A good number of LCD TV's (This is essential these days)

The last thing that makes a great bar is location. Anyone familiar with Mill Ave in Tempe AZ or Old Town Scottsdale?

1. Atmosphere (no loud music, I don't why radio is played so loud or a bands speakers are turned up .. I have never had tell the bartender I can't hear the band can they crank it up a little louder)

2. Good draft beer selection

3. Food needs to be a step up, but not pretentious


One of my favorites is Idle Rich in Dallas.

Should call itself a pub and not a bar
Should be a rambling selection of inter-connected rooms, or at least have lots of corners in which one can hide
Should have TVs in some of these rooms which should have the sound off unless a particularly good sporting event is in progress
A jukebox is desirable but should not fill the whole place with noise
Real fires
A pool table and some other form of amusement
Food should be unpretentious, good quality and reasonably cheap, but not so amazing that people come from miles around
Reading should be viewed as normal, ideally a couple of newspapers should be provided
Should be recommended by CAMRA or equivalant (I don't like beer, but I think CAMRA recommendation is a good guide to the overall tone of the place)
Friendly staff and in particular a welcoming Landlord/lady
Children should be kicked out of the place by 8pm (my major complaint about the smoking ban is that it encourages people to take their children into pubs)
A good selection of reasonably priced drinks

Ugh. I gather you've never been to The Gingerman or the Blind Tiger?

For me the answer is very simple, and comes down to one thing: dogs. There should be dogs underfoot in my ideal pub. A lab by the fireplace, a sheepdog taking up residence under a table, it doesn't matter, but I know I am somewhere good when dogs are around (and yes, it flaunts various food safety rules, but that is not the point). Anywhere that has dogs also doesn't frown at wellies, or wax jackets that have eau de horse. In fact, if a pub is REALLY good, it has a paddock for the equines to be let out in while we have a ploughman's and a few G&Ts.

I have fond memories! Any bar that encourages me to dance on the bar, and pours liberal body shots is a fun place in my book!

Any bar where you can hear the ocean

I agree, when I think of good times in bars, an awful lot of them were from places you could hear the ocean.

Yeah, not to wax overly lyrical but a good pub or bar is a place that inspires nostalgia. A place where you have had good times and been with good friends. That's why a local is often a hellhole but a person's favorite place.

My favorite bar or pub, in the US, is Zeno's Pub in State College, PA. Home of the beer passport, where you can travel around the world in 80 beers, I've now completed 3 passports. It's in the cellar of a building, complete with a damp, dark atmosphere. The bartenders are always willing to chat, even if they're swamped, and they love to recommend beers. Obviously, they have a large beer selection, both on tap (30 or so) and in bottles. Food, well, their memu is usually comfort food, occasionally with a twist.

If you venture there, you might learn my identity by reading the names on the plaques on the wall commemorating those who have completed passports.

Mr. Kipper and I met there, so it has special meaning to us. That's reflected in our name plates for one passport.

Checking out their draft list, I'm trying to convince myself that I cannot drive up there this weekend.