U.S. Gastropubs: Great Food + Incredible Drinks = Perfection

Library Alehouse in Los Angeles

Jan 11, 2013 — There’s nothing wrong with 35-cent wings and $2 Tall Boys, but you also don’t have to be a snooty foodie to appreciate a solid gastropub.

The term – a not-so-subtle combination of the words “gastronomy” and “pub” – was allegedly coined in England in the early 1990s, and the trend of combining great food with craft drinks in an unpretentious setting has since spread like wildfire throughout the United States.

There are great gastropubs all over America, from sceney Hollywood to funky Brooklyn to hipster-heavy San Francisco, but all of them – at least the ones we love here at Party Earth – take the food on their plates as seriously as the drinks behind the bar.

So sidle on up (or call ahead if they take reservations), and prepare to challenge your palate at some of our favorites. And if we don’t have your favorite, let us know!

Two Sisters Bar and Books

Bar / Café / Gastropub / Bookstore
Equal parts cocktail bar, European-inspired café, and book exchange, Two Sisters Bar and Books caters to thirsty gullets, hungry stomachs, and literary minds. Retro details like cream and red toile wallpaper and a vintage cash machine set the stage for the narrow space and its handful of candlelit dark-wood tables, where groups of hardworking
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San Francisco

579 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

415‑863‑3655
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Longman & Eagle

Gastropub / Hotel / Restaurant / Whiskey Bar
Its motto is “Eat, Sleep, Whiskey,” which pretty much sums up the hipster and foodie paradise – and Michelin star-rated restaurant – that is Longman & Eagle. Unlike venues that normally get Michelin’s approval, however, L&E is devoid of white tablecloths and crystal glasses; instead, the vibe is casual, the décor minimal, and suit jackets are
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Chicago

2657 North Kedzie Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647

773‑276‑7110
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Little Bear

Gastropub
On the outskirts of Downtown, smack dab in the middle of the Arts District, there’s a little slice of Belgium called the Little Bear gastropub. There’s not much down this stretch of the aptly-named Industrial Street, although the venue’s towering red doors would make it easy to spot even if there were. Inside, a simple design of bare concrete
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Los Angeles

1855 Industrial Street
Los Angeles, CA 90021

213‑622‑8100
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Spitzer's Corner

Gastropub
A staple of the Lower East Side’s energetic nightlife, Spitzer’s Corner consistently has patrons swinging through its doors for a taste of one of eighty-plus craft beers or a bite of delectable pub grub like bowls of pickles and pork belly sandwiches. Big glass windows allow beer-dehydrated passersby to peer into what looks like a modern-day log
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New York

101 Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002

212‑228‑0027
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Granville Moore's

Beer Garden / Gastropub
Hidden in an unassuming row house, Granville Moore’s is a rustic neighborhood gastropub that prepares a thousand pounds of mussels and potatoes every week – all from a kitchen not much bigger than a walk-in closet. The venue also serves an array of sandwiches and steaks to the hungry regulars who flood in every night, but the moules-frites is by
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Washington, DC

1238 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002

202‑399‑2546
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Lord Hobo

Bar / Gastropub / Restaurant
After much heralding, Lord Hobo and his motley crew of daily-changing ales and microbrews have set up court in Cambridge. Just beyond the heavy red curtains, patrons will find a single dark chamber filled on weeknights with young professionals in full post-work chill-out mode, and on weekends with a more energetic hipster crowd sporting skinny
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Boston

92 Hampshire Street
Cambridge, MA 02139

617‑250‑8454
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Canary Square

Bar / Gastropub
Even the most tattooed of Jamaica Plain’s routinely plaid-clad denizens can tire of swilling PBR, and that’s where Canary Square comes in. This cozy gastropub attracts much the same crowd of hipsters, artists, and laid-back pals as the authentic and popular Brendan Behan's Pub up the street, but pumps up the food and alcohol selection with nearly
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Boston

435 South Huntington Avenue
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

617‑524‑2510
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Library Alehouse

Ale House / Bar / Gastropub
Located just a couple blocks from the beach, the Library Alehouse is a laid-back and airy gastropub that attracts a loyal crowd of moneyed regulars less for its prices than for its Ocean Park location, extensive drink menu, and relaxing atmosphere. During the day, Main Street shoppers and local business people pop into this Santa Monica mainstay to
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Los Angeles

2911 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405

310‑314‑4855
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The Penrose

Bar / Gastropub
A saloon-style gastropub in the heart of posh Upper East Side may seem out of place, but whether catering to wealthy local suits or artsy hipsters wandering out of the Met a few blocks away, The Penrose is a veritable Shangri-la for craft brews, locally sourced grub, and a cool neighborhood vibe… …in a neighborhood not exactly known for being cool
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New York

1590 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10028

212‑203‑2751
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The Monk's Kettle

Bar / Gastropub
Though it’s named in honor of Trappist monks who brew some of the finest craft beers in the world, The Monk’s Kettle is far too busy to pass for a monastery. The cozy gastropub’s carved hardwood bar, Beaux-Arts booths, and vintage lighting give it more of a classy European café vibe, setting it apart from the dives that dominate the block. Steins
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San Francisco

3141 16th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

415‑865‑9523
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Public House

Gastropub / Restaurant
Beer lovers in search of a new hangout will make a new home at Public House, a ten-thousand-square-foot gastropub that pours more than 120 labels, including its own seasonal brew produced in collaboration with Chicago’s Goose Island Brewery. Split into two distinct rooms by a grand stone entryway, the restaurant also boasts a dozen specialty
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Chicago

400 North State Street
Chicago, IL 60654

312‑265‑1240
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Birch & Barley

Bar / Gastropub / Restaurant
A delectable menu of seasonal bites and a giant assortment of handcrafted ales lie behind the tall wood doors of Birch & Barley, a haven for sophisticated patrons on the hunt for good food and a lot of brew. With more than five hundred bottled beers, fifty drafts, and five casks at the ready, the venue is a veritable Shangri-La for the hops-loving
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Washington, DC

1337 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005

202–567–2576
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Links: Gastropubs in Los Angeles, Gastropubs in NYC, Gastropubs in Chicago
Tags: Pub Crawlers, Food & Drink, Nightlife, Foodies, Beer Lovers, Cocktail Lovers

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