I am moved by This thread to ask what is the most popular name for a pub, or a bar, in the US.
In the UK, the Red Lion has the call, and this question is in GQ as I consider it has a definite answer.
I am moved by This thread to ask what is the most popular name for a pub, or a bar, in the US.
In the UK, the Red Lion has the call, and this question is in GQ as I consider it has a definite answer.
The stereotypical name is Joe’s Bar and Grill. You could substitute any common first name, or leave off “the Grill” and it would sound like a typical name.
Other possibilities might be The Roadhouse, The Rathskeller,
The <name of town> Inn.
There are probably more than a few places called The County Line Inn from back when dry counties were more common.
Also, “(fill in the blank)'s Tap” (i.e. Joes Tap, Dorras Tap, Spinal Tap, etc.).
I’ve seen a million variations of the “Inn” name for a bar too…“Stop Inn”, “Break Inn”, “The Dr’s Inn”, etc.
the Dew Drop Inn…
also “The Corner Tavern” or “The Cellar” (for a place that’s literally below the street level), or <Irish name>'s Pub.
I don’t know about the entire United States, but in the western US (especially Montana, where I grew up), “Oasis” and “Mint” are two very popular (almost stereotypical) bar names. In fact, the town where I grew up has an “Oasis”.
My guess is that “Oasis” is probably a fairly popular name throughout the United States. In fact, I did some checking at http://www.qwestdex.com (an online telephone directory). I typed “Oasis” into the “Business Name” search field and searched under every state, one at a time. Forty-one states had at least one business with “Oasis” in its name listed under one of the following categories: Bar, Tavern, Cocktail Lounge, Night Club, or Liquors–On-Sale–Retail. Eight states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia) had an “Oasis” listed under Restaurants (so these establishments may or may not serve alcohol.) The last state, West Virginia, had a business called “Oasis Lounge”, but this was listed in the category “Clubs–Social Service” .
So, there you go. Oasis. May not be the true answer, but it’s an answer.
My favorite is “The Cat Dragged Inn” csg.
I think the bar/pub culture is totally different between the UK and the US. I think in England they go for historic references when they name there pubs, possibly because most of them are historic themselves.
Whereas in the US I think pop cultural references are the most popular. Or something that sounds cool. But there are probably certain names that you’d find in each and every city of reasonable size such as the Cellar. I know here those places tend to change there name every few years as a gimmick to spark business.
P.S. we also have a Red Lion here.
I agree with “Do Drop Inn”. I have come across a number of these. I have also come across a number of “Corner Taverns”.
I have this awful feeling it might be “Dewdrop Inn”.
Whatever it is, it will not be nearly as dominant as the “Red Lion” in the UK. For a few reasons:
As noted already, US bar owners are less traditionalist about naming their establishments and may follow any of several conventions, or just pick a name they think is catchy. Including stupid puns on the word “Inn”, or double entendres - somebody in that other thread mentioned “toolbox”, and said it sounded like a name for a gay bar. It does, and I’ll bet it’s been done.
One popular convention is naming bars for the street, neighborhood or town they’re in - “Main Street Bar and Grill”, “Hicksville Tavern”, etc. This makes those names as diffuse as place names.
Since we have a polyglot culture, and bar owners often try to use cultural themes when naming a place, we get diffusion of names by owners picking up on several themes - one guy will name his ersatz German beer garden “The Rathskeller” and the guy down the street will name his Americanized British pub “The Rose and Crown”.
Several homegrown themes exist, in addition to places named after the owner or location. One of these is the “20’s” theme, sometimes attaching “speakeasy” to the name somewhere. Another is the “Western” theme evidenced by names like “The Wagon Wheel”, “The Oxbow”, etc, and often having “saloon” attached.
In addition to the “Joe’s Bar and Grill” convention, where it could conceivably have been started by Joe, we have quite a few places with people’s names that are either colorful historical figures, or fictional concoctions. Often a bad sign - you should be suspicious of some joint named something like “Sidewinder Jack’s Saloon”. Particularly in a town with a high tourist content. (Somebody in Los
Gatos with extremely mordant sense of humor named their bar “Carrie Nation’s”. I like that one. I’ve never been in the bar, though.)
I don’t think it’s the Dew Drop Inn. A quick search of a couple of business directories shows about twice as many places named Joe’s Bar. Joe’s seems to outrank John’s and Mike’s too.
Well, thanks are in order for the replies here, and it seems the answer is not as clear cut as I think, but it is all very educational.
I nominate “The Crossroads” as another very popular name at least in the Northeast.
The Monkee Bar, Chicago
I must correct an error in the OP, as the front runner in Britain is not The Red Lion, but with effect from 1998, it is The Crown, as follows:
*1) The Crown.
The Red Lion.
The White Hart.
The Royal Oak.
The Ship.
The Chequers.
The George.
The Fox & Hounds.
The White Horse.
The New Inn.*
I say this in the interests of accuracy, which is important around here, but it does not affect the question I originally ask.