What about Lagers? Bro, it is awesome!!!!!!!!! (haha, just kidding).

Annabelle Lee is good, but it is more of a restaurant. Probably would have to go with Canton Station.

the wild mushroom had amazing pizzas baked on gargantuan portabello mushrooms. the menu was always written on that blackboard in the photo.

I like Walt Inn's... definitely a fun time late at night with the karaoke going on and decent drink prices. Nothing fancy inside but I think that's what I like about it.

This is easy...

Mahaffey's and Tap House, Knotty Pine (on the edge of Canton), Hummer's. Yellow Dog (although it also falls into the Annabel Lee category of restaurant).

The Wild Mushroom is where all of the Fun Guys hang out!

I'll be here all week!

Portside, no question.

Mahaffey's is the correct answer.

Yeah, what Krysten said.

Any place not on the square

Im def going to say Mahaffey's. After you go there a few times it feels like Cheers

Mahaffeys and Tap House. Marty, at the Tap House, is always friendly, and the crowd is always up for mingling.

Mahaffey's, hands down. Great group of locals, decent pub grub, rambling/cool owner, and kick a$$ focus on great beer. What more would you want?

The Wild Mushroom does have the best selection, but they don't seem to answer the phone anymore. Lager's could make the list, but it is way too sexy in there.

portside is def. not a 'neighborhood' bar.

jason - that joke may be the goofiest thing I have ever heard in my life...i'm torn between mahaffey's and the pickled parrot - does brewer's hill count here or will there be separate suggestions for that neighborhood?

Mahaffeys? Great beer selection, yes. Cozy place, yes. But the bartenders seem like they're on crack or at a minimum have had a few too many five-hour energy drinks! Their eyes are always darting around so rapidly they can't identify a patron who needs a drink. And Wayne's and his patrons' never ending focus on Keno give the place an air of desperation.

Brewers Hill Pub - some of the regulars even stow seat cushions behind the bar.

I totally agree about the bartenders at Mahaffey's. Once, maybe three years ago, one of them had a near-tantrum when we asked for our tab. We were mystified by this behavior, and we've never been back. I find it crowded and unwelcoming there, even if the bartenders weren't so bizarre.

Any place not on the square. Walt's for sure. Canton Station and the "old" Knotty Pine.

uh isn't Wild Mushroom now Birches?

good work mr zink

anyone who talks about the wild mushroom needs to visit canton more often. the mushroom has been closed for 5 or 6 years. thats probably why they don't answer the phone anymore grant. it is now birches. again...more of a restaraunt than a bar. oh....and i can't nominate birches as a "locals" bar since they have made themselves into a red sox hangout. so yeah... if your in southside of boston it fits, but in east baltimore if ican't watch the o's (however pathetic they are), then it simply isn't a neighborhood bar by definition. in fact, they've remade themselves so often it tough to know what you're getting anymore. the service is horrible and the food is pretentious. if anyone reads the dining blog you'll remember that birches was on most peoples "hate" list because of these two factors. mahaffy's...HA. i live a block away and won't step foot in the place. i've seen the owner yell at people becauses they decided they didn't want anything on the menu. yeah... its a good beer list, but that doesn't make up for poor behavior. my neighbors and i have started calling him "moe". yes...the cantancerous bartended from the "simpsons". my rant is almost over....but before i finsish, what bar owners in canton miss is that they are neighborhood bars. period. there are ZERO places in canton that survive on tourist dollars. there are ZERO places that survive as a "destination bar". i've been drinking in canton for a looooong time (how many people hung out in loony's BEFORE it was loony's? raise your hand!) and the one thing that stands true is if you aliante your neighbors, you will fail (read this part twice clutch). so...best neighborhood bar...? my vote goes to geckos. the owners are friendly. quick with a smile. always availible with a gift certificate or donation for charity (i'm also on the board of directors for a few local orgs....nick and jim have always come through!) and generally interested in their little piece of the city. honorable mention goes to stackhouse. he's new, but the vibe is right so far. mcGoverns on clinton street...i almost don't want to spread the word or it will get too crowded, but they deserve it. so.....i'll see you at happy hour.

Agree with SF, Tap House, Mahaffey's and Yellow Dog (for food + drinks).

Isn't the Wild Mushroom now called Birches?
And I wouldn't really classify any bars on O'Donnell/Canton Square as being neighborhood bars. My favorite spot that would probably fall into this category may or may not be considered Canton. My favorite neighborhood bar is Bartenders on Boston St. The ZIP code (21231) suggests it's technically in Fells Point but that strip of bars in that area are kinda in an area that is in between Canton and Fells Point. The bartenders are all owners, will pour you an honest drink and they're all entertaining to talk to.

Evan is correct. The Wild Mushroom preceded Birches. As I recall, it was run by a couple (Simon and Jennifer maybe?). They later opened Portabella on the water between Bay Cafe and Bo Brooks. I believe that Simon was also the owner of Simon's Pub in Butchers Hill.

local's post made my brain hurt.

I have to say, even though I live in Canton (for now), I'm not a huge fan of the scene. But a few weeks ago, I left my friends at Looney's and wandered over to check out Mahaffey's on my own and had a FANTASTIC time. Nothing like walking into a bar alone for A beer and then waking up hungover after drinking all night with new friends. Loved it.

Also a vote for the Hudson Street Stackhouse/Steakhouse (not sure, think they may have changed it at some point). Watched a Caps game there during playoffs and had a fab time drinking red PBR and chatting up the owner and regulars. Pretty good food too. After a particularly good Caps goal, the bartenders made up some sort of red shooter and passed it out to everyone in the bar. Unsolicited free drinks are the fastest way to my heart.

Does the Boston Street corridor count? If so, I nominate Bartenders. They're about as "local" as you can get and we often end up drinking with a few current and/or former Orioles, which beats being surrounded by Yankees and Red Sox fans.

Now how to rave w/o soundling like a shill:
- Beer-wise, their drafts are decent but the overall selection pales in comparison to Mahaffey's. Most places do, so that shouldn't be a surprise.
- Their wine list suprises most who don't realize that one of the owners is the brother of Cork's sommelier. (brother's, sister's, neighbor's uncle....which make us ablsolutely nothing).
- Mixed drinks: big, strong
- Food: menu is wisely limited to a few apps, pizza and sandwiches with some specials here and there

If you don't like Irish Mist, don't chat up the bartenders. They tend to be pretty generous.

kate: sorry about making your brain hurt. i owe you a beer for that.

doug: correct you are. my feeble memory tells me that jenninfer's parents owned a bar in the same building as the mushroom. i want to say it was called the elm, or something "tree-ish". jen then leased the building from her parents. her husband was simon of simon's pub in butcher's hill (now "life of reighly's"). i believe she and simon are long since divorced though. last i heard, she was running the kitchen at loyola college, but its been a while. also, the mushroom was used as the little bar in the movie "the replacements". i was an extra, but ended up on the cutting room floor.

Hudson Street or Pickled Parrot get my vote. I actually really like the bar at Saute. Yes, it is a nice restaurant, but the bar is half of the space and they have TVs and good specials. And it's got a nice vibe.

Don't say anything bad about pickled parrot on this blog. The owner will get his shills out on you.

Parrot used to be nice, but they have raised their prices. Food is medicore at best, I see they haven't updated their Web site in over 3 years. And the side porch area continues to smell.

What about Jack's? At least they can keep a clean place.

As one of the owners of Bartenders I must first say that no neighborhood bar is worth a shot of rail gin without it's regulars. It is the regulars who create the community feeling in a bar and ours are the best. So my vote is for best bar patrons in Canton and those are our patrons/our friends at Bartenders. Thank you all.

My one and only experience at Bartenders- was in the neighborhood and stopped in to try someplace new, grab a quick bite and drink and watch the Terps BB game. When we walked in the door, it felt like the moment Wyatt and Gary walked into the Kandy bar with Lisa and the record stopped. Still, we sat down and continued to be ignored and treated like unwelcome patrons. everyone else seemed to know each other and enjoy themselves, so I guess that it's a solid neighborhood bar for some! I really wanted to like it and return for the NFC East games upstairs that they advertised last year, at least I'll have some comraderie there.

Bartenders, i've always had great service there and felt included in the space.

Taps, really friendly bar, actually dangerously friendly as you don't want to leave!

Jacks, great rotating beer selection for such a small amount of taps, fun atmosphere and great appetizers.

Lived in Canton to 11 years ...
Growlers(Baltimore Taphouse), Bartenders... get my vote(s) also Mike McGoverns is a great little place....

To neighbor - I am sorry that your only experience with Bartenders was not a good one. Please know that we all have off nights. As I am the host upstairs for the NFC East Games on Sundays, I hope that you will try us again with a positive result.
Your friendly Neighborhood Bartender,
Dave

I always forget about McGoverns. Maybe because it's not open that much. I'm surprised you're the first person to mention it, Bill.

Geckos on Fleet Street has, is and always will be the "Cheers" of Canton. It's an upscale version of a local bar but you can't beat the food and/or service. The owners are friendly, there are plenty of regulars (for good damn reason) and newcomers ALWAYS feel welcome! Anyone that's been there has the same thing to say about the place, the food rocks, the people are friendly and we have a hell of a good time. I'm sure all the other places are great too but nothing compares to "the lizard"...

Been in Canton for a LONG time now and have yet to be a fan of any of these bars that fill up with people streaming down from White Marsh for the weekend. Any vote for a bar on the square should be disqualified, those are NOT neighborhood bars.
Cross Mahaffey's out as well. If Wayne cared about his patron's he wouldn't have let one fall off the upstairs landing, and he'd hire bartenders that aren't crackheads.
You want a neighborhood bar? Try Gecko's, McGoverns, Hudson Street Stackhouse, Jack's on Elliott, or the Taphouse. Better yet, hit up Bleachers on Fleet-they've got a HUGE bar with plenty of seating. Brett won Best Bartender two years ago because his service is outstanding. Plus, they've got Big Buck Hunter and buck hunter safari!

Now, if you're looking for a tried and true neighborhood bar that's been around for 50+ years without changing hands, changing names, or depending on tourists to get by...then head on over to the Montford Bar for $1.25 drafts and $4.00 pints of rail drinks! The Mont gets my vote.

Good topic....Who ever nominated portside should be pinned up against the wall there while hundreds of people make their way past...not neighborly at all...

Geccos definitely fits the bill. Nick is great to everybody. The food and drinks are good. It's not cheap and they aren't giving anything away. They willl talk to you if you want to be talked to and know when to leave you alone. The rest of the patrons are always a mixed bag, the bar space is small, but you always feel welcome.

Bartender's is good but sometimes the bartenders forget they have a long bar. Once they find you though, they are quick and pleasant. Good drinks and the pie is awesome.

I also want to second local's local team thoughts. If your bar is anything other than o's and ravens, please hang your flags indoors. I think Jason Zink has gotten away with this for too long.

I am partial to Growler's as far as neighborhood bar, Bartender's as far as neighborhood and "tourists" are concerned and Portside as far "tourists" are concerned. "tourists" for lack of a better word.

Sweet lord, did this generate a lot of comments. Are we talking about Sam's theater going habits or did I miss something?!

There are so many awesome neighborhood bars to choose from...

Lears II, Canton Station, NcDevin's, American Harry's, the place across the street from American Harry's, and if it were just a little closer to actual Canton, Laughing Pint. soo many more

(and of course, Silks)

I list Wayne's (Mahaffey's) as #1, mainly because I can walk there and know most of the bartenders and some of the regulars, and their beer selection is truly awesome.

Second would be pretty close between Gecko's and Bleacher's. Been several times to both, and treated VERY well each time by the staff.

Mike McGovern's on Clinton would likely get #1 if a) I lived closer, and b) it was open 7 days.

Cheers!

haha. the mere mention of sharp-leadenhall is great. i will fill you in since you brought it up. where's the best bar in sharp-leadenhall? the little korean grocery/liquor take out where those 2 people got boyz in the hood drive-by blasted after the ravens eagles game this past year...........and that's the best one.

sam, i think you are neglecting some interesting posts by ignoring the fringe hoods.

American Harry's and Montford are excellent corner bars. I've been in Harry's a few times and have by far been the youngest person in there. I don't know how welcome I would feel if I walked in by myself. Most of my experiences at Montford were a few years ago and at 6am. I drive by all the time and it looks like they've done alot of work to the place. It might be worth checking out again. But I still get the impression that it's more of a dive bar. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a dive bar. I love going into places like that with a handful of friends for a few cheap drinks, dumping some money in the jukebox and shooting a few games of pool.

Mahaffey's for me

Any of these places have any decent men? I need a date!

I agree with Flew the coop....
the parrot was great - years ago .... but now the management there has some serious issues....so sad.... also Jacks has not be good since it was dobbies...
I my opinion....

if ya want a dive check out the Canton Cove at the corner of s. clinton and hudson....

Is that place the Sports Bar (corner of S. Clinton and Toone?) still open? I was in there a few times and it was a pretty good dive.

As I'm a beer geek/snob/aficionado, there are only three places on my radar scope down there: Mahaffey's, Baltimore Taphouse, and depending on how you want to draw the "neighborhood" boundaries, Ale Mary's. With all three, it depends what I'm after. I'll hit Mahaffey's for the best beer, Taphouse for the "stop by for a pint on the way home from work" relaxation visit, and Ale Mary's if I want good food and drink in a nice atmosphere. (not to knock Mahaffey's excellent food, but....)

Your mileage may well vary. Close cover before striking. This bag is not a toy. Some settling may have occurred during shipping.

Laughing Pint gets my vote. The food is good and simple, it's not pretentious, and the owner is very gracious.

I have to add a comment about what is NOT my favorite bar - GIN MILL. The bartenders here are complete tools. They screw up your beer order, walk away in the middle of a food order, and are just general TOOLS.

Bartenders is a much better place. The staff there is gracious and everything that the Gin Mill guys aren't.

Dave Spence-
I understand, and thank you for taking the time to respond so kindly. I know you can't judge a place based on one night, so we'll be back. Thanks again!

Also for the record I went to Bartenders last Saturday for a gathering of sorts and it was a pretty great time. We had a dance party upstairs till close and the bartenders let us use our own iPods.

If everyone doesn't shut up about Ale Mary's, Bleachers and Gecko's, I'll have no place to drink without douche bags from White Marsh screaming in my face!

WHAT we love Bartenders and travel from harford county to eat and relax. They have AWESOME food....the rosie salad is the best and we love the pizzas! The bartenders are always friendly and funny and they take pride in the bar. SO if you have never been there GO..stop in and you will see what I mean....and get the rosie salad with xtra dressing..yummy...

Man, some people don't find humor in anything. The picture at the top is from the old Wild Mushroom. See the chalkboard? That went when they did (though Birches still keeps the back wall as an unused chalkboard). Plus, there are people drinking and having fun there, something that doesn't happen often at Birches. They had a kicka$$ bartender too.

The person with the comment on The Montford is off. That place was sold years ago (back when it was The Stag Bar). There is a completely new owner, new rehabbed interior, but the same scrappy old smokehounds that drink there.

American Harry's has probably the most non-English speakers in there at a time than any other Canton Bar. Something Eastern Euro. They have good take out prices and cheap sloppy joes.

drew, whenever i see the word "what" in all-caps, I think of this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rEY48-rg_4

Yet another vote for Mahaffeys!

A good corner bar is a place that has an atmosphere where everyone talks to each other, good atmosphere, and the bartenders recognize their regulars. For us, it also has to be in walking distance. As a regular, I always can find a barstool at the bar.

Baltimore Taphouse is on the list because I can always find someone to talk to. My favorite bartender there is Brian, but most people don't get to appreciate him because he works during the daytime when most people are working. Also, even when it's crowded, I can usually charm my way into a barstool.

Mahaffeys is also on my list. I like that I can enjoy good beer, or a Dubonaide, and get some food. They have a great jukebox too. I also really like to talk to everyone that works there, bartenders, barbacks, chef, and even Wayne. Again, other patrons will offer me their seats.

Our newest gem in the area is Bartenders. Dave is really friendly and attentive. Jared makes a great pizza...try the Spence. The atmosphere is nice and since we go early, it isn't really crowded. You guys are doing a great job!

Thanks Sam for the Vote!! I work at Mahaffeys and I LOVE it! If you dont mind going to work, you know it cant be too bad of a place! Thanks to everyone who voted mahaffeys their fav place!

As far as Mahaffey's goes, the owner is liable to be off his meds on any given day. He has the best product in the neighborhood, but his personality is a liability. Too many people go once and never go back. I live a block away and the guy just scares me.

someone said the "old" knotty pine, i assme they've reopened since the fire.

this place was amazing int he summer time, 1 dollar crabs and 50 cents beers on friday nights.

owners lived upstairs....miss living across the street from that place.

NcDEVINS !!!!!

Cardwell,
Yes, that place is still open ( It's just across the street from the dog park). I pass it every day on the way home from work. Although I've never stopped in, it looks like a nice place with some pretty good food specials.

Tho old Knotty Pine was definitely a nice neighborhood bar. I stopped in soon after they reopened after the fire, but the kitchen wasn't open yet. I haven't been back yet, but I plan to.

I live in Fells Point and don't often get out to the suburbs like Canton but when I do I have to stop in at Silks. You want characters? Be careful what you wish for!
And Local, you talked about Looneys before it was Looneys, if you had been there you would know it was Stegas. It was a great bar to watch the game in.

Portside is possibly the worst bar I've ever had the bad luck of entering. On a weekend night it is jam-packed with the most horribly rude, disgusting and often under-aged clientele. I think that bar and anyone who likes it should be exiled from Baltimore City forever.

I guess what this proves is that there is no single perfect bar in the Canton neighborhood.

Taphouse has, well, great taps, but no food.

Across the street, Yellow Dog has great brunch but is hit or miss at night.

Walt's Inn is a great place if you are in the mood for getting beery and singing karaoke. Metromix lists the atmosphere as simply "drunk." Well said.

Is it wrong to say that Looney's is a good place to go on non-weekend nights and non-BSSC occasions.? When it's slow, it's a nice place for cheap drinks and an affordable, big menu.

And yeah, Portside sucks. So does Claghdaghs or however the hell the non Irish owners spell the name of that hole.

Screw that place. And screw the tiki bar outside of my gym near Bo Brooks. Where did all of these tourists wash up from? Did they get lost on the way to Harbor East?

First of all, let me say that I second Dave Spence’s comment – the customers are what makes a bar, so thank you to all of my customers.

(Sorry, but the next part is long – if you’re not interested in what I have to say to “Flew the Coop” or Bill McLean, just skip it.)

Now to clear a few things up:

@Flew The Coop (or should I call you Bill?)
Thanks for the feedback. My shills didn’t “get out on you,” because I don’t have any. I guess I’ll have to talk with you myself. It would have been easy to ignore the negativity, but then I realized that there are people who read the Midnight Sun that have never been to the Pickled Parrot, so let me go clarify your opinions:

“Parrot used to be nice, but they have raised their prices.” It still is, and yes we did – for the first time in 7 years. The price of bottles went up by $0.25. Now it will cost you the same to buy 11 beers as it used to be for 12. Sorry, but costs go up…

“Food is medicore at best…” That’s not what the feedback is from the people we talk to. I’ll admit we’re not the Capital Grill, but for entrees that are all $14 or less, I don’t think that’s what you’re expecting. You want solid bar food? That’s what we have.

“…I see they haven't updated their Web site in over 3 years.” Not sure what this has to do with the subject of the thread, but okay, I’ll give you that. It’s on my whiteboard of things to do – it’s below “add our 8 new Belgians to the beer list” and “let’s put some cool new stuff on the menu,” but it’s there… Most of our web presence is on Facebook these days – come see us there.

“side porch area continues to smells” / “At least they can keep a clean place.” These comments are just insulting. Sure the Parrot is a bit rough around the edges, but dirty it is not. If you don’t believe me ask the staff – they spend hours each day cleaning. The patio is hosed out nearly every operational day, and is sprayed with a biodegradable disinfectant twice a week. (This works great, as long as there’s no Inner Harbor fish kill!)

@Bill McLean
If by “but now the management there has some serious issues” you meant “I’m one of only two customers to have the dubious distinction of not being welcome to come back to the Pickled Parrot,” then you’re right. It’s been three years dude, let it go.

Once again – thanks to all of our current customers, and if you’re not a customer, why not stop by, have a pint and check us out? You might love it, you might not, but that’s why Baltimore has such a great culture of neighborhood bars – there’s pretty much one for everyone! Many thanks to all of the other owners and staff that keep this tradition alive!

Thanks all!

-g

bmore bill,
yes i remember stegas well. still run into scott every now and then and i even came across a t-shirt afew months ago while cleaning out some old clothes. i just didn't see the point of naming it as most of the people on this blog were in elementery school when it closed. and yes, silks has the best charcters...i'm one of them. but it can't be a considered a "welcoming neighborhood bar" with locked doors.

cheers!

Looney's used to be called "Stegas" and I got hammered upstairs on a routine basis while playing pool and foosball.

Then, I ceased to be one of the beautiful people (was I ever one?) after it changed it's name to "Looney's" and the place became something quite different from when I
used to gulp cheap ale and chase reputation-challenged local hons.

Canton Station hands down...

Canton Station. They have the cheapest beer.

First of all, my name is not Bill. I am neighbor of yours in Canton, g.

To counter your points:

“The price of bottles went up by $0.25.” – Hmmm, you forgot that domestic drafts used to be $2. They are now more.

“That’s not what the feedback is from the people we talk to.” – I went to eat at your bar about 2 months ago. 2 of the entrees the kitchen was out of. One of meals was fine, but the other was not. Overly spiced and not heated correctly through. It’s true, I don’t expect the Capital Grill. But I do expect value for my money.

“Most of our web presence is on Facebook these days – come see us there.” – I just searched facebook and did not see a site for your bar. Please repost with the URL and I will glady check it out.

“Sure the Parrot is a bit rough around the edges, but dirty it is not.” – I continue to disagree.

Have to go with Canton Station as well, with Kisling's a close second.

So are we going to see an "official" list of the best bars in Caton? Top 3?

I thought this was the best neighborhood bar in Canton list. Not the "I have an ax to grind with a bar I don't like" list.

By the way, there's a fancy thing called google that allows you to search on the internet. It even allows you to find Facebook pages.

J, and what fun would that be?

@ J and TAR:
Thanks for the laughs. We do have some fun here, don't we?

-g

@ flew the coop:
The point I was trying to make regarding pricing was that it’s not realistic to expect any business to operate in 2009 with 2001 pricing. I don’t know about you, but my BGE rate hasn’t gone down. Just like some degree of inflation, cost and price increases are just part of doing business. Regarding the domestic draft, we’ve taken one price increase in the last seven years, just like the bottles. I personally think that $2.50 is pretty reasonable for a full price pint. If you’re price sensitive to the point that this offends you, I suggest you come by during Happy Hour, when all of our drafts are ½ price or during our weeknight Recession Buster, Sun-Thurs 10-Close, when all domestics are 2 for 1.

(BTW- Shame on the owners that are pouring 14 oz. “pints!” That’s just wrong, unless you adjust your prices accordingly.)

I’m sorry you had a bad meal. While I would have liked to address your problem about two months ago, I’m happy to do so now. Shoot me an email with your snail mail address and I’ll send you a credit for dinner. Some more information on precisely what went wrong would be helpful to us – what exactly you ordered, your server, time of night, etc. To avoid the spambots, my email address is pickledparrotcom.

A side note to everyone – if you are out and have a problem with your meal, please tell someone. I think all of the owners on here will agree that we’d much rather try to fix things right away than hear about them later. I welcome feedback from anyone – you now have my email address, please don’t be afraid to use it.

Regarding a Facebook link, here you are: http://tinyurl.com/m3pht2

-gerry

Depending whether your focus is beer or wine could make or break this category. Mahaffey's rotatating beer tap selection is great. There are hits and there are misses. To each his own. For some reason Baltimore Taphouse's taps seem pretty standard and I find myself ordering by the bottle there. Jack's Bistro constantly rotates their selection. Lots of stuff I've never heard of and are excited to try. They do a 20 buck beer dinner EVERY Thursday, and serve food til 1am- which scores big points. Bartenders on Boston St. and Jack's have the best wine selection. (No smoking loon or menage a trois). Well thought out. I'd give it to those guys.

BaltBabs, yes, I'm going to tally all 70-something votes and post the winner(s) today.

Steve -- I'm not sure if they still do it, but Bartenders used to have a featured wine night on Wednesdays. They bring in a distributor and you can get wines not featured on their list, sometimes as low as $12 a bottle.

Now, this was a year or two ago. Since then, the family addition of a dog and grad school has limited my weeknight drinking (ironically, when it's probably needed most!), so I can't vouch that the special and/or the prices still remain. However, I have no doubt that someone will chime in and correct me if I'm wrong. That's how this board is.

Care to share a little more info on the $20 beer dinner at Jack's? I've been meaning to check it out, and that sounds like something that would get me in the door...

@flew the coop
Just noticed my email got lost in my last post. Before @pickledparrot.com, insert my first name.

Thanks for the feedback.

-gerry

Like I said the management of the Parrot has some issues- bigger and better thing than continue this... people that know how things happen know your colors gerry... and also know that it is truly sad state of affairs.... smell ya later, and have fun making jager bombs dink....

that "let me google it for you" was laugh out loud funny.
I am 100% going to come in for a beer now.

Wow, lot of things here.

A few items, in no particular order:

PICKLED PARROT! Freakin amazing. $3 Jager bombs on Friday nights? Shew. Top that off with $1 cherry bombs (5 actual cherries soaked in grain alocohol), and the juke box? Please, no contest. I think I've spent $50 in a night on the juke box alone. Plus they have Rogue Dead Guy Ale, a great beer and the best bottle label out there. G - keep it up. For every one of those negative comments, I could give 5 awesome comments. I know a lot of people that agree me as well. Thanks for some memorable (or not so much...) Friday nights.

Brewers Hill Pub (not Canton, but close enough) - I used to go here a lot when I lived down there. My brother still lives just a few blocks away, and we go sometimes. They serve Natty Light bottles - amazing, sorry Boh fans. But the "regulars" are not very friendly sometimes. I was in after work, wearing a coat and tie, and some dude who'd been there since about noon was grumbling under his breath about "corporate people" and stealing money and AIG blah blah blah. Uh, sorry bro, but I didn't steal anything and I work hard to drink my Natty's in here (before walking to the Parrot of course!). BHP needs to bring Jules back behind the bar though, and if you went to BHP about a year and a a half ago, you know Jules.

Elliot's Pour House (again, not Canton but close enough) - great place, off the beaten path but not completely hidden. Mike behind the bar (say now Dons) is always great. Great jukebox as well, and pool tables. No food....but leaves more room for the drinks!

Bartenders - another great place. Dave, Danny, Chris, Gino are all awesome. Having the owners behind the bar is a novel idea. Pizza is very good as well. They allowed me to host a fundraising party upstairs, and it was a huge success. And lets not forget the board games that are avaialable for all who care to play. Playing "Sorry!" at midnight in a crowded bar screams "neighborhood bar."

Mahafee's - a lot of good comments so I won't say too much. I don't go often, but I am a fan of the sliders night when you can get cheap chicken or burger sliders. I love the beer club idea - I did one in college and it led me to trying beers I'd have never tried.

NcDevin's - I used to go here frequently and always had a great time. Back in 2006 when the World Cup was on, I went to watch a few games and actually got into the soccer for the first time. They have a great buffalo chicken sandwich, and their brunch on Sundays is good and cheap. That said - I found out this is a STEELERS bar!!! Are they serious? Do I even need to say anything else? Really NcDevin's, the Steelers? Really?

I have to go with Bartenders on this one & Mahaffeys & Pickled Parrot run a tie for second with Gecko's in the same mix

@ g- (pickled parrot) Remember, you cant please everyone, you never will. Just make sure you can sleep at night! & Buddies is buddies!

Elliotts Pour House should have won :-(

@Cheese-
No, I'm not way off base about the Montford. It's had the same owner since he bought it from the guy who ran Mike's Happy Hour. Just because they renovated, doesn't mean they got a new owner. Trust me, I know...I live upstairs.
And I think being closed for almost a year and a half to renovate, and still being able to keep 'those same old crappy smokehounds' says something. Most people would have found a new regular hangout. The Mont is a great neighborhood bar, if all you're looking to do is drink and talk with good people.