eat , drink and hear live music every day starting at noon . We have a party band on stage with dancing every night at 10 PM .”
The pub features an annual Hemingway lookalike contest that draws people from all over the south — but throughout the year you can always have some great burgers and leave with a souvenir from the popular gift shop .
On the web : https :// sloppyjoes . com /
Shakespeare Pub & Grille , San Diego , CA This place has a British motif and features its renowned fish and chips , which has been voted the best in San Diego 12 years in a row . It also offers several British beer brands as well as others from elsewhere in Europe .
According to General Manager Nikki McEwan-Beatty , the atmosphere is essential to the pub ’ s large gatherings . “ We have been in business since 1990 and our motto is , ‘ Enter as strangers , leave as friends .’ People pop in for some of the cool stuff in the pub , too , like an English telephone and mailbox .”
She also told me how proud the staff is of beating out 175 restaurants for the fish and chips designation . The place oozes with hospitality , in large measure due to McEwan-Beatty ’ s friendliness .
Shakespeare also has an extensive menu of vegetarian , vegan , and gluten-free entrees . On the web : www . shakespearepub . com
Salt + Smoke , St . Louis , MO
Salt + Smoke has four locations in the St . Louis area and an outpost in St . Charles , MO . It offers a large variety of beers , bourbons , scotches , and whiskeys . It ’ s also a terrific barbecue joint where people come for the brisket , pulled pork , and — of course — the St . Louis-style ribs .
Salt + Smoke does a ton of catering and has a thriving mail-order business . It will ship branded sauces , souvenirs , and a “ meat of the month ” dish to most spots in the country .
Owner Tom Schmidt says , “ Great bourbon and the best barbecue are important , but treating people like a guest in your own home and making them feel comfortable and happy is just about all we care about .”
On the web : saltandsmokebbq . com /