Bars, bars, bars… they're everywhere. A good pub, on the other hand, is a bit harder to find around these parts. I am, of course, eternally grateful for the existence of Kickbacks but sometimes a person needs a change of venue without having to sacrifice quality.
Just down the road in St. Augustine, the pub scene is far more bountiful. There are some great little haunts in the Nation's Oldest City but none captures my heart quite like J P Henley's does. First off, I must admit a slight bit of impartiality as they do have my favorite beer on tap there: the unparalleled Franziskaner Dunkelweizen. Please, if you enjoy a good beer and have never tried a dunkelweizen, do yourself a favor and run out to Total Wine and pick one of these glorious beverages up. Or, better yet, stop by J P Henley's, because if you're not as impressed by the dunkelweizen as I am, there are around fifty other beers on tap and a couple hundred different bottles, almost all of which are good quality craft brews or imports. There's also over a hundred different wines from around the world for all of you oenophiles out there.
But even if you're not in the mood for a drink, Henley's is still great for a bite to eat. Appetizers that exude culture (baked brie: delicious, decadent and dignified), a great selection of fresh salads, and some gourmet sandwiches. To top it all off, Henley's has one of the most relaxing atmospheres around; even when there's a crowd it's still relatively low key. Enjoy, just don't blame me if it turns you off your local sport's bar… ok, blame me, just don't expect any reparations.
J P Henley's
10 Marine Street
St Augustine, FL 32084-4407
(904) 829-3337
2 comments:
Let me start by saying just how ridiculously spot on your reviews are. Secondly, how do you keep predicting my next moves?
Just recently decided to graduate from the beaches area bars to exploring the San Marco/Riverside/Downtown night scene. All I can say is I'm disappointed it took me so long. Returning from a college town (Gainesville) unfortunately leads you to the beach bars...
Kickbacks and O'Brothers have now become my standard. And as an added change of pace, I made my way down to the St. Augustine bars this past weekend. Also, not too shabby, although I didn't make it to J P Henley's. Will definitely check it out. And would love to get your thoughts on Rendezvous off of St. George Street
Thanks again for making Jacksonville/St. Augustine seem a bit less boring.
Nate,
Thanks so much for the kind words. It's a shame that a lot of people never stray from the beaches. There are some good places to grab a drink out there but the best bars and pubs around, in my humble opinion, are in Riverside, Downtown, and Southside.
If you haven't already done so, check out the Bold City Brewery before a trip to Kickbacks. They've got a great atmosphere and some excellent beers that will grow on you and keep you coming back to fill up your growler.
I liked Rendezvous the one time I went there but it was a few years ago and I've heard they changed a little. Still good, I'm assuming, but I don't have an informed opinion. Also check out the A1A Ale Works in St. Augustine for some great, brewed in-house beer.
Speaking of, Seven Bridges, sister restaurant to the A1A Ale Works, is having a tapping party tonight; $3 for great beer all night long.
Thanks again for the kind words. It turns out there's a lot to do around the area, one just needs to make a little effort to find it.
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