The Pubb Food and Spirits, 1568 Broadway Ave NW, Grand Rapids ~ 12/17/24

In 1904 Louis Shader ran a saloon here and these are other establishments that once operated here:
Olree's Saloon, Wilson Brothers Soft Drinks, Tommy's Tavern, and West Side Bar. 
West Side Bar was a biker bar that closed in 2011. In February of 2012 Jason and Steve Jenkins bought the bar and did an extensive remodel. The Jenkins sold the business about a year ago and that's about all the history we could dig up, other than the current name. The Jenkins had a friend who passed away in 2011 by the name of Robb, with 2 B's. Hence "The Pubb" with 2 B's. 

The space is long and narrow, divided into two areas by the bar.
We started with a Blue Moon, Voodoo Ranger, and a Bells Two-Hearted.
The menu is concise, which is a smart move for a smallish bar.
We like to start with tater tots but the Pubb was out tonight. Our server, Heather, recommended the waffle fries, and since tacos were on the menu, we asked if the kitchen could make our appetizer into a nacho dish, which they did. It arrived minus any meat and was a bit of a mess but was thoroughly enjoyable once we were armed with forks.
And speaking of Heather and the kitchen, here they are.
When we arrived, Heather was the only employee there, bartending and cooking. She was shortly thereafter joined by Travis, who was just as friendly and helpful as Heather. Both of them cook and bartend. We were sitting right in front of the open kitchen, which was convenient for us when we needed some forks. "Hey Travis, could we please have some forks?"
Two of us ordered the Pubb Burger which was as delicious as it was affordable. The Kaiser bun was outstanding and Travis did a great job applying the right amount of all other ingredients, creating a juicy, well-balanced burger.
The O'Hammy was another substantial and tasty sandwich with plenty of ham and that great bread again.
Tuesdays are Taco night at the Pubb and the chicken tacos were fantastic. They were ordered with everything plus jalapenos. Besides being another great value, the quality and taste of the chicken was reminiscent of The Adobe, an old favorite.
We didn't order a side of fries but they arrived nonetheless and we loved them. They were heavily seasoned with the house seasoning. Salty and savory!
There was an issue for most of our evening with a small group of rowdy, noisy men at the end of the bar. Some regulars sitting next to us said that group hadn't been here for awhile and that they really annoyed all of the regulars. They were asked to quiet down but to no avail.
There's an outdoor patio, and a smoking section, out back.
The Pubb is a great example of an excellent neighborhood bar. We were the only outsiders there but yet were very comfortable and welcomed by the staff, and the regulars 😊 Would we go back? Absolutely!

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