Local Watering Holes

We had a great night at The Pickle Back! The place is huge but other than a dozen people at the bar, the place was nearly empty (we were told the entire place fills up on the weekends). The main dining area is really big. There is a small eating area on the other side of the bar along with some miscellany. We started with a couple of Oberons and a Tangerine Space Machine. Our appetizer was fried pickle wraps, which we all loved (pickle spear, ham, and swiss cheese wrapped in a wonton). Various types of hot dogs are featured (see their facebook page for the ever-changing offerings) and although we were tempted, three of us went for the Pickle Back Burger (with house made pickle slaw and tomato). Here are all three, one with chips, one with onion rings, and the other with curly fries. The pickle slaw added a nice textural crunch to each juicy bite and overall the burger was well constructed and presented in their pickle theme, on a fresh bun. The Guinness battered cod basket was a favori...

This bar is well-known, not only in Conklin but state-wide, due to its very short but well-attended St. Patrick's Day parade. That is also the only day that Irish food is served. Back in the 1970s, this was Stub's Pub, owned by Bernie "Stub" Fritz, and a few reminders of that time are still here. From 1987-2015 it was Fenian's Irish Pub and owned by Terry and Mary Ann Reagan. In 2015, Mark Schneider, who was Stub's nephew, bought the place and called it the Conklin Bar.  Kathy Vandoeselaar purchased the place in March of 2024 and we not only met her, but also her sister, Mary, and her husband, Phil. It's definitely a family affair here 😊 Although the menu may not be Irish, they do have Guinness on tap so cheers for that! We had one Guinness, a Sam Adams Octoberfest, Arnold Palmer and a Chocolate Covered Cherry (Guinness with Sam Adams Cherry Wheat). We shared the Macho Nachos, which were superb: house-seasoned beef, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, blac...

  The Dodgson family has owned this land since 1936 and it was originally a horse barn/stable. We found some old photos hanging in the restaurant. An English restaurant was opened here at one point and in the late 1980s, the place became Gippers. It became Tavern on Kraft for a while and now it's back to Gippers. The current owner bought the business in 2018 and the real estate is still owned by the Dodgson family. And that is all the history I could find 😊  It was a cold and icy night when we stopped in. The place is divided into two bars, one small and sad (or maybe just cozy), and the other large and happy. We chose the happy part. Our server, Bri, was wonderful and our service was great. She started us off with Tangerine Space Machines and a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat with cherries. Our appetizer was deviled eggs with green onion and siracha candied bacon. It was a creative combination and with just the right amount of heat. The Classic Burger was irresistible: 1/2 lb patty w...