If you’re looking to liven up a night out with friends, the themed bars of West Virginia will do the work for you. From “Alice in Wonderland” decorated spaces to Hawaiian escapes that don’t require a plane ticket, you’re in for a memorable night. Here are the 9 best themed bars in the state.
You might be as mad as the Hatter in Alice in Wonderland if you don’t stop by the Mad Hatter Club in Beckley, West Virginia, and discover one of the best bar and grill establishments in the area. Family owned and operated, the Mad Hatter offers a great menu every day with food that’s made from the freshest ingredients, and makes good the promise to provide excellent customer service at reasonable prices.
What started out as a joke and an attempt to salvage one man’s livelihood has become a destination bar in the Mountain State and known nationally. Tractor Bar in Mt. Nebo, West Virginia, has been recognized by three state publications, WV Mountain Stage, and featured in GQ Magazine in an article called, “The Dirty Dozen – Twelve of the Weirdest, Wackiest Bars in America Worth a Road Trip.” Because money was so tight when owner Steve Brown bought an old farm equipment store and decided to turn it into a bar, he used what he had on hand and made bar stools out of tractor seats and pipes, installed a 1919 Fordson steel-wheeled tractor in the center of the bar, and decorated with old tools and items from the machine shop. If you want to see what a true country bar looks like, stop by the Tractor Bar any day of the week.
You won’t have to travel to Texas to experience the excitement from the live music, line dancing, a great beer selection, and a little bull (riding, that is). Touch of Texas in Bunker Hill, West Virginia, has all that and more Wednesdays through Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Each night has a different special, and Saturdays are theme nights. House cocktails include the Kinky Cowgirl, Sex on the Farm, Prairie Punch, and Tito’s Texas Sunrise. Come on down to Touch of Texas, where you don’t have to shoot the bull—you can ride it free!
Award-winning Vintage Restaurant and Wine Bar located in Elkins, West Virginia, offers a casual dining atmosphere where you can relax and enjoy a great experience. The environment may remind you of days gone by, but the culinary techniques and menu reflect a well-thought out plan that serves some of the best food around like Creamy Charleston She-Crab Soup, pan-seared duck entrees, and cooked-to-order steaks and fish. Open 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. every night, Tuesday’s Italian Night features a vintage recipe of pizza, and there are other surprises here as well. This is not a place to miss.
Hailed as the only firefighter-themed pub in the eastern part of the U.S., Captain’s Quarter’s in New Martinsville, West Virginia, has to be experienced to be appreciated. Your appetite will be on fire when you look at menu items like Brew City Fries, wings by the pound, pizza, soups and salads, burgers and dogs, pasta, steaks, and more. You can quench your thirst with any number of beverages, including a good selection of adult drinks. Live music and karaoke happens throughout every day throughout the week.
You don’t have to travel to tropical destinations when you live near Morgantown, West Virginia. Just head down to Tropics, a local bar where aloha means come in and have a good time. Featuring a Hawaiian-theme, the week starts with a great Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday is Wing Night, Tuesday’s menu has $2 fish tacos, Wednesday is the very popular all-you-can-eat crab feed, and Steak Night is on Thursday. You can still enjoy the scenes of an island getaway and great food and cold beer on the weekends with live music, too.
Planning a trip to Snowshoe soon? Consider Brewstel Brew Shop & Hostel in Elkins, West Virginia, open every day except Tuesday and Wednesday. This very popular drink and stay place is a unique destination where you find a brewery on the first floor and dorm-style accommodations upstairs. With a cozy atmosphere that’s second to none in the region, you can sample rare, elusive, and seasonal beers from all over with more than 21 taps running all the time, and although they don’t offer a food menu yet, there are many great places close by to grab a bite while you’re there. Bunks are available for $25 a night per person and there are discounts for groups of six or more. You can’t beat that anywhere. There are shared private bathrooms available, and locks for the lockers, pillow and linens, and personal hygiene items available for a small price.
Based on the history of the moonshiners and bootleggers of Appalachia, the Copper Still Pub & Grill in Martinsburg, West Virginia, is like no place you’ve visited before. Themed and decorated with items from yesteryear and food and specialty drinks named in memory of Prohibition, the idea behind delivery of moonshine was inspired by fast cars, but the Copper Still isn’t fast food. This is the perfect place to spend a relaxed evening enjoying home-cooked vittles and cold adult beverages any day of the week.
Open every day but Sunday, Sixpence Pub and Eatery in Parkersburg, West Virginia, is the place to come and get your Irish on! If you like finger-licking chicken wings and your favorite cold beer, come on down. Specials are offered daily on appetizers, beer buckets, and other menu items, and they have live music and karaoke during the week.