Great place. 5 stars? Because in the category of sports bar with food it's great. Paul was the bartender. He treated us like locals. We were back from Crane Beach and had a couple of hours to kill before the next train. Ipswich Sports Bar filled the bill. Good beer list, extensive menu and a really pleasant atmosphere. The food and drink prices were great. My wife and I had two 22oz and two 16 oz. craft beers and an order of quesadillas and the tab was $24! Paul was great. I'll be back the next time I'm at the beach in Ipswich. read more

Third time was not the charm for this local hangout. We visited twice in October and had good experiences both times. The food was enjoyable and the waitstaff friendly. We went back again last week and must have caught them on an "off" night: we think the usual chef was off because it was obvious the person in the kitchen didn't know what they were doing. All three of us had salad as our starters which were OK: large but were already dressed with an abundance of dressing. My companions both ordered Ruebens. The meat was tough as shoe leather. It might have been ok if the cook had used a meat slicer to cut the meat in thin slices but it was sliced in two thick chunks, making it impossible to eat. The server said that ppl were always sending it back...hmm...The server/bar tender was very nice and took those off the bill. A meatball appetizer was ordered and was very good. I had chicken wings as my second course (well done) and they were OK. My S-I-L had an order but didn't specify "well done", so hers were chewy and not so good. We were very disappointed in the food but thought the server did a great job. read more

Second visit, food was good , the nachos need a little work, cheese not melted. Food took a long time.They ran out of chili first visit, second visit they ran out of ground beef.Both visits Bartenders were great .Great job Corey and John. Would like to have Malbec for my father. Hornitos reposado would be good as well. Love crispy tater tots. We'll be back another time. read more

Hidden gem! Great food, good portions, friendly and attentive service, fun games, good music! They updated the decor since the photos shown on yelp. Interior pictures don't do it justice. We had Buffalo Chicken Wings, Caesar Salad, lobster roll and Mac n cheese. read more

See all

Went after the kitchen closed the bartender that was there was so rude she kept glaring at me and my friends. Would go back before 9.

Janel was fabulous. Lots of great suggestions of local fun. Genuine fun personality. Served the best pumpkin beer with nice rim job!

Bar staff are self righteous and too important to look at you, if you're not a regular they'll treat you like the scum of the earth, despite them actually being the textbook definition of scum, and everyone in the place wants to fight. Avoid this place like the plague. I had a very happy easy going group there to celebrate a milestone and we were made to feel like we didn't belong, every single second we were there, including one of the bouncers telling our friend (who was on crutches) to "trip and fall" because we didn't leave the patio two seconds after they said "last call." read more

Be careful here if you play keno. The big bartender will tell you that your ticket is a loser even though it's a winner. This will happen after you have a few drinks. Ask for your "loser" tickets back, and check them at another keno spot. Money in the bank. Other than that.. it's a dirty dive bar. read more

I've been coming here every weekend since I moved to Ipswich. Recently there has been a bartender there (Mel) who is extremely rude and does not understand basic customer service. She disappears in the bathroom for long periods of time and sits on her phone while blatantly ignoring customers. I've never had a bad experience here before and all the other bartenders are fantastic. read more

The bartender that everyone is complimenting on here was very rude to me. Paul is only that way with particular local customers that he favors apparently. I called and ask just 3 questions regarding the menu. How much are 10 wings? 15 wings? Fries? I couldn't complete the last question before he impatiently said he was busy. I politely said no problem, I can come in if it's busy. I got there and he was at the bar with all 3 customers. While the rest of the restaurant is completely empty. The food was basic and I'll never go back. Horrible ranch that looks like mayo btw. read more

Great fish and chips on Friday's and the food is delicious. Mel and Stephanie are great

A great place to eat, drink, socialize or just watch a sporting event and if you like Keno they have that too. The bartender is Paul and he is one of the most likeable and friendly people you'll ever meet. The rest of the staff are great as well but Paul goes out of his to make you feel welcome. The menu offers something for everyone and they'll prepare it anyway you like. I'm not a seafood person so I usually stick with burgers or one of the many specials that are offered. Their meatball parm subs are very good. The bar area is the primary focus of the restaurant but off to the left is a large dining area and there is also a more private area off to the front right if you choose. Outdoor seating is available too. To the right of the bar is a large area with pub tables, dart boards, a pool table and several video games as well as a juke box. The one turnoff for people is the exterior of the building, which may cause you to rethink entering but once inside you'll be happy. The interior decor is a bit dated but that is the charm of the place. The clientele varies but you'll see many Ebsco employees coming in as well as business owners and locals. Usually when Ithaki across the street closes for the night the bar patrons find their way over here. Oh and you will absolutely love this place once your check arrives and you realize how inexpensive this place is! . read more

When we first walked into this place, I felt like Pee Wee Herman when he walked into the biker bar. There were some gruff looking regulars who looked like vampires when I opened the door and let a sliver of light in. I proceeded directly to the patio outside. It turned out that I had to go back into the bar, as there are no servers. I was happy to see that they had Ipswich Ale on tap, but there might be some city law in Ipswich that this is required. I'm not sure. Long story short, the food was pretty darn good! The bartender/server warmed up after a while and even turned out to be kind of nice. I would definitely go back here, but I'm still not sure I could sit at the bar. Those seats seem kind of assigned to the vampires. read more

Just updating my review. We were in post Crane beach for some late lunch and drinks. This place isn't fancy but it certainly delivers. Paul the bartender is always awesome, makes killer drinks, and is super friendly. There were three of us we started with nachos which were yummy and a huge portion and we couldn't finish them. I had a chicken Caesar salad which had a huge portion of chicken on it plus I got to choose my style of chicken (I did the garlic parmesan which is great). One person got a burger with bacon a and cheddar cheese he shockingly took half home which never happens. The last person had the fried cod special which was barely over $10 and she loved! We all had leftovers and the bill was more than reasonable. I highly recommend this spot for a low key good meal. read more

Ipswich Tavern - Fried cod with french fries and cole slaw. - Sports Bars Near Me - Ipswich, Massachusetts

See all

My family has been coming here since we moved to Ipswich in 2009. Every time we go in, we are treated like family and have always had good, consistent service. This place is not fine dining- so do not expect fancy cocktails and fancy food, but it is a great place for some wings, burgers and strong drinks. I recommend their tater-tot nachos and brownie sundae. Paul is a great bartender who definitely knows how to make a good, strong drink-you definitely get your moneys worth (unlike other places were you pay $10+ for a splash of alcohol). If you're looking for a reasonably priced bar in Ipswich with great pub food, then I definitely recommend the Sports Bar read more

I went there the other night with a group of people the bartender Paul was extremely rude I would never go back again and the food was awful! read more

Cold beer. Tasty food, pool tables, photo hunt game, darts. I like it a lot. Hit this place up on a day trip to Ipswitch. Walked in by chance b.c. the restaurant across the street that I wanted to go to was having a private party. The place was fun. Booze was cheap, and staff was friendly. It was definitely a local place though. Played a few games of pool and some photo hunt (both erotic and normal). Good times. Left pretty drunk, and headed to 1640 Hart House for dinner. Review on that to come. read more

We were recommended to go here from a friend who used to live in Ipswich. He said go to the Sports Pub and see Paul. My wife and I were going to an open house in town and we had some time to kill prior. We hit up the Pub, Paul was there and took care of us. So genuine and friendly. Food was terrific. We ended up buying the place and now live in town. We come here every Thursday night for 40 cent wings! Drinks are great. Paul really makes everyone feel welcome. I'd consider ourselves regulars. read more

I went here a for some beers, nachos, and wings with my brothers and a friend and had one of the worst food experiences to date. Ordered nachos and wings with some nachos and ended up getting sick about 3 hours later. My two brothers and I spent the entire night throwing up and felt sick for about two to three days. My guess is that whoever made the wings cross contaminated the already cooked gloves after making the food. Never going back. Ever. read more

I'm fairly new to this place, but it seems really nice. The bar area is kind of small as are the bathrooms. Great seating area off to the side and a nice outside deck. There seems to be an awful lot of "townies" here, but that's ok because they seem friendly enough on their own. The bar tender that seems to be the main guy there when I go in is really good. Fast and friendly, so tip the man! There are pool tables and darts set up. Unfortunately, they are usually occupied and it's hard to get any play time with the fellas. Overall, a great place to go to watch a game with the guys and get a night away from the little lady ha ha. read more

Very happily stumbled upon this place for dinner after an unsuccessful trip to crane's beach. The bartender (manager ) sat us outside on the patio and provided us with very friendly service as well as explained the extensive menu. The menu was extensive for a sports bar in a small town and the prices were so reasonable. This is the place to go to sit outside and have great food if you are not in a hurry. Might even meet some locals to take you to the beach ! read more

This place is very subpar. Went here today after spending the day in Ipswich. We walked in a little after lunch time and it was empty, dark and dank on a sunny July afternoon. The bar had about 4 people at it so my girlfriend and I sat down. We were ready to order and the bartender was visibly annoyed when i wanted to switch out something as simple as tomatoes on a sandwich. We then waited 25 minutes for two small chicken sandwiches. The food actually was good... hence the two stars instead of 1. We then waited another 20 minutes after finishing for the bartender to come clear our stuff and bring us the check. Other than the okay food, i would go somewhere else if you're in Ipswich. This place was run down, smelled like an old dank restaurant, and had pretty rude service. read more

This is lit af!! U can have a good time with friends drink some beer, play some pool, and put on ur on tunes! Bc the place is freakin awesome read more

Great small town bar! Definitely a local hot spot. If you're looking to grab a beer for cheap, stop in and make sure to say hi to one of the bartenders - either Paulie, Ken or Peter! read more

I visited on yesterday afternoon around 3 PM. I had spent a few hours hiking at the dunes by Cranes Beach with many friends with a meetup group. The organizer, Beth, had called the bar the day before to say that ~30 people would be coming. As it turns out, we had ~50 people and took over much of the place. The manager was a little overwhelmed at first but he and his staff were calm, and did their best to serve all of us. I did not here any complaints from my fellow hikers. We came here last year after the same hike, and will likely be back next year. The food was very good as well. read more

When you walk in you see a divey bar with older decor and dark lighting, a juke box etc, which i love and am totally okay with....BUT the food doesn't really match up, its WAY better than what you're expecting. Get the BBQ chicken nachos, you will not be disappointed. Also, tons of beers on tap and awesome service. Friendly atmosphere and usually good music playing. A fave if I am in Ipswich! read more

I am sure to come here at least once a month. The service is awesome and the drinks are strong and cheap. The service is awesome.This is the perfect place to watch a sporting even or to hang out with friends in a casual environment. Drinks are just the start. They also have a huge food menu, everything from comfort food to salads and seafood... I recommend the steak tip bourbon Caesar wrap with fries. This place is definitely worth checking out! read more

Ball cap and jeans...or maybe stained wife beater shirt some smokes and a hankering for cold beer. It's a local dive bar at best. Not saying no..Not saying go! read more

I cane here in the afternoon. Not sure whether that is the reason, it's understaffed. The service is very slow even though the people there are nice and the food is good. The sweet Thai chili sauce chicken wings were delicious, the honey BBQ was ok, and I am not a fan of the buffalo chicken wings. The tater totchos was super good with jalapeño. The drinks were good too. But their tab water tasted weird. read more

I got the wings, and they were below average. Someone else got a sandwich which was not very good either. The place was a little dark. The service was mostly good. TV's at every table, but we wanted to hang out, not watch TV. read more

Yuck! I had a quesadilla (pretty much the easiest thing to make in the world) and it tasted AWFUL! If your a towny, this place i guess is cool? read more

This is the most fairly priced good food in Ipswich. Good food that you don't feel that you're overpaying for, fun atmosphere, and cheap drinks. read more

I don't typically go to sports bars, but this place is a lovely spot! The bartender is one of the nicest people I've encountered in a restaurant. The food is good and the prices are reasonable. read more

I went in to have some food and a drink with some friends and our server was the bartender. He was all alone. Some of our drinks had bugs in them and when we politely and discreetly mentioned it to the bartender, he said, "I hope this is the end of it!" We politely asked for our checks and left. I would not recommend this place. read more