Delightful little bar just off Tower Square. Casual, friendly, quick enthusiastic service all add up to a great watering hole. They have a stage for music - but not tonight. read more

We where in town for the Miss Illinois pageant and John Browns was by far the the coolest place . We became party of the John Brown family by the time our trip came to end . Thank you for making us feel welcomed . The service and drinks where crazy yummy and very adorable.. Thank you all for the making our trip to Marion one that we will always remember. read more

Awesome place, such a cool cocktail menu. Staff is friendly and knowledge. Made a super tasty shrub cocktail. Must check out if in Marion. Perfect spot for the craft cocktail craving. read more

What a great random stop. We were in from out of town and stopped on the square for a drink. We parked the car, looked right then left and saw a place that looked like something fun was about to happen. They had closed the street and random bar regulars were grilling food to share with anyone who came by. We went inside while the food was being prepared and the atmosphere was awesome. The bar staff was great. The patrons were friendly and the owner was cool as well. We hung out for a while, had a few drinks and some excellent free food. This is a place I will definitely return to whenever I get back to town. Thank you John. You have a great bar. read more

My favorite bar in the area. Fun, hip place...the vibe is great! Staff is always rad. Great drinks and good specials. Great live bands. Highly recommend! read more

Excellent home town bar. They often times have live music featuring local artists. The place can sometimes become crowded but not overly packed. Great prices on craft beer as well, especially compared to big city prices... essentially it's two for one! read more

A follow up from this years trip, the house ale on tap is wonderful. Schlafly Beer (St Louis) brewed up quite the tasty concoction and it's less than $3 a pint. I have always been happy with Schlafly and usually bring a 6 pack of their Oatmeal Stout home as we can't find them in Georgia. They don't disappoint with the John Brown Brew. Friday night is the night to go for sure, live music. read more

Cool place with great music and fun staff. Very nostalgic. Bathrooms are spotless! Biggest plus for us. John is a cool dude

Great bar. John has his own beer brewed for him..sorry we missed the music on friday nights but everything is decorated with music theme. Friendly, nice atmosphere, good beer, can't wait til I get back. . read more

My favorite bar in town. Drinks are poured well service is good and the bar is clean. The bar has mixed ambiance of music and conversation depending on the night of which you will hear the most. Bartenders are attentive and friendly but not nosey or intrusive. Huge big beer names and a huge array of craft beers. read more

Drove a friend to the VA hospital for an appointment and he said we had to go to John Browns for a drink. Well since I was the designated driver I had only one drink but enjoyed it as well as the patrons that were there on the afternoon that we went. Would have loved to stayed longer and enjoy myself. Will be stopping back in sometime when I get to enjoy it better. read more

My absolute favorite bar in Marion. They have great local music and great beers. The place is decked out with awesome rock and roll posters, they even have a Nick Cave poster hanging up. How awesome is that? The owner is one of the friendliest guys you will ever meet. Hes constantly hanging out and is all about customer service. I have a lot of friends who play in bands and this is one of their favorite places to play. The beers are cheap and there is always a good mix of people. read more

One of my all time favorite bars. Great staff and a lot of different beer options. Live music on Friday nights.

Great place to catch some great local music. They really have a good thing going and seem to care about the local music scene as a whole. The staff is personable and knowledgable. Not bad beer prices either. read more

John Browns recently re-opened and is a pretty cool place. They have a huge selection of beer that is always cheap ($3). They have live music and sometimes host grilling events in the alley next to the bar. read more

Went in hoping to have a few beers and appetizers and not a single short regular table for wheelchair users. This is 2019 and 1990 ADA laws passed, really??? Turned right around and left. Very disheartening. read more

Always a great time. Original, live music with a professional and friendly staff. Be sure to stop in for the bloody Mary bar on Saturdays from 2-5! read more

Great Bar. Always live music on Fridays and never any cover! (Except once for Chris Duarte, bluesy guy who plays nationally.) Very local and out of the way. A must see. read more

Very friendly staff...prices are reasonable.....live music on weekends......parking is a slight problem on busy nights........kind of a Chicago hangout as John (the owner) is a Bears season ticket holder.....BTW, the women bartenders are nice eye candy. read more

Stopped in on a Monday at 6 pm so can't speak for the music, but the place is like your local dive. Torn up bar stools, a friendly variety of people and good dark atmosphere. I was honestly expecting a much better tap list, due to the beer advocate listing and hear say. They had about 9 taps, but they had a decent bottle list of local distro and some imports. If I'm ever in the area again, I'd pop in. read more

The place is tucked into the square and offers almost any local craft brew all the way to the major brands. The bartenders are always friendly and knowledgeable. The place can get pretty full but always has ample seating and is quick to dismiss a roudy guest. Parking can be a little tight on the weekends but is available just a block over by the post office. Special food events are pretty common and often are free or very low priced. This is my favorite bar in the area. read more

Was satisfied with this very friendly small bar with friendly faces and people that like to ride.

So much fun! Friendly staff and great music! Love the atmosphere that John and the staff have provided and they always make you feel welcome! read more

The only place to drink in Marion. Excellent beer selection at fair prices and pretty decent service too.

Sweet Place! In town to conduct some business and found a bar that is Awesome! Great atmosphere, love the view of the town's square, love the way this place is decorated! Met John, great guy who welcomes folks into his establishment! Stop on by!! read more

I've lived in Southern Illinois for close to 10 years now and only just discovered John Brown's within the past year, its quickly become a new favorite. They have a laid back neighborhood bar atmosphere with good music and a great selection of craft beers. read more