Gayle and I were walking back from dinner and live music on George Street, when we happened by a…read moresign outside of Erin's Pub about an Irish music trad session that as it turned out was in progress. So we came in, took a seat at the bar, ordered a couple pints of Guinness (the best pour in St. John's we were told), and listened to several musicians around a big table churn out a number of traditional tunes. Another Irish word for this is seisiún or session. It was very relaxed and informal, with individual musicians starting a tune and others quickly joining in. Gayle and I really felt part of a local crowd of very nice and hospitable Newfoundlanders. A significant percentage of Newfoundlanders come from Irish descent. That started in the 17th Century when ships from the English West Country stopped into along Ireland's south coast to collect food and servants for the fisheries around the coast of Newfoundland. As such, the traditional music of Newfoundland and Labrador is rooted in Irish, Scottish, and English music. The Bar itself has a sort of local divey vibe, with dark woods, a cool bar, no pretense, and even a 24-hour camera screen on Quidi Vidi. It was a place where we really enjoyed staying awhile, which we did until this Celtic jam session was over.

Somehow this turned out to be pretty incredible. While practically all bars in St. John's are…read moresimilarly Irish and quite casual, Erin's is a standout. For all that is said (and really overstated) about Newfoundlanders being the nicest people in Canada, I actually had that friendly experience here more than at other bars in the city. (As an outsider, you can be easy to spot.) The bartender was friendly and on the ball. The live music was impressive. The artist who played (July 2?) was furiously devoted to continuously cranking out great music. The local patrons were generally lively and willing to engage in conversation with outsiders.

Pretty sure this place is on George Street?…read more Anyway, great beer specials..$1.75 on Thursdays..the place is usually packed..good crowd Perhaps the best place on George

Does not get any better than this place. Unreal beer prices...I think $1.35. Great bands and…read morefriendly staff. Cool, hip young crowd. What a fun great place to hang out and have a beer at.

We've been in St. John's for two days and we've been here twice already. Come for a late lunch and…read morehad the seafood soup, it was lovely and flavorful. Lindsay and her staff are absolute gems, you can tell they care for the pub and the customers. The vibes are perfect and what you would want in a pub called The Ship. We'll be back before we leave to go home.

Great food, and always new specials every week including dessert. Nice little place, sometimes they…read morehave bands playing or open mic. The waiter Chico is super friendly and always nice to talk to. The service is always fast and food is always hot.

Such a wonderful spot, full of nice people and great music, my wife and I had so much fun in here…read more On this night it was the bartenders anniversary for working behinfd the bar, I feel like he had been ther for 25 years, maybe it was 50 years, but he was too young for that- great guy! My wife and I ended up buying a few rounds for guys that were having trouble getting the bar tenders attention- tons of fun!

We were off to a difficult start because we ordered drinks but it took at least 15 minutes to get…read morethem. I don't know why. How long can a beer take? They didn't have any pale ale so our server suggested an 'Rielly's lagar but it tasted more like a pilsner. I'm really not that hard to please but that's how it was. Once the drinks arrived the food also came shortly thereafter. The server apologized for the delay in bringing the drinks. That helped but this is a pub so if they can't get the drinks out there is a problem. My fish and chips were good. My guests were pleased with their dishes. This is a very popular establishment so for that reason alone I would recommend it. Our meals were good and it was really just the strange delay in getting our drinks that put us off. There is live music with a local flair. Interestingly many of the patrons were older folks. I don't know what to read into that. Perhaps it's the folksy music. Three stars because of the mistakes made in bringing our drinks, being out of common items, etc.

We came across Inn of Olde on Friday, just down the street from the brewery so stopped in for a…read moredrink. Linda and her late husband, Bobby, opened the restaurant in 1977 to supplement their income from their declining grocery store. As promised, she was full of stories. She's in her late 60s and kept us entertained. The place is overflowing with things Linda has collected and things that have been given to her over the years. There are 1500+ spoons, lots of pictures, army helmets ... you name it! This is a large collection of cards ... not only business cards but driver's licenses, university IDs, etc. Apparently kids stop by after having a few too many and leave their important IDs (because they don't have business cards) under the glass ... they probably don't think it's such a grand idea the next day once they have sobered up. Barb helps Linda out at the bar. She lives down the street and had some great stories too. If you are in the Quidi Vidi area, you have to stop in and visit this place. Linda and Barb are very friendly and it's quite an experience.

This is a very unique place on Quidi Vidi. It has a real authentic Newfie vibe. You can only see…read moresomething like this either in real time or it's fake on a movie set. This is the real deal. If you want to be screeched in this is the place to do it. Go see Linda the owner and she will set you up. Today, my colleague got "screeched in". This process involves getting a shot of 90% alcohol homemade rum, she brings the frozen puffin which is over 20 years old preserved cryogenic style and you kiss the puffin bum. We watched a young gentleman get screeched in as well and she said "I'm going to have a wet dream about you". You get a signed certificate after issue by the Royal Order. You have to see it to believe it. Screeched ! (Warning this is not the place for the faint of heart)

When our hosts told us they were bringing us to George Street our first night out in St. John's, I…read morewasn't sure what to expect.. Twenty bars on one street?! However, upon weaving through all of the chaos and incredibly drunk douchebags on George in the cold, I was pleased to be brought into this down to earth little bar. There is a small cover charge as there is live music, but it wasn't bad. The bartenders were friendly, and it was busy, but not crazy for a Friday night. We enjoyed listening to all of the hilariously 90s covered played by the band at the time, and this was one of the rare moments where I actually danced in public (don't expect this to happen ever again, for my friends reading this review) which I usually hate. Rarely do I stay at a bar until last call, but Fat Cat was pretty lovely and I enjoyed it. I recommend.

I wanna go where everyone knows my name. This could end…read moreup being one of those places. Small intimate bar setting with live music. Much better than those clubs that are blaring the pounding beat dance music through their establishments and out onto the street. Decent staff. I like this place.

Kellys Pub is hands down one of my favorite spots to unwind. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming,…read morewith that perfect mix of lively energy and laid-back comfort. The staff are friendly, attentive, and make you feel right at home from the moment you walk in.

I had the fish and chips and it was the best I've had so far on my visit here to St John's. Service…read morewas excellent and the staff were very friendly and helpful. I would recommend this place.

With the exception of a Smithwick's on draught that was a bit flat, my evening at the Black Sheep…read morewas incredible. So much so, that I can't count the Smithwick's against the place in my review. 1. Typical of most St. John's bars, Black Sheep features Irish beers (Guinness, Kilkenny, etc) and whisky. 2. Service is surprisingly prompt. The bartender in here (at least on a Monday night) was really on the ball. Everything Beer or glass of water came quickly with a friendly attitude and smile. 3. Live music in here on Mondays is quite impressive. I enjoyed some of the best bluegrass anywhere. A server at a nearby restaurant recommended that I check it out, and I am glad I did. 4. The vibe is warm and inviting. Don't be put off by the rather dark exterior. Inside is cozy and nice. 5. They offer bottled beers, as well as 3-4 draught options and cocktails.

Small place but great bands and music coming out of this place! On tap selection of beers is…read morelimited to some Irish standards - wish there were more!!! - but they'll do.

Recommended by a musician for live music and dinner- and score, even 4pm on Friday, we could enjoy…read moresome good food, a pint, and some live music! Service is sparse but friendly; so come to relax and enjoy your time, no rushing here. The atmosphere is nice with the outdoor seating and open air setting flowing through the indoor space and the indoor music flowing to the outdoor patio. Only a couple local draft beers, the rest are more US brands. $12 cocktail menu and plenty of happy hour specials with a generous 12-6pm happy hour. Had the fish & chips- not pictured- but the larger portion offers 2 fillets and the smaller portion offers 1... decided to share the large portion at $27 and it was perfect with a hearty amount of fries. A crispy beer batter on a flakey fresh clean cod fillet, and soft but deep fried hand cut potatoes for fries. Malt & Vinegar options here along with ketchup. Everything you'd want from a live music pub.

Gayle and I recently spent a nice evening at Green Sleeves. We enjoyed a nice meal (chowder from…read moreme and chicken stir fry for her) while listening to a wide variety of live pop/rock/country music by Peter Vance. We had a nice table seat for the show, including a good view of the room. Our wait guy was also fun and engaging. As with other Canadians who asked "where are you from?" we did need to point out that we're from Northern Nevada (near Reno), not Las Vegas. Michael also gave us an spot on tip that one of the best places to get "screeched in" was the nearby Christian's Pub.