It's been a while 4 stars?! I was wrong Come here right now What Cheer, in the wake of one other bastion of Providence beer closing, is my favorite bar in the tri-state area, and it was neck-and-neck even before that. The beer rotation is solid-to-excellent, and the cocktails (or even straight shots) are what you're looking for. The food on an average day is savory and fulfilling, and if they're barbecuing? Make plans to be here accordingly. The staff care, and that can mean a generous liquor pour, extra homemade barbecue sauce, craft beer recs to taste, tots done your way, or merely the most timely and sure-fire Miller Lite serve your drinking hand's ever seen. Sports are almost an afterthought here (the TVs are on, but patrons and staff reliably pay attention to patrons and staff, vs the telly)...but I've still seen some unbelievably meaningful moments here, from Joe Burrow's LSU coming-out party against Texas, to the Dodgers' wild 2025 World Series culmination, and always with an awesome and diverse (and knowledgeable) crowd tuning in. I ALWAYS find interesting, high quality, and dynamic conversation partners here, no matter the night or the situation, behind the bar or in front of it. Bottom line, high quality neighborhood bars want to grow up to be like What Cheer. Luckily, I just head to the original, and enjoy it every damn time. God bless What Cheer. read more

What Cheer Tavern - Just get in here. - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Love this place atmosphere, service, the food menu changes weekly except there are always wings & burgers. The rest of the menu changes weekly it's all made from scratch any seafood is fresh from Bristol. Then on Sundays Horseman had his amazing BBQ SMOKED outback on the patio. When warmer weather is here there is a patio which is dog friendly as long as they are leashed.if you like craft beers lots to choose from and always rotating. Check it out!!! Almost forgot bunch TVs inside and a large one for the patio so you can hang out there and still won't miss a game!!! read more

Staff so friendly it should be illegal (in a good way). There's a reason the bar was PACKED on a random Monday night. Shotgun review: - Incredible bartenders* - Tasty wings** - Lil inside, big outside - Clean bathroom - Huge variety in customers*** *Sam & Evan were on duty when I visited, & they were a dream team. Funny, personable, generous, and kind. **I tried the lemon pepper wings & would absolutely return for those. Super tasty - $10 for 6 wings & choice of sawwwcee (blue cheese, ranch, etc.) ***Truly ... All vibes, all ages, all walks of life. Everyone was welcomed graciously and everyone seemed to feel right at home there. read more

July 2024 - Excellent spot. More to come. Jan 2025 - @horsmanbbq on Instagram....this will be the 3rd smoke off Sunday and we enjoyed the 1st 2 back in the Fall. read more

What Cheer Tavern - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

So glad to have found this unassuming place! Small menu but very good food and excellent drinks. The wings, cod sliders and onion rings were delicious. We felt welcomed and the service is outstanding. Lots of TVs to watch sports. We'll definitely be back! read more

I'm gonna get right to the point ... I guess they don't always have the same food on the menu so we scored when they were serving beef stew. It looked like Dinty Moore but tastes a million times better. We called the following week to see if there were more but no luck. We also ordered buffalo wings and they do have mouth watering wings. One order wasn't enough so I had to get seconds. Surprisingly, their fried cauliflower was scrumptious! Expensive, ($9) for a handful of bites but scrumptious! Can't wait to go back and have some more of everything ! read more

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Return of the Mack Monday is definitely the day to go. The food is amazing and the bar staff is super attentive. read more

There are so many bars in the East Side of Providence that I don't often bother to leave the area. If you're willing to venture out of the East Side, you'll be rewarded with a beautiful patio and great beer selection here at What Cheer Tavern! This was a nice place to stop for a drink after soaking up the spring weather at Roger Williams Park. The outdoor patio is really nice and secluded even with the busy street on the other side of the fence. They seem to be pup friendly outdoors, which is great news for dog owners and dog lovers alike. The large beer menu is fully annotated with ABV and calorie counts which is nice information to have. The bartender was really friendly and service was fast. Although What Cheer is a bit off the beaten path for me, I'm definitely hoping to come back as the weather warms up! read more

This used to be my favorite place to hang out. They always had amazing craft beers at a reasonable price. The staff was super and made you feel at home. A neighborhood bar for sure. It closed for a little while and is back under new ownership. I was excited to check it out. I think they are just starting out so perhaps they need some Time to set up. It was kind of blah inside. Not really decorated or anything. They had a few decent brews on tap but had more of the " mainstream " beers. The crowd was mainly college kids which makes sense with all the schools Nearby. It may be too young of a crowd for me now and it makes me sad. But if your a college kid looking for a place to grab some beers it may work for you. read more

Great Street Food and Craft Beers I'm very impressed with the new ownership. They have cleaned the place up and finally made people feel welcome (unlike the old ownership). It's a small dark bar that serves craft beers and high quality street food items for bar eats. Sound like a good formula to me. The staff is very good too. They have a top notch chef stepping up bar fare like 10 notches. They also have an outdoor area when the weather gets nice. We tried some Asian wings and the duck poutine hand cut fries, delicious. Overall: Small quaint bar with next level food and great craft beers at a good price. Can't find any cons about this spot, the group running the place has done a great job. Thanks read more

covid review: walk in with mask and wait at door to be seated outside. they serve food, but it seems like basic bar stuff. we came for the drinks. they have a phenomeneal craft beer selection! take advantage of that! they also have this awesome deal of $8 gets you a craft beer and a surprise shot of the bar tenders choice. take advantage of that too! it night not be the best shot or beer, but it will get you feeling nice for such a low price! read more

Best bar in the universe! Staff is very accommodating. Best service. Best drinks. 12/10 would recommend!!! read more

What Cheer Tavern - Having a great time! - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

My bf and I have decided that we will come all the way back to Rhode Island from the west coast just to experience this magical bar- we absolutely loved it! The servers were awesome and fun, the tater tots were perfection, the backyard was pretty with the light strings and spacious, and the beers... they were incredible! Their beer selection variety is extremely impressive. Please give this place some love it deserves! read more

Fun, casual vibe with inviting backyard space and the laid-back friendliness you hope for at a neighborhood watering hole. Nothing fancy. The day we were there, they were grilling and giving away free hotdogs just because. read more

I've been here for 3 owners. It used to be the best dive bar ever. Sorry guys, I love you but 3 drinks and food for an 80 dollar bill is absurd. Final criticism, 4 seasons price tag for a dive bar experience. read more

Nice little bar. Staff is outgoing, extremely friendly and attentive. They have a different menu here. Not your typical comfort food bar stuff. I had the home made pot stickers and the best chicken sandwich I've ever had. read more

Wonderful cozy bar with character. Discovered it because of What Cheer Brigade.

Bartenders are friendly and so are the patrons. Met some of the greatest people ever here! Small & intimate, love it!

My best friend has been wanting to come here. She knows the owners and has heard great things about the food. When I brought it up to the hubby, he said he's been wanting to go too. So naturally, the hubby and I end up here on a random Tuesday because we were in the area. The owner was very friendly. She was excited to have us and seemed very cheerful. She told us a bit about her background and the background of the food. A lot of the dishes are influenced by West Indian and/or Latin food. We got an ordered of the Asian chili wings, bacon and cheese fries and the pulled pork tostones. Absolute heaven! The wings were perfectly fried and the perfect size. The sauce was very good, although not made in house. We will try the in house flavors another day. The fries were also perfect. I usually stay away from "loaded" fries but these were different. They weren't overly done. Just enough cheese and bacon. Fries were perfectly crisped as well. Now, the reason a lot of people come here...: the pulled pork tostones. The owner told us we HAD to have these, and she was right. The sauce that comes with it is sooo good. It almost tastes like mayo/ketchup, but has a spice to it. The pulled like is very flavorful and tostones are crispy. We also tasted the homemade hot sauce, which has just the right amount of spice. We will definitely return for the ambience, music, service and food, and we are sure our 4 star review will hit 5 upon our next visit. read more

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Was there to enjoy a few beers. Got talking with some regulars, and they began shouting at me because of my political views. I don't suggest visiting. read more

There is not a bad thing to say about this place. I've been coming here for about 6 months, but a new Yelper. The beer selection is always changing with quality crafts and the cocktails are top notch. The crowd is always friendly and fun, and in the warm months the patio is a great time. This is the premier spot in the Southeastern part of Providence. read more

What Cheer Tavern - A busy Friday night. - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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Great selection of craft beers! Closely located to Rhode Island hospital and hasbro; the neighborhood is a little sketchy but overall it's okay. When you walk in, it's a relatively small place but they have large outdoor seating section. There's a huge jenga setup outside. Just got vodka spritzers which were light and good, the food actually looked delicious and would try it the next time. Service was great and the bartenders were friendly. The have a lot of canned craft beers, not many drafts (a lot of sixpoints on their draft menu). Overall cool place to come in for a drink, divey feel. There are lot of regulars that seem to come here. There's plenty of street parking available. read more

Nice little pub. Good service, good food, great beer. Knowledgeable staff about the beer selection. read more

What Cheer Tavern - a burger and french fries - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Don't be fooled by the outside appearance, while it may be small and not stand out as much as other places in the area, it absolutely holds up food and drink wise. I had been a few times previously and always known the beer list here is phenomenal but decided to try the food last night for the first time. So glad I did. We ordered the Tijuana Street Fries and the Chili Lime wings. Both were very good. The fries were absolutely delicious as they had large pieces of pork with a green salsa and a couple of cheeses. It was so good I wanted more once we polished off the platter. The wings were tasty as well and cooked perfectly. Not too messy and nice and crispy. Having tried these items I am excited to return to try other menu options. Next time the Poutine will be a must! read more

What Cheer Tavern - Tijuana Street Fries were amazing!! Huge pieces of pulled pork and the cheeses were delicious! - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Awesome spot with good vibes. The food was so good!! Small but perfectly suited menu. Atmosphere is very chill. I've been in the restaurant/bar industry for over 20 years and I can tell you that the owners and staff know what they are doing here. If you're considering checking it out definitely stop in read more

What Cheer Tavern - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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Nice neighborhood spot. The wings were on point. Meaty and not too much sauce. I wasn't a major fan of the draft list but I guess it changes periodically. They had a good deal the night I went there with $5 whisky sours and old fashioneds. I could see myself coming back. read more

This is not the original what cheer and they should change their name. I'm sorry but they absolutely do not live up to the name. I loved whatcheer! The food here was not as good for the same prices from before. The wings were small and the fries were just regular fries (nothing special ). The beer selection was mostly IPA and the bartender didn't even know how to pour my beer either. Even though the new owners seemed like they wanted to have the regulars come back, they should change the name and make this their own. I won't be going back! read more

Cool spot in the south side of Providence. Not trashy at all. The burger is amazing and the service is great.

Having lived in Washington Park for ten years I've had to listen to my friends in other neighborhoods talk about walking over to The Avery, or down to the Wild Colonial, or even up to the Elmhurst Pub. Meanwhile, within walking distance of my house I had these options: McDonalds, Subway, and the Shell station. Oh, there was also a really crappy bar called the Acores Cafe, which I went to all of one time before my wife decided she was never setting foot in there again. I guess people screaming at the top of their lungs in Portuguese is not the nicest setting for a date night. Well, the Acores has been sold, and has reopened as What Cheer? Tavern, named after the famous greeting ("What Cheer, Netop") given to Roger Williams when he first came to Providence. What Cheer is an intimate space that specializes in local food and beer. The menu is small, simple, and locally sourced. The current beers on tap are Providence favorites Revival and Trinity, along with Newport Storm, Wachussett, Grey Sail and of course, Narragansett. Bottled beers are also available and generally fall into the New England craft beer milieu. Now, as nice as this sounds, it's still Washington Park so they do have $2 Narragansett Tallboys on Thursdays, and some domestic beer and cheap shot options as well. What Cheer Tavern has only been open for a few days, but so far it's drawing an eclectic crowd. You have some of the old neighborhood guys that used to come to Acores, college students from Johnson & Wales, professionals stopping in for a bite or a drink after work, some military folks, and people attracted to the locavore and craft beer vibe. All they need now is some hipsters and they'll win some sort of Providence Bingo. The space itself is cozy - probably holds 20 people comfortable with 30 being a tight fit. However, it has a really nice fenced in patio area that they plan to turn into a beer garden. Given the lack of outdoor seating at most bars and restaurants in Providence, I'm psyched to have such an amenity in my neighborhood. The owner seems nice and friendly. We talked for a bit while I was enjoying my Gansetts, and I always appreciate a bartender who takes the time to talk to a lone patron rather than just texting or cleaning and waiting until you need a refill. You can tell the place is still finding its feet. In some ways, I really like that. I like that it's not so busy that I can actually get to know the owner. I like that they draw an eclectic mix of people. I like that they're an unpretentious place serving craft beer and locally sourced food. read more

Popped in here for a quick bite and beer, before going out on a Friday night. Definitely seemed low-key, but it's quite the spot! We jumped out back, as it was a beautiful evening, and became fans of the few people playing some cornhole. I'm all about trying new beers, so their draft list did not let me down. I hadn't read all the reviews on here that mentioned getting the mofo fries, but the description drew me right in. As everyone else has said, they are awesome... just check out all the pictures. I let my girlfriend decide on the wings. She's not really a fan of the spicier stuff I'm into, so she picked sesame teriyaki (Raekwon). They were super crispy and coated well with that sweet and delicious sauce. Four cheers for What Cheer! I'm all about what they're offering and I'll definitely be back again. read more

No Bud, no Coors, no Sam Adams...Good! WhatCheer is a tavern for beer lovers. In addition they serve some really great food items that will vaporize your panties! You'll get along fine here as long as you don't think that you're finding the new McFaddens. I've had many hot wings in my life. These are about the best I have ever had. Seriously. read more

Stopped in because I had heard about their ever rotating beer list and was pleased to see tons of local beer offerings on tap and an eclectic mix of cans. Awesome food, super friendly & laid back staff (shout out to Millie!!), clean bathrooms and surprisingly AMAZING patio with tons of seating and cornhole set up for any takers! Found it very welcoming and will definitely be back. I also heard one of the owners has a very impressive beard.. Loved WCT! read more

Pretty safe to say What Cheer is my type of bar. Laid back vibe...check. Good craft beer selection...check. Interesting selection of bourbon / whiskey....check. This local spot isn't very big but it is very low key inside and they have a great selection of local craft beers both on draft and in bottles / cans. It seems like they are always rotating their selection on draft so I enjoy coming in and seeing something new to try. Also, I recently discovered how awesome their food is. While the menu is very simple, the food is eclectic and full of flavor. The mofo fries are a must try...the sriracha sauce and melted cheese on them was sooo good. And for a guy that isn't big into tofu, I absolutely devoured my bombay taco. The people working here have always been very friendly when I've stopped in and also seem quite knowledgeable when it comes to the different beers (and whiskeys). What Cheer is a great neighborhood pub that is certainly worth stopping by and checking out. read more

I hear many people calling this place a Hipster bar. I don't know whether I should e offended, or if I should take it as a compliment, because when I come here, I feel at home. My favorite part about this place is that it is one of the few places in RI that you can have Proclamation on tap. While to some, that doesn't translate to anything, but they are the next big thing in beer for Rhode Island. That being said, they also offer a lot of other gems that don't come across that often like Maine Beer Co, Founders, etc. The bar itself is a little small, but that's my draw. The crowd isn't obnoxious, and the bar staff is super friendly. I especially enjoy the random artifacts on the wall. I usually come here to drink, but the wings are definitely a great choice to keep yourself from getting too deep into a 10% or higher beer. I've had the buffalo a few times (phenomenal) and the bacon wings, both great! I enjoy this bar, I just wish it were open all day, but that's probably what makes it great. read more

What can I say, I came for the beer and left wanting more of their food. Self proclaimed beer geek in me drew myself to this new craft beer bar. They have a small local centric tap offering that is sure to please. I was initially drawn there for the Lagunitas Sucks! Imperial IPA. It was cold perfectly poured. Here's the good part. I ordered the Poutine special. Let me tell you it was out of this world. Fries were perfectly cooked with the cheese melting into that decadent gravy. Never expected that from a little corner bar. Then I ordered the sinfully good bacon chicken wings. Just a perfect level of heat and a hint of bacon goodness in the background. Keep doing what your doing. It takes a lot to impress me and you hit it out of the park. read more

What Cheer Tavern - Poutine is amazing! - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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Modified my review after receiving a very pleasant response from A.B. It really is a great bar - hope it's open next time I go! Original Review: Love this bar. Yet, they're never open. In the last year, I've attempted to go 8 times. They were open twice. Tonight, I went at 730pm on a Saturday night. Closed. I know what you're thinking: why didn't you check the website? I did. It says they're open, as does google, and Yelp. I know what else you're thinking: why didn't you call ahead? Well, I did: their number is disconnected. I know what else your thinking: why do you keep trying to go there? Well, honestly, I don't know. What cheer: reach out and explain to me why you're unreachable and your hours make no fucking sense, and I'll change this to the five star review you deserve. When you're open. read more

Under new management. Good food, good beer. Tried some tacos, wings and fries.. Definitely worth it. glad they're open again! read more

What Cheer Tavern - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Our last stop before heading to the airport to return to Ohio. What a great place to kill a little time with friends and beers. Thank you, Yelp reviewers. We would have never stopped here if it weren't for you! Beers were cold, and the food very good. I had a burger, 2 others had chicken and our vegetarian friend enjoyed the pasta. The bartender was friendly and on top of things. We truly enjoyed our time here! read more

Back the first time since under new management and am so glad it's back. Great little bar with a wide selection of interesting craft beers on tap, bottled, and in cans. AND the food is excellent. Tonight I had the tostones with pork which was very tasty and filling for only $10 and my wife had the chicken wings which were also excellent. The service was friendly and the crowd was a casual, comfortable mix of ages. We look forward to imbibing in the outside area when it's not raining. By the way, the strange comment that follows my review and is supposedly from the What Cheer owner is from the previous owner who is long gone. The place is now great! read more

Great beers, great people, and the food is unexpectedly the bomb. The only other place that seems remotely similar in funky loud food stylings is Red Fez. The tacos and nachos are spicy and so full of flavor. And the POUTINE. I crave it all the time, because where else can you get poutine? read more