If you’re looking for a bar scene with plenty of history and local flavor, The Backstreet Pub should be on your list. Make that at the top of your list! The Pub caught the attention of Southern Living magazine and was named one of “The South’s Best Dive Bars.”
Housed within a century-old former bakery, this hidden little pub in the heart of Beaufort’s downtown is located on the “back street” behind Clawson’s 1905 Restaurant & Pub. It’s believed to be the oldest building in Beaufort, built about 1870 completely of brick.
The original Clawson’s grocery store sold canned goods, fresh produce from local farmers and fresh baked goods from “The Bakery” out back. The reputation of these baked goods grew throughout Carteret County and the East Coast, as sales to yacht crews that navigated the Intracoastal Waterway increased. Local delivery was available to town residents in the form of a carriage drawn by horses. Goods were also sent by mail boat to the Down East communities.
Today, The Pub continues to host an interesting mix of locals, vacationers, sea captains, and deep-sea divers. It remains a favorite stop among sailors who cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway. It’s a place where sailors swap tales of seafaring adventures over a local craft beer – or two! Over the years, pieces of nautical memorabilia from their journeys have covered the walls. It’s no wonder, The Pub has been called the “friendliest, funkiest little bar from Maine to Venezuela.”
While great music and cold beer have always been synonymous with The Pub, you can also enjoy their craft cocktail menu – five drinks all inspired by the “Boys of Backstreet!”
The Pub is one of the “local favorites” for beer. Enjoy your favorite North Carolina beer in The Backstreet Pub’s beer garden. The outdoor bar accommodates up to 200 people and serves the same 10 beers that are on tap inside the building, as well as bottled beer and liquor drinks.
Music continues to be a big draw. A variety of bands appear in the beer garden in summer, and during cold weather, upstairs in the long-gone bakery’s flour loft. Local musicians often gather for improv jams on a weekend afternoon.
While they do not offer a restaurant menu, owner Liz Kopf occasionally offers everything from complimentary soup to oyster roasts several times throughout the year.
The Backstreet Pub is a must-stop for Beaufort visitors who want a bar scene with an authentic local flavor. Once you drop by, you’ll discover why The Backstreet Pub was voted one of the “Top 50 Bars in the South” by Garden & Gun magazine.
© Beaufort Restaurant Guide
