Stubbies & Steins

labraben

Florida

5/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$$

Stubbies and Steins is one of the best pubs in the US. The inside of the place is very welcoming and cozy; one side is Australian themed with beer themed tshirts lining the walls, and the other side is decorated like a German beer hall, with a large awning over the bar, a long bench through the middle and a number of high top tables throughout the bar. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable - you can ask them almost anything about beer and they will be able to give you an earfull. Even when the bar is packed, which happens every Friday and Saturday night, they will take the time to help you pick the right beer from the huge selection, which is spectacular, with over 400 bottles in stock at all times, and 20 something taps that are forever changing. I have had a number of draft beers at Stubbies that you cant find anywhere else in Florida. The food is also great - you can tell the chef really knows his stuff... they have a number of German sausages, schnitzel, pomme frites, potato pancakes, and Belgian meatballs just to name a few things, and they are all great. Stubbies and Steins is awesome and if you love beer, this is the place to be.

04-13-2010 04:19:49 | More by labraben

DrummerDan

Florida

3.88/5  rDev -13.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Stubbie's is the ONLY bar featuring beers in Gainesville that I could find so it is without saying that I would return when in the area. A cool aspect of this place is the two distinct feels. A t-shirt pub and a German beer hall all in one.
Shirts were cute and it seemed a bit dark to me (I noticed others said it was bright) to be able to enjoy the funny sayings.
Three out of four of our beers were served in the right glass and the other draft was served in a regular pint glass, which was fine with us. I had a Duchess from tap and it wasn't quite right and our server quickly made it right and was quite kind. I said I know it is supposed to be sour in the Flemish style, but this has a real vinegar flavor that is off. Sausage was excellent!
Most beers seem about $1 - $2 higher than I usually pay out and that surprised me in a college town. There are about 450 beers available here and they are available to go.
The other young server was a bit of a smart-aleck and was more interested in standing around talking to his friends than bothering with me or my mate HOWEVER we were not his table.

10-19-2009 04:11:52 | More by DrummerDan

mikeyv35

New York

4.14/5  rDev -7.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Stopped in this establishment on 06/05/09 when I was in Gainesville visiting my brother. Initially, I thought this would be the typical college beer bar in a college town w/ the usual binge drinking fraternity brothers chugging down Stella and Hoegaarden, but I was mistaken. The most impressive aspect of this beer bar was the fact that they had two bars, one in the front for wine and liquor, and a small quaint one in the back for beer. The beer bar in the back had 20+ brews on tap (including The Ducchesse and Chimay Grande Reserve) plus their bottle menu boosted 400+ varieties of micros and imports and offered beer to go. I stood at the bar in the back as I usually do and sipped on The Ducchesse and Aventinus out of the proper labeled glassware as if I were in Europe which was equally impressive. The prices were pretty much on par w/ the rest of the east coast. The atmosphere was relaxing and enjoyable due to the low lighting, cleanliness, and knowledgeable staff - that surprisingly enough actually knew what they were talking about. The knowledgeable staff added alot to the atmosphere, as we talked like beer geeks in length about the majority of the brews I sampled. Glad I stopped into Stubbie's and will be visiting again the next time I am in Gainesville. Without a doubt the best beer bar in the Gainesville area - nice pick bro!

06-13-2009 17:32:21 | More by mikeyv35

PattynSuicide

Florida

4.6/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

This is hands down, the best beer bar I've ever been to. The selection of beer is impeccable. There are just so many beers to choose from and if you aren't sure of what to order, the staff is there to help. Beer is served in appropriate glassware (win!).

The food is a bit costly but damn, it is tasty. The potato salad is delicious and all of the sausages are great. I've had some of the desserts as well and they were amazing. If the place is busy, sometimes they'll run out of food (french fries, onion rings, etc.) but I've only seen that happen once.

Overall, it really is a good place to hang out and have a few beers. College kids whose only mindset is to get hammered on cheap beer are weeded out since hard liquor, Bud, Coors, etc. aren't served.

03-15-2009 00:10:35 | More by PattynSuicide

mitchellc

Florida

4.58/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

I've been here a few times, and have been consistently impressed not only by the quality of selection, but by the atmosphere and the staff's knowledge. There are a few good places to buy beer at retail prices, but Stubbie's offers a wide selection that simply cannot be replicated anywhere.

It's a great place to go if you're not in a hurry. You may not be served immediately if you sit down on a busy night, and you won't have a waitor/waitress bugging you every five minutes, but if they see that your glass is low, they'll offer another. Prices range from about $3.50 to $15 or so per glass, but the average price is around $6, which is fine considering the quality of what's available. The atmosphere is clean, not too loud, and comfortable. The glassware is great, too: you always get something of the appropriate size and of good quality and weight, and in many cases, a specific beer's own glass.

I hear that the food offerings are a recent amendment to the menu. I have only had the onion rings, but they are good enough to get every time I go. They also have popcorn for $2.50 or so, which is nice if you just want salty to go with your beer, but nothing too heavy.

11-23-2008 09:40:23 | More by mitchellc

MisterE

Florida

4.58/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

This is my favorite place to go to enjoy my old favorites or meet a new friend. At the bar or at a table, it's also never too loud to have a decent conversation.

With over a dozen beers on tap and hunderds more in bottles, there are more beer choices from around the world than most of us can reasonably get through in a year, and by then they will have added new ones! If you're not sure of exactly what you want, the knowledgeable and friendly staff can help. Most customers will probably also enjoy the T-shirt designs hanging on the wall in the original bar area.

There are several downtown bars where you can find good beer for a reasonable price, but if you want the greatest possible variety, as well as good food and a great atmosphere, there's really only one choice. If you're in Gainesville and appreciate good beer, don't miss this place.

11-09-2008 01:00:01 | More by MisterE

drabmuh

Maryland

4.63/5  rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

I love Stubbie's. It is an oasis of a beer bar in an otherwise beerless desert. I especially love the expansion. The Australian themed half was nice, but that small room, with the lack of textiles to absorb sound, got loud and crowded. The new Germany themed expansion is amazing. It looks like a beer hall. I've been to Bavaria and it has an authenic feel to it. The selection also improved with the expansion and more importantly the draught selection improved. My only complaint about Stubbies for a long time was the lack of rotating drafts. Rogue Yellow Snow was on draught for about a year. Up until that feat, I thought Yellow Snow was a seasonal beer. Now there are several German and Belgium as well as classical and craft American beers on draught. I hope the new selection continues to rotate frequently.
I guess if I have to be critical of Stubbie's now I'd have to address the music. Sometimes the music being softly piped into German or Australia is ignorable or provides appropriate ambient noise but other times it seems repetitive or too stuck in the 80's. Not a substantial complaint I guess. But worth mentioning.

09-17-2008 16:30:40 | More by drabmuh

mullenite

Florida

4.63/5  rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Went to Stubbie's tonight, have been there a few times but this is the first since becoming a member on BA and the first since they opened the "Steins" side of the bar.

It's a little dark inside but there is no smoking so the air is clear, lots of people in there talking or playing one of the board games they have available for the tables.

Everyone there was friendly and helpful in choosing beers when they were out of something. They offer over 400 beers on the menu as well as traditional German food (they stop serving at 10pm Tuesday through Thursday so I didn't get to try it.) They serve in proper glasswear when they have it and branded glasswear when they have that as well.

This is a must visit place in Gainesville, bottles are available to go at regular menu prices but they do offer a few things that you can't get anywhere else in town. If it is something that you can get somewhere else however Gator Beverage up the road, Ward's, Dorn's, or Sai's will have better prices.

UPDATE:
I've had their food and it is good traditional German food. The potato pancakes are very good and the currywurst was pleasurable.

09-11-2008 05:05:22 | More by mullenite

joshwlt

Florida

4.38/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$$

Stubbie's is of course best because of its selection. I'd love to work at a place like this; I applied a few weeks ago and no reply though...bummer. Anyway, its a fun little place with a helpful staff and the largest selection in town amongst all the bars. If you are on a mission to try as many different beers as possible (as I am) and want to save money (because it is a little pricey at Stubbie's) make sure to just frequent Dorn's, Ward's, Gator Bev, the ABC on archer, and the multiple little liqour stores scattered around town (for example the publix on 13th has one next to it that has an acceptable selection), and I've yet to try the Wine & Cheese place downtown. Cheers

05-24-2008 01:04:38 | More by joshwlt

Zeckster

North Carolina

4.65/5  rDev +4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$$

Stubbies is the best place to try craft beers in Gainesville.

Berkeley is usually around to help with selection ideas, and when shes not the staff is quite knowledgeable about their massive selection. Also everyone is really nice about dealing with people who have no idea what to order.

Expanded the bar and installed more beer into the system. They have the appropriate glassware for all your drinking needs. More beers are on the way.

The beer garden area is really very fun. I've been over there for a tasting or two and the food is super delish. I'd recommend the cabbage.

Right now the only thing that doesn't quite work for me are the t-shirts on the wall. But for this kind of selection and staff I will be more than glad to ignore whats on the wall and focus on whats in my glass.

01-22-2008 23:43:41 | More by Zeckster