I walked in on a weeknight and the place was pretty crowded with a line at the bar. Â It was a little frustrating at first because I'd been waiting to visit this place and it took forever to get the first beer. Â I actually considered leaving...glad I didn't.
I learned they they were having a fundraiser and the crowd wasn't typical when the bartender finally freed up to serve me a pint. Â Shortly after getting my pint I was fortunate enough to meet the owner. Â Within minutes my attitude totally changed. Â Dave was super attentive helping find new beers for me taste and took to time to chat with me. Â Overall had a great experience. Â I'll definitely be going back.
Good pizza, great beer, affordable, fun atmosphere. Â But beyond all of that, great service. Â We've been going here for ten years... even before they had the taphouse part of things, and their staff has always been absolutely the best. Â Friendly, helpful and efficient. Â Great place to watch a game or grab a pint... only downside being it can get pretty noisy when they have local music, but it also can be a fun place to hang out and listen to music if you're into that.
Review Source:McKay's is the definition of what a neighborhood watering hole should be. Their friendly staff, excellent beer list, and mouthwatering pizza contribute to this. Away from the horrifying downtown bar experience, McKay's has carved their niche into my heart.
Tons of beer on tap, always rotating and a great selection.
If you like good, local beers with a staff that know their stuff, in a fun and comfortable setting, this is the place to go.
I worked down the street from McKay's for a very hectic few months, and frequented the bar at the end of several stressful shifts.  Throughout that duration it became my  'Cheers' of Bellingham.  Getting to know the servers/owners/and multiple customers.  I had several 'go-to' bars in the area for various reasons, but this quickly became my ultimate 'go-to' bar.  For good company, fun, relaxing night out, meeting new people, catching up with old friends, special events (either created by the bar, or birthdays, goodbyes, celebrations etc) game nights (mostly supplied by our own games, but they do have some there for the taking/playing).  You name the occasion, that's what I was there for.
The bar itself is created in a family pub style and is all ages. Â I've had many friends go there for studying and a place to just hang out. Â The general atmosphere is realxed and quiet. Â It can get louder towards the end of the night as people start bar hopping. Â Special occasion nights it can get really packed, really busy and really loud, so if you're not a fan of crowds I'd avoid those nights, but they're fun and worth going to. Â There's a working fireplace, male/female one person bathrooms, multiple tables, several plush chairs/benches, and plenty of bar stools. Â Good areas for intimate settings as well as public areas for mingling and social interaction.
They have a rotating tap of 30 beers which started my beer education. Â The staff is really knowledgable and friendly (though maybe not always at first glance). Â If you don't see something you like, ask the staff what they may have that's in your style and they should be able to help you out. Â Aks about the Beer List and the history of it for some good stories. Â
Dave McKay has created a wonderful place that you can call home being away from home. Â Whenever I make it up to Bellingham, I like to drop in for old times sake and am generally greeted with a friendly, welcome back smile.
McKay's is a friendly bar. Â The vibe is like visiting a friend's house, if your friend lived in an awesome bar. Â They play soccer games on the TV in the background, treat you special on your birthday, and the whole place seems to operate on a pretty laissez-faire attitude. Â I find that people really like to have birthday parties here. Â Â
Positives: there are lots of great beers on tap and they serve pretty good pizza (available by the slice, not always delicious, but decent). Â
Down side of McKay's: you are sure to encounter a mild (or pungent) cheesy odor that is reminiscent of the Old Spaghetti Factory. Â Maybe they will crack a window when it warms up a bit.
There's already an entry for the Pizza Pipeline that is part of this business, but the pub is what this place is really about.
When it's not packed with college kids (or even if it is, if that's your game) this is one of the best places to drink beer in Bellingham. It's hard to believe that just a few years ago it was a crappy walk-up/delivery pizza joint without even a proper dining room. Now it has a big bar, fireplace, and dark polished wood everywhere - perfect for hunkering down over beers when it's 38 degrees and raining sideways outside. Dave, the owner, has done a great job transforming the business.
They regularly have 20-25 quality beers on tap as well as bottles & cans of both cheaper and more exotic stuff. They'll frequently carry a slate of different styles from a single brewer as part of the menu, which is a nice touch - these are regularly rotated so you don't burn out.
Unlike most places in Bellingham the service is good. It can get very busy at times which slows things down, but I've never experienced any of the thinly-veiled rudeness that is standard for most servers in town. When it's not slammed Dave is frequently there and it's clear he loves what he does and appreciates his customers. I'm not even a regular but have always been treated like one - that's a mark of a well-run establishment.
The pizza is fine, if you've been to one Pizza Pipeline you've been to them all. You do get a nice discount if you order a full pizza along with your beer.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
