King Street

Keg & Coin – Best King Street Bars

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  • Hours: Monday- Tuesday: 12pm- 12am, Wednesday – Friday: 12pm – 2am, Saturday – Sunday: 11 am – 2 am
  • Address: 1271 King St, Jacksonville, FL 32204, United States
  • Phone: 904-388-0033
  • Website: http://www.kegandcoinjax.com/

The doors to Keg & Coin open onto a playground of games, much more than a neighborhood bar, Keg & Coin is a community hangout, an old school arcade with the additional benefit of beer! The bar has fifteen taps that rotate flavors depending on popularity. The shelves have nearly a hundred other beer and wine options to choose from, and the entire space is lit up with pixels from upright gaming machines from our collective pasts. Shooters, pinball, foosball, skeeball, and darts. No matter what you play, a machine is here at Keg & Coin so grab a brew and drop in a quarter to become Player 1.

Top 5 Drinks and Eats at Keg & Coin

keg & coinWe would be remiss if we didn’t break down our thoughts on the five best food and drink options available at Keg & Coin in King Street.

Our Recommended Drinks

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Our Thoughts on the Keg & Coin

They had us as lifelong fans when we walked through the doors and found an upright Galaga machine.  Who doesn’t remember the countless quarters rolled into that machine?  We’ve tried the emulators, but nothing beats that standing joystick and button tapping sequence.  We used to play it with a soda-pop, now we’ve got our favorite local craft brew in our hands while we play.  All the classic games are here, and on Tuesdays Keg & Coin rolls out the retro console games. 

The patrons are not just a bunch of old boys reliving our past, there are young and old alike, enjoying the lights and sounds from gaming’s past.  Young discovering the wonder of these simple games, slightly less young… well, we loved the remembrance of time spent surrounded by friends and playing games.  That’s the beauty of Keg & Coin, that joy is not forgotten, it is here now, on King Street, and we loved it.

Other Recommended Bars in the King Street Area

Mickie’s Irish Pub – Best King Street Bars

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Each and every bar out there is looking for that “hook” to bring customers and patrons indoor to their bar rather than the one down the street. Mickie’s doesn’t feel like they are baiting anyone, they just present the best of the Irish Pub and let those who know what they want come through the doors, and come they do. Mickie’s Irish Pub is such a great local neighborhood bar that it gets plenty of foot traffic just by being itself. Mickie’s feels authentic in how they operate, how they serve, and how they remain. A true community pub, Mickie’s makes everyone smile.

Top 5 Drinks and Eats at Mickie’s Irish Pub

mickie's irish pubWe would be remiss if we didn’t break down our thoughts on the five best food and drink options available at Mickie’s Irish Pub in King Street.

Our Recommended Drinks

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Our Thoughts on the Mickie’s Irish Pub

Mickie’s Irish Pub was just down the street from where we met some friends for dinner so we stepped inside for “a drink or two”. Six hours later, it’s time to close up the bar and we felt like we didn’t want to leave. The second we crossed the threshold the bartender smiled and asked us what we’d like to drink. From that moment, we were hooked on Mickie’s Irish Pub.

True friendships with complete strangers as the night wore on and we felt more and more like it was our neighborhood bar teeming with friends coming together. We saw the dishes coming out from the kitchen and couldn’t resist trying an appetizer though we had just finished dinner. The Mickie’s secret beer cheese sauce can be put on anything! It was so good, we nearly ordered another round just to enjoy more of it. The Guinness pour was perfect, the food was great, and the atmosphere was buzzing with fun.

Other Recommended Bars in the King Street Area

Riverside Liquors – Best King Street Bars

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  • Hours: Monday – Wednesday: 10am – 9pm, Thursday – Saturday: 10am – 10pm, Sunday : Closed
  • Address: 1251 King St, Jacksonville, FL 32204, United States
  • Phone: 904-356-4517
  • Website: http://www.riversideliquors.biz/

The restaurant at Riverside Liquors is a pleasant surprise if you aren’t aware of its existence. The deep shelves full of wines, beers and spirits from around the world hardly conceal their secret, as the smells of delicate tapas, hardy entrees, and refreshing salads permeate through the storefront. Have a conversation and learn about the bottles of wine available, join in a tasting, pair it with some excellent foods, and enjoy your drinks as you truly savor them as they are intended. Riverside Liquors holds classes for wine and spirit education as well as entertainment, attend these offerings with the knowledge that the more you learn, the more you’ll want to return.

Top 5 Drinks and Eats at Riverside Liquors

riverside liquorsWe would be remiss if we didn’t break down our thoughts on the five best food and drink options available at Riverside Liquors in King Street.

Our Recommended Drinks

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Our Thoughts on the Riverside Liquors

Years have gone by since we were last in Riverside Liquors and upon our return we were amazed at the transformation we experienced. That familiar and comforting smell of the “old wine store” was present enough to bring back comforting memories, but also diffused by the smells of Lamb Meatballs and Bourbon Glazed Salmon coming from the kitchen. We sat down and enjoyed a flight of tasting whiskys and one of the more extensive charcuterie boards we’ve come across.

By the time we enjoyed our evening, we had signed up for some of the upcoming Tuesday classes Riverside Liquors will be holding on other fine drinks, a bourbon class and another specifically on wines from the Middle East. We left with full bellies, sated palates, some refined opinions on the whiskys we tasted, and a desire to return and enjoy the experience again. Riverside Liquors is a great spot to step in for some fine wine, food, and a more educated sense of our favorite drinks.

Other Recommended Bars in the King Street Area

Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge- Best King Street Bars

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If there is a bar on King Street that exudes the complexities of the neighborhood and compliments that robust sensation with a warm and welcoming atmosphere, it is Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge at King and College. Great drink specials available with pop-cultural relevant names, a kitchen that feels like you’re back home, and a stage that sees the full diversity of performances from spoken work slam poetry, to dancing live DJs, to elegant jazz. Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge has the full package of a down-home southern bar and restaurant while serving as an excellent speaker for local acts looking to gain exposure.

Top 5 Drinks and Eats at Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge

jazzy's restaurant & loungeWe would be remiss if we didn’t break down our thoughts on the five best food and drink options available at Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge in King Street.

Our Recommended Drinks

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Our Thoughts on the Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge

To us, one of the most critical things about Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge is their prominence in the community and their willingness to showcase up and coming unknown talent. It is rare to find a reputable spot that brings people up on stage like that. We’d like to go on for page after page about this, but we just have to tell you about the bar and kitchen! The food is so good, it’s like you’ve just found a celebrity chef’s hidden test-kitchen and struck gold.

That’s not too far from the truth either, Executive Chef Celestia Mobley has a cookbook available and is full of southern cooking that gives your southern roots a wakeup call. The real party goes into full swing come Friday and Saturday nights, and on Sunday Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge runs a brunch special that keeps that party going strong with drink specials and more of that fabulous comfort food. Day or night, Jazzy’s Restaurant & Lounge is the place to be.

Other Recommended Bars in the King Street Area

One Bar & Lounge- Best King Street Bars

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Order a sip or two from the bar and kick back with some great food from the kitchen and partake in the hookah packed with some exclusive and premium flavors. You can get a Philly Cheesesteak, lamb chops, or any dish in between, especially if you are looking for the authentic Mediterranean flavor of a lamb and tzatziki gyro. Mix that authenticity with the unusual such as a Mezcal Daiquiri or a Pomegranate Martini, and you have the makings of a unique night, with tales to be told around the hookah. Old friends and new come to One Bar & Lounge to have fun.

Top 5 Drinks and Eats at One Bar & Lounge

One Bar & LoungeWe would be remiss if we didn’t break down our thoughts on the five best food and drink options available at One Bar & Lounge in King Street.

Our Recommended Drinks

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Our Thoughts on the One Bar & Lounge

Park and King is pretty much the center of it all and you don’t get much more iconic than that large facade of the old Park and King Pharmacy. One Bar & Lounge comes in and makes this grand building a popular hangout once again by offering friendly restaurant and bar atmosphere and professional hookah lounge. We’re not personally a hookah smoker, so we can’t weigh in on how good the tobacco is, but our friend assures us that it is superb in comparison to other places in Jacksonville they’ve been to.

We speak about the hookah to make the point that when though we’re not smokers, the scents were outrageously fantastic while the smoke didn’t cause a problem for us at all. Good ventilation and polite lounge behavior goes a long way to making One Bar & Lounge a nice bar to be in, don’t fear the “smokey” hookah cloud keep you away, we hardly noticed it at all.

Other Recommended Bars in the King Street Area

The Loft Bar- Best King Street Bars

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If you’re in the King Street area and looking for a great space for dancing and drinking, come over to The Loft and find your new home for Karaoke, lively DJs, and friendly bartenders. The crowd comes alive much later in the evening as if this is the spot to be after all the rest have closed up or failed to impress. 

The Loft Bar is a simple and no-frills dance club and bar with the perfect bland of good drinks and good atmosphere which in turn attracts a good crowd of people looking to have a good time. The Loft takes all of this and turns it into a great dance bar.

Top 5 Drinks and Eats at The Loft Bar

The Loft BarWe would be remiss if we didn’t break down our thoughts on the five best food and drink options available at The Loft Bar in King Street.

Our Recommended Drinks

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Our Recommended Eats

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Our Thoughts on the The Loft Bar

Imagine a pretty good sized dance floor with a U-shaped bar in the front center of it so you can dance all night and get a drink from nearly anywhere on the dance floor. You’ve just though of The Loft. We first visited on a Karaoke night where the lyrics were splashed on the brick wall and everyone sang uninhibited as if they were the rock star everyone came to see.

We revisited on a regular dance night and found the same kind of feeling; that “free to do as we please” dancing, drinking, and carousing that you can only get in a space like The Loft where you know everyone is friendly and out to have a good time.

The drinks came quickly even though the house was packed pretty full, the music was adjusted to the noise in the bar so we could enjoy the tunes but still communicate with friends. This place knows how to run a dance bar.

Other Recommended Bars in the King Street Area

Park Place Lounge- Best King Street Bars

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Days at Park Place Lounge are a relaxing quiet bar feel with eclectic songs coming from the jukebox and neighborhood locals enjoying a drink or two at the bar. As evening rolls in, so do the rest of the guests, coming in from far corners of Riverside and Jacksonville in general. 

The music turns up, dance floor becomes active, and the place comes alive. Friendly faces everywhere and great drinks poured by expert bartenders make Park Place Lounge one of the more alluring night spots in the King Street district as it’s never too crowded and never empty, it always seems to have just the right amount of traffic day or night.

Top 5 Drinks and Eats at Park Place Lounge

Park Place LoungeWe would be remiss if we didn’t break down our thoughts on the five best food and drink options available at Park Place Lounge in King Street.

Our Recommended Drinks

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Our Recommended Eats

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Our Thoughts on the Park Place Lounge

Okay, let’s get this out of the way, Park Place Lounge identifies as an LGBTQ+ bar. If we didn’t mention it, you’d wonder why we didn’t. And the truth is, if we didn’t mention it, you might not notice it. The vibe here is one of the friendlier and more exciting nightlife atmospheres we’ve experienced at any bar, in the King Street district or elsewhere in Jacksonville.

The dance floor is small but always filled with energy, the bar runs itself ragged keeping your drinks full and smiles on your face, and when you need a little air, the outdoor patio is amazing.

We sincerely took some notes on how to take their relaxed and laid back style and attempt to recreate that space at home, the Park Place Lounge patio is a great escape with a drink on your hand and friends surrounding you everywhere you look. We’d be hard pressed to recommend any bar above this for friendly atmosphere.

Other Recommended Bars in the King Street Area

Kickbacks Gastropub- Best King Street Bars

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Kickbacks Gastropub Goozlepipe & Guttyworks creates a fantasy world steeped in class and decorative flair. Every shining and gleaming corner of this restaurant and bar reflects some part of the theme and further enhances the mood. The depth of their beer list is unsurpassed and the dining options are original and familiar at the same time. Kickbacks is not a place you come to only once.

After you’ve experienced this place, read over the menu, and perused their beer selection, you will return; often. Beneath the bar and dining are is the catacombs where they provide exclusive and private dining among an even richer atmosphere than the already fantastic main hall.

Top 5 Drinks and Eats at Kickbacks Gastropub

Kickbacks GastropubWe would be remiss if we didn’t break down our thoughts on the five best food and drink options available at Kickbacks Gastropub in King Street.

Our Recommended Drinks

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Our Recommended Eats

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Our Thoughts on the Kickbacks Gastropub

We hope you like brass and copper as Kickbacks Gastropub is finely decorated with plenty of both. The dining area is walled with more than $10,000 worth of pennies (which, incidentally, plays havoc with your cell reception) but the entire steampunk feel of the place fits nicely in with the class of the property.

The bar celebrates the age of the building and the fine old days of brewing and dining. We loved the unusual vintage menu comfort food options(peanut butter and fluff sandwich!) sitting alongside some inventive creations that made us want to try everything on the list.

The Beer shakes were a delicious dessert but the real star of Kickbacks is the beer options. Seriously, over 1000 bottle choices and 200 beers on tap… We plan to come back and try them all, one at a time of course, that will give us time to experience everything on the menu as well!

Other Recommended Bars in the King Street Area

The Garage Bar- Best King Street Bars

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That angled corner lot on the corner of Post and King Streets may not feel like prime real estate to some, but for those in the know, an evening spent at The Garage is an evening spent with good people, great drinks and even better food! The full bar has a plethora of drink options, try something new or enjoy an old favorite.

The menu is better than some simple bar fare and a great place to enjoy dinner. The open-air feeling to the place makes sure you don’t feel too cooped up in the indoors and if you want, there is more seating outdoors where people-watching is free!

Top 5 Drinks and Eats at The Garage Bar

The Garage BarWe would be remiss if we didn’t break down our thoughts on the five best food and drink options available at The Garage Bar in King Street.

Our Recommended Drinks

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Our Recommended Eats

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Our Thoughts on  The Garage Bar

Pulling up to The Garage on Post Street you immediately know it’s going to be a good experience. The restaurant and patio were full of smiling faces, staff and patrons alike. We really enjoyed the double tier tap system where they had an abundance of local brews as well as traditional beers on tap for the adventurous and for the conventional.

The bartender was exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly, the drinks came quickly and we took our seats outdoors to enjoy the weather. The food was incredible for such a low-key spot and worthy of being considered a destination restaurant and not just a bar with kitchen service.

Once we were seated and fed, we saw why this place stays jumping until 3am, everyone just seems to be friendly and having fun. As the night wore on, more cars pulled in and it was like we witnessed the culmination of Jacksonville’s “last call” spot. Come experience The Garage for yourself.

Other Recommended Bars in the King Street Area

Rogue Bar- Best King Street Bars

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Perhaps because the outside of the bar looks dark and gritty, or maybe in spite of it, Rogue on King Street feels like the kind of place you’d better be careful around like you were entering some dark den of thieves, however nothing could be further from the truth. 

This place is nothing if not friendly, upbeat, and truly bright in its fun atmosphere. The packed house crowds on popular nights will tell you the same; Rogue Bar is a great place to spend the evening and toss back a few drinks. If you can toss the mason jar ring onto one of the bottles on the shelf, this shot is free!

Top 5 Drinks and Eats at Rogue Bar

Rogue BarWe would be remiss if we didn’t break down our thoughts on the five best food and drink options available at Rogue Bar in King Street.

Our Recommended Drinks

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Our Recommended Eats

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Our Thoughts on the Rogue Bar

Entering Rogue, one feels like they are exiting the brightly lit world and entering a dark underbelly, and that’s something we especially appreciated about the decor in the place. Rough exposed brick walls, clean but rough hewn timber rafters, and the narrow footprint of the entire establishment just feels like the place needs a bar. 

Lo and behold, there it sits, beneath the marquee letters spelling out ROGUE, the bar is simple and the vast shelves behind the bartenders are just as endearingly modest in design that you feel like this is your friendly neighborhood basement bar, and maybe that’s exactly why we liked it so much. 

The rolling library ladder to reach the top shelves was a nice touch that added to the charm. Great bartenders, engaging patrons, tasty bar snack foods, and especially great bottles of premium whiskeys mean that we’ll be back to Rogue often, and we recommend the same to you.

Other Recommended Bars in the King Street Area