Anthill Pub

I’ll first point out that the "value" score is a somewhat combination of the beer versus food value. The beer value is very good. Some of the best prices around. The food prices are horrible for what you get. A crappy sandwich and tortilla chips (which are actually really good) go for $8+. The special a few weeks ago was a "big chicken burrito" which was approximately the size of a childs bean burrito with a few pieces of frozen chicken. Still, you can bring in your own food and order beer as you go. I’d suggest this as there are a number of options around the area.

I really wish I had known this was cash only before I visited. Located in the UCI City Center, it took me a while to find the place. Once there I ordered a beer from the bar but had no way to pay since I didn’t have cash and had to leave. The food smelled good and I liked the laid back vibe.

Best real beer selection in the area and lots of people who love beer. Awesome regulars and hot bartenders.

I transferred to UCI during the relocation of the Pub so I never caught the old one. I have to say the new pub has been salvific in making my time at UCI bearable. I may have a slight bias since this is a place I feel like a regular but I rate it after visiting a decent amount of places, in Orange, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties. In the city of Irvine itself this pub is definitely the best place to grab a beer in town. Don’t let the on campus status of the place deter you, if you want to miss the rush of 21 year old obnoxious fledgling drinkers you can do it easily by avoiding happy hour. By 8pm most of them have usually cleared out with the exception of nights of major sporting events. Early lunch hours and post lunch rush are also lulls that can avoid the younger bum-rush. Food here is solid for a pub, it’s fairly deep fryer centered but it goes well with the beer. My value rating is based on beer pricing, food is a bit pricey but if you can afford it I feel it’s one of the best eateries on UCI’s actual campus. Beer pricing is some of the best I have found in orange county given the quality. Sure there are solid dives in Tustin that are a bit more affordable but beer quality is sacrificed. Elsewhere I find any place offering a decent or comparable selection charge 6 to 7 dollars a pint so from what I’ve found thus far the pricing here is great.. The beer selection is phenomenal for the size of the place. Scott puts quite a bit of time in keeping the place well stocked with high quality micro-brews. He also maintains a good seasonal rotation. Every beer enthusiast I’ve met there is always wearing a huge smile when facing the menu. The only reason I dock anything from the score regarding selection at all is simply due to space constraints. Storage space limits how many beers are on tap, regardless of this if you’re seeking a great quality beer from any end of the spectrum you’ll likely not be disappointed here. So long as i live in the area I imagine I’ll continue to frequent this pub, the place is usually what I compare other bars, pubs, breweries and beer gardens to. Also, parking expenses can be avoided with a small walk. Closer parking would be nice but I feel like students would exploit it.

I first walked into this pub 8 years ago. It was in a different location and had pool tables and a patio, but other than those perks, the new pub is as good or better than the old location in every way. For one thing, the new pub, has several flat screen TVs and more seating. When you consider the beer selection and the 7PM happy hour cutoff and the prices, there is really no other option in Orange County. College campus or not, this is the place to be for beer drinkers of any age. Among the great beers served on tap recently: Stone Pale Ale, Black Butte Porter, Alesmith Wee Heavy, Pliny the Elder, Stone Vertical Epic and all for great prices. Those are just my personal poisons. I’m sure any beer aficionado will easily find something worth quaffing. Still rustic, still affordable, and still a swill-free zone after all these years.

Stopped by recently to check out the new re-opened Anthill Pub. The Pub smells and looks brand new, but is currently lacking much atmosphere & uniqueness. Still a good place to sample a great selection of California mico brews and other no swill beers. Hit up happy hour from 4-7pm for even better deals.

The Pub is on its way back, opening in September of this year. Though I will not be part of the management team, Scott Winterstein, my former manager, will be running the show. Expect the same tap beer selection (i.e. Alesmith, Stone, Hoptown, North Coast, etc.) and upgraded food provided by tri-tip champion Tim Haskell.

Sadly is no more at this moment. They are closed for renovations. But, I’m looking forward to their reopening because this was the place for great beer cheap! Also the only place to get Craftsman brews in Orange County.

This is a hidden gem. BTW, their website is now http://www.ags.uci.edu/anthill/ They have declared themselves a "macro free zone", so no BMC!! Great prices, nice variety of micros. Cask nites. The only down side is having to pay $5 to park at UCI. The food is average pub grub.