I use a rule of thumb to distinguish the two: A Pub is nice and cosy. A place to sit down with a drink and some chums to spend a while. A bar is a place to get a drink. An in-and-out- kind of place.
A good example of the pub-bar duality is Cheers Bar, from the TV series. Clearly a bar, but definately a pub.
I've been to a few places in the US that I would class as pubs, but never heard the phrase. I always thought it was like "fortnight" - unused in US English.
PS I used the word duality. Shame on me Posts: 892 | Registered: Oct 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
My partners and I are having difficulty naming one of our new start-ups.
Since we want to take the concept to market internationally, we need something that'll invoke the right image and be memorable - but if people in the U.S. don't immediately associate and understand the word 'pub' to mean 'bar', then we have to rule it out of our deliberations.
Posts: 2245 | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
My idea of "pub" and "bar" in an American context is similar to anti-maven's. I would add that pubs should serve meals and be more family-friendly, while bars are more about the alcohol and hanging out and the food might be more limited to wings and peanuts or something. However, there is a definite English flavor to the word "pub" and I have never heard of a pub in America, unless it was trying to bank on precisely that English image. We do, however, know what it means: a place you get a beer when you're in England. Posts: 2762 | Registered: Sep 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Troubs, while we don't use it a lot, we understand its meaning and wouldn't have a problem understanding it. If the pub atmosphere is what you're going to have, then calling it a pub makes sense.
posted
We see lots of pubs here in Canada, usually British/Irish themed. The connotation is similar to above:
pub: serves alcohol, "ok" meals, more cozy, no dancing, but may have a band bar: serves alcohol, snacks, less cozy, may be more trendy, occasionally with a small dance area
Posts: 7593 | Registered: Sep 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Odd that the tradidtional "public house" often had two or more areas:
The 'public' bar - uncarpeted, smokey and usually frequented by single men, and sometimes a little rowdy.
The 'Saloon' bar - a place where on might bring a lady, carpted, more comfortably furnished than the public bar, and with armchairs etc.
The Snug a small, comfortably furnished room or patritioned area wehre one may achieve a little privay...
I have spent more than my fair share of rounds in the public bar. NO I'm married, I sit sipping a half with the lady-wife. Posts: 892 | Registered: Oct 2006
| IP: Logged |
Everyone in America knows what a pub is, but it is hardly ever called that. If a place called itself a pub, I'd assume that they were going for a British theme. So, if that's what you're going for, then, right on!
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
We called the establishment down the street a pub once, but that was because it sounded better than telling the relatives we were taking our two-week old baby to a bar.
And they have good food. And a non-smoking room.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'll have to agree with others here: We don't use the word "pub" in connection with our own establishments, but we all know what it means, and we don't have any trouble with it when we encounter it. An American visiting Britain shouldn't have any problems using the word in the same way the locals do, though if an establishment opened up in my (American) town and called itself a pub, I'd expect, as Tante said, that it would have a British theme. If it was not so themed, I'd wonder why they bothered to use that word instead of one of the words actually used in this country.
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
The pub that some have referred to as the best in the US is called a pub. Not sure I can mention it by name, but it's in DC. There are also 3 or 4 pubs in Champaign, IL where I went to grad school. I think there are more (actually called pubs) in college towns, so it might depend on where you're hoping to expand to. Since I've lived in the UK (15 years) whenever I go back to the US to visit I choose "pubs" over "bars" and they mostly do meet my expectation of a bit cosier. Also one in Champaign has the classiest grafitti (in the women's loo). Good luck
Posts: 32 | Registered: Jan 2007
| IP: Logged |
In Australia, the terms 'pub' and 'bar' are interchangeable. This is an online venture (of course) rather than bricks & mortar.
If we use the word 'Pub' in our domain name, will US customers only associate it with the English atmosphere style?
Would US customers immediately discount any domain name with the word 'Pub' as being relvant to the wider business realm of bars & clubs?
Posts: 2245 | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
quote:Or Irish. We had a some Irish Pubs around me back home.
Good point. I think there might actually be a couple of "Irish pubs" in my town, now that you mention it. I'm not entirely sure, though; I'm not much into the bar scene anyway.
quote:If we use the word 'Pub' in our domain name, will US customers only associate it with the English atmosphere style?
In my opinion, no. It will be the first thing that comes to mind for most of us, I think, but it's not like it would be a major distraction. I think most of us would get used to it quickly enough and then it wouldn't be an issue. I don't think you'd have any problems of that sort. That's just my opinion, of course; I have an awful lot of countrymen, and I can't speak for them all. Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I disagree with Verily. I would absolutely associate anything called a pub (or a tavern, for that matter) exclusively with British and/or Irish (around here I think it's more the latter than the former). If it was actually meant to be a more American-typical bar or club, I would wonder why on earth they were calling it a pub.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
In areas I've lived (Seattle, Salt Lake, Montana, New Mexico), a pub would be enterpreted as a place that serves beer on tap but not hard liquor.
I know that different as the liquor laws are in those to areas, both have a different kind of liquor license of a beer only establishment and one that serves distilled liquor and "pubs" are always the former. I have no idea how wide spread that is.
Sometimes they get call "Brew Pubs", which usually but not only means that they are a brewery as well as a pub. But they are pretty much exclusively Beer joints. I know of several that do not have a English style atmosphere. For example, Salt Lake as a place called "Brewview Cinema Pub", which is combined movie theater beer bar.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I agree with rivka. While most americans will immediately recognize the word pub to mean some sort of drinking establishment, most will also NOT associate that word with a bar/club type atmosphere. When I hear "pub" I do not think "nightlife".
Posts: 8741 | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by anti_maven: Odd that the tradidtional "public house" often had two or more areas:
The 'public' bar - uncarpeted, smokey and usually frequented by single men, and sometimes a little rowdy.
Where I go to school near Sacramento Ca, we don't have ANY officially titled bars, because everything either has a name, or is a "pub." This is unbearably stupid because the places actually titled as pubs are clearly bars- too loud, rock programs on the weekend, no couches at all. People don't get what "pub" means here, they think it's just a sophisticated word for bar.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
All the places around here that are called pubs specifically are Irish, and I don't say Irish "themed" because the owners are Irish, so it's less a theme and more just the guy who owns it is Irish so it's an Irish bar.
But O'Tooles, The Shamrock and The Blarney Stone are all called pubs around here, and to a lesser extend Dougan's is sometimes called a pub as well. We all know what it means. I tend to think of pubs as places where the music isn't so loud that you can't hear yourself think, but I've been in some pubs here that were decidedly barlike, and vice versa.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I use the two interchangably. Of course the only bars I frequent are of the Irish pub variety.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Troubador, i'm guessing this is a site meant to deal with bar/pub proprietors rather than the general public? if so then I don't think any british connotations would be terribly noticable at all.
if it is for the public then I still wouldn't worry. As others have mentioned, it's a fleeting first glance connection we make here in the states, but nothing that would be negative/set in stone.
Posts: 1038 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
The only time I've heard the word "pub" used is when its part of the name of the establishment. In our little town the best place to get a drink and hang with some friends is the Pioneer Pub so we use the word "pub" but really only as an abbreviation. Though it does have the distinction of being much cozier than the more wild bars in town. Its an important local business at the heart of the historic district with town memories on the walls and chili-cheese fries on call at any hour of the night.
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
However, there is a definite English flavor to the word "pub" and I have never heard of a pub in America, unless it was trying to bank on precisely that English image. We do, however, know what it means: a place you get a beer when you're in England. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wave]](graemlins/wave.gif)
