The Old Canal Inn
“This is a place filled with cool history like "The Death Seat" and sitting along the old site of the Morris canal.”
“In the back area, they have a pinball machine, beer pong simulated game and a shuffleboard.”
“It's part local dive bar, part gastropub and part local music venue.”
The Old Canal Inn
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
5 reviews
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I'm ashamed to admit that I lived right around the corner from this place for almost 5 years before finally dropping in. It's a total dive but apparently they've cleaned up the dining room a bit and finally fixed the "C" on the giant neon sign out front that used to read "Old Anal Inn."
Decent draft selection, an even better bottled beer selection, and a huge shuffleboard table.
Unlike most dives, this one takes credit card.
Plenty of parking in their lot.
Been here a few times in the past year, and this place continues to impress me. It's part local dive bar, part gastropub and part local music venue. I'm starting reconsider the last few years of my life when I insisted on heading 20 minutes away in order to enjoy some craft beer when I could have gone here instead.
My first recent trip to OCI was to see my friend's band play. The entire upper section was dedicated to the show, and their friends were able to enjoy themselves without fear of bumping into people who just wanted to sit down and have a brew. This upper section had smaller, but still full, bar and a relatively decent beer selection.
In the lower area is the main area complete with games (one of the longest shuffleboard tables I've seen), more tables and the bigger bar. Here you'll be able to pick from at least 20 different beers, including some relatively rare beers.
If you're a beer aficionado, experimental or just want to have your name nailed to the taps, you can earn your way into the Old Canal Inn Craft Beer Social Club Membership. This requires you drink all 45 beers on their list. Be forewarned that 10 of the beers are seasonal, so you'll have to come in at least once a season. In addition to letting everyone else know you're an alcohol using craft beer as a justification, you get to take home a banner with your name and a member card.
And if shelling out $6 x 45 isn't your style, you can enjoy their $2 PBRs.
Another bar that I wish was much, much closer. We walked in to country music playing and what looked to be a few regulars at the bar. We checked out the game room then settled in at a high top table in the bar area. This is a place filled with cool history like "The Death Seat" and sitting along the old site of the Morris canal. Service was fast and friendly and we loved that happy hour was 12-7 Monday – Saturday. $2 PBR drafts were perfect as my husband beat me in 2 rounds of arcade beer pong. That's right it's an arcade version of beer pong, $1 per player per round and well worth it. There is also a shuffle board in the game room.
We ordered mac n cheese bites and chicken fingers and both were good bar food quality.
The dining room raises this out of complete dive bar distinction but we both commented on how we like the feel and history of the entire place. Looks like there is outdoor seating off the dining room for the warmer months. Very happy we made the trip.
I just don't get the "Part Dive bar part Gastro Pub" comments/reviews. This place is all dive bar that happens to have a newer addition on the back.
I actually enjoyed the forward bar the best. Greeted by the divine dive bar odors, all I wanted was a cold can of PBR and roll of quarters to play the video games. Instead I went to the back part to have a bite to eat with friends. The place was packed with regulars at large tables making It impossible to get a table. We went to the bar to order some beers. Too bad the bartender was all of about 22 and completely without a clue as to what any of the local beers on tap were. I asked for an amber and she promptly gave me a sample of an IPA? Still shaking my head. She presented a beer menu and just I ordered a Shiner Bock. My friend ordered the Blueberry beer and after 5 minutes was told they didn't have any cold and offered to put a few on ice. (Sorry I don't know any gastropubs so poorly run)
Found a table, ordered some overly salty onion soup and had one of their burgers. It couldn't have been any more of a frozen patty. Just awful!
This place just isn't worth the trip unless you don't have a car and need to walk or if your car breaks down on the GSP and you need to walk up the hill and find a place to sit while you wait for help. Do yourself a favor, sit up front, grab some quarters and order a PBR and think if me. Trust me, you'll thank me.
Ps the 2 stars is only for the well aged dive bar smell. You just can't fake that.
I had a great time here. Gave the feel of a small, neighborhood bar with a homey touch. If that makes sense?? Lol. We came here on a Friday night and the crowd was a bit older but we still had fun. The bartenders served with a smile and were really nice, friendly. In the back area, they have a pinball machine, beer pong simulated game and a shuffleboard. We played those! They also have a touch tunes jukebox which I love! Upstairs in the dining room, they had a local band playing and they were really good! Their menu could be bigger, but they have a decent selection of finger foods.