Fondren Public
| Address: | 2765 Old Canton Rd, Jackson, MS 39216, USA |
| Phone: | +1 769-216-2589 |
| Site: | fondrenpublic.com |
| Rating: | 4.1 |
| Working: | 4PM–12AM 4PM–12AM 4PM–12AM 4PM–1AM 4PM–2AM 2PM–2AM Closed |
Location
Photos 81
Reviews 14
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Ron Tatum
I have yet to have a good experience at this bar. I lived in the area before this place opened, so I was excited the first time I came back in town to try a new bar. The first time I visited, I was denied entry because my Texas drivers license "didnt look real." Apparently "real state IDs dont highlight the birth date." So strike one to them. The next couple of times I visited, I was allowed in fine, but was thoroughly underwhelmed by the place. Maybe I was spoiled from living in Austin for too long, but the beer selection was lacking, the staff was inattentive at best and downright rude at worst. The whole place just felt kind of grungy, but not in the good way like a dive bar. I tried to give it another chance, because the location is pretty great. (I like to go to dance salsa around the corner at Salsa Mississippi, so a nice drink or two beforehand would be nice.) The next time I arrived, I once again had an issue with the drivers license. This time, the door guy (who was a JPD officer) tried to confiscate my license for being fake. (Again, it didnt look real and my current hair wasnt as long as my picture. I knew JPD didnt hire the brightest, but wow.) I ended up having to call the police, at which point I was given my license back and told to "get out of here." That was a year ago. None of that angered me enough to write a review, until last Saturday night. I was back in town with my girlfriend (who is from Mexico and therefore has a Mexican ID) to show her where I had grown up, and we decided to meet some friends at Fondren Public for some drinks. All of us show our ID to the doorman, except for my girlfriend who is stopped by the JPD officer standing out front and told to just show hers to him. When he sees the foreign ID, he looks up and smiles, then tells her that she is not allowed in. I ask him something about "are we just not accepting Mexican IDs then? Her birth date is right there on it." to which he replies that if its not American its not accepted. So we leave, angrily. Im pissed off because of the smug way this officer acted when denying her access. I understand that the official rules are "state/government ID or passport," but the attitude of this officer was terrible. But the kicker, the thing that caused me to right this, was the little twinkle-finger wave and smug smile the officer gave us when we drove away. So in short: the bar is staffed by rude people, "guarded" by assholes, and isnt even worth the effort once you get in. On the bright side, now that most of the college binge drinking occurs at Fondren Public, the Bulldog is definitely a much better and more inviting place to drink.
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Jenni Watson
Its literally just "ok". There is not a darn thing wrong with the place if you just want a beer and some pulled pork sammies or fried pickles. But if you want an actual cocktail this is not the place to go. They cant make a martini. Martini is a pretty basic drink, its not asking a lot. Their "Mississippi Mule" is just a Moscow Mule with a different glass. If you happen to be somewhat classy and like good service the bartenders will make you aggravated. Tipping well does not give them the hint to maybe pay attention to you and not let you sit there with an empty bottle or glass. But thats not the sort of thing most people will mind and its not like they are jerks they just arent all that attentive. The waitresses are a little better if you sit away from the bar. They seem to understand they work for tips and make a great effort to make you feel welcomed and see to you.
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Doss
This is a great beer bar. The selection is way above average for the state. The staff is friendly and make sure youre getting what you want. Inside can be noisy at times, but you can always step outside to the back patio and enjoy your beer out there. Theres plenty to do here as well. You can play shuffleboard, bocce ball, cornhole, or the old-school table video game cabinet. The food? Its above average as well. Get the pub chips or some sliders. The Good: - Beer selection - Friendly staff - Good bar food - Lots to do other than sitting at a table and drinking with your friends - Great outside area - Clean - Pricing is spot on The Bad: - Noisy and crowded on some nights (hey, this is a bar right?)
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j.d. hays
This is the first review Ive ever given a place. Unfortunately I cant actually give an accurate review for the establishment itself because our(myself and two friends) time there was short lived. Security wouldnt let one of the three in. The reason was understandable as his license was worn out and tattered but the way in which the security/police officer treated the situation was the problem. He went as far as to ask him to leave the premises while we were patiently waiting for the other friend to finish a beer so we could leave. Three potential paying customers were lost. It may not even matter to them but it was definitely a poor experience that was treated very unprofessionally.
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Amanda Hawthorne
Awesome beer selection, great bar food, and excellent service. Between all the fun games (corn hole and the huge jenga outside), shuffle board, and board games inside, its a place to catch up with friends, relax, and unwind. The porkstrami, bbq, and breakfast sliders along with the Fried cheese are my favorites! Definitely worth giving it a try!
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Chris Copeland
Though Fondren, nor Jackson, is your typical college town, this bar is ideal of sitting just steps from fraternity row at a major university. It has cheap drinks, friendly staff, full of students, and loud. Comfortable wooden architecture throughout with a nice, large, covered patio for games and projection screening of sports.
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Matthew S. Poole
An awesome place i.m.o......good craft beer selection and usually good views especially in Saturday nights, particularly if you like attractive twenty and early thirty something women. Also has cool outdoor hipster games. Food is also better than average and creative although not spectacular.
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Zachary Leuschner
Smaller place, but that doesnt take away from the large hearts of the staff who were inviting at all stages of our visit. Definitely worth a stop if youre in Jackson and looking for local brews--they had probably 8 or 10 on tap during our visit.
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bobby hudspeth
1 star is more than this establishment deserves. The customer service is piss poor and the management is to blame. Last night was ruined by poor management and poor service. Dont waste your time here. It will only disappoint.
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Morgan Welch
Ive stopped in at this bar a few times visiting family in the area. Numerous TVs inside and out, good selection of local brews on tap, and plenty of games to boot! ( bocci ball & cornhole outside)
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rick odom
I love this place...great staff, diverse selection of drinks and beers. The bar is warm and fuzzy on this Wednesday afternoon...I would highly recommended Fondren Public.
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Caleb Zumbro
Fun place earlier in the evening, especially if you get to play cornhole or shuffleboard. But it can get a bit too crowded & almost impossible to get drinks some nights.
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Jacen Green
Christina is awesome and bold. She owns the place with her master bar tender attitude. Im from arkansas and shes amazing. definitely worth your time to visit her.
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Steven Smith
Great atmosphere, huge craft beer selection, amazing food, awesome people. There is a reason Friday and Saturday nights are always packed!
