Wooden Nickel Pub

Try the daily specials on the chalkboard, they are the fresh local items and are generally very good. The staples on the menu like the hamburger and the chicken wings are consistently good. Tuesday nite is wing nite with a dozen wings for the price of six. Always has a rotating selection of new and exciting tap beer, recently featuring the new brews from Mystery Brewing Co. Staff is friendly and hardworking. Keep up the good work; Thanks! more

The wooden quite simply has the BEST burgers in Hillsborough (if not all of Orange County). The staff are very professional and the patrons are very friendly for the most part. If you want some great food at a good price and some great conversation with some great people. Come on down to The Wooden Nickel. more

The best comparison for the Wooden Nickel is that it is like the pub in a small English village, only instead of british food it serves amazing American classics with a twist. The BLT, Turkey Club, Garlic Fries, and Burgers are all amazing! They use local (as in within 15-20 miles) produce and meat when they can. The service from the bartenders/servers is really top notch and they rarely forget a name. If you are looking for a great spot to grab some yummy local eats, a good beer and a good time try this Hillsborough favorite. My husband and I love it! Pros: The Turkey Club, BLT, Garlic Fries, and Bartenders! Cons: A bit smokey after 10pm on Fri/Sat more

Now I realize that everyone has a right to their opinion. I just can't see how some people obtained their opinions. I have been a patron at the WNP for years! I have NEVER had any issues with staff, owner or whatever. To describe the patrons as""Not too family friendly, blue collar, rowdy alcoholic crowd..... makes me chuckle! I suppose I am part of the ""Rough Crowd"" my teenagers would be so proud of me! As for bringing Children to the pub, I have for many years done just that. Not once have I had an issue with them being there. Now, on the weekends, as the evening progresses its probably NOT the best time to bring your children to the WNP....but it is after all a BAR and on the weekends, people like to let their hair down and have a good time....as a parent...use your own judgment and if you think its not a good place to have your kids TAKE THEM HOME! Seriously folks, its a great place to hang out and catch up with old friends! The bartenders are fabulous, and the owner is too! Pros: Staff & Food Cons: ? more

One the many benefits (or drawbacks) of the Internet is the anonymity it affords its users. Anyone with an axe to grind can easily hijack a website to orchestrate personal attacks on someone they feel slighted by. This is nothing new, of course. I am the aforementioned ""Drew"" you see mentioned in the one star reviews posted over the last 5 days. Judging by the timing of these reviews, I can guarantee you these originate from the same person. You'll notice the reviews go to great lengths to detail what a crappy bartender I am, how unprofessional I am, and rude, etc. etc. Without mentioned in specific detail WHAT exactly the problem may be, or why someone would spend this much effort to slander an 800 square foot pub, which had much positive feedback over the past 2.5 years (my tenure there). The person I suspect to be writing these reviews (who will remain anonymous) was asked not to return to our our bar after a series of incidents several weeks ago. Several young women accused the gentleman of groping them while on his way around the bar. After consultation with my co-worker we decided to give him the benefit of the doubt; after all, the bar was crowded and he was here with his Family. However, after his family left, he returned. He threw down a pen underneath a young woman sitting at a table and, under the pretext of retrieving the pen, attempted to look up her skirt. This was observed by a number of individuals who obviously took offense and quickly escorted the gentleman out of the bar. He sped off. When he attempted to return last Friday, June 26, I escorted him out of the bar, explained the situation, and asked him not to return. Of course, much like the Internet, his actions leave room for deniability, but too many coincidences, reported by unrelated patrons, leaves no doubt in my mind. I encourage people of all types to come to my bar to socialize. I know the names of many of my patron's kids and am just as capable of having a conversation with a 6 year old about Pokemon as I am at whipping up a round of tasty shots. After 10pm, people will probably be loud and the music will get cranked up, and I'll encourage comaraderie because, well, it's a bar. The only thing I ask is that people act in a manner that doesn't offend of disrespect others. If you can't do that, then you'll be warned. And if your actions are particularly egregious you'll be asked not to return, because, really, who wants a pervert in their bar? Perhaps this gentleman felt TOO comfortable here. Perhaps he felt the casual atmosphere allowed him to take liberties with others' personal space. If I am accused of making people feel comfortable, than I stand guilty as charged. Pros: Quick, personal service; interaction with other customers Cons: Small size means bar can be loud and crowded more

What makes this place unique or special is that it's still the only dedicated pub in this small town. Unfortunately, the current management has ruined the place for those of us that identify with the non-rowdy, moderate, civilized crowd. This place attracts just the opposite now days. Pros: not pretentious Cons: rough crowd more

Where to begin.. well, let's see, how about ""Drew"", the rude and short-tempered bartender/manager? This guy clearly has a lot to learn about professional bartending. The food? Well for pub grub, it's passable, but who wants to eat amongst a crowd of rowdy bikers and unstable barkeeps? The drinks? Just compare their prices with ANY other establishment. Just because it's the only pub in town, doesn't mean it has to gouge it's customers. I understand the WN was once a great little pub - too bad it's best days are apparently behind it. Pros: can't thnk of any Cons: rude staff, lousy food, pricey drinks more

The Nickel is a great place to hang out and enjoy a cold one. The food is excellent and the fries are to die for. We live in Virginia now, and always look forward to the Wooden Nickel when we're in town. Pros: fantastic food, friendly staff, fun atmosphere Cons: Can be really busy, but it's a bar! more

Food is varied,fresh and Amazing! Waits are wonderful! Best bar around!! Pros: Waits are the best!! Cons: absolutely none! more

Great tavern food, and drink. These people are friendly, have my guiness ready, and take great care of me. Pros: They know what I want Cons: there are no stinking drawbacks more

A surprising menu. This is a tavern and one normally doesn't get fresh organic veggies and house smoked meats in a tav. Artery choking, deep fried is available but there are options. The brisket, reuben, and BBQ are all superior. It is a tav. It has beer. It has loud, rude patrons at certain hours. When crowded, unless you are on the make, it isn't worth the noise. Late at night the classic eau de tav comes out and sort of puts off the more fastidious. It is a tav. Patrons on certain nights can be rude and inconsiderate. If they get out of hand staff and vigilante patrons run 'em off. Did I mention, it is a tav......with a surprising menu. Pros: In a life-time of tavern eating, this is the best of all Cons: ""special"" nights (especially wing night) draws trash more

My husband and I have lived in Hillsborough for 5 years. The Nickel is always our favorite place to go for dinner and drinks. The bar tenders are always friendly and helpful. Ted, Drew, & Jessica always know what we want to drink. There are always familiar faces in there and we have made lots of new friends there. It has a great atmosphere since it is a small town bar. The food is always great! Tuesdays are definitely popular with Wing night (Buy 6 get 6 free!) I highly recommend this bar to all of my friends. Pros: Friendly small town bar Cons: It closes at 2 am more

I moved back to town about two years ago and had a really hard time finding good friends and getting back into the small town scene. It wasn't until I stepped foot in the Wooden Nickel that I was finally happy to be home. Pros: Good people, good drinks, good eats! Cons: You never want to leave! more

They serve high quality food for bar food, especially local veggies in season! The seating is comfortable and flexible. If you frequent more than twice the staff make an effort to know your name and what you drink. in response to previous reviews: if you like to go to bars and get wasted and obnoxious don't expect the staff to let you make others miserable. If you get kicked out of the WNP you deserve it! Pros: Good food, quality service, freindly atmosphere Cons: small space, noise control more

Lucky for me my favorite bar is just two miles away. I would be more than willing to drive much further, but I don't have to. I often go to the Nickel with my sister and we always feel safe here. It's nice to know that the bartenders are watching out for the customers. Pros: Good location, Great food and Wonderful staff Cons: Often busy, but worth it more

This is the epitome of what a great small town pub should be - bartenders that know your name, enjoy what they do, and provide a great atmosphere to everyone. The food is great too! I appreciate that the barstaff eliminates those customers that are harassing others and causing disruption - they have no place in our town! Thanks! Pros: Friendly waitstaff, great environment, good specials! more

This once-quaint, small town pub was at one time friendly, welcoming and just a nice place to have a beer and meet friends. No more. After loosing there once- great staff (original owner became paraplegic after car wreck, and had to sell), remaining owner, Matt, hired an angry, inexperienced ""gentleman"" to man the bar. Enter the notorious ""Drew"". Hardly a true bartender, this guy not only lacks any appreciation of how to treat tavern customers (ie. respectfully, and with good humor), he seemingly patrols the establishment waiting his opportunity to create conflict. For some reason, he seems to delight in finding reasons to kick people out. Pros: only pub in town Cons: only pub in town more

I agree with the previous two reviewers. The staff, in particular ""Drew"", was very rude and disrespectful when I last visited. I was told to leave the establishment following some personal threats and false accusations from another person at the bar, which were completely unfounded. Drew never consulted with me or bothered to ask for my view or opinion. The Wooden Nickel serves a needed role as a local watering hole, and can provide a great community atmosphere, but as confirmed below the staff clearly has a lot to learn regarding professional behavior, and needs some lessons to improve their rude manner and understand how to treat all customers with equal respect. If you want a nice place to enjoy good food an drink, without the fear of threats or false accusations, visit one of the neighboring restaurants, Tupelo's or Gulf Rim. Pros: Great local ""spot"" atmosphere, in a small town Cons: Staff is rude and unprofessional more

Called manager, ""Drew"" regarding a complaint of a rude patron that he obviously knew once I described her as the blonde sitting outside the door. He defended her rude behavior in saying ""She is usually drunk...""He went on to tell us to come back tomorrow. I don't think so! A loyal patron for many years spending time and money there with family and friends...so much for local support! Drunkenness is not an excuse for rude behavior! Pros: Local Cons: Rude rude rude staff & their friends! more

This is the only real bar in Hillsborough but I would never go back. My husband and I went there twice. The first time was shortly after we moved (new to the area) and were wearing our favorite college team shirt after moving all day. Apparently, the owner took issue with the college and basically told us to leave the bar. The bartender apologized, saying the owner was kidding, but the owner continued to be rude until we felt we had to leave. He was also not friendly to other staff or customers. We decided to give it a second chance years later just recently and noticed the same ""owner"" being rude, argumentative, and arrogant. He was short to his own staff, rude to the other customers, and seemed to be using his bar as a place for his friends to gather rather than run a business. It was almost as if we walked into a party that we were not invited to. I was surprised the bar was busy, as most people were not there for him but were not treated well. We ordered food and it was very greasy and not worth the price. Very slow waitstaff. The fries were greasy and limp, the hamburgers were thin, and the presentation was in a basket with paper--all the grease soaked through and the paper broke up and into the food. Not a welcoming place by any means. We tried to give this place a second try, hoping that the owner had cleaned up his act and started acting in a manner more deserving of his position but we got the same unwelcoming and condescending attitude. I would not recommend this place to anyone and can't believe it's still in business. Pros: only bar in Hillsborough Cons: bad food, poor customer service, condescending and rude owner more