Stroudsburg Pub Crawl after a hike to Sunfish Pond, Delaware Water Gap

There are many great hiking trails around the Delaware Water Gap. One I have always wanted to walk is a leg of the Appalachian Trail and leads up to a precious place called Sunfish Pond. It's a somewhat strenuous hike, about 3 hours on the way up, but well worth the effort. The trip down is a lot easier, took us just over an hour. Daughter, Nell, and I loved the hike and rewarded ourselves with another adventure to some of the great pubs in and around Stroudsburg, PA., on the other side of the Delaware Water Gap bridge.

We started off at Rudy's Tavern in East Stroudsburg a classic 50's bar that looks like it has not changed much....

At around 5:15 on Columbus Day afternoon Rudy' bar was filled with regulars. Rudy's doesn't look like much from the outside, not like the fancier Irish pubs in Stroudsburg. Once inside you may feel like you just traveled in a time machine. It looks pretty much the same as it must have in the 50's but unlike many bars of that era Rudy's is not run down. It is clean and very well maintained. Not a dive bar, rather a local watering hole, the kind I often pine for. We started off with a couple of Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) drafts. Boy were they delicious, a perfect thirst quenching refreshment after our invigorating hike.

In addition to the rectangular shaped bar there are tables and booths for dining. We looked at the bar menu that offered a wide range of sandwiches and the like. If it was a little later we would have tried something. Other patrons rave about Rudy's famous hot dog filled with cheese and wrapped in bacon or their Pork Roll with cheese and grilled onions and simple fair like liverwurst on rye with raw onion and brown mustard.

Our next stop was Flood's in Stroudsburg a modern Irish Pub designed to look old. The great thing about Flood's is the vast and I mean vast selection of Ales and Lagers they offer. The long bar must have 20 taps of all types of beer. Then there is the bottle selection that spans the world. The woman tending bar new the beers well and was able to guide us through tasting a few. If you are a beer lover Flood's is the place to go.

People rave about the food too. "Great Wings!: The food is great!" - yahoo.com ... "The bartenders are slow to respond, and are average at best when making drinks" - beeradvocate.com... "Flood's has a great beer selection and good microbrews on tap" - insiderpages.com ... "March 17, 2006 Great wings and burgers" - ratebeer.com ... "Best Burger in town!" - thepoconos.com

Another great Irish Pub in Stroudsburg is Siamsa Irish Pub just down the block from Flood's. It is probably the most upscale place in Stroudsburg. I had lunch their a few months ago and was very pleased.

"Our last stop was a very lively place outside of Stroudsberg downtown called KC's Pub. Now there is something to know about Pennsylvania bars. In PA tavern owners can opt to allow smoking which they do at KC's. The place is very friendly and serves a tremendous burger but the smoke can be a little overbearing at times. On the other hand if you feel like lighting up you are free to do so.

I liked the vibe at KC's. "The place has a lot of good reviews. Best bar in Stroudsburg hands down. Located off the strip about a mile, just far enough from ESU to not be considered a college bar. Great food! Make sure you try the cheese steaks. Highly recommended. Live music Thurs-Sat and the only bar with NO COVER. Great staff, cold drinks, best music in town, and the nicest bar owner in town."

Rudy's Tavern 90 Washington St, East Stroudsburg, PA