Preservation Pub

Very expensive bar. The only good thing is the selection of bottles. And the food is decent. However, the one and only time I have been they completely messed up my bill and over charged me for some of the bottles. $ 9 for a regular IPA! I can buy a whole 6 pack in store for that. I understand $ 5, that’s the norm, but not nearly double that. They really need to work on their prices.

Tough place to have a good time — I keep going thinking it’s going to get better, and it … doesn’t. Always a cover charge at the door, heavy cigarette smoke, the band we saw on Thursday night there was just plain terrible, which seems to be «de riguer» but the capper is obnoxious drunks who think squeezing the body parts of any female within arms length is funny, and a staff (or owner?) who apparently thinks it’s funny too. There are plenty of other places in downtown Knoxville, find one and go have a good time. This is not the spot.

Decent pub food for cheap. Not a bad selection of beer either.
Bar tenders are always friendly.
Three floors. First floor is for music and smoking. Second floor is smoke free and often has sports playing it open mic comedy. Third floor is rooftop bar with limited selection to drink but great view.
The downside is the cover at the door almost every night. Last week, during the local college football game when the area is DEAD there was a $ 10 cover… I live downtown, I’ll just go literally anywhere else for free.

I want to love this place. I really do. It’s a classic Knoxville establishment, they have a good beer selection, live music, and the roof top bar is to die for.
Unfortunately, I just can’t bring myself to go here most nights. The biggest reason is that, despite it being 2015, this place still allows smoking inside it’s doors. It’s hard to enjoy myself knowing I’m going to stink when I leave. From all the years of alcohol, smoke and sweat, the whole place just has a funk about it. It can also get pretty crowded and I’ve heard a lot of women complain about sexual harassment in the form of unrelenting advances and groping. Apparently the staff isn’t too responsive to complaints about this.
I still go from time to time, mostly during the day to enjoy the roof (where at least the smoke dissipates better).
I’m all for Keeping Knoxville Scruffy. Can’t we do that without cigarette smoke and unruly bar behavior?

Super cool three story bar, I’ve visited 5 times before writing this review as to be able to produce and provide a proper aspect of preservation pub. I really enjoy the vibe and the roof top bar, cheap beers, smoking inside if that’s your thing. I haven’t eaten here but I imagine it’s the best food, check her out, she’s a good old girl

Ceci est un avis sûrement biaisé, car la seule et unique fois où j’ai fréquenté ce bar, c’était un chaud soir d’été et j’y ai bu un verre avec mon cher et tendre sur le toit, avec vue sur la jolie place de Knoxville, Sur laquelle une troupe de théâtre jouait une pièce de Shakespeare.
Outré le moment parfait, donc, le service était très la et les boissons vraiment pas chères.
L’intérieur du bar né fait pas rêver mais sur le toit, nous avons passé un excellent moment!

What a cool find! With my first trip to Knoxville I wasn’t sure where to begin. I had multiple people mention Preservation Pub so I knew it had to be worth stopping by.
With three floors it offers a range for everyone depending on what you are in the mood for. 1^st floor is (unfortunately) smoking therefore I am taking away a star. But it gives a casual pub feel. 2^nd floor has live music and 3^rd floor has the magic tree with a view of Market Square.
I also only gave it 4 stars because there was a cover on a Wednesday night. I thought that was interesting.
Staff was very friendly and I will def be back!

I went to the pub on ⁵⁄₁₁^th 2015 and had a beer.
The beer was $ 3. I paid with my credit card, including a tip of $ 0.5, so the overall bill should be $ 3.5
I just found out today that i was charged $ 4.5, which means someone changed the tip from $ 0.5 to $ 1.5
I am very sad about this. I tried to call them today (Monday) around 6 pm. No one answered. They are probably busy at this moment.

I like to go here, but a woman isn’t safe drinking here anymore. I’ve been groped randomly, harrassed, and witnessed other women (friends and strangers) harrassed too.
Shows are packed sometimes, and a random guy groped my butt in the crowd. It was purposeful and he tried to run, but I caught him in the crowd and started punching.
People pulled me off, and then witnesses came forward to him groping me. Security refused to kick him out after I reported it with the witnesses in tow. Only after he harrassed several more people, was clearly bombed out of his mind, and tried to sit at people’s tables he didn’t know, did the bar get the message and get him out.
I’ve thought about posting this review with just that story, but really more serious things then that have happened. This is the only bar in Knoxville that I’ve had to clearly tell men I am not interesed in them and to leave me alone, becaue yes, I really am here for the show. It’s gotten creepy. That has happened at least 3 different times. It’s not easy here as a lone female or with friends, and my friends have had men refuse to leave them alone.
I’ve literally had to tell a man «My friend told you to leave, and you’re going to. Right now.» He tried to say he was going to order a drink around me and moved up on her. She told him to go away again, and our male friends had to step in to our defense.
Another woman randomly walked into my circle of friends another night clearly panicked. She started talking about how a guy wouldn’t leave her alone. The guy followed her up to us and my male friends had to physically stop him and ringed around the females with her in the center of us. The guy was seriously to drunk to be in public. Security saw a real fight building only becuse we were very close to the door, and got the drunk guy outside.
They need to be more responsive to sexual harassment allegations. On the groping issue, I realize now I should have gone out and alerted the police who patrol market square, when security did nothing. Go get the cops if it happens to anyone out here. Pres pub is letting it go unchecked. They’re only kicking people out if they’re clearly hammered, no matter the behavior.

Staff were great, great selection of beer.

Good pub, great view from the roof bar with cool ambiance. Great selection of beer and 3 floors to choose you poison.
Good recommendation for a pub in market square.

Great place, good beer and great staff.
This place offers a great atmosphere to hang out and have a drink. Location is great!
Will def be going back!

This is one of the coolest bars in Knoxville. The clientele is interesting and diverse, the beer selection is awesome, and the staff is friendly and knowledgable about the various beers. The prices are reasonable and the bar food has been reliably good. Most important, it’s one of the few places left for a smoker. I know smoking has become a social taboo, but many smokers still exist and want to have a beverage and a smoke without having to go outside and stand next to a dumpster. There are so many bars (virtually all of them) that cater to non smokers, so I’m happy that Preservation Pub remains as a last bastion for smokers.

Was here last night to see some stand-​up comedy, think they call it Underground Comedy, but it’s basically an open mic, so it’s hit or miss. The show is Sunday from
8−10pm so I encourage fellow Unilocalers to come out and enjoy local
Comedy. There’s no cover, no two drink minimum, so this is a cheap date. The show was definitely blue, but the crowd was great, very generous with their laughter. Sat at the bar, they had pints for 3 bucks which was great. They do have a limited menu of pub grub, ordered the Mediterranean Chicken and was a bit disappointed with the lack of flavor. I like that this place supports local comedy, I’ll be back to listen to More soon.

Having to pay a cover to drink at a bar is unfortunate. I usually do not venture to market square to drink, unless a friend is playing a show here. A good mix of people, and is always open. Even in the ice storm of 2015! They have three floors, which is great when you are trying to purposely not say hi to someone. The roof deck is perfect in warmer months, and include fans to keep you cool. The food here is good, one of my favorites being the vegetarian meatball sandwich!

While in Knoxville traveling with a few co-​workers, we were enticed to check out Preservation Pub based upon their extensive beer collection. We probably should have gone somewhere else.
First, we got there about 6pm on a Wednesday night and were asked to pay cover. No biggie – but we expected to see a live band – where we sat upstairs, we were entertained by one of the bartender’s iPods for the evening.
Secondly we asked for a food menu and beer list. «It’s gone missing, but we have all that,» says the server as he signals the taps at the bar. Hmmm.
We each gave our beer order and then food – selection included pizza, sandwiches, wraps – typical bar food. He also asked for a credit card to start a tab but would not accept any of our American Express cards. From what I understand, not accepting AE is not a thing anymore. One of us surrendered our personal Visa. Shortly, the server came back to confirm our meals again. Now that i look back on it. I’m pretty sure he was high.
So we only drank beers from taps that we could recognize from across the room and munched on sub-​par bar food. We had hoped to hear some local flavor as this seemed to be the place to catch a live show. Instead, we heard a ping on the speaker every time the bartender got a text.
Unless you have a good, specific reason to go here. Don’t wander in. It’s a let down.

I’m not a huge fan of anywhere that makes you pay a cover. My girlfriends wanted to go here, so I followed along. The place is nice, fun and very young (college town). Multiple levels and I did see people ordering food.
They had a band playing that was LOUD and not that great. Small dance floor and you are constantly being bumped into just walking through or standing in the back.
The drinks are standard bar drinks. I always get beer. The bartender didn’t have much of a personality. The bathrooms are large and writing everywhere. Not the cleanest but serves it purpose. Parking can be tricky sometimes too.

I’m giving this place 4 stars simply because
Of the outdoor venue. The rooftop area during the summer, for those of us without
Pools, has water misting units and great music. Also, $ 2 beers on Sundays. The unfortunate situation here is that they still allow smoking inside, which is odd. In this day and age smoking indoors should be out.

Absolutely one of my favorite stops in the country. This place is a dream come true for traveling musicians. Good people, good community, awesome vibe, and passionate people! I can’t get enough!
Music every single night, with enthusiastic crowds, professional sound, a beautiful stage, and a convivial space just can not be beat. Go here!

My favorite bar in Knoxville. Love the rooftop bar and the vibe of this place.

My band, out on tour, was told that we would be kicked out and not payed if we played loudly. The «entertainment manager» who was unapologetically telling us this (after we loaded in and set up, less than half an hour before set start time) had no idea he had booked a punk rock band and was un willing to compromise. «We ain’t no punk rock club». Apparently «any loud music would make his patrons leave» and he would apparently blame us for this. This is a textbook «cheat a band out of money/​gig» play.
This was not the promoters fault, it falls on the «entertainment manager» who is bad at his job. He is also like a thousand years old so I’m not surprised he booked a punk rock show and had no idea that he had done so until the bands were about to play.
(Thankfully the promoter handled the situation like a PRO and got us paid for an impromptu «acoustic» thing.)
I also saw the bar manager letting people in through the back door, which of course cheats the bands out of cover money. Not a huge deal but still very unprofessional.
Last nail in the coffin– this bar allows smoking indoors so everything reeks of stale smoke and get worse throughout the night. What year is it again? People still smoke inside restaurants? Gross!