This place had a change in management last summer. I came in during that summer before the change and also in March to meet some friends who still attended UCI. I am a fan of this new management and the changes they've implemented as well as what they kept. First of all, you don't have to pay with cash only! Before that would be the case, but now you can pay with card as well when you order a pint or pitcher at the bar. It would be somewhat annoying to always have to take out cash at the ATM's and an even bigger hassle if they weren't working. The pricing for the beer is about the same as before and they still have their happy hour specials as well. The best option when ordering drinks is to get a pitcher and split it with friends or with yourself if your drinking alone for some reason. The food items and recipes have changed at the pub. My usual order here is always the Stoner Tots and you can see the difference in appearance an taste if you've been a regular at the pub like myself. Overall, I still enjoy coming to the pub. Till next time! read more

Words cannot describe how much I love the pub.... especially now that I'm in quarter club. Some bullet points of why the pub is so freaking awesome: 1. beer... on campus... yessss, you really learn to appreciate the uniqueness of the beers 2. Happy Hour specials from 4pm-7pm ($1 off pints, $3 off pitchers). You won't be able to find cheaper pints (for the quality of beer) anywhere else in the OC 3. They have TVs for sporting events and fun events such as comedy nights, magicians, and trivia 4. They play good music!!! I hear Ratatat, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Justice, Band of Horses and other stuff alll the time. They don't play Pitbull's 5 songs over and over. You have no idea how grateful I am that I don't have hear "I Know You Want Me" whilst drinking a beer. My recommendations even though they switch out their beer all the time: Snakebite- It's a mix of a cider (Raspberry or Pear) and a Stout (Blue Fin or Dragoon's); you can never go wrong with this* Great White Wheat- lighter beer, delishh* Purple Haze* Pizza Port Red New Belgium Trippel Any of the Hefs (Mission or Karl Strauss)* They had this Mint Chocolate Stout for a short while Irish Stout* Raspberry or Pear Cider*- if I'm feeling girly.. but it has the same alcohol % as the other beers Brother David's Triple * = they always have it w/o * = I'm not sure if they always have it In terms of food, I've always been a fan of their french fries and BLTs. read more

Anthill Pub & Grille - Yayy roommates in quarter club - American Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is great for after finals or midterms (drinking your sorrows away?), or if you just want to catch up with friends. Great selection of beers. You can get a pint or a pitcher. There are ciders too. Food here is really good. I love their angus burgers. Their regular and sweet potato fries are delicious too. Same goes for their nachos, all their other burgers, and basically the entire menu. Come for happy hour! Discounts on beer and food. Although I have never been to the pub for happy hour myself. CASH ONLY! But there are ATM's right outside, so you'll be ok. read more

Love this place. I think I've been here twice a week for the past month.. I guess that's what happens when you're stuck in Irvine for summer school! Love the selection and the abundance of IPA's and how Arrogant Bastard is always there for me when I need it. Happy hour is amazing. $9 for a pitcher of Arrogant, are you serious? :)))) Got the sweet potato fries every. single. time.., and they are THE best I've ever had, which is saying a lot since I don't even like sweet potatoes! The patty melt is also good, the curly fries taste like jack in the box.. but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, the grilled cheese is aiighttttt, but the angus beef burger + provolone + guac + bacon is amazing! Who woulda thought, haha. Grill marks and everything! The place is chill, it's cheap, its super convenient, the chairs are comfy and its yummyyyyyy. Good times. read more

This is one of UCI's semi-hidden gems. Set against Irvine's and UCI's beautiful yet mind-numbing perfection, the Anthill Pub is a true cool place to hang out. Lacking a central boulevard of bars and restaurants for students to decompress, UC Irvine is lucky to at least have this pub with its interesting beer selection and really good prices. The food has never disappointed and the staff is very nice. I love coming to the trivia nights with OC Pop Quiz! (Still haven't won yet, though.) read more

Anthill Pub & Grille - American Near Me - Irvine, California

Great place to grab some food or drink while on campus. A bit hard to find though, but completely worth it once you do!

This place is AWESOME for beer. But every single food items I've had here is sooooooooo BLAND. I'm a vegetarian, so maybe that's why the food has sucked, but I feel like their biggest issue with food is that they don't add any salt AT ALL. Now I'm not big on salt by their guacamole is like just mashed avocado, no flavor! Their pico de gallo just tastes like tomatoes in water. Their chips are just like tortillas. I spent too much on really bland food. But their beer selection is often good and at great prices. Just don't eat here unless you're drunk enough to enjoy anything! read more

(+) FREE 21st birthday litter!!! That says "it's my f*cking 21st!" on it! (+) free birthday pint every year after your 21st (+) stoner tots! Or stoner fries! Or stoner curly fries! (+) you're allowed to test taste beers before buying it (-) gets SUPER crowded during happy hour (-) actually, stoner curly fries were a bit too salty for me read more

Anthill Pub & Grille - Stoner fries and mission hefenweisen - American Near Me - Irvine, California

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Scott the manager says that he's thinking about expanding the kitchen hours starting next year! That's amazing! imagine it, its 10:00PM, you just got out of a night class, stomach is grumbling and you need a cold brew to wind down your day. HELLO ANTHILL! Their selection is seasonal, but always great! read more

I'm in here wayyyy too often chugging beers and (not so successfully) doing homework. Music is a little loud but that's what headphones are for. The food is good bar food - carne asada fries, chicken strips, burgers, etc. Staff is super friendly! I wish they stayed open later during summer, but what can you do? As of now, hours are 11a-3p and bartender said they'll be open later once the quarter starts. I'm mostly writing this review to say - if you want a brew on campus accompanied w/ some more than decent food, this is the place to go and prices are pretty OK. Easily my favorite place to hang out on campus. Only reason it's not a 5 star review is because the music could be better (hits from 2012 only slap so hard lol) and the hours, but really there isn't anything wrong with the Anthill. A UCI gem, forsure! read more

Decent on campus pub. The food isn't the best, some of the sandwiches are flavorful but kind of dry. But the portions are good for the price, as entrees do come with chips and salsa. but the selection of beers is not bad (though mostly recognizable and common domestic ones like Karl Strauss, Widmer, Stone, Deschutes, etc.) Reasonably priced, especially with the happy hour, and not a bad choice considering how few places there are to drink in Irvine. Cash only though -- for both beer and food -- so that's annoying. read more

Anthill Pub & Grille - curried chicken sandwich - American Near Me - Irvine, California

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Amazing on campus experience. Honestly let down by the lack of ants. Really expected more ants. All in all, great experience. Also, consider investing less in TV's and more in an ant farm. It would really excite all of us Ant Fans! read more

Well I may be bias because I went to UCI, but the staff here is always definitely friendly. The beer selection is decent, ranging from 8-20 beers on any night. They got wine too but this is definitely a beer place. They also got some other things on tap, but you have to ask about it. There's a quarter club thing where you come in everyday for the quarter and get a beer... you get your name on the wall and your name on a mug with beers for a quarter each. Dont know what their policy is now but it was that when I went there. It gets crowded on the evenings, especially Friday night, but theres usually enough room to sit. Not the kind of bar where you go to pick up chicks, but a bar to hang out with friends, watch a game and enjoy the beer. read more

Anthill Pub & Grille - heff - American Near Me - Irvine, California

Sadly my first visit to UCI's campus pub will be my only one, as it is closing July 26th, 2017 as it's 10 year lease is not being renewed. My friend, Van D, is an alumnus of this school, and she wanted to bring me here so I could see it before it closed when we were recently visiting her old college campus to see a theater performance. It is historic, after all, as she had her first legal drink here ;) Upon walking in, I could see how popular it was for UCI students and faculty alike. It was quite busy when we walked in this early evening. We got in line with our cash and ID's, as is the drill, and ordered our drinks from the board in front of us which stated the available beer and wine. There was a counter area and tables and chairs throughout the floor space that were pretty much all occupied with people. I could see how this served as a hangout and great meeting place for so many here on campus. There was food available in the grille area but we passed as we had an early dinner elsewhere. Service was prompt and efficient by the bartender who helped us. We ordered a stout and an ale and my friend reminisced and amused me with her many fun experiences here as a student and graduate at this pub. I was happy and thankful that my bud brought me here to share in the end of an era. I can see why Anteater Pub and Grille is so beloved on this campus and know it will be missed by the many students and faculty who have spent countless hours being here! read more

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It's a cool place to go have a few cheap microbrews after you just handed a ton of homework from your a-hole professor. I went there to meet a buddy who went to school there and id go back there again but fair warning. They are not open on Sundays which is insane since there are dorms on the UCI campus and football is frickin crazy bank. Bring cash cause they dont do plastic. Apparantly they have been open for a few years so go there if you go to school there. if youre into microbrews its a cool place to check out. ill go back for another few brews and maybe eat there next time read more

Happy hour here is just the best. It helps that I get out of school around 5, during the prime happy hour time! (from 4-7). For happy hour, pints are a dollar off and pitchers are $3 off. This means that a pint will now go for about $3-3.50 depending on what you get. I just love how they carry microbrews. As a novice entering the world of beer this is the type of environment where you can really just go and try a bunch of beers and learn the different characteristics of different types of beers, plus they taste realllly good. You can also get samples of whatever beer you want to try before you actually buy a pint, which is great if you're new (they taught me what a porter is!) They also carry strong ales usually a double IPA, and these are damn tasty, esp the Summersmith omg so goooood. And food? food here beats most of the other places around campus like Phoenix and BC, on both price and taste. Get the sweet potato fries which are served with a great chipotle ranch, the patty melt is decent. oh yea and word of advice for new microbrew drinkers, these beers are strong! I always knew i had a low tolerance but after 1 strong ale and a pint of dogfish head, i was on the floor.... maybe I should've eaten something first, I'm getting fries next time. read more

Anthill Pub & Grille - what the pub looks like after 3 strong ales - American Near Me - Irvine, California

This place got me through my senior year. There was nothing greater than having a couple of beers in between classes and chilling out in the Anthill. As stale as campus life is at UCI (compared to other schools), the pub is a nice options. They have a good selection of beers to choose from and some ciders. The staff is friendly, and the atmosphere always seems mellow. Go Eaters! read more

On campus, good service, unique beers and happy hour. That's all you need to know to motivate you to check it out. A great meet up spot to chill or eat. Happy hour is 4-7 pm. I love how the board on the wall says "if you saw it on TV, we don't have it." I'm a big fan of supporting small businesses and you'll definitely see some names you've never seen before. Stoner fries are hyped and overpriced, I find the carne asada to be dry and my friends agree. Get the chicken quesadilla instead. Well worth your money and a large portion is given. You get to drink out of a huge birthday mug for free on your birthday with your choice of drink. For the people not trying to get super buzzed, you can also get cider for it too which won't hit you as hard. read more

Whaaaaaat is this place?? It's kids playing at being a bar. Service was horrendous. Came with a coworker after work- only 1 other person seated at the bar yet the bartender wouldn't look at us or acknowledge us even though he kept walking by us and we were trying to get his attention. We finally order drinks and want appetizers but the bartender is ignoring us again but a manager walked by and we asked to order some appetizers. He acted completely weirded out and confused and kept asking us if we had a tab and what the name was and couldn't just add food to our order of drinks. Time to leave and of course still couldn't get the bartenders attention. Finally do and he comes back and tells the total instead of bringing us a receipt to review...? Oh and the food isn't great... hardly any options that aren't fried and nothing healthy... yes it's a pub but this is 2018!! read more

In today's standards... the pricing here is cheap. I love tater tots and this is the place I go to .. Tater tots with Carne Asada, Cheese Sauce, sour cream, salsa & Guac for $10! That's a deal in my book - You can't even eat it all... I think that's even cheaper than fast food burgers. If you like your fries smothered... this is the only place to get them if you love them to still be crispy when you get home. read more

AFTER DOING THE QUARTER CLUB...I have grew and found a passion for drinking beer. The selection and variety is amazing, and how cool is it to drink on campus?? With the beer selection and the many HD TVs, this is usually my go to spot whenever I need to take a break from school, or when there is a big NBA game going on. WHAT KIND OF FOOD SHOULD YOU EAT?? GET THE STONER FRIES...its the Pubs version of carne asada fries.. UNTIL THEN!! ^-^ read more

Quarter Club.. i went to the Pub more than I went to class that quarter.. but hey my name's on the wall now so yay. Happy hour 4-7 Every Day $1 off Pints & $3 off Pitchers. These are good deals if you're doing quarter club because without it, you're spending over 2 bills on beer. The food is a little overpriced but your options are better than some of the other food court choices. UCI students should already know this. If there's a big game going on, the pub is insane. Gotta love all the TVs though. And this is the best kick it spot on campus. Avoid the heat, grab a few drinks and get your night/weekend whatever started. Cash Only but there's ATMs at the other end of student center. read more

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Oh, you think I'm bias. You think that I'm giving this place 5 stars because I went to UCI and am in love with this place. Well, I didn't. Haha, but I do like this place a lot and some of it might be because of influence of my friend V and a good time overall. The pub at UCI is pretty good. They have a good selection of beer, and their food is suppose to be good too, though I have yet to try. Tables do fill up and people do like to get pitchers and just chill, but this doesnt mean there isn't any room at all. The tables may be filled, but you can always find a spot at the bar, or just standing. The place is cash only and I really appreciate that they have a spot at the bar for people to order from. Makes it a lot easier than pushing through and looking for a gap to wiggle through to get your order in. Also, cash only. And the bathrooms are clean. Clean bathrooms at a bar are a necessity. read more

Anthill Pub & Grille - Beer! list. - American Near Me - Irvine, California

I've been going to this place since 2014 and have never been disappointed. One of the most underrated items is their burritos. Try out the carne asada and be amazed. With the new remodel this place is cleaner and more efficient than before. Drop by with a few friends for a brew or to watch your favorite sport. I'll definitely be back again read more

This place is awesome! Perfect for a midday drink break, or after class destressing. Located right next to the student center. I love their stoner fries! Definitely my favorite item on their menu. You can also substitute the fries for tater tots. Remember to bring cash, as it is cash only! read more

Anthill Pub & Grille - Stoner fries - American Near Me - Irvine, California

A great place for groups. Probably the most affordable place to grab a drink in Irvine. Good happy hour every day from 4-7pm. ($1 off pints, $3 off pitchers). Great selection of beers! I like to come to Trivia Tuesday nights (8-10pm, $2 buy in per person) The food is what you'd expect, though the stoner tots are a guilty pleasure read more

I'm a recent alumnus from UC Irvine but I find myself always coming back here. The Anthill Pub has an excellent selection of beer & even the occasional tap takeover with local breweries! Happy hour is from 4-7p everyday where you can get a few bucks off of pitchers and a couple off pints. The food here is typical bar food. I can't recommend the stoner tots enough. Even the California burrito is pretty tasty. The only thing holding me back from giving them 5 stars is the rising prices. A couple years ago the stoner tots were $7 and now they're $9. Other than that, excellent atmosphere, drink, and food. PS: cash only! read more

Classic UCI landmark. A lot of good and fun memories were made here during my time at UCI.

The pub is a fantastic place to unwind after a long day or week with coworkers and classmates (and even local Irvine residents unaffiliated with UCI). They have a good selection of craft beers and basic wines, and have great prompt service. Their food and appetizers are average but tasty and have very prompt service with making the food. My absolute favorite part of the pub is actually Trivia Night, which happens every Tuesday at 8. It's always fun to have a drink, laugh, and have friendly competition that sometimes leads to actually winning money! Things that I wish the pub had: an electronic payment system and a greater supply of their beers! I have been here on several occasions when my favorite beers have been out of stock, and it's not as fun to settle for a second best beer. Overall, whether or not you drink I totally recommend stopping by the pub for a good time at all times of the day. read more

I've been here a few times and haven't experienced any problems until recently. The old man running the joint seems to be really entitled and just a mean spirited Scrooge. Just because you managed to pour the beer without spilling, doesn't mean you deserve anything you Grinch. I was going to tip him in any case, but for some reason he thought I wasn't, so he just sarcastically went "Thanks for the tip." I was shocked that 1. Someone would be so rude and 2. then expect a tip. I tipped him anyway but seriously, that man should just retire already with how unhappy he is. Save us from your rude company. When I went there for my 21st, I loved it. But I think it was because the guy tending the bar then was actually nice. You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar you miserable man... The food is okay, and even then it takes too long to come out. Cash only. read more

Sadly, I don't think that I will be returning here barring a change in management. The manager/owner, SCOTT WINTERSTEIN, found it appropriate to touch one of the bartenders and kiss her on the head (unnamed for privacy). She was pretty distraught over this incident, but did not wish to report the matter. When she attempted to contact Scott, he simply ignored her. You don't even have the decency to acknowledge what happened? What gives you the idea that such behavior is appropriate in the first place? Absolutely pathetic. Nothing against the Anthill Pub & Grille. I just have no desire to see my dollar go to creeps like Scott. read more

Feeling cheeky with your friends, well this campus bar is right for you. After long day of studying and pondering about your future, it is always nice to have a place in campus where you can let loose and indulge one self with some liquid courage. Conveniently located in the middle of the UCI, students flock here day and night to congregate. With the reasonable price of a lager, a pint or two wont break the bank. The atmosphere will set anybody in a drinking mood. (Whatever that means) Very spacious, bar is decent and lighting is just right. Cash only, Yup! Perhaps that is one reason why the food here is reasonable. The food is surprisingly very good, its greasy full of carbs, and deep-fried, Perfect nutrition for the college lifestyle. Great bar, good crowd and generous bartender, this should be enough to make your college life a lot easier. read more

Okay, I'll admit it - I'm a little salty. During my time at UCI the pub was either this tiny little spot on the second floor of a student center building or it was *closed* for renovations. And after I leave they open up this fantastic new pub with a great beer selection? You're killing me, Smalls! Well I suppose I can't be too upset. I'm still local, so I can enjoy one of the few places in Irvine with a nice beer selection. The pub also hosts tap takeovers - events where a brewery will take reign over the pub for a day and have an expanded selection of brews for you to try. Within the past few months they've had Stone brewery, Green Flash, Saint Archer and Russian River takeovers amongst others, really cool stuff. They also host trivia nights every other Tuesday and oftentimes have video game nights hosted by the Fighting Gamers @ UCI group. Lastly, if you've got the munchies try an order of stoner tots - like carne asada fries except with tater tots instead of French fries. 5 stars, Anthill Pub. Zot zot! read more

What would I do without you on campus, Pub. I love that you are ever only a few steps away from my classes, I love your burgers, your mountain of curly fries, your amazing APPLE CIDER BEER. And how did I not know about your secret menu. Must. try. stoner fries! :] read more

Any complaint I have about the Anthill Pub should be met with the qualification that I'm extremely grateful for its existence. That said... Cons: the food is pretty bad. One time I had ok catfish and at least the pulled pork sandwich is cheap, but there's not much else to say about the kitchen's offerings. It's cash only, which is inconvenient but keeps the prices down. Service can be spotty, although it's generally ok, if not a tad inept at times. The owner of the place is kind of crabby, but I'm pretty sure I'd be the same if I were serving beer to college students all the time. He's pretty vigilant about people not getting too wild. Grad students get a bit more leeway than undergrads (rightfully so, imho) in this area, though. Pros: beer, beer, beer. The taps selection is excellent, not too high-priced, and during happy hour downright cheap. There are lots of tables, although they do fill up quickly. Sometimes there's live music and a lively atmosphere. It's Irvine, it's a campus with a boring culture and terrible transportation options, the Anthill does what it can. I can hate on some of their events, sure, but honestly I think the pub does a good job given the materials it's got to work with. Party on, pub. read more

Because I don't drink beer, my experience here is probably radically different from most people's: this is a food-only review. Yes, it's the only late-night place to hang out in the area, yes, everyone's friendly, yes, it provides an invaluable sense of culture, sorta, for the campus, and I am glad it exists, mostly for the benefit of my friends. But I don't like their food. They put some weird chili cheese Frito-esque powder on their tortilla chips, and every time I've had an order of chips, half of them are good and the other half are wacky from some inexplicable (and constantly changing) reason. They'll be either soggy or hard as a rock. Sometimes they're bendy, like a Gumby. The pulled pork sandwich is a huge helping of pulled pork, but the meat is overcooked and tough and the bread falls apart the instant you pick it up. The salmon bacon sandwich is somewhat better, in terms of edibility, but the fish is also overcooked and the whole thing is absolutely soaked in oil. I watched the presidential debates of 2012 here, which was my mistake, since I couldn't hear a word over the din of undergraduates busy not caring about politics. They did turn the subtitles on the TV on, though. read more

After my midterm I definitely needed a drink and I have never been to the Anthill Pub so I thought why not? The beer is cheap but there isn't a big selection and the service is slow and a little rude. (I guess I would be too if I had to deal with drunk college kids all night.) The place wasn't packed but I guess for a Tuesday that would normal (mostly grad-students.) They do have the Three Philosophers which is a pretty tasty beer. It's a great place to go for a pitcher after class but I wouldn't make a Friday night out of it. Oh! And it's Cash ONLY!!!! But they have Wells Fargo, BofA and like 3 other ATMS right outside for your convenience. :P he he! read more

Best place for beer in the OC. How do I know? My boy Scott runs it, and runs it right. For those folks who think the prices are too high, please take a look at what beer prices are everywhere. Unless you live in a cave - and by the looks of things, some of you do - you are aware that beer prices have shot up markedly in the past three-five years. Take a drive to Hollingshead's Deli in Orange to see what the average price for quality draft beer is since it is the only comparable place for 30 miles. Scott is trying to do you a solid, kids. Thank him for turning you on to the wonderful world of suds for a reasonable price. The food is serviceable, but remember this is a pub. Pub fare is pub fare, but you likely came here for the libations, right? And here's a tip for you Yelpers: Stella Artois blows. It is a fourth-rate lager that is outclassed by a great many products, a number of which are made locally, and is peddled by InBev, a huge conglomerate that offers swill like St. Pauli Girl and Oranjeboom. If you want a good lager, try a Victory Prima Pils or take in a Craftsman 1903. Craftsman is made right here in Pasadena, is brewed lovingly by Mark Jilg, and is a beer that Scott has on tap regularly. Holly T. deserves a shout out for making a very helpful reference to Mark, who is truly a brilliant brewer. Expand your horizons for $3 a glass, folks. Think global and drink local. And then tip your bartender. read more

Two stars only because the happy hour prices are great but the owner needs to adjust his attitude. I know a lot of people come here but if your the owner you should be happy you get the business not get all grumpy with patrons. The other bartenders are nice but the bad attitude from the owner can rube off from on the good workers. Just watch out during busy hours because table seating is very limited. Also I have read another post about the owner and tips and I totally agree. It seems like he intimidates some patrons into giving him a tip. I have seen him do that and he tried it on me once and I gave him the "Are you serious?!" look. I have no problem tipping the other servers because they look happy and at least smile or fake a good attitude but this old man might get a tip from me if he smiled and said "Hi" once in a while. read more

Pliny the Younger - thank you. For those unfamiliar with the pub, just research the following two and you're golden: -Parking -Happy Hour read more