I've been here many many times over the last two decades. Always a solid choice for a local. Good beer selection and full bar means mixed drinks are plentiful. There is pool and darts in the side room. The staff is attentive. Be warned if you park in the lot and forgot to get a ticket validated it's like $25 for 3 hours! read more

The Wild Colonial Tavern - Pubs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Maia is the best! She was very attentive and great at conversing! She can also pull off a pretty epic back flip!!!! Wow!

Dark bar with tvs. It's a wonderful little simple bar. Decent beer list, minimal everything. A great name. Would be my go to easy default in Providence. read more

My friends and I were essentially chased out by the manager tonight. Really disappointing and honestly very combative since we love going to the Wild Colonial. We had a hard time getting served and then were antagonized by the manager. Seemed like they were itching for a fight and we were the youngest in the bar. Overall I love this place but tonight me and my friends sadly just felt disrespected. read more

The bartenders were busy-- but I assume this is normal for them since there are so many colleges around the area. Yet, they were rude and unpleasant. I used to go this bar when I was in college, but it is much different now with the unfriendly staff. Miss the old days! read more

I really like this place. The whiskey was excellent. I had the Ehlers and we played darts, which was super fun. I have never played cricket before. The vibe is definitely very much like an old English tavern with lots of brick on the interior which I love. Definitely a fun place to hang out. read more

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Short moronic power hungry insecure man holding a beer leaving the bar demanded an ID after I wouldn't speak to him, when I said no because he clearly wasn't working, he ran behind bar to tell useless bartender I refused to show him my ID. Neither would accept the fact that I thought he was joking/harassing me and made me leave even after I had offered my ID to the bartender. Both losers. read more

TL;DR: The atmosphere is still great, but the service has taken a serious turn for the worse. The new bartender was incredibly rude. Sadly, I now understand the negative reviews. I recommend skipping this place. I've been a loyal patron of The Wild Colonial since 2021. It's been my favorite bar in Providence. I bring every friend who visits to this spot. The drinks are solid, the crowd is fun, and most of the bartenders over the years have been great. However, my most recent experience completely changed how I feel about the place. I was overcharged for a $7 drink. This is not something I would normally make a big deal out of, but when I politely brought it up, the bartender immediately became aggressive. He yelled at me, called me a liar, and kicked me out of the bar. He even said, "you always do this," which is completely false and baffling, especially since I've been coming here for years without a single issue, long before he ever started working there. I asked if he could check the CCTV footage to clear things up, but he refused and insisted he was right, doubling down on the accusation. After this happened, I went back to look at the reviews and saw that several others have mentioned similar problems with rude service. I used to dismiss those comments because I'd only had positive experiences, but now, I unfortunately understand where they're coming from. It's really disappointing to see a place I've loved for so long change like this. I hope management addresses these concerns, but until then, I can't recommend it. read more

Great atmosphere! Demon cocktail drink was amazing. Reminds me of British pubs. Attentive service. Darts and pool table available. Fun bar! read more

Incredible casual hole in the wall bar in the heart of downtown. There are games to play like pool and darts. Service is from the bar and quick, depending on the number of folks there. We didn't try any food. Drinks are very cheap though! read more

The Wild Colonial Tavern - a beer and a glass of water - Pubs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Historic tavern located right on the Providence River, on the east side of the pedestrian bridge. The building itself is very cool, it's pretty roomy and the old style brick walls will make you feel like you drinking in a true colonial tavern. I enjoyed the beer list and they were all reasonable priced. They have a pool table, two dart boards, a couple TVs, and someone even came in with a chess set, so plenty of stuff to do. It's also close to downtown, so easy to find other places if you're bar hopping or just aren't feeling the vibe. read more

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I witnessed and experienced some of the worst racial profiling and racism at this bar tonight. Someone started walking up to only Asian and Black people, telling them they were kicked out because they looked underage, but they checked everyone's ID at the door. And while they were checking IDs at the door, they made only people of color sign a book with their name, date of birth, address, and signature. Would never recommend this bar to anyone. read more

The rudest and most condescending bartender I have ever met works here. I honestly don't know how his poor coworkers put up with him.

Super fun and down to earth bar. The staff was GREAT. They were very kind, approachable, and talkative, the atmosphere was lively. It got more busy around 9ish on a. Thursday, read more

The Wild Colonial Tavern - a pint of beer - Pubs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

This is a sweet family owned bar steeped in history where the drinks are affordable and the vibe is mellow. I WISH that these some walls could talk. I wonder what they would say They have bar food but I would only eat here in the case of emergency, don't come here if you are truly hungry -- they only have a microwave to make nachos and reheat mac and cheese. The drinks are reasonably priced and there is a pretty good dart board (ask for the darts at the bar) and a solid pool table. I would absolutely come back. read more

Loved this pub! Visited providence with my fiance and met up with some old friends. Definitely a divey type, but the atmosphere was a lot of fun and the local residents were all very inviting. Played some darts, took LOTS of shots and ate some nachos. Definitely can not complain at all! read more

Been going to this place for a long time. I think it's the oldest bar in Rhode Island. You could tell because the bricks were ancient and there's a weird musty smell in there. The drinks were affordable and it's pretty big with lots of tables around. They also have pool tables and darts. Across the street there's the river. They also have a huge parking lot. This place is definitely one of my go to places when we are bar hopping; I'd consider it a dive bar. The service is always good. I've actually never ordered food from there so no comment about that. It's one of those places you go for an hour and then mosey on to the next. If you're in the area, definitely stop by for a drink and think about all the people that used to go there in the past; and possibly all the ghosts lurking in the dark corners haha! read more

Musty, affordable, and dark. It's all the best things you'd find in a dive bar but with an unmatched beer selection. Great energy.

Parking: Large lot so no problems parking. Outside: could not even see or read the sign it is so old and worn down that luckily someone new where the place was or we would have drove right by it. Inside: You get the feel of a college bar from the 80's from the decor and feeling of inside. They have old school darts and a pool table to enjoy your time with some tables to relax in as well. Overall: It was a fun time with work folks but would not go back since there are so many other places to go to that have invested in their location and image. read more

The Wild Colonial reminds me of a dark, musty, hard to maneuver basement. The location has potential. There is beautiful stonework with a richly dark wooded bar area and tables. Unfortunately it is far too dark and the layout of the bar itself does not make for a sociable environment. My date and I weaved our way over to the bar. Literally moving left and right and retracing steps at times to make it around the inconveniently places high tables, narrow doorways, and crowds. On the upside, our mixed drinks were only $5 a piece and tasty at that! Found an empty table and began to survey the scene. We discussed that some corners of the place were so dark that we had to squint to see if there was anyone hanging out there. Special spotlights displayed the dartboards enough to make them playable. So many random walls and tables that each group of people seemed to be isolated from each other. The environment is certainly not one for mingling or socializing with others than the group you came with. Only 1 pool table and 2 dartboards available, making for a long wait if this was your plan for the night. Left after having one drink as there was nothing of note to stay for. A mix of a college and older aged crowd. I was surprised that on a Friday night they didn't have more going on entertainment-wise. Free parking lot out front at nighttime makes for a convenient situation when parking at other bars in the area proves to be difficult or non-existent. read more

The Wild Colonial Tavern - Pubs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Came here during St Paddy's day. Rustic, old interiors and very spacious with pool table and a dart board. Service was overall poor and felt completely unwelcome. Got a smithwicks and a hot potato which was ok. Also ordered the Reuben sandwich which took over half an hour to come when there were about ten people in the room. Anyways, disappointed with the service and will prob not be coming back. Only good thing about this place is there's lots of parking available. read more

Terrible people. Horrible service. Expensive drinks. Don't go here if you enjoy yourself and your wellbeing

This place has a brick and mortar architecture. The majority of the customer are college\frat guys. This is a different crowd than what I am use to. It seems to be chill atmosphere the girls and the guys are buddies playing pool and darts. They all seem to know each other very well. Almost like a cheers for college guys and girls "Little Rhody" (Rhode Island state nickname) edition. Lol. Unfortunately they don't have any white Belgium Ales, but the Lagunitas Czech Pilsner is not bad. The bartender knows his beer selection well. This place is probably not my thing. However, If you are looking for a very casual setting with plenty of space then you come here dressed down and blend in with the crowed. I posted some photos here read more

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Solid, historical beer bar. Living as we do in a land of limited options, where Stella and Guinness are often considered the peak of beer perfection, we need all the original, independent, Wild Colonial-style pubs we can get. Let's name them all together: Wild Colonial, Bayberry, Rogue Island, Captain Seaweed's, Nick-a-Nee's, AS220, and hey we can even throw in the Malted Barley, the Wickenden Pub and What Cheer. But a college town with only one decent pub in its entire "college district"? Alas, yes. And this is it. read more

Even though I've lived out of state for 7 plus years, this bar is my homecoming everytime I'm back in RI. I'm glad it is still around. Countless memories here with longtime Cranston friends as well as with the local East Side/college crowd. Last time I was here in 2018 was one of my good friend's toasts the night before his wedding. Great set up with tables and chairs, nice loyal staff, solid alcohol selection and some fun darts games! read more

I've been here about 10 times, mostly because friends dragged me here. The staff is rude, the atmosphere is generic and trashy, the interior is loud, the layout of tables is awkward, lighting is spotty in a sloppy way (not a charming way), and the food and drinks are nothing special. Clearly there was little to no effort put in to making the place look or feel like anything. If the exposed brick is construed as nostalgic, it is most likely an accidental artifact of buying an old building and doing as little as possible to dress it up. Inside, it has a way of making friends feel like strangers. read more

The Wild Colonial is somewhat overrated. The food on many nights can be rather basic. However, the beers are good. Recently we arrived in a large party of 15 with a couple of 19 year olds (early evening 6.30 pm - the ​place was almost empty) and they informed us it was the ​policy that they would not serve any of us. The 19-year-olds​ were not drinking alcohol​​l obviously, but they still wouldn't serve anyone. So not a good place for groups of varying ages. read more

(Customer Service Very Unfortunate Downside). I will never allow my money to fund this establishment. This was my one sweet spot in Providence while I completed my PhD program. A nice and cozy spot I'd religiously attend on a friday evening. Despite the expensive drinks this is a perfect place to wind down and enjoy some billiards or darts. The ambiance is top tier and if that's what your looking for this is the place. However, the service I received on my unfortunate last encounter was so disgusting that I will pledge to never return. A fairly new employee, not the typical loving bartenders that I have come to know, stopped me at the door and said that they would not allow any out of state Identification and suggested i go to a club, which "fits me better". He and his young friends were all on the outside portion of the establishment laughing at how hurt I was because this had been my bread and butter escape. The terrible part about this is that I had finally completed my final examination that night and wanted a relaxed toast with two of my close friends visiting from England. They then began to loudly claim how a yelp review wouldn't do anything to them and they have no problem turning me away after I let them know that I was a regular. read more

Cool vibe and good drinks. Virginia & I consider ourselves regulars Pros: - good atmosphere, rarely overcrowded, plenty of parking, affordable variety of drinks, pool & darts, laid back Cons: - Has an identity issue - doesn't know if it wants to be a sports bar or a rustic tavern - "Lighting is a bit too bright, should be darker" - Virginia - Music never fits the mood of the bar - a striking amount of patrons look like bon iver and half of them stand at the entrance and ask if you can "spit some spark" for their cigarillos our bartender (think his name was Collum) kept frowning at us from across the room and turning their wallet upside down and shaking it to see if there was any loose change. he walked by our table multiple times asking if we wanted him to take our drinks despite them being almost full. and when we'd say no he'd go "righteous" somewhat snarkily. turns out we forgot to tip them originally so it was all justified. overall, good place read more

There is something about this place that I love. It is so laid back, has an amazing selection of different beers on draft and lots of various liquors all for a reasonable price. I was told this bar was once part of the Underground Railroad but not confirmed. The interior has all exposed brick, very rustic. Amazing how they have preserved the originality of the building. They do offer a basic bar menu with some apps and some sandwiches/burgers. Now the food is nothing amazing but a nice addition. We got jerk chicken and cheese over chips. Not a great presentation but it was good and there was cheese on every chip and it was super cheap. There are lots of tables and since it there are several rooms you can chose if you just want a quiet area to chat or rather be with people at the bar. It is a no frills bar but a great place to not spend a lot and catch up with friends. read more

The Wild Colonial Tavern - Jerk chicken and cheese over chips, cheap eats and cheese on every chip - Pubs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I'm one of those people who tends to write Yelp reviews when I really love or really hate a place, so the Wild Colonial isn't the type of place I'd typically review. But last night I got home from an event there, and when I told my stylish and plugged-in wife where I'd gone, she said, "Ooh, I hear that place is really cool." I've been there several times, and I was taken aback. The Wild Colonial? "Really cool"? She hit up Google and found that the Wild Colonial has received numerous accolades over the years, including an astounding nod from Esquire as one of the 50 best bars in America back in 2007. Oddly enough, this actually made me kind of upset. I thought about coming here and giving it a two-star review just to be a jerk. But I can't justify that. This is a three-star bar, nothing more, nothing less. I have a generic dog, and when people ask what he looks like, I tell them to close their eyes and imagine a dog. Close your eyes and imagine a bar. You just saw the Wild Colonial. "Oh, so it's a dive?" my wife asked. No, it's not really a dive. It's just a bar. What more is there to say? The drink selection is fine. The bartenders are fine. The food is mediocre. It's not too dirty, not too clean. The design of the place is competent. It's allegedly historic, but it doesn't look or feel historic. The crowd is sort of young and kind of hip, but not in an intimidating way -- like Providence. There's pool and darts, those are good things that you often find in bars. I want to keep describing it, but there's really nothing more to describe. True story: The first time I ever got roped into going, I checked out photos online and got a little sad, because I don't get to go out to bars all that much and I felt like it was a missed opportunity to go to a cooler bar. Going there didn't change my mind, nor have subsequent visits. Want to have some drinks at a bar? You could do worse than the Wild Colonial. One of the best bars in America? Ridiculous. One of the best bars in Providence? Not even. read more

Whatever you do, don't order food here. The waitress/bartender/electrician/chef/only person working on a Saturday night advised us that they were unaware if there was any chicken available. Virtually every item on the menu had chicken. We decided because we were really hungry to order nachos and hummus. The way the nachos were cooked there is a high probability that they were put in the microwave. One of the options for nachos is to get corned beef on it, which under normal circumstances would be 3 steps away from heaven. The corned beef was so salty all of us should probably go to urgent care to make sure we don't have heart damage. The bathrooms are not clearly labeled and the doors are left wide open. There is no mirror in the men's room and the paper towels aren't in a dispenser, they are just left on a windowsill near the sink. Some positive things about this place are they have 2 dart boards, a pool table, and a very eclectic bar. A gin and tonic will run you $6. The vibe I got was that this is a good neighborhood bar, but this is not your neighborhood bar. Avoid indigestion and eating at wobbly tables by getting food somewhere else prior to checking it out. read more

There were two of us who walked in for a round of Thursday night drinks. We approached the bar and the bartender was on his phone. No one else was at the bar, yet we waited for two minutes before we were able to get his attention. He then proceeded to put his phone down and took our orders. After this, he returned to his phone to resume web browsing. We continued to wait at the bar for the drinks, yet he remained on his phone. We grew impatient over the next few minutes and decided that we wanted to go elsewhere for drinks. Once we exited the tavern and looked through the windows while walking, we saw the bartender had immediately put his phone down and answered the three new customers that had just walked in. We have never experienced such poor customer service at a bar like this and were extremely disappointed. We will not be returning to this tavern again. read more

Drinks are fine, whatever. Here are my issues: 1. Last call is ridiculously early. Like 12:15 for a bar that closes at 1:00. But more importantly... 2. No Car Bombs (or Fiats) because they are offense. Give me a break. Apparently a Bloody Mary is fine to order here but a car bomb (not an Irish Car Bomb, mind you) doesn't fly. Utterly stupid. What's next....no Sex on the Beach because someone who hasn't gotten laid in a while might be offended? read more

I used to go to the Wild Colonial every other Sunday for trivia, and I really wanted to like the place, but I've finally just accepted that I don't. I'm going to write this review in a hit or miss style. Miss--The trivia is fun, but they give you no time to actually discuss an answer. The questions are incredibly long--more of a short essay than a trivia question, and they read them twice. While they're reading them, they get upset if you talk (which makes sense), but then they expect your answers right away after the second reading. There's no time for any kind of discussion so unless you already know the answer, you're pretty much done. Hit--Good beer selection and perfectly poured Guiness every time. Other reviewers have complained about the lack of cheap beer, and given the dive-y atmosphere, that's fair point. Personally, I drink Gansett at home and go to the Wild Colonial for a draft Allagash. Miss-- Slow and often rude service. I really hate to single out one person, but the brunette female bartender has been dismissive and downright rude to me and people I've been with every single time I've been there. She acts like she's doing you a favor by taking your order, and even though I've never ordered anything remotely complicated, filling that order is punctuated by heavy sighs and a layer of attitude that is just unnecessary. A friend of mine made the mistake of ordering a martini once, and the bartender proceeded to fill every other person's order before even starting it. It took 30 minutes. If you hate your job so much, quit. Don't take it out on me. Hit-- I like the vibe and the layout, it reminds me of some circuitous English pubs I've been in, and there's no trouble finding parking. What I don't understand, is why they don't seem to use the first bar area right when you walk in. There are some tables there, but not many, and that whole bar is always unlit and piled with glassware. It's like you walk through a garage sale to get to the actual bar in the middle space. Get some more tables and turn the lights on, guys. Hit-- Nachos. They're good. Miss-- Service, yet again. This is a bar that has a lot of regulars, and that's cool, but sometimes, as a non-regular (even though I went there every other week for a year and a half), you feel like the staff are barely tolerating you. I know it's rough working in a bar, and I know that customer service can be draining (cause I do it every day), but I am a dream to serve. I'm not picky, I say thank you so often it's ridiculous, I'm polite and I make sure I'm ready to order right away. Yet I often leave this place feeling like they wish I'd never come. I've spent a lot of time and money at the Wild Colonial, but it certainly doesn't feel like 'my' place by any stretch. I'm sure, in the future, I'll go there and have a nice time, but it's not somewhere I can get too excited about. read more

This is really a no-thought sort of bar - as in, why not? Let's make it easy, let's do The WC! That is unless you are looking to have more of a "fancy" night because this is definitely a casual dress pub. And...that's just how I like it these days! The crowd is really all over the place, so anyone will fit right on in. I love anywhere with a pool table and darts. I've been to this bar with a group and it was great, and, I've been there alone and had a great time. People were really eager to talk! Bar service is really quick. Food totally works for what it's supposed to be - bar food, probably best if your focus is on drinking/happy hour and need to eat. read more

How have I NOT written a review of this joint.?! Seriously, Betsy? Seriuosly? I've been coming here since college, and I will whole-heartedly recommend the WC to anyone. Good beer selection--you can get Allagash White, Strongbow, and a handful of other above-average beers. Plenty of tables--you can sit and have an actual conversation. What I really like about this place is that it's low key. Play darts, chat, have a few beers, and never wait in a line for the ladies' room. And y'all KNOW I love me a good exposed brick wall. read more

I go here for the darts. And that's because there's no where else worth bothering in Providence. No matter how long you've been a regular customer, don't expect anything reasonable from the bar tenders. Reliably Prissy bitchy and entitled. Just plain unprofessional. Granted there is one good bartender, he is a cool dude. ( he's not blonde and doesn't wear a hat).. read more

So the Wild Colonial is more of the Mild Colonial in my book. Super low key and a great beer list to boot, I pick this place when I know I want to have a relaxed evening out, rather than balls to the wall, go go go night. The exposed brick walls and dim lighting really makes you feel like you travel back in time. The narrow doorways and seperated rooms give it an old charm. The bar is well kept too. This place has an extensive beer list, which is great. They have a limited draft selection, maybe 10 or so at best, but the selection of bombers and bottles are great. If beer is not your thing, they do have wine and a full bar. Yet, don't expect to do shots or chug beers here, they do not take kindly to it. You can also order food here. I have only had a cheese plate so I cannot judge the other options. You do get a pretty good amount for the price so I cannot complain here. read more

Still not a fan 5 years later. Though the beer selection has gotten better (and the draft lines are really clean). Service is still pretty bad and the one bartender with the snotty attitude I experienced 5 years ago is still there. And they got rid of the huge scotch collection! read more