VOTE: What is the best bar in Clemson?
Clemson’s very own March Madness
Update: Please vote in the Final Four of Clemson’s Best Bar competition.
We’re officially deep into March Madness, so we figured it’s time to have some madness of our own. Although there are more than eight bars in Clemson, we narrowed down the field to create an eight bar bracket with random seeding.
We start with the first round match-up of The Esso Club vs. Kung Fu Cantina, Loose Change vs. TD’s, 356 vs. Tiger Town Tavern and Backstreets vs. Wingin’ It. Below we break down the match-ups, and highlight their food and beverage specialties.
The rest is left in the hands of y’all, the readers. Vote for your favorite bar of the match-ups until voting ends Sunday at midnight.
The Esso Club vs. Kung Fu Cantina
Old School vs. New School. One of Clemson’s oldest and most historic bars shows down against Clemson’s newest and most unique bar. While Esso Club has long been a game day hot spot, Kung Fu Cantina has jumped into the picture with their unique Mexican fusion food.
Esso is home to classic southern food with their always fantastic meat and three sides lunch special. It’s a classic bar with a classic selection of drinks. Their selection is old-school with “after 4pm” deals, such as $2 bourbon on Tuesdays and $2 16oz PBR on Thursdays.
Kung Fu Cantina’s Mexican fusion menu includes delicious tacos like the Hibachi Spicy Shrimp and Cantina Chicken. Plus, it’s the only place in Clemson where marijuana is legal – the fruity specialty slushy that is. Their slushy collection continues with a great frozen Jäegerbomb and frozen Irish Car Bombs. Along with these specialty drinks, they have a wide variety of on-tap beers.
Loose Change vs. TD’s
This showdown involves neighboring bars that are close in proximity, but distant in size. What Loose Change lacks in floor space, it makes up for in heart. This tight-quartered space always has a full and energetic crowd looking for a fun night. TD’s is one of the premier bars in Clemson to watch sports. Televisions at almost every angle and a deep menu keeps TD’s packed.
Loose has a solid variety of food, including the fan favorite “Bird Dog sandwich,” with fried chicken, spicy honey mustard, lettuce, tomatoes and provolone cheese on Texas toast. It’s home to beers on tap like Goose Island 312 and mixed drinks like Tequila Sunrise.
TD’s has a large menu, but has to be a favorite place for wings. Their specialty selection of wings includes flavors like TD’s All-In and Tiger Fever. It’s home of the famous “Goodnight Clemson” pitchers. This drink is as literal as it gets.
356 vs. Tiger Town Tavern
Neighboring bars that couldn’t be more different. 356 is more or less Clemson’s official club, while Tiger Town Tavern is more or less Clemson’s Dave and Busters. A sushi restaurant by day, 356 is emptied and turned into a night club at night.
Then there is Tiger Town Tavern, which has everything your heart could want. They have a plethora of TVs to watch, pool tables on end (including an upstairs pool hall), arcade games, miles of bar space to order from and even a spacious outdoor patio with an outdoor bar.
356 is the premier place in Clemson for great hand-rolled sushi, including $3.65 sushi roll specials every Thursday. It has a wide variety of litchers – liquor pitchers – including their Friday special of $1.50 mystery beer if you’re willing to test your luck without testing your wallet.
Tiger Town Tavern has your selection of bar food to cover your drunk munchies, including a great cheesesteak. They also have 60-cent chicken fingers during their popular trivia nights on Wednesdays. Thursday nights at Tiger Town Tavern offer mini litchers for $4.50 and PBR tall boys for $2.
Backstreets vs. Wingin’ It
An upstairs, downstairs and a great patio help make Backstreets a common place for locals and students to drop in for a drink. Wingin’ It has long been well-known for their Thirsty Thursday litchers, along with their projector screen and occasionally a mechanical bull.
Backstreets has a great Thursday burger special that includes a cheeseburger, side of fries and a domestic draft beer for only $7.75. With bars upstairs and downstairs, they have a popular happy hour from 4-8pm on weekdays that includes $1 PBR bottles.
Although Wingin’ It is known for their namesake wings, the chicken bacon ranch quesadilla is not to be missed. Wingin’ It’s Thirsty Thursday with $6 pitchers and litchers until 8pm is always a hit with students.