Nick’s Tavern and Deli

Beer lovers in the Clemson area unite! So many great beer offerings and some of the tastiest bar food in Clemson. It’s a fairly dive-​y place but in a cool, hipster way. Service is fast and friendly and the crowd is good natured. It’s a small place, but even on game day it took only a 5 minute wait to nab a seat at the bar. I love this bar!

Great beer selection! My wife had wine, but would have preferred a mixed drink (only beer and wine available). We ended up not eating there since the menu was not appealing to the whole crew, but there were a variety of good choices. I will be coming back for the beer and hopefully try the food next time.

The beer selection here is great, the bartenders and patrons are very friendly and the food is good. I had a couple Steel Head double IPAs on the recommendation of a regular, and the French dip sandwich with onion rings. Definitely a dive bar, but in a salt of the earth way. It almost seemed like a members only club… everyone kinda knew everyone else.
They could invest in stools that fit their bar, without ruining the ambiance. Other than slumping by myself at the end of the bar, my experience was pretty good.

THE BEST CORNDOGS YOU’LL EVER FIND. I love this place for a good lazy afternoon where you have to do work or meet up with a friend to have a few drinks and chill… AND HAVE A CORNDOG. Another reason why I appreciate Nick’s is because it is one of the only bars in Clemson where you can have a comfortable conversation and can breathe instead of having sweaty frat boys yelling over you to get to the bar. The only reasons I’m withholding a star is because I can see some people being uncomfortable in this environment (which is silly but true) and because I love me some dirty martinis and this place doesn’t have liquor, just beer and wine. Will be missing it now that I have moved away from the Clemson area!

No doubt about it… this is my favorite bar in Clemson. The only alcoholic beverages they serve are delicious beers instead of the crap and liquor you’d get at all of the other bars in this college town. The ambiance is very relaxed and has great music. I’ve had the awesome opportunity to listen to some great bands play live and have met some interesting people here. It’s pretty small, but well worth a visit. You’ve got to order the Kasteel Rouge, a Belgian favorite of mine at 8% ABV.
I just wish it were a bit bigger because it can feel awkward just standing around the bar. Though the beers are good, some of them are overpriced. Overall, a great atmosphere and change of scenery from the other unoriginal bars in Clemson.

Not a bad place for the location. Anything is better than Backstreets Pub!

Best bar in Clemson!!! Hands down great service, great staff and decent prices. If you want crappy service check out the Backstreets Pub and Deli, the owner will even insult you…

Awesome place. Great food and the service was exceptional. Best place around this area.

I do not care for the everyday commercial beers.
Nick’s gives you a lot of other choices.
The food is good as well as the service.
Nice atmosphere.
Will visit again.

Great beer selection! Love the atmosphere. The thing I truly enjoy about Nick’s is that it is so different from everything else in Clemson.

It’s a Clemson staple that I hold dear to my heart. Been stopping in since turning 21 in 1997 and every time I’m in my hometown. Never know what sort of interesting people you’ll run into in Nick’s. Not to mention their pub snacks are tasty too. Lots of great choices to soak up all that delicious beer. Ken (the owner, at least I still think he is) has always prided himself on keeping the most delicious (and the more budget friendly) beers on hand and on tap. The college kids here tend to be a bit more mature and refined and aren’t there to gorge on Meister chow and «grind on bitches» — if you like dark, off the beaten path beer pubs. Go here. And get some chicken tenders while you’re at.

Good atmosphere and plenty of interesting beer and wine. The fact that Nick’s doesn’t serve those disgusting pitchers of candy-​colored mixed drinks probably keeps the raging undergrad contingent away. I often like the music; in fact, the whole bar is comfortable and kind of hipster in a good way. My main complaint is the food portions, which are diminutive… that, and soft pretzels should be on the menu!

What the world needs is more Nicks! It’s a quaint local dive bar in the heart of Clemson. If you want to get away from the college/​jock, obnoxious crowd, then Nick’s is your place. Every night we went in, the bartenders were soooo nice and we made new friends at every turn. Nick’s is the cheers of all bars! I want one in Charleston!

While it’s not as good as it gets, it is VERY GOOD, especially for Clemson. They have several local micros and Belgians, some that I’ve never seen on tap. It’s definitely a dive type establishment, but that adds to the atmosphere. The folks running the place are nice, quick to strike up a conversation.
It was kind of weird watching A&E’s Intervention, which happened to be about an alcoholic, while in there though. Probably not the best choice for TV, but that’s just my opinion.

Best beer in town. So many great choices. You should also really try their food. I have never eaten anything I didn’t like from this place.

Nick’s is the only place in Clemson with any sort of respectable beer selection, and is therefore frequented by grad students and professors with a smattering of more mature undergraduates. The draft selection changes frequently, so there’s always something seasonal and always something different to try. They also keep dark beers on draft for those who prefer, as you really can’t get them anywhere else in Clemson. There are a few wines. No liquor to be had here, and as with all bars in Clemson, closed on Sundays.
Debit/​credit card minimum is $ 10, but you can buy canned beers to go or you can pre-​pay a tab at the bar. I’ve taken to paying $ 50 at a time on a card and then using that credit whenever I’m at the bar. Bartenders prefer for the tip on these accounts to be dealt per beer or per visit so they can reap the rewards of their work shift to shift.
Food is American pub fare, either cold, grilled or fried. Bartenders work the kitchen during the day and afternoon, and the owner comes in the evening to help out. PCB basket is a grab-​bag of all things fried, including kielbasa sausage chunks, fries, onion rings, mushrooms and chicken fingers. A must have drunk snack at kitchen closing time. Hummus pita, grilled cheese, an actual kielbasa sausage, burgers, etc. Standard American. Veggie friendly.
Tables can be reserved for parties but you’ll often find yourself standing in the evenings. If you’re planning to make a night of it, arrive early for a table.

I was introduced to nicks as a new grad student this past fall, and I have to say i have not been disappointed. They always have a great variety of beers available, from cheap to pricey and from common to some hard to find seasonals and microbrews. It’s hard to predict what will be there all the time, but the upside is that you can usually try something new.
As far as food, I’ve had the sandwiches and fries and they’re definitely on the better side of bar food. The fried stuff is served with an array of sauces, some great some not so great. Portions and prices are good, and everything is served straight forward with no dressing-​up.
The space is like a dive bar, but without the dinginess. No tacky stuff on the walls, just lots of wood, stickers, and signs. right up my alley.
One downside is the space. Because this is such a great bar, it’s inevitably crowded during any time someone might normally visit a bar, such as thursday-​saturday evenings. I prefer to go on a weekday afternoon to get a brew and study with friends. It’s quiet and the beer is way better than the beer they serve in the library.
What do you mean they don’t serve beer in the library? well then, definitely go to nicks.