Pub Review: The Fillmore Pub

A new pub opened up recently in of all places, downtown Plano. It's called The Fillmore Pub, and take it from me, it's in an excellent location. Located on the south side of 15th Street, just walking distance from the DART station, at the entrance of the downtown business district.

For years, my friends and I would go to Jorg's Cafe Vienna. It is an excellent Austrian restaurant located on the brick streets of downtown Plano. The only problem was that was it - nothing else was open to bring in a "nightlife," unless you counted Kelly's Eastside (however, due to the over overly obnoxious use Aggie paraphanalia, and the most sophisticated beer being Shiner, that doesn't measure up to being mentioned.)

A little over a year ago, with our bellies full of that good Jorg's Schnitzel, we passed this empty building at the corner of downtown. "Man, wouldn't this be an awesome location for a bar?" I remembered telling Kevin. We both looked in and said it would be perfect... in fact, WE should open up a bar right here!

Of course, that was the Bavarian Biers talking. But, it got me to thinking - why couldn't I open a bar? Then I started to think about it and realized how much work it would have to take. So, the thinking ended there.

About 6 months ago, the same scene happened again. Only this time we saw that the building was open, there was a sign notifying the public of the pending alcohol license, and we saw someone inside working. Sure enough, it was the owner - a large bald guy in his late 20s or early 30s with a thick beard. He was cleaning up and said that he hoped to have the bar open within a month. WOW!

Since it's opening, I've been to The Fillmore Pub (couldn't find a web site) several times. If you're in the Dallas area, I'll compare it to a smaller version of The Idle Rich Pub. However, for the non-smokers, you'll like the Fillmore due to Plano's "No Smoking" ordinance.

When you walk in, you'll notice the numerous tables strewn about and along the walls. The seating is open, so just grab an open spot. The woodwork is rich and dark, and the bar occupies the far corner of the room.

They offer mixed drinks, wine, and beer. I even saw some girls drinking margaritas. However, the drink of choice is beer. They have about 15 on tap. Look for the chalkboard to see their new beers. Last night they listed Unibroeu Maudite and Delirium Tremens. Their beer list in bottles is impressive (too many to list).

The atmosphere is lively. They have several flat-screen TVs that are tuned to whatever sports event is on, but most people are focused on their conversations. The waitstaff is pretty good - in fact, I'd say they're on-par (if not better) than the waitresses at the Idle Rich. They're prompt and accurate, and their attentiveness never leads for an empty glass! Very important!

I noticed most people were eating either the Fish and Chips or burgers. One of the the cool things about the food is you get to choose your side - fries, chips, soup, or salad. So, I picked a cheeseburger and a salad. As far as burgers go, it was pretty dang good.

Overall, this is going to be added to one of my typical "haunts." However, my hunch is its popularity will only continue to grow. We arrived around 7 but by 9 it was extremely busy.

So take some time to visit The Fillmore Pub in downtown Plano. And, if you go early, end the evening at Jorg's. Your belly will leave happy!