It’s no secret that San Juan, La Union has grown to be one of the top tourist destinations in the North today. And as someone who grew up in La Union, I’d say that the nightlife in this part of town has changed exponentially. Of course, a lot of people will agree that a night of partying can be made even better with the right drink in your hand. And because we’d want you to have the time of your life when in La Union, we’re sharing our new favorite place for awesome drinks and great food: Ol’ Pub.
It’s called “Ol’ Pub” because it’s the “good old pub” that you’ll definitely come back to whenever you’re surfing the waves in San Juan. It was also a play on the name of the owners’ father, Pablo.
The first thing you’ll probably notice once you step inside Ol’ Pub is the vintage-rustic ambiance of the place. When I say vintage, it’s not just some attempt at having an old classy feel to the place. The interior of Ol’ Pub is peppered with actual vintage stuff that the owners found in their father’s house. There’s an old typewriter, old clock, old camera, and other vintage stuff that’s all about cars.
Most of the furnitures and details of the place are actually made from recycled materials–even the tables and chairs!
But the highlight of the decor is the actual US war jeepney from the 1950’s on display by the entrance of the pub. On other days, numerous big motorbikes are parked out front, adding to the vintage-meets-motorbike/car theme of the pub.
The owners, a four-man team–namely, JC Valero, Paolo Ortega, JB Valero, and Luzan Ortega-Valero–shared that it all started with the love of beer. The first goal was to start up a beer garden in the Surfing Capital of the North, but they decided that it shouldn’t just be exclusive for the beer-drinkers. And so, they added amazing food to the menu.
In a nutshell, Ol’ Pub serves Pinoy pub food, and one of the goals of their kitchen is to put unique twists on normal food. The owners also shared that the items on their menu are products of their own food preferences and collaborations with great chefs. And being foodies themselves, they brought their own flavor into Pinoy favorites.
KFC (Php 129)
One of their bestselling starters is the good old KFC–or a combination of the Pinoy street food kikiam, fishballs, chicken balls, and hotdogs. It’s the perfect beer partner for those who just want the traditional Pinoy pulutan.
Satay Balls (Php 209) Â | Â Sausage Platter (Php 269)
For those who are into “international” starters, there’s a bit of everything for everyone. They have the Sausage Platter which has four types of juicy and very filling sausages–ones that will get your appetite going. The Satay Balls are for those who are into Macau’s famous seafood-style street food. These two starters are so good, I’m not even lying. These will keep you munching until you realize they’re all gone–and then you’ll order for more. Plus, I’m not even exaggerating when I say that the flavors of every single one of these will literally burst in your mouth.
Tuna Poke Bowl (Php 319)
They also have a Tuna Poke Bowl which is literally the best poke bowl I’ve ever tasted.
Spaghetti Bolognese (Php 209) Â | Â 3 Cheese Pizza (Php 279)
For those who crave for just the good old pizza and pasta, their 3 Cheese Pizza and Spaghetti Bolognese are among those that you should definitely try. I especially liked the 3 Cheese Pizza because of the added punch brought by the jalapenos.
READ ON FOR MORE OF OL’ PUB’S AWESOME FOOD AND DRINKS!
