The Old Venice Pub

I am a frequent OVP patron all days of the week. I love the atmosphere and energy the staff gives and the music that is played is perfect - might be because I pick and choose from my vast personal selection. I love that the bartenders hang with the clientele (even after work) as it shows how much they love their job and their customers. I had one of the best nights last night ... although there was one man who killed the vibe a bit, but we still had fun!

Always have a great experience here, especially when Zoey is working. She’s friendly, professional, and genuinely cares about making sure everyone has a good time. The atmosphere is fun, the staff is attentive, and the service is consistently solid. Zoey always goes above and beyond, and it definitely doesn’t go unnoticed. Highly recommend this place.

The term dive bar often refers to a place where one would not like to be found, but for many of us, this is a place where we escape to. Nestled in the far end of Venice Avenue, there lies an uncrowded bar that specializes in only beer and wine. Yes, it is a dive bar. There isn't much to be found other than an open air establishment that has a nice small balcony from which you can enjoy your beverage, get out of the sun, and watch the world pass by below. Yes, smoking is allowed here so for many, that will be it's downfall. I've learned to sit upwind, and it really wont bother you much. Service has always been friendly, and it does seem to cater to the local residents here. Wish there were more places like this around...

Great place full of friendly locals. The staff are amazing! We were served by Casey, Ryan and Zoe. All are great at their jobs and made us want to come back!

Been here many times Thursday-Sunday, decided to come on a Wednesday and found the weekday staff is absolutely horrible and should not have a job in any form of hospitality. Please reevaluate your staff and employ those which aren’t going to give your business such a bad representation. (Bartenders coming in off shift and drinking at the bar, while also still going behind the bar. Also skipping whatever songs they dislike on the AMI jukebox.) More of a frat house than a bar.

My husband and I have been coming here for the past 7 years. It's got a view of shops and palm trees down Venice Avenue. You can even watch the sunset from their balcony. They don't serve food, which is fine because it is a pub 🙂 Join their text messaging, and you'll always get bogo drinks every Thursday. It's a great local place.

Ryan is the best bartender! Great atmosphere, great music, fun people! Signed Dominick The Donkey!

Fantastic Sunday afternoon enjoying the Venice Art Festival! Needed to rehydrate🍺! Great service and nice atmosphere!

Best bar in town!!! Special shoutout to the bartender. Great atmosphere, music and people!

This pub has an old Florida feel it sets on the corner of Venice Avenue and Tamiami. the second floor is a great place for people watching it's got cold beer, wine and yes they do serve water as well. We've been there several times with friends. Its a great place to kick back and chill.

It is what it is...but how are you going to charge $4 for a draft domestic with a sign hanging that says 16oz domestic cans are $3.50 every day???? Definitely an entertaining crowd though!

A great old school pub. Nothing fancy, No fufu. A good selection of cold beer. The patrons are always friendly and welcoming. All the bartenders are great, always very friendly. Zoey is the best!! Great outdoor balcony overlooking Venice Ave. This is a great place to enjoy a beer and cigar (out on balcony) and relax.

Cool little 2nd story bar, open-air and a balcony overlooking Venice Blvd. only 1 bartender so service can suffer at time. Only beer, wine and seltzers. No liquor is a drawback. 1 unisex bathroom also a drawback.

Outside balcony looks down on the street, great beer prices, good crowds that are friendly. I always have a relaxing and good time there. Service is at the bar.

Bartender Zoey was rude & unprofessional. Not knowing this girl even existing coming in, she knew exactly who I was. Holding a grudge on me because her sister dated my ex who I was with for years and haven't been with in years. Working across the street I love to stop here for a beer with my coworkers. She was recording me while sitting at the bar, my coworker noticed and confronted her. She then started to get loud and scream and kick us all out of the bar. I have been in Venice for years and never had an issue or a conflict be as unprofessional as this was. Whoever in charge stands by there bartender without hearing my side. Im extremely upset and humiliated. Please grow up and move on. You have lost a ton of business because of this incident.

Can I give it a zero???? We walked up the stairs to the entrance and halfway up it smells like cigars. I assumed someone had lit up outside. NOPE the whole place stinks and is full of smoke. We tried to sit outside but the patio was filled with smokers too. Not the place for me so we left. Not my thing, no offense..

Folliwed the fat Tuesday band. Grubby pub. They smoke cigars so was to smoky and grubby.

My favorite watering hole! Everyone friendly, locals knowledgeable, bartenders entertaining, beer cold and varied. Note: no food available. Great view of Venice ave from 2nd floor location.

Odd that there's no smoking now but someone is allowed to sit at the window and blow cigar smoke into the bar. This place still smells

First time here, and Jay was absolutely amazing, had great recommendations & was so friendly. The place is clean & beautiful! Highly recommend

Great Friendly Place. Thanks Everyone is So Friendly. My Favorite Bar in Venice. Highly recommend this Place.

The negative review were spot on . We were looking to watch a football game and didn't even make it up the stairs. Gross

Old Venice Pub is a very cute cool bar above the Main Street of Venice Island. Me and my kids father and some friends of ours went there after having dinner. I was appalled by the treatment we got from the bartenders. In the bar there is only one restroom male and female. There was a line, which we waited in. My girlfriend and I went in there together quickly used the bathroom and washed our hands. Right as I was opening the door, the bartender started banging on the bathroom door telling us to get out. We spent less then 10 minutes in there. When we got out and asked why they did that, their response was unprofessional and a very disrespectful one. The bartender actually called me a "drunk whore". Which I was not, just upset that I was so disrespected. In a nutshell we were very unwelcome there, definitely a cliquish bar. We get to go out one night away from our young children and work, and we get treated terribly and have to leave. No one in any service industry setting should have customer service that bad.

How has this not been reviewed yet? OVP is a great place to drink with adults, like an adult. You will not find thirty local hillbilly d-bags hitting all hitting on the same swamp donkey. You will find dark wood walls, a nice selection of beers on tap and in bottle and one jukebox. Also, they have a great patio with a nice view up and down Venice Ave. Second-floor bar, beer and wine only, great prices and STRONGBOW on tap! This place is a sure bet for a relaxing drink and best of all: you can smoke!

First time coming here. No better place to sit outside, great view and have a few beers!! Will be back tomorrow!! Must check out!!

Gotta love OVP if you're over 21 and under 81. Oh, and there might actually be sightings of those ever rare breeds in Venice--30-somethings and 40-somethings! The patio is great--grab a brew, grab a table, and check out the scene below you on Venice Avenue. And who cares if the only scene is a pair of 90-year-olds attempting to cross Venice Avenue in the slowest manner possible? You are sitting outside on a rockin patio drinking a foamy and delicious draft beer. Really, I think that's more than most of us can ask for in this moment. The bartenders are laidback and pleasant. It doesn't take long to feel like a regular and part of the OVP family. By far one of my favorite bars in Venice.

It's Sunday. Wives are shopping and we are drinking beer watching football... Certainly the place for both activities.

Ok..... I'll admit my obvious bias in favoring this place. It was the first watering hole I ever patronized when I moved to downtown Venice. And I've been going back ever since. It's just a great little beer and wine bar with a great outdoor space overlooking the heart of the shopping and dining district. Lots of TVs and a dart board....and pretty much nothing else. But everybody there is friendly, always good service from the bar staff, and just a nice joint to bring a friend or two and hang out!

This place is great!! No food served, just cold beer and cocktails. The bartenders are welcoming and fun and the customers are also super friendly and willing to share the "insider tips" on the island. I've been coming to Venice for over 30 years and I learned more in two visits to the pub than I have in all that time. Definitely worth going upstairs to this little gem.

This was one of the worst bars I have ever been to. The service was awful. Some old bartender guy looked me up and down before asking for my ID and then asked me 20 questions before getting my drink order. The crowd was really sketchy, some lady who looked like a man and didn't have teeth kept staring at me so I slammed my drink and got out of there as fast as I could.

Really a great place for the 'craick' as the people are friendly and the bartenders awesome. Excellent Guinness pour and many craft beers. Truly do not understand some of the negative reviews, must be bots. Richie is the best bartender I have ever had serve me, and every day you could find 20 plus at the counter who would agree.

I love this little bar!!! Great place to watch football and most sporting events. It has a nice outdoor balcony where you watch the world go by. I have always been treated really well by all of the bartenders.

What a great place to enjoy a drink after sitting on the beach, or being dragged around shopping with the wife. This is a mans get away. Low key and low prices. Heading back next visit.

Tony was a great bartender, quick service & put on the Hawks game. Not expensive, open 7 days a week till 2 AM.

Visiting Venice? Live in Venice? Work in Venice? Alright. By now you obviously know that the average age around here is approaching triple digits. If you are not nearing 100 (and I know you aren't if you are on Yelp) and are looking for an adult drink you should definitely check this place out. It's an awesome location for the younger crowd. The bartender was very personable and shook our hands to introduce himself after he served us. They also have a great second story patio. We will definitely be back.

This was my first time at this seemingly cool bar. The bearded Bartender tonight was very abrupt and unfriendly towards us. I think in this day and this treatment should not be tolerated. Therefore I'm moving on to a more friendly and accepting bar! I hope the owner of this bar gives his staff some lessons in customer acceptance . Although I will never return, It may help business.

Probably the most rowdy place in the island. Once you get past the smell of urine on their stairwell, you get a nice view of Venice Avenue. Nice veranda if your sitting outside. Inside is a bar full of punky locals playing darts . Not very friendly. Wouldn't go back.

What a quaint bar! Open air, beer and wine only. You can people watch and smoke! It is hidden upstairs with a balcony looking over the street. My new local place for a beer and a smoke

Oh my .... bartender was so rude and Wouldn't even get off his cell phone to answer a question and I'm a local not a tourist good thing he's the owner otherwise he should be fired

Great pub! They have BOGO deals once a week. Nice environment, amazing view and fun staff. It's the locals own little piece of paradise

Been coming here for years. Bring my dog Bella and watch tennis on the balcony. Great view of downtown Venice. Usually Bella gets attention from patrons, or vice versa. TV screens could be bigger. Good escape while wife shops.

Went to this bar to meet up with three other couples, not impressed by the dirty stairway leading to this second floor dive. Upon entering, we were met by a cloud of smoke banking down from the ceiling. The bartender's name is Richie, an older fellow who moves at his own pace. I went to the bar to order beers and I had to wait until Richie took care of his regulars first. He gave us a look like "What are you doing in my bar?" The only thing this place has going for it is they allow smoking. The bartender, Richie, is terrible AND SHOULD BE LET GO. There should be no smoking and perhaps the owner should carry some light fare. I would not recommend this dive to anyone nor will I go there again. Suggestion, the owner should put it up for sale !!!!

A throwback: basic no frills beer joint with reasonably priced beer, plenty of TVs for game watching, and a great view of downtown Venice. Not the place for the pampered yuppie or millenials, which is another plus. We take all of our snowbird visitors here.

No reason to go here. Only attraction is sitting outside on the loft overlooking Venice. But smoking is allowed out there, so that ruins it for me. Will not be back. Should not allow smoking, too bad they do.

Old Venice Pub is the best Pub in the area! Jen the manager is fun and friendly, Chad is an expert on the local brews and Keisha rocks behind the bar! A MUST STOP BY if your in the area!

Found my local watering hole. I read reviews & was in the neighborhood after a long hot day of chores. I must of looked hot & tired because the bartender came right over with a smile & asked what will you have? They had my fav beer, Rollin Rock, which was ice cold. Bartender asked where I was from and realized I was new to the area. So he introduced me to several people sitting near me. How nice to sit, relax and enjoy a cold beer chatting with new acquaintances. I asked if they get all the football games since there were many tv's? He said yes and which tv would have my team, Eagles on. If your kind of place is like "Cheers" you will love this place. cheers to Old Venice Pub!