Founding Fathers Pub

Stepping inside the Founding Fathers Pub feels like stepping straight into the pages of an American history syllabus–only this one comes with beer, free nachos, and popcorn. 

In every nook and cranny, the bar overflows with presidential memorabilia. There are portraits of Grover Cleveland and Chester A. Arthur, yellowed newspaper clippings of Truman’s swearing-in, glossy magazine covers of Ronald Reagan and his wife, campaign posters from elections past, and life-size cutouts of JFK and Abraham Lincoln. Countless flags hang from the ceiling, and the walls form a patchwork of badges, banners, and political curiosities. 

The man behind it all is Mike Driscoll, a former social studies teacher who, after a couple of years in the classroom, decided it wasn’t for him and set out to buy a bar.  

He settled on an 1874 building, once a livery stable with a blacksmith’s quarters, to pour his passion for U.S. history into what would become a Buffalo institution. 

His incredible collection began in 1985, when he was still teaching and gathering posters, portraits, and other ephemera. When the bar opened, it contained a third of what it does today. The memorabilia soon became a communal project: over the years, patrons would bring over objects found in dusty basements and flea markets. The collection grew so vast it eventually spilled beyond the bar, with parts now stored at Driscoll’s house.

The aim of this space isn’t to spark political debates, but rather to highlight history and to test cultural knowledge. Since opening in 1986, Driscoll has kept his teaching spirit alive by quizzing visitors from behind the bar. And every Tuesday of the month, the pub presents a trivia night. Winners can hope to win anything ranging from a candy bar to a $10 gift certificate. But beware, the questions are much tougher than your average trivia. (Example: What is the only state that ends with a K?)

Listed as one of the 18 best bars in America by Esquire magazine, the establishment attracts people from all over the country. Customers often end up quizzing each other on their home states, perpetuating the bar’s mission. 

While you brush up on your U.S. history, you can do it over a pint of Liberty Lager or Patriot Porter, often brewed with ingredients authentic to the tastes of a past era. You can also enjoy an Independence Burger, for which you’re at liberty to pile on anything you want.