Anchor Inn

Yesterday afternoon (January 23, 2015) I went to the Anchor Inn and after sitting down on an empty barstool a blonde bartender wearing a black top, blue jeans and cowboy boots asked me for ID. I gave her my United States Passport issued on April 20, 2006. She examined it and gave it back to me. She then asked me what I wanted to drink. I asked her for a pint of Mac&Jack’s beer. She brought me one pint of Mac&Jack’s beer and I gave her $ 5 USD to pay for my drink. It took me 10 minutes to finish that drink, during which time I did not speak a single word to the female bartender who served me or another fellow patron of the bar. When she saw my glass was empty she immediately came to where I was sitting and kindly asked me to immediately leave the bar. Surprised by her request, I asked her why she was asking me to leave. She then went on to state calmly that she had received multiple complaints about me from the other patrons of the bar. I asked her what those complaints were and she refused to tell me and that I needed to leave immediately. I in turn told her she was racist because I was the only Asian American in the bar and everyone else regardless of gender present was Caucasian. She then asked me to leave a third time, at which point I got up and called her a «racist bitch» and immediately left the Anchor Inn. The End

This place is solid. They have a good beer selection, friendly staff and also serve liquor. The pool tables and foosball table are in great shape and the jukebox has a ton of music. I have not tried the food, but from what I’ve seen it’s bar food. Nothing fancy, but something to scarf down after a few beers.

Pros: If you’re looking for an easy place to hang out, have some drinks, & play some pool, this is it. The food is simple and really good, the crowd is friendly, and the drinks are great.
Cons: People tend to crowd the pool tables as there’s only two. Beers are a tad expensive compared to other places. Parking is a bit limited.
Summary: I love it despite its cons. I can think, have a conversation, and enjoy a few drinks without fighting for seats or shouting for conversation or service.

While all the yuppies grind past each other on busy nights downtown, I think the Anchor is great little dive up Commercial with a bunch of beers, pool, darts and karaōke on certain nights. You can hand with locals and transplants. Staff is always super friendly (way more so than the Lantern, and without the «bouncer»). Great place. My favorite bar in A town.

After reading PJM’s review, I was really excited to check out the Anchor Inn. I mean — PIRATES! Sadly, the place seems to have changed a bit after the ownership change because not one ARRRRRRRR, peg leg, parrot or shiv was part of our visit last Thursday. On the upside, there was a much better beer selection than previously reported, healthy pours at good prices, a super-​friendly bartender and regular customers and a bit of the ambiance lingering about the place still. Highly recommended for a casual drink in a small sea-​faring town.
Note to PJM: if you «like» dive bars but complain about the seedy characters and lack of micro-​brews, you don’t really know what a dive bar is.

New owners have really turned this place around. Now there is a selection of micros on tap (yeah!) and the Jukebox is the best in town. Free pool on Sundays, Kareoke on Wed. and Fri. (I think).

Recently bought by a new owner and upgraded to sell liquor and some food, this DIVE bar is a great example of the olde worlde dive bars from times past. The clientele are friendly, the beers are cheap. Seriously, you can’t go wrong. What kind of place were you expecting when you walked in? My wife and I will certainly go there again when we’re next in Anacortes.

I like dive bars. Having lived in Chicago and Portland, I’ve done my share of dive bar drinking. So, I’m new to A-​town and decide to give this place a go.
The Anchor Inn has the classic façade of the old tavern in your neighborhood.
It’s located right on Commercial Ave and welcomes you with a Rainier neon.
But, that’s where any goodness ends…
When I went in on a nice, sunny Friday afternoon, the record stopped. There were 4 crusty pirates at the end of the bar playing dice on the bar. The guy with the eye patch and the guy with the peg leg gave me the evil eye. But, screw those guys, I’m sitting down and drinking…
I look up from the bar to the back wall looking for their tap selection. The bar wall is actually a wall of mishmash bumper stickers that literally takes up the whole wall. There’s a small metal box in the middle of this huge wall with 2 taps, Yep, 2. Bud and Bud Light. So, I get my Bud served in a frozen pint glass and sit down for my drink.
I decided to pound this beer and get the hell out of here before I was shivved by one of these frikin’ pirates.
The building has had a For Lease sign on the side of it for a year. How does this place stay open on the main commercial avenue serving Bud?
Quench your thirst my friends. (but not here) Cheers.