The Black Boar A classic tavern in a wood-walled spot

Chasing the newest trend can pay off, but guess wrong and you're just stuck with an eco-friendly small-plate Korean/Italian taco truck with a built-in, underlit neon lounge soundtracked by MGMT... that nobody cares about. Ignoring the trendy wave to stay classic: The Black Boar.

Opening today from some of the guys behind Laurel Tavern, The Griffin, and The Library Bar, The Black Boar's a 1400sq ft bar patterned after timeless British pubs, with a fireplace presiding over a nearly all-wooden interior featuring banquette-abetted booths, simple bartop wood stools, and rectangular farmhouse tables imported from Jolly Ol' England, all run by an extra-friendly staff -- as the owner says, "no a**holes allowed," so... see you outside! The boozy focus's on beers, with eight $5 taps dedicated mostly to across-the-pond goodness: Old Speckled Hen, Strongbow, Fullers ESB, Fullers London Pride, Harp, and Murphy's Stout round out the Brit suds, while Belgian Hoegaarden and Humboldt's Lost Coast Downtown Brown Ale sit to the side, making orthodontist jokes under-their-breath. The brewy goodness doesn't end there: bottles include Samuel Smith Lager, Fullers London Porter, and Wells Bombardier, all of which can be downed while watching soccer on the hard-to-find European sports channel Setanta on one of the three flat screens, or, more likely, while ignoring soccer from Setanta on all three of those flat screens.

Though there's no specialty drink menu, they do also have a full liquor license; there's also no food, but pizzeria Casa Bianca is right next door and you're welcome to bring in grub -- which is great, because Harp pairs perfectly with those spaghetti kimchi burritos you've got in your idling food truck out front.