5. McGuire's Pub

I've eaten at McGuire's Pub many times and find the food and service to be as good, or better, than many of the restaurants in the Hickory area. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere of the pub alone is worth a visit. As far as I'm concerned, McGuire's Pub is one of the best kept secrets of the Catawba Valley.

Smoky enough to get lung cancer and emphysema while dining there ONCE. The food is o.k., but I prefer mine without tasting like cigarette smoke. Always some street urchins clinging to the bar, sucking on a Bud.