The Huntington Ale House, near Marshall University, is a locally owned business open late hours with beer, food and live music.

Marshall student Elizabeth Sutfin has been a waitress and a bartender at the Ale House for almost 10 months, and she said she loves her job.

“I love working at The Ale House because it’s a job where I get to have fun,” Sutfin said. “It’s a local business where the staff has really become a family. I get paid to work with my friend, serve good customers and socialize with all sorts of interesting people.”

Sutfin said most people don’t realize the Ale House is a restaurant, and many fail to separate that from the previous reputation of a bar.

“Any age is welcome,” Sutfin said. “We even have a kids menu for children 12 and under.”

The menu at the Ale House has a variety of items including chicken, fish, steak, burgers and a page designated to different kinds of macaroni and cheese.

“My personal favorite entrée would be the Cajun salmon with broccoli, but we are well known for our burgers and our gourmet mac and cheese,” Sutfin said. “We have all different kinds of burgers ranging from the bacon and egg burger to the peanut butter and jelly burger. Our mac and cheese is great too, and I go in and get the stuffed mushrooms during happy hour all the time.”

Wayne county resident Mack Mays said he ventures to Huntington all the time to grab a bite to eat at the Ale House.

“The food is good, the beer selection is great and the service has always been incredible,” Mays said. “It’s a good place to go when you need a late night snack, like a filet.”

Sutfin recommends those who eat at the restaurant to try her signature drink, the Huntington Ale House sangria.

“It’s my favorite to make,” Sutfin said.  “And anytime I make it for a customer they always have to order another one because they’re just so good.”

Sutfin said the sangria is made with the house sangria wine, brandy, blackberry schnapps, orange juice, pineapple juice, and cranberry juice, and poured into a glass with a sugared rim and garnished with fresh fruits.

“It’s literally the best thing you will ever drink,” Sutfin said.

The Ale House is known to have one of the largest venues in the area with a stage, dance floor, pool-table and three bars.

Sutfin said the Ale House is a good experience for college students because it’s fun, affordable and can even be educational.

“The experience can be an educational one, too,” Sutfin said. “We have 17 beers on tap at all times, and these craft beers are drinks you can’t just get anywhere. I think it’s a good experience for college students who are of the drinking age to try different beers and learn about them. There’s a lot more to beer than most people know, beer brewing is an art.”

The Ale House is open 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and every Thursday is open mic night.

Karima Neghmouche can be contacted at [email protected].