The Fancy Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Laconia

The Dent at The Fancy

The Fancy may be new by name, but the bar itself carries decades of stories in its wood. Some nights, if you sit halfway down the top, you’ll spot it: a small, round dent that looks ordinary—until you hear the tale.

The mark goes back to the mid-1980s, long before the place was called The Fancy. It was a stormy summer night, with bikers in town for the rally and fishermen fresh off Lake Winnipesaukee filling the stools. Just before the power cut out, a local character named Red O’Malley raised his whiskey and declared, “If the storm takes the lights, I’ll put one back in!” Then he slammed his glass down hard enough to leave a permanent dent.

The lights went dark a heartbeat later, but instead of panic, the whole bar came alive. Bartenders lit candles, a guitar was passed hand-to-hand, and the crowd sang and laughed until dawn. The dent stayed as proof of the night when the storm couldn’t stop the party.

When the bar was renamed The Fancy a year and a half ago, the owners could’ve refinished the top, polished away the old scars, made it “new.” But they didn’t. Because that dent is more than a mark—it’s a reminder that names may change, but legends stay.

And so it waits, right where you set your drink. Some say if you rest your glass in that spot before a toast, the night will carry on just a little longer.

At The Fancy, even the...

We walked in for dinner and found they didn’t have their liquor license yet so we left. Got to the corner and decided to return. Steve the waiter (fancy Steve) raved about the food when we first left so we held him to it.

We started with the smoked wings (lemon pepper and Texas Cajun) which had a perfect crisp exterior and moist on the inside, while enjoying the taste of the rubs. Also enjoyed the loaded fries to start. Followed this up with an order of ribs and an order of the pulled pork Mac and cheese. The meat just fell off the bones and the Mac n cheese was rich and yummy. The corn bread was the best, spot on moist and “cakie”

On a side note we mixed the mustard sauce and bbq sauce for a delicious concoction to dip the wings and fries in

Really hope this place...

Bartender was amazing, and the cook can only do what is in his grasp so no doggin" on his performance, it's the dry BBQ Fancy pulled pork he's given to work with. I messed up and didn't read that the "coleslaw comes on top" of the pulled pork "fancy sandwich" which idk if thats what makes it FANCY but I'd preferred not to have it on it, just on the side would of been better SO I JUST SCRAPPED IT OFF, NO BIGGIE, MY BAD. BUT THE DRY & kinda unflavored for BBQ. MAYBE CUS IT WAS SO LATE IN THE DAY. IDK. ONION RINGS WERE AWESOME THOUGH....