# Your favorite bar and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 7, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509 "2000-12-07T17:48:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RickQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@RickQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickQ)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/21 "2000-12-07T22:05:09Z")
My favourite bar near where I live is called the “Tap and Spile” in Halifax, England. I personally have no idea why it is called that, but I like going there for the good beer they serve. They have guest beers in every week, usually 3 or 4 and they get maybe 4-6 barrels. Once it is gone, that is it. It means you get to try out lots of different beers. Most of the other bars tend to be too over priced for my tastes and the music they play is crap. I used to go to a place called Rio Rocks (or Rios) where they have live bands (rock music, it is a rock pub) but they also had a good bunch of people and a couple of pool tables (even though I can’t play for the life in me. I have been to TGI Fridays over here and thought it sucked. It was waaaaay to expensive and full of people who were showing off that they could afford it. Student bars are always good for cheap drinks too 🙂 30p for a shot of spirit, can’t beat it. Rick ---
**Author:** ![Ad\_Noctum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@Ad\_Noctum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ad_Noctum)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/22 "2000-12-07T22:10:07Z")
In Park Rapids, MN, there is a bar. I’m 6 years away from legal drinking age, but I still go there every hunting season 4 times. Friday, and Saturday night. they’ve got a fun old “Freddy Kreuger’s Boiler Room” pinball game, and a jukebox that is a quarter a play. it’s got the feel of an old backwood’s cabin, deer antler’s on the ceiling beams, hardwood walls and floor, soft; mellow lighting, and some of the cutest, “All American” waitresses. The kind that are absolutely gorgeous, but have no clue that they are; Sexy, and have a glow only the self-confident and restricted have. ah yes, the Hilltop is a nice place; and I cherish every moment I have there. I can only imagine the many hunting and fishing stories I have swapped over that gleaming cherrywood bar, and I wouldn’t trade those hrs for the world. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/23 "2000-12-07T23:53:33Z")
As the New York dopers know, I’m an aficionado of dive bars. I need smoke, cheap beer, bikers, bouncers, honky-tonk or blues on the jukebox, the whole bit. And wild bartenders. Definitely wild bartenders. [Take your pick](http://www.nycbp.com/bartend.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/24 "2000-12-08T01:56:01Z")
My current fave is the Peacock Lounge in Cupertino. A dive to be sure. Two pool tables, always something decent on tap, sports on tv, and it’s where my friends hang out. The jukebox goes from Sinatra to George Clinton. One of the floor waitresses allowed me to take a picture of her butt on the occasion when I brought my camera in. The customers range from the young to the old, and include rednecks, hippies, bikers, gays, straights, etc. I love a bar without a specific demographic. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/25 "2000-12-08T02:04:55Z")
Although it’s been a few years since I’ve been there (on my honeymoon), I’ve had the most fun at [Mother Redaps](http://home.revealed.net/ddwyer/MotherRedcaps1.jpg) in Dublin ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/26 "2000-12-08T02:19:46Z")
The ONLY good bar here in Western Massachusetts, the Infinity, closed down a couple of years ago, so now there’s nothing but cheezy dance clubs. The “Fin,” as it was called was a great place for rock bands; in fact, Staind got their start and were discovered there. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/27 "2000-12-08T02:35:49Z")
From broccoli! “There’s a little place in Port Charlotte (actually I think Punta Gorda) FL called the Celtic Ray.” My Mother In Law lives in Port Charlotte, and whenever I happen to get down there I definately could use a place to get away and get a drink. Care to share the location? Only places I know of are Fisherman’s Village and the area around King’s Hwy and 75. If you’re ever in Indy, there is an authentic Irish Pub downtown called Claddah’s. It was totally imported from Ireland (every stick, brick, and bar stool), even including several of the staff. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/28 "2000-12-08T03:52:33Z")
Well, I don’t live in the bars of Houston quite like I used to (the b\*\*\*c! came along, spent a decade breaking me of my bar habit, and then left…JK, we’re still friends), but I still get out a bit. Nowadays when I get out it’s usually the **Ale House** which is a pub, owned by a Brit, that I’ve been patronizing since it opened ~1982. Good food, a wide selection of brews and a full bar, well, two (it’s a 3 story bar) with manny places to carry on a bit of conversation. Sometimes I just go there for dinner. I think I personally financed the addition of the room with the fireplace. It was an active music venue back in the day; they do still have bands. Other than that, the **Mucky Duck** is another decent pub given towards quieter music (Irish folk, etc.) and I’ll sometimes meet friends at **Downing Street** which I’d characterize as a cigar bar; after the symphony I enjoy dropping in to **The State Bar of Texas** which is downtown in the old Rice Hotel - loud, crowded and everybody’s dressed out and I’m often the oldest guy there - good for a now-and-then. Back when I saw last call every night I divided most of my time pretty equally between the **Ale House** and **Lola’s** , which is still around. I liked Lola’s (an unmarked purple one-story building with a fenced in patio) for a variety of reasons: 1) $5 would get you drunk, 2) I never ever saw anybody get cutoff (saw plenty thrown out for fighting), 3) gobs of outrageously procovative women prepared to prove it, 3) diverse crowd - artists, women, trannies, lawyers, losers, bikers - I actually had gay friends who thought it was a gay bar and 4) I kept running into friends there. Other past joints of notable enjoyment that still exist are **Rudyard’s** (originally on Kipling St.) - pub that was a “new” music venue, **La Carafe** - beer and wine bar downtown on Market Square in an incredibly old building (~1840 or so), **Kay’s Lounge** - a dive on Bissonnet, **Marfreless** - an unmarked door in a building off West Gray; back in my dating days an “OK” on a suggestion to go to this place was 😃 😃 :D! Bingo! Marfreless was two stories; downstairs had a bar and tables while upstairs was dark, with couches only, and some private rooms - they played classical music and had discreet waitresses - and you did not go there alone. You would _not_ meet anyone there, but if you had a date that was _the_ right atmosphere, and I imagine still is (somehow that last part seems out of my board character,…oh well). Ack! There’s too manny to go on… So I’ll wrap it up with a fond memory of an establishment that was walking distance from my place and is sadly departed. **Goozby’s** , run singlehandedly by Mr. Goozby, was a…well, how to describe it? I’m pretty sure it was an illegal bar - it was in a house on a residential street with no exterior markings and it had a little ~2"x2" peepwindow on the door like a classic movie speakeasy. It wasn’t in the phone book. The door was locked and you had to knock and be examined through the peepwindow before you entered. Mr. Goozby was a friendly older (I’d guess mid-60s when I met him) black gentleman, and the crowd ran toward young to middle-aged black professionals - advertising, lawyers, etc. - and there were usually not more than ~15-20 people there. In fact, besides myself, my friend who brought me there the first couple of times (until Mr. Goozby knew me) and our mutual friend who introduced him to the place, I never saw any other white or any other race besides black there. But it really didn’t matter once you were a “member” so to speak. The place was very clean, sort of fern/bar with bright lights/country club style. Very laid back atmosphere, jazz always in the background; if you were there you could have a conversation with anybody else there. The way the bar deal worked was when you ordered a drink you’d buy one for whomever you were talking to at the moment, and another for Mr. Goozby (he must’ve had Superman’s liver) and it was strictly cash. I really loved the joint. And one day it was just…gone. A fraternity rented the place. Wherever you are, Mr. Goozby, thanks for the memories. Geez, if I could subtract out of my life the time I’ve spent in bars, I’d probably be about 26. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/29 "2000-12-08T04:23:51Z")
The bar in Prairie, Idaho. Just plain nice folks. Easy to chat with for an evening. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/30 "2000-12-08T04:31:21Z")
My general policy is to find bars that mostly no one else is going to like, so they won’t ever get written up in New York Magazine and then I’d have to find a new bar. “Dark and smoky” is usually a requirement, but my current bar of choice is a funky little place just above the Holland Tunnel called **Cody’s** that rather looks like one of those bars one finds in strip malls in the suburbs. Food is excellent though, and the bartenders get to know the customers resulting in that special personal service. It’s the kind of place (surprisingly rare in NYC) where the entire bar engages in a big, bantering conversation and anyone who comes in, regular patron or stranger, is welcome to join in. Sports on the three TVs and Trivial Pursuit and backgammon games at the bar. They have a steady crowd on weekends, but it’s not so packed that you can’t find a seat. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/31 "2000-12-08T04:45:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by psycat90 \* > \*\*When I lived in New Jersey I had 2 favorite bars. > The Melody, in New Brunswick, Matt Pinnfield DJed there when I frequented it. Dark, edgy, alternative, more fun when the college kids (Rutgers) were out of town. > > The South River Pub, in, of all places, South River. > Your average small town 20-30ish get together on Friday night place, fun on Sundays during football season. Free hot wings, cheap beer, and all your friends, a rockin’ good time. > \*\* HEY! Im originally from East/New Brunswick!!! My best friend used to bartend at the melody. Bouncing souls used to play there! How old are you? Maybe I know you (doubtful but you never know!) ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/32 "2000-12-08T04:48:30Z")
Ghirardelli Dark Sweet Choco… What? Oh! Oops! ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/33 "2000-12-08T05:21:40Z")
My favorite on the island is ‘The Dog House’ tavern. I enjoy the food, the selection (Guiness to Pear Cider), and it’s across the street from my favorite theatre, ‘The Clyde’. [http://www.traxmaps.com/swi/doghouse.htm](http://www.traxmaps.com/swi/doghouse.htm) My favorite in Wisconsin is ‘KJ’s’ in Eureka Center. Purely because of the house band, ‘Dynamic Dan & the Master Plan’. The bar sucks ass. [http://citypages.com/mmd/\_rANDb/summary.asp](http://citypages.com/mmd/_rANDb/summary.asp) My favorite in Manhattan is ‘The Cafe Wha’?’. My buddy Jesus is the percussionist for the Cafe Wha’? band. Last year I spent about a dozen excellent Wednesday nights there. The crowd is so varied, Wall street types to NYU lesbians to R&B semi-legends to slightly lost Iowans. > **[Cafe Wha? | The Best Live Music in New York City](https://www.cafewha.com/)** > > Cafe Wha? is the best place for live music in NYC. Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, rocking since 1959. Here’s yet another link, kind of self-explanatory: > **[World's Best Bars : best bars and cocktails in the world](https://www.worldsbestbars.com/)** > > The ultimate destination for the best cocktail experiences, anywhere, anytime. Discover our selection of the best bars in Paris, London, New York, Singapore, Tokyo... ---
**Author:** ![Ankh\_Too](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Ankh\_Too](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ankh_Too)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/34 "2000-12-08T06:14:32Z")
I agree with **psycat90** about the _Rathskeller_ in St. College. There’s something so amusing about watching people walking around with a case of Rolling Rock and a bucket for their empties. I’ll add another, too: _Zeno’s_, the little bar under the Corner Room restaurant. They had a huge selection of bottled beer for the middle of nowhere PA. I was always impressed. As far as New Jersey bars, the top of my personal hit parade was a hole in the wall called _Fatso Fogarty’s_ in North Arlington. Their turtle races and the dancing on the bar and stools were something to behold. I have to admit, they had the most imposing bouncers I’ve ever run across, the guys had forearms the size of my thighs. A frighteningly nice group (for the most part). I guess they were so damned big they could afford to be nice. Both _Bertha’s_ (for the Dixieland Jazz and incredible steamed mussels) and _Max’s on Broadway_ (for the 60-70 different brands of beer on tap, it was a great place to take my friends who were fans) at Fell’s Point in Baltimore were lots of fun to visit when I lived there. _The Hippo_, in the Mt. Vernon section of Baltimore was always enjoyable, as long as I stayed away from the dance side and shot pool on the bar side. I was named an honorary Hippo queen, but I think it was just because the bartender had a crush on me. Who cares, patronage has always gotten a bad rap. And, on an entirely different level, I also second the recomendation of **Ike** for _The King Cole Bar_ in Manhattan. It’s always fun, if [comedic understatement]a little pricey[/comedic understatement]. There’s something so cool about that mural, particularly after several drinks. I’ve always enjoyed the bar at the _Royalton_, just across the street from the Algonquin. It doubles as the hotel lobby and makes some of the best people watching around. Okay… I’ve got way too many bars on my list… and in my life. But, in the interests of enlightenment [url=“[http://www.murphguide.com/](http://www.murphguide.com/)”]Murph’s Guide to NY Bars. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/35 "2000-12-08T09:00:37Z")
One’s called Bubba’s. Yup, exactly as it sounds, and you had BETTER not park your four-wheeler in front if you don’t want the bikers to key it. 😃 They server their drinks in plastic beer glasses and sweep the floor about once a month, although they do manage to keep the bathrooms clean. Great blues bands in there, too. The other is called Pesty’s. Four pool tables (5?), 6 dartboards, cheap drinks, and the tunes on the jukebox are all good. Is the kind of place road construction crews stop in at on the way home. What, you expected me to talk about clubs? Bah. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/36 "2000-12-08T09:38:46Z")
Great bar cities, IMHO – Buffalo, Chicago, and Austin. My all-time favorite bar is lcoated there - **Joe’s Generic Bar**. Any bar where you have to walk on stage to get to the bathroom … well, that’s the definition of “character” that I use to compare all other bars to. **Chope’s** in Las Cruces, New Mexico, is also an award-winner – campensinos, yuppies and college students drinking beer and eating incredibly hot enchilads in a place that’s wallpapered with years of brewery promotional posters. **Gabriel’s Gate** in Buffalo – think wood, taxidermy, lots of fireplaces, and the best chicken wings in the nation. It’s even better when it’s snowing outside. In Denver, I haven’t found a place that would rank as one of my all-time favorites. Too many yuppies, and little middle ground – it’s either biker bars or places that play smooth jazz, have reprints of French advertising posters on their walls, and take pride in their extensive martini lists. **My Brother’s Place** comes close – Colorado Liquor License #1. Good chamber music is played quietly in the background, and the place has the comfortable feeling of a cozy, woodsy pub. **Falling Rock** has perhaps the largest beer selection in the United States, and it’s easy to talk to strangers there. The **Wynkoop** gets points for their beer, tolerable background noise level, and abundant pool tables. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/37 "2000-12-08T15:57:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ankh\_Too \* > \*\*There’s something so cool about that mural, particularly after several drinks. \*\* The thing I love about that mural is knowing that, on the other end of the continent, there are people sipping cocktails in front of the matching Maxfield Parrish mural in the Pied Piper Bar at the Palace Hotel on Market Street in San Francisco. Hey, I just got a great idea for a short story!..An NYC lush finds out that he can PHYSICALLY ENTER the King Cole mural in Manhattan, and EXIT from the Pied Piper mural in Frisco! Liquor-fueled transcontinental hijinx ensue! Now, ahould I submit it to FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, or to THE BOOZE LOVER’S QUARTERLY? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/38 "2000-12-08T16:04:34Z")
“Hey, I just got a great idea for a short story!..An NYC lush finds out that he can PHYSICALLY ENTER the King Cole mural in Manhattan, and EXIT from the Pied Piper mural in Frisco! Liquor-fueled transcontinental hijinx ensue!” —Sorry, Ike. Thorne Smith already wrote that book. Eleven times. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/39 "2000-12-08T16:06:03Z")
The best bar here in Ithaca is: The Chapter House. They have 52 beers ON TAP, the vast majority are good European beers and American microbrews. Mmm. There’s no piss beer here, just good stuff. The most mainstream US beer they have is Sam Adams. They also carry favorites like Guinness, Bass, Pilsener Urquell, Anchor Steam, Anchor Porter, Newcastle, Paulaner stuff, and many, many, many more. Yummy. Jman ---
**Author:** ![idiotboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@idiotboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/idiotboy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509/40 "2000-12-08T16:29:00Z")
Here in Columbus, Ohio, the hell-hole known as **Bernie’s Distillery** has quickly become my favorite bar. Considering it’s in the basement under a bank with ceilings just low enough to make you feel like you should be ducking, the bathroom’s less sanitary than any you’d find in small-town gas stations, and they usually don’t have a large selection of alcohol…it doesn’t sound very appealing. But when my band plays there, it’s such an intimate atmosphere, with stage mere inches off the ground, and people surrounding you, as you play under pipes of many sizes, it makes me feel truly “underground”. In terms of “nice” bars, **Little Brother’s** is certainly the “nicest” in Cow-town. With a HUGE ceiling, 4 foot stage, and the best sound-system in town, it’s _ALWAYS_ a BIG show when we play there! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-bar-and-why/44509.md?page=3)