Top 3 in your city

[ousdahl]

"This is a big one. Like best bars just for a spot to get gushered? For live music? Food too?

This is especially tricky cuz several breweries and distilleries have opened here within the past few months that are cool but haven’t necessarily proven themselves."

Your top 3, your rules.

my rules, eh?

1. Olive Garden bar
2. Olive Garden but instead of the bar you just get drunk at a table after your waiter plops down a 1.5L of rose as he's introducing himself
3. Fazoli's. I don't think they even serve booze but at least still hook up the breadsticks

[jhawks99]

I don't hang out in bars very often.

West Main Crafting.
Lockbox in the 21c Hotel has a cool bar
West 6th Brewery

[jfish26]

Personal tastes.

In KC:

1. John's Big Deck
2. Tower Tavern
3. Johnny's P&L

Minneapolis:

1. The Local
2. Bullwinkle's
3. Sally's.

[ousdahl]

ohhh! I was in Minneapolis for spring break 2007. Went to a place that I think was called Tiffs? - cuz it was a "KU bar." Turns out lots of KU fans, game on every TV with sound, and Boulevard on tap.

we eeked past Southern Illinois, then went to an Umphrey's McGee concert.

(man, that band is only good for about 6 minutes, plus a Pink Floyd cover, but other than that I remember kinda wanting to go back to Tiffs.)

Drove back to Lawrence the next day so I could be on Mass for the Elite 8 in case shit got cray, but then we ended up loosing to UCLA.

[Deleted User 310]

I feel like I rarely eat hamburgers/cheeseburgers when I go out to eat at a bar.

[pdub]

Lawrence, KS:

1. Red Lyon
2. Harbour Lights
3. Henry T's

[Mjl]

North Shore Chicago (not including Evanston):
1. Landmark Inn
2. The Curraugh
3. Dunno. The rest are either too pretentious or majority senior citizens.

I don't get out much.

[Deleted User 310]

Tavern on Rush used to have an awesome salmon BLT. Haven't been there in a few years though.

[ousdahl]

top 3 bars in Illy's town:

1. the Applebee's out by the interstate
2. field party!
3. dang you guys the field party got busted, let's go get kicked out of Applebee's again

[TDub]

Slickfork Saloon
The Saddle
The Thicket

[Deleted User 289]

MonkeyBar
HandleBar
CrowBar (Used to be a place that was called Crobar which would be in my legitimate top 3 20 years ago).

[Deleted User 310]

top 3 bars in Illy's town:

1. the Applebee's out by the interstate
2. field party!
3. dang you guys the field party got busted, let's go get kicked out of Applebee's again

I think you're vastly underestimating the size of where I live....over 100k population.

But ironically enough, even with tons of locally owned restaurants, olive garden is probably top 5 most busy for some bizarre reason.

And yes we've also got applebees....and while I haven't eaten there in many years, their oriental crispy chicken salad (with double chicken and extra dressing) is fantastic.

[zsn]

Too numerous because the Bay Area is essentially a string of towns each with its own set of bars.

In San Jose vicinity:
1. Brittania Arms (multiple locations) - the one near my house turns into a meatmarket on weekend nights after around 9-10 but solid sports bar at other times. Lots of good brews on tap. Decent bar food. Steelers hangout during football season. Tuesday trivia night.
2. Running Shop and Hops (Morgan Hill) - started out selling running gear and some beers, but now sells beer with some running stuff (barely). About 80 beers on tap, types grouped by tap numbers (e.g. 33-45 are IPAs). Mostly local beers. No food but deliveries and takeout food welcome.
3. Yard House (seriously) - great choice of beers and decent bar food. Too crowded for my liking but the beer selection is immense.

Multiple brew pubs up and down the peninsula and SF.

[ousdahl]

I’ve been to SF almost enough times to do a top 3 there too, if I texted my brother for some bar names.

But I’ll just do a shout out to this place I think was called the Eagle. Ridiculous subculture bar, almost every patron in leather, good tunes, unexpectedly tasty lunch buffet, and totally totally straight.

[defixione]

I’ve been to SF almost enough times to do a top 3 there too, if I texted my brother for some bar names.

But I’ll just do a shout out to this place I think was called the Eagle. Ridiculous subculture bar, almost every patron in leather, good tunes, unexpectedly tasty lunch buffet, and totally totally straight.

You gotta include Toronado, Zeitgeist, and the Hotel Utah. Tosca's is a runner-up. Forty years ago it was Nightbreak, Rite Spot, and Club DV8.

[ChalkRocker]

Duh.

Whichever bars Jon Taffer has rescued or recommends.

Now let's talk diners, drive-ins and dives...

[ousdahl]

Whoa, protest in Fraser tonight!

I’d put it in another thread, except to mention it’s in front of the crooked creek saloon.

TDub let’s go!

[ousdahl]

I’ve been to SF almost enough times to do a top 3 there too, if I texted my brother for some bar names.

But I’ll just do a shout out to this place I think was called the Eagle. Ridiculous subculture bar, almost every patron in leather, good tunes, unexpectedly tasty lunch buffet, and totally totally straight.

You gotta include Toronado, Zeitgeist, and the Hotel Utah. Tosca's is a runner-up. Forty years ago it was Nightbreak, Rite Spot, and Club DV8.

ohh so that WAS you at the Eagle, wasn’t it?

Sorry I didn’t recognize you in the gimp mask, but thanks again for the drinks.

[defixione]

I noticed you wore underwear under your chaps, unlike the other patrons in the bar.

[ousdahl]

How does it go?

my coldest winter ever was that summer in San Francisco.