Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Actually, the ES and Debbie were walking along and literally bumped into this bar. Actually, it bumped into us. I can't rember the name, but it is on the diag/triangle as you head north of Newport. We were not here long,... Dark on the inside, and defiintely a cool publ. It was your typical shit-hole, but with friendly staff and clientele. You walk through the front door and stare right at the bar -- beautiful. So, Debbie and I were right at home.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: THIS PLACE WAS REMARKABLY FANTASTIC. It exuded pain and disgust from the outside. So, Debbie and the ES went in.

Beautiful. The place was blasting -- ROCKING -- AC/DC, Van Halen, New Order, and whatever other classic beach rock you would want to request out its front doors. Debbie grabs a Guinesss (at right), the ES sucks down a local brew, and we commiserate with the bartender with whatever small talk we come up with. The barkeep is cool, he keeps on top of us between his pool game and his DJ-ing. But the dark, long nature of the bar, the blasting music, people walking in and out in their bare feet, and the beauty of the moment make this a very high rating. The cues from the pool table help with the environs. I didn't want to leave, and cried to Debbie that I would have paid anything for a night next to the Stag. The Stag Bar is the right type of pub, doing the right things (not much), in the right place. To this day, the ES keeps all of his homedrinking on a Stag Bar coaster. BIG TIME thumbs up with this shack.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Well, me and Debbie needed a goddamn margarita... so we headed down from Rudy's to the collagurate which is Newport Beach... and started off with El Ranchito. What makes this, and just about any beach bar, a minimum of 2-stars is that it is either open air or with such an open floor plan that you feel unconstrained. It was just OPEN. Ain't no walls in my way.

And, the margarita was kick ASS! We weren't there long enough for more than 2-stars, but I'd love to come to the Ranch for Happy Hour.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: First off - this review has no input on food. But, DA ES WUZN'T INTERESTED IN FOOD, I NEEDED TO WATCH MY SPARTOONIES! Artificial turf floor with yard stripes, and the roof retracts. LCD and HD tvs everywhere for Big Ten football fans. The place was packed with Big Ten fans. Packed. And, it was just a three minute walk from Newport Beach, with the boardwalk and those chicks in thongs and tops trolling down the walk, regardless of the games.

What was a total beauty is some old man in this bar who was angry with the ES because of how da ES wuz ripping on John L Smith. JLS was just fired while I was out on my trip. I turned and told the old man, "are you an idiot? The guy did nothing right and the slap-happy clown embarrassed MSU." He disagreed with me. He had a hat he was wearing with JLS' signature. Reality- he may be old and a diehard Spartan, but he was also out of touch. I looked at his face as Stanton tripped and fell late in the loss to Purdue, and told him "I told you so." Freaking idiot. Too bad I didn't have a shovel.

What was the coolest was that I asked to have my ass dropped off... with no way to return. But, my new BEST DRINKING BUDDY, Debbie, who happens to be from Anaheim, came to my rescue. Another complete bonus of this whole experience.

Regardles, Rudy's is just a fantastic, great, great place to watch a game and then go out and scream to Poseidon about how stupid the Spartans performed. Location, location, location is important... but for when the ES wuz there, football, football, football wuz important. They met both in spades. The ES was big-time impressed.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: After the District Lounge for a couple hours, I was certainly stumbling around. I jumped into Paul's with my recently-purchased clove cigarette, only to learn that THIS IS CALIFORNIA. PUT OUT YOUR CIG!!! Yea! Shit, I forgot, they are actually respectable in this state. But, when you're trying to get loaded legally, it kind of puts a cramp in things. Nevertheless, it made for an interesting time, and one which I didn't like. There wasn't the atmosphere like the District, and my blonde-surfer self didn't feel so welcome in this more land-locked pub. I wuz just plain bored, though they gave me a map to all the Halloween parties. It was a fun experience, but one that marred my rating for Paul's.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: My freaking tail WALKED about 10-15 miles from Anaheim to Orange... hitting the bars, but because I had the time. So, I arrive at the District about 3 pm, and the nic waitress cooks me up some fish tacos. OUTSTANDING! To date, these are the best fish tacos I've had ever. Great spicy aioli sauce, fresh fish, just yummy. A surprise! The beer is locally brewed, the waitress is kick ass, its Halloween, I'm drinking a lot by now, and this cool pub begins to hop. The interior has a few large flat screen televisions, and the beer I am drinking is from Tahiti.

This town is on the National Register of Historic Places, but noone knows about it. This place rocks. It is pretty, fun, and a stonesthrow from civilization. Only regret--I should have taken a horse. The District is a kick ass place.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: I have the entire afternoon free. What am I to do? With Disney closed, I head to Orange by foot. First bar I run into is the Tartan Room. My man (photo below right), has a dead arm, but he talks about his travails earlier in life in Detroit. His daughter is a major volleyball or water polo player for a local college, and with scholarship, old One Armed Jack is proud! We end up talking about college athletics for about 30 minutes...

The bar isn't anything new from what I'd see in the midwest. With the excpetion of what is on tap. But, the company is real good for the middle of the day on a weekday, and that makes the ES give it props. They could've been dicks or bored, but the folks were pretty cool. But other than the big fucking shamrock on the outside, I didn't see no Eire in the place.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: What the fuck do you say about this biker/bicycle/country bar? It really stand out, especially from the outside, cause it is a shithole. But, when you walk in, it is so much larger than you expected, with the band in the bar back corner. Bob and I sling back into the front bar and listen, and decide we need to get closer.

But, we are disappointed. Everyone in the crows is a yuppie, white boy or girl. There is no diversity, no color, and nothing except drunk white people. No excitement, despite the good (but not great) country tunes. As I yell out Merle Haggard, the band requires a $5-spot to play it. I put up my $5, they play "Okie From Muskogee" and I roll my head in disappointment. This place has so much potential but lacks personality and charisma. I'd recommend a double cheesburger from McDonalds instead.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: This was one busy as shit bar. The Hopleaf was very cool, as far as serving a zillion European brews that you otherwise wouldn't get anywhere in Michigan. The brew pouring and the cramped atmosphere are both bonuses. But, it took forever to get our beers, and that is NEVER a good thing, especially for someone who brews his own beer. The food, actually, was disappointing. It was fine, but unexpectedly bland = it wasn't the Friture food I expected from my childhood in the Netherlands.

Nevertheless, the yooper crowd was really hopping both in quantity (big crowd), diversity, and in hops (lots of beer flowing). "Twas fun, and the beer choices are certainly unique. Stop by on Fridays and Saturdays, and you'll have a great time.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: And, then.. it happened. Big Bob and I found the ROCK STAR of all pubs in Chicago, just one block from my brother's pad. Here we are trying to find a place to park, pulling into town around 6 pm, when I find the ratted-sign and the BELL'S BEER FLAG flying out front. Hello? So, we enter into the dim establishment, with Waylon Jennings a-blazing! Now, mind you, this ain't a country bar... but rather it just had a juke-box that was front and center, and full of piss-and-vinegar. Big Bob and I spent a good $20 in the juke box as the bar filled up while the sun went down. We were there for hours. Finally, my brother calls on my cell: "Where are you?" Answer: "we are right next to your house, at the Edgefield." Brother "what? you'r joking." End game, Bob and I waited for THEM to come get us after hours of drinking. Obviously, this gets major kudos from the ES. it'sone block off Bryn Mawr and Clark. It's a must.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Look how freaking big that sign is! Big Bob and the ES were all over this place, roughing them up about their Goddam Irish. This bar had REDNECK writen all over it. But, that is what we wanted. After the Spartans meltdown to ND two weeks earlier, we were asking for trouble. Regrdless, they left us alone and it was pretty damn good COLD cheap beer. But, it should be. Not much to write about here, too bad the waitress didn't have more personality to bring to the table.

PHOTOS COMING SOON

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: My FAVORITE BAR in Washington DC. It has live music until 3 am. Every year, I spend 2 or 3 nights at this place, and it ROCKS. It has some of the cheapest beer in DC, and the place is just kind of a dump. But it has three levels, all balconies onto the main dance floor below. It is always packed, and the place is just hopping 7 nights a week. This past Saturday, it reminded me of Nikki's Bar-B-Que in San Francisco, with a FANTASTIC funk band just going nuts. We boogied until 3 am. THIS PLACE IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST! Enjoy the tunes, get blasted, people watch, and just have fun.

PHOTOS COMING SOON

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: We knew this place could accomodate a large crowd, and sure enough we stopped up and they handled a table for about 20-25 of us, including kids. Gordon Biersch has good beer... not great, but pretty good. Food is pretty damn good, typical of brewpubs. Ended up spending the night sitting next to the 12-year old friend, Zachary, of one of David Anderson's kids. He loved the Oakland Raiders for their "historic character" with Stabler, Madden, etc. How the hell did he know that? As someone who grew up in Northern Calif in the late 70s, and a MAJOR Radier fan I wuz impressed. So I asked, who is your favorite COLLEGE team? He said, "who else? The Irish." Aaarrrgh! I spent the next 2 hours brainwashing this punk into being a Spartan Fan. Success! Give this place a whirl. Great, cold beer, and good food.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Nothing particularly remarkable about Harry's, except that it was just down from the Hyatt in downtown DC, and they were open until 3 am. Which is a good thing. Here at right is folks from my AFCENT High School 20-year reunion, and at this point we were just getting blasted. Note the pitcher in the bottom right corner, a good thing they serve pitchers; there is also a Sierra Nevada in the photo, our All-Conference running back (David Anderson, with stache and goutee), and some drunk Brit... which is another good sign. Quick service, but no character. Visit it for a nice drink.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: So, the kids & wife are in bed on our winter trip to Canada, and I've got some time on my hands... The Roof Lounge it is! An amazingly cool pub, with lounge chairs, fireplace... and it is HOPPING on a Friday night. I sit down, order my Cutty on the rocks, and up pops this high-class hooker, dressed in red with a transparent/beaded top sitting next to me. I gets to talkin' with Kathryn, she's a "real estate agent." But, me thinks my talk of being a cheap-ass from Michigan and my not buying her a drink turns her off. She splits, and a guy comes up and asks how much she wanted... I said she was a nice gal, a "real estate agent." I even got her email. :) Anyhow, I hear these other guys talkin' about the best football rivalry, and up pops MSU-scUM, and I just have to pop in and tell them how much I hate the yellow bellies. Nice conversation about college football stadiums and atmosphere that they take back to their southern climes. All in all, a GREAT pub -- no television, but great conversation. With the best views in Tornoto. A must.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Wow, how did we miss this place the night before? Hung over from a hard night's drinking (sure, Champaign sucks, but we made our own fun), the ES is the only one willing to suck down a beer on the way to Memorial Stadium. A great dive bar, with carved etchings all over the wooden walls, tables and chairs. A true drinking hall. The ES felt right at home, and when he took his third shit of the day (man, beer is nature' best laxative) by 10 am, he took it in the john pictured. Best graffiti he's ever seen. This bar is a must for drinking.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Is this Denny's? No, it's Legends. Denny's is better. This is one of the WORST bars in America. And it cost $5 to get into. After we left, the ES took an informal poll on the street and ALL agreed the place looks like Denny's -- inside, the waitress was miffed when we pressed the issue with her if it was a converted Denny's. Anyway, that's not the party environment the ES was looking for on a Friday night. It was empty and boring. No atmosphere whatsoever. Avoid this place.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: This place sucked. Here was this huge, cavernous place with beer still poured all over the floor from the night before... such great potential! Reminded the ES of a wooden-floor Mac's. But, here it was, 10 pm, Friday night, and it was EMPTY. Where the hell is everyone? A $3 cover and ain't noone around. If it is gonna stink like beer, and if shoes will stick to the floor, then at least have some people there. Bullshit.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Just off Green Street, this was the other place that was busy -- a BEAUTIFUL (too nice) restaurant/bar that was a converted old Firehouse. The bar just opened its first day ever about an hour before we walked in. Everything was squeaky clean, but the $8 pitchers of Bud was overkill. At least they had pitchers. Nice sports pub upstairs with zillions of plasma televisions... the owner plopped down in a chair next to the ES and asked "does it look like we know what we're doing? we don't." But, they had more business than they knew what to do with, and all the plasma tvs were tuned to Sanford and Son and a stupid ChiSox baseball game; they hadn't figured out their Satellite tv yet. Check it out now, I'm sure the kinks are worked out. But, too clean.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: The only decent bar we hit all night in Champaign on a Friday night. Good beer on tap, but interesting was that it was the only place on the main street (Green St) before 11 pm with more than 10 people in it on Friday night in the fall before a home game. Later in the night, the drink bimbos came in and offered up shooters with their plastic boobs. Cheesy, but pretty fun. Not much "Irish" in the atmosphere, although the big shamrock and the Murphy's name implies the Eire name.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Wow, a big winner here. Driving on the way to the Illinois game, we take a side road between Chi-town and Champaign and end up in this hokey old town, Onarga. And, there she is! The Double-M Saloon, with its 50-cent cold as ice Budweiser on tap. We proceed to suck down three of these beauties a piece with excellent pure country/indie jukebox (a la the Peanut Barrel, just like home). Big Bob gets an earful from a local who talks about the death of her son at length while she drowns her tears in vodka. Truly an amazing experience, a MUST! This is what small town bars are all about.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: The ES couldn't be in Spartan Stadium for the entire game of the home opener vs Kent State, as I was at a wedding. Although I made it through the 2nd and 3rd quarters, I headed out to Lake Lansing for the reception, and then snuck down to the Mayfair Bar for a few drinks aftewards.

Just a dump of a bar, they've got deep fried cheese curds on the menu - anything that can clog the arteries like that has to be a decent spot. With Red Wings jersey hanging, pool tables and dart boards -- well, this place passes the muster for a good place to drink.

But, don't expect to pick up any chicks unless you like overweight, knee-skinned, toothless, smoking hags... a good drinking bar!

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Ok, the ES was headed back home after an engagement at the Wheatfield Inn, home of the former professional wrestler, The Sheik. He's heard a lot about this place, Spag's, so why not stop in for a brew? Well, can you say typical squeaky clean sports bar? Nice selection on tap from Labatts to Bells Oberon, and there are plenty of tvs as well as lots of seating. The one thing missing? Atmosphere -- just seems like a fairly generic place, and too clean. The outdoor patio seating... well nothing to see other than traffic on the patio.

This would be a great place to watch a game -- but, then you should head into EL for that. Because of the lameness, this thing rates just a 1 on the ES scale. Maybe the ES should swing by when Spag's has a midget tossing contest, and then make a greater impression.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Ok, the ES has hit this pub many times in the past, and its right around the corner from his work. The place definitely is for the working/Capitol crowd, but has a nice pubby feel to it. Great happy hour selection, and definitely this place hops on Thursdays through Saturdays in the non-winter months. The food, which used to suck when it first opened, has made strides and is fairly decent. But, it is an entertaining place for a pint with plenty of music -- from jazz to rock -- and a dancing crowd until 2 am.

621 doesn't have the personality as Moriarty's or Stobers just down the road (better recommendations), but it is a different crowd; you won't see the GM line workers in this pub, but you'll see the pols and the power players deciding whether or not to give GM a tax break to stick around.

PS - The ES got some guy named "Dave" to pose in the photo at right ... it's a gem, and I appreciate the stern look!

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Ok, so this bar is right on the water, there is a 30-foot rock climbing wall just outside the window where you can watch the idiots fall off, and the food is FANTASTIC. It has that old dirty, salty sea pub feel. Beyond that, its 3 pm in the afternoon on a Monday and the place is packed. The kids played pool, and ate their french fries while daddy ordered some smoked fish (see photo at right) and a Sierra Nevada. Great beer, great food, great service, great atmosphere. This is attached the old Coral Gables Inn and Restaurant, and its a gem. Gotta visit this place, I am sure it kicks at Happy Hour.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: After a long day at the beach, the ES waddles into this pub looking for a nice cold beer and a place that cooks chicken nuggets for the kids. Well, this is the place. With your classic rock blasting in the background, a beautiful bar and pool in the interior, watching the boats go by, and Oberon on tap, the ES was digging it. Then, he orders up a Souther Tier IPA and WHOA, damn things are getting nice. Too bad its Sunday night, this place looks to be hopping come the Blueberry Festival. This is a 2+, and the ES is sure its a 3 on a Friday night...

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Jesus... when the fat guy started doing the Kung Fu Star Wars dance to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" just five minutes into my visit... well I thought I found my place. But, a bit empty on a Monday night (porch chairs folded up on my entry at midnight)... nevertheless, the little crowd inside was nice and drunken. Quote the regular next to me: "I come here as much as I can when I know this guy [the dancer] is going to be here. He's the best we have to offer." What a gem. Good beer, typical Irish pub in America and a good student environment (the ES was the oldest in the bar at 36!).

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: Goose Island is pretty cool, in a hipping location. In the Weed Street neighborhood, this brewery stands out strong. The ES was getting his liquor and wine and Sam's across the street, and needed a good stiff drink before he met his mom and toured the Frank Lloyd Wright dump on the south side. So, quaff a quick brew, eh? The ES digs the Goose IPA. A brewpub atmostphere -- very slick, cool place, but no place to hang out after 7 pm...

Nice and drafty. Let's fly away.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: The ES is on the road to Chi-town after his happy visit to Bell's... when he figures he'll take US-12: the lakeshore route. He happens upon Casey's, a recommendation he's made on visits to ND in the past. Asking the barkeep on ND-MSU weekends, he says: "it's packed. This place is happening when the Spartans come to town... shit, ND is just 20 miles up the road." And the ES considers he's never been to South Bend, but now he's been to New Buffalo.

Hmmmm. Nice beer.... Nice slick bar, painted tin roof, big place. This is a local place that seems like it would be the rockin' spot on weekend evenings... but I gotta get to Chi-town.

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Description: The ES is on his way to Chi-town, and per usual needs to swing into Bell's for a nice cool draught for the road. This is a MUST stop... not only is the decor slick and brewpubby, but this is the home of the BEST BEER IN THE WORLD. Bell's Oberon and Best Brown Ale are two of the favorites of the Enlightened Spartan. You gotta wonder if they filter their water with Pfizer chemicals or Corn Flakes, but it has always worked well with Bell's brew.

Beyond that, always a good talk with the barkeep and the locals. Don't be surprised to see Harley's, Pintos, or Jaguars in the parking lot... the beer brings the crowd. Beyond that, try their BBQ chicken sandwich, brewed with the Bell's Porter -- amazing!

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!

Rating:
1 lame
2 visit
3 must!