Classy bars...

[2The9s]

I wish there were a few places in my part of San Antonio. Most of the nicer bars around here are sports bars, loud on top of loud blairing TVs. There are few nicer places in the downtown town area but that's too far to travel for a drink after work. I really long for a comfy chair to sit in too. Most bars have hard wood seats. One can always hope.

[feltfan]

At the Persian Aub Zam Zam on Haight Street (yes, in the Haight/Ashbury) in San Francisco.
Bruno used to kick anyone out if he didn't like their looks, their drink orders (anything but a Martini), if there were too many of them, if they used a cell phone.

Bruno was a bit more mysterious than that. He did,
after all, keep a bar stocked with more than Boord's gin.
Sometimes you had to catch on quickly what the drink of
the day might be. On some days if you ordered a martini
you got kicked out. The back room was perpetually closed.

There were an infinite number of things that could get you
kicked out. While at times charming, the man was not
entirely well. Unfortunately, this attracted a crowd that
sought entertainment in this practice, laughing when Bruno
would kick out some poor sap who simply thought that a
bar was a place where he might find a drink.

Lovely old decor, a jukebox with nothing later than 1950 on it, and the best Martinis in town.
I doubt that it is the same now though, Bruno passed away. But I hear that the new owners are trying to keep it much the same.

The new owners are old customers. The place is cleaner,
more accessible, and still great. I do miss the old low tech
jukebox, though. Yeah, it's noisy and it really isn't the same
anymore. But that's a good thing and a bad thing.

Let's not even talk about what was done to the Redwood Room.

[Miss 1929]

Let's not even talk about what was done to the Redwood Room.

Let's not, I would rather not cry myself to sleep!
At least it is all reversible, unlike the loss of the Patent Leather Lounge (what became the Compss Rose in the St. Francis).

[PADDY]

That's right folks!! "Paddy's Pavillion Rooms" where the Martinis are cool and the jazz is hot.

Drinks guaranteed to wash that modern colour out of your cheeks and give you that 'old fashioned' black&white glow of yesteryear!!

If you haven't a full glass in your hand and a hat on your head..then you're underdressed!!

[cookie]

That's right folks!! "Paddy's Pavillion Rooms" where the Martinis are cool and the jazz is hot.

Drinks guaranteed to wash that modern colour out of your cheeks and give you that 'old fashioned' black&white glow of yesteryear!!

If you haven't a full glass in your hand and a hat on your head..then you're underdressed!!

Are you the cup half full or half full type? Don't ask...Or are you a bloke who likes a full bottle in front of me rather than a full frontal lobotomy?

[Smithy]

Brilliant photo Paddy!

But by the looks of the angle of that drink, there's either a stiff breeze blowing or you're three sheets to the wind

Looks like "Paddy's Pavillion Rooms" will be the talk of the town!

[Chas]

Bordello Bar in LA is a fun place.

[Jovan]

The places described seem little more than where to go because you want to feel like you're better than everyone else. Not my thing. Don't get me wrong -- I can see what the allure is, and it sounded good to me at first, but as the article went on I just started to imagine a stifling sort of atmosphere where one can't sneeze without there being a fuss. I think it takes the fun out of having a cocktail or glass of wine with your friends (not my colleagues, thank you ). I don't need an exclusive "cocktail lounge" to do that. In fact, I hardly ever go to bars. My best times having a drink have been with my roommates here at the house. We never drink to excess, we tell dirty jokes (and the dames join in with that), talk about our jobs and our dreams, and most importantly we have fun.

Just my two cents.

[Diamondback]

This is starting to give me some ideas riffing on a theme from back when Doran was speculating about him, me and Ms. Tourbillion opening a club... I'm thinking not demanding "worship of bartender/establishment" or treating it as a "temple of liquor", but just basic courtesy to one's fellow customer and the staff, "keep it down and if the dame says 'back off', you do it--now" sort of thing. Maybe several rooms... say a library for quiet drink and study, for one, and maybe the "card-players' corner" behind soundproof walls.

Oh, the TV? Would be on a news-channel, muted and closed-captioned.

Don't really see it happening--way too expensive--but thought this might inspire somebody else's ideas, which might have a little more crack at happening.

[Jovan]

That sounds a lot more appealing than what was in the article. Hope it happens -- even I'd go just to see what it was all about.