Barflys, what kind of atmosphere do you prefer?

[guellimus]

I've always wondered this of folks, what kind of drinking atmosphere do you prefer, with what kind of drink, and why?

I've been to bars, clubs, lounges, etc. and I've gotta say that if I had to choose every time, I'd love a good, dark, Irish Pub with good music and a slightly noisy crowd. I'd have either an old fashioned or a cold Pabst Blue Ribbon or Sweetwater 420.

So, that's what I like, what do y'all like and why?

 

[jwalls]

An irish pub is indeed a fine place to enjoy an evening. Black Bush with porter for a chaser. But a blues club with a great band is still my favorite.

 

[G. Fink-Nottle]

Music - Sinatra
Lighting - Dim
Drinks - Scotch, Guinness

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

I go for the intimate, dim lighting. Either a crispy, fruity cider, or intriguing cocktails to drink, and old jazz, swing, classic type music that I can hear, but do not have to shout over.

The Mr. and I do not do clubs or bars, as a rule; drinks are too pricey, crowds to rowdy, and the music far, far too loud. I don't have the kind of voice that can carry over a din, and I go hoarse trying to communicate. No fun.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Bars whose wallside booths have closeable curtains.

.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Quite a question. Hmmm I've been in Hawaii for a bit now and have had time to think about this... There are a lot of bars here yet... well, they just don't have the right people for my liking. It's too leisurely. I think I prefer the hustle and bustle of a busy bar full of people on the go. Conversations are on topics of politics and the economy and there aren't as many tans to go around. Now that i've been away from it, the brandy sifting gent and the gal in heels are something I really miss about LA and New York.

I like downtown Hotel bars... I'm still thinking and will ad when I hash it out in my head.

 

[Tomasso]

Outdoor rooftop on the water with jazz wafting through the air.

 

[Uff Da]

/\

Wow! I want to go there!

 

[davestlouis]

I don't drink any more, but when I did, I liked blue collar taverns and pitchers of cheap draft Budweiser, surrounded by old drunks to talk to. Pickled eggs on the bar, more pretzels than I can count, and a brain sandwich now and then.

 

[guellimus]

I don't drink any more, but when I did, I liked blue collar taverns and pitchers of cheap draft Budweiser, surrounded by old drunks to talk to. Pickled eggs on the bar, more pretzels than I can count, and a brain sandwich now and then.

Bars like that can be awesome. You meet some really interesting people. There's a place here called the Barn. It's a bar... in a barn. Hence the name.

You will never find a more eclectic group to share a cheap brew with. And no matter if you're a regular or new, you're always everybody's best friend.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

..Skidrow..early morning. Cig and warm draft for breakfast...

Seriously,though...I'll take Tomasso's bar in late June..just as the stars come out...
HD

 

[davestlouis]

hoosierdaddy, this is OT but I have to laugh when someone refers to themselves as hoosiers...I realize that Indiana people are proud of that name, but around St Louis, calling someone a hoosier is the same as calling them a hillbilly...back to our regular programming

no offense intended, just an observation about colloquialisms

 

[Opas Coat]

Pubs outright. I cant stand complete drunkards and music I need to shout over. Sports bars are ok however I don't usually care for sports outside of the automotive variety (NHRA, IHRA, Indy, Champ, Lemans, etc...)

I found the Red Truck Beer Company one day while touring Vancouver on foot.

Drizzling outside, It was nice to sit at the bar across from the fire (See to the right edge) and have sample sleeves of all eight beers.

 

[Opas Coat]

hoosierdaddy, this is OT but I have to laugh when someone refers to themselves as hoosiers...I realize that Indiana people are proud of that name, but around St Louis, calling someone a hoosier is the same as calling them a hillbilly...back to our regular programming

no offense intended, just an observation about colloquialisms

Sounds to me like a pun off of the tire company.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

hoosierdaddy, this is OT but I have to laugh when someone refers to themselves as hoosiers...I realize that Indiana people are proud of that name, but around St Louis, calling someone a hoosier is the same as calling them a hillbilly...back to our regular programming

no offense intended, just an observation about colloquialisms

Around HoosierLand we say phooie to those folks from St. Louie..ya'll..
HoosierD

 

[Wally_Hood]

Atmosphere - my place or a friend's place
Drinks - depends: one friend makes an outstanding g&t, I make passable mojitos
Music - the sound of well-practiced practitioners of the art of conversation.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Sounds to me like a pun off of the tire company.

Hey..we were Hoosiers long before there was a tire..or tire company...eh?
HOOSIERDADDY

 

[docneg]

Music - Sinatra
Lighting - Dim
Drinks - Scotch, Guinness

Two out of three for this fellow West Virginian! Make mine gin and you've got a companion.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

George Orwell: The Moon Under Water

Highlights from George Orwell's take on the subject:

My favourite public-house, the Moon Under Water...

Its clientele, though fairly large, consists mostly of 'regulars' who occupy the same chair every evening and go there for conversation as much as for the beer.

If you are asked why you favour a particular public-house, it would seem natural to put the beer first, but the thing that most appeals to me about the Moon Under Water is what people call its 'atmosphere'.

To begin with, its whole architecture and fittings are uncompromisingly Victorian. It has no glass-topped tables or other modern miseries, and, on the other hand, no sham roof-beams, ingle-nooks or plastic panels masquerading as oak. The grained woodwork, the ornamental mirrors behind the bar, the cast-iron fireplaces, the florid ceiling stained dark yellow by tobacco-smoke, the stuffed bull's head over the mantelpiece — everything has the solid, comfortable ugliness of the nineteenth century.

In winter there is generally a good fire burning in at least two of the bars, and the Victorian lay-out of the place gives one plenty of elbow-room. There are a public bar, a saloon bar, a ladies' bar, a bottle-and-jug for those who are too bashful to buy their supper beer publicly, and, upstairs, a dining-room.

Games are only played in the public, so that in the other bars you can walk about without constantly ducking to avoid flying darts.

In the Moon Under Water it is always quiet enough to talk. The house possesses neither a radio nor a piano, and even on Christmas Eve and such occasions the singing that happens is of a decorous kind.

The barmaids know most of their customers by name, and take a personal interest in everyone. They are all middle-aged women—two of them have their hair dyed in quite surprising shades—and they call everyone 'dear,' irrespective of age or sex. ('Dear,' not 'Ducky': pubs where the barmaid calls you 'ducky' always have a disagreeable raffish atmosphere.)

Unlike most pubs, the Moon Under Water sells tobacco as well as cigarettes, and it also sells aspirins and stamps, and is obliging about letting you use the telephone.

Upstairs, six days a week, you can get a good, solid lunch—for example, a cut off the joint, two vegetables and boiled jam roll—for about three shillings.

The special pleasure of this lunch is that you can have draught stout with it. I doubt whether as many as 10 per cent of London pubs serve draught stout, but the Moon Under Water is one of them. It is a soft, creamy sort of stout, and it goes better in a pewter pot.

They are particular about their drinking vessels at the Moon Under Water, and never, for example, make the mistake of serving a pint of beer in a handleless glass. Apart from glass and pewter mugs, they have some of those pleasant strawberry-pink china ones which are now seldom seen in London. China mugs went out about 30 years ago, because most people like their drink to be transparent, but in my opinion beer tastes better out of china.

The great surprise of the Moon Under Water is its garden. You go through a narrow passage leading out of the saloon, and find yourself in a fairly large garden with plane trees, under which there are little green tables with iron chairs round them. Up at one end of the garden there are swings and a chute for the children.

Full version at: http://www.theorwellprize.co.uk/the-award/works/orwellessaymoonunderwater.aspx

 

[rkwilker]

I support nice Irish Pubs as well. Very nice place to enjoy a Guiness or a nice Irish Whisky (Red Breast is one of my favs). I am also a fan of a nice cigar bar. Lots of dark wood, low lighting, excellent small batch single barrel bourbon or a nice scotch and a fine cigar. I prefer my bartender to be an extremely nice looking young lady but hey....that's just me.