by the eu professional drinkers
Having TPC and Mother’s Day on the same weekend is an interesting idea. On the one hand, there’s something for everybody in this issue of EU. Dad can enjoy the TPC coverage and Mom can make hints with all of the Mother’s Day suggestions. Another plus is that our Pub Crawl can work double-duty. Instead of selecting a neighborhood to drink through, this time we picked a couple of piano bars. The reason for this is obvious – Mom likes to sip on a nice cocktail or glass of wine while relaxing in an upscale place with great food and something a little more delightful than blaring live rock music. Dad, on the other hand, can still keep up with every hole during the TPC festivities in Ponte Vedra.
There are some great piano bars in town, from Orange Park’s The Hilltop to Giovanni’s at the Beaches, but we picked these two because of their proximity to the Tournament Players Championship (MacKenzies is right in Sawgrass and Dueling 88s is near Tinseltown) and because their piano bar is such a major part of their focus. We are also inducting a new professional drinker into our midst, staff writer Erin Thursby. We thought her experience with fine dining would help convey the timbre of these particular establishments. Maybe her pen name should be Erin Thirsty.
Address: 100 Sawgrass Village Dr, Ponte Vedra
Type: Steakhouse and piano bar
Serving: Full liquor, extensive wine list, various beers, steak, lobster and more.
Amenities: They have a granite bar that wraps around a grand piano and patio seating.
Drink Specials: They tend to change but they have happy hour from 4 pm- 7 pm every night and there are reduced prices on select drinks. Just ask your bartender for details.
In the restaurant section of MacKenzies, you might hear the piano man’s voice and instrument wafting through as you dine on fine food, but it might not prepare you for the sense of fun present in the bar room. It’s apparent from the banter and ease of the crowd that many of the bar’s patrons are regulars. Have a glass of fine wine or maybe a Scotch on the rocks as you pretend to be one of them. When I was there, as an engagement party wound down on the patio, the bride-to-be and her cadre of soon-to-be bridesmaids descended upon the welcoming piano man. They became part of the entertainment as they joined him behind his piano, singing along and making requests. Guests can sit at a bar surrounding the piano’s platform to be in on the action, or they can take in the whole room from the regular bar or one of the small tables. The delicious food is served in the piano bar area as well, so you won’t miss out on that.
- by erin thursby
Address: 9720 Deer Lake Court (Next to Tinseltown inside of Dick’s Wings)
Type: Southern-style bar
Serving: Some wine, mostly beer and mixed drinks
Amenities: If the dueling pianos and the enthused crowd isn’t enough to entertain you, you can play darts or use one of their pool tables. They also have a dance floor.
Drink Specials: Happy hour is from 3-7 pm Monday - Friday. Enjoy 2-for-1 Bud, Bud Light, and Miller Lite and the 50 cent wing special.
Before coming to this particular Dick’s Wings in Tinseltown, I’d only ever been to the Dick’s Wings in Mandarin, so I had no clue what a hotspot this was on Saturday night. Before they fired up the pianos at 9 pm, the place was already pretty packed with folks downing cold beer and hot wings. The party really started when they started playing the two baby grands and about a hundred people started singing along to ‘Crocodile Rock.’ People even dance at this piano bar. These folks are all about participation, even the relatively sober ones. Crazy 88s gives two weekly performances on Friday and Saturday from 9 pm-1 am.
- by erin thursby
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