by the eu professional drinkers
There are so many places to drink up and report on in Jacksonville. I decided to finish my own neighborhood before I got too deeply involved in the greater North Florida drinking scene, so I got with Oscar Volga and checked out some of the new bars in Riverside. We were surprised to find that in spite of how hip reports say that Jacksonville is becoming, Riverside still seems to lack a decent amount of good bars that stay open throughout bar hours.
Location: Corner of Herschel and St. Johns Avenues
Type of Place: Beer bar and grill
Serving: Draft imported and domestic beers (including the elusive Brooklyn Lager)Atmosphere: Sports bar atmosphere with a terrific outdoor patio.
Amenities: Arcade bowling, a big screen and several flat-screen televisions as well as two pool tables. They have nice private bathrooms that are usually very clean.
Harpoon Louie’s is the epitome of a neighborhood bar. Although they don’t serve liquor, they have a terrific selection of draft beers and even some passable wines. They are known for having exceptional bar foods at regular bar food prices. Their menu is designed and prepared by an actual chef, giving them a leg up on most places in the “bar and grill” category. The service is usually fairly attentive and an owner is almost always in the building. They have live music on their patio on Sundays, which can sometimes be nice and sometimes awkward when there is a drunk talking too loud or a rowdy group of friends. For the most part, Harpoon Louie’s is the perfect place to enjoy a casual meal with friends and follow it up with a (usually) cold pitcher of beer, especially if the weather is good. –Johnny St. Thomas
Location: 1 Block from 5 Points in the Brooklyn Area of Riverside
Type of Place: Sports bar and grill
Serving: 12 imported and domestic draft beers (exclusive carrier of some microbrews), full liquor and at least 45 different bottled beersAtmosphere: It feels like a classic burger joint, so the liquor is a plus.
Amenities: A patio for smokers and several flat-screen TVs in this single-room, but spacious bar and grill.
Drink Specials: Happy hour 3 – 8 and $3 Margaritas and $4 call drinks on Fridays. Other daily specials include dollar beers on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
It is most likely an unfortunate coincidence that a sports bar named “Hotrods” is next door to a gay bar, but perhaps they are hoping to compete with Kickbacks for the gayest sports bar in town. Hotrods is quickly garnering a reputation for cheap-but-stiff drinks. Because they are on the other side of I-95 from 5 Points, they escape the pretention of the snooty punk neighborhood without compromising accessibility. The service is great, but that is largely because real crowds haven’t caught on to the concept of drinking in this new watering hole. – Johnny St. Thomas
Location: Park Street in Five Points
Type of Place: Neighborhood bar straight from 1982
Serving: Bottled light beer and liquor in heavy-bottomed glassesAtmosphere: Smoky, dark and cozy with a deer head.
Amenities: Cigarette machine and bowling video game
Drink Specials: Happy hour Monday – Friday, 2 pm – 7 pm, and Saturday, 10 am – 7 pm, with $2.25 domestics and $2.50 wells
When I yearn for the comfort of whiskey and anonymity, the Wall Street Lounge whispers my name in a soothing-yet-gravelly voice. Just a few lights pepper the room, dispersing gently off beer logo mirrors. This place has been dark for so long, I doubt that anyone still living has really seen the black corners of this surly local haunt. In fact, I don’t think I’d recognize the bartender in the daylight. How do you clean under the tables when the lights have no bulbs? Nobody really cares one way or the other.
This is my favorite bar for time travel. Every time I visit, I remember the comfort offered by Poskie’s, my favorite neighborhood bar in Milwaukee. After a long day at the plant, nothing loosened my tension like Pall Malls, a dark vinyl upholstered booth and a Horse with No Name.
The Wall Street hasn’t been hip since the Miracle on Ice, which effectively keeps the obnoxious college kids at bay. I’ve never even encountered a group larger than four, so this is a perfect place to contemplate your week. As a courtesy to others, please remember to check your desire to party and your cheerfulness at the door. – by Oscar Volga
Location: The corner of Forbes and King Street in Riverside
Type of Place: Beer bar
Serving: Imported draft beers and German food.Atmosphere: European restaurant in a Jiffy store and parking lot.
Amenities: Outdoor dining and drinking (?)
Drink Specials: Happy hour Monday – Friday 2pm – 7pm 2-for-1 Spatens.
This is one of the newer bars in Riverside. In fact, rumor has it, Riverside Avondale Preservation is against them being able to use part of their parking lot as a “beer garden.” By beer garden they mean a place where you can drink the beers that they are only allowed to serve you inside. If you ask, you can sign a petition to allow them to use the parking lot as part of the restaurant, but they actually have you sign a page of signatures that doesn’t explain what the petition is for, so I can’t imagine it means much to any sort of legal entity. They have great beers on tap, and they charge for them. Similarly, they really charge for their chef’s specialties. When you walk into a convenience store-turned-German Restaurant, you may not expect full four star restaurant prices, and you certainly won’t get that sort of service or food (if their Caesar salad drenched in canned dressing is any indicator – I couldn’t afford any of their specialties), but you can expect a good draft beer and a friendly waitress, even if they can’t really wait on you outside. – By Johnny St. Thomas
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
