J M O'Malley's

J M O'Malley's is down in what a lot of people refer to the Irish district.  Its not the nicest part of town, and J M O'Malley's fits right in!  It is the smallest building I have ever seen in my life.  The definition of a dive bar in the truest sense.  This place looks like its falling apart, if not from the floor that appears to be three or four different colors, or the duct tape holding the TV stand to the wall, then definately from the fact that they have a pay phone behind the bar (which rang while we were there by the way)  Despite its small size and terrible outward (an inward) appearance, locals love this place.  It was packed.  There is literally no room, so even packed could be about 20 people, but all of them were staring at us, and it was difficult to get near the bar to get a beer.  Once we got it, we were in the way standing around drinking it.  This place would be fine with me if it were bigger, or if we went when there was no one there, but busy plus small equals no fun to me.  We really didn't get a chance to do any of the things we do on this bar tour, which is socialize with the bartender and the regulars.  Jen used to come here a few years back and it used to be one of her favorites.  Either she went on nights when it wasn't so crazy in there, or else that was the phase in our lives where she liked crazy bars (read: I would not hate on Dublin City)  That time is not now, and I didn't care for this place so much.  I would say literally the only problem is the crazyness to size ratio, however there is little chance I see in that ratio changing unless they magically quadruple the size of the building.  Other than that, I can take rough around the edges any day.  This place happens to be extra rough, but some of our favorite gems on the bar tour so far have been hole in the wall places.  To sum this up, the people who will like this type of bar already go here, and for that, it gets an A for effort.  P.S. They have live music too, although I have no idea where they stand while playing...maybe in the bathroom.

J M O'Malley's...the smallest bar
that money can buy.

J & M's Keg Bar and Grill

Good luck finding this one on Google maps! Better known to those who know where this bar is as "The Keg," this little gem sits down on 5th Avenue downtown near Benz Beverage Depot.  We had our entire list compiled and posted on the blog when we happened upon this place while shopping for some things at Benz.  We turned out of the parking lot, saw the word Keg, and the rest is history.  We were glad when we found it, because we were almost to the J's.  This is a bar that definately doesn't see a lot of strangers, it is mostly regulars, but unlike some other local bars, they were very friendly here.  The bartender talked with us about how they just recently got their kitchen open about a month ago, so we had to try some of the food.  The prices were really good, and the food was good as well.  After a few beers and a few cherry bombs the regulars started talking with us, and we got a really good vibe from the place.  Each wall is painted with a sports teams colors and logo, so I assume there are a good amount of sports games played here when they are on.  Also, you could see right into the kitchen area from the bar area, and I thought that was kind of cool.  We both agreed this was a great way to start our bar tour that evening, and will likely return to a place like this, if not for the food, for the hospitality and slow paced atmosphere.

719 5th St SE in Cedar Rapids, IA 52401





Left: Google Street View of the Bar.
Right: The menu at J&M's Keg Bar and Grill



Irish Democrat

This place is a legend in Cedar Rapids.  Much like Fieldhouse on Blairsferry Road, this place is definately more restaurant than bar.  Finding someone who lives in Cedar Rapids that hasn't heard of Irish Democrat is a challenge, and most have graced its wonderfully charming walls.  It is in the old Kenwood downtown (if you are a history buff) and is on the side of the road that still remains from when that area used to be the downtown stretch of Kenwood...the other side of the road got demolished when they widened 1st Avenue years ago.  The place feels old, but in that really comfortable and delightful way.  Its well kept, and always seems to give great service.  They have a very unique menu, and a good selection of beers.  There is a bar in the traditional sense on one side, but every time I have been here it was mainly to eat, so I have never stayed past restaurant hours.  From what I hear though it does have a somewhat vibrant nightlife.  If you haven't heard of this place (WAKE UP!) then you should give it a shot.  If you haven't been here, you don't know what you are missing.  There is something for everyone on their menu, and you are sure to find something that is unique enough that you will be surprised.  Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.  P.S. Try the Smithwicks (pronounced "Smitticks") on tap.  There are only a select few bars in town that have it on tap, and this is one of them, and it is delicious in a frosty mug.

The outside of Irish Democrat.
Image taken from Google Maps

The New Improved Bar Tour Blog!

Now with pictures! (Where applicable)

So we are both pretty new to this whole blogging thing, and we started it more or less just to write our experiences down, whether people read them or not.  We decided that pictures may help enhance the experience, so where applicable, we will try and snap pictures of the bar, the menu, a sign, a beverage nap, you know, anything we feel like we can take a picture of without being too overly awkward and draw attention to ourselves.  The first round of pictures were really dark, and blurry, so I tried to photoshop the heck out of them to make them readable, hopefully they get better with experience.

Also, we updated a few of our previous blogs with some new information and smoothed things out, off the top of my head there was a few things changed on Dublin City and Homeport.  In general we try and leave intact what we wrote before, and then add to it in an "Edit:" fashion so as to not disturb the flow of the universe.

Homeport

Cedar Rapids best kept secret! We did google street view prior to going to this bar and we still had no idea where it was. In fact, it even took a little time to pick it out in broad daylight. However, at night time you will be able to see the faint glow of a couple small beer signs in the windows of a random blue building at the end of Center Point Rd. Not joking. It is the most random place for a bar. It right by nothing... Actually It's a block from Aggie O'Shears if that helps. Haha. Yeaaa. Anyways. Homeport, besides being a secret was a very nice place. There was karaoke the night we were there and amazingly everyone that sang was a really good singer. The bar seemed like a really great place to meet up and hang out with friends but it does seem to cater to an older crowd. Pretty sure that we were the youngest by at least 10 years but I had the feeling that if we had stayed much longer we would have invited to be a part of the party that seemed to be happening all around us. In conclusion, Homeport is Cedar Rapids best kept secret. Don't try to find any info online because they simply do not advertise the bar. Oh! But they do serve pizza!

Edit: After writing this entry we heard quite a bit of feedback from friends and family and it turns out just about everyone we know knew about this bar.  So, on second thought, maybe it is Cedar Rapids' Best Kept Secret from Jen and Eric.  Either way, the review stands as written before, we were just late to the scene on this place.

Homeport.  You can see our
confusion in not realizing this was a bar.

Hamburger Mary's

Well, let me start off by saying if you want to go here...go quick! This place is closing after a New Years Eve party on the 31st. From a business standpoint, I can understand why. This bar caters to an alternative lifestyle, and many people, myself included, just don't know what to expect before walking in the door here. This means they are alienating a good portion of their potential clientelle who either don't understand what this bar is about, or don't care to engage in what this bar offers - which is unfortunate for them. I was one of those potential customers until I visited this bar. Not everyone has a Jen to make them do things they aren't comfortable with, and not everyone has a bar tour that forces them to visit new places alphabetically (man I'm a lucky guy!) Among other things adding to its woes are that it has a terrible location. It suffers from poor visibility, limited parking, poor signage opportunities, no immediate residential neighborhoods to pull traffic from, and no bars near by to make it an "overflow" bar. Add all of those things to the general misunderstanding of what this bar is, and you have a recipe for failure. That being said, I'm glad I went here before it closed. We went on a Friday night...and it was packed. There was a drag show at nine...not usually my cup of tea, but I see why people are entertained by it. They have a full menu, and from what I hear it is pretty good. The place is set up a little akwardly due to restrictions the city has on building size due to available parking. If there is one thing it does have it is a great attitude. Everyone here seems nice, everyone seems chatty, and everyone seems to have the same basic attitude that everyone in there is equal. That's awesome! This is something that you don't get in your run of the mill everyday bar. Our bartender was awkward, but he was nice, and we got good service. If the world were more open to a world similar to the one that exists inside Hamburger Mary's, we would all be much happier people! I would not say this is a bar I would hang out at every day, but there is a few elements here that could do well under different circumstances, and for that, I will be sorry to see it go.
Great entertainment, good food and superior service makes this place a win. Unfortunately, the bad location and negitive attitudes of our world leave this place in the dust. Hamburger Mary's you will be missed. :-(

Green Gable Inn

Green Gable is a very unique bar in Cedar Rapids, as it offers a bar atmosphere for those on third-shift. We decided to check it out on a Monday afternoon thinking that we'd be able to get prime seating at the bar and maybe have a friendly conversation with the bartender. However, the entire bar was packed and everyone seemed to be friends. Talk about awkward - I think every head turned to look at us when we walked in. I don't expect hospitality from a bar patron but I felt as if we were non-existent for the entire time we were there. No one moved over to let us order a drink and when we did get a drink we went upstairs and never heard from anyone again! Not even a bartender. I've been to Green Gable before and had a decent time but watching Steve Wilkos on TV with Eric because we were trying to finish our beers wasn't what I had intended for the bar tour. Based on my experience, like many other bars on this bar tour, Green Gable caters mainly to their regular customers. I believe they have pool league every once in while but there was no flyers or anything about what the bar had for "specials" during the week. Unless I somehow end up working third shift and can't go home without a lil beer in my belly, I likely will not return to this bar. I have no reason to because I'm not a part of that crowd and I didn't see any indication that anyone else ever came there.

The Green Gable Inn...green building
and all.

Gilligans

I heart Gilligans! It's not because Gilligans has great service, because everytime I've been there (twice) I have not been impressed by the way the bartenders offer much more attention to the regulars who are bellied up to the bar. It's also not because they have great food - it's not horrible, and for what it is it's fairly good and defintely decently priced, but I'm pretty sure I could get the same kinds of things from the frozen food section at Walmart. In the summertime Gillians has rows of motorcycles out front and it is understandable as there is VERY limited parking. The actual bar is raised up abour three feet higher and looks down over the rest of the bar which I think is what I liked so much about it. While the food and service weren't outstanding the place still has an amazing "local bar" feel that just really draws you in. The crowd is much older and I feel like many of them live close by. I would go back to Gilligans, even though I'm not a biker and not a regular I feel I'd would enjoy my experience every time. P.S. beer was a buck the day we went!

Granite City

Alright, so this one was a grey area bar.  This place is hands down a restaurant first and foremost.  However, two reasons we included it on the list...number 1, they brew their own beers, that makes them very important.  Number 2, they do have a bar in the restaurant, and it does stay open until 2 AM most nights.  I will not pretend this is a place that we would ever go drinking in a bar situation, however, based on the beers, and the atmosphere, everyone has to go here once.  The food is pricey, but it is amazing.  The service is pretty good, I have been here so many times it is hard to say its perfect, because every now and then you get a bad one.  They let you sample their beers for free, and they have seasonal beers they brew on the premises.  Pretty cool.  You can also see the fermentation tanks from the dining area.  If you do decide to make this a regular restaurant stop, keep a couple things in mind...although the parking lot may be packed, they are insanely good at seating people quick.  It can look packed and still only have a 15 minute wait on a Friday night.  Also, if you frequent this place often, sign up to be a mug club member, if you do it on a Monday I think, its only like $10 to join, its a lifetime membership, you get 10% off every meal, every time, and you get upgraded from a 20oz beer to a 25oz beer for free, and the beers are a dollar less than the regular price or somethign crazy like that.  I mean how can you go wrong with that?  I have never been disappointed with this place, and I recommend everyone give it a try, despite, the fact that it is not a *bar* in the traditional sense.

Firehouse

What can I say about Firehouse?  This place is tiny, in a weird location for a bar (read: not close to any other bar-type businesses really) and it isn't the nicest building.  Add to that the fact that it has terrible parking, and you have what should be a place to avoid.  However, we have been here multiple times and if there is one thing this bar does, and does well, it is make people feel welcome.  The people that are here drinking will always strike up a conversation with random people, and the bartenders are super friendly.  They provide good service, even when they seem to be busy.  This is the type of palce where even if you are sitting at a table, and there is only one bartender working (like every night) they will still come out from behidn the bar to check and see if you need another beer.  They are pretty good at IDing so keep it legit folks, 21+ only!  Not that we would ever condone drinking underage anyway...but seriously, check this place out if you happen to be around there, or just looking for a new little bar to hang out in.  Lots of TVs for sports, and ususally pretty good prices on something involving beer.  Make sure you ask what drink specials they have, because it always seems like something is cheap.  I would say if you live nearby to consider making this your spot, but I have a feeling most people who live nearby already do.

Fieldhouse (Downtown)

The next time you are thinking about going out in Cedar Rapids and you ask yourself, Where can I go that has Keystone Light on tap? the answer is Fieldhouse Downtown.  This bar was previously DC's Riverwalk Pub.  We had intended on visiting this earlier in the tour, but it changed names shortly after compiling the list, and we had to move it down to the F's.  DC's is next door to Dublin City, which is in the old Muddy Waters spot. They have a full menu here as well, but unlike their cousin on Blairsferry, this place feels more like a bar than a restaurant.  The menu is almost identical at both places though, so rest easy if you are craving something off the Fieldhouse menu, it is probably served both places.  Service was great here, so its nice to see they don't take after their next door neighbor Dublin City, (at least not the day we were there) and the bartender was very chatty.  She told us that the same guy that owned DC's Riverwalk owned Fieldhouse in Iowa City and the one on Blairsferry, and that he just decided to change the name of DC's when he bought the Tilted Kilt location and moved Fieldhouse to Cedar Rapids.  There is still a sign outside that says DC's Riverwalk Pub, so don't get confused when you go down there.  The place has a pretty good feel to it, and we may go back if we are ever down near there and wanting to pop in for a beer.  Or maybe the next time I am craving a Keystone Light on tap...like that will ever happen.  Cheers.

Fieldhouse (Blairsferry Road)

This is a place that is more restaurant than bar for sure.  It is in the old Tilted Kilt spot on Blairsferry Road just next to Buffalo Wild Wings.  Not a whole lot has changed since Tilted Kilt closed...the place looks identical except for a few coats of paint and some sports memorabilia added.  It has a very sports bar type atmophere, but this definately is not a place people would go just to drink.  Despite their insanely large collection of beers on tap (I think I counted 30-40?) their prices on beer are a little steep.  The food is decent, but its priced around what you would expect from a restaurant, not a bar.  It is nice that the Fieldhouse is bringing its "brand" to Cedar Rapids since closing the Iowa City location, but I fear unless they change their image, they may suffer the same fate Tilted Kilt did.  Right now there is no huge draw to bring me here over Buffalo Wild Wings next door, and the parking is way better next door.  Overall, the service was good (it better have been, there were only three other people in the whole place) and we enjoyed what we had, but we were itching to move on to Fieldhouse Downtown and we didn't stay too long.  Both of us had been here when it was Tilted Kilt and agreed not much had changed...be that a good thing or a bad thing.  It is at least worth it for you to check it out yourself and see what you think.

Name Change!

Well we had our first bar change names since making the list.  Besides Fifth Gear which (ridiculously) changed its name to Sixth Gear two days before we arrived at it on the tour, we haven't had any name changes that affected the order of the list.  When Fifth changed to Sixth Gear, we just moved it down the list.  When Mugs and Jugs changed to Silver Star Saloon, we moved it down the list.  We officially have our first bar, Mr. B's, that changed its name to Big Daddy's Pub N Grub.  Since we have already passed the B's, we must now refer back to the rules.  They clearly state that we may go to it at the end of the list, or visit it the next night we go out.  We will probably visit it with our next visit so that the flow of check marks on our list will be even.  In other news, we also found a bar we had missed.  Jen knew there was a bar downtown somewhere and we literally have been driving around trying to find it, and today we accidentally found it while driving downtown.  J & M's Keg Bar & Grill has been added to the list (and is coming up soon) so it's a good thing we found it.  We have no rule to address what to do when we miss a bar...and we don't want to play fast and loose with the rules, this is serious business...anyway, more to come soon!

Fat Wally's

I've been to Fat Wally's quite a few times and for anyone who knows me, this wouldn't be too much of a surprise. I've often wondered how this downtown, basement Pool Hall has stayed open for so long since there is never anyone there. I've also wondered why there is never anyone there. It's a super cool place with a lot of character and a million (closer to 30) pool tables. Fat Wally's is located on 2nd Ave right up the street from all the popular downtown bars and is in the basement of the building with Tycoon. After a little bit of awkwardness with the only bartender I've ever seen at Fat Wally's, we finally managed to strike up a conversation. The owner of Fat Wally's happens to be the owner of the entire building as well as the owner of the building Brick's is in. He was our bartender that night! He let us in on some fascinating history about his buildings as well as little tidbits about Cedar Rapids. Ever heard of Duck Pin? Nope, not us either. But Fat Wally's was a Duck Pin Alley back in the 1940's. The pins are a little smaller and the "bowling ball" is the size of a softball with no holes. High school kids were hired to be the "pin setters" in this alley and there is still carvings, "Susie <3 Pete" in the walls where they worked. We were really not interested in going to Fat Wally's but after two hours of conversation we were really glad we had gone...this guy is a walking History Channel, and we couldn't get enough! I'm not going to give you the full story here, but next time you are at Brick's look at the statue at the top of the building on the front... I bet you've never noticed that one before!

Ernie's

Ask Eric what he thinks of Ernie's and his response will be simple: "Awesome." That, however, was not my first impression. From the front Ernie's has a lot of curb appeal. The front windows are lined with high-top tables and the hanging bar lights over the tables provide an inviting view from Czech Village. The ceilings are high and the room is wide open; which is probably why the place echoed so badly. It was football night on my first visit and the whistling and yelling that goes with football was intensified by being in Ernie's. I did notice there was a pool table in a small room off the back of the bar and we did add our signature, "Jeneric," to the mega touch at the end of the bar. Great beer prices, too. Overall, Ernie's is not a bad place, but after this particular visit I can see it getting very loud even with only a few rowdy patrons. The bar has a great "neighborhood bar" feel and it would probably be awesome in the summer for live music. I'd love to see Czech Village completely restored to its glory and the establishments that have been restored since the flood are doing a great job to draw people back in.

Dumas's

This is a bar that we always forget about every time we are thinking about bars.  Ask someone familiar with the area to list every bar in Marion and without fail 9 out of every 10 people you ask forget this bar exists.  Those same 9 people will quickly name Wrigleyville though, and Dumas's happens to be right behind Wrigleyville.  It is a strange little bar, because it looks like a small steel building, and doesn't scream bar.  If you are looking for it, it is easy to find, and its an alright place.  When we got there they were finishing up some karaoke.  The bartender was ancient, but she was a peach!  She was friendly, personable, and knew her way around the bar (despite insisting on Red Bull in her Cherry Bombs)  When Jen's brother decided to meet us here, we made sure to tell her to give him a hard time about his ID, and she obliged.  The place isn't really fancy, or even nice for that matter, but it is definitely a "no judging" type of bar.  A lot of regulars and "locals" here, although technically we are locals too I guess, because we just live down the street, but a lot of small bars like this tend to treat outsiders like strangers (read: Coopacabana) and here we did not experience that.  I had been here before, and the experience was the same before as this time.  It is surprisingly small inside compared to how the building looks from the outside.  I guess they serve food too, but I don't know much about that.  Its not my kind of joint, but I bet a lot of people would love this place, and it probably makes great overflow from Wrigleyville (which is FAR too small for its own good.)

Dublin City

This place is a mess.  I am reminded of nostalgic memories of the days when this was Muddy Waters, and we used to actually be able to get a drink from the bar.  Every time I come here since it become Dublin City, it is just a mass of people who are rude and drunk.  I have clearly never been here on a slow night, so maybe there are times when this bar is a little more my speed, but I have yet to find it.  It is vaguely reminiscent of the Dublin City I visited downtown when it was a "2nd Ave" bar.  I remember going to Dublin a few times before the flood in their old spot, and it wasn't much better.  I'm sure this is the type of bar for a lot of people, and its definitely trendy, but it is not for me.  I like going to bars where I can get beer.  If you are lucky enough to rent out Dublin's back room, they will graciously assign you a server that will cater to your private affair for a fee, yet even that isn't enough to insure your alcoholism needs are met, because the server checked back with us about once every 30 minutes to bring all the drinks that were ordered through her 30 minutes earlier.  I get it, they are busy, they are doing a good business.  Congrats, you have a problem that some bars would kill to have.  But now that you have this problem...grow up...hire some more servers, and spend a tiny bit of that money that you are raking in to help serve the customers you have in your bar.  I for one avoid this place like the plague unless someone invited me there for events, and even then I begrudgingly go.  You may be doing good business now, but in the bar world, trends can change in a flash, and I would hate to be the bar owner that was too comfortable with what he/she had and was content giving poor service to it's clients when no one wants to go here anymore.  I miss you Muddy Waters.
*Steps down off Soap Box*

Edit:  After writing this blog entry, we had a few people mention that we should be objective in our blog entries.  After a drunken discussion with a few friends on the subject, I realized that in general, I think we are fairly objective in explaining that if we didn't like a bar, there are still those who will.  After thinking about it, I'm not sure we were clear about this one.  There are a LOT of people who love this place, so it is clearly popular.  Let me be clear, when someone from out of town asks me to recommend a bar, I ask what type of bar they are looking for, and I have steered people here.  This is a college age bar, and it definitely fits its role well.  While I avoid this like the plague, that does not mean everyone will hate it.  In my review, I listed the reasons why I avoid it, and mentioned a suggestion that would improve it without taking away from its college age fast paced atmosphere.  If I were able to get a beer, I would go here.  While Jen and I definitely prefer smaller, slower paced bars most of the time, there are pros and cons to every bar, and Dublin has a formula that works well for its desired clientele.  I would just hate to see it fail for the wrong reasons.

Bar Tour back from hiatus!

We went on a little bit of an unintended break there for a little bit.  We ad family in town, then a busy week, then we both got the nasty flu bug going around, so we haven't gone in a few weeks, but we are both healthy again and should resume the tour.  The reason we did not go to Fifth Gear the other night as a previous blog post mentioned, is because we drove all the way across town to it, and upon arrival found out it has changed its name to Sixth Gear.  The rules state we can't go out of order, so this bar has been moved to an S bar now.  We then decided to go to Gilligans, which was next on the list, and when we walked in and sat down, we realized Jen didn't have her ID.  Clearly the Bar Gods didn't want us on The Bar Tour that night, so we went to our regular watering hole, La Cantina (where everybody knows your name) and Jen didn't need an ID, and we called it quits for the night.  Look forward to a Gilligans revisit, and a few new blog posts soon.  We're Back!

BIG CHANGES!!!

Hey. So we decided that we aren't going to cheat anymore! No more skipping over the places we have already been. That means--from now on we will go to every bar, in order, no exceptions. Maybe this decision will lead Eric to step out of his comfort zone (afterall that is what the Bar Tour is about...) and add Hamburger Mary's, Basixx and that new bar downtown to our list. I will be sure to update on the status of that big step should he decide to take it... Good Day.

P.S. We are starting at Fifth Gear tonight, and with the new rules going into effect tonight, that will take us to FireHouse after that. Please feel free to join. :-)

Double Inn Lounge

This bar is like Christmas.  Its like when your grandma wraps a present for you in that really ugly wrapping paper and you just get a bad impression about the gift inside.  On the outside, this bar screams "s#@thole" but on the inside it is actually pretty nice for what it is.  We weren't too stoked on this area of town...its not ghetto, but its definitely not a rich people's neighborhood, and the flood didn't help.  Nonetheless, we have long since stopped caring about the location of the bar...we just didn't expect much.  Upon entering we see a pretty big place, with a TON of dartboards and silver strike bowling games.  On top of the usual silver strike games there was also additional TV screens which allowed the spectators to see the games being played easier.  It almost felt like you could do real bowling games here head to head, but we didn't try as there was already a pretty good crowd of people playing.  We ran into someone else we knew there and they said they had come just for the silver strike, so I guess thats a pretty big draw.  With that said, the bartender was pretty terrible.  I don't know if he was the owner, or just an old man who really didn't care about getting drinks for us, but we had planned on ordering food, and after waiting 20 minutes for him to return, we decided against it.  (P.S. we sat at the bar, and he was frequently 5 feet from us, but refused to make any kind of eye contact with us.)  After our beer sat empty for a good 5 minutes, he came and asked for a second round.  We obliged, but weren't too keen on staying around much longer.  Overall, I would actually return to this bar, because it really seemed like it fit our style alright.  I can't hold one bartender's bad service against the whole bar, even if it was the owner (maybe)

Deanoz

The first thing I noticed upon entering Deanoz is that looks can sometimes be deceiving. Outside, the building looks tiny, yet inside it is wide open, lots of space and tables, and generally a nice vibe inside. It was very much a sports bar feel, with large TVs everywhere you looked. There was lots of arcade games and a pool table and I can see how it would be a very enjoyable place to spend your free time. The food was also delicious. There was nothing overly special about Deanoz, it just had a really good atmosphere and I would defiantly go back again and again. Eric said he used to go here when it was Third on First, and he liked it then as well. We were both pleasantly surprised how tasty the food was for a pretty fair price. P.S. Either the bar was too high, or the chair was too short, but the bar didn't seem the right height to me. (Eric says it was me that was too short. Whatever. Either way I had to sit on the stool with my feet under me.)

Daniel Arthurs

Daniel Arthurs is where we started off our halloween festivities with the smooth stylings of Seth Lee. We tried one of their pizzas - which was probably the best "fancy" pizza ever. (If there is one word to describe Jen Walser, it is fancy. So, it was fitting.) It is hard to judge the service on halloween (although the staff was all looking pretty snazzy as the Dukes of Hazard.) There was a fair amount of chaos on Halloween in the small downstairs area of the fine dining restaurant. (An old funeral home, by the way, and is believed to be haunted!)  Daisy Duke was spot on in refilling our drinks on time, and remembering what we were drinking despite there being twice as many people than the place should realistically hold.  This is definitely more restaurant than bar.  We might just pop back in here from time to time and check out the scene again.  Food is a little pricy, as it should be in a fine dining establishment, but drinks seemed just right. Daniel Arthurs is also home of the Acoustic Idol competitions, so if you are a sucker for some good ol' live acousitics, check this place out.

Dancer's Ranch

We can keep this one short.  Jen insisted we go here.  As a part of the bar tour, it does fit the criteria...serves alcohol, stays open until 2 AM (or later), and has a physical bar you can walk up to and sit at.  Now who am I to turn down a chance to go to the strip club?  I went with three lovely ladies, and had a whole beer before they wanted to bounce, and I didn't blame them.  I have been to my share of strip clubs before and this place is downright seedy.  Without commenting on the girls working at all, the place is just filled with dirty old men, and it just feels like a place you don't want to admit to having gone to.  Jen said the best part was the friendly conversation with the off duty strippers in the disgusting women's room. With that said, don't go here.  Moving on.

P.S.  Sorry this is out of order alphabetically.  We went to it and typed up this review but for some reason the post never got posted.

Cooter's

So far we have visited a handful of bars and it is interesting how we have gone from being a little nervous to be in weird situations at bars we are unfamiliar with, to being at Cooter's and rolling with everything. Pretty much everything about this bar should have yelled uncomfortable. Cooter's, despite its location right on 1st Avenue, is really in a poor spot, (right next to the old Happy Hour Health Spa.) It's also tiny (don't be fooled by the wall of mirrors that make it seem much larger than it is.) There is basically no parking in the front since it is on 1st Avenue. I guess there is some parking in the back. Almost immediately after we walked in and ordered beer, a drunk girl came over and asked if we were "from Linn County." I said yes, and she said, "you look like you are lost." (As a side note: If I was lost and didn't know my way around town, I would not have walked into Cooter's for directions.) Apparently, they don't get outsiders very often. Thats not a problem, because I just answered her question with a question: "Is there beer here?" ...to which she replied yes, and I proudly exclaimed that if there was beer, I was not lost. The bartender was nothing but friendly. He gave Emily a free birthday shot (it really was her birthday) and he let her add her name to the November birthday board. Then the guy sitting at the bar (who happened to be the entertainment for the evening) got up and played Emily a Happy Birthday song. Everyone sure did a great job of welcoming us in, even though they knew we were not regulars. Overall, I can honestly say I will never return to this bar, solely because I have no reason to. I don't know anyone that goes there, it's not by my house and it doesn't offer anything that any other neighborhood bar couldn't. It is not from lack of service, or lack of hospitality, but just generally because we don't fit in here. The bar tour is about meeting people and getting outside of our comfort zone, and I think we did really well here at this bar, because we both walked away with a positive experience, in what should have been nothing but uncomfortable.

Cooper's Mill

My favorite hotel amenity is a bar! Not kidding - it's the best thing a hotel could have if you are staying there. Other than the fact that this hotel has a bar, I wouldn't really say anything else about it is my favorite. Cooper's Mill is the lounge in the Best Western across the river from Quaker Oats. They've done a nice job of rebuilding after being flooded in '08 but it is not really a bar-hoppers destination. (Unless you happen to be participating in any of the F Ave. Bar Crawls - one coming up this December by the way...) We didn't feel like the bartender spoke very good English which could be the reason that she didn't do a very good job of getting us drinks. The bar stools were full, the tables were empty, but it still took about ten minutes to get a drink. The obnoxious men next to us were drinking very large bone-shaped beers that required a wooden stand to hold them upright. The men were standing at the bar rather than sitting, my guess is so they were tall enough to drink the massive beer. I was reminded a lot of the Longbranch Hotel, not only because the glasses said, "Longbranch," but the decor was similar as well. Longbranch is also a Best Western, and Eric and I both agreed they probably have the same owner. His theory was that after the flood they just stole some of the glasses from the Longbranch rather than spending the money to buy new ones. Cooper's Mill wasn't bad, but the only time that it's probably a place to go is if you are doing a bar crawl or staying at the Best Western. You have to go out into the hotel to use the bathroom which was weird. Oh! They make their cherry bombs out of Red Bull too! Who likes Red Bull? Seriously. The End.

Coopacabana

This is a bar with an identity crisis. Mr. Barry Manilow proudly proclaims the Copacabana "the hottest spot north of Havana."  This bar is apparently owned by the Cooper family, hence the clever play on the name.  Either way, you would assume with a name like that, that we would get a tropical themed bar.  I understand naming conventions don't dictate exactly what you find in a bar...I at the very least expected it to be full of enough Jimmy Buffett references to make any Parrothead feel at home.  This bar however, aside from a few stray neon palm trees and a Margaritaville street sign, has none of those things.  The bar looks like an old building that was never intended to hold a bar, and has never even been given the slightest thought of a remodel.  There are pictures of Elvis everywhere, along with a painting of what appeared to be Frank Sinatra?  Add to that an entire Hawkeye themed room, and a bunch of "Shamrock Alley" signs, and a giant "countdown to St. Patricks day" behind the bar, and we have a serious identity problem.  There are way too many dart boards here, and what appeared to be a dart tournament going on.  In addition, we clearly were the only people in the bar who were not regulars...and this was a Saturday night!  Thank god for cherry bombs or Jen and I would have felt so akward we would have dashed for the door without so much as a drop of beer in our bellies. Speaking of our bellies; we were under the impression they served food but didn't get that vibe that they actually did while we were there. On the way out we did notice microwaves and toaster ovens in a random wide open area that was very much NOT a kitchen. I'm not saying this bar doesn't have any reedeeming qualities...wait, I am saying that, nevermind. Oh - but the bartender did her best to be friendly on her first night working there; I suppose that is a plus. 

Cocktails

The infamous Cocktails! Not much to say about this place... you've probably been there already anyways. The place is always busy and so you will never feel out of place. The staff seem to treat everyone the same whether you are there every night or if its your first time. They always have good entertainment, too. They often have live music or a DJ, but the acoustics of the building aren't so great. With entertainment comes a cover charge, but don't fret it's usually between $3 and $5. (Trust me - you will put more money in the stupid punching machine game!) There is pool tables arcade games. Cocktails has food. That's a plus. Oh! and a couple years ago Brynna won the annual Halloween costume contest, and that's a big deal. She got a free keg party - it was sweet. Everyone seems to love this place but I'm not exactly sure why...it's pretty standard.

City Beat

What a cute little bar!  We actually found this bar hiding under the interstate one night while driving home from who knows where.  I was on the interstate and all of a sudden I saw some neon beer signs down below.  I did the responsible thing and took the next exit and circled back to figure out what it was.  That little drive is actually the last time Jen pitched the idea of the Phonebook Tour to me before I finally gave in.  Anyway, back to reality, on to the bar!  This place is just is stones throw from the downtown, in a really random place, but it is pretty nice inside. It obviously flooded in 2008 with the rest of downtown, so everything is pretty new inside.  We were there on a Monday night, so it wasn't that busy, but the bartender warmed up to us real nicely and was telling us about their live music on the weekends.  I could tell that they don't get a lot of stragglers during the week, mostly just locals, but I bet the place fills up a little more on the weekends.  Overall I would say this place is nice, but there isn't a huge draw to pull me in unless there was an entertaining playing that I wanted to see.  If I lived close I would probably pick this as my chill hangout spot.  They have food too, but since I forgot to write this entry until like a week or more from when we went there, I don't remember what they serve...sorry.

The Mission

We are a couple in our mid-twenties, who like to think of ourselves as adventurous. We have lived in the area for the better part of our twenty-some years, however, Iowa doesn't exactly feed our appetite for adventure; so we decided to get creative. We have friends; and we love our friends. They are really great friends, but often we find ourselves at the same old bars (Papa's - Love it!) with the same (amazingly awesome) folks, just drinking. Drinking is great, too. But as a twenty-something, you know becoming an adult and such, we have our new goals and new responsibilities and the drinking isn't really the reason for... the drinking. Does that make sense? Eric says no. I think you get it though...it's incredibly easy to fall into a trend where every Saturday you hang with the same peeps at the same place. It is no one's fault really, but it is a dilemma. So we decide to switch things up, but where to go? We don't know anywhere else--or anyone else for that matter! This is when I made the suggestion to "open the phone book to a bar and point to one." Eric blew it off... because he is the less adventurous of the two of us. With coaxing he realized it was a pretty cool idea which was only solidified after the first few bars on our list. Beaver Creek Saloon was a place we had never heard of and we didn't know what we should expect. The first lesson we learned about our Bar Tour is that we don't need expectations, because then we will just be let down when things don't pan out, or plans fall through...and that is what this whole thing is all about. For the next 6 months, or however long this takes us, we will never have to fight about where we are going tonight or who we are going out to meet. By the way!!! Everyone is welcome to join us! This isn't at all an attempt to avoid friends but rather to make friends, find some new scenery, have something to do that gives us purpose, and maybe a new hang out or two! Shout out to Chevy at Beaver Creek who helped us realize how awesome small, some-what unknown bars are! Ultimately, she inspired this blog. The blog is two-fold: on the one hand, we will be straight up reviewing bars, and giving a candid Jen and Eric take on the bars, the service, and the atmosphere. On the other hand, we will have blog entries dedicated to our adventure, and just generally what is on our mind throughout the whole thing. As with any project, our goals may change, and we may update as we go along and make things run smoother, but we are only at the letter B right now, so we have a ways to go.

Happy reading!
-Jen and Eric-
-Eric and Jen-

Chucks

Chuck's, once called Chuck and Dale's is a quaint bar and grill wayyyyy out Johnson Ave. It's just a little past Pet's Playhouse, which happens to be the furthest I've ever been on Johnson Ave, so I was completely unaware of this bar. Chuck's has a restaurant feel, with brighter lighting, booths, and tables filling the place. There is a bar that stretches the whole length of the establishment and has plenty of seating. The back of the bar is lined with TV's which was pretty awesome, and kind of overkill all at the same time. Seemed to be compensating for the lack of TV's in the rest of the place...which contributes to the less-bar-more-restaurant feeling. The bartender was very friendly. After overhearing my hiccups she offered a cure - shot of Lime juice. Surprisingly, it worked! Eric had a $2 Chili Dog that he was really excited about and I just got some chips and salsa and a side of nacho cheese sauce! My favorite! Eric used a majority of MY cheese sauce to contribute to his hot dog, and then complained that mine cost more than his did! Whatever. MEN. Not sure if we would go back or not. Seems more like the type of bar you go to because its close to home...not a destination bar. Nice place, nice people, but nothing special.

Chrome Horse

This is biker central. If you ride a hog or have any desire to ride one - this is where you hang out. Chrome Horse has high ceilings and lots of space. Jen and I visited this bar at different times, so we both have different opinions about it in our heads, and perhaps a repeat visit to freshen up our views might yield a better review from me, but I know the few times I have been there it has been packed with people playing pool and dancing awkwardly to the live music.  My memories of this place involve loud noises, pushy people, and waiting 30 minutes to get a beer. Things might have changed, and obviously if you go during the week it would be less crowded.  Jen's memory of the place was different.  She got a good vibe from the place, said the bartenders seemed friendly despite the place being busy. She said it is busy thanks to their awesome menu, which might have swayed my opinion--food is definitely the way to win my heart. They often have live music and she has seen different types of food and beverage bars... i.e. Bloody Mary bar, or Taco Bar. Not sure if that kind of thing is a norm, but it sure sounds pretty sweet! There is a nice seating area outside for "biker watching" in the summer time...too bad it is a little too cold this time of year or we might go for another visit together and get a fresh perspective on it.

1202 3rd Street Southeast, Cedar Rapids, IA

Checkers

What a great little bar!  A little too far off the beaten path for a repeat visit from us, but that is definitely not because of anything other than location, location, location.  The bartender here was great.  The seats at the bar were packed full of regulars; but the bar wasn't busy by any means.  It was a Monday! The bartender immediately got us drinks, I don't think I had even taken my coat off before it was in front of me--and she was just as quick to strike up good conversation. For a bar that relies on many regulars, she wasn't afraid of "newbies." They have a menu, but its fairly small, and we didn't order anything other than beer. Checkers menu is your standard "small iowa bar" fare that we have run into frequently in our bar tour so far, which means broasted chicken and fried food.  One thing that I loved was that the beers come in small mason jars.  ("I like to drink my beer from a Mason Jaaarrrrrrrr. Ohhh oh! I love this Bar!" Thanks Toby Keith!) I am not sure why, but drinking out of a mason jar always makes me smile.  There is a lot of racing memorabilia here, and that explains the name.  Jen noticed an autographed piece of table in a glass case, which means celebrity!!! Whoo hoo! She said, "Jimmy Johnson has been here!" and I replied, "Jimmy Johns is here?! I love their subs!" Turns out he is a Nascar driver. They have live music every Friday night, and all sorts of lunch and dinner specials during the week.  We stayed for quite a few, and begrudgingly moved on--only because there were more bars to visit on the list.  We might pop in to this bar again if we are ever on that side of town for anything because it is definately our kind of relaxed bar, and who can argue with good service?  P.S. We probably have to go back because they had some kind of electronic shuffle board thing that Jen said we had to try but didn't. P.P.S. Jen says the women's restroom has a "hand-me-down" waste receptacle from a fast food joint. Swinging door and all!

3120 6th Street Southwest, Cedar Rapids, IA

CJ's Sports Bar & Grille

CJ's is a neighborhood bar (and Grill, apparently) and if you aren't from the local 'hood you may be out of place. We were with friends when we went to CJ's so we didn't have a chance to sit at the bar and act like a local, but we didn't get the vibe that we were very welcome. The bartender seemed inconvenienced by our presence and didn't come to us to ask for drinks except when we first walked in. (I'm guessing the only reason she came to us that time was to ID.) The establishment is wide open has a very large bar area with lots of seating, and even has bar entertainment. The reason we will not likely go back to CJ's is based on how we were treated by the bartender. We spent the hour we were at CJ's playing darts with a clear view of the bar and bartender. We were never approached about another drink or about any outstanding tabs. As we walked to the bar to pay our tabs the rude bartender chose to act as if we were trying to leave without paying by finally leaving her perch behind the bar to intercept us on our way up to pay. Maybe the fact that she was so quick to label us as drink-n-dashers says something for the clientele of this quiet alley bar. Not. a. fan.

Cedar River Landing

Cedar River Landing is a big brick building down by the river. From the looks of it there is not a specific, stereotypical patron for this bar. CRL was packed, with all ages, by the time we got there, but we were lucky enough to snatch a table right by the pool table! (Lucky me! I love it when that happens.) It was hard to get anywhere even close to the bar but there was a server station right at the entrance so getting drinks was pretty painless. I was able to flaunt my pool skillz for one game (and one beer) before the live music started. The music was great, but the volume was not. I'm not sure if it was the tall ceilings, or just their equipment but either way we would not have stayed. It does seem like a pretty cool spot though, very hip, wide-open and modern. If you ever make it in to CRL, the wall that the stage is against has a wavy 2 X 4 attached to it horizontally near the ceiling- that's how high the 2008 flood waters came...eerie. We both got the Chrome Horse vibe from this place...which makes this a great stop if that's your flavor of bar. Lots of parking across the street too, don't get scared off by the tiny lot next to it.

301 F Avenue Northwest, Cedar Rapids, IA

Buffalo Wild Wings

Buffalo Wild Wings. There is TWO! Double-trouble. They are both exactly the same. Some may ask, "why is this on the Bar Tour List?" Well... because we have gone there with drinking intentions which, we believe, makes this a drinking establishment. So there! Wild Wings is always a winner. Great atmosphere, great food, awesome Bud Light! :-p Where can you go wrong??? Well, it's a popular place so it can be difficult to get a seat during Monday Night Football or big college game days. They do have wing night as well! (That's Bubb's favorite!) If you haven't been to Buffalo Wild Wings - you lose.

1100 Blairs Ferry Road NE # 101, Cedar Rapids, IA and

2210 Edgewood Rd SW # 600, Cedar Rapids, IA

Bushwood

This bar started our night out, and it did well for a first stop. Bushwood is a sports bar, so by definition you will find lots of TV's, a friendly atmosphere, lots of beer to drink and a surprisingly huge menu that includes every kind of "bar food" imaginable. We were happy with what we ordered, but should have waited to see our appetizers before ordering a meal--they were huge! The place was pretty dark, but its not necessarily a bad thing; let's call it mood lighting. There does seem to be an overwhelming lack of light...but the glow from the TV's, and the twenty-million neon bar signs, makes up for it. The service was good, and our beers were giant and a decent price. After sharing the biggest platter of nacho's we have ever seen, we decided to move on. We both agreed we would come back here again though - maybe to watch football?

350 Edgewood Road, Cedar Rapids, IA

First random post!

Trying a new app on my phone to blog from the bar! Currently at checkers continuing the tour. Did a few bars on saturday and forgot to blog about them. Jen has her work cut out for her. :)

Bulicek's Deli N Brew

Next on the list: Bulicek's Deli N Brew. Sound like a bar? We didn't think so either. Neither of us knew what or where the place was and the word Deli comes before the word Brew. Seemed weird. Rule #3 states that. "we have to physically drive to it and see it closed before going to the next bar on the list..." so we drive. Cute little building, ample parking in back, door propped open and beer signs on! All good signs of an open bar. The place is fairly small, but very well kept, lots of TV's, and a few regulars at the bar. I'm not sure if it was the duck above the bar or the giant replica shotgun hanging below it but we liked what we saw. The bartender took his time to strike up a conversation, but we ended up staying for a few more beers than we originally planned thanks to the conversations. We also looked at the menu on the promise that their pizza was to die for, and both decided we needed to come back and test it out sometime!

1616 6th Street SW, Cedar Rapids

Brick's Bar & Grill

Oh "Bricks"! Who hasn't been here? This, the college-aged people bar! You can't beat the Wednesday night special - $5 bottomless cup! However, you may struggle with getting to the bar on hump-day because everyone and their mother attends the bottomless cup night here. It is also possible to have beer spilled on you from the balcony overlooking the bar and "dance-floor" while waiting in the massive beer line. Great food, great location downtown, pretty terrible service (mainly because of the masses), and a weird and chaotic atmosphere! Moving on.

320 2nd Avenue, Cedar Rapids

Break Room

Ok, lets be honest, we knew this place had pool tables, but it is also a bar! YAY! We must have gone in with the wrong attitude because we didn't think we were going to like it and our expectations were met. I don't want to knock pool, in fact, Jen loves pool. After I write this she will probably hop on and add something witty and somewhat insulting about how she can beat me every single time (true story-Jen). "Break Room" is host for a Monday night pool league which meant it was very crowded with people who are there at least every Monday. This would explain the looks we both got when we walked in. (Whoa whoa whoa whoa...who schedules something on the same night as Monday Night Football?!? -Eric). I think this place is often stuffed full of people playing pool. We did get served quickly, and ID'd just as fast! Welcome strangers! Draws of Bud Light for $1.00-- can't really beat that...if thats what you are looking for. There is exactly 10 too few parking spots here, and a suspicious looking building next door that claims you can't park in their spaces...we did anyway. By the way, the sign on that building next door says "Cleaners" - Makes me wonder if the two neighboring businesses share their clientele? We stayed for one beer, and a quick game of Mahjong on the Megatouch, (Jeneric, hehe) and then silently slipped out the door (after paying) so that we could move on to bigger and better things.

3108 1st Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids

Bill's Drinking Establishment

This is a Marion cornerstone. When Seth moved here from NC, he couldn't stop talking about the, "Bill's Bar in the old village looking place" and that, my friends, would be the Marion Square! There aren't a lot of bars in Marion to speak of, so comparing them to the big boys is kind of tough. This place is a little rough around the edges. The floors feel uneven and I can't remember if the bathroom door closes all the way or not. It definitely isn't flashy, or modern, or even nice for that matter, but they have some good beers on tap. Oh! and Free popcorn! They have a pool table in the back, a big, Cheers style, 360 degree bar in the middle. We have heard rumor of a taco bar from time to time too! I don't know the details of that really, but I do know Jen and I have spent many a nights doing Oatmeal Cookie shots at the bar with the wonderful bartender, Keri. If you are in Marion and Spy Bar is too full, consider walking across the street to Bill's. I guarantee you won't have to wait for your drink...

1038 7th Avenue, Marion

Beef O'Bradys

We love this place! This one was knocked off the list long before the idea for the tour. I guess you could call this our old neighborhood bar. Food is great! Small place, but great atmosphere. Did I mention the food is downright awesome, and not too terribly expensive either. It is more of a restaurant than a bar in most definitions of the word, but almost every time we went there, we sat at the bar and drank and watched some football. (I played mega touch. You can find my scores under the alias "jeneric" which would imply that Eric had something to do with it, but he didn't.) The bartenders are always friendly and their menu is HUGE! Even though this is a bar tour blog, this place should definitely be on your list of places to eat if you are thinking about trying something new and wondering are where to go. Have a drink while your at it - don't be a lame-o!

5240 Edgewood Rd NE Suite 100, Cedar Rapids

Beaver Creek Saloon

Beaver Creek Saloon! This tiny little gem... about 10 blocks down the street in the opposite direction of the *other* 2nd Avenue bars... sits a great little bar which Google Maps Navigation had to help us find. (Thanks Glenda the good GPS!) I am glad that this was the second stop on the list, because this is where we met Chevy, and she had some great ideas (ultimately inspiring this blog) for what to do on the tour. I'm convinced she was more excited about this than we are. We had already nailed down the list, and most of the rules (yes there is rules), but she definitely had some opinions to add! Love it!! On top of that, this little bar is cute, everyone is friendly, and how can you argue with great service? My favorite sign is the one that says, "When the Hawkeye's score a touchdown, you score a free drink." I guess for these last few games we will have to put the tour on hold for alternative entertainment. Go Hawks! Its definitely not the "2nd Ave" experience that its address would suggest (right behind the infamous kidnapping gas station **eeeek**), but if you want a down home, *hole in the wall* that doesn't feel like a hole in the wall at all, this is a great place to sit and drink beer.

1010 2nd Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids

Al's Blue Toad

Not to be confused with "Al's Red Frog!" Since the flood, Al's Red Frog is now just, "The Red Frog"and is therefore going to come later on the list. So, Al's Blue Toad. (Neighbor to "The Red Frog," which is now owned by Al's sister, by the way.) Great little joint in Czech Village! I LOVE Czech Village for some reason. Every time I go to the bars down there I just feel so at home. This one has more a eatery feel, yet still homey. If you use the restroom (ladies) you'll find a more bar-esque environment around the corner with darts, a jukebox and other "bar-like" entertainment. Overall feel of the Blue Toad? Eh. Take it or leave it. Nice atmosphere, and the service was just fine...wasn't blown away by the food by any means. (P.S. Food is not part of the tour, but if we partake, we will mention it.) i would take my family there for dinner. Maybe go to watch a game. It didn't feel like a night time bar, but maybe we were there a tad-bit early. However, the beer was good (like that's hard) and it seemed like other people were enjoying themselves. I definitely don't have an overwhelming desire to return soon. Maybe on a different night, under different circumstances I may think differently. We have too many other places to see anyways! Did you know there is approximately 98 or more bars in Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha and Marion?! See if you can stump us with a bar we don't have on our list! Side note, the walls were blue.

86 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids