The wind really whips through the buildings downtown in winter. Walking from the cultural district to this little hole-in-the-wall was quite the frozen journey and, when we finally got to Fourth Avenue and saw the sign for Tavern 245, we made a mad dash for the door. It was certainly worth the journey.
Shaking off the cold, we found two seats at the crowded little bar and started peeling off our layers. The bar is small and intimate and you're going to get to know the people around you. The bartender does a great job at striking the right tone and making everyone comfortable. As we have noted before, a good bartender seems to make all the difference.
By the time we got there, it was mostly an after hours place for staff from the restaurant upstairs, but there were a few other random people hanging around, too. After three skunked Amstels were returned, J finally got a drinkable beer and we settled into our last bar of the evening. We engaged in friendly banter with our fellow patrons and watched as the bartender and a manager took inventory in the most ineffective manner possible. They claimed that they had a system, but it looked a lot like they were just holding up the bottle and saying, “eh, about that much." At any rate, it was interesting to see all of the liquors they had behind the bar and have some laughs with the staff.
It is a bit pricey for a smoky hole-in-the-wall bar downtown ($15 for a Riley?!?! We asked twice. We were that sure that it was wrong,) but it is nicely appointed and a good escape from the normal downtown scene. We had a blast hanging out there and we think you will too.
Address:
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Games:
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None
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Façade:
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Not Scary
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Scene:
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Service Industry
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Parking:
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Wear Walking Shoes
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Patio/Outdoor:
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No
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Kitchen:
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None
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Cleanliness:
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Nice
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Smoking:
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Some
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Jukebox:
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None
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Hours:
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-2am
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Cig Machine:
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No
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Drink Prices:
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Richie Rich
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# taps:
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6
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Bathrooms:
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Sit
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Specials:
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No
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Live music:
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Never
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$15?!?
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ATM:
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No
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Cash Only
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No
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TVs:
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2
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Size:
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Hole in the Wall
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One should never skimp on a good Riley.
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