Food Post your favorite watering hole!

All too often we talk about what we like to drink while neglecting the places to do it. Let this thread be the ideal place to tell visiting TFP'ers some great spots to drink and be merry.

Lola's Depot - Fourth Ward, Houston, TX

My hands-down, all-time, favorite spot to drink. This place isn't about the drinks. No, it's about the ambiance. To your left, some transsexuals. To your right, the denim cowboy. Across from you, the busty, depressed twenty-something who's praying for you to make eye contact to escape the clutches of Sir Pervalot behind her. In front of you, a scantily clad mannequin torso, beads, neon lights, bat shit crazy bartenders, and some of the stiffest well drinks you'll ever have. No, Lola's is not for the faint of heart. No, Lola's is not a dive bar, it's the dive bar's fucked up cousin. But at the same time, if Lola's is for you, it's your home away from home.



Olde Mecklenburg Brewery - Charlotte, NC

OMB is a relatively quiet brewery and bar, thankfully far enough away from Uptown that it is without some of the hipster crowd that plagues every bar within walking distance of North Davidson. Sparse decor, natural wood, and a view of the brewery behind glass makes this a great place for the more seasoned beer drinker to sit, stare at some cute waitresses, and enjoy some damn fine beer. I recommend OMB Copper, along with their seasonal dark lager known as OMB Dunkel.

 

If you like that Phil, you would probably be a fan of Rira's in Charlotte: http://www.rira.com/rira/charlotte.html

Great authentic Irish cuisine (though they sure give you plenty of time to savor your beer before they serve...), and great ambiance in there as well. The bar and its furniture, originally built in the 1800's in Dublin, was deconstructed, put into storage, and eventually bought in the 1990's before being shipped over to Charlotte.

 

http://www.craftbeermarket.ca/

Over a hundred beers on tap.... first time I went, I had to wait 2 hours to get in... then I learned the power of showing up before 10 pm and then I was in beer heaven. I think it would be murder to order anything but beer in that place, I haven't tried.... still 50 or so beers to go before I'm to try that.

 

Pretty cool that they hold the brewmasters dinner. OMB does something similar locally (though not necessarily ever month) paired with one of the nicer hotels in town. $40/person usually nets you 4-5 courses, beer with every course, and a hotel discount. I've been meaning to give it a go one of these days, but have a heck of a time finding an overnight sitter.

 

There are a few places that I like to go to drink but Bar Bar Black Sheep (the one just off Bukit Timah Road) is one I go to the most often. Besides the decent selection of beers, there are three food outlets selling Thai, Indian and one of the best burgers in town.



There are places with better beers, but this one has better food and is al fresco.

 

Back home it was the Fuzzy Duck. A local dive bar located right next to the river. So on those warm summer nights you could smell the nice aroma of dead fish, something deep fried, and beer breath in the air...

 

Used to be RJ Rockers, Main St, Spartanburg SC... no longer exists though... so id have to say the Quarterdeck, Lake Murray, SC (the lake helps with the atmosphere)

 

Back in Sydney, my favorite by far was the Cabana Bar in Crow's Nest. Love the design, large space and usually quiet ambience (unless it's Friday/Saturday night, Aussies go retarded on those nights no matter where they are).







Here in the Middle East, my favorite spot for a relaxing drink is the Blue Bar at the Novotel Dubai. It has an extensive selection of beers, a really nice lounge design and usually has soothing jazz playing at just the right volume for patrons to have normal conversations.

 

No, we are retarded all the time - we just do it in public on Friday and Saturday nights