Last week we introduced the unfamiliar, or helped to remind the experienced, of the array of bars in uptown Amherst. This week we’ve spread our gaze to the other liquor license leashing establishments in downtown. We at the collegian hope this guide acts as an elucidating tool for those who want to sample a different type of drinking experience.
Our nominal title of downtown, like that employed generically by any metropolitan aficionado, does not solely refer to the bars down the road from the densely distributed area surrounding the geographic center. Our linguistic construction implies a certain diversity of ethos and variety of style. Basically: where else to drink and why.
Suffice to say there are many other places that we could have included in this brief survey. Owing to limited space and manpower however it would have been impossible to do justice to every bar. Once again its necessary to reiterate that these are not reviews, each and every bar has its own unique and individual aspects, from food offering bears to free popcorn. So without further ado, here is the second installment of the official Daily Collegian bar survival guide. Feeling thirsty?
Charlie’s Tavern
For the past 22 years Charlie’s Tavern has been a permanent fixture on the Amherst night scene. Located slightly off the beaten path, set back from the hustle and bustle of North Pleasant St., Charlie’s serves up food, booze and a comfortable atmosphere for all of their patrons.
Walk in the front door and you will usually be greeted by a friendly face asking for your ID, sorry kiddos, this joint is strictly 21+. Once inside you will be presented with an important choice, head left and try and find a table or a seat at the bar, or head right over to the pool table. Before doing either though you should stop at the bar and ask for a drink.
Charlie’s has a traditional U-shaped bar that ranks as one of the biggest in Amherst, and which seems to take up a disproportionate amount of room. Once you are able to fight through the crowd and attract the attention of one of Charlie’s bartenders you will be faced with yet another important decision, what to order for that all-important slow sipping second.
As is expected at a bar in a College town, both Bud and Bud Light are big sellers. Bass seems to be popular with Charlie’s patrons, as are Grateful Dead’s and the $1.99 Beam and Coke daily special. But it is a diverse crowd that frequents Charlie’s and you will see people drinking everything from an Amstel Light to a Gin and Tonic as you make your way from one end of the bar to the other.
Something else you will see quite a few people doing at Charlie’s is enjoying a snack. Every Sunday-Thursday there is a 10-cent food special that attracts a crowd that prefers to spend their college funds on beer rather than bread. Sunday and Tuesday are wings nights while Monday serves up Mozzarella sticks, Wednesday’s are all about Jalapeno Poppers and Thursday nights chicken nuggets are on the menu. If none of these fit your fancy you can browse through Charlie’s menu, which offers up traditional bar food such as burgers and nachos.
But the thing that makes Charlie’s truly stand out from its competitors is its cozy atmosphere. Everybody seems to know each other and even those who are newcomers can bond over whatever sporting event happens to be on one of Charlie’s four televisions. The main aspect that gives Charlie’s its atmosphere is the original birthday celebration that goes on. Celebrating a birthday at Charlie’s is a must for all Amherst residents as you not only get a free drink, but also you get to embarrass yourself in front of all your friends. Each birthday boy or girl is given a seat at the bar with a bowl of whipped cream in front of him or her. Hidden in the whipped cream is a cherry, the first contestant to find their cherry wins and is usually given a shot on the house, the others are given champagne.
Whatever it is that you are looking for Charlie’s is sure to offer it. Food, fun and cute barmaids serving your favorite drinks, Charlie’s has it all. Add into this the unique atmosphere that can only be found here and you have the perfect equation for an enjoyable experience.
-Justin Pearson
The Hangar
There are airplanes on the walls, all kinds of them. Fighter jets and bombers, Blue Angels and stealth bombers.
But with all the pictures of planes, the place only has a capacity of 70.
There just isn’t enough room at the Hangar. There’s no other way to say without making the observation that, for a bar named after a massive indoor storage area for planes, the Hangar’s a tight squeeze.
For those that can make it into the Hangar, they’re going to be able to sample some of the best chicken and ribs around. At least, that’s what the Hangar’s Tom Johnson says. He’s the manager and he’s got a booming delivery business to back up his claim.
For those who frequent the Hangar, and Johnson said that there is a definite cast of regulars, they can sample the 24 beers on tap or any of the various lagers they have by the bottle. There’s also the strangely lit Jagermeister machine, a scientific looking device that serves up smooth, cool shots.
But it’s the food that brings the people to the bar. With five flavors of buffalo chicken alone and another twelve flavors of chicken (honey mustard or teriyaki or Jamaican jerk anyone?), the Hangar’s extensive food offerings attract both families and college students Johnson said. He also described the food as the best part of the Hangar.
“The friendly service helps, but the people really can’t get enough of what we have to offer,” Johnson said.
The Hangar’s got a sleek appearance – black tables with silver sides, a checkerboard linoleum flavor – and a group of friendly waitresses who have got a sarcastic bite if a customer goes overboard.
Keeping the throngs entertained is a giant golfing video game, continuous sport TV, a jukebox and a pool table, but Johnson’s right, the real drug is the food. And as long as they keep offering their delectable, flavorful and tasteful chicken creations, those people that can’t get enough of the Hangar won’t be able to get enough of the Hangar. Now, if only they could find a way to deliver those beers…
-Sam Wilkinson
Michael’s Billiards
The banner boasts BeerGod.com and onlookers are promised a piece of Web heaven where Honey Brown Ale flows like manna in the ancient Egyptian desert. Although the website has since been taken down, possibly a tragic outcome of the dot come bust, the $6.75 pitchers at Mike’s Billiards on Belchertown Rd. in Amherst are still quite a reality – your very own slice of heaven on earth.
Come for the liquor, stay for the pool
In addition to Honey Brown, Mike’s has 4 other beers on tap, including Amherst standards: Bud and Bud Light. That’s in addition to a slew of fairly cheap bottled beer. If you’re in the mood for some alcohol that’s not brewed, Mike’s is very accommodating. Three dollars will get you a Grape Crush (one of my personal favorites) or a Blue Hawaiian (and blue is always good when it comes to alcohol). Also try the damn good Long Island Iced Tea or visit Jollywood. Want something that does the job a bit quicker? Try an Oatmeal Cookie shot with an interesting kick of Goldschleiger or a Surfer on Acid (isn’t the name intriguing enough?).
Enough about alcohol though, let’s move on to the hook.
Mike’s has 10 full-sized pool tables for patrons to enjoy. Monday through Wednesday, an hour of knocking the balls around will only cost you $4, which is an absolute steal. After that, the price only goes up a deuce, which means you can play pool almost all weekend long and still have enough to buy those Dave Matthews tickets you crave so badly. Plus, you’ll see your pool game improve by leaps and bounds (trust me on this one). While most of the time straight-up billiards is the game of choice, you will see the occasional game of nine-ball being played
.
The ambience is also pretty good as long as people continually feed the jukebox, which pumps out tunes ranging from Korn to the Backstreet Boys to the Fugees. Occasionally, you get momentary periods of awkward silence during which only sounds of pocketed balls drift through the air, but don’t be intimidated by actually having to talk with your date. Rather, take advantage of the opportunity and decide together on some old favorites to put on for a while.
If you get bored of scratching on the eight-ball, Mike’s provides enough other distractions to keep you entertained. In addition to darts and the mandatory “Golden Tee” video console (of the “2K” variety), Mike’s has five TVs, including a huge, 52-inch Sony wide screen. That’s plenty of pixels to watch the NCAA college basketball tourney or to catch the late edition of Sportscenter.
If you’re not convinced that Mike’s is for you, consider the following. During a recent trip to Mike’s, a friend and I played pool for two hours, drank two pitchers of Honey Brown and paid only $20 total between the two of us. You just can’t find that kind of value anywhere.
Oh, lastly. Free popcorn: clutch.
– Adam Martignetti
Pruddy’s
“We prove that nobody will treat you better,” said Pruddy’s owner Prudencio Gomez, Jr., otherwise known as Pruddy.
In the summer of 1998, the town of Amherst delivered an empowering blow to what was, at the time, the premier club in town. For various complicated reasons, the bar had its liquor license revoked, and for the next two years they were forced to operate under a ‘bring your own booze’ (B.Y.O.B.) system. “That wasn’t really Pruddy’s,” said Pruddy. “If you haven’t been here since before 1998, you don’t really know what we are.”
“We’re very strict at the door now,” Pruddy said. “Our staff is very relaxed except the guy checking your ID.”
“We are going to choose who comes in here now,” said Prudencio Gomez, Sr., otherwise known as Mr. G. “Our doors close at 12:30P.M.”
Pruddy’s presents an experience very unique to the bar scene in Amherst. Pruddy described it as, “A New York style place that closes at 1:00a.m.” By this he means that behavior is a bit abnormal. Standing on chairs, dancing in big public halls and becoming extremely familiar with bartenders and staff is highly encouraged.
Pruddy’s is located past Newbury Comics and next to Pinocchio’s Restaurant. The room is remarkably spacious, and is located in a basement with rock walls. “I think there’s something about coming downstairs having no windows and being surrounded by rocks that makes you realize that you can be wild,” Pruddy said.
Being unique is something that was intended when Prudy’s opened in the mid 1980’s. The family run business tried to find elements that would not only offer something different, but also revolutionize Amherst’s bar scene at the same time. “This is Amherst,” Pruddy said. “Different things for different styles.”
When asked if there is something that Pruddy’s offers that other area places do not, Pruddy claimed that his bar’s drinks are first-rate. “Our drinks are well prepared,” said Mr. G.
“We don’t believe in watering down alcohol and filling it with ice,” Pruddy said. It offers very big drinks, and claim that the other bars in Amherst, who now have huge drinks as well followed their lead. Pruddy also claims to have the cheapest drinks around. The bar sells some tropical drinks along with its tropical atmosphere. Behind the bars there are swimsuits and a giant stuffed gorilla. “You can celebrate whatever you want to celebrate here,” he explained.
What cannot be found anywhere else, are Pruddy’s signature drinks. Most of their specialty drinks are only five dollars, and they have cheap pitchers of beer as well. Pruddy’s designed all of its drinks when it first opened, and has developed many more since. One of the first was the Puerto Rican Iced Tea. A friend of the Pruddy’s family works at a Hyatt hotel in Puerto Rico. The Hyatt sells the drink there as well, but it is called a Pruddy’s Iced Tea.
Two of Pruddy’s newest drinks are named after two close friends. The Orsak, named after John Orsak, which was Prudy’s housemate, and The Mento, named after Umass Collegiate Swimmer, Greg Menton, who died of cardiac dysrhythmia during a swim meet in 1996.
Pruddy explained that the bar has a special connection with UMass aquatic sports. “Aquatic people party hard and they’re not afraid to wear a swimsuit,” he said. The bar is filled with swimming, diving and water polo paraphernalia. The stuff given lends to the bar’s summer-like mood.
One drink that you will never find at Pruddy’s is a martini. When asked why, Mr. G. confidently said, “Have you ever seen a college kid with a Martini in his hand?”
Pruddy’s is also very proud of the music it plays. “If you’re a good customer and request something, we will play it,” Pruddy said. “You can feel our vibe of chill down here.” He also claimed that the bar was the first place to play any hip-hop music. The purveyor of the first hip-hop music, according to Pruddy, was a DJ called Mr. Yu.
“[Pruddy’s] definitely sparked a big movement,” Mr. Yu said. “It’s by far the most comfortable place with the most space to get away. The whole vibe is very nice.”
So with all of this individuality, why was Pruddy’s closed for so long? Well, according to Mr. G, it was because of technicalities in the town’s laws. “There are no bars in town, everyone’s a restaurant,” he said. “We only serve Tapas, which the town claims is not food.”
Pruddy claimed that the town is against UMass students. “The town really doesn’t like the students,” he said. “They realized that the University is here and are not going to move, but they hate the students.” He accused the town of, “Having a problem with UMass, but not Amherst College.”
In response to this, he said, “This is a college town, and we cater to students here who have been drinkers in the past, people who are tired of fights and puking, and just want to go out, have drinks and have fun.”
Having fun is just part of the Pruddy’s motto. Closeness is another major aspect. The entire Gomez family has a hand in making Prudy’s an ancestral business. The father-son ownership is accompanied by Gomez Sr.’s daughter who works at the bar, and his other son who used to work there, but is now away at Cornell. Pruddy insisted that this was important because you can always find someone who knows everything about the bar’s operation whenever it is open. “If you have a problem,” he explained. “We can help you because it’s always the owners who are around” Pruddy clarified. “I, or someone from the ownership, must be here at all times. so we’re going to be around. Because of this, we’re going to do a lot of things to have fun.”
Some of the fun things they do, are odd celebrations. In April, it will be celebrating Halloween, and in May, it’s Carnivalle’.
Customer service is by far the utmost top priority at Pruddy’s. “I hate staff members who, when you’re not doing something wrong give you an attitude,” Pruddy said, “We’re a student bar.” We’re closed during the summer and spring break. When there’s no school, there’s no Pruddy’s.”
Pruddy’s will also drive you home if you’ve had too much to drink. They have a twenty-person passenger bus that operates at any time. Pruddy said that his bar will play any music you like, and the bartenders make a concerted effort to get to know the customers. “If you have any problems that you may need help with, we always want you to just ask.” Jokingly he said, “Unless you ask for a martini, even then if you beg enough I’ll serve you something that’s like a martini, and probably call it a Pruddytini.”
So, according to Prudencio Gomez Jr., what is the bottom line when it comes to the Amherst bar, that was re-instated after two years away, “Pruddy’s is just Pruddy’s. Life is too short to have a bad time.”
-Ryan Benharris
The Pub
If you are trying to find The Pub in Amherst simply let the pulsating beat
s of music and throngs of young people guide you.
The bar is the only place in town where students can let down their hair and dance on the weekends, it is the only place in town that offers its patrons both a club-like atmosphere while at the same time offering up a pseudo-traditional bar setting. It also has a monopoly on the 18+ crowd.
The music, which is provided by DJ’s spinning mixtures of hip hop and dance tunes, allows 18+ to dance and 21+ to drink on different nights of the week. The daytime restaurant dims its lights and churns out the music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. allowing patrons to dance on their wooden dance floor that they boast is the biggest that the town has to offer. The Pub usually has a cover charge of between two and five dollars depending on either who is performing for live music or depending upon the DJ of the night.
“This is the only 18 plus establishment in town,” bouncer Brandon Carter explained about the uniqueness of the bar as a dance venue. “We usually draw in a lot of the younger college crowd.”
If you are not interested in dancing, The Pub still has a variety of traditional alternatives available with booths that surround the room providing a place to sit but which most often take on the role of cloakroom. There is also the mandatory pool table for those who want to partake in a game – but serious pool players beware, there is rarely enough room to swing a straw let alone a cue.
The bar has occupied its place in the Amherst community, situated next to Cousins Market and behind The Sub, since 1968. The venue got its name and theme from the traditional English pub. When the establishment was founded the decor included dark wood, heavy beams and carriage lanterns all reminiscent of a typical pub (or at least a Hollywood depiction of a Dickensian pub where the patrons all speak cockney rhyming slang and drink warm ale). The pub later decided on a new look for the restaurant, but the name still stuck.
Dancing aside, The Pub is still a place where townies can come to relax and enjoy a drink. The bar makes beer their specialty offering up a vast selection of microbrews, beer and ales, however they also offer up a variety of mixed drinks and shots. During the day The Pub is a fully operational restaurant offering a wide variety of dishes ranging from burgers and nachos to full dinners.
A gleaming wood finish and dim lighting make The Pub in Amherst the perfect place to lose yourself during the day while the bright lights and fast music of the nightlife make it a great place to spend an evening.
-Melissa Hammel
The Spoke
You know you’re drunk when the bear sitting on the bar starts offering you Tootsie Rolls.
Actually, you haven’t yet entered the realm of alcohol-induced hallucination; you’re at the Spoke, arguably the most creatively decorated watering hole in Amherst. Any bar with five wheeled vehicles hanging from the ceiling (a touring bike, two cruisers and two tricycles) and an official motto of “service with a grunt” is sure to offer more than just a buzz, and the Spoke doesn’t disappoint.
Situated between to the Sub and Copy Cat on North Pleasant St., the Spoke was founded in November of 1984 by one Mr. Myles Washburn, a then senior at UMass. The name and theme of the bar stem from Washburn’s love of bicycling; in fact, the Delta Chi fraternity member went on to race bikes professionally after his graduation. Visitors to the Spoke are greeted by a sign reading “Caution: Coasting per order Police Dept.” as well as numerous posters and vintage bicycle advertisements.
Strangers to the Spoke, however, often have a different idea.
“People who’ve never been here have a big misconception of this place,” said Dave Rohde, bar manager since 1992. “They hear ‘the Spoke’ and they think it’s some kind of rough-and-tumble biker bar. But it’s really just a neighborhood bar, with a good mix of students.”
In fact, Rohde contends that the Spoke offers a laid-back alternative to other more crowded nightspots in town. He points to the fact that his bar almost never has a line, and that patrons have a choice of either keeping to themselves and being “left alone” or striking up a conversation with just about anyone.
“There are a lot of weirdoes, but I love them all,” laughed Sara Fortin of Amherst. “Seriously, it’s a lot of fun. I really like the ambience, and the Tootsie Rolls.”
Those Tootsie Rolls come courtesy of the aforementioned bear, which is actually a candy-filled bank. Rohde recalls an instance four years ago when the yet-unnamed candy bear was stolen during homecoming weekend, only to be recovered shortly thereafter at the since-defunct Mike’s Westview.
But candy is far from the only source of nourishment at the Spoke. The bar offers free food nightly (including pizza and subs) and Rohde is known to be just as skilled at the grill as he is at the tap.
“We try to have barbecue at least once a month, and it’s always free of charge,” said Rohde, whose spread at the Spoke’s holiday party last semester rivaled the best menus in town. “I bring in my grill and fire it up, and it’s pretty popular.”
Just as popular are the Spoke’s drink specials, which range from a Drink of the Month (Bushmill’s Irish Whiskey for $2.50) to bottled beer specials and dollar shots. The Spoke boasts 20 different kinds of vodka and an equal number of whiskeys; try the “Kitchen Sink” shooter concocted of a handful of flavored vodkas for a unique taste sensation.
Even with all those drink specials, the Spoke has almost never had problems with rowdiness or, as Rohde puts it, “overbearing Testosterone.” That gives the bar added allure to customers looking for a lower-key atmosphere in which to unwind.
“The Spoke is always fun, and you never have to worry about any trouble,” said Rebecca Taylor of Burlington, VT.
That’s not to say that there isn’t a little friendly competition thrown into the mix now and then. Rohde acknowledges that the Spoke is “a Red Sox bar” and that many fans go there to watch the team play, even though one of the bartenders also happens to be a Yankee fan. The bar also sponsors various charity events, such as last year’s kick-ball tournament, to raise money for Northampton’s Clarke School for the Deaf.
“We’re sponsoring a scavenger hunt later this summer, and our goal is to raise 10 grand by the end of the year,” Rohde said.
Regardless of how they do in that hunt, fans of the Spoke know one thing: they’ve already found one of the truly unique bars in Amherst.
– Adam White
