5801 Video Lounge and Cafe

What to say about 5801.

This establishment is frequented by myself quite often, clearly it has a certain appeal and or undertow that endlessly sucks you back in.

Your night of choice will completely change the atmosphere.  Weekends are a meat market of suffocating closeness, yet fun, friends and whatever else your heart can desire.

Weeknights... Wednesdays are poker, starting at 8.  Anyone can play! Free! Prizes!

Special daily... 6-8, buy one 'chips & dips / the classics' and get one free!  SWEET.

Food is pretty good.

Sample some sweet potato fries... slurp

Be nice and you will be rewarded in heaven.

RUINED MY SATURDAY NIGHT

This bar labels itself as a Gay bar and it really does not have Gay patrons.

I visited the 5801 Video Lounge on Saturday, August 31, 2013 during Labor Day weekend.  80% of the bar's patrons were straight - heterosexual couples.  There were a few Gay people scattered throughout the bar but in no way would I call this place a Gay bar.

The place looks good but not all that special.  It kind of reminded me of Applebee's for some reason. It could use a good cleaning. The carpets for example were dirty and even sticky in some places.

At the upstairs bar, for 20 minutes, I tried unsuccessfully to get a drink from any of the bartenders there. They were ignoring me. It was as if they were avoiding myself and my partner.

We don't smoke and really were trying to avoid the downstairs bar because they allow smoking but since we were being ignored by the bartenders upstairs who were too busy serving the straight couples we reluctantly went to the downstairs bar to try and get drinks.

At the smoky downstairs bar, the bartender did approach me but when I asked for Black Velvet, they didn't have it. So then, I asked for Canadian Club and again they did not have it.  I really felt as though this bar did not want us there and weren't going to serve us.  Black Velvet and Canadian Club are both fine Canadian whiskeys that are staples at almost all bars and I found it unbelievable that they did not have both of them.

The bartenders ignored us or told us no. I never want to walk into an establishment and hear the word "no".  They should always say "yes" and that did not happen for us.

I also observed the bartenders using those automatic shot measuring devices.  I absolutely hate that.  How do I know I am even getting a full shot of booze with those things.  If they need to measure, I want to see them use a shot glass so I can see what I am paying for.  Anyway, after seeing the automatic shot measuring devices, I was pretty sure the drinks were very weak.

There is a patio on the backside. It is not a beautiful patio as described by some of the reviewers.  When I was there, it was jam-packed with smokers and there was standing-room only.

The patrons were not friendly in 5801 either. AND, worst of all, because of inaccurate reviews on Yelp, Urban Spoon and Gay Cities, I ended up visiting this bar and wasting my valuable vacation time on a Saturday night when I could have gone somewhere else.

There is no dance floor. Other reviewers mention that there is a dance floor. I could not find one anywhere. Perhaps, it used to be located where the dart boards are now.

I was ignored by the upstairs bartenders.  The drinks they do make are weak.  I was unable to get my drink in this bar.  The bartenders and the patrons were unfriendly. It is not a Gay bar.  I do not recommend it.

Have you been to the new porch?! Styling!

Beautiful atmosphere, and lots of places where friends can sit and talk and still be heard.

Excellent drink selection and friendly service.