Much like the first man she falls in love with, a girl's first favorite bar will always have a special place in her heart, regardless of how much time passes, or how many great bars come after it. Â For me, the Bird is that first favorite bar....the bar that will set the standard of comparison for all other bars I set foot in. Â Virtually none have lived up to the standard.
I discovered the Bird when I was an undergrad at Central Michigan University (fire up Chips!). Â I loved it because it was nestled away downtown...a neighborhood bar that wasn't trying to impress anyone. Â The bars right on campus were usually clubs, where the sorority girls hung out with their cleavage out and the boys filing in with polo collars popped. Â The Bird was a refreshing "come as you are" scene. Â The type of place where you could hang on a Friday night in jeans and a hoody, where students and townies, young and old, feel welcome and mingle like old friends. Â Cheap beer, free peanuts (toss the shells on the floor), darts, pool, jukebox, and a friendly crowd....color me smitten. Â
Since coming back to campus post-graduation, there's been some changes made. Â They bought out what used to be the pizza joint next door and expanded to nearly twice the original size. Â It's still not real large, and keeps that neighborhood bar feel. Â The peanuts, darts, pool, mixed crowd, and cheap beer are all still firmly in place and keeping the Bird true to it's roots even with the expansion and a newer, fancier sign. Â Friday happy hour time (and possibly other times during the week, I was only in town for the one day) you can get $0.75 pours of high life served cold in a mason jar ($3 for a pitcher full). Â *sigh* Â In the short time I was there having a pint for old time's sake, the conversation with the bartender and another Bird regular had me feeling like I never left. Â Coming to the Bird feels like coming home. Â
To me, the Bird embodies what my college experience was all about. Â Even though it's been nearly 7 years since I've graduated and moved off campus (that long? ugh, I feel old lol) I still rock my Bird tshirts with pride and reminisce about the good times and fuzzy memories...
Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.
I miss the Bird
The Bird is definitely my favorite watering hole in Mt. Pleasant.
Nothing fancy, no pretension, just cheap drinks and a fun time. My kind of place through-and-through. The permanent presence of Killian's on tap doesn't hurt, either.
It can get quite crowded, but if it gets truly intolerable Marty's is just down the street.
I'd give The Bird five stars, but the bartenders insist on calling me "hun," which is just plain awful.
Stopped into The Bird last Thursday on a quick trip to Mount Pleasant. I went to CMU and lived in town for 14 years before moving, and I spent quite a few hours here, both in college and afterwards. (To give you the time frame, I was at The Bird on the afternoon in November 1991 when Magic Johnson announced he had tested positive for HIV.) While many things have changed in Mount Pleasant over the years since I moved, The Bird really hasn't. It's still a dive, and I mean that in the most sentimental and respectful way.
I sat down at the bar just as happy hour started at 4:00 p.m. A minute later I had a beer and had ordered a Bird Burger, which was legendary when I frequented the place in the 80s and early 90s. I couldn't get fries because they'd shut the fryer down due to happy hour - not sure I understood why but whatever - so it came with potato chips. It didn't matter, the burger was just as good as I'd remembered. Juicy and flavorful, with a fresh bun. What more do you want in a place like this?
One more beer and I asked for my check. With happy hour pricing, my total tab was $8.50. Amazing. Not great for families, really, but nice for a group of friends looking to have a few drinks and some bar food and not worry about ambiance.
CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!
$2 shots, $2 drafts in a place no one has to know your name. The age mix was very refreshing as this being a college town, I had my preconceived notions.  11 shots for what I would pay for a Patron shot at home.  Peanuts for free and the floor was the trash can  : `)  I loved every second of it.
This is what true bars are about. No fancy food or burgers, no fancy interior, just a small crowded space to get your drink on with CHEAP prices. But if you're looking to do more than just drink and hang out you might be better off elsewhere.
Tables and decor that has obviously been here forever leave you with the feeling of authenticity. That might be because nothing in this place has changed since, well, a really long friggin' time. Just the faces.
The Bird doesn't try to impress because it doesn't have to. Also because it really doesn't offer a whole lot... which is something to be proud of, I think. Something about this place just oozes fun and good times. So what if you can't get a gorgonzola Greek salad or an order of shrimp skewers? That's not what this place is about.
There really isn't a whole lot to say about the Bird and that's a good thing. They've kept it simple throughout the years and it's working well - so why mess with it? Stop in and get a late-night drink. You'll walk out with a hell of a good time.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
