Chapel is my favorite bar in Reno. The bar is at a great location right in the center of the renewed Midtown district.
It's tasteful but comfortable inside. It's a great place to bring a date or a group of friends who aren't into the club scene. The patio overlooks the scenic and breathtaking South Virgnia Street. I'm kidding... The patio is really nice, though. I love going there for afternoon drinks.
The long, tall tables in the middle of the bar are great for social butterflies: you can stand next to the table to chat with sitting friends, then flutter off to the bar, then mosey to the patio, and repeat. I prefer these tables to sitting at the bar because at the bar everyone's sitting side-by-side and only 2-3 people can talk to each other at a time. Once you try the tables you'll hate sitting at a bar with 6 friends. Bars are socially suboptimal. Bar-height tables for life.
The chalkboard near the ceiling lists their ever-rotating collection of microbrews. I am definitely not a connoisseur (I had to google how to spell that) but I like trying new beers and I've had a lot of different beers in my day. Chapel always manages to have something on tap that I've never tried before. Their beer person seems to know what's up. The drinks are a bit more expensive, but you can find $5-6 beers on the menu. Attention all frat bros: you won't find $3 PBR tall boys at Chapel. Move along.
Chapel's Old Fashioned is the best in the city, hands down. It's a liquid masterpiece. I can't even... I can't... words. Their Old Fashioned with Bulleit Rye makes me feel like a child again. A happy, alcoholic child.
Not a dive bar, this is a great bar!, The staff are friendly and knowledgable and they are happy to mix you something if you're not enticed by the cocktails on the menu. There are lots of beer options too. Â This place is cool, I love the design and it is not at all pretentious. Get out of the casinos and give this place a try.
Review Source:Great place with a great look. We didn't know what to expect when we walked in and we were pleasantly surprised. Everything inside looked awesome and the bartenders were great too. Most people were crammed on their outside mini patio but we decided to stay inside and have a couple beers. Great selection and great people, I just wish the place got more attention and business!
Review Source:Chapel is hipster. Â There I said it. Â The best thing about Chapel is the dedication to cocktails and craft beers. Â I consider them the 2nd best cocktail bar in Reno after Cin Cin. Â But it's not just about the cocktails, but the atmosphere of the bar. Â And this is what I like least about Chapel. Â While it's large and has two outdoor patio areas, the acoustics are awful due to the new hipster trend of bare walls whether metal, tile, or wood. Â Back in the middle ages, they learned to hang tapestry on large castle walls to absorb sound so those minstrels and flute folks sounded better and when you had large crowds, people didn't go deaf. Â You see sound waves like water waves, bounce when they come in contact with a hard surface. Â They bounce back, and this causes interference patterns. Â What's wrong with interference? Â Well instead of hearing a rhythmic beat, you hear a major beat coming directly at you, disrupted by all sorts of minor beats bouncing back from all different surfaces making your ear confused as to what beat to focus on, hence you get - noise. Â Every band that plays at Chapel sounds like NOISE. Â Same deal with hipster Brewers Cabinet. Â What's worse than music turning into loud noise? Â How about two dozen independent conversations simultaneously. Â And since you can't hear your conversation, you what? Â You start to yell, and now everyone else can't hear their conversation, so what do they do? Â They yell too, and it's just a death spiral of louder and louder conversations you can't hear. Â Another thing I have an issue with is when the bartenders know some group and hang out with them and don't take care of the other customers. Â Same thing happened at the old Chapel but now with a longer bar, it's harder for them to see customers at the other end if they're hanging with their hipster buddies by the window. Â But if you want an education in cocktails, this is the place not to mention their gigantic wall of bourbon and booze.
Review Source:I really want to love this bar. They have great music, really great drinks (especially the greyhound), but the music is just a bit too loud for my taste. I admit I tend to be sensitive when it comes to noise levels, but even my boyfriend who likes things much louder than I do thought it was too much. If they can get the sound just a touch lower, Chapel would easily have four stars from me.
Review Source:Nice little bar. Â It has a very independent vibe. Â It's open late. Â Great beers, including a few local microbrews, were on draft during my visit. Â Reasonable prices.
I met some very interesting people here in the early morning which led to interesting conversations. Â I'll definitely be back.
They have done such a great job with this space! ...Okay, I never saw it before, but when I walked in, it just felt very "Reno" to me. Â Like not the seedy casino Reno, like what Reno is on a good day when it's not hung over and just ate breakfast at Daughters or something. Â Or right after it snows before everything is brown again. Â Or that one 70 degree day in March, before it goes back to snow, Or when you run into some one you knew in middle school that you're actually happy to see. Â THAT Reno. Â That's what chapel feels like.
Review Source:A few years ago around Easter, I was attending a fabulously attended Trannyshack event, watching the most amazing drag queens lip sync the best renditions of every song ever.
Now, in 2012, I am walking into an incredibly gorgeous space, with exposed wood and support beams, with an impressive list of beers on tap and a couple bartenders who know drinks like Buddha knows nirvana.
Expanded from their old, cramped building, this one features high ceilings, two patios, and an awesome atmosphere. They were going to have music trivia on Monday nights, but due to low popularity, it has been postponed until there is a bigger following.
Basically, take the Chapel you know before, put it next to some awesome Indian food, and times the awesome by at least five. You'll have the new and improved Chapel tavern, the only church you'll find me on Sundays...and Mondays...Tuesdays...Wednesdays....Thursdays...ÂFridays...
The new location is great, the owners have been able to translate the feel of the old bar to a bigger space. Â Even though the building is much larger than the previous one, it's not so large that it feels like you're drinking in a warehouse or a barn. Â The drink menu and beer selection is still excellent. Â The staff seems to take a lot of pride in what they do. Â One of the bartenders remade one of my French 75s because HE noticed that there was a piece mint floating in it. Â Little things like that really make a big difference to me and it's just one of the reasons why this is one of the best bars I've ever been to.
Review Source:Great beer selection! There were 8 beers on tap, all of which sounded good. They had my favorite, the Delirium Tremens, but I decided to stick with a trusty IPA. I had been to chapel a few times before they moved, and loved it. Pretty good mix of a crowd, premium beer and whiskey selection, and a very urban feel to the place. When I heard that they moved I was skeptical, but they did a great job translating the feel of the original Chapel to a much larger space.
We stopped in for a beer relatively early on a Friday night and it was not very busy. For how slow it was, the music was up really loud which was a bit annoying. Overall a very nice experience, I want to come back when it is a bit busier and get a more complete experience.
Chapel's moved to 1099 S. Virginia, former locale of the 1099 Club. Â (I've notified Yelp of this, but didn't feel like creating a whole new entry).
The exterior is covered with old, recycled barn wood, and a large, glass garage door opens out to a new, slightly raised patio that faces out to Virginia and Caliente. Â The interior is huge (I'd guess 3 times the size of the original Chapel), with a tall, exposed ceiling, making the place feel a bit cavernous.
The bar is on the north wall, and is big enough that there were three bartenders working when I went in. Â There were two large high tops (maybe 8 seats at each?), and there was a nook on the left provided more than enough space for the pool table.
There was what appeared to be a small stage on the south wall, and plenty of open space, that would work well if there was a band there for dancing. Â
The overall vibe was similar to the old Chapel, but cleaned up a bit. Â
I had an Evil Twin Not So Uncommon IPA - meaning they've still got a solid beer selection, and the whiskey selection looked as good as always.
Came here on a Saturday night. Â Â It is a very small bar so even if there are only 10 people in there, it's packed. Â Bar tender seemed friendly enough and we ordered a Crown on the rocks and a Makers on the rocks. Â $6.50/ea. Â The volume of the music was a little obnoxious since it meant the people next to us were yelling their conversation at each other. Â We had left our tab open in case we wanted more drinks and when we asked to close it, the bartender just looks at us and says "Great - Give me 13 bucks and you can be on your way" Â Reminded him he had a card and he went and ran it. Â Came across a little rude.
I don't know - nothing about this place seemed all that special. Â It's really just came off as just another histper hangout.
Great New Years Party this year (as always). Â I've never had a bad experience at Chapel Tavern. Â Their list of beer and sprits is unmatched by anyone in town and has something anyone will enjoy whether your looking for a night out that's easy on your walet, or are looking to enjoy some great top shelf spirts. Â
Their seasonal cocktails are also unique and a must try. Â
Both the owner and all the employees are extreamly knowledgeable about their craft (not something you will typically find in Reno), and are also very friendly and responsive. Â
Also, with the bar being non-smoking, you can enjoy your night without having to fumigate your close the next day.
I must admit that I was a bit hesitant to write this review as I've come to regard Chapel Tavern as something of a find.
Being a Brooklynite, we tend to keep the best places under wraps but the Chapel Tavern really deserves a good write up (although it's evident that I'm not the only fan here).
Duncan the bartender makes a right on the money margarita. They have a great selection of beers on tap, plus always seem to have something special rotating through.
Parking is easy to find, never seems that crowded and it's a very laid back crowd of regulars. Drink prices are great and they always have some great music on.
Agh, starting to sound like a fanboy here but I'm pretty critical when it comes to bars and what can I say? The Chapel Tavern just really ticks all the boxes.
Free wifi too, what more can you ask for?
Haven't been here on the weekend or real late at night so I can't attest to how crowded it gets.
So, last time I went to the Chapel, I parked in their parking lot, went into the bar, had a couple drinks, came out, and they'd put a boot on my car. So I went in demanding to know what that was all about, and they explained to me that since I'd parked too close to Bangkok, the parking enforcement company must have assumed I was eating Thai food and therefore owed them $80 or whatever. I didn't have to pay the fine, but I did have to wait around for someone to come take the boot off.
I truly hate places with fascist parking policies. I understand that you want your customers to be able to park at your business, but when you're ruining people's nights for parking in a half-empty lot, you're just being a dick. And when you're so trigger-happy that you start doing it to your own customers, there's no excuse at all.
ADDENDUM: I do appreciate that the Chapel owner wrote me a courteous e-mail shortly after I posted this review, saying they were working to find a less aggressive parking enforcement company. I hope they do.
We came here one afternoon at the suggestion of the fine folks at Craft Beer & Wine. They know we're beer geeks and they thought we'd appreciate the unusual beers Chapel has available. We sure did! The day we stopped in, they had Jolly Pumpkin Madrugada Obscura on tap, how awesome is that!! While the selection is not extensive, what was there was very interesting, and the taps change often so keep coming back to see what's currently available.
This is a wonderful little "hidden hot spot" - very unassuming from the outside & fabulously small, cramped and poorly lit on the inside. Even the bathrooms are so miniscule you can barely fit in them. It's just awesome. I loved the hipster atmosphere and appreciated the funky tattoo art on the walls. The people who frequent this joint are friendly, and we've always found the service to be acceptable. This is a fun, tiny little bit of a place to knock back a tasty brew, even if it's not always clean. The sticky floors and tables kinda add to the charm if you ask me.
The front faces up against the street so there's little parking available there; go around back and you should find a spot without too much trouble.
I was told about a bloody mary that would make my heart stop from all of its amazingness. I was a bit skeptical but after weeks of drinking poorly made bloodies we decided to venture up from Fallon to see. Â We were completely and totally blown out of the water by this drink. It is the best bloody I have ever enjoyed and the fact they use fresh juice, Guinness (I believe) and tons of booze soaked veggies makes this not only a great drink but a miracle worker on my hangovers. We drive up at least once a month the sip on these lively beverages.
I also love the dim lighting, great service from all the barkeeps(and  they make special concoctions for anyone willing to ask) and the prices makes me want to give this place 21312 stars.
I have visited the Chapel a lot lately since my Mom told I should visit the Lord's house more often, for my soul's sake. This tiny joint (capacity is prolly 25 max) is located where the old Mr. O's used to be, and they do quite a better job than the old dive. Â
I like coming here because they make their drinks using fresh squeezed fruit, and this is definetely the closest that I will be to being a health nut. Favorites are the bloody mary's made with Guiness and pickled veggies (sounds weird, but it is the best damn bloody mary, period), margaritas are strong and make you feel like a rock star after only a couple. This is the type of place that prides itself in serving old school cocktails such as a manhattan, an old fashioned, or another such libation.
Come thirsty, and leave finding yourself at peace.
I am kind of falling in love with this bar. A friend and I are to be mid-week regulars here.
Couple of things that I love:
1) Great atmosphere. Yeah it's a little dude-heavy, but people seem to be genuinely friendly here and I always meet interesting folks when we go.
2) Bartender Dave. He is so nice and does his best to remember his customer's names and their drinks. This man takes the art of tending bar very seriously, and there is nothing sexier than someone who takes pride in his job. He's always concocting something new and having customers try it. Â Lately he's been working on perfecting cocktails that were popular at the turn of the 20th century. That is awesome.
I love the Brad Collins, it's like a Tom Collins with applejack instead of whatever is in a Tom Collins. I have never had this anywhere else and am doubtful anyone outside of Chapel would know how to make it.
This is a drinker's bar for those who are looking for more than just a Coors Light to satisfy your thirst.
One star off for the bathroom situation. It's, uh, very cozy in the women's room.
Let it be known: Chapel is a bar bereft of Dude-Bros (yessssss)
Frickin' finally.
Not only that, but the people at the bar were all friendly, everyone was open to chatting with their neighbor...which I LOVE. It felt like, believe it or not, church (not that I really go...anymore. Sorry mom). And the diversity of the bar crowd was also appealing. Lots of tattoos and artsy people, super interesting and outgoing all around.
Beer-snobs: this is your spot. Both on tap and in the bottle. They have one of the most diverse selections i've seen in Reno.
Small and charning. Come here if you feel like a good beer bein' social. =]
The Chapel Tavern
Dealers Choice $8-$10                                                             TheSazerac                                                                                   Â
1 tsp Brown Sugar                                                                              Â
1 dash Peychaud's bitters                                                                         Â
2 oz Sazerac Rye Whiskey                                                                    Â
Absinthe Rinsed Glass                                                                          Â
Fresh Grapefruit Peel Mist
The Chapel Tavern is the Holy Grail of bars! This mixologist's utopia is stocked with hordes of rare liquors, heavenly syrups and infusions, unique bitters and spices, and freshly squeezed juices. From the superbly skilled bartenders to the stylish glassware and fancy bamboo garnish picks, every detail of your beverage is made with class and expertise.
I suggest ordering the "Dealers Choice" cocktail. Pick your liquor (or not), put faith in the bartender and you're guaranteed a personalized drinking experience. Bartender Dave Serna made me his variation of the first American born cocktail, The Sazerac. Served "up" in a champagne coupe, this drink excites all the senses. The slight aroma of sweet citrus balances a whisper of absinthe while allowing the bold character of the rye whiskey to brightly, but cleanly wash down the palate.
This is a bar a lot of people will like. It's got good energy. For me, it seems like it's a good place to get the party started or wind down the evening.
Based on my one trip there, it was too loud. It's not the kind of place where you can talk easily.
I paid $8 for a drink I believe is called a limeade. It was lime and ginger beer and vodka, I believe. It was tasty and the ingredients were all first rate, but it was mostly ice and it was gone like that.
I guess I'm more of a Halfway Club/Coney Island Bar kind of guy.
Several trips back earned themselves another star. I rarely rarely rarely give up 5 star reviews but this is as good as it gets for me. Drinks can be crafted or selected from their expansive selection. Drink list changes seasonally.
Side note, what really impressed me was the hand made toilet paper holder...
I've only been here once. But I got to see LADY GAGA and a CHRISTINA AGUILERRA look-a-like walk in together. All the bro's were drooling and I couldn't help myself but sing under my breath "my puhpuhpuhpoker face my puhpoker face...."
I'm pretty sure it wasn't Lady Gaga, but it makes for a good story and if I had any more to drink I would've been stumbling around asking for autographs.
Great and modern design. Gives anyone involved in the design/architecture profession a little design 'O' face. Still manages to be the hole in the wall bar next door though. Very unpretentious.
Great drinks for a reasonable price. Also, the owner/bartennder, Duncan makes cocktails an art. You can tell he takes pride in what he does and it definitely adds to the experience.
Chapel Tavern has the most diverse cocktail selection in Reno by far. Also a very good eclectic draft and bottle beer selection. Great happy hour place with $4 mojitos and margaritas. I was pointed in the direction of the Chapel Tavern when I asked for a Caipirinha cocktail at another bar. I think Chapel Tavern is the only one in Reno that makes them or even knows what I was talking about . Caipirinhas are made with the primary alcohol  Cachaça (pronounced something like cashasa) and Chapel has several kinds. Duncan is the owner and takes his large Scotch, Tequila and Mescal selections seriously. A connoisseur's bar at the same time laid back an relaxed. No pretentiousness here.  I highly recommend it.
It is a "bar bar" in that no food is served although they let you order in and if you want to smoke indoors, here is a place that allows it. Well ventilated and a classy "hole in the wall" bar.
Tiny, dark, smoky, and loud. Â and dare I say, perfect? Â I love this bar and I'm glad it's in the neighborhood. Â
On a Tuesday night there was about a dozen people here and because it's so small it seems really crowded. Â No matter though, bartender was attentive even though he did spend plenty of time chatting up his friends that stopped in. Â They have some fantastic sounding cocktails on the menu and a great great selection of beer on tap. Â It was hard to choose since I generally only imbibe one drink per night out. Â Was hoping my friend would choose something I could steal a sip of. Â ha. Â I ended up getting a rye whiskey cocktail with housemade berry syrup and it was amazing and cheap (relatively. It was $6.50. Â I'm getting used to $10+ cockails unfortunately). Â
I'll be back. Â It's hip but unpretentious. Â love it.
I've been wanting to come back here since my initial bad experience to give Chapel another try. Â As I stated before, I really liked everything about the bar except for the service. Â Apparently, according to the reviewers after me, if somebody receives bad service here it must be their own fault. Â Interesting. Â I wonder how long they would be willing to sit with an empty glass while the bartender played dice. Â As a former bartender myself, I'm pretty sure I know when I'm getting bad service.
And I did NOT get bad service the other night. Â It was a much slower night, only a few people at the bar, and Husband and I had some lovely after-dinner cocktails while chatting with the bartender. Â (The same bartender, I might add, who ignored me before--guess I didn't "piss him off" again.) Â This makes me happy, because when the service is good, this is an all-around great place. Â Great atmosphere, great selection, great place to hang out. Â Glad I gave it another shot. Â We will definitely be back.
Chapel is great. Imagine how Mr O's used to be. Now, make it look and feel a lot more clean and cozy and add a little metropolitan edge.
If you like ANY kind of straight up liquor (whiskey, mescal, tequila, whatever) ask Duncan what he recommends. The man is a true aficionado. He turned me on to several whiskeys that I had either never heard of, or never considered. The man is a  wealth of liquor knowledge.
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