Club 45

I have been once, with a group of girlfriends, and literally cannot wait to go back.

it is true that the smoke is heavy, and for a non-smoker, i was not pleased to wake up the next morning with heavy lungs.  however, that would be my only complaint.

otherwise, the bartenders were friendly, engaging, and capable.  the other patrons were super friendly and quickly welcomed us into their karaoke night.  i see that the description says "not good for dancing", but i have to say - we are all in our late 20s, early 30s, and we ended up singing and dancing until last call.  it was definitely an actual dance party =)

what you get -

a classic dive bar, in the most awesome way
solid beer selection
great service
laid back atmosphere

what you wont get -
stuffy, pretentious service and/or atmosphere
anything in the least bit fancy

if not for the smoke, which was just a lot for my lungs to handle, this would have been five stars.  however, i DO like that you can smoke in there, simply bc it adds to the old school dive bar vibe, and i am definitely a fan of that.

I have to disagree with the previous reviewer who couldn't stand this place just because it seems like a "smoker's haven"... This place has everything a true dive bar requires--except sketchy patrons and unclean conditions.  Yes, they allow smoking (yay!).  And, yes, it is small (aka intimate).  But it is a really friendly place that is never overcrowded.  Having lived in the suburbs of the East Coast all my life, I have dreamed of a neighborhood bar connected to an awesome grill where you can smoke, drink both beer and liquor, and have casual conversations with customers and bartenders alike without going deaf or jockeying for position just to get a drink.  This type of entertainment might not be your "thing" (especially if you're a hipster), so, if that is the case, move on without judging and let the rest of us who prefer this type of bar experience enjoy it.  It is a PERFECT place for a date.  Finally, there is no "fire code violation" happening here... There is a FRONT DOOR to the place.  The door the other reviewer is talking about just connects the bar to the grill.

Club 45 is connected directly to Hot Plates Cafe. When you walk into Club 45, if you are not a smoker, in all likelihood, you will be smacked in the face by a wall of cigarette smoke. Myself, as a non-smoker - can't tolerate smoky conditions.

I decided to order one beer and then get on out of there. I was surprised to see they had a craft beer - Fat Tire (New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO). I ordered a pint of Fat Tire and drank it fairly quickly, paid my bill and attempted to leave. Except the door was locked.

The bartender had to exit out of his area, come around and open the door from outside. He told me they keep the door tightly shut to prevent cigarette smoke from entering Hot Plates Cafe. Huh - not sure how locking folks in prevents this - one would think this is a fire code violation.

There is a pool table in here. The bartop is inlaid with old 45 records - hence the name Club 45.

If this place was not a cigarette smoker's haven, this could be a cool little place. As it is now - not so much. I was not in here longer than 10 minutes - when I walked out my clothes reeked of cigarette smoke.

I won't be back!