The Harp & Bard

Used to be my pre and post St. Paddy's day go to spot but it has lost more than a step in the last decade

This place kicks ass. Staff very friendly. Owner is a piss. Food great. The word no is not in the dictionary here. Always looking to please. Music is the best. People always having a good time. Clifton is very lucky to host such a fine place. Check out the martini bar.

Not sure what happened to this place, but I recently had a craving for some Rogue Dead Guy's Ale on tap, which this place has, and is usually good, but this time I was extremely disappointed.  

First off, I've been to this neighborhood friendly bar many times through out the years. The bar maids here are usually friendly, approachable, talkative, and provide fast and great service.  This was not the case this time around.  It took about 5 mins to get her attention as she sat at the end of the beer watching television.  Once I did get her attention, I ordered my Rogue beer on tap.  The beer was not only flat but it tasted like vinegar.  

I explained this to the not very talkative bar maid, which I had never met before and she offered me something else.  I settled for just a basic Heineken bottled. She did mention that she would need to go downstairs to change the tap, but she never did.  

As I was drinking my Heineken and watching the London Olympics on the TV in front of me, the bar maid changed the channel. I am unsure exactly why, since I was the only patron in the bar, and her and her friend were watching the TV at the other end of the bar.  So, on top of the initial flat Rogue beer, the very distant / non-sociable bar maid, drinking a bottle of Heineken (which I didn't want), she decides to totally turn off the Olympics, which I was watching.

At this time, another patron walks in.  He orders something on tap, I forgot what it was.  He takes a sip, and also has the same disgust that I had.  He calls over the bar maid, tells her the beer is not drinkable.  He orders something else, but bottled this time, just like I did.  He barely finishes the beer and walks out.  

The bar maid still at this point has not gone downstairs to change the tap.

I don't know what it was, but the energy of this bar maid made everything worst.  

Maybe the owner wasn't around, I don't know what it was.  I'll keep coming back to this watering hole, since it's walking distance.  However, depending on who's working - I may just walk out right off the bat next time.