J Alfred Prufrock's

Walked in and it looks like a group of people in their 50's (all going through a midlife crisis judging by the two late model Corvette's and motorcycles parked outside) having martini's and talking about whatever it is people having a midlife crisis talk about. Order a drink and chill for a bit thinking maybe that the place will liven up as it gets later in the night, I was wrong....other than that, Drinks were great, bartenders really know what they're doing but if you do go, make sure you bring a some people with you....

This place needed an update, and another star due to competent mixologists and some interesting people-watching.

When you go to a night-club or some hipster lounge on a weekend night, there are at least 2 things you should be doing--spending loads of cash recklessly, and checking out the crowd and putting them down.

There are other reasons, but #1 should go without saying, and #2 becomes a fun sport for a few hours.

So going past Nathan Detroit's to go in, I'm already in the dissing mood.  Nearby are these 2 old dudes on the street trying to look cool in their Harley-Davidson gear (the only thing they've ever bought at the Harley shop) saying "...it doesn't say Martini Bar on the outside..."  Well look inside the window, everyone is freaking over their martinis.  Except for me, it's a can of Guinness tossed in a cutely insoucient way by the bartender into a small fancy glass, daring me--it's gonna overflow unless you're not a schmuck and know how to handle it (yes I do).

It was some kind of $3 peachtini or chocolatini night, the place is crowded.  The bartenders are mixing their brains off.  Now if you go out on a Saturday night, do you take some cash?  Sure if you buy a round of drinks for 6 friends you might throw down a credit card, but plastic for a $3 peachtini?  The girl with the blonde Betty-Boop hair comes up beside me at the bar and puts the 3 skins on her debit card--not unheard-of late at night when you're busted and/or alone, but really you just came in with the guy wearing the outlet North Face denali who put $6 for your two drinks on a debit card?  He never heard of bringing cash on a date?  And paying for your own (singular) drink?  Boggles the mind.  Not a big deal usually but the bartenders are spending half their time swiping cards thru the till like a Walmart cashier and tracking people down with little paper slips while people are waiting for martinis to be mixed.  Really, next time you go out bring at least some walk-around money.  Hell, I know people who won't leave the house for a drink without bail money.  And also, taking 10 minutes to look at the bar menu to decide on a drink really makes you look like you just got thrown off the turnip truck.  According to one bartender, the leather-clad tomes listing their wares have been lifted by people "who want to try to make our martinis at home,"  and with all the people wanting to look and see what the bartenders can make...it makes you look even more like Miss Piggy.    

Just watching the crowd and seeing the bartenders handle it all with aplomb really made my night for some reason.  A wicked good time.