Ok, so I like to think I'm a pretty open minded girl. I try new things, go different places, etc. But the lab just doesn't cut it.
As a bar, trivia location, dance venue - not my thing. I know there are people who love this place, hence my two stars. And the people who work there really are nice. But the food (and I've been there 3 times now) has always disappointed. Too expensive for what you get, and sometimes just downright awful. I like to try specials when I try new places ( you know, that item on the menu that clearly the establishment prides itself on?) and after 3 swings, they've struck out. Combinations that sound delicious come out soggy and strange - much like a lot of the clientele here.
Now, saving the best for last, my one SERIOUS pet peeve about the lab: they light almost solely with black lights. Who does that? Is it so I can't see my food? So it really takes on a nice alien green shade to make my stomach churn before I taste your weird sauce of the day?
One redeeming quality (albeit small): their menu already includes tax. Pretty cool there. If you go with $5 and it says $5 on the menu, it's $5. No more, no less.
I'm sure at some point I will be dragged to the lab again, and I seriously hope I have more fun next time. But for now, I just don't think it's my jam.
This is a review of their Nachos. Â I own a small business just a few doors over. Â Listen, I actually own a cafe. Â And yet, every single day I am craving Pavlov's nachos............ Chips, cheese, jalapenos, raw red cabbage, shredded top round, and some sour cream sauce all over. Â It's our official staff meal.
My homie is next door right now ordering some. Â Couldn't even make it through this review before the hunger charged!!! Â If you love good junky food, this is serious business where nachos are down to a science.
Crap... guess what? Â Kitchen closed on Mondays. Â I am going to cry.
Great food for vegetarians, vegans, and meat eaters. They have different music going on at different times (electronic, nerdcore, Â alternative, etc). Wednesday night karaoke always draws a big crowd. During less crowded times, it offers an intimate setting. I often go before it gets dark and grab a drink and some food then just play board or card games with friends. All of the employees are great.
Review Source:I never understood giving a place that might not be your style a bad review. Looking for a glow-stick laden dance party? Or a bro-filled, natty-light fueled frat party? Like Kenny Chesney? You probably won't dig The Lab. And that's fine.
That said, the selection of food and beverages is excellent, particularly for a venue of this size. The folks who work here are friendly, and while parking can occasionally be a pain, everything else about The Lab is relaxed and casual (including the ability to have a conversation due to the absence of aggressively loud Hot Beatz). Trivia on Tuesdays is the toughest in town, and the vegetarian options are great (I'd recommend asking them to go light on the sauces though). It's a great mix of great quality and independent quirkiness that you'll find in most other college towns but is glaringly absent in Gainesville.
I was raised going to The Hardback in my teenage years, listening to local bands at maximum volume, and checking out cute boys. Â Those were the days when punks looked like punks, and hippies looked like hippies. Â EMO did not yet exist, and I never heard the word "Hipster." Also, no one had beards. Â
The Laboratory, in my eyes, is the new Hardback. Â Where, if there were still punks, they would linger here where a hint of subculture still exists. Â It is odd that they are located in a shopping center, almost makes the place feel temporary. Â But, hopefully it is permanent. Â The bathrooms are much nicer that I expected. Â The beer menu is decent and not too pricey. Â
The food has received rave reviews, but I have yet to try it. Â It smells good, but difficult to tell what it looks like from under the black light. Â
I used to come here for Karaoke night, but the last time the sound was so terrible that I will not go again for a while. Â The volume was max and the vocals were so low that you could not hear anyone singing. Â At least you can go outside on the patio to escape. Â
There are bands and some nice art on the walls that seems to rotate monthly. Â I hear that they are building a stage, but I really did not mind the bands playing on the floor. Â The cover is never too high, and the crowd is very mellow. Â Since the owner is pretty awesome, you never have to deal with insane cover charges, dropped nights, or random politics. Â If you have not been here yet, I highly recommend checking it out.
I don't really want to review this place -- so I gave it 3 stars just to be nice and average. Â If you are gothic you will LOVE this place, same goes if you are into electronic "music." Â
Went here once and this guy, bless his heart, was rubbing two latex balloons together into a microphone. Â
Lab is pretty cool. Â It's different than any other bar because they serve their beers in a glass Pyrex beaker. Â With that being said, I do want to say that I do not work and go to school all week to be like "FUCK YA IT'S FRIDAY LET'S CUT LOOSE AT THE LAB!" Â If I go here it's usually because someone I know wants to do something lame...and I have pretty much stopped hanging out with those people. Â Ok, enough about me...
Like I said, goths, freaks and deaf people would love this place.
I still haven't reviewed the Lab?? Sorry Larry and co! Thought I did that ages ago. Nifty place to do trivia night, catch an experimental music show, study, chill out, just have a drink - whatever. Haven't had any food, other than some fries and nachos and whatever I sneak off some trivia teammates' plates, but it's always been tasty and sufficient. Pitchers of PBR are crazy cheap, as others have said, and drinking beer out of beakers is also classy fun as others noted. I vow to visit more often than I do!
Review Source:In a town full of slightly off center places, the Lab provides a great gathering spot for food and beverages. Tuesday night is a great trivia night with some of the smarter people competing - a fair number of UF professors sprinkled in the crowd.
There is a large selection of beers, but since I detest beer (heretic!) I'm not at liberty to comment. I do like that beer is served in a glass beaker - its the LAB after all.
Wines by the glass are my territory - I love ordering a glass of Evil or Ass Kisser. Vampire is usually available too. Chocovine is pretty good stuff as well.
The food stuffs I like include the chicken salad (YUM!) done as a wrap, or the nachos. I wish they's upgrade the chips - the ones used are really generic and not up to the quality of the stuff on top. Gary slow cooks the beef, pork and chicken in house. Always flavorful carnivore stuff. There are some veggie options. No opinion there. The tortillas are also yummy and filling. For dessert, have a pair of Tesla's Testicles. Shaved or unshaved. You'll need to see these in person. Also - ask for a quesadilla. Not on the menu but YUM
The general crowd is a mixed bag of grad students, post grads and lots of computer people. If you need your PC or Mac fixed, ask for Evan's number - his office is right upstairs and he fixed my MacBook on two occasions so far.
They are tucked behind the GCM Thrift store (used to be Hear Again records). Lots of local and electronic bands play here - heck En Esch from KMFDM just did a show recently. Think 'Cheers' for the creative set.
Haven't tried the food yet, but as a bar is nice. Â
One of the better beer selections in Gville, exremely reasonably priced, and on the cheap side, pitchers of PBR are like $3 or something crazy.
Tuesday night 80s night attracts a big crowd, many 25+ which is hard to find in Gville.
Apparently early in the night there is a trivia contest as well, have not made it to that yet.
No-smoking inside but there is a patio out front.
If you can't find it it is next to Hear Again CDs near the Taco Bell on Univ. ave.
Plenty of Parking
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