Just found out this is about 2 feet away from my office! So a colleague took me here and it was an interesting experience. The food was basic, but good. I had the special of the day, which was a grilled cheese and ham sandwich, with fruit salad as dessert. It was a bit more than 6 dollars, so not expensive.
There seemed to be quite a few regulars here and my colleague is one of them - how much fun when people know you when you walk in and they recognize you after a long time! Not sure though how you get to that point - as Alex was saying, you kind of need a person to introduce.
However, the food was good enough, the prices cheap enough and the location close enough to my office to consider this as a good quick lunch option from now on. And who knows, as I start frequenting this place I may become a real fan!
My friends and I gathered here to watch the Super Bowl, and while two of us were "girling it up" by being the only ladies in the bar, we were still welcomed with opened arms.
Plum Street is a blue collar sports bar, serving up your standard American beers and house brand liquors. Hudy Amber was on tap, which was a good local alternative to something like Budweiser. During the game, the bartender allowed us to have a crock pot of hot dogs and brats simmering. We also brought in some candy and chips with dip. My friend who is vegetarian brought in some veg-friendly hot dogs, and the bartender kindly microwaved them for her.
For a dive bar, drink prices were a little more than I expected. My tab for one beer and a soda was $7.00. Also, the building is older and it shows. The floors are a bit uneven, and we had some hot dogs roll off the table - bun included. Some condiment bottles went rolling off as well. Hold on to your drinks just in case.
Plum Street is definitely your working man's after hours bar rather than a Friday night drinking destination. No frills, kind service. Just what you'd expect.
This bar is home. No, srsly.
It's not much to look at, but it's quality. Beer is cheap, bartenders and regulars are nice, down to earth and welcoming, as long as you aren't a huge d-bag. Very communal. If you want to live in the city but feel like you're part of a neighborhood, start making routine stops here. You'll become family in no time.
It's what a hole in the wall gem should be.
I am, not surprisingly, a bit biased, since this is my neighborhood bar. Â I know all of the bartenders and all of the regulars. Â That said, there are two things I want in a bar: Â cheap drinks, and good conversation. Â The Plum St. Cafe is built for both. Â
I'm not a club guy. Â When out drinking, I hate loud. Â I want to sit, plow through beers, and talk passionately about things I care about. Â Plum St. is quiet, there's almost always a free table, and a great bar, if you'd rather talk to the bartenders or the regulars.
Again, I know I'm biased, but the bar is a little bit like home to me. Â Stop by some night, or especially some Sunday afternoon, and there's a good chance you'll see me there.
Plum Street is not a bar to meet new people. It's a neighborhood cozy bar that typically services mostly downtowners. There's nothing wrong with bringing a crowd there, but don't expect that happening much on weekends. Probably, if you want to take a date somewhere downtown where you actually want to hear them - this is it.
The owners and bartenders are incredibly friendly - and usually knows exactly who you are after going a few times.
My company is based there, so we usually sit at our designated table and often times will spend hours there working or just hang out. I have come to meet and get to know almost all the regulars, and it's cute how they've built their own community.
Oh, don't forget to try the hoagies and pizza.
Plum Street Café is your typical neighborhood dive bar. The walls and the bar are made of wood, it's very very dark, there are regulars sitting round the area sipping on an after-work beer. Everything you think about when you think about dive bars, this is it.
This is always why I'm so shocked this place is located in the heart of downtown! Â I'd expect a bar like this to be on the edge of somewhere like Saint Bernard or Fairfield, but 4th and Plum? Really strange.
Here's the thing about Plum Street Cafe - this is a regular's bar. Unless you're walking in with someone who knows someone, you will not be welcomed here the first time. Oh sure, the service will be fine and the drinks will come and you can order food, but you'll get nasty glares from the other patrons and curt responses from the bartenders. I've seen it happen many a-time.
Luckily, I found this bar by knowing the dude who lives above it, meaning I had a semi-in from the start. Plum Street is nice because it's sort of a hidden gem. When the game is on and every other bar in the area is packed with jackholes, you can go here and have your own table and order some food and a beer and just relax.
This is, though, not a partying bar. This is not a bar-hopping bar. This is not a destination bar (especially when Mainstay is right down the street). This is a bar to go when you're feeling depressed or alone and want to be around other people who are feeling depressed and alone. It's also a bar for hipsters who like being around depressed and alone people in some crazy wood-covered neighborhood dive bar. I've seen that too.
I don't hate Plum Street but I'm not particularly a fan either. I'm not someone who goes out just to drink. I like to hang out with friends and meet others and just be caught up in the excitement of a weekend night. That's not happening here. This is pretty much the place where the excitement of a night out goes to die. That's not always a bad thing, but, you know ... not so great either.
Yet another little dive bar in the city but if you ask nicely this one has Black Label Bushmills on the tiny top shelf. We used to stop by on the way to a now closed club around the corner for less expensive drinks and occasionally for happy hour after work. The service was always friendly and Plum Street is an easy, non-pretentious place to keep your low profile.
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