Westside Inn

Unfortunately, the Westside Inn has gone out of business.  I'll miss you Rob and staff!

As my local friends local bar, I now know the locals and am myself almost possibly considered a local. What appears to be a straight forward inexpensive drinking and dimly lit bar is much more after peeling back a few layers. But lets cover the cheap beer/drinks portion first. $1.00 PBR's on tap (yup-Pabst Blue Ribbon) and $1.00 Blatz cans-basically a PBR with a different label and a bit more of an aluminum aftertaste.
**Free popcorn from an old fashion popping machine**
On my second visit to Westside Inn, there was a 15 piece jazz band playing jazz for 2 hours with no cover charge. There have been a few young rock bands playing there on a Saturday nights.
A few visits later the owner, who I have forged a friendship with, had a free dinner offering. It was fish (Perch and Walleye) lightly breaded, quite fresh and moist, with french fries. The free dinner was being served up on a Sunday night, a popular bar time and day in the bar scene. I thought that was a very generous offering to his client base, as it was not bread sticks and salad on a Tuesday afternoon.
Apparently I was entered into an Iron Chef competition held at Westside coming up in a week or 2. Iron Chef Westside works like this: Its a $50.00 cost that the owner covers and the contestant must prepare a full meal for 30-40 people on that budget. As of yet I have not conceptualized my dish(es) but the idea is really cool and unique.
Great service from the female bartenders, great jukebox when there is no live music toss in a little joker poker and you have the soulful Westside Inn.

I was in town visiting family over the weekend, and this is their local go-to spot for drinks and some good 'ol greasy bar food.
The atmosphere certainly has that hometown hole in the wall feel, where everyone seemingly knows each other by name. It's not too big of a place, but has plenty of room for two pool tables and a small dance floor.
There's a little kitchen in the back, where you walk up and order your food. The food was flavorful and the nachos tasted just like I'd made them at home.
The drinks are cheap and the service is quick, the staff very friendly.
The jukebox tunes were plentiful, and they had a live band come in later that night.
It's certainly somewhere you'd want to check out with a group of friends looking for a lowkey night out.