A drink is nice, but some places are better than others. What are your favorite bars?

Here in Bay Area, I'm blessed with some fine establishments.

http://www.bourbonandbranch.com/

A speak easy in the skid row of SF. It's like walking into the 30's. You even need a password to get in.

http://www.thetrappist.com/

Beer made by trappist monks, no joke, the best beer in my life.

http://www.nocnocs.com/

Just fucking rad.

Toronto: Rivoli, green room, Unicorn and of course the Conversation-Den!

Posted by logtec Toronto: Rivoli, green room, Unicorn and of course the Conversation-Den!

What are they like?

haven't really been to many bars in toronto, sadly, but...

windsor - twig and berries, jimmy g's, the loop, and big dicks

The Granite Brewery, The Rivoli, Molly Blooms, The Bovine Sex Club, Lil' Korea town, and where-ever else serves alcoholic beverages in the fine city of Toronto.

i like the atmosphere, for the most part, of the green room in toronto - reminds me of the loop in windsor, before it went lame and if it didn't have a dancefloor (i like the lack of dancefloor at the green room...i feel like i'm too old for that shit)

haven't really found one that I really like yet, though the Cat and the Fiddle in Hamilton is kinda nice. A lot of the time the live music is too loud and the patrons can get annoying though. It's not so bad if you're already well on your way to being hammered. I can't stand dive bars though, so I generally stick to pubs and such.

Posted by dirt What are they like?

rivoli - pool hall, chill, live music
green room - tables, couches w/ coffee tables and patio
unicorn - pub, live music
the "Conversation Den" - its my place-
a great place to party dating back many years, many people have partied here over the years from all walks of life (including a downs syndrome dude named "Joey" who bought dope from a guy up the street and need a place to get high before going back to the group home, and he loved beer could put back the better half of a 2-4 and still walk in a straight line meanwhile drooling over Pam Anderson on baywatch...) it has a good mood, lighting, tunes and company.

sometimes we'd all sit around get drunk and start going on about our girlfriends and what we do with them(you know guy talk, bragging...), Joey would go on about his girlfriend- this chick Cathy, who lived in the group home with him. she had leg braces, a gimpy arm, crossed eyes and got around in a wheelchair but he didn't care he loved her and most nights he'd go home and "tap" that shit all night long!
ahhh man nuf-respect to Joey, they were a cute couple.

My favourite is a little tiny pub in my home town of Campbellford, ON called the Stinking Rose. It seats about 15 people, they only serve independently brewed beers and the food is all locally produced. It's just nice to walk in and have the bartender hand you your favourite beer before you have a chance to ask her for one.

dallas- moose & vinnies/skillmans street pub (closed 2007)
st. pete- bottles (dive)
tampa- the hanger (dive)
st. louis- the sports page (original)

I've been to Bottles and the Hanger

Posted by bandi I've been to Bottles and the Hanger

get the fuck outta here!


when?

toronto: bovine

I try to go where there are interesting or cask conditioned micros available.

In London (ON) I like the King Edward (Ilderton), Chancy Smiths and The Morrisey House.

When I am visiting my hometown of TO I like the Granite (a short stagger from my folk's place), C'est What, Volo and sometimes Mill Street.

Posted by cdevon1200 st. pete- bottles (dive) tampa- the hanger (dive)

no. even better than either one of those is The Castle in Ybor. One of the ONLY bars I will actually pay a cover to go in. Go on Monday and enjoy the alternative '80's music... go on the weekend and enjoy the heavier industrial stuff... as an alternative, Czar is (was??? idk, it's been a while...) okay... but The Castle is my favorite.

Otherwise, in Meridian, MS (where I currently live) The Echo Lounge is the place to go. They have live music 7 days a week, every week.