Sky Bar

By David Clarkson

“Freaks and Greeks”

If you’re looking for a drink, Sky Bar Night Club is probably as far north on Main Street as you’ll likely go. Luckily Bowling Green isn’t a large town and it’s worth the walk anyway.

In previous years, Sky Bar consisted of fraternities, sororities, Goths and baby-faced first year students. The crowd sometimes turned a few people off but it’s recently been a more popular destination.

“It’s usually Greeks or freshmen,” junior Tara Senko said, “But lately everyone’s been coming.”

Senko has worked the Sky Bar ticket counter for three years and attributes the influx of different customers to remodeling over the summer and the club’s music choice. “The dance scene is pretty big,” Senko said. “It’s nice that [we] don’t always play Top 40.”

The dance floor was completely overhauled this summer. Their website claims it’s “BG’s largest dance floor and best sound system.”

Sky Bar is open Tuesdays through Saturdays. Get your Gothic fix on Wednesday nights as DJ’s Darks Choir, AudioFlesh, Sarah Monster and Phobos spin the most popular industrial music. Everyone other day features cheap drinks and good times. If you’re over 18 you can join the fun too.

Sky Bar Night Club has something for just about everyone so if you’re new to Bowling Green- Greek, Goth or just someone looking for a place to share a drink with friends- stop by and you won’t be disappointed.

Drinks by Night:

Tuesdays: $2 Martini Night, $2.50 Long Islands

Wednesday: $1.50 Rum and Coke, $2.50 Pitchers, $2.75 Jack Daniels, $3 Bombs

Thursdays: $1 Well Drinks

Fridays: $2 Domestic Drafts, $2 Specialty Drinks, $3 Bombs ($1 off with Student ID)

Saturdays: $1.75 Coronas, $1.75 Long Islands ($1 off with Student ID)

Ziggy's

By David Clarkson

“Why Ziggy Zoomba?”

Ziggy Zoomba’s, commonly known as Ziggy’s, lies down the yellow brick road between game time and party time.

Photo from Facebook

Resting just east of Main on Wooster Street, Ziggy’s is one of the more popular weekend destinations, especially for athletes. “Saturday nights after home [football] games are always the best,” Mike Lasco said.

Lasco is a fifth year student and has worked at Ziggy’s for almost two years. He says people come out for the friendly environment. “We have one of the bigger bars and one of the bigger outdoors atmospheres,” he said.

Besides Saturdays, Thursdays and Fridays are popular. In addition to being major bar nights, Lasco attributes this to the fact that “we basically run our own drink specials.” This way patrons get a variety of discounted drinks such as Lasco’s favorite, a vodka tonic.

The large facility provides multiple big screen televisions to satisfy even the most avid sports fan. Monitors indoors and out play that day’s biggest games and those wishing to watch the biggest pay-per views over a drink can see their favorite UFC and WWE stars do battle for free.

In addition to being a drinking destination, customers often come before night settles in to grab a meal. Ziggy’s opens at 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturdays while it opens at 4 p.m. on Friday. Whether you’re looking for a place to drink after a Falcon victory or you want to grab a bite to eat, come to Ziggy Zoomba’s for the hometown feel on your night out.

Drinks by Night:

Mondays: $1.00 Natural Lite Bottles

Tuesdays: $1.00 Well Drinks

Wednesdays: $1.75 Coronas

Thursdays: $1.50 Captain & Cokes, $2.50 Jager Bombs, $1.00 Bud Drafts

Fridays: $2.50 Red Bull & Vodka

Saturdays: $2.50 Cherry Bombs

Grumpy Dave's

By David Clarkson


“Not another hole in the wall”

Located on the Southwest corner of Main and Wooster above its sister establishment, Easystreet Cafe, Grumpy Dave’s Pub offers a different experience from most bars in Bowling Green. Every night of the week except Sunday features various forms of entertainment. 


“We play Euchre on Mondays, have professional comics on Tuesdays, Hump Day Revue on Wednesdays, Karaoke on Thursdays and Saturdays, and bands on Fridays,” ‘Grumpy’ Dave, after whom the pub was named after, said.


Crowds who range from their 20’s to 30’s enjoy both the low and high levels of performances. Karaoke offers fun to all those bold enough to sing their favorite songs while Grumpy Dave’s provides national level comedians. “A few years ago we were able to get Ellen Cleghorne, from Saturday Night Live, to perform,” Dave said. “It was great she did two shows that night and each had different material.”


Dave runs the bar for Vic Pirooz, who owns Easystreet Cafe, and they decided to change the name of the bar to Grumpy Dave’s. They offer 100 varieties of beer and put them to good use with the legendary Hall of Foam. 


“The Hall of Foam started in 1987 with Easystreet Cafe as a way to help people try new beers besides the usual products,” Dave said.


Anyone who completes the Hall of Foam by drinking these 100 beers has their picture on the walls of the pub and a permanent discount. Between unusual brews and a variety of entertainment, Grumpy Dave’s offers a refreshing experience that deviates from the expected in Bowling Green.

149 North and Kamikaze's

By Allison Dunn

Kamikaze’s and 149 North are two classy, clean and contemporary bars that attract a diverse crowd of drunk, dancing students.

Both bars have the same high standards of cleanliness and service, owner Rick Ault said. But these two bars have completely different atmospheres.

“Definitely different crowds,” Ault said. “The bar’s already made.”

Kamikazes:
This 18 and up bar features top-chart music, dancing, in a small space.

“We’re small, we look crowded with 40 people,” Ault said. “It creates a good crowd here quick and early.”

The 13-year-old bar was named after the kamikaze shot.

“That’s the toughest thing,” Ault said. “It’s like naming your own kid.”

Ault and his family were looking through a book of shots when they found the kamikaze. This bar offers dollar kamikaze shots every day.

“It’s a dance crowd,” Ault said. “Your 18- to 21-year-old dances. Once you get to 21, we’d rather sit at the bar and not work that hard. That’s why I have the younger kids in here.”

The Attic is Kami’s biggest competition right now, bartender and manager Cody Lucius said. Kami’s has all the same amenities as The Attic, except for the space.

Kami’s has a long bar and small wooden tables jutting out from the wall.. Otherwise, you’ll find everyone else on the dance floor or at the back of the bar playing pool.
Kami’s also has a heated outside patio with a small bar, ideal for the winter, Lucius said. At this smaller bar, you’ll find the older crowd – those who want to be able to hear themselves think.
To control underage drinking, Kami’s requires an ID upon entrance and when ordering drinks at the bar.
If you’re looking for a diverse crowd with loud music and funky lights, Kami’s is the bar for you.

149 North:
149 North offers more space, which is why Ault decided to make it a 21 and up bar; it’s harder to keep an eye on the customers in larger crowds.

Ault said 149 plays more ‘80s music and is a manifestation of his laidback side.

When you walk into 149, you’re greeted by the fresh lemony scent of the cleaning products Ault stresses each employee uses. The wooden floors are always glistening. Two bars for faster service, standing tables, intimate booths sand black lounge chairs create a more adult atmosphere, which was Ault’s plan when he first opened the bar.

With more space at this bar, mingling is encouraged.

“When you turn 21, you want to be able to hang out and enjoy a drink,” Ault said.

The bar offers pool tables at the back of the bar, 100 oz table toppers, Sierra Nevada on draft and TVs scattered throughout the bar showing different sports, game shows and entertainment shows.

Wednesday is wine night at 149. Six dollars will start you off, then it’s $1 refills. Every other night 149 offers a variety of specials until 9 p.m. After 9 p.m., drinkers can get $3 domestic pitchers.

149 received its name from a Las Vegas phone book. Ault’s daughter came across a bar named, ‘6 Doors Down.’

“We looked how many doors down from the corner, and it happened to be seven,” Ault said. “That just didn’t sound right. All of a sudden we looked at the address and decided to go with the address here.” Unfortunately, the name did not come from a drunken student trying to name off a Bowling Green area code.

This classy bar has a kitchen that serves a variety of appetizers, sandwiches and pizza, served until 9 p.m.

Nate & Wally's Fish Bowl

By Alex Aspacher

Photo from Facebook

It's hard to classify what sort of liquor-serving establishment Nate & Wally's Fish Bowl is. It doesn't appear that the owners spend too much time stressing over the interior design. There is a patchwork of tin and neon beer signs, concert posters and random knickknacks that decorate the walls, including a mural of a sunset on one of them.

"It's not big and it's not fancy, but it's still cool," Sam Blackie said. He frequents different bars in Bowling Green and although Nate & Wally's usually isn't his first stop, he often ends up there. "Usually at the end of the night when I want a Fish Bowl."

The bar's namesake is a concoction served in a plastic fish bowl (with a lot of ice). The drink comes in two flavors, usually colored purple or blue, although the latter contains coconut rum, which keeps me away from it. Blackie and his friends, however, compete in Fish Bowl "races" to see who can finish their drink first, he said.

Nate & Wally's has drink specials every night, including select fifty cent beers on Thursday. The bar also has two pool tables, serves Myles pizza and free popcorn for customers. There's a small outdoor patio with a separate bar, although the limited space outside is in demand often, which is a problem for the long, narrow building.

Photo from Facebook

Nate & Wally's hosts live music several nights a week, and from amateurs on Mondays (and random nights as well) in the form of karaoke. Over the course of several nights I heard everything from gospel, country and bluegrass to explicit rap music, and everything in between. Nate & Wally's really is a mixed bag, so don't be afraid to stop by, grab a Fish Bowl and belt out your favorites.


The bar doesn't have a website, it's not really their style. But check out the Facebook page for some limited information.

Howard's Club H: Come As You Are

By Hannah Nusser

Walking into Howard’s Club H from the brilliant autumn afternoon, my eyes take a few moments to adjust to the abrupt darkness I’ve plunged into. The bartender says, “It’s brighter in here during the day.”

Some write it off as a “biker bar” as they hurry past in search of a more mainstream hotspot. Others describe it as grungy, a “townie” bar. The regulars, like bartender Colleen Jenkins, call it their second living room. One thing about Howard’s Club H is for sure, whether you like it or not, the bar has a personality all its own.

The exterior is painted a modest brown, with a small orange sign hanging next to the obtuse brown doors. Band stickers cover the doors and walls; there are next to no windows. One bare brick wall is scribbled with black marker graffiti. Oh, and what looks like a state-of-the-art light show is projecting from the stage a few feet from the bar.

Howard’s Club H has become a staple of the downtown Bowling Green bar scene. It opened in 1942 where the Wood County Public Library is currently located. Howard’s moved to its current location, 210 N. Main St., in 1973. Buildings may change but one thing hasn’t: Howard’s Club H was built on the foundation of bringing live, local music to the downtown bar scene.

“Live music is one of those mainstays in life like eating food,” Jenkins said. “It’s always been a popular thing … we are a rock bar through and through.”

Photo from Facebook

Bringing in big name bands in rock and blues, Jenkins said the bar strives to have a local act at every show. Howard’s has live shows Wednesday through Saturday nights, with a live show every Wednesday.


James Gregg, a Howard’s regular and staff security member,  said the grunginess is all just part of the Howard’s Club H charm.


“There are cigarette butts stuck in the walls that have been there for thirty years, there are potato chips on the ground that have been there probably just as long,” Gregg said.


The atmosphere is laid back and carefree, Gregg said, with townies strung about the bar, all old friends who have been going there since they were teenagers.


“We’re all kind of a family,” Gregg said. “At nine o’clock at night you can still find townies hanging out, just sitting, talking, having fun.”


The best part about Howard’s, Jenkins said, is its unpretentious nature as compared with other popular nightclubs in Bowling Green.


“You don’t get dressed up to come here even if it’s the weekend,” Jenkins said. “You just kind of hang out and drink beer and get super wasted. It’s a really fun bar, I’ve always loved it.”


To learn more, visit www.howardsclubh.com.

City Tap / The Attic

By Hannah Nusser


One building, two bars, endless beer and drink possibilities.

Located in the heart of downtown Bowling Green, City Tap and The Attic is a dynamic nightlife duo. In its second year on the BG bar scene, City Tap and The Attic offer completely different dining and drinking atmospheres. City Tap, located on the first floor, is a casual hangout for the 21 and older crowd. The Attic, upstairs, offers a more upbeat nightclub scene for the 18 and older crowd.

Offering two totally different nightlife experiences, owner Eric Pelham said City Tap and The Attic offer something for everyone, especially beer lovers.

“It hits a spot that other bars in town don’t,” Pelham said.

City Tap opened in September 2009. The ground level bar and grill offers a lunch menu of burgers, wraps and sandwiches. With 34 beers on tap, including domestic and craft beers, City Tap offered 110 different types of draft beer in its first year alone.
Bartender Ray Connor has worked at The Attic since it opened on June 26, 2009.

“If you want a good beer you’ll come to City Tap to get a drink and hang out with a group of people," Connor said. "People come to try a new beer and kind of have a more relaxed atmosphere.”

Pelham said although kegs stay fresh for up to three months, he keeps them no longer than one month to guarantee the freshest brew possible.  Beer handles are always being switched out for what’s new and what’s in season.

“The most popular ones always stay so that way you can count on your favorite beer being here, but there’s always something new to try as well,” Pelham said.

On his nights off, Connor said, he takes advantage of the laid back vibe of City Tap.

“I think [City Tap] is one of the best environments to be in as far as being in the relaxed, classy atmosphere,” Connor said. “And I just think it’s cool how it has all those different [beer] taps lined up against the wall like that. There’s no other bar in BG like that.”

Because City Tap is a 21 and older establishment, many bar goers head upstairs to The Attic, a catchall for anyone looking to have fun, Pelham said.

“We’re not catering to just one crowd, we’re catering to everyone,” Pelham said of The Attic. “It’s more of a party bar than just a dance club.”

“There’s definitely a different crowd [at The Attic]… depending on what kind of people are out for the night,” Connor said. “It’s more of a club atmosphere,” Connor said.

The Attic offers an indoor bar with drink specials every day, as well as the popular outdoor patio bar that looks out onto Main Street.

“You get the best of both worlds. It’s a pretty cool club and hotspot,” Connor said.

The Attic is busiest on Saturdays, when the 18 and older crowd head to the upstairs bar for good music and a packed dance floor.

“There are a lot of people on the dance floor on a Saturday night,” Connor said. “There are a lot of people in the way when you’re walking … It’s hard as a bartender to get to each person to serve; there’s people waiting at all times.”


City Tap and The Attic is located on the corner of Wooster and Main Streets, 110 N. Main St. City Tap is open Monday to Wednesday at 3 p.m. for lunch until 2:30 a.m. and Thursday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. The Attic is open every day except Sunday from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. To view the menu or to learn more visit www.citytapandtheattic.com.

Brathaus

By Allison Dunn


If you don’t mind getting some dirt under your nails, head to Brathaus – a bar that accentuates a vintage and relaxed feeling. The old frontier style bar has scuffed red cement floors, torn bar cushions, vintage looking lanterns and solid wood booths.

This 21 and up bar is the self-entitled home of the legal joint – a mixture of liquor and orange juice.

“It’s like drunkenness in a cup,” frequent visitor Derek Miller said.

Besides the legal joint, Brathaus features a popular shot called The Stoplight. This three shot trio consists of a melon ball, a lemon drop and a kamikaze.

Weekend drink specials include 1.50 domestic drafts, 2.50 fruit bombs and 1.75 Miller bottles.

After you stop at the bar for some drinks from the grumpy doorman, JD, who has worked at Brathaus for over twenty years, head to the back of the bar for some games. Brathaus has pool tables, a punching machine and a hoop shooter.

If you’re not up for games, just look around the place for entertainment. The walls are covered with collectables – several signed hockey photos, specifically to JD and Bowling Green, a number of old school athlete photos or a dirty mirror behind the bar covered with customer photos

Clazel

By Alex Aspacher


"Classic Entertainment"


With 50 beers on tap and a versatile atmosphere, owner Ammar Muffleh and the Clazel staff have transformed one of the most interesting places in Bowling Green. They took a historic, although perhaps outdated, theater and turned it into a great place to have a drink, enjoy a show, and more.

"It needed a lot of work, but the work that was done was done with a lot of care and respect for the original building," said Cat Critei, who tends the Clazel's large four-sided bar and oversees the drink menu.

The Clazel opened in 1926, making it Ohio's oldest single-screen-movie-theater. The building was designed by Jack Raney, who was an architect for BGSU for more than 20 years and is responsible for a handful of buildings on campus, including Shatzel, Hayes and University halls.

The theater changed hands several times in the last decade, and was even operated as a non-profit organization beginning in 2005. Members of the community objected to the renovation of the BG landmark when Muffleh purchased it in 2008 with a desire to transform the Clazel into a "multi-entertainment venue."

"The owner really stressed in keeping it the same 1920s feel, the same style, the same history," Critei said. "So when people walk in it's obviously evolved quite a bit, but it still has that feel. We tried to replicate a lot of '20s architecture and maintain most of [the building]."

The appearance of the Clazel is now stunning rather than outdated. Although films are no longer being shown at the old movie house, this bar provides many other entertaining events for its patrons.

The musical acts that perform at Clazel are the primary source of entertainment and, depending on the show, can draw some very diverse crowds, said Banan AlKilani, who is responsible for scheduling the performances.

"We do different genres [of concerts]," AlKilani said. "So we have certain shows that bring in college students, we have some shows that bring in the townies, and we have some shows that bring in people from outside of town. It's really a free for all for whoever wants to come here and enjoy it."

           

A concert by Corey Smith next month could push the Clazel's occupancy restrictions to the limit of more than 600 people, AlKilani said. People came from all over, from states like Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, and even New York, for a blues show featuring John Lee Hooker Jr. 


"And they're coming back because they love the place and they love the music that we're bringing (in)."


"This is not just one demographic's venue, or place to go, it's really everybody's," AlKilani said. "The place is so big you can bring somebody here on a date, or have a business conversation or close deals. There's so many different things that can happen here, and that's the beauty of this place."

Learn more and view photos, events and the beer list at www.clazel.net