10/21/2011 Update

With this update, I’ve added The Pub (old Route 61 Bar & Grill, which opened Oct 13th), Blackhawk Bowl and Martini Bar, and Sharky’s, which is the billiards lounge attached to Miller Time Bowl.  I think I’ve determined that Miller Time Billiards was separate from Stars and Stripes (but anyone with knowledge to the contrary can certainly weigh in), so my total goes up 4 to 414.   I also knocked Bent River Brewing Company off my “Pre-List” list, as well as Moline Governor’s, which made me realize why I hadn’t been there in 5+ years.  Big fan of Bettendorf Governor’s; Moline Governor’s, not so much.

With the closing of Scatterkats, the What’s Left list would have been reduced to 34; but with another totally arbitrary decision, I’ve taken back off the bowling alleys and golf courses (leaving them available as stat fodder), but left on the VFWs, Legions, and other semi private clubs.  That puts my What’s Left list now at 17.  This includes Rubikon, but I’m starting to wonder if it will ever open.  I haven’t seen any activity around the place in a couple months.  Steve Block, what are you hearing?

I am updating my favorite bartenders list with this post.  There have been a few favorite ‘current’ bartenders that have moved to the ‘past’ group, unfortunately, but I also have a couple additions to the list – good work, Bob (Harrington’s and G’s Riverfront Café) and Nazarene (Mulligan’s Valley Pub, and I hope I spelled your name correctly).  If it seems like I’m showing favoritism to the bars I hit most frequently, that’s by and large true – but the bartenders are usually the reason I’m there as often as I am.  No new additions to the Hall of Fame, but a bartender is on the upper end of the Favorite list when my wife or I find ourselves saying “Let’s go see (bartender)” instead of “Let’s go to (bar).

I’m sure anyone that’s reading this has their own favorite bartenders; give’em a holler by commenting.    


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