8/22/2012 Update: 90% of the way, plus best upscale bars

My latest additions include Sergeant’s in Andalusia, Bass Street Chop House in Moline, and Secret’s and Famous Dave’s, both in Davenport.  This pushes my total to 450.  50 to go for my latest goal of hitting 500 by Dec 31.

I hadn’t updated this in a while, but I also keep a “Pre-List” list, which is the list of bars I hadn’t been to since I started tracking my bar progress.  During the last 2 months, I have been able to deduct The Arena, Go Fish, and Granite City from that.  There are still 22 places on my list that are included in my 450 (and still open) that I haven’t been to since prior to May 1, 2009.

August 31st is the scheduled opening of the QC Family Entertainment Center, which will include Frankie’s Sports Bar & Grill, as well as a concourse bar to serve the bowling alley.  Frankie’s goes on my “What’s Left” list; Sergeant’s and Secrets drop off, reducing the list to 16.  Still on the horizon are Pepperjack’s in Davenport (previously Cheddar’s), The Barrel House’s Moline location, and Legend’s Corner in Rock Island, all shooting for an early fall opening.   

Upscale Bars

Upscale bars have the features that most dives don’t:  the wall of windows, often with something to actually look at; the stylish barstools that came from somewhere other than the Bar & Stool Shop in Silvis (these, by the way, are great stools, and built to last – I own 6 myself); the coffee drinks or the martini menu that occasionally will make me eschew the Miller Lite; restrooms that have stalls, mirrors, and towel that’s not on a continuous loop; and décor that typically does not include paneling – wood or off-white plastic (sorry, Rick and Kathy’s), nor carpeted bars or walls (once again, sorry, previous Rick & Kathy’s before the fire). 

Aesthetics are the principal difference between the dive bar and the upscale bar, but what makes the difference between a good and a bad upscale bar is pretty much the same as with the dives I wrote about last month:  the people, either staff, ownership, and/or the crowd. 

My favorite upscale bars in the Quad Cities area (alphabetically):

Top Ten:

129
Leclaire
Barrel House 211
Davenport
Duck City Bistro
Davenport
Governor's
Bettendorf
G's Riverfront Café
Port Byron
Harrington's
Bettendorf
It's On The River  
Port Byron
Mulligan's Valley Pub
Coal Valley
The Doc's Inn
Silvis
The Grape Life
Davenport
Honorable Mention:
Captain's Table
Moline
River House
Moline
The Landing  
Moline

Oh, I also mentioned in the last post I’d have a list of my least favorite dives – my Bottom Ten:

Big Daddy's
Davenport
Central Ave. Tap
Bettendorf
Dee's Place
Rock Island
Dew Drop Inn
Moline
Do Dah Tap
Davenport
Happy Hollow
Davenport
Hollar's
Moline
Jim's Domino Lounge
East Moline
McManus Tap
Moline
Reggie's Fox Den
Davenport
Honorable Mention:
Monkey's Riverdale Pub (after 5 pm)
Bettendorf

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