9/24/2012 Update: Redefining the rules?

It didn’t start out this way back when I started tracking this in May of 2009, nor even when I started blogging about it in November 2010, but I’m now on a quest to hit 500 Quad Cities Area bars.  When I first started journalizing my bar count, I set up some parameters for what counts as a bar, as well as what counts as the QCA.

First, what counts as a bar:  As I defined it in my inaugural post, a restaurant can count as a bar, providing there is an actual bar with stools.  For me to count it, I must physically belly up and have a beer, or other adult beverage.  Same goes for bowling alleys, golf courses, and sports venues.   This rule has cost me counting Huckleberry’s, where over the course of two Parrot Head socials I’ve certainly gotten my Miller Lite on, and more recently, Cool Beanz Coffeehouse (a little more on that below).  This rule is set in stone.

Next, what counts as the Quad Cities area:  I originally defined this as eastern Scott County in Iowa and Eastern Rock Island County in Illinois, within a radius of 20 miles from the middle of I-74 bridge.  This included Davenport, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley, Leclaire, Princeton, Eldridge, Long Grove, and Buffalo in Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Silvis, Hampton, Rapids City, Port Byron, Cordova, Carbon Cliff, Coal Valley, Milan, and Andalusia in Illinois.  I also included Colona in Illinois, as it was contiguous to the Quad Cities, even though it was in Henry County.  This rule I may mess with a little.

First off, all bars that I’ve counted obey my original conditions.  There is one on my “What’s Left” list that exceeds the 20 mile radius, and that is Zoomie’s in the Cordova Dragway.  I rationalize it this way:  once I count a town (and I’ve been to three bars there that are within the 20 miles), I count the whole town.

Now, how can I improve my chances of hitting 500 and stay within my current parameters?  Mapquest, mixed with a little common sense - that’s how.  Here’s how it breaks down on the towns that until now weren’t included in my sense of what the QCA is:

Blue Grass:  14.5 miles from the foot of I-74 bridge, and about 3.5 miles from I-280.  I am counting this as part of the area.

Donahue and McCausland: 18 & 19 miles, respectively, from the foot of I-74 bridge, but a lot of corn separating it from the Quad Cities proper.  I am not counting this as part of the area.

Reynolds and Mathersville: 21 & 22 miles, respectively, from the (Illinois) foot of I-74 bridge.  I cannot count this as part of the area.

Orion:  This is tricky.  Just over 14 miles from the bridge, but in Henry County.  Unlike Colona, I can’t say it’s contiguous with the Quad Cities, because there’s about 6 miles of country separating it and Coal Valley.  Completely arbitrary, but close enough:  Orion is in.

I’ve added a page, “The Premise”, to keep this all straight. 

That out of the way, my additions to the list were the new Habanero’s location in Bettendorf, which occupies what was the short-lived Beach House (happy to report they did NOT redo the bar, which is beautiful), Bowls in downtown Davenport, and Uncle Harley’s in Blue Grass (what a coincidence).  Also, as I alluded to above, I visited Cool Beanz Coffeehouse, lured in by their logo that said “Coffee & Cocktails”.  A really cool place with a pretty big stage, nice menu, and a wide selection of adult beverages.  However, there was no actual bar, so it cannot be counted.  My total is now 455.  I also knocked Leisure Time off my Pre-List list (bars I hadn’t been to since May 1^st, 2009).   

Across the street from Cool Beanz is Gendler’s Black Ram restaurant and Grotto bar.  I’m not sure how long they’ve been open, but their official grand opening is this weekend, and The Grotto bar goes on my “What’s Left” list, along with Stooge’s, Woo Dog’s, The Factory, and Sarge’s in Orion, and the Corner Grill in Blue Grass.  With those additions, my “What’s Left” list is increased to 21.

In other bar news:

-  Vivian’s Tap on Rockingham in west Davenport is closed.  I was only in once, but Vivian seemed like a         great old broad to me.  I hope the closing was not due to health reasons.

-  New sign in front of Pepperjack’s in Davenport says it will now be open in October.  They are visibly working on it, as they are with Legend’s Corner in Rock Island, which has put on an addition and looks like will close to double the size of the previous business.  Still not so much happening at the Moline location of the Barrel House – not even a sign saying it’s going to become the Barrel House.  I’m now getting curious if it’s still a plan, but it was their Facebook post in early summer that said it would happen by late summer / early fall. 

Sports Bars

With my vast experience and keen powers of observation, I have found that one of the things people enjoy doing in bars is watch sports.  I’m sure most of you reading this knows what makes a good sports bar, but that won’t stop me from explaining it anyway.  A good sports bar will of course have a number of flat screen HDTVs and the satellite capabilities in place to offer a lot of games at the same time, good food, and a wait staff savvy enough to know if my empty is in the well, or pushed to the other side of the table, I need another – no need to ask.  With football season in full swing, I thought I’d share my favorite sports bars, arranged alphabetically:

TOP 10 SPORTS BARS
Bad Boy'z	Moline
Buffalo Wild Wings	Davenport
Buffalo Wild Wings	Moline
Christopher D's	Moline
Parkside	Moline
Poor Boy's	Rock Island
Rooster's	Rock Island
Sport Fans	Bettendorf
The Doc's Inn	Silvis
Twenty	Moline
Honorable Mention:
Jersey Grille	Davenport
Old Chicago	Bettendorf
Rookie's	Davenport

Here are three of my favorite bars that you wouldn’t really want to consider for watching sports:

Rick & Kathy’s in Silvis:  three nineteen inch tubes, set about 12 feet off the ground.  I know my vision isn’t as good as it once was, but I couldn’t read a score on those with the Hubbell.

Harley’s in Moline:  While their three TVs are larger (and one is even a flat screen), and they’re much closer to eye level, they are placed in three of the four corners of the bar (the front door occupies the fourth).  Problem is, the bar is octagonal, and there is a post with all kinds of bric-a-brac and fooferaw surrounding it.  Whatever angle of the bar you sit at, that’s the game you’re watching.

G’s Riverfront Café in Port Byron:  Great food, great staff, great live music.  No televisions.  Part of the charm.

Finally, last time I was in Frankie’s, the bar inside the new QC Family Entertainment Center, the flat screens hadn’t been installed yet.  When they are, this will be a great place for watching sports, except for one thing:  $3.76 for a domestic bottle.