2/7/2014 Update: Dives

A couple of posts back, I mentioned that Rumors in the Rock Island District would be “a long term member of my What’s Left list”, owing to the fact that it was only open weekends, and not until 9:00 pm.  Because I live 25 miles away (and I’m old), you normally won’t find me in the district at that time.  However, Rumors surprised me by opening for the NFL playoffs, so my wife and I were able to stop in at 4:00 pm on a Sunday.  This is the fifth bar at that address I’ve been to, and I’d like to tell you about all the changes they’ve made from 4 Play (the most recent failed attempt), but a coat of paint, a couch on the old stage, and removal of the pool table (it might be upstairs, didn't check) are about it.

The Steel Head Tavern, adjacent to the Centre Ice skating rink in Moline and owned by the same couple that owns Café Indigo in Davenport, quietly opened on Jan 16th (about 6 weeks past what the website had stated).  I hit it the following Wednesday, and I gotta tell you:  this is a serious bar (sorry to sound so surprised)!  Prior to being open, I had already observed the stainless steel bar, the 4 flat screens, and their wall of glass that looks out on to Bass Street Landing.  What I didn't know about was their 30 plus import beer selection (and a few more on tap), and the martini list the asst. mgr. was putting together when I stopped in.  I think this will be a great place to stop for skaters (if we ever get weather that anyone would want to skate in), and should be a home run in the summer when music hits the Landing again, especially being located in the Kone parking structure.

Sure am glad of all the Mexican restaurants with bars in them.  I’d still be chasing 500 if it wasn’t for all the Rudy’s, Habanero’s, Los Agaves, etc.  I added Azteca 4 after failing in trying to knock a few more off the What’s Left list, and that brought my new total to 512. 

My frustrated attempts to reduce my What’s Left list revolve around Wednesday being the day that I have a little free time to get to places that my wife (who is only slightly less adventurous than myself) and I would normally not be during the rest of the week.  I took a fourth and fifth run at the Platinum Club, who still can’t seem to reconcile their posted hours with reality.  I also found out that Volkan (previously Club Privileged) is only open weekends, and the new location of the Last Chance Lounge is open Thursday through Saturday.   Despite that, the What’s Left list has been reduced to single digits, and stands at 9.

There will be more possibilities added, however.  The recently closed Lucky Shamrock in Rock Island will be reopened by the owner of Jammerz in Joslin and three other partners, and they are shooting for March 1.  That was around the same time frame as the former Bon Air in Moline was projected to open, though I know there’s a lot of work to do to bring it to code.  Also, I’m not sure if there has been an ownership change and the sign, as of this post, has not changed, but the “Martini’s” has been dropped and they are calling themselves simply “On The Rock” Grille and Bar.

I’m nearing another milestone:  My count of 512 includes all the bars I’ve been to since I moved to town in late 1996, but I actually started counting and tracking this on May 1, 2009.  Since that date, I’ve been to 388 bars in the Quad Cities area.  April 30^th will mark five years of this childish endeavor, so hitting 400 should be a snap between new bars and bars that I haven’t visited since prior to 5/1/2009, which I’ve referred to as my Pre-List list.  There are still 9 bars that are open that I haven’t returned to – I knocked The Gallery off since my last post, but lost another as the Belgian Village closed due to owner’s health concerns.

Since the last post, I was fortunate enough to spend a long weekend in New Orleans.  Though we didn’t get back to Tipitina’s and one-time favorite Evelyn’s Place (not the same since Evelyn died and Christina left), we did get to go to one of John Taffer’s Bar Rescue joints (Spirits On Bourbon), and made it to one of my favorite bars in the world, Pat O’Brien’s, twice.  I have to say the patio isn’t quite as pleasant when it’s 35 degrees out so we stayed inside, but here are some photos of our visit on Easter of 2012:

DIVES:

As bars open, close, change, improve, or diminish, I’m going to periodically update my top ten lists, and I’m going to start with dive bars.  A couple changes:  when I first published the Dive Bar lists, they were called Top Ten and Worst Ten Dives, and I listed them alphabetically.  I’ve changed that (since it’s strictly my opinion, as well informed as it may be) to Favorite Dives and Least Favorite Dives, and now have them listed in that order.  

   

FAVORITE DIVES: Harley's Moline Rosy's Watering Hole Moline Jeno's Little Hungary Davenport Rick and Kathy's Silvis Christopher D's Moline Purgatory's Pub Bettendorf Village Pub Milan Quarter Til Rock Island Choppers East Moline Headquarters Coal Vallry Honorable Mention: Monkey's Riverdale Pub (before 5pm) Bettendorf Rock Island Boat Club Rock Island Tommy's Moline LEAST FAVORITE DIVES Big Daddy's Davenport Reggie's Fox Den Davenport Gateway Pub Davenport Jim's Domino Lounge East Moline Dew Drop Inn Moline Triangle Silvis Shannon's Hampton Dee's Place Rock Island Happy Hollow Davenport Central Ave. Tap Bettendorf Honorable Mention: Monkey's Riverdale Pub (after 5 pm) Bettendorf

Little movement in the Least Favorite category, save McManus Tap that, after remodeling, almost made it to the Favorites (probably only thing stopping it is I’ve only been there in the day time, and I hear it can get a little thuggy at night).  I also raised Hollars up out of the bucket, and those two were replaced by The Triangle and Shannon’s.

More activity in my Favorites, adding Christopher D’s, Purgatory’s Pub, Choppers, and Headquarter’s.  They replace Bon Air (which closed, sadly), O’Keefe’s (can get a little rough), Polish Pub, and Kavanaugh’s Hilltop (nothing to really justify lowering their status, just I like the others better).

Other updated Top Tens to follow.

Bars since the January 16 post ( * - new to my list):

Riverside Grill

It's On The River

Osaka (Dav.)

Blackhawk Bowl & Martini Lounge

Boozie's

Duck City Bistro

Barrel House 211

Bix Lounge

Pub 1848

Bent River Brewery

Legends Corner

The Gallery

* Azteca 4

Blu Shamrock

Fargo

TGI Fridays (Dallas Airport)

Atrium Lounge (New Orleans Airport)

Margaritaville (New Orleans)

Happy's Irish Pub (New Orleans)

Spirits On Bourbon (New Orleans)

Vitascope Hall (New Orleans)

8 Block Kitchen & Bar (New Orleans)

Pat O'Brien's (New Orleans)

Drago's (New Orleans)

Poppy's Time Out (New Orleans)

Quad Cities Airport

* Steel Head Tavern

Harrington's

* Rumors

Rudy's Cantina

Jimmie Lee's

G's Riverfront Café

Duey's

The Edge