1/4/2015 Update: 2015!
R Bar has opened on Utica Ridge in Davenport, and has already made
my Top Ten upscale bars. One of my favorite
bars in the region is 129, and I saw
a lot of similarities (129 is owned by the ex-wife of R Bar’s owner), including
wine racks and cracked glass lighting.
They've got nice use of barnwood in the alcove behind bar and the
entryway, and a small patio with cool fireplace. The focal point is what used to be a humidor
(this used to be a Baker Brothers cigar store), and is now the wine room, but I
think having this enclosed space takes away valuable real estate from the bar.
I was taking a run by the old Bon Air in Moline to see what progress
was being made on their remodel, when I found Deep Pockets by surprise.
This place gives a much nicer choice for shooting pool on the Illinois
side than Leisure Time with 11
tables, including a front table designed for championship matches. They have a nice long bar with 3 or 4 flat screens,
so you don’t have to be a pool or darts player to enjoy the place. The sign proclaiming “Billiards – Booze –
Darts – Pizza” is a little misleading – they only have Butches Pizza.
Salute on 7th in Moline was purchased by longtime
favorite bartender Patti, formerly of Rosy’s
Watering Hole, and renamed Bottoms Up. I had only been in Salute once, but had been
in Cheers way back when we first moved to the area. This is a lot cleaner and nicer, and I can
see this moving up to my Top Ten Dives list.
Finally, and taking my new total
to 542,
is Toucan’s in Milan, which was most
recently Skinny Legs. Disregarding my own rules, when they changed
their name, I merely changed it on my list.
The rule is a name change means I can count it again, but an ownership change
without a name change, such as recent examples Duey’s or Rusty Nail. So, I added
it back on.
Other Bar News:
·
Speaking of the Rusty Nail, it is currently
closed, reportedly by the IRS.
·
Against
The Grain in Rock Island has changed its name to Radicle Effect Beerwerks, in an agreement with a bar of the same
name, in Louisville apparently. The name
change makes it eligible for me to go again and add to my list.
·
Stooges
in Orion is now Sidetracked Saloon.
·
The latest info I have is that LeClaire location
of the Barrel House probably won’t be
open until September.
·
I did find out that a pancake house is going in
where the Bon Air was.
·
I confirmed Platinum
Club is closed, so it comes off my What’s Left list. Adding Radicle Effects Beerwerks and
Sidetracked Saloon brings the list to 12.
I’ve updated a few of my top ten
lists recently, and created a new page that contains them here.
I’ll be adding others, but for now I’ve got my top 10 dives, worst 10
dives, top 10 upscale bars, top 10 sports bars, and top 10 patios/decks. Top 10 Bar Food should be next.
Another minor milestone: I hit 300 new bars (by that I mean bars that
I’ve been to for the first time since I started tracking this on 5-1-2009) when
I hit Deep Pockets – I didn’t know it at the time, but I had been to 241 bars
before I started keeping track.
Finally, additions to my Favorite Bartenders include Kirsten at 129, and
Mike at River House. Also,I have decided
to include owners on this list, so I’m also adding Rick at Rick & Kathy’s,
and Ashley at Pub 1848.
Bars since the Nov 19 post ( * - new to my
list):
RiverBottom ChopHouse
|
River House
|
Applebee's (Elmore)
|
129
|
Faithful Pilot
|
J Bar, The
|
Parkside Grill
|
* Bottoms Up
|
Red Ginger
|
Rick and Kathy's
|
Clint's
|
Fargo
|
P. K. Dugan's
|
Riverview Roadhouse
|
Bad Boy'z Pizza
|
Wide River Winery (Clinton)
|
Governor's (Bettendorf)
|
Harley's
|
Biaggi's
|
Steel Head Tavern
|
Mulligan's Valley Pub
|
Village Pub
|
* R Bar
|
Bass Street Chop Bar
|
Duck City Bistro
|
Field House, The
|
The Doc's Inn
|
Rusty Nail
|
* Deep Pockets
|
Crust
|
Valley Inn
|
Buffalo Wild Wings (Mol)
|
Bierstube Leclaire
|
Grumpy's Saloon
|
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