Quad Cities Bars

Racked 12 more up since the last update.  My friend Jimmie is pals with the owner of the Little Bar in Davenport, and was able to get us in prior to their actual opening.  We also hit  Gabino’s Place in East Moline, as well as Gravy’s and the Do-Dah Tap in Davenport (nasty bar, but you gotta love a place that has a 2$ beer special every day of the week, from 8-10……in the MORNING.  Google this place and the first five items involve a man stabbing someone 14 times outside the door).  Also made it to VFW (1 st St.) in East Moline; Thai Garden in Silvis; Central Ave. Tap and Palmer Grill in Bettendorf; Habanero’s in Moline; and Mo Brady’s, Bleyart’s (new location), and Bley’s Tap in Davenport.  New Total:  382 .  18 more to go to hit 400, so I’m revising my target date from 4 th of July to Memorial Day. I mentioned that I would have some stats for you after I complete two years of documenting my adventures, but I’ve got one for you now.  Peopl...

I was able to add a dozen to the list since the last update:  Red Ginger and Los Agaves in Moline;  Ducky’s Lagoon, Dooley’s, and Moon River Supper Club in Andalusia;  Last Chance in Rock Island;  and Lumpy’s, Frackie’s, 3 rd St. Bar & Grill, Sippi’s, Reggie’s Fox Den, and Mary’s on 2nd in Davenport.  Current total is 370 .  I lost Woodlawn Tap from the “What’s Left” list – I’ve driven by the place three times, without seeing any signs of it being open.  I’m still waiting for the Little Bar and The Clubhouse to throw open the doors.  My “What’s Left” list stands at 18, with 2 not quite open yet.  April 30 th will mark two years of tracking my progress, and I’ll be presenting some stats with a mixture of both pride and shame (sort of like National Lampoon’s Vacation:  “Nothing to be proud of, Russ …….. fifty yards ”).  

My friend Jimmie helped me add Biscuit’s in Buffalo , and Roadrunner’s, Herb’s Tap, and Gary ’s Cedar St. Inn in Davenport .  I also added Jim’s Domino Lounge, Percy’s Two Front Inn, and the Little Brown Jug in East Moline , and Lancer’s in Eldridge, bringing my new total to 358 .  Jimmie also had the inside info that the Drunken Monkey would soon be reopening as The Little Bar, so that goes back on the “What's Left” list.  So does Bleyart’s in the Village of East Davenport, since they moved two doors to the east.  I can count it again, because they’re MY RULES!

50 to go - Red Ginger Sushi Grill and Bar makes 350 , and the day’s not over yet.

Added Brady St. Pub, Woodfire Grill, McButt’s, and Big Daddy’s in Davenport , as well as Mr. Ed’s in Milan .  I had to subtract Beer Academy in Milan from the ‘To Go’ list, as it too has closed.  Tough racket, this bar business.  I had also inadvertently left Davenport Country Club off the list, so the new total is 349 . When I go out on my little missions to add to my list, I usually target an area and hit two or three.  Sometimes, I'm surprised at the differences from one bar to the next, as I was last Wednesday. I hadn't been to any bars in the Hilltop area of Davenport, and wasn't sure what to expect.  I parked in the lot next to Stickman's, but found they are closed until 7:00 pm (I go on these excursions after I leave work at 5:00), so I went next door to McButt's, and was pleasantly surprised.  The bar was big and pretty nice, the small crowd at the bar was pleasant, seemed intelligent and maybe professional (even the guy that spiked up his hai...

Wednesday, I headed to the northern boundary of what I’ve defined as the Quad Cities area to Eldridge (back on my first post I set roughly about a 20 mile radius from I74 bridge, which includes Davenport, Bettendorf, Leclaire, Princeton, Buffalo, Eldridge, Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Silvis, Hampton, Rapids City, Port Byron, Cordova, Carbon Cliff, Colona, Coal Valley, Milan, and Andalusia), and stopped at Del’s Eatery & Pub and Al & Gerry’s Tap.  Also hit the Blackwatch Room on Thursday.  New total: 343 . As I get down to only a few possibilities left for adding to my list, I’ve gone on a few reconnaissance missions to verify the Yahoo Local / QCTimes.com information I’ve been working with, as to what places are open or no longer in business.  My last couple of scouting trips eliminated Buck’s Tap, Cozy Nook, and the Drunken Monkey from my ‘To Go’ list.  Unfortunately, I’m almost knocking as many off the list by attrition as I am by bellying up. ...

Because they’re really friendly (translate: they haven’t booted me out of the bar yet) and have the requisite skills (getting it rapid and right), I added Tori at Bierstube Davenport (who was really overdue), Sarah at Mulligan’s Valley Pub, both Dino and Traci (actually, more a server than bartender, and I hope I spelled the name right) at Poor Boy’s, and Haley’s at Governor’s Bettendorf, to my favorite bartender list.  Favorite bartenders, to me, are reasons to go back to a bar in the absence of any other reasons.   I was advised that MC's was the prior version of the 84 Roadhouse.  I added the Sports Lounge at the Ramada ( Moline ) and Pagalo’s in Milan this week, bringing the new total to 340.  Found out the Bait Shop outside West River Park was off the list of potentials, as well as the Enchanted Inn – it was actually only on the ‘What’s left’ list for two days, and we took the 40 mile drive out to see it (live in Port Byron) and investigate.  Closed.