Kathryn Elgee
A
Guide to Moscow Bars
(644 words)
Though a town of only 23,000, Moscow, Idaho’s population jumps about
12,000 people between the months of September and May, when students
from across the state and country come to live for the academic year at
the University of Idaho. It is no wonder, then, that downtown begins to
crawl with activity during these months, particularly once the sun goes
down. There are eight bars/pubs/clubs/lounges in central Moscow, all
within a 5-block radius, and all within walking distance of campus.
The Corner Club 202
N. Main, (208) 882-2915, open daily 10am-2pm.
For a BIG beer (32oz) in a plastic cup and catching the night’s game on
ESPN, head to The Corner Club (conveniently named and located on the
corner of Washington and Main). This well-lit sports bar, containing 7
separate televisions for simultaneously watching 7 different games (and
the occasional Victoria Secret fashion show), welcomes regulars of all
ages, from construction-working retirees to Greek-community college
students. Historic Vandal football gear and trophies line the walls in
glass cases, along with neon Bud Light signs and a Drinking Wheel of
Fortune. On Wednesday nights (Ladies Nite) the cement floors are
littered with peanut shells and popcorn, the air packed with smoke, and
the high-backed stools and tall tables glued with pictures of smiling
patron’s faces are crammed full. If you want a table, get there before
10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Ask for Mike. (Well cocktails: $2.50,
domestic pints: $2.00)
The Garden Lounge 313
S. Main, (208) 882-8513, open weekdays 3pm-2am, weekends 5pm-2am.
If
you are interested in a more intimate atmosphere, The Garden Lounge has
plenty of couch seating and tables-for-two tucked in the corners, both
smoking and non-smoking, with male and female black-clad cocktail
service. True to its name, there are plants of every garden variety
potted along each wall of this three-story bar, dark wood tables, and a
crackling fireplace. Every Monday night, known as Blue Monday, they
feature a drink menu of specialty cocktails so that you can sip on an
“Alabama Slammer,” wander downstairs to the pool table area, find
seating and a juke box on the main floor or, if that bar is full, head
to the upstairs bar to meet a party-for-ten on the balcony. (Well
cocktails: $2.25, domestic pints: $2.25)
John’s Alley Tavern
114 E. 6th St, (208) 883-7662, open daily 2pm-2am,
http://www. alleyvault.com/ If
you find yourself tapping happy feet against the bar stool, walk south a
few blocks (or take the back alley entrance) to John’s Alley Tavern.
You’ll notice it only by the cartoon cat painted on otherwise unmarked
black and brick walls with the words “Moscow’s Home of Live Music.”
Once inside, you’ll find the interior walls also painted black, overhung
with creeping plants, neon chalk writing, and a variety of old and new
electric guitars hanging from the ceiling. There is mostly
cafeteria-style seating and red plastic-upholstered chairs, all facing
the stage on which you could find almost anyone – from locally-grown
artists interested in Open Mic Night (about every other week) to bands
touring either the northwest or New Orleans (like the Clumsy Lovers or
the Dirty Dozen Brass Band). One of the frequently featured bands,
Gutpuppet, claims a melding of “bluegrass, blues, flamenco, and indian
ragas gypsy.” You are likely to be served by a pierced and dreadlocked
bartender, but don’t let that scare you away; the on-tap selection is
the best in town (33 different kinds of beer – from dark and frothy
Irish imports to $1.50 PBR) and the crowd is a friendly mixture of
people just in search of a wide open dance floor and some live music to
sway to. (Well cocktails: $2.75, domestic pints: $2.25)
After a long night on the town, call A-Z Taxi at (208) 882-6141 or Blue
Water Taxi at (509) 334-2800 to get you to your doorstep. But do make
sure to hit all the stops, as each establishment offers a
different slice of the Moscow nightlife.