The Tar Heel Monday, August 18, 198615
Multitude of bars suit every mood and every whim
By JO FLEISCHER
Co-editor
Chapel Hill probably has more
pizza places than any other city in
the world of its size, and the same
thing goes for bars, taverns, and
clubs.
Few cities in the world have 18 bar
"courses" where a "golfer" can go to
bar one, drain a beer, and proceed
to the next bar hole and complete
an entire course on foot.
He's Not Here has been a Carolina
institution for 15 years and is more
popular now than ever. The bar, with
its 800-person capacity, has a huge
outdoor patio area where students
can drink huge Carolina blue
"buckets." On Tuesday nights the
buckets only cost $2, but He's Not
is crowded virtually every night. On
weekends, students from around the
Triangle flock to the two-story bar
to meet friends and see the live bands
featured every Saturday. The open
air bar is always pleasant, especially
in summer, although the winter chill
doesn keep many students away.
Troll's, located below Jordan's on
Rosemary Street, features the cheap
est beer, the fastest service, and one
of the best jukeboxes in Chapel Hill.
Entertainment is limited to the
jukebox, with selections ranging
from Hank Williams (Sr. . to the
uninitiated) to classic '60s rock, but
the atmosphere is friendly, and the
beer's cold. An interior decorator
might not love the decor, but the
imaginative graffitti on the walls and
hardwood tables and in the res
trooms might urge him to reconsider.
If the urge to enjoy a cocktail
strikes you while at Troll's, you can't
get it there, but a short walk up the
stairs will get you what you desire.
At Jordan's, highballs are only $1.
The bar is adjacent to the more
ornate steakhouse, but when the
diners leave students take over and
take advantage of what may be the
villages' best drinks (if you keep your
order simple) at the absolute best
prices. If you have a brand prefer
ence, the drink price doubles, but it's
still cheaper than the competition.
Henderson Street Bar had a fire
last year, but was back open for
business in a few weeks, to the delight
of its many loyal patrons. Henderson
Street regulars often begin their
evenings at three in the afternoon (it's
the only way to get a table). The bar
is famous for its large crowds and
jukebox, which has classic selections
from the last three decades. The
decor is simple, as is the selection
(beer), but if you like to pack in with
a couple hundred of your closest
friends, then this is the place.
Four Corners is a bar and restau
rant with a sports theme half a block
up the street, and students begin filing
in for the late night at about 10 p.m.
The food is good, with all the
sandwiches named after favorite
UNC stars. During the basketball or
football season, Four C's is the place
to watch the action on big-screen TV.
The atmosphere at this bar is a little
more upscale, but everything from
shorts to suits is appropriate for this
favorite late-night spot.
Jigsaw's is less than a block down
Franklin Street, and although the
restaurant is temporarily closed, it's
due to reopen under slightly different
management before school opens in
the fall. You will have to be seated,
so come early and reserve your table
for the night. The bar has one of the
largest drink selections in town and
talented bartenders, so the wait is
worth it.
A block further down the street
is Rascal's, a private membership
club with the biggest dancefloor in
Chapel Hill. The club has big plans
for the fall, including comedians,
bands and other specials, but a penny
draft Wednesday special might be
enough reason to join the club. Have
a friend bring you as a guest and
apply for membership early, because
the .membership committee takes
three days to review your application,
as required by state law.
Several feet down the block is
Spanky's, a restaurant with full
service bars on the first and second
floors. Slightly more upscale than
Four Corners, and more expensive,
Spanky's is a favorite place to go for
those who are already all dressed up.
The bar has a Cheer's-esque brassrail
and hardwood motif, and serves fine
food in addition to its beverages. A
good place to go to impress a date,
and the prices keep the riff-raff out.
Having circumnavigated the
Franklin Street bars, it is time to
explore the periphery (but do it on
foot). Colonel Chutney's is behind
He's Not Here on Rosemary Street,
q) "g
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and features a full lunch and dinner
menu, but has recently become
famous for its Sunday late-night. The
crowd at Chutney's is slightly older
than at other local bars, especially
on Sundays, but that's not necessarily
bad. One of the most endearing
features of the resturant, besides the
fish and chips, is a blackboard in the
restrooms for non-vandalistic graf
fitti artists. Students are beginning to
discover Chutney's, but that move
ment will probably be cut to a halt
in November.
Ham's Restaurant is the newest
addition to Chapel Hill. It's located
next to Fowler's market on West
Franklin. It has a full bar and a large
selection of imported ales to compli
ment its deli-type menu. The atmos
phere is distinctive, especially the
model train overhead, and the low
prices encourage you to bring a
friend.
If you like live music, there are
three clubs that will serve your
craving. They are all within a block
of Fowler's. Cat's Cradle is a an
established institution featuring local
and national acts every weekend. If
you want to check out a favorite
rising act or an obscure local one,
the Cradle is the place. The long,
large room with booths and a
postage-stamp size stage is a good
setting for live music. A distinctive
part of the atmosphere are the murals
on the wall featuring dinosaurs
playing musical instruments. The
dance floor is ample great for
accommodating large crowds.
Rhythm Alley is a little hard to
find at first, but the reward makes
the effort worthwhile. Walk down
Rosemary Street, past Tijuana Fat's;
when you pass Dip's Country Kit
chen, reverse direction, and it's up
the alley that separates them. The
club is small, one room and an
adjacent bar, but this is the kind of
place where rock 'n roll is meant to
be played. You may not have heard
of the bands, but Rhythm Alley picks
excellent talent. If you can sit in the
pew-style benches all night without
hitting the dance floor, (it's bigger
than the stage by about a 10 to l
margin) then you must be nearly
comatose. Many of the bands are
blue-collar rock 'n rollers, average
garage bands looking for a place to
exhibit their skills.
The Cavern is a small low-ceilinged
den treated with a material that
covers the walls and ceilings to give
it a remarkably batcave-like appear
ance. The Cave is also hidden away
in an alley on the same block as Cat's
Cradle. It features folk acts, often
performing alone accompanied by
guitar. Mike Cross got his start there,
and the tradition continues due to
the dedication of its owners who
operate the club on a less-than-profitable
basis. If you missed the
'60s, journey back to the Cave.
Whatever your taste, Chapel Hill
has a bar catering to your whim. The
smaller clubs are always eager for
your patronage, and you're proably
more likely to meet more people in
a more intimate setting than the ones
offered at some of the more popular
places. You may even want to travel
further off the beaten path than the
route listed here.
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