The Barometer Online

Issue date: 11/15/02 Section: Diversions

Paolo Tomka Barometer Staff Photographer [Click to enlarge]

Live bands, usually local talent, frequently grace such venues as the Fox' n 'Firkin (pictured above), Squirrel's Tavern, the Headline Cafe, AJ's and other pubs in Corvallis. Paolo Tomka Barometer Staff Photographer [Click to enlarge]

Corvallis has done battle with its agrarian town image for what seems like an eternity. I was amazed, however, at some of the things this "hick" town does have. Things like one-way streets, alleyways, an avant-garde movie theater, and a waterfront. They even have public transit in this town. How provincial can it be?

Sure, it's small. But Brighton, England is small, and it's got a club scene that's second only to London. (Imagine Eugene on ecstasy.)

So Corvallis is small -- but does that mean you can't have a good time? If you want to get E'd up and dance to house music all night long, then maybe you are out of luck in this town, but for the rest of us earthlings, Corvallis nightlife has much to offer.

Interested? Join me on my Corvallis pub crawl. It all started one rainy Thursday night ...

The number one thing when it comes to C-town is to know your night. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the night that things get started is on Thirsty Thursday.

I decided that my pub adventure should take place on this most sacred of nights. I planned my itinerary -- yes, I had a drinking itinerary -- so that I could walk, not drive from place to place. With this in mind, I limited my geographic area to the central downtown area -- Fourth to First, and Harrison to Western. Within this small area were so many drinking establishments that I had to skip several of them to avoid going bankrupt.

I chose a diverse slice of the alcohol pie so that I could offer up a variety of alternatives. Some establishments are loud and rowdy, for those who enjoy flirting and dancing. The rest are more relaxed, for those who would rather talk with their friends while throwing back a couple of cold ones.

Before our foray into Corvallis Nochte, I'd like to point out a couple of things.

Drink responsibly. The Daily Barometer does not condone over-consumption of alcohol, and neither does Oregon State University. Remember that 74 percent of OSU students have zero to four drinks per week.

Also remember that you must be 21-years-old to drink. If you're under 21, hide this section under your pillow and meditate upon it ceaselessly until you do turn 21. Then you'll be ready to go out and ... drink responsibly with the rest of us adults.

Secondly, I'd like to submit my own pub resume, for those who may challenge my authority as a (responsible) consumer of adult beverages.

I've been loaded in London and blind in Brighton. I've had the Dutch courage in Amsterdam, and been rotten in Rotterdam. I've felt afflicted in Aberdeen, inebriated in Edinburgh and intoxicated in Inverness. I was tanked in Antwerp, and boozed up in Brussels. Been plastered in Paris, blotto in Barcelona, muddled in Munich, flim-flammed in Frankfurt, bombed in Bern, debauched in Dijon and drunk in Dublin. I've been soaked in St. Louis, pissed in Portland and canned in Corvallis.

If that doesn't prove it, then this will: I am a licensed mixologist. Yes, there are many who, I'm sure, could drink me under the table, but I digress.

McMenamin's

The brothers McMenamin are OSU alumni. They've taken over the Portland title of Beer Barons, like Homer Simpson took Springfield when the town went dry. For those of you who are Portlanders, the familiar foam of a Hammerhead Ale or a Terminator Stout will make you think you're back at Edgefield or the Kennedy School. And if you've never been to a McMenamin's pub, then tally ho! They have some of the finest craft brews in America.

What you might not know is that McMenamin's makes cocktails -- the old-fashioned way. Sit back and enjoy, as a bartender actually muddles your lemons and limes, or squeezes the orange juice in an old-school press. Not only is it fun to watch, but it gives greater appreciation and flavor to your drink.

The décor has a European flavor, with thick dark beams and wood paneling on the ceiling. Dutch street signs adorn the beams. A giant tin Oxo sign hangs above the fireplace, and two yards of beer bottles sit on the mantle.

Oregon State senior Peter Buhmann said, "I like to come here a couple of times a month. It's chill, and not too crowded, and I can talk to my buddies, without the loud music."

In addition to the scratch cocktails, McMenamin's always has their cream ale or ESB tapped with Nitrous Oxide, giving it the Guinness bubble effect. Also try their seasonal ale.

Señior Sam's

Señior Sam's used to be a warm-up bar for the Peacock, but in recent years it has taken on a life of its own, particularly on Saturday nights.

"Saturday night is Ladies and '80s night," bartender Todd Newton said. "We have a DJ playing '80s music and it gets really rowdy."

I asked him if anything crazy has ever happened.

"We get girls dancing on the bar," Newton said. "That's one of the advantages of having a twenty-five foot ceiling. It's like Coyote Ugly's."

The stout Todd recommends a "Tang" to me: "It tastes just like Tang."

He is not wrong, and I left wondering why mom never made me this kind of Tang when I was a kid.

Tommy's

My next stop was by far the biggest surprise of the night. On the radio, Tommy's plays the theme from "Cheers," and claims that they are the place in Corvallis where everybody knows your name.

I was suspicious at first.

Most of the people were older, which is what I'd expected, and I've been treated rudely at such bars in the past. I approached the bar and handed my ID to the stern-faced bartender. He looked at my ID and asked me what I wanted. When I told him what I was doing -- that I was a reporter for The Daily Barometer -- his face brightened right up. He was a swell fellow, named Bill, and like Sam Malone, he is the owner and bartender at Tommy's.

The crowd turned out to be extremely friendly. Both Bill, and the other bartender, Vong, knew the names of everyone sitting at the bar. And the gathered crowd kept jokingly pointing to the guy sitting next to them and saying, "He's Norm." It was a bar full of Norms.

The music was oldies, playing softly in the background. No blaring hip-hop here. There are two back rooms with more seating, two pool tables and a couple of tournament dart boards. Tommy's is by far the most relaxed and laidback of all the bars in town.

Mixing it with the locals were a couple of college students.

"I like Tommy's because not too many students pack the place," said Thad Davidson, a senior in computer science. "I know all of the people who work here, and it's a relaxing, great place to hang out."

If just hanging out is your thing, give Tommy's a try. Don't let the maturity of the patrons fool you. Bill will give you a smile whether you're a student or an insurance salesman. Or a pesky reporter, like me.

While you're there, make sure to ask Vong about Drambuie.

Squirrel's

I once thought of Squirrel's as the ultimate hang out bar. I've been there probably dozens of times during my tenure at OSU, and this time I was blown away by what I noticed. Next time you're soaking up the suds at Squirrel's, take the time to note these details:

1. Squirrel's is a sort of revolutionary bar. Consider the fact that Squirrel's Tavern sponsors multiple sports teams. Yes, Squirrel's is, in fact, a sports bar. Take a good look at the trophy case across from the bar.

2. Check out the top shelves of the bar. That's 142 beer cans, by my count. How many cans and bottles do you count?

3. The mascot, duh. There's a stuffed squirrel next to a coon skin cap and a bugle, the Humphrey Bogart poster, and coolest of all, the cards stuck to the ceiling.

"A fellow by the name of Les Anderson used to live in the neighborhood," owner Greg Little said. "He was a really great slight-of-hand artist. He would have people write their name on a card, then he would put it on the bottom of the deck. He would put a rubber band around the deck, but he was able to slide the card out and put some sticky gunk on the back. He would throw the deck up and the card would stick because he had it on top, outside the rubber band."

Les, come back to Corvallis. We miss you oh so much.

A girl with blue hair showed up inside. I thought my beverage was getting to me. No, it was only Heather White, and her fellow OSU student, Michelle VanSlack.

When asked what brought them to Squirrel's, Michelle responded, "We come here to play pool."

Squirrel's serves beer and wine, and has live music on Saturday nights.

Headline Café

A mild-mannered pizza parlor by day, The Headline Café is transformed into a destination bar for Thursday thirstorians.

The Headline was once in the category of being a watering hole for those who were on their way to the Peacock. But with expansion spanning two years, the Headline has now muscled its way up to the Peacock's weight class. The effort to get big culminated in 2001 with the opening of the banquet room.

This annex, called the "Backstage Page," is used for live music and theatre performances, private banquets, and additional space on Thursday. The Headline has the square footage without the cover charge.

My favorite part is the basement. Loaded with couches and a couple of pool tables, the "Press Room" has the feeling of a chill-out room at a big club. I sauntered up to the bar and asked Traci Feldt, a senior in liberal studies, what was new.

"The Australian Hanger," was her answer. The Australian Hanger is a Eugene import, but not nearly as badly named as the other Eugene drink: the duck-fart. Thanks, Eugene, for such a smelly shooter. The Australian Hanger, on the other hand, is a bushman's dream.

"It's got four different kinds of whisky and pineapple juice," Traci told me.

The four kinds of whisky sounded imposing, but if those green and yellow schmucks down south can schlog 'em, so can I. After a bit of waffling, I gave in and ordered up. G'day, mate, the Australian Hanger was good. Say 'sayonara' to the Singapore Sling, and 'adios' to the A.M.F. The Australian Hanger is one tasty adult beverage. You would never believe what two ounces of whisky can do for a twelve count of pineapple juice. (That's mixologist speak, kids.)

Of course The Headline is still home of Tuesday night sports talk, and that huge mirror that always shocks me when I go down to the Press Room.

AJ's

AJ's is perhaps the most posh of the downtown bars. With its neo-impressionist art, a bike dangling from the ceiling, roaring fireplace and small stage, AJ's feels like an art deco speakeasy. The place really swings when there is live music playing.

The DJ was spinning '80s music the night I perused the bar. The crackling fire is a great way to warm up on those cold, wet winter nights.

Being a reporter allowed me to see a side of AJ's that is rarely open to the public, except on special occasions and when the upstairs gets packed. I got to see the vault, a vintage Benton County National Bank vault door, partially restored. I felt like I was in a mob movie, checking out the bootleg supplies. Alas, there is no bathtub gin at AJ's.

There is the largest back bar in Corvallis. AJ's will never run out of Barcardi-O.

While you're there, ask Martin or Jay for a Motivator. It'll really ... get you ... motivated? Right ...

The Fox 'n' Firkin

Corvallis's own British pub has the biggest selection of British import beers on tap for miles around. Situated on the waterfront, Fox is "more laid back then the college bars," bartender Matt Junge said. I dropped by to say hello to a few of my old friends (named Guinness, Boddington and Tetley).

Live music is the Fox's forte, and Thursdays and Saturdays are the nights when the Fox cranks it up.

The night that I visited, Abandon Ship was playing some alternative rock 'n' roll with three part harmonies.

With the Queen's flag flying, the Fox 'n' Firkin has the authentic feel of a good old-fashioned British pub. Expect the music to be loud and the brews to satisfy.

The Peacock

The Peacock. Top of the Cock. May Dionysus always show good fortune to you, oh Great Cock. The pinnacle of my evening was at the Top of the Cock. I walked in to some smooth grooves spun by DJ Cruz, a hip-hop specialist who likes to riff out into techno.

On the first floor, there are multiple pool tables and booths, for those who don't feel like dancing. The first thing I spied was the bright blue hair of Heather White, whom I ran into earlier at Squirrel's. Apparently, she and Michelle had brought their pool game across Second Street to the Bird.

We exchanged hellos. But I was in for the real action, which takes place up the stairs.

The top floor is where the big dance floor is located. DJ Tekneek was spinning more hip-hop, and the crowds were grooving to the beats. (What is it with the kids and the hip-hop, these days?) I went up to the bar, but was wet enough for one night, so I got some good stories instead of more spirits.

"One night, we found a guy passed out on the pot," said Rachel Odea, a bartender and nursing student at Chemeketa Community College.

"A guy tried to steal one of our bar mats one night when we were about to close," Heather Harris said. "He just grabbed it, and stuffed it down his pants. I took one look at the manager. He shrugged his shoulders, but I went after him.

"I ran after him and he turned around. I reached right down his pants and got that bar mat back!"

I asked her if she had any other stories.

"Yeah, one time, some guy tried to take one of the metal peacocks off the wall from the downstairs," Harris said. "I mean, come on, it's a huge metal peacock. How did he think he was going to get out of here with that?"

Gentlemen, please. Let's not continue to make a bad name for ourselves by trying to lift stuff from The Peacock.

And speaking of gentlemen, the quote of the night came from engineering senior Adam Randall. Please direct all of your hate mail, threats, etc. to Adam Randall, and not me.

"So what keeps you coming back to The Peacock?" I asked him.

"The dirty sluts, opportunity to beat up frat guys, 99.9 percent chance of getting laid, beating up frat geeks again, the music is good, the bar makes good drinks and did I forget to mention the chance to beat up frat geeks?"

Adam said it, not me.

The Peacock is all about pleasing the masses, and hip-hop is king. So when you hit the floor, you better be wearing your Lugz and be ready to get your booty movin'. House specialty drinks are the Peacock Punch and the Peacock Raspberry lemonade. Cover is charged after 10:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

If you are under 21, all is not lost.

The Platinum is an all-ages club on Third Street. Wednesday is techno night, with hip-hop on Fridays and Saturdays. Check them out.

Remember not to drink and drive.

Also, don't forget Clodfelter's, Tailgaters, Bombs Away and American Dream, on Monroe Avenue. And Royal Pacific, El Sol de Mexico, and O'Callahan's on Ninth Street.

I'd like to give a shout out to El Presidente out Highway 20. Murphy's in Southtown -- we love you.

I'd also like to send some love to Sweet's Barbecue, China Delight, Burton's, Michael's, The Gables and all of the other fine watering holes in the greater Corvallis metropolis. If it had been possible for me to visit you all in one night, I would have, for sure.

Goodnight, Corvallis.

Jason Vah Loh is a reporter for Diversions. He can be reached at baro.diversions@studentmedia.orst.edu.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools