FUN!!
Ever feel like Sisyphus? Sure, sure--not many people remind
themselves of obscure unfortunates from Greek mythology,
but when you are engaged in a life's task as epic as my
own, it's hard not to view yourself in a certain dramatic
light.
I'm talking about my quest to find the Perfect Bar, an
odyssey about as productive as old Sis' solo uphill rock-pushing
contest and as lonely as Diogenes' hunt for an honest man.
Still, I never let myself fall into despair (the gutter,
sadly, is another matter). When a new tavern opened its
doors in the heart of the boozy cluster along West Burnside
between 19th and 20th, I hoped against hope that this might
be the bar that filled the bar-shaped hole in my heart.
Of course, the Bitter End Pub fell short of this
ideal. It's just a human and mortal bar, and like all things
in this most imperfect of worlds, it has its pros and cons.
Like for example:
Pro: Cool name.
Con: There's nothing bitter at all about this place,
a clean and well-lighted pub that stands in contrast to
the endearingly scruffy grease traps that surround it.
Pro: The Bitter End's lack of "urban grit" means
you can enjoy a beer without worrying whether you're looking
sufficiently hep for your fellow patrons' taste. This place
feels more like a ski-town joint than a slummers' paradise.
Punk rockers will undoubtedly be too cool for this place,
while some others might think it's "neat!"
Pro: A two-hour happy hour.
Con: Said happy hour starts at "4:20."
Pro: Jukebox.
Con: Reggae.
Pro: Sabbath.
Con: The decor takes weirdly schizoid swerves: faux-English
touches, such as deep wooden booths; high-tech chrome bar
stools straight outta The Jetsons; rough exposed
wood held over from the '70s school of brutalist bar decor;
plush couches that would be the envy of any coffeehouse
in Southeast; bizarre rococo mirrors.
Pro: Those couches...buttery.
Pro: Pool, pinball and foosball beckon to passing
gamers.
Con: There's only one of each. Prepare to battle
for control of the tables.
Pro: Real imperial pint glasses.
Con: Beer and wine only.
Pro: They're apparently hoping to snag a full license
in due time.
So, no, this is not the Perfect Bar. However, if, by some
chance, you end up there, three pints into an evening and
sinking ever deeper into a booth or a sofa, it just might
prove good enough, damn it.
The Bitter End Pub
1981 W Burnside St., 517-0179
OTHER ZANINESS
John Bizarre
Even his name is hilarious!
Harvey's Comedy Club
436 NW 6th Ave.,
241-0338
8 pm Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 8 and 10:30 pm
Friday; 6:30, 9 and 11:30 pm Saturday, Nov. 1-5
$8-$10
ComedySportz
Improv! Wow!
1963 NW Kearney St., 236-8888
9 pm Friday, 7:30 and 9:30 pm Saturday,
Nov. 3-4
$10, $9 with can of food for Oregon Food Bank
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