East ave nightlife unofficial poll.. (Rochester, Monroe: home, college, closing)

[sick of the winter]

I've been doing a lot of research lately and I see all these new NYC style nightclubs popping up all over East/Alexander area... I'm 31 and haven't been down there in years (except for the occasional out of town college buddy visiting)...

It's hard to keep up with who is opening or closing since alot of the info can be from '07-'08...I just read about a places called One, Secret, and the obvious Soho, daisy Dukes etc...

What I don't see is a sports bar type place...We have the English pubs, martini bars, nightclubs, hole-in-the-walls...But no sports bar right in the East ave area.. (atleast as far as I know of)

I'm not talking about a dive bar, or strictly college bar..But more of a descent sports bar with multiple flat screens, NFL sunday ticket, games on all the time, pool tables, dart boards, peanuts on the floor type hangout...

Me personally I like to throw on jeans and a tee shirt, or sweater, and watch some games, drink some beers, maybe play pool or darts..(Golden Tee also!!) I'm not a dancer, or a fine dining type guy, I just want to watch some games with any age group, and maybe at night have it be a descent bar to socialize...(think Woody's II, only downtown) It would be a clean, fun atmosphere, and have more of a "Cheers" type feel to it..

would this stand a chance among all the clubs, and NYC wannabee patrons in the area??

I do a ton of traveling for work, for example I went out in Newport Beach, CA last week, and I went to a place that was just like this. Packed, fun, social, and void of that feeling that some punk is gonna start a fight with you because you looked at him wrong. Most places I go out of state seem to always have a sports bar type place among their other nightlife.

[Rootz]

Murphy's Law is the closest place to that.

[garmin239]

Salingers (flat screens, peanuts on the floor, darts, pool, wii, relaxed, lots of sports). It does get pretty packed on weekends though but for weeknights its perfect. If you are 31, it would be more of your age range
Matthews has games, decent food, pool, tvs, darts, etc
Anchor bar just opened up also. Lots of people go there for games.
Other than that, the Monroe ave bars offer more of what you are looking for (Jeramiahs, Oxfords, Sports Page, etc.)

[sick of the winter]

yeah, I used to go to Salingers alot..Never really during a really busy night. But it was always a bit small..Perfect for them probably.

I haven't been to Anchor bar yet..Heard it was packed for the opening etc... I was thinking something like a Salingers type place, only a bit larger and right in the heart of the E. Ave area..

Reason I ask is there may be an opening to start a new place down in that area, and I'm wondering what the consesus would be. Personally I think the places that last the longest are Salingers/Jeremiahs type places.

I think dance clubs, night clubs, places that think they're in NYC, seem to last about 2 years.. The turnover seems too high. Or they're too trendy and people get sick of them after a few visits.

Thanks for the info

[garmin239]

Yea, thats the problem with the nightclubs. They are too trendy and only have a limited shelf life. They have to keep re-opening under a different name to remain hip.
You are right, Salingers is a bit small. I like going there for games on weeknights but on a weekend its too packed. There really isn't much in the heart of the East ave area as far as sports bar type places. Murphys law does show games but its not the right type of atmosphere. Matthews is down by Salingers, has a similar atmosphere and is much much bigger.
The corner of East/A street is dominated by clubs/upscale type places pretty much. I'm not sure how well a sports bar type place would do in that direct area. I'd be too concerned that you'd get a spillover from the club type people, killing the atmosphere. That's why I think the relaxed sport bar type places do better in the upper east end and Monroe ave areas. You don't have the dance club people ruining it for everybody.

[sick of the winter]

yeah spillover may be a problem, it could also be helpfull...It used to be a great area, especially for college age, to just drink beer.. And it was absolutely packed...

I'm thinking if you get just far enough off of East, say near the old A-pub..it may do ok...Back in the day that was the main spot to go...

Although it's hard to discriminate clientele, heck money is money, I would hope to keep the Gotti boys dancing however...

I just don't see this big push trying to make Rochester something it's not...I've never been to a city that tries this more than ROC...You go to any NE blue collar city..(Pitt, Cleveland, etc) and you get what you expect...Sports bars, dive bars, and those cities don't try to be something else...

I was looking at some ROC entertainment web page yesterday, it showed a guy and 2 girls in a club sitting at a VIP lounge...The caption said "yada yada, enjoying the VIP lounge basically being high rollers" thing was the caption gave their ages as 22, 21, 21...I'm thinking..come on, they definitely aren't spending high roller money so whats the point of having "VIP" rooms.. If this was LA ok, they may have big money..but not here..

I think alot of these places over extend their budgets with remodeling, DJ's etc...Only to find out nobody is gonna have more than a few drinks at those prices, especially with cover charges and all...So the profit margin becomes less...Now you take those patrons, don't charge a cover( I always remember shying away from bars that charged me a cover), and put them at a place that charge 2.50 a bottle, with good nightly specials...They may have 4-5 or more...Say spend $30 a piece for the night, and it only costs the bar a fraction of what they spent to stock those beers...

[cheese9988]

I would second the Anchor bar for sports. Two levels, many tv's. It seems like they are still working out the customer service bugs though. There is a little bowling ally near the corner of Merchants and Culver we like to go to. Decent beer selection and more of the sports atmosphere.

I usually like to try different places, whether it be a restaurant or a bar. I almost always return to the small little hole in the wall places. Its usually because they have better food or prices. All the big places or chains have the same type of plastic atmosphere or food, I like something unique or home made. Or $6 gets you a burrito and a side so big you can barley finish.

[garmin239]

Originally Posted by cheese9988

I would second the Anchor bar for sports. Two levels, many tv's. It seems like they are still working out the customer service bugs though. There is a little bowling ally near the corner of Merchants and Culver we like to go to. Decent beer selection and more of the sports atmosphere.

I walk to that place sometimes. Its great. I love the sassy old lady that runs things

[Aorre]

Anchor bar's suicide wings were a joke. The fries more than made up for that, however. My grandma and her co-workers went there for a lunch (9 people altogether), and they were seated upstairs. The waitress took 15 minutes to take their orders, and another 45 minutes to deliver some nasty wings. Everyone complained and the manager waived the fee. I mean, how could he not? If a loud sports bar with a kajillion TVs, sucky service, and irritable drunks appeal to you, look no further than the newly opened Anchor Bar.

As an aside, all the clubs in the East Ave area get boring after a few visits. Soho, Pearl, Tilt, etc etc...If you're not going there to get drunk or hook up, it gets kinda stale. Not to mention cops are always hounding that area by Bethel Church on the busy nights, since there are no doubt drunk belligerent 20-somethings infesting the area.

[HowardRoarke]

Place on Alexander, can't think of the name, Blue something. Blue Room? Not sure if it's open, anymore, but that place was pretty laid back and they had plenty of TV's.

Monroe always seemed more of a sports bar type street.