Wednesday, June 24, 2015

CourtHouse Cafe

https://www.facebook.com/CourtHouseCafe1

While driving around this morning, Raven and I decided that we needed some breakfast.  We decided that this would be a great opportunity to go on a breakfast-seeking adventure.  We drove quite a while before succumbing to defeat and determined to go back downtown, which is not far from where we live.

I have seen the CourtHouse Cafe many times while driving down Sierra Street.  After all, it is the street I drive down to return home if I happen to be on the freeway.  It appears to be a hole in the wall, but once one enters, it's actually a very cute establishment. The decor is perfect for the space with tall tables and shorter tables.  The music playing was 106.9, which is a mix station of adult contemporary, also fitting of the atmosphere.

The staff was amazing.  The lady behind the counter was energetic and just entertaining as heck.  She was extremely attentive and had the cook make Raven another turkey bagel sandwich when she discovered that Raven doesn't care for mustard.  The lady didn't have to do that, but it was the nicest gesture.  The cook brought it out himself. 

We ordered a variety of things from the menu.  As previously stated, Raven had a turkey bagel sandwich on a blueberry bagel, a strawberry smoothie, and I had their special which consisted of two eggs over easy, four sausage links, hashbrowns and two slices of sourdough bread.  The special was $6.95.  I must say that their sausage is phenomenal!  I totally recommend it.  The same goes for their turkey bagel sandwiches and the strawberry smoothing.  I tasted just like strawberry ice cream.  So yummy!

If you happen to be downtown, I recommend stopping by this cafe and indulging in some great food and nice calm atmosphere. 

The only issue I had with this place is that because it is downtown, the parking is somewhat horrible.

Overall, I give the CourtHouse Cafe:







Saturday, March 14, 2015

Squeeze Inn - Squeezing out the Awesome!

http://www.squeezein.com/squeeze3.html





The other day, Falcon mentioned this really great restaurant to go to for breakfast.  It is a little bit out of the way from where either of us live, but as we love a good adventure when it comes to discovering new places for food, we decided that this would be just that.  A great adventure.

And we were not disappointed.  Upon entering the Squeeze Inn, it was obvious that this was a place that was not only family friendly, but a fun and interesting environment for a special dining experience.  The only thing difficult about writing this review is exactly where to start. How about atmosphere.  Yeah, that's a great place.

Brightly colored walls adorn the interior of the Squeeze Inn on Foothill Drive.  Yellows, oranges and reds in a brilliant gradient that was as warm as the sun itself.  Offsetting those colors were the markings of what I can only assume were previous customers.  While it looked as though adults and children alike scribbled on the walls so that it looked like someone defiled a restroom stall, the drawings and comments were neither offensive or inappropriate and provided even more charm to this building's interior. This behavior is encouraged by the staff, however, Falcon did see a sign in the Men's room asking that people not scribble on the bathroom walls per state law.  This request was being respected.  (Way to go patrons!)  Behind where we sat was a fishing net with an abundance of beads and other charms and bobbles.  It rather seemed out of place, but looking around to things hanging from the ceiling (an antique-looking toboggan, old bicycle, and model planes) it really added to the charm. Falcon noticed that all of the tables were different.  The table next to us even had a lazy Susan. Amazing! I could probably spend the next several paragraphs on the decor alone. You'll just have to visit to get the full experience.

We were given a choice of two table and after seating ourselves, we were greeted by our server, Bryan, who was just the friendliest server I've had in quite a while.  He was attentive, polite, and I could tell that he enjoyed his job.  Observing the rest of the room I could see that the waitstaff at the Squeeze Inn enjoyed their work and paid great attention to their customers. 

Their menu was quite overwhelming.  I believe it is the most extensive menu of any place I have visited in quite some time.  It was a difficult choice to make when it came time to order.  With menu items such as the Dirty Dick, Rednecker, Amanda Panda and the Hangover Helper, it is really difficult to choose!  We both decided to go with the Manly Morris Meal.  Oh, and chocolate covered bacon!!  While the chocolate-covered bacon sounds like a good idea in theory, I took one bite and decided that it was a waste of perfectly good bacon.  Falcon loved it.

I must make mention of something that I am giving the Squeeze Inn extra props for.  Falcon did not have his reading glasses with him.  Bryan immediately brought out a selection of reading glasses for Falcon to choose from.  While there are other restaurants that might provide this very small, but highly meaningful and appreciated service, I have never been in such a place.  Way to think about your customers far beyond the expected!

The food was excellent!  The Manly Morris Meal came with a half order of biscuits and gravy, spudz, two eggs, toast, and bacon.  Falcon says that one can tell a lot about a restaurant based on basic menu items such as biscuits and gravy.  Well, he ate all of his.  As for me, I couldn't finish.  I was that full of yummy goodness.  As Falcon had stated, there was a war going on between his mouth and his stomach as to which one was happier.
Some of the other things I noticed about the Squeeze Inn included a patio area and toys for the kids to take to their tables.  Oh, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that they had toy robots!  The icing on the cake was the excellent music playing overhead provided by SiriusXM.  It wasn't too harsh or too mellow, but just right for the atmosphere.  They also offer their club card which includes some pretty awesome perks.

This is a place that we will be visiting over and over again.  The price for food was right in line with the quality of the meal.   



Overall, I give Squeeze Inn:

Actually, I give it 5.5 stars out of 5, but I couldn't find any pictures to represent!

Monday, February 23, 2015

Batch Cupcake - Never Again/Jus - Again

First impressions are the most important, People!












The other day Raven and I decided to rekindle an old tradition that we did when we were living in Idaho.  So we hopped on our bikes and rode to Batch Cupcake for Cocoa and Cookie Day.  (In this case Cocoa and Cupcake Day, but who is counting anyway?)

Batch Cupcake is a half mile from where we live so we thought it would be a great thing to ride our bikes.  We managed to get there without too much hassle and after fumbling with the brand new bike lock (a U-lock that I forgot to take packaging off of) we went inside to Batch Cupcake.

The inside decor was interesting.  It had three-piece pub sets that had chalkboards for tabletops where people could draw.  The walls also had chalkboards, but I did not realize that until Raven mentioned it.  By that time I was so blinded by contempt for this place that it didn't matter.

We looked at the cases full of cupcakes.  They were on the counter tops in large glass-topped cake trays.  Ummm... it's pretty and all, but how does one get one without accidentally giving cooties to the surrounding cupcakes?  Not that our hands weren't clean, but there weren't any tongs or pastry papers in sight, so we went up to the front counter.  (Now, I still don't really know if people just help themselves to the ones displayed out there or not.  I didn't ask, but that didn't matter.)

Okay.  We were there for cocoa and cupcakes (long before reaching this establishment that we were going for cupcakes).  I looked on the menu and was pleasantly surprised to find cocoa on the menu.  I ordered cocoa.  Oh, but NO!  They don't serve cocoa there!  I always get irritated with a place that has things on their menu that they do not actually sell.  Okay, well then how about milk.  That was on the menu.  Nope, no dice there, either.  They have juice on their menu.  Okay.  Well, it would be okay if you like grapefruit juice, which I do not.  *sigh* I ended up ordering a chocolate cupcake with white frosting and Raven ordered a chocolate cupcake with mint frosting and and Andes mint on top.

By this time I was so irritated that I almost thought of walking out.  But I didn't.  I paid the overpriced total and we left to find Jus, which the cashier said was right next door.  (We ended up turning the wrong way going out the door, but found Jus nonetheless.)

The guys at Jus (yes, there is supposed to be an umlaut above the u. I haven't figured out how to put it there yet) were amazing.  They saw us riding our bikes by when we were looking for a place to park.  They were super helpful in explaining their menu as we had never been there before.  They were upbeat, smiling and treated Raven with respect.  Not ignored her as though she wasn't there.

Their decor did leave something to be desired.  It was a bit sterile for my taste, but cute with the wooden panels.  I would like to think that a place such as this would have a more fun atmosphere, but no one is happy all the time although I do take atmosphere and decor into my review along with other things.  In addition to drab decor, the tables wobbled.  They just need a slight tweak, guys!

I ordered a Gotta Green, which had strawberries, bananas, kale and spinach (try it before you hate on it) and Raven got a strawberry/banana smoothie without all the green stuff.  I tried mine and then I tried hers.  Both were really good.  I got her to try mine, but I guess her mind got her all confused because she didn't like mine, probably because it was green.  LOL!  They were a bit spendy, but that is to be expected in midtown.

We spent time inside because at this point (in February no less!) was too hot outside to sit.  I'd say I was sensitive to the heat, but I'd only be fooling myself, although I didn't want the sun beating on my back.  So we sat and had our cocoa and cookie day sans cocoa, avec cupcakes.  Overall it was a pleasurable experience.

My overall review for Batch Cupcake is not a great one.  The best thing about this business is the chalkboards on the table tops and walls.  Their service leaves a lot to be desired and their menu severely needs to be updated if they are not going to serve things that are on it.  Seriously, guys!  Their cupcakes tasted good, but I have had better for sure. They are not worth the over $3 a piece that I paid for them. For the quality of service, or lack thereof, that's way too much, even in midtown. I will not be visiting again here anytime soon.

 My overall review of Jus is not bad.  Please fix your wobbly tables!  It was a pleasure to come into an establishment who treats their customers, especially those who have never been in before, so awesome.  I didn't catch their names but the gentlemen behind the counter at Jus made the half-mile bicycle trip worth it.  And thank you for not having any grapefruit juice in sight!

Overall, I give Batch Cupcake:

And this is being generous.  I was going to give only 1.5 stars, but Raven talked me into giving 2 because of the chalkboards.

Overall, I give Jus:


Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Brew Brothers Live Karaoke Lives Up to the Hype

http://www.eldoradoreno.com/reno-nightlife/Live-Band-Karaoke/

Live karaoke band provided by: Karaoke Rockstarz

Not only am I a Reno local, I am a native to this city, and I had never been to Brew Brothers.  Mostly because I considered it just another tourist attraction inside one of the many casinos in downtown. However, I have been hearing ads for their Monday night live band karaoke for a really long time and I have been wanting to try it for a while.  I had Tuesday off, so I thought, "What the heck!"

I went a bit early because their website said that it started at 9pm, but in actuality it began at 10pm, but signups started at 9pm.  No big deal. I took the time to enjoy the Blackened chicken alfredo from their restaurant.  The staff was really great and the food was excellent.  My dish tasted a bit different than I am used to, but it was not bad at all.

I will admit to being a bit nervous, even after singing karaoke for 16+ years.  I've sang on all sorts of stages, including Sammy's Showroom in Harrah's Reno for a kamikaze karaoke competition several years ago.  I had never sang with a live band before...until tonight.

I went up to the lady who was taking song slips and she explained to me how everything worked.  I asked her about the words.  It's a live band, how did they work that?  It's the same as regular karaoke.  The words are on the screen.  It's just with a live band instead of a recording.  I gotta say that it made it that much more realistic and fun.  She was really nice, and sang Alanis Morrissette nearly better than Alanis.


I was the fourth singer to sing.  Which was good because I wanted to see other people sing first to get an idea of what I was in for.  I sang "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick.  Apparently, it was one of the band member's favorite songs to play.  I smiled when I heard that. And, it went over well with the crowd.

The band was really good.  They sang backup as well as handed out props such as hats and feather boas for the singers to use on stage.  The lighting was such that really created a great atmosphere which made it feel like you were really the lead singer of the band. 

The audience was very receptive to everyone who went on stage.  Good, bad or otherwise it didn't matter.  There are many places that I have sang where the audience will not applaud for anyone except for their friends, or sometimes not at all.  The audience at Brew Brothers applauded for pretty much everyone and that really helped brighten the atmosphere, too.  Some random guy even gave me a hug after I got off the stage.  That was nice, too.

Every Monday they have a contest to give away bar tabs.  $20, $30 and $50.  I didn't know I was even in the competition.  Just after midnight they gave away the prizes.  They called the 3rd and 2nd place winners.  Sweet.  I'm out of this competition.  No worries.  And then they called the 1st place winner.... Onyx!  (For anyone out of the loop, that's yours truly).  I was really surprised because there were others who sang way better than I did, so the conspiracy theory is that they just wanted to find out my real name..lol... either that, or the crowd reacted better than I thought. hehehehe....

Either way, it totally made my night.

Even though they only do karaoke for three hours on Monday nights, and you pretty much get to sing once, tonight that didn't matter.  I had one of the best times that I've had in a while at karaoke and that is what mattered to me. I enjoyed watching everyone else singing, good, bad and otherwise.  I just wish that Falcon could have been there.  I know he would have had a great time.

I give Brew Bothers Live Band Karaoke:

I may not get another Tuesday off in a while, but when I do, I will certainly be going back to Brew Brothers!

P.S. I have a few pictures that I wasn't able to upload tonight, but I will get them off my phone asap for you guys.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Roller Kingdom Review

This is basically a cross post from my Chaotic Ramblings blog because it happened to coincide with Raven's visit for her spring break.  So, without further ado....


Raven and I went to the rink known as Roller Kingdom. (Really guys, you couldn't come up with something a bit more ... unique?)  When I was a kid, my dad took my siblings and I nearly ever Thursday for family night.  That was soooooo long ago.  I think the last time I was on skates was over 20 years ago, and I remember a few things.  And some of those things hasn't changed over time.  Back then, it was known as King's Skate Country.

1. The building interior is almost exactly the same!
    That's right.  There has been very little change to the interior of the place, as I remember it.  Even the floor is the same.  Actually, I think it's gotten worse.  Hey guys, do us all a favor and replace the surface before we all fall down! Sheeesh!

2. They still play the same lame games!
    Yep, Red Light, Green Light.  Simon Says.  All the games are still the same.  Hey guys, you COULD try changing it up a little bit.  I'm sure that over the last twenty years or so there have been some new skating games invented.

3. The DJs are still as snarky as ever!
    Yep.  The DJs still cheat at pretty much every game and good luck trying to get a request in.  I guess that's what comes from being young and full of themselves.

4. The concession stand still carries ring pops!
    Among other things, the food is still the same as it was when it was King's Skate Country.  At least, from what I remember.  And it's still as expensive as ever.  And, the staff is not very nice there at all.  Especially to us "old timers".  I mean come on.  I've never seen anyone slam food around like that before.  It wasn't MY fault you forgot to make my nachos!

5. The lighting is the same as it used to be.
    While there have probably been a few updates to the lighting over the rink, there is still that same star pattern of light bulbs above the center of the rink.  And kids still go to the center of the rink to pretend to be cool.

6. Their skates are the same ones they've been using for the last million years.  Guys, please update.  Oh, you did make the addition of roller blades.  (I think I remember a time when roller blades weren't allowed, but I could be wrong about that.)  However, new skates would be an improvement. 

Overall it was a good time, and Raven had fun. She even made a few new friends and I saw at least one person that I already knew.  I went back a second time, but I ended up leaving very early.  There were too many kids around. I might have to go on the adults only night one of these days.  

The music that was played was all the Top 40 garbage that one can hear on the radio with very few exceptions.  They do have an 80's night, so I might check that out one of these nights.  Otherwise, I don't think that I could make a request for a song because the DJ probably never heard of it.

One of the nice things about Roller Kingdom is that they do private and birthday parties. I might have to put together a goth/industrial themed party and bring my own music to play.  I know they do that in several larger cities, but I think it would be fun to do here, too.  Any thoughts on that from my old scene friends?

Overall I give Roller Kingdom:




And really guys, that's being generous.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Mixing It Up With Mix Cupcake Co.!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mix-Cupcake-Co/155310230357

And wow, what a place!  Located at 655 Booth Street in Reno, across from Reno high, next to Round Table Pizza (which also has a nice buffet, by the way), it was completely hidden in plain view.  I had been to the Chinese food place several times and never even knew it was there.

Anyway, back to the review.  The atmosphere is really nice.  Very cute, just like a cupcake... (duh!).  There are signs on the wall similar to the one above, stating several different types of cupcakes they have for sale.  But they don't carry just cupcakes.  They also carry cake truffles and sugar cookies among other types of cookies.  Everything is made right there on the premises, and people can watch the magic happen right there.

I would also like to comment on the awesome music that was playing in the background. It wasn't too loud as to not be able to converse and not to quiet as to not know that it was there. It was a pleasant blend of oldies which was really fitting to the decor.

The ladies behind the counter were super nice.  They are flexible enough to make custom cupcakes and they also have a diabetic menu for those who need a little less sugar intake.  A few of my friends who were there today got cupcakes without frosting.

And they are open to allowing large groups at a moment's notice. That's always nice.  There is plenty of parking, as it is in a plaza and their items are kept in a cooled display case allowing everything to maintain its moist texture.

They have to go containers that keep the cupcakes in place so they travel well.  Besides, who wouldn't want some of these delicious goodies to take home?

The ladies were also kind enough to allow a few of us to photograph some of their items that we consumed today.  Everything was really good!

A sample of their wares:


Overall, I give Mix Cupcake Co.:

 Truly, check them out sometime!


Thursday, December 19, 2013

Club Cal Neva Karaoke

Now, I did warn you guys and gals up front that the majority of these entries were going to be for karaoke bars.  I suppose this one isn't going to be any different, so I'm going to skip talking about other aspects about the Cal Neva such as their slots, gaming tables or restaurants.  The focus of this particular entry is for their karaoke only.


Titan and I have been semi-regulars there since we moved here and discovered that the Cal Neva does karaoke Thursdays - Sundays from 8pm to 1pm or there abouts depending on how busy it is. 

The very first time we went there we were accepted not only by the KJ, Darren, but by the crowd.  On any given night the majority of the crowd is comprised of locals with a smattering of tourists.  And on the majority of nights, be they week day or weekend, are super busy.  If you want to get in more than one or two songs, be sure to be there early.  Otherwise, forget it.  Cal Neva karaoke is VERY popular.

Not only do they have an amazing song list (as most of the karaoke bars in the vicinity do), their drink specials are unmatched in the downtown Reno area.  Where else could one possibly get $1 tall cans of Budweiser or Twisted Tea?  Of course, I don't drink, but Titan does and for him it is usually these dollar beverages or double Whiskey and Diet Coke which for $4.25 (I believe) is not bad, either.

Darren is a super nice guy and has an amazing voice.  He is really accommodating to the singers providing chairs to those who may need one and gently reminding people that they can't bring drinks to the stage or take the wireless mic off the stage.  One thing I would like to see for his show is music in between singers, like filler music - NOT that multi-song crap that some places play. The silence in between songs is sometimes deafening.  In addition, I would love to see Darren get a little more engaged with the crowd.  Sometimes he'll remind the crowd to take care of the bartenders and the dealers, but not often.  Energy is sometimes lacking otherwise, LOVE Darren to death!

Sound is good although due to it being a casino environment the sound cannot be as loud as either I or Darren would like.  There is a stage monitor which is awesome because otherwise I don't believe that anyone would be able to hear the music being projected outward.  I guess the pit bosses don't like to hear super drunk people try to sing horrible country songs.. lol..

They have a regular sized stage that they used to have live shows perform on. I remember when I was in my younger days seeing all sorts of live shows on that stage.  The stage really gives the performance a "real" feel so how one entertains the crowd is up to them.  I usually find some way to engage the crowd in one way or another.  It's truly fun, but makes me nervous sometimes.

So, if you're in the area, you should certainly come down to the Cal Neva, have a drink and sing a song with Titan and me.  You won't regret it.

Overall, I give karaoke at the Cal Neva:


Saturday, December 14, 2013

Faces Nightclub - Sacramento

So, on that same Sacramento trip when Titan and I went to the Distillery, we also went to Faces which was located a block away.  So, we walked.


Faces is not just a karaoke bar, but an actual nightclub and one of the best ones in Sacramento.  It's been around forever it seems, just like the Distillery.  There is a video bar where DJs play and mix music videos for patrons to dance to.  There is a back room that is lined with several mirrors and a booth for different DJs to play music for the dancing masses.  Off of that is a back patio for those who smoke.  Several years ago California passed a no smoking law.  The front room was where karaoke was held.

It is a really nice room although not the best for hosting karaoke.  The fireplace is a nice touch, though, especially during the cooler weather.  Out of the doors off that room was another smoking patio (pictured above).

Howard the KJ is one of the best I have ever sang with.  He keeps his rotations is good order and is fair when it comes to adding new singers, even those who show up in the middle of the evening.   I was not surprised to see how many people were there even for a Monday evening.  The song selection was excellent and the sound was great for the room.

Garrett, the bartender, was awesome.  He continued to fill my soda glass (always the driver am I) without me even asking (or charging me).  He was very attentive to Titan.  And, Garrett even moved our glasses down after some people usurped our chairs. Drink prices were just about the same as other places in downtown although higher than what we're used to.  Otherwise, the patrons were very friendly, and overall this was the most amazing karaoke I had been to in a while.

Overall, I give Faces Nightclub:

Distillery - Sacramento

Recently, Titan and I took a trip to Sacramento, Ca.  It was the first out-of-town trip that we had taken together and we went with the sole purpose of going to sing.  We had done some research and found the Distillery.  I do not believe that this bar is related in any way to Davidson's Distillery in Reno.


The Distillery is located in downtown Sacramento at 20th and L streets.  We walked in and took a seat at the bar.  The bartender, Alice, was raving excitedly about a group of people she had in earlier.  Apparently, their friends was on Jeopardy that evening and had won the final round even though all the contestants got the answer wrong.  Good for him!

The atmosphere was really pleasant.  The room was large and divided by a half wall.  When we got there it was dead, but that was to be expected on a Monday evening.  Even though karaoke started later than advertised and caused a minor irritation among Titan and me, once it got started it was fine. 

The song selection was fairly typical of other karaoke bars we had been to.  They had all of our regular songs and the sound was decent.  In a room such as that it is difficult to get the sound quality to be good although there were a few things that could have been done to tweak it a little to make it sound better.

Really, the only complaint that I had about the evening was that the KJ, a guy, was rather unfriendly.  I had given him a half dozen songs and said that he could choose whatever song he wanted.  He replied that he wasn't going to dictate what I sang.  Wow.  That's the first time that a KJ wouldn't play along with me. 

The bartender had served free quesadillas earlier in the evening. They were really good and it was a great treat.  Drink prices were a bit on the high side, but typical of downtown Sacramento.  Patrons were really friendly and came up to Titan and I on a few occasions to tell use how much they liked our songs and how well they thought we sang.  It's always nice to get a compliment from a perfect stranger.  Both the bartender and the KJ invited us to come back anytime. 

Overall I give the Distillery:



Spiro's Spirals Downward

So Titan and I were looking for a new place to sing karaoke last night. Something a bit closer to home.  The first place we found that had advertised karaoke actually closed before 11pm on a Friday night.  Okay, no matter. So, we went to our second choice.  Spiro's Sports Bar and Grille in Sparks, NV.  Please keep in mind that when I rate bars, it is from the perspective of their karaoke for the most part.  That is usually what Titan and I go for.



Honestly, this place needs to decide if they are going to be a sports bar or a karaoke bar.  It has a better chance at remaining a sports bar.  There were several televisions to watch sports of all kind although the only thing on at that time of night were the recaps from several previous events.  There were plenty of slot machines on the bar with which to lose copious amounts of money.

The bar itself was fairly nice and the space itself was decent.  There was a second room in the back that had pool tables which no one was using.  I probably would have played a game or two if I wasn't waiting with baited breath to sing.

We didn't get there until about 11pm and it took us a bit to figure out where there books were. They were hard to see because the artist and title sections made up about a half inch total in book space.  Their only brand of songs were Monster Hits, which are one of the poorest quality brands of karaoke songs available on the market.

After about five minutes of looking through this pamphlet of songs we each chose a song and waited patiently to sing.  When we got there it was fairly busy.  Typical of most bars on a weekend night.  And we waited.

Sometime around 1130 they began to play a string of really terrible Top 40 songs including that ubiquitous "Cupid Shuffle" which seems to be a favorite among many.  Titan and I personally cannot stand the song, but suffered through listening to it in the assumption that they were taking a short break from singing and then moving on.  After a half hour or so of this crappy music they finally began the singers again.

Now, I have been singing karaoke for over 15 years and I can honestly say that this KJ was one of the worst I had ever seen.  Not only did she not put new singers (Titan and me) into the rotation before the dreaded music break, she didn't allow new singers to sing after the break.  After the break it was the top of the rotation, and we watched every singer who we had heard sing continue to sing. An hour and a half went by and still we hadn't gotten to sing. We decided to leave with a very bitter taste in our mouths and mind.

Not only did we not get to sing, I began to get a headache due to the intense nature of the treble in the microphone that the KJ didn't seem to notice. And speaking of the KJ, she was the single most unfriendly person I had ever been in contact with.  She gave blank looks to Titan and when I went finally give my song slip, she took it without a single word.  There was no welcoming words of any kind from either her or the bar staff.

The blond working behind the bar must have been having a bad night.  Either that, or we weren't the type of people to be patronizing the bar.  True, it was filled with a bunch of younger jock types, but so? 

This bar's only saving grace was the male bartender whose name we didn't get.  He was attentive and smiled.  He didn't sneer when I told him I was only drinking water because I was the driver. They also have happy hour from midnight to 4am where it appears that the drinks are half price.  Titan told me that the drinks the blond was making before midnight tasted like they had no alcohol in them.  After midnight with the guy they were half the price and actually tasted like there was alcohol in them.  Shouldn't they taste the same no matter who pours?

I usually tell people that I am willing to try anything twice. In the case of Spiro's, I will never be visiting this place ever again for karaoke. And since I am not a huge sports fan, I do not foresee going there for anything.

Overall I give Spiro's Sports Bar and Grille:



And honestly I feel that is very generous.