Kelleher's

The entrance to Kelleher's as captured by PBR photog and all-around pro Nyletak

BOOTHS!

A view from the top

Kelleher's, located at 619 SW Water St. in downtown Peoria, has become one of the more popular destinations in downtown Peoria. Located in an old warehouse (I know that's a crappy description, go to their website to read the whole history I'm lazy), the bar does it's best impression of a traditional Irish pub while still offering better than average pub grub.

One of my favorite aspects of this bar is the sense of history it invokes. Now, if you find yourself at Kelleher's on a Friday or Saturday night, you might not be able to pick up on it because of the collar-shirted masses clamoring around the bar. Not only is the building an ancient hulking mass of brick, mortar and steel but just about every nook and cranny is filled with historic artifacts. Some represent the old sod of Ireland but fear not Peoriaphiles, there's enough River City history in here to occupy yourself with.

A shot of downtown Peoria before the new courthouse and Twin Towers

I've seen this picture before and I think it's of a bar in Peoria but I'm not sure where. Help me out Peoria!

A shot of the Gipps Brewery baseball team proves that beer and baseball just go together

Here's another one for you PeoriaKid, I don't think you'll be getting your hands on this sign anytime soon!

Here's another bit of history for ya - the bricks that make up the patio outside the front entrance and those that serve as a sidewalk through the center of the parking lot came from heaping mounds near the river. I'm not sure where owners Pat Sullivan and John Hunt got these mounds from but I do distinctly remember seeing workers rummage through them to pull out the old bricks. Most are Purington Pavers which were used to construct most city streets in Peoria but occassionally, you'll find a Lant and Morris or a Springfield Granite.

Check the history son

Some streets downtown (definitely Water St.) still have the old pavers underneath several layers of asphalt. Eventually, it would be nice to see that crap ripped up and replaced with the old pavers, it would only add to the historic atmosphere of Water St.

Another great thing about Kelleher's is the bar itself, it has no rival in Peoria. On the business side, where all the booze is held, is an enormous wooden structure that runs the length of the bar and extends what seems like eight feet in the air. Keeping with Irish tradition (or something like that), the entire middle section of the structure is filled with whiskey, lots of it. I'm not sure how many different varieties of the stuff there is but my guess is at least 35. Flanking the whiskey on either side is your standard (for higher class bars at least) rows of flavored and specialty vodkas and a few tequilas.

Speaking of specialty vodkas, when did we decide that there needs to be a flavored version of every vodka brand? And just where does this trend stop? Apparently, the sky is the limit as shown by Kelleher's Outrageous Bloody Mary. What's so special about their version of the classic hangover remedy? Well, you can choose between Bacon or Smoked Salmon-flavored vodka. Let that soak in for a minute. Bacon. And. Smoked Salmon. Vodka. What was bloody mary mix, vodka, celery salt, pickles, olives, and celery not enough for your drink? I guess it does lack the protein provided by bacon flavored vodka but good lord what's next a dinner roll? Rant over.

Staying on the subject of semi-over the top drinks, if you're trying to get blasted with two of your closest friends, check out the Grape Ape. The drink combines Buru Citrus Vodka, Fanta Grape Soda on the rocks into one glass. Three straws are provided so you and your partners can dispose of the drink with extreme prejudice.

Kelleher's has about ten revolving beers on tap an  bunch of bottles but you'll always be able to get the standards - Guinness, Harp, and Smithwick's. On my trip there, I had the Two Brothers Monarch Wit ($3) and my guest had Left Hand Brewing Co's Good JuJu ($3). There's always different specials so you'll just have to check their website or call the bar to find out what the good deals are. If you're not used to dropping $3 a beer and $5 a shot, you'll definitely want to pay attention to the specials as it's pretty easy to rack up a hefty bar tab.

As for entertainment, there's a few TV's on either side of the bar as well as Golden Tee and a shuffleboard table, somewhat of an oddity for a place like this. The table is on the second level all the way in the back and looks out over the rear area of the bar. It's definitely the most unique shuffleboard in Peoria due to its location. The third Saturday of every month is "St. Practice Day" with $3 Jameson drinks, corned beef and cabbage, and $3 pints of Guinness, Smithwick's, and Harp. The Flynn Irish dancers jig around for a while and sometimes, (I think) the Bogside Zukes play.

I've never had the food at Kelleher's but it seems like pretty standard pub food but with an Irish twist. On Monday nights you can get a fried chicken dinner with a choice of fries or mashed taters and gravy with bread and cole slaw - sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Fifteen years ago, there wasn't a whole lot going on at the corner of State and Water except for Rizzi's. But Pat Sullivan and John Hunt have done an admirable job in revamping their block all while respecting the history of the buildings that their businesses occupy.

Kelleher's is an upscale bar and restaurant, a traditional Irish pub it is not. You won't find any blue collar guys from the neighborhood tipping a few back after work. I understand what the owners were going for and the bar's atmosphere is one of a kind but if you want to down some pints at somewhere that truly resembles (again, not a whole lot of working men here either) the public houses of the old country, you're better off heading up Main St. to Ulrich's Rebellion Room a bar that was formerly owned by Pat's brother - Mike "Sully" Sullivan.

Cheers to Kelleher's!

WEEKLY SPECIALS
M - $3 select drafs 
T - $3 20 oz. Boston Lagers
W - $10 domestic buckets (5,) $3 Absolut drinks
Th - $3 Goose Islands, $10 domestic buckets, $3 Pinnacle Vodka drinks
F - $3 Grape Ape shots, $3 Sobieski vodka drinks
S - $3 Two Brothers drafts, $3 Jameson drinks

Hoops Pub and Pizza

This picture is old, Adam's Apple is now Gin Joint. My encyclopedic knowledge of Peoria area bars knows no bounds.

Hoops is located at 516 Main St. in downtown Peoria. That last sentence was such a waste, if you don't know where Hoops is, you just haven't been paying attention. Hoops has been a mainstay in downtown Peoria for the last fourteen years. Pryor* to this, the building that houses Hoops was a small restaurant known as Pepperoni's.

*For an explanation of this error see Things Unique To Peoria: Richard Pryor

Speaking of this building, it is fucking old, probably one of the oldest in Peoria. Technically the entire building that holds Hoops, Judge's Chamber, Club Ice, Gin Joint, and Whammy Bar is all part of the Madison Theatre. Hoops is the only one of these establishments that isn't owned in some way by Big Al. All of the other bars in this building are in some way, leased or rented from King Douche Al himself. It is my hope that Al never gets his greedy hands on Hoops, lest he turn into a sleazy nightclub complete with ostrich skinned booths and $8 beers.

Hoops is known for its pizza. According to a recent poll at the PBR, Hoops was voted as having the best pizza in Peoria. I was listening to Rush I Love Oxycontin Limbaugh the other day and he utilized a low rent tactic whereby he questioned the manhood of anyone who called themselves a liberal much less anyone who voted for one. Well, I am about to use that tactic right now. There is only one way to eat a slice of pizza at Hoops if you are a "real" man. This munching method is known as "pinch and fold" (copyright 2010 Peoria Bar Review). When you order a slice at Hoops you will be equipped with the following; a plate, a knife, a fork, parmesan cheese, hot sauce and red pepper flakes. The first thing you should do put a generous amount of parmesan on your slice to soak up the grease. Then, top it with red pepper. Next, pick up your slice with your thumb and middle fingers. Place your first finger in the middle of the crust, then pinch and fold until the crust cracks. This will result in a doubled-over slice of pizza that is one of the greatest culinary treats in Peoria. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU EVER USE A KNIFE AND/FORK TO EAT YOUR SLICE OF PIZZA! This is an act of blasphemy that greatly offends the pizza gods. If you do use a knife and fork you must eat three Papa John's and one Domino's as your penance. There is a lot more than just pizza on the menu but you'll just have to take my word for it because the menu is enormous. Off the top of my head, I can tell you that the nachos are amazing. They're topped with Italian beef and jalapenos and are a cheesy, delicious mess.

There are more tables than seats at the bar at Hoops but no matter where you are, there is a tv in sight. Behind the bar is a giant bookcase-looking thing that holds the massive selection of booze available for your drankin pleasure. The walls are adorned with local sports memorabilia. The items include two Bradley basketball jerseys from the days when blue was part of the school's colors. The jerseys belong to former NBA-er Hersey Hawkins and Hoops owner Kerry Cook. Another great piece of history on the walls of Hoops is hockey sweater* from the Peoria Blades. Logo seen below.

*Sweater is hockey slang for jersey. DO NOT call a hockey sweater a jersey, it offends the hockey gods. You're welcome for teaching you something new.

In case you didn't notice, the goalie's legs are Caterpillar tractor tracks. The actual logo uses a white, blue, and yellow color scheme. The Blades were Peoria's hockey team from 1972-82. For two years the Blades became the Prancers and rocked this awesome fucking logo.

Eventually, the Prancers became the Peoria Rivermen and went on to win the IHL's Turner Cup, serve as the IHL home of such hockey greats as Tony Twist, Dominic Lavoie, and my childhood hero, Ricky Pion. There is also a fair amount of Bradley basketball paraphernalia, which is probably part of why it is so popular among the Hilltopper alumni. Before and after Bradley games, Hoops is always packed with Braves fans getting their pizza fix. So, the next time you are at Hoops, make sure you take some time to admire all the local sports history that adorns the bar.

While the bar downstairs is decorated with a local flair, the upstairs bar has a much more tropical feel. There's a tiki bar and picnic tables to eat and drink at. Hoops is the only tavern in Peoria that I can think of that has two bars in the same building that vary so much in decor. The upstairs isn't always open but during the wee hours of the morning, both bars are almost always operating at full capacity. Draft and bottled beers are available upstairs and downstairs.

Hoops is a place that holds a certain distinction among several groups of people. My Bradley alumni friends always talk fondly of late nights at Hoops, as well as most anyone who has ever worked at a bar downtown. Whilst googling Hoops, I came across several reviews of Hoops from out-of-towners who had nothing but praise for the bar and their food. The third group is made up of those of us like the PBR staff, that still enjoy spending a night downtown. Sometimes it can get a little Weird when Club Ice is packed but really, since the closing of Fourplay, Main St. has become a much more enjoyable place to be. Read: less douchebags. This is especially true now that Whammy Bar is going strong with their diverse group of bands cycling through.

Before I forget, I have to mention Steve, or as he is more often called "Nappy". Steve has been working at Hoops since its founding and is a true pro. Not to mention he has one of the most bad ass mullets I've ever seen. Steve's mullet could kick the shit out of Jared Allen's mullet* with one hand tied behind its back. Yah, you read that right, Steve's mullet actually has its own fucking hands. You can not fuck with that shit.

*Ha! Are you kidding me? When did you start growing that, yesterday? My dick has a better mullet than that!

I can't imagine there are many people reading this that live in the Peoria area and have never been to Hoops. It seems that this bar is one of those places that just about everyone has been to at least once. So, for those of you reading this who have found yourself in our Fair City, make sure you stop by Hoops for a slice, or ten. Hoops has booze and food till 4 AM everyday of the week, so no matter what time you get into town, Hoops is there to serve you!

Cheers to great pizza and cheers to Hoops!

Shifter's Pub, formerly Whammy Bar

Update 7/8/12 - Went down to Shifter's Pub (as in a gear shifter, for some reason) last night and it was pretty packed. They opened a few months back and seem to be doing fairly well. The area in front of the stage was raised a bit, and new fake-wood flooring makes up a small dancing area. It's doubtful that any music there won't be coming from a DJ's laptop (does no one use vinyl anymore? I thought that's what made DJ's so cool). This sucks for lovers of live, original music, but it may be the best business model, for the stiletto-wearing YOLO chicks and cologne-soaked bros who populate the 500 block in the wee hours. We'll see.

Update - Unfortunately, the Whammy Bar has closed and continued the failure of bars in this particular location. This sucks because, the Whammy Bar was such a great place to hear local and non-local musical acts. According to the Journal Star, another tenant has already been lined up. No word on whether or not the new owner will incorporate live music into the new bar's format. See the original review below.

R.I.P Whammy Bar
 
Whammy Bar is located at 500 Main St. in downtown Peoria. This location has been many things over the years: Euro Jack's, The 5th Amendment, Babe's, and most notably the original S.O.P.'s. Back when it was Sully's Other Planet, this place really hopped with live music. The new version of S.O.P.'s (now closed, soon to be an extended section of Deisel) has done a decent job in living up to that legacy but it fails in providing as intimate of an environment as there is at the Whammy Bar. I had never actually been to any of the former incarnations of 500 Main St. but fellow PBR staffer Bobby Bolts informed me that the layout of the bar is basically the same. That is not to say that the owners of the Whammy Bar didn't do an admirable job in outfitting it with some great rock and blues memorabilia. Also, back by the men's bathroom there is an old payphone booth that now holds a Chief. I'll get the pic up as soon as I find my fucking memory card.

In case you didn't know a whammy bar (also known as a tremolo bar) is, it is a device attached the bridge of a guitar that allows the musician to manipulate pitch and tone. It was first made famous by Chet Atkins and the great surf music of Dick Dale and the Ventures. It's popularity spread to rock and was utilized heavily by Hendrix and Zepellin among many others. Later, the whammy bar was instrumental in popularizing the "shred metal" bands of the 80's and especially Van Halen.

Gone is the small bar just inside the main entrance on Main and Madison. There is a new Valley pool table just to the right inside. Hanging high above the table are several encased and autographed guitars. I can't remember who has autographed the axes but I do know (ok, I think) Sheryl Crow is one of them. There are high topped tables to the right of the granite, square bar. There is a small patio off Madison Ave. that is made up of a nice collection of antique Purington Pavers. At one time, many of the streets in downtown Peoria were made up completely of these bricks. The only problem is that you can't take your drinks outside after midnight. It's the same way at Hoops, I think it is some kind of city ordinance. What sucks about this, is that this rule makes sense for Club Ice, Gin Joint, and Judge's Chamber, none of which have any kind of patio furniture to set your drinks on. The Whammy Bar provides its patrons with nice high topped tables and chairs for your smoking and people-watching pleasure.

Side note: last week when I was down at the Whammy, I was sitting outside enjoying a pleasant conversation with a very drunken individual when four assholes on crotch rockets ripped their throttles open. It was so fucking loud I couldn't hear a thing my friend was saying. Note to motorcycle riders making a shitload of noise on Main Street: YOU ARE NOT COOL! Actually, you are quite lame. As a matter of fact, all you're doing is pissing people off. I understand if you want to rip it open on some back country road or the interstate but Main Street just isn't the place. Not to mention the fact that the noise bounces back and forth between the buildings that make up the canyon of Main Street, making it louder and last longer than normal -- like some kind exhaust noise Viagra. So, if you are one of those motorcycle riders reading this, let me just say that you are a douchebag and I hope you get pulled over and get a ticket for that shit. Rant over.

Back to the Whammy. One of the great things about this place is their stage. They've got lights, PA, sound board, the whole deal. They even give amateurs a chance to get up there on Wednesdays when local musician and friend of the PBR Derrick Hart, hosts an open mic night. The Whammy Bar also has plenty of bands booked on the weekends, go to their website, peoriawhammybar.com and check out their calendar of events. 

The Whammy Bar also has food, a lot of it. Their menu is extensive, running the gamut from burgers, to burritos, salads and a whole lot more. I'm not sure if they serve till 4 in the morning but I would guess they serve till at least 2.

So cheers to the Whammy Bar for providing an amazing venue for local musicians to play, and for giving Main Street a classy oasis for booze consumption.

No cheers to motorcycle riders who think they're being filmed for the Fast and Furious 4, you guys are assholes.

Ulrich's Rebellion Room (formerly Mushrush's)

Ulrich's is located at 631 Main Street in downtown Peoria. In case you don't know where the hell that is, it's the same building that used to be Sullivan's (not to be confused with Sully's or SOP's) right next to Deisel. You know, the place you go to when your girlfriend is out of town to show off your new shirt and get free drinks.

Ulrich's is really no different of a place now that Sully no longer owns and operates it. However, the crowd is a little different. For some reason, here in Peoria, if someone with the last name of Sullivan owns a bar, people who make over 100k a year frequent whatever that establishment is. Even if it happens to be on the 600 block of Main St. next to a gay bar. You don't believe me? Go down to Kelleher's on a Saturday night and count the number of Cadillacs and BMW's in the parking lot. Then try to go inside and get a beer for less than three dollars, not going to happen. Anyway, that's a topic for another day.

Ulrich's is styled (not surprisingly) like an Irish pub and does a pretty decent job of pulling it off. The bartenders still wear shirts and ties like they did when it was Sullivan's and there are still no TV's above the bar. The menu is short but has everything you could want from a bar with just a tiny flattop grill. Tuesday nights are free tacos and there is a rotating menu of free food on Friday nights as well. The kitchen is open till 4 AM. I've never eaten there that late but if I happened to find myself downtown in the wee hours with an empty stomach, I'd probably head to Mushrush's over Richard's or Hoops. If you've ever gone out all night drinking and then polished it off with the gut-busting grease bombs that Richard's calls food, you probably woke up the next morning feeling like a big bag of shit. I know I have. The food served at Ulrich's is not fried and most of their selections are actually pretty healthy, like the Cajun tuna and the grilled chicken sandwich.

One of the coolest things about Ulrich's is their smoking patio. There really isn't anything special about it, except for the fact that the smoking area is shared with Diesel next door. This makes for a nice little mix of bar-goers. Where else can you go to an Irish pub and have a smoke with the lively patrons of a gay bar? Its nice because you can get the feel of Diesel without having to actually go inside. If you do find yourself in Diesel, the shared smoking patio can come in handy. For those of you who don't know, the men's bathrooms in Diesel are....well intimate. Basically, if you are taking a piss in the urinal and someone opens the door, you find yourself somewhat exposed. Now, this may not seem like a bad thing but when you're as good looking as I am, it's hard enough to fight off the advances and rufied drinks of the gentlemen in the bar, without hanging my guy out there for all to see. So, if you're a smart man (or at least not a voyeur) you can slip out back and head into Mushrush's to use their clean and more private restrooms.

The food at Ulrich's has been featured on WEEK's "You Gotta Eat" and reviewed by associatedcontent.com. In case you're wondering where the hell the name Mushrush's came from, believe it or not, it's actually the former owner's last name. This past December Mushrush's was sold to the head bartender, Joe Ulrich. Mushrush himself though, will probably still frequent the place basically because he likes to party. Like gettin' drunk and dancing on tables kind of partying. I guess the technical term for that is par-tay. Well, I like to party too and Ulrich's is a good place to do it. So head on down grab a burger and a Guinness, than polish it off with a nice big shot of Michael Collins. If you're on Facebook check out their page for upcoming events and specials.

Cheers to Ulrich's and cheers to cooking good food for the good (drunk) people of Peoria!

The Northeast Adams Stretch: Amy's Anchor Club (Now Veteran's Pub and Pizza)

Amy's Anchor Club is located at 2525 NE Adams St. in Peoria. You can only see the sign if you are driving towards downtown as it hangs above a window on the northeast side of the building. When my two friends and I walked in, there were some odd looks, I'm guessing this was because we were the only white people in the bar. The only special that night (this past Saturday) was MGD 64 for $1.50. I've never had one and I heard they suck so I ordered a tall blonde. The Miller High Life cost me 2 bucks and PBR's were the same, no drafts, bottles only.

The bar was really nice; a couple of flatscreens, lots of blue lights, and of course, nautical decorations. There is a kind of half wall seperating two pool tables from the bar area. Up against this wall on the bar side is a shuffleboard table. I asked the bartender for the pucks and my friend and I started to play with the rules he learned at The Illinois State University. In the other room with the pool tables, there was a DJ (or maybe just some guy who works there) playing music from his laptop. Now, normally I'm not usually a fan of having no say in what is being pumped through the sound system but this guy had some good picks, mostly old soul, R&B, and blues. Also on the "pool side" was a table with some crock pots, apparently somebody was having a pot luck.

Side note: at least Notre Dame lost to a ranked opponent this week, but losing to a team coached by Dave Wannstedt always hurts.

After watching ND lose and losing my first game of shuffle, something interesting happened. A few people in the bar turned around in their barstools and started watching our second game. Eventually, a guy approached me and asked how to play. It was then that I realized that apparently, shuffleboard is a white guy's game and never looked interesting enough until my freinds and I started getting competitive and talking shit to each other. So, I obliged this guy (who I'll call Dre) and we started playing, it didn't take long for him to catch on and he eventually beat me 15-13. He then showed his girlfriend how to play and she beat him. Ahhhh, the circle of life. Not to say that no one in Amy's knew how to play shuffleboard prior to Saturday night but I think at least a couple of folks in there got hooked. Maybe the next time I go to Amy's, people will be gathered around the shuffleboard table instead of the pool tables.

The most unique thing about Amy's are the bathrooms. There are no sinks in either bathrooms but a common sink sits just outside of them. This way, everybody knows if you use the john and don't wash your hands afterwards. Also, they are the cleanest bathrooms I have ever seen in a dive bar or any bar downtown for that matter.

As we were about to leave, Dre asked me if I wanted to join him in enjoying a "cigar". As we were enjoying this fine Jamaican stogie, we watched a State cop who had pulled someone over and was lining up beer bottles on the curb....ouch.

Amy's Anchor Club seems like a fun place. It is definitely the most lively place I've been to on the NE Adams Stretch. Cheap drinks, good times can be had at Amy's.

Update: It seems that Amy's has closed. For the past three Saturdays or so, the bar has been closed at night. Not sure if it is temporary or permanent.

Update II: The past few times I have driven by, it looks as if people are working inside. Amy's may be getting ready to re-open.

Update III: The sign bearing the anchor club logo has been removed, the building next to Amy's has been completely torn down. On the roof there are now several military related flags flying and a temporary sign reads "Guess Who's Coming Back?", or something like that.
Update IV: There's a new sign on top of Amy's it reads "Veterans Pub and Pizza Coming Soon". Sounds like I'm going to have to add a "Gone But Not Forgotten" tag to this post.
Update V: Amy's has changed hands and is now Veteran's Pub and Pizza, will provide a new review eventually.

Roger's Place

Roger's Place is a great little hole in the wall located at 1923 SW Adams St. just south of downtown Peoria. I went there last night after work to have a few before the Bears game. Roger's is a one room bar with 30 stools, no tables and a smaller than usual pool table. The table looks really old and I can't think of another place where I have seen one the same size. One side of the table is only about four feet from the wall but the bar provides shooters with a short stick in case you have to shoot from that side.

I walked into Roger's about 7:00 and there were only three people inside, including the bartender who is called Booter. I think it is a safe bet that this is a nickname, I can't really picture anyone actually naming their child Booter but I guess anything is possible. Roger's has two beers on draft: PBR and Bud Light. The PBR goes for $0.75 and the Bud Light will cost you $1.00. I thought I would splurge so I ordered a Bud Light. To the suppossed 20% of you reading this, Roger's Place is Altoid tin friendly, if you don't know what this means, I guess you'll just have to find out for yourself. You can also buy six packs of Blatz for $5.00 (awesome!), and 40 ounces of King Cobra or Steel Reserve.

After about 40 minutes the place started to fill up with regulars. The first ones to arrive were two Mexicans, one spoke fluent English, the other did not. Javier told me that he had just come from a DUI class, where he translated for his friend, which I found hilarious. He said it was fun and he heard some good stories. So, basically after attending a court ordered Dry Roads class, Javier's buddy needed a drink and Roger's Place was the watering hole of choice. Anyone who has ever had to go through one of these guilt trip sessions probably has felt the same way. They are like AA meetings without the actual intention of not drinking AND they are required AND you have to pay for them.

I took a picture of the bathroom sink because I don't think I've ever seen one like it. I swear to god the bathroom was two feet by two feet. It had a NO SOLICITING sign on the door, which I assume is some joke about prostitution.

One last thing about Roger's Place, if you are a pool player the following house rules apply if you want to hold the table. First, you must make the eight ball with a bank shot to win the game. Secondly, if you scratch trying to make the eight ball, you do not lose. In other words the game continues until someone makes a bank eight. I thought this was cool because it makes the game last longer and with the smaller table, is significantly easier to do than on a full size (7 foot) bar table. Also, bars that have house rules mean that the same guys play there all the time, in other words, there is almost always competition. I played Booter for two games, lost the first and won the second, despite the fact that he was obviously better than me.

Roger's Place is your typical hole in the wall with regular customers. It seems like it would be a fun place on the weekends. I'm guessing that a lot of craziness goes on here. On top of that, Booter told me that Willie York has been hanging out there a lot lately. So if you want an opinion on just about anything, maybe you can go down to Roger's and have a little talk with Willie! I know I have always found his semi-incoherent slurs to be very enlightening.

Cheers to Roger's Place!

Update - I've really grown fond of this place and the characters in it. Several times, people at the bar have thrown down some cash to buy a half pint for Willie who stops in from time to time. Booter is a great bartender and a fun guy to talk to. Kenny and Donnie are two brothers who sit at the Adams St. end of the bar and are nothing short of hilarious. Kenny's catchphrase is Yah Right! This place is a real solid boozer and is usually busiest from 5 - 8 on the weekdays. It gets kind of slow after that and is a good place to waste away by yourself if you're looking for solitude.

The Northeast Adams Stretch: Dixie's Dungeon and Averyville By Chance

I'm not really sure why there are so many bars on NE Adams in Peoria. It doesn't seem like a huge population center (at least not one that would neccessitate 8 or 9 bars in a 2 mile stretch). Whatever the reason, most of these taverns have been around for a long time. My girlfriend and I went out last night and hit up two of these fine (?) establishments and are planning more trips to check out the rest of them. Here's the breakdown from last night.

First Stop: Dixie's Dungeon 1227 NE Adams

For some reason if you look for bars on NE Adams online there are two entries for this address; Cookie's and Dixie's, apparently this bar is now known ad Dixie's Dungeon. Aesthetically speaking I think referring to Dixie's as a dungeon is a good analogy. It's a small, cramped place seperated into two rooms, one with the bar and another for billiards. Despite the fact that Dixie's has an Adams St. address, the only entrance is on Spring St. When you walk in you'll find yourself looking straight at a bar with about 20 stools. There's a good size flatscreen in the middle (something I suspect is a rarity amongst Adams St. bars), to your left are 6 poker machines, that I assume, like most dives, probably pay out. At the end of this row is an ATM machine, probably because the bar doesn't accept plastic. Also in this front room is a cigarette machine (yes apparently they still exist) one of only two or three that I know of in Peoria. My girlfriend and I ordered two Miller Light drafts for $1.50 each and I was happy to see they were in the full size pint glasses. The bartender was very personable and my girlfriend immediately started a good conversation with her while I searched via the remote for the Blackhawks game on TV. Side note; any place you go where the bartender gives you the remote so you can find what you want to watch is a good place in my book. The beer was cold and the atmosphere was real laid back, of the three other people in Dixie's last night I had good conversations with two of them. The third was a really old guy who looked like he was super drunk and I couldn't understand him that well. In between our first and second beers I took down Dixie's weekly specials.

Sun: $2 vodka drinks
Mon: free food (not sure what kind) and $1 Miller bottles
Tue: $2 Miller Lt. bottles
Wed:$2 wells
Thu: $2 Miller Lt. cans (not sure if the bottles cost more or what thats all about)
Fri: $10 buckets 'o' beer
Sat: $12 buckets 'o' beer

Second Stop: Averyville by Chance 2803 NE Adams

First off, in case you weren't aware the general area that most of these bars fall under is called Averyville and has been for a really long time (when most Peorians actually lived downtown). This bar has had this name for as long as I can remember so it might be encroaching upon "institution" status. I'd really like to go here in the summertime because my impression is that this is a huge Cubs bar. The cabinets behind the bar are all painted red and Cubbie blue, with lots of Cub memoribilia everywhere and the bartender (owner maybe?) was wearing a Cubs hat. Also, my girlfriend said that the girls' bathroom had pro Cubs/anti-Cardinal graffitti all over, yet the guys' had none, so maybe its a Cubs/lesbian bar. Unfortunately, they only have two old rear projection TV's to watch games on. There were three beers on tap; Bud, Bud Light, and PBR (awesome), I had a Red, White, and Blue and started checking the place out. For those of you who like to shoot stuff but can't actually go through with killing a living thing, there is a Big Buck Hunter machine as well as some poker machines, two dartboards, and a pool table. The bar seats about twenty and there are tables and chairs for twenty more, definitely way bigger than Dixie's. It was a cool place but there wasn't really that much going on, so we finished our drinks and moved uptown to check out some bars on Wisconsin Ave. However, I'm guessing that on the weekends Averyville By Chance gets pretty packed and might be worth checking out. Before we left I got the weekly specials.

Sun: $1.50 drafts
Mon: $1.50 drafts
Tue: $2 Monster (energy drink) bombs
Wed: $2 Bud family bottles, $2 UV bombs
Thu: $9 buckets
Fri: $3 Monster bombs
Sat: $3.50 well pints

Cheers to Dixie's and Averyville, for being the kind of laid back dives I have come to love. The next time you find yourself at the bottom of the hill, skip all the downtown bullshit and cruise on up to NE Adams. At least you won't have to pay upwards of three bucks for a Bud Light.

Update: Dixie's has been closed for a few months now with no signs of re-opening. Averyville by Chance is owned by a guy named Chance (duh!) and he is super cool for many reasons, the least of which being his love for Trailer Park Boys. On Sundays, Chance provides his patrons with a nice spread of hot dogs, brats, and usually salsa. Last point, this is a huge Cubs bar, so if you're a fan of another team, don't expect to watch them if the Boys In Blue are playing.
Update II: Dixie's re-opened a few months ago and originally had a sign that said 745 Tap. That sign is gone now but the bar remains open. Also Averyville by Chance has been closed for about a month (I think). Will provide more information as it becomes available.
Update III: I'm still not sure what Dixie's is now called as there is no signage at all on the bar. Secondly, Averyville has been closed for about eight months with no signs of re-opening.