You Gotta Know When to Fold ’Em

[December 5th, 2007]

Rumor has it that Old Town’s Crown Room (205 NW 4th Ave., 222-6655) features entertainment from old-school lounge singers (i.e., Elvis and Sinatra impersonators) on weeknights—which actually sounds pretty fun. But on a recent Saturday visit, all the usual suspects of a downtown bar on a weekend night—thick-bodied bouncers, dolled-up gals too scantily clad for the weather and meatheaded, button-up-shirt wearin’ dudes—abounded. While the Crown’s expansive, blue-hued space (it used to house Suzy Wong’s Lounge) hints toward an affection for Swingers —the whole place has a sort of “Vegas, baby, Vegas,” feel—it’s too overrun by the Budweiser ’n’ boobs crowd (local stripper haven Magic Gardens does share a wall) for the faux-classy charm of the blue snakeskin drink menus or tall, semi-circular, hang-with-the-gang booths to really sink in. To be fair, the servers were friendly and the prices weren’t bad ($15 for an import bottle and two shots of flavored liqueur). However, the staff is only so friendly, meaning they’re not down with you smoking ’cause it’s, uh, non-smoking. And if you fall over drunk, they will ask you to leave—though they were even nice about that!