Bar Guide 2014: The Spare Room

By Penelope Bass

The Spare Room

4830 NE 42nd Ave., 287-5800. 7-2:30 am daily.

Like the Room of Requirement that magically appears in Hogwarts Castle offering exactly what its seeker is in need of, so the Spare Room Restaurant and Lounge magically becomes all things to all people. Reputable enough to meet co-workers for happy-hour drinks and divey enough to appease the hipsters, the Spare Room is like a Rotary Club whose mission is to bring together people from all backgrounds for a few Beam-and-Cokes and maybe some karaoke. Grandma can play keno in the corner while Johnny pumps his own quarters into Asteroids Deluxe in the bar's billiard annex, which, with its faux-wood paneling and low ceilings, is a dead ringer for your parents' basement rec room. Then everyone can sit down to a nice, home-style dinner (Tuesday $5 meat loaf, Friday surf and turf!) before taking a few turns on the parquet dance floor. PENELOPE BASS.

Happy Hour: 3-6 pm daily. $2 wells, $1.25 draft Bud, $1.50 draft PBR.
Entertainment: Bingo, karaoke with live sax, TVs, live music, pool, video games…do you really need more?

WWeek 2015

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