Arts & Entertainment

Dive offers laid-back atmosphere

Mario Gudmundsson
The Daily Cougar

Itis not the best spot for a first date, but if youire looking scruffy and want to hide out with a cold drink, Cecilis Tavern is the right hole-in the-wall to crawl into. 

Itis a decrepit white building with a big wooden deck out front and parking in a gravelly lot out back if you canit find a space on West Gray Street.

Doormen at this definitive dive bar are conscientious about carding patrons, so donit forget your ID.

Cecilis is dark inside and smells musty (maybe itis the carpet), but cheap drinks and its casual cross-section clientele will take your mind off the negative and on to the fun youire having.

"Iive worked here as long as itis been open, maybe 13 years or so," said bartender Theresa May. "The best thing about working here is the diverse crowd, how different kinds of people always come in."

People-watching is excellent here, as clean-cut students shoot pool next to tattooed punks chatting with 30-somethings from down the street.

"I donit know what it is about Monday nights here," May said with a shrug. "Itis like people want a bargain. Itis like they actually enjoy cheap drinks or something."

Cheap booze has long been the way to bring in droves of college students, and Monday nights ring the dinner bell with $1.75 well drinks and domestic beers. Tuesdays tend to be slow but donit fall far behind with excellent $2.75 you-call-it martinis, and Wednesdays present $1.50 margaritas all night. Mixed drinks are strong, and nine cold beers flow on tap.

"I love the eclectic ambience here, with the woody paneling and the jalapeño Christmas lights," said senior theater major Nicol Beck. "I feel nice here; itis a relaxed place to hang out with friends."

The bar, a smallish oak structure, rests in a usually crowded corner. Stools fill up fast on busy nights, but it isnit a problem because there are plenty of small tables, booths and even a few big sofas to crash on scattered throughout the place.

Pool tables occupy most of the building. One of the pool tables in the back is cheaper to play than the other, newer ones, but you do have to lift it up and shake it to get it working. You can play darts in a separate room with more booths. TV screens, large and small, are also scattered throughout the bar, with sports on constant rotation.

The jukebox here is extensive, with a wide range of music for every taste. Youill find Elvis Costello, the Pretenders and everything in between, such as classic jazz, Elton John and the Gorrilaz.

"Cecilis is a fun place to unwind during the week, after classes, and itis not too crowded some nights, when you donit feel like dressing up or dealing with a mob," Beck said.

Cecilis Tavern

600 W. Gray at Taft Streets

The verdict: Casual dive bar with a fun crowd and cheap drinks.

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