"Dive" into Reno

Reno is infamous for having a little something for everybody. Upscale, casual, or downright dirty, Reno is home to an eclectic mix of restaurants, bars, and general entertainment options. But when it comes to planning a night of seedy underground traveling, where are the best dive spots to hit? Where has cheap drinks, a jukebox to blow up, and a bartender with stories that would make Charlie Sheen fall off of his bar stool?

Despite having a reputation for class and sophistication, we would be lying if we said there haven’t been a few nights where we tore up the town on a tour of Reno’s more undemanding bars. Here are just a few of our favorites.

*Side note: We know that this varies from person to person, but we must warn that some of these places allow smoking inside. Some might not find that to their liking

·         The Hideout: Located off Ryland just before Wells, The Hideout is an infamous Reno watering hole. This is your quintessential dive bar. You walk in to two pools tables, a jukebox ready to engulf, and a long stretch of bar. This is the kind of place where the bartender can out-drink you. There’s not a ton of beer selection, particularly when it comes to their tap choices, but they’ve got plenty of whiskey to keep you happy and warm. Rumor has it that the infamous Ke$ha made a pit stop here while performing in Reno. Good enough for her? Well, the Hideout will always be good enough for us.

·         Shea’s Tavern: Shea’s is right in the center of things, located just a few blocks south from downtown right on Virginia St. It often scares ladies and small children walking their dogs, who are near blown away by the raw punk and metal music blasting from inside on any given occasion. But don’t let that put you off. Its unrefined approach posts no dress code and no inhibitions. With great drink specials and possibly some of the most wide open hours in the city, Shea’s lives up to its reputation of never letting a patron go thirsty.

·         Abby’s Highway 40: The classic Reno dive bar. Think: 4^th street. Relaxed. Everyone’s welcome, everyone’s friendly. And they’ve really got all the necessities for a dive bar. On any given day, one can catch live music, spend a warm night in their massive backyard/beer garden, or enjoy the comfortable, no-frills-needed atmosphere inside the bar. One thing is for sure- you’ll walk away with stories you would have never otherwise heard. And that’s a good thing.

·         Wonder Bar: The classic 70’s sign, the perfect spot for Wells Ave bar crawling, or just place to come feel at home- the Wonder Bar is your prime dive bar pit stop. You walk in and it’s relatively simple: a bar, some video poker, darts board, jukebox, and a few feet of moving room. But while you’re intrigued with simplicity, remember that the jukebox is meant to be played, and the few feet of room is meant for any kind of dancing; the darts games lead to new best friends and the bar is lined with interesting characters. This is a place that looks ordinary at first, but show up on the right night/day, and you’ll find yourself in the middle of the most comfortable, anything goes kind of party. Oh, and if you smell something good coming from the back patio, be sure not to pass it by.

So there you have it! While there are more we’d love to include, these are really what we consider to the highest quality of keeping it real. Unbutton your collar, or maybe the whole shirt after a few, and crawl around to the “dark side” of Reno. We think you’ll find yourself redefining the term “diamond in the rough”.

2 Ideas for Date Night

Let’s face it, your love life is getting a little dull. So instead of doing the whole Chinese-take-out-thing this Friday night, surprise your significant other and take them on a fancy date. Here are 2 options that are both guaranteed to provide excitement.

Splurge: The Ritz-Carlton at Northstar is definitely on the pricy side but the food, view and service simply cannot be compared. We recommend The Manzanita which serves French-inspired California cuisine. Don’t worry about what that means, just know it’s delicious. Since we just got a bit of snow up in Tahoe, Northstar is going to be beautiful. Take a Bell Limo if you don’t want to drive for an added bonus. You’re going to want to plan on spending around 40 dollars a person and falling in love again (and again when the dessert comes).

Wallet-friendly: If you want to surprise your significant other with something special but can’t quite afford to splurge, try Bite on for size. Bite Restaurant & Bar located in Incline Village has a cozy, fun atmosphere and decadent food. The owner calls the restaurant an “experimentation and sampling of exotic gourmet cuisine. All Menu items are served on small plates, so you can create your own meal.” Seriously, what could be more fun? Plan on spending around 20 dollars a person and of course eating off each others plates.  

Party Refined Style

You’re never too “old” to have a good time in Reno. It’s crawling with the young, hip party goers, but is also a fantastic social outlet for those who just need to unwind outside of that delicious bottle of chardonnay and American Idol or Glee nights.

We’re always getting asked where and what’s going on in Reno that’s a good ‘ol time, but outside of club lines, spilled Bud Light, and 30 minute drink waits. We feel everyone deserves a good time; after all, that’s why we exist! So we’ve put together a little rundown of hot spots that don’t require your college ID.

• The Grill on McCarran Blvd. has always been a well-known staple for Reno’s more refined ladies and gentleman to enjoy a glass of wine from an impeccable selection, a nice meal, and meet similar folks without feeling like they’re in a meat market. A little off the beaten path of downtown, but perfect for those who live in the south end of town.
• Roxy’s inside the Eldorado is one of our favorite dancing spots in Reno. Placed on the “border” of the El Dorado and Silver Legacy, Roxy’s is the quintessential example of sophistication meets play; known for their grand martini selection, award-winning plethora of wines, and a lounge act that’ll get your great grandma out of her chair, Roxy’s brings fine dining, exquisite drinking, and a night of “living it up” to downtown in the classiest of ways.
• Keeping outside of downtown in mind, but not excluding casinos, we must recommend the Reserve win bar inside the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino. Reserve is unique in that there’s no bartender; it’s all self serve. Over 80 wine bottles are kept in cases, assuring temperature and freshness are right on the money. Upon entering, you buy a credit card sized wine card, load it up with cash (in any increment you’d like), grab a wine glass, and go to town. A lounge atmosphere accompanies the experience, so once you’ve chosen your poison (you can also control the amount of wine you get from each selection), you’re free to sit down, chat, drink, refill whenever suits you, and never have to fight to grab the bartenders attention. Sounds pretty dreamy to us.
• For those who just want a casual drink, meal, and socializing, the newest hot spot is Napa-Sonoma at Plumgate Center. Its unique atmosphere combines all the enticing aspects of your neighborhood wine bar but doesn’t call for a formal dress code or casino dealings. Located in the heart of Old Southwest, Napa-Sonoma offers lunch and dinner, specializing in scrumptious Panini’s and Italian inspired appetizers, and a wine selection capable of making any wine connoisseur melt. One can purchase wine to-go, make gift baskets and Napa-Sonoma offers special events, including live jazz every Tuesday. Keep it business casual and unbutton that collar with a glass of vino and treat yourself to their signature carrot cake…you deserve it.

The Freight House

The Freight House is a relatively new addition to ‘places to go’ in Reno nightlife, and definitely welcome. They filled the hot-spot niche that incorporated sports, live music and food. I have been to the Freight House on several occasions, and each time it was for a completely different occasion.
• A date, we ended up taking part in the outside ambiance and enjoyed the night with drinks from the outside bar and played ping pong and sand bags (I think that is the name of the game?)
• A large birthday party, Joe ended up reserving all of Bugsy’s Sports Bar for an intimate and large celebration. Bugsy’s was an ideal venue, offering drinks, appetizers and enough room to socialize.
• Meeting for drinks, before an “interesting” night of Burlesque, I met up with friends for some appetizers and drinks at Duffy’s Ale House.
• An Aces game, the balcony offers great views of the field and a relaxed atmosphere where there is no need to crawl over people to grab another beer and pretzel.

Tequila anyone? Visit the Arroyo Mexican Grill on the bottom floor and partake in one or maybe two of their 100 tequila choices while noshing on fine Mexican food. The 250 Lounge has a more industrial feel with live music and views of downtown Reno.

If you have yet to check out the four establishments at the Freight House District, I suggest you make it a must on your summer to-do list. A heads up if you visit during a game, there is a small cover charge to get in, if you don’t have a game ticket…with a ticket you can freely pass in between the Freight House and the ballpark.