Bernie’s
Lounge
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|
ADDRESS: |
500 N IH-35, 78701 |
| PHONE: | (512) 480-8181 |
| HOURS: | mon-thurs 4pm-11pm; fri-sat 2pm-12am |
| SPECIALS: | happy hour 4pm-7pm weekdays - $1 off drinks |
| ATTIRE: | |
| FOOD: | no, but you can order from the nearby restaurant and they can bring it to the bar |
| SMOKING: | no (should be able to in a few months) |
| PARKING: | street, garage |
| LIVE MUSIC: | no |
| WEBSITE: | n/a |
| AMENITIES & TIPS: | pool tables, a couple tvs, pinball; one wall made up of windows overlooking downtown |
The Scoop
I had high hopes for Bernie's. Well - let's just get this out
of the way. Bernie's is located on the 18th floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel
downtown and, due to its height, provides a great view overlooking all of
downtown. This is Bernie's attraction, and this is why you should visit it at
least once. However, I'm not going to "CitySearch" its view and say it's the
most spectacular, breathtaking, awe-inspiring, etc. etc. view you'll ever see of
the city. I'm not going to get your hopes up, as mine were. That said, the view
is nice - however, it is one side of a wall that you look out. I had envisioned
something a la The Signature Lounge atop the Hancock Center in Chicago, with its
gorgeous panoramic view. Bernie's is in another league, and even playing a
different game altogether.
Bernie's decor is fairly mediocre. "Art" adorns the walls in frames way too large for their subjects, while the drab wall color and carpeted floor make me feel that I'm drinking in an old abandoned conference room the hotel decided to turn into a bar. There are pool tables, a jukebox, pinball machine and a few tvs scattered throughout the place. No restroom in the bar, however - you'll have to use the one down the hall. I asked the bar manager why it was called Bernie's, thinking I would hear stories of some old captain that opened the bar in the '60s or '70s, but instead I'm greeted with, "I have no idea, and I've been here for three years. I hate the name."
All this aside, I won't say I'll never come back. The bar manager was great, and he served great drinks. It's a tad pricey, but what do you expect from a hotel bar? The clientele seemed pleasant enough; an equal mix of middle-aged men and women and college-aged kids. I will, however, say Bernie, wherever you are - I really did have high hopes.
