I tried to come up with a list based on a quasi rubric, so that’s how the results are ordered. If I were to order them from the top of my head for instance, I probably would have put a bar like the penguin higher. If you agree or (more likely) disagree with any of the scores or rankings, leave a comment, you just might sway my opinion & the score. The scores are displayed at the bottom along with a quick description of the categories – and now on to the countdown!
Just Missed the Cut:
- St Andrews (Seattle, WA) – super stiff drinks, pretty cheap and the bartender knows us (although I can’ decide if that’s a good thing or not in this case). Took some hits on scores because there’s really nobody there besides who you went with and isn’t anything special inside. The reason it’s a good choice sometimes is because of the location, drinks, and plenty of space. Everytime I think of this place though I think of being extremely hung over the next day.
- The Legion (Bozeman, MT)- our most regular college bar, it definitely got bonus points considering one of our friends was the “DJ” there which meant you could do whatever you wanted on the dance floor and most importantly that you had somewhere to sit down for minute. Unfortuntely it took some hits on scores due to the fact there was a fight every night and it was a basement bar that just held in loads and loads of cigarette smoke. Oh ya and it blew up.
- Norms (Seattle, WA) – Great food, they allow dogs, they sell PBR 40s, giant windows that open up in the summer and I actually like going out there at night, at least as a first stop. Hmm maybe this should have been a lot higher
10. Triangle- Seattle, WA (45)
Pretty standard option for going out in Fremont that scored pretty much average scores across the board. No matter how warm or cold it is we always seem to end up sitting outside. I probably should have docked it even more points under ‘intangibles’ simply because the new name is “nine million in unmarked bills”…..ouch
T-9. The Pengiun – Portland, OR (46)
I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad time at the penguin, any time that’s our destination things are going well for me. It was one of only three bars to score a 10 on intangibles which can mostly be attributed to the karaoke, how close it is to Holzer’s house, and some of my best times are from Portland have been there. It scored relatively low on rules and bartenders which hurt it’s ranking. “Mad Dog” scared me, Steph got cut off last time before we all pretty much got asked to leave when she casually closed out all of our tabs and gave it to us to sign, and the time I fell in the thorn bush they wouldn’t let me in because my arms were bleeding. That being said, I still feel like this bar is too low, but don’t know any areas where I think it deserves a higher grade.
T-9. Boodles – Bozeman, MT (46)
The price for a Montana bar hurt it, but the atmosphere helped make up for it. This was a great Bozeman bar and always a great change of pace from the R-Bar and Legion. In fact, it was physically right in between the two, whoa! It’s really unfortunate it blew up, when they open a new one I’m definitely making someone drive me down there from Tanner’s house.
7. Brew Pub – Billings, MT (47)
It’s probably not even the most popular bar in the building, but it’s always served as a meeting place for everyone I want to go out with when I’m back home. The Friday night before Christmas is always one of my favorite nights. It scored pretty average scores across the board with high marks for the crowd and a bump in intangibles since it has one of my two favorite beers, the ‘whitetail wheat’. See you there soon!
6. Spectators – Bozeman, MT (48)
Specs! Our college sports bar right next to campus – let’s just run through some highlights: They serve pizza AND chicken strips, they cover the entire ground with saud for the Cat-griz game, and they have a friendly all female staff. I’ve walked the drinks from there right to Joe’s, so i’ve never even thought about the possibility they might have rules there. The only low mark it had was for crowd because unlike the wait staff, everyone else there is a guy, most likely with a beard wearing carharts.
5. Lenys – Seattle, WA (49)
Our kickball bar where we celebrated back to back championships and a bunch of victories. The one bartender they have there (Elliot) kind of tries to regulate some rules, but that hasn’t stopped us from having foot races outside and pretty much doing whatever we want inside. The crowd is pretty much all kickball players and their friends and it’s pretty fun trying to make friends with people who you didn’t like 10 minutes before because they were on the other team. In addition to darts and pool they also have big buck hunter which is obviously good for a few bonus points.
4. Bleachers – Seattle, WA (50)
Our Thursday night bar we went to every week before we got really old and also the scene of one of the greatest “Sunday Fundays” of all time. They have lots of games, a jukebox, chicken strips and the bartender & owner knew us and called us “the new generation”. It is literally impossible to get in trouble there. Just thinking about that place makes me want to go there right now. On a side note, I blame ‘bleacher bombs’ for anything that ever goes wrong.
3. Kells – Seattle, WA (51)
Ah my favorite bar in Seattle, every time I go there i’m convinced it’s the best night of my life. Half of the bar has a live irish band and the other side jams some hits across the speakers. They also have a bonus corner bar as well as the upstairs for private parties. I’m pretty sure I’ve had 3 tabs open at the same time there, because it’s just easier than always going back to the same spot. I’ve got in trouble there a few times, but never kicked out, which is nice. It scored high marks all across the board but took a big hit on price – there’s been some unneccesarily expensive nights there.
2. Fillings Station – Seeley Lake, MT (55)
Hmm where to start – let’s just go through the categories really quick. It’s probably cheaper for me to drive to seeley lake and go out than it is to go to kells. I’ve found receipts in my pockets the next day in the single digit range. It’s pretty fun mingling with the laid back country folks, only not all of them are laid back so you have to be kind of careful. You can ride your bike in the bar, throw popcorn at each other, try to lock bartenders out of the place…you name it. They also have karaoke, you just have to watch out for the guy running it turning off your mic.
1. Old Granary – Billings, MT (56)
I’m specifically talking about the granary deck. I probably should have docked it some points somehow considering they tore it down and it no longer exists (at least not the version i’m rating), but it was the perfect storm of fun at the time. We knew the bartenders and waitresses (which also meant you got a giant discount), it seemed like we knew everyone there, we could go when we were slightly underage and it was always nice being able to sit outside. There were those couple nights a summer where the place would just absolutely blow up – i’m surprised the deck never collapsed actually. As a bonus it was a nice walking distance home too
Categories:
- Price – relevant to the city it’s in, so for example even though Boodles isn’t that expensive compared to Seattle bars, it’s pretty expensive compared to Montana bars.
- Atmosphere – pretty self explanatory. hopefully.
- Crowd – The mix of people not including the people you came with. Going to bleachers with all your friends is obviously really fun, but the other people there are sometimes kind of ‘sketchy’.
- Rules – Do you get in trouble for just having a little ‘extra’ fun?
- Bartenders – Basically how friendly they are. If they know you it’s a bonus
- Intangibles – everything the other categories don’t cover, including things like karaoke, buck hunter etc.
Scores:
| Bar |
Price |
Atmosphere |
Crowd |
Rules |
Bartenders |
Intangibles |
Total |
| Old Granary |
9 |
10 |
9 |
10 |
9 |
9 |
56 |
| Filling Station |
10 |
8 |
7 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
55 |
| Kells |
6 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
8 |
10 |
51 |
| Bleachers |
8 |
8 |
6 |
10 |
9 |
9 |
50 |
| Lenys |
8 |
8 |
8 |
9 |
8 |
8 |
49 |
| Spectators |
7 |
8 |
6 |
9 |
10 |
8 |
48 |
| Brew Pub |
7 |
8 |
9 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
47 |
| Boodles |
6 |
9 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
46 |
| The Penguin |
8 |
8 |
6 |
7 |
7 |
10 |
46 |
| Triangle |
7 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
45 |
| Norms |
7 |
8 |
6 |
8 |
7 |
8 |
44 |
| Legion |
9 |
5 |
7 |
8 |
6 |
9 |
44 |
| St Andrews |
8 |
7 |
5 |
9 |
8 |
6 |
43 |
7. Spectators – Bozeman, MT (48)
Specs! Our college sports bar right next to campus – let’s just run through some highlights: They serve pizza AND chicken strips, they cover the entire ground with saud for the Cat-griz game, and they have a friendly all female staff. I’ve walked the drinks from there right to Joe’s, so i’ve never even thought about the possibility they might have rules there. The only low mark it had was for crowd because unlike the wait staff, everyone else there is a guy, most likely with a beard wearing carharts.
Shout out to…
Blade, America 