Inside: The District Tavern

(Credit: Kyle Dehn/Special to Metromix)

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Bars on Congress can seem like a middle school cafeteria at times: If you don't fit in to the hipster fixie clique or the gangsta rap crowd, it seems like you're the odd one out when you go to grab a pint after work. But smack dab in the middle of these bars is an oasis of unpretentiousness, The District Tavern.

Attracting a mixed crowd of downtown dwellers and college students, The District works both as a place to meet up and have a drink before heading out dancing and as a spot to relax in one of the booths for an hour or four.

Beers on tap and well drinks are reasonably priced, and if you're looking for a recession-friendly brew, The District offers up cans of Tecate and PBR for $2. A jukebox stacked with a nice mix of rock and hip-hop, pool tables and darts keep you entertained. Do note that the bar only takes cash. There is an ATM inside, but it has a $2 fee, so make sure you have some bills on you.

Setup: The decorating scheme of the District is a classy mix of standard American lounge and French whorehouse. The bar is plastered with images of pin-up girls from the 1920s to the '50s, and posters of old French advertisements hang on the walls. The lighting is low, with small hanging lamps over the tables at the booths and a red glow emanating from a light behind the bar. Additional tables in the middle of the floor and window-side seating make it easy to find a place to sit with friends, even on a busy weekend night.

A large stage area at the back of the bar is where the dartboards hang, and, behind that, there's a smoking patio with a few rickety plastic chairs from which you get a funny vantage point for seeing what's going on inside Sharks, the rowdy club next door.

Entertainment: One of the best things about The District is the jukebox. The perfect proportion of alternative rock, classic rock and hip hop makes the jukebox like one of those great albums you can play all the way through--there is rarely a bad song. I've heard The Cure, Dr. Octagon and The Pixies in the same hour. The volume is set just right so that you can rock out to a favorite song but still have a conversation.

The District also has three pool tables, two dartboards, an old table-sized Pac Man game and about six board games to keep you and your friends amused. If you are looking to kill an evening with a group of friends, bust out the Game of Life or Scrabble and order a few pitchers; it's very entertaining.

Libations: Reasonably priced drinks keep with The District's unpretentious feel. Pints of the eight draft beers—including Kilt Lifter, Moose Drool and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale—run $2.75. Well drinks are $2 until 8 p.m. and $2.75 after. A Miller High Life and shot of Old Crow bourbon whiskey, the bar's “special," costs $3.

Service: Bartenders are quick and nice, but they're also pretty tough: I've seen them break up a few fights that have spilled over from next door, as well as throw a few unwelcome patrons out. They'll hold their own.

Bottom line: The District is a great place to start your evening or spend your evening. If you're looking for an alternative to some of the more snobby bars downtown, head here. Great music, good drinks and a relaxed vibe make The District seem like that table of friends you had at lunchtime, but with alcohol.

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