Nickelby’s Lounge

All I can say about this place is wow. What a friggin joke. The place is a dump and the beer taste like crap. Watered down. I will say the atmosphere is okay and the people are friendly. But the karaōke is pretty awful. When the dj has to perform his own karaōke it’s pretty bad. The décor is awful and it’s only the people that make it a nice place to hang out. I plan on attending Open Mic night on Wednesday just to see how it is. So the jury is still out.

Nickelby’s is a throwback to a different era: the era when bars were bars and drinking was your #1 hobby. Located in an L-​shaped plaza behind the CVS on W. Market St, it would be easy to miss. It is billed as a neighborhood lounge and like many bars of this kind, is in a struggle to maintain their decades-​long reputation while also keeping up with the times.
It is dimly-​lit, cozy and has old, comfortable bar stools that have backs. As a drinker, this (bar stools with back support) is very important for me. I will not dedicate myself to an afternoon of drinking in a place that will leave me with lower back pain. If you’re hungry, you won’t find any provisions heartier than a bag of chips or beef jerky.
The bartenders are generally middle-​aged woman who have probably worked in bars their entire lives. This is not a dig on these woman. They are fantastic characters who probably deserve to have a short story written about them. They are the type who can put up with the ramblings of old men who drink pounders of Busch all afternoon, break up an argument over whose team is better AND make you a strong cocktail while calling you «honey».
The bar has a ton of history. My parents remember it back (at least 40 years ago) when it was the Bowery, a piano bar with peanut shells all over the floor. In an time when most bars have Twitter accounts, Nickelby’s still does not have a website or Facebook page. They do have karaōke on the weekends and great drink specials seven days a week. If you’re looking for something different than your favorite Highland Square haunt, check out Nickelby’s. You make get a little good-​natured ribbing about your tattoos or haircut from the regulars, but you will be rewarded with a quick, strong cocktail and a glimpse at where my parents used to party.