Bamboo Lounge

Time has truly forgotten about this place.
You drive by an old brick building on the corner of a not-​so-​nice neighborhood. The only indication that it’s even a bar is that it has a small Bud Light neon. If you look closely, you might notice the antique Schlitz stained glass. Park the car next to the crumbling sidewalk with a 7 food pothole — it’s time for a drink.
Try and walk in — but the two front doors are locked. Just go around to the side door next to the half-​torn down houses, garbage cans full of old clothes, and old marina on the Calumet River. Good, you finally found your way in — welcome to the 1950’s. Your cell phone is temporarily out of service.
It’s poorly lit — maybe three lights in the whole place. Nothing’s changed in here for decades. Beautiful antique ceiling, wooden back bar, and beer taps. If you look above the bar you’ll notice a hanging bamboo structure where the bar gets it’s name. Even a pool table if you are ready to throw down. Feeling lazy? Got a TV if you want to catch the game. They don’t have Schlitz, but Old Style cans are only $ 2.50.
There’s several arcade machines tucked away in the corner which are unplugged to save money. Doubt they will ever be plugged in again. The heat is barely on, with the place hovering around a cool fifty-​five degrees. If you’re a VIP — they will give you a personal space heater on a stool. Their TV is so fuzzy that it makes standard definition look like a luxury. Most people stopped coming here when the bridge was closed in early 2011, and the people in the bar don’t even like the neighborhood that they live in — one mile from Indiana. The floors and bar haven’t been cleaned in years, but you can’t tell because it’s so dark. Credit cards aren’t even a figment of anyone’s imagination in this place. The outdated «personal hygiene» vending machine is the men’s restroom toilet paper holder, and the faucet puts out a heavy drip every two seconds.
This bar is one of the most depressing I’ve ever been to, however, at the same time it had an air of mystery and authenticity about it that you’d never get elsewhere.