Why Eat At The Bar?

• If the bar is not overly crowded and I am eating alone, I prefer to take a good book and eat the bar. You get to know the bartender, find out whats really good foodwise or drinkwise and sometimes you meet some really interesting people. Last night at Nonna the food was great and everyone had great conversation discussing the different items we all ordered.

• Angry Dog is a good place to eat at the bar. I don't like those long tables and there is always someone's chair backing into yours. Does a two top even exist at AD? Another place to eat at the bar is Monica's on Sunday for brunch. For some reason the place has just been filled with kids the last few times we've gone. When you sit at the bar you can still hear the screamers but it's not quite so high pitched and annoying when you don't have to look at them too.

• I like eating at the bar in Houston's. Especially if there is a long wait for a table. Which, as we all know is pretty much all the time. There is however, one major drawback to the bar at Houston's. Smokers! Ugh! But, it's Park Cities. And the powers to be in HP and PC haven't decided yet to join the 21st. century. As for eating at the bar at Bob's? Never for me!

• See, Shawna..you fit in to my free drink theory, not the can't stand your spouse theory. Now let's hear from the bitter couples in the hizzouse!

• I really like sitting at the bar to eat, for one or two people, at Angry Dog. Just feels more relaxed up there and the bartenders are great. Better views of the games, you can talk with your neighbor, and the service is much better than at a table.

• I would say it depends a lot on the atmosphere of the restaurant/bar. There are a few place my husband and I enjoying having dinner at the bar as the bartenders provide better service than the waiters and we don't have to wait for a table. We do have wonderful conversations even at the bar (if you socialize at a bar, why couldn't a couple talk while having dinner at the bar?). And yes, if you get to know the bartender you do tend to get at least a better pour or even a free drink on occasion!

• Sushi is different. In that case, it's almost always better to eat at the bar.

• At any given time we've been there, I'd say at least 25% of the people at Houston's bar on Preston are eating a full meal -- most often couples, too. I can only assume they don't want to wait. On the other hand, in the early 2000s when a favorite bartender used to work at Ziziki's in Travis Walk, we used to do multi-appetizer dinners there a lot. It was great conversing with him and most times you got an extra-healthy pour if just having a couple of glasses of wine (by the glass).

• There ya go, Mike--one reason that makes sense.

• I do it sometimes at smaller places. Don't want to take up a table and get rushed by the waitress. At the bar, the bartender will talk to you a little, maybe make a recommendation or pour a taste of wine. You can see when you sit down by yourself and order a water how disappointed the server is, so you try to minimize that somewhat so that you can eat at your own pace and watch the game (at least until Pittsburgh scores three straight goals) without somebody standing over you with a stopwatch. Eating an expensive steak at Bob's at the bar or any crowded bar does seem kinda annoying to me. I wouldn't do it, but some people have a lot more money to spend, so maybe it's no big deal.

• I like to eat at the bar (not a noisy bar) because you get better service since the bartender is always there. And free drinks do happen. :)

• I've seen couples eating full meals at the bar. Either they can't stand talking to each other for an hour or the bartender is sliding them some free drinks along the way.

• at lunch, yes. at dinner, no- unless on a work trip. but even then, i wouldn't want to go to any bar that was "hopping" to eat a meal.

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