Scooter's Bar Journal » Downtown

V’s Arcade Bar

scooterj — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:25:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1482nd bar, first visited in 2021.

I tried to come here twice earlier on this trip. Both times the door was locked even though I was well within posted business hours. Come to find out I was using the north door that my GPS led me to. Apparently they don’t use that entrance even though it’s well-signed and well-lit. But after a few hours of recovery at my hotel room, I was ready for one more spot while I waited for a pizza I’d ordered to be ready. Eventually I stumbled across the unlocked eastern entrance to this basement arcade bar.

I didn’t really have any time for games, just a quick drink. I at the Flat Roofin’(porter) from White Elm Brewing.

247 N 8th St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+15315005599
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D.B. Cooper’s Hijackers Lounge

scooterj — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:24:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1481st bar, first visited in 2021.

I know I’ve been saying for the past few bars that I was done and needed to go back to the hotel, but this was right next to Beacon Lounge and I couldn’t not go to a dive bar with such a good name.

317 S 11th St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+14022613915
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The Beacon Lounge

scooterj — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:23:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1480th bar, first visited in 2021.

Back on July 15, 2009, my friend Brandon and I were on the first day of a 5-day bar crawl. We were walking around Lincoln late at night, having been to 24 bars that day, with Bison Witches being the place we had just left.

We had a map we had made and we still had about 30 minutes before places would start doing last call, but each place we wandered to seemed not quite divey enough. We finally set our sites on Beacon Lounge and began walking towards it.

About a block before we got there, we were crossing a large empty parking lot (and apartment building is located there now) and directly in our path was an empty, idling cab. We took that as our sign from the beer gods that we were meant to go safely back to our hotel now rather than go to a 25th bar and then have to try to get a cab at the same time as everyone else.

So once again, nearly 12 years later, I found myself out of stamina at the end of a long day of wandering around Lincoln. I was once again a block away. But this time, I forced myself to go in order to fulfill the void left by missing it 12 years earlier.

I had a Guinness again here, which with my dwindling stomach capacity took quite a while to finish.

There’s a patio in the front, a pool table in the back, and also buy the front is a raised platform with gaming machines and a “no cellphones” rule up there for reasons I’m unclear on.

I sent my wife (who is a bartender) this photo while I was sitting at the bar and she responded “Oh HELL no. I would QUIT.”

311 S 11th St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+14024387211
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The Hot Mess

scooterj — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:21:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1478th bar, first visited in 2021.

This quirky dive has a large square bar, lots of empty glass bottles of what I believe to be Buddha Beer, and some particularly large potted plants. But to me the main standout was the payphone on the wall. One that, while I didn’t test to confirm, appears it could still be working.

408 S 11th St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+14027700292
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The Old Pub

scooterj — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:21:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1479th bar, first visited in 2021.

This place finished me. I was done. Pretty much out of stomach volume and mostly out of liver capacity as well. I struggled to finish a Guinness. Honestly I should have gone straight back to the hotel from here. But I had to go around the blocks to fix something from 15 years ago, so pressed on to one more bar after here…

408 S 11th St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+14024775671
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Barrymore’s

scooterj — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:20:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1477th bar, first visited in 2021.

I almost cut this one off my list because the second half of my planned day was a focus on dive bars, but this just looked too interesting to pass up. Barrymore’s is a bar backstage of the Rocococo Theatre, accessed via a nondescript back door in an alley. The bar is down a level, while the restrooms are up a level and as I understand were converted form old dressing rooms.

On arrival I blew right on past a guy who was hanging out in the alley and got a bit nervous when I noticed he had started following me. Turned out he was the bartender.

I almost got a cocktail here, but ended up with a Dead Man’s Run (lager) by Cosmic Eye Brewing.

Surely they wouldn’t allow drunk people such easy, unsupervised access to controls that could screw things up on stage. Nonetheless, I opted to not touch.

124 N 13th St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+14024766494
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Zoo Bar

scooterj — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:19:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1476th bar, first visited in 2021.

As a long-time denizen of Zoo Bar in Kansas City, I’ve been long trying to visit the famous blues venue of the same name in Lincoln. The KC bar often gets requests for bookings from confused bands/artists thinking they are talking to Lincoln. Unfortunately every time I have been in Lincoln it has either been closed “for remodeling” or closed because I was there too early in the day. This time I planned the entire day around their schedule.

This place is a true dive, and reminded me a lot of my own Zoo Bar in KC apart from the stage at the far end and the piano in the middle.

I had Guinness.

136 N 14th St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+14024358754
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Lazlo’s Brewery & Grill

scooterj — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:12:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1470th bar, first visited in 2021.

Lazlo’s is the front-end tasting room for the adjacent Empyrean Brewing. I had a snack here and unfortunately they don’t do flights and were out of the beer I wanted to try most, so I just had a 10oz pour of the Collapsar Oatmeal Stout.

210 N 7th St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+14024345636
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White Elm Brewing – Haymarket

scooterj — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:10:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1468th bar, first visited in 2021.

The downtown location of White Elm brewing comes with an indoor/outdoor bar, a patio looking down on the street, and at least one lounge room that can be converted into private space with a garage door.

As it was breakfast time, I had oatmeal, milk, and coffee in the form of their Casual Friday (imperial stout), Chocolate Hazelnut Oatmeal Stout, and Vanilla Whole Latte (milk stout).

801 R St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+15315003411
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Tavern on the Square

scooterj — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 17:14:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1467th bar, first visited in 2021.

I would like to have spent more time here because it seems like a pretty cool place, but it was extremely crowdedand noisy so I just quickly drank a Guinness before heading back to my hotel.

816 P St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+14022614608
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The Happy Raven

scooterj — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 17:13:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1466th bar, first visited in 2021.

Away from the more crowded sections of downtown Lincoln, this place is well known for its great selection of craft beer.

I had Massive (Cognac Barrel Aged) (2019) by Gigantic Brewing Company, Massive (Rye Barrel Aged) (2019) by Gigantic Brewing Company, Big Luscious by Founders Brewing Co., and Rye On Rye (2021) by Boulevard Brewing Co.

122 N 11th St
Lincoln, NE 68508
United States
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+14027420004
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Boiler Brewing Company

scooterj — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 18:10:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 1301st bar, first visited in 2018.

Spectacular brewery in the basement of the Grand Manse building, a former courthouse. Accessed from a stairwell in an alley. I had to make a very short visit, we were on our way to Wyoming and my wife and dogs were idling in a no-parking zone.

I had a flight of all the stouts they had on at that time: Double Cinnamon Toast Sâ€™mores, No Way! Double 4-Way! Sweet Minou Chocolate Stout!, Double Café Mocha, Alarm Clock Coffee Stout, and Koo Koo For Coconut.

129 N 10th St, Ste 8
Lincoln, NE 68508
US
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402-261-8775
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Buzzard Billy’s

scooterj — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 18:10:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 965th bar, first visited in 2012.

Lincoln location of a small midwest cajun restaurant/bar chain. I thought the catfish was a little too “natural” tasting for my tastes, but the Armadillo Egg appetizers are outstanding. After dinner I sat at the bar and enjoyed some Maker’s Mark.

247 N. 8th St. Ste 101
Lincoln, NE 68508
US
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(402) 475-8822
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Bison Witches Bar & Deli

scooterj — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:33:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 580th bar, first visited in 2009.

It was microbrew/import night, all microbrews and imports were $2.50. While B perused the cooler I I went to use the restroom. “”Just get me whatever,”" I told him, “”I trust your judgement.”"

I returned to find a choice between Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Mike’s Hard Lemonade. I chose the Sierra Nevada. I chose poorly. I forgot I really don’t like the Sierra Nevada ale. We ended up trading bottles halfway through.

1320 P St # 100
Lincoln, NE 68508
US
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(402) 474-3366
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Brass Rail

scooterj — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:32:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 579th bar, first visited in 2009.

Upon entering we noticed that this was definitely a fratboy hangout.

1436 O St
Lincoln, NE 68508
US
[launch map]
(402) 474-5741

Harry’s Wonder Bar

scooterj — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:31:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 578th bar, first visited in 2009.

On the advice of our friends at The Spigot we crossed the street and found ourselves in a nice little dive, the kind of place we really like.

We ordered beer, but evidently mixed drinks are supposed to be the way to enjoy this place. While other bars are stingey, this place serves up a basic mixed drink in a beer mug, at least in the demonstration we were given.

1621 O St
Lincoln, NE 68508
US
[launch map]
(402) 474-7309

The Spigot

scooterj — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:30:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 577th bar, first visited in 2009.

There were a couple of college kids loitering outside. “”I don’t want any trouble!”" B informed them as we stepped inside.

As is the case with most bars in college towns, beer gets served in oversized glasses that make it hard to drink it all before it’s warm and flat. (At least, unless you are one of those 22-year-old fratboy types who still thinks drinking beer is about chugging as much as you can, as fast as you can.) So, to get around that problem, we requested cans. Much to our chagrin, we were given 16oz cans.

As we worked our way through the volume (keep in mind, this was beer #21 for each of us and our stomachs can only stretch so far) we told the girls sitting next to us about the trip we were taking. They were in utter disbelief that we had walked here from 27th Street, making me wonder if maybe Lincoln is less safe than I assumed?

1624 O St
Lincoln, NE 68508
US
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(402) 435-4582
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Sidewinders

scooterj — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:29:00 +0000

(Downtown, Lincoln, NE)

Scooter’s 576th bar, first visited in 2009.

Whenever you have a bar that’s set up primarily to be a music venue, very often you wind up with a bar that doesn’t seem to have any character or personality if there isn’t a band playing. That seemed to be kind of the problem here. B though this place blew and wanted to hurry and leave, but I thought that any bar that had Family Guy playing on the big screen can’t be all that bad.

1644 O St
Lincoln, NE 68508
US
[launch map]
(402) 261-5826