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Barfly Jason Genegabus |
Friendliness
outscores frillsMAHALO plenty to everyone who called and e-mailed me after last week's column in defense of Honolulu as a bar town.
There were a lot of interesting comments, but two really stuck in my mind. First, it often takes a bit of work to find an establishment that you can feel comfortable sitting in and having a few drinks.
Second, and maybe more important, everyone has different expectations when it comes to bars.
Some people love hanging out at Magoo's, Ala Moana Center's Mai Tai Bar or Pipeline Cafe on a Friday night, not because the beer is cold or the Sex On the Beach is on special that night, but because there's always a crowd. For them, going out for drinks is more about meeting new people and partying like a rock star than the actual drinks themselves.
For others, myself included, a good bar experience is one where I can kick back with friends in a comfortable environment and talk story, the beer is relatively inexpensive, and I feel like I'm welcome to stay as long as I like. You'd be surprised how many places have a hard time getting these basics down.
RIVERTOWN GRILL, located on North Beretania Street just across from Aala Park, is one of those bars that sticks to the simple stuff.
Rivertown Grill
Location: 258 N. Beretania St. (corner of Aala)Hours: 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily
Call: 537-3353
Ever since the city remodeled the park and made an effort to rid the area of homeless people and other undesirable characters, I've often passed this place and wondered what it was like inside.
Is it a haven for drug activity? Do bartenders look at you funny if you're not a regular, as is the case at other bars in the surrounding area? Is parking in the area so limited as to discourage people from visiting?
Fortunately, the answer to all three of those questions is a resounding no.
LET'S START with the parking situation. Rivertown is located on the outskirts of downtown, a part of the island notorious for its lack of parking options.
Street parking is available nearby, but the saving grace here is a parking lot just outside the bar's back door. I had no problem finding a spot for my ride when I visited, even though I was in the area during the peak of afternoon pau hana traffic.
I was also surprised by how well I was treated here, especially since it was my first visit. Within two minutes of walking through the door, I had a seat at the bar, got my first beer of the day and was offered a bowl of peanuts to snack on while watching basketball on television.
Sounds simple, right? Again, you'd be amazed at how many places have a hard time performing these tasks. Is it that hard to understand that if you're nice to someone and get their drinks to them in a timely fashion, they'll probably stick around longer than they originally planned?
And don't expect to walk in here and see junkies sprawled out at the tables, or drug deals taking place in the bathroom. A sign at the entrance says that only paying customers are welcome to use the facilities at Rivertown, and it looks like the owner of the bar is adamant about keeping troublemakers out of her establishment.
According to a conversation we had as I sat at the bar on Monday, both dealers and users frequented the place to buy, sell and use drugs before she took over a couple of years ago. Things have settled down ever since, she said, and now most of the troublemakers know to stay away from her bar.
WHILE IT'S not the best-decorated watering hole on the island, Rivertown does have a comfortable vibe, albeit an eclectic one.
The three different types of flooring -- ceramic tile near the front entrance, faux stone around the bar and wood panels that appear to provide room for a dance floor -- can be a little jarring visually. Same goes for the bar itself, which is painted blue and gold in contrast to the darker colors used throughout the rest of the room.
It also appears that the owner took steps to save money when furnishing the place. More than 20 tables and booths provide plenty of room to sit down, but it's kind of strange to see a couple of stylish wooden tables in one corner of the bar, while most of the others appear to be salvaged from a restaurant supply store.
The chairs follow the same theme here -- they're not all the same. While not necessarily a bad thing, it does feel a little strange to walk into a bar that doesn't really seem to have its own personality. The cheesy icicle lights hanging all over the place don't help much, either.
How much for a Bud Light?
The Barfly paid $2 for a bottle of Bud Light during his visit. There aren't any taps here, so don't bother asking for a draft beer.Get things to do?
Five televisions, a jukebox and a couple of Megatouch machines offer the same distractions available at most other bars here on Oahu. One corner of Rivertown is set up for live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights, which attracts the biggest crowds of the week, according to the bar's owner. Karaoke is also available here.What about the grinds?
For a joint that's got the word "grill" in its name, Rivertown falls kind of flat when it comes to eats. Standard bar fare is available here, from french fries ($3 for a small order, $5 for a large order) and chicken wings ($5) to a steak plate ($10) and shrimp tempura ($10). Poke and sashimi is on the menu as well, although not always available.And the help?
From the moment I sat down until I had to leave, I was treated like one of the regulars during my visit to Rivertown. Those custom-stitched placemats (wide enough to fit a beer bottle and a bucket of ice) always seem to be a good sign when it comes to service, I've discovered. It was also a nice touch to get served peanuts and popcorn without feeling pressured to order something else off the menu. Between the quality of service and reasonable beer prices, I'm sure I'll end up back at this place again sometime soon.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Barfly appears every Friday in Star-Bulletin Weekend.
E-mail Jason Genegabus at jason@starbulletin.com with suggestions of neighborhood bars to visit.