The Long Branch sits in an obscure corner of town, near some old rail road tracks. The neighborhood includes some vacant  lots and is otherwise fairly empty for a block or so. I was told never to go into the Long Branch, I have friends who, learning at their daddy’s knee advised them to never enter the Long Branch. Legend has built up around this place so much that one might think even driving past such a den of iniquity would damn ones soul to hell. Sorry to disappoint, but this place is not only perfectly safe, it was a blast to be there. I don’t know anything about this establishments history, maybe it was rough at one point in the past, but today this bar is a clean, modern, fun bar to relax in.

Our group of three arrived and got stools at the bar, we ordered drinks that were delicious and well made with the right amount of alcohol. The beer selection left a little to be desired; however, as there were no darker imports or micro brews available. My friend settled for a Hoegaarden, a Belgian white ale that isn’t dark at all and frankly not to my tastes , but of course I was drinking Whiskey. I know a bar has to stock what sells, so only a few points off for not stocking darker full flavored beers. Within moments of settling into our seats a friend of mine saw me and came over to say hello. It was nice to meet someone I knew at a bar I had never set foot in before. We talked for a moment and she shared her story about being warned away from this place, then laughed at the absurdity of the old warning.

The lighting was good, a warm ambiance, not too dark and not too bright. There were pool tables and hard point darts.  There was a darkened stage along one wall with what looked like some decent house equipment standing idle in the shadows. The bar had a decent crowd and it looked like folks were having fun. There was a single bartender managing the bar and he was moving at the speed of light, bouncing around and servicing the customers with a great speed, if not grace, but he was friendly and we tipped him well. The next hour saw us shoot a game of “gentlemans cricket” and enjoy another drink. I stepped outside once to join other patrons who were observing the indoor smoking ban. The establishment had put out stools and ashtrays to make the outdoor smoking experience a bit more comfortable.

There was a good mix of men and women, but the guys outnumbered the unattached girls. There were some couples and the over all mix was a good one. The music came from a juke box and there was a steady line of folks waiting to drop their quarters and make selections. I really enjoyed my time at the Long Branch. I think it would be a great venue for live music, the room is large and features the aforementioned stage. I plan to go back to this place and find out a little more about it. Why the bad reputation, when bands play and what kind of music, I would also be interested in the speedy bartender that ran that bar all by himself, admirably during a busy night.

We moved on at that point, wandered off into the night to find and sample yet another dive bar, but we will be back to the Long Branch and despite what dire warnings still circulate around this place, I am sure we will find a good time.

Ratings (scale of one to five)

Dive rating:3

Drink Quality: 4

Atmosphere: 4

Cleanliness: 4

Picking up a “date”: 3

Scenery:2