It’s the first Saturday of the semester and I busted out into the Collegetown bar scene on a quest to locate the hot spots for you to escape from these cold winter nights. To learn where the supreme place to be seen and the best bet to get your drink on is, come along on my bar hopping adventure. Whether it is your first or last spring semester at Cornell, Collegetown bars are guaranteed to supply you with plenty of booze, babes, and banter.
Although Ithaca is often dismissed for its lack of nighttime activities, the bars of Collegetown can be praised for two reasons. First, Cover charges at the door are a rarity, allowing for you to easily stalk that hottie you’ve been eyeing around campus without causing severe debt to ensure. Once you’re in the door, the unique atmospheres of the Collegetown bars enable the establishments to please a diverse array of clientele. No matter what you seek, you are sure to find a nightlife that suits your style.
The first stop of the evening was Rulloff’s. I entered to find a moderate crowd of low maintenance beer guzzling regulars huddled around heavy wood tables. The music playing was an extensive variety of rock, rock, and more rock. Rulloff’s may not be the cheapest place to get sloshy or the ideal atmosphere for high strung dancing fools, but it does deliver a laid back atmosphere, plenty of space, and an extensive bar. If you have yet to enjoy one of their tasty Cosmo & Raspberry Stole’s, put it on your list, dahling.
Next up for this hopper was Johnny O’s. Although the bar’s newness has worn off and the clientele tends to be on the young side, I don’t think you can ever go wrong with 80s delights like Bon Jovi and Springsteen blasting from the sound system. Go to Johnny O’s for the jolly tunes and Coyote Ugly wannabe bar tenders, but not so much for the drinks. If it’s crowded, you’ll most likely spend twice the amount of time waiting to order a drink than you do to drink it. Daily specials are a good economic choice at Johnny O’s, but this patron’s Cranberry & Vodka was a tad on the weak side.
Toto, I don’t think we’re in Ithaca anymore. That’s because the next stop on my quest was Stella’s — the bar that tries to deliver a hip NYC vibe with its d