42 Lounge: You Should Go There
So I’m delaying the impromptu “part two” of my Avengers: Age of Ultron review – the more technical review – this evening to write another post. Only a small portion of people (that also know me on Facebook) knew about it, so I don’t consider it a loss. The reason? Basically I got drunk and ended up spending the last four hours at a fantastic little Milwaukee bar called 42 Lounge.
In order to not sound like shameless advertising for a bunch of people I just met, I’m going to personalize the story.
For nearly a year a person that has grown to be a good friend faster than anyone I know has been inviting me out to the local “geek bar.” Here in Milwaukee they call it 42 Lounge. They show anime on Monday Nights (Cowboy Bebop once, tell your friends). They let you “borrow” controllers, for the simple task of leaving your ID at the bar, to play consoles ranging from N64 to Xbox and Wii U. There’s a few spare tables to start an EDH game of Magic: The Gathering. And you meet random people willing to challenge you in the most wonderful of geek drinking games (more on that in a bit). It’s a wonderful place.
Well, tonight I finally got the chance to go. The staff was friendly, not just because I was amongst my own, but because they put in the extra effort to make me feel welcomed as a stranger. Rants of late on this site have involved geeks marginalizing other geeks for inexplicable reasons. 42 Lounge could’ve made this bar an elitist market but didn’t. It’s apparent immediately that everyone is welcome. Upon entering a particularly warm and jovial barkeep, Dana, shouted “hey! welcome!” like Decard Cain wanting to identify my items.
TVs line the walls with couches and functional leather recliners ready to rest your bodies and prepare you for whatever game you fancy. There’s a few couches and chairs crowded around tempered glass tables awaiting a pick up game of Settlers. If you removed the geek decor and Doctor Who pictures, the bar is a nice clean modern place. Add the amenities, and it’s a geek’s paradise.
Now everyone knows that I’m a stay at home dad. A man that’s had his last three freelance bits rejected. That means I’m low on funding. Add a soon to be laid off wife and I have negative money. I walked in there with ten dollars from crushed cans and a little room on the credit card and walked out with change and a great buzz. I even got to play a rousing DRINKING game of Pokemon Stadium [N64]. I really can’t explain it. Some patrons conceived the game and included me. It was awesome and something you just need to experience.
In Brew City drink prices are a make it or break it point. Bars pop up weekly and if your drinks aren’t competitive, fuck you. The prices were good and they let me play games for fucking free (I can’t stress the playing games part enough). PBR tallboys were 3 bucks on a random weekday. That rivals the special of Water Street bars or my beloved East Side (where two dollar tallboys are the draw… and here I get to play fucking Smash Brothers).
For fear of milking this article too long I just want to end on a name drop. “Nick” as he became known to me was there. Tonight was Nick’s Game Night. He’s a bar tender or regular, I’m not sure which. But he had a dice game called Bang. It’s basically “bar dice with stats” as he put it. And it was the best fucking dice game I’ve ever played. I can’t stress how much fun three tallboys of PBR and 4 or 5 rounds of the game were.
Basically, check out 42 Lounge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bring some friends. You won’t regret it. And if you do, you crit fail at life.
PS: Following them on Facebook and Twitter takes the most minimal of effort. So do that.
I do not claim any rights to the 42 Lounge logo printed here. All rights reserved by their creators.
Hey, this is Bartender Nick! I am glad you enjoyed the bar and hope to see you again soon. Bring the wife down too on a day I am working and I will make sure you two have a great night out.
I just found your website through a friend’s facebook post. We haven’t met, but I am really enjoying reading through your game reviews (mostly because we have very similar tastes). If you have RSS I will subscribe to your blog.
Thanks, Nick. The next day we get a sitter, I’ll have to drag my wife in and hold you to that.
“Found through a friend’s Facebook feed?” Holy crap the internet works. Am I viral yet? Kidding.
I’m glad you enjoy my pontificating, Saugat. Lately I’ve been doing a lot more of the blog and generic culture posts. I really should get back to some actual reviews again soon, hehe.