CRAZY HORSE FOOD AND DRINK EMPORIUM\n214 W. FIFTH STREET\nThey're back. Latin dance parties and local bands plan to rock Second Story for the second time around, as the bar opens after a short hiatus. Owner Phil Rhoade says the bar is available for benefits and special parties for anyone and everyoneys Second Story has gone back to the basic things that worked for their crowd in the past, like booking local ban,. Rhoade says. Crowd demographics, he says, vary depending on the act. From older jazz and blues with older crowds to new-age punk, the audience depends on the featured music. But locals are known to inhabit the place as well as students when occasionally drawn by a notorious DJ.
AXIS \n419 N. WALNUT ST.\nPerhaps making the most drastic changes to start the school year is Axis Nightclub. What once was a bar open Thursday through Saturday night is now open five nights a week.\nTake in Monday Night Football at Axis for just $2 cover and down 25 cent Bud, Bud Light and Rolling Rock bottles.\nFor $1 cover on Tuesdays, students can take their best shot at winning $150 in the weekly karaoke contest. \nThe popular Thursday night drink special of 5 cent drafts will continue, with the $3 cover before midnight.\nWhile the incredibly popular Legendary Hot Bod Contest was once held on Friday, owners have moved the contest to Saturday. Fridays will be full of 75 cent mixed drinks and shots from 9 to 11 p.m. and 75 cent Purple Hooters all night. Saturday, Hot Bod night, offers 75 cent Fuzzy Freight Train shots all night long.
KILROY'S SPORTS BAR\n N. WALNUT ST.\nManager Janet Parker says Sports is making some fun and exciting changes this year that they hope will draw more customers.\nSome of the drink specials have changed as well as each night's activities. Sundays will still be NFL Sunday ticket and Fantasy Football night. Buy a bucket of Bud or Bud Light for $5 and take in one of their many food specials, like a large pizza, for $5. Lunch specials start at 11 a.m. seven days a week\nMonday's specials remain the same as last year, as Sports offers the NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass, ESPN Full Court package and Texas Tech basketball games. Sports has brought back the X-Box and Playstation 2 tournaments, hoping to draw a bigger crowd than in years past. Alternately, you can relax outside at the Rib Cage, which seats up to 400 patrons.\nIt's still dollar nights on Tuesday with $1 domestic drafts and well drinks and lots of karaoke. But mixing things up a bit and something totally new and different for Sports will be their Wednesday Retro Night. Parker says they will constantly switch up the featured decade's music, and DJ Unique plans to play on some Wednesdays for the big party that will also include costume contests and specials on drinks like martinis. \nYou can still get your Jim Beam pits on Thursdays for a good drink special. Sports has also teamed up with Jim Beam for some promotions that involve the popular whiskey alongside cash prizes.\nOn Fridays and Saturdays, Sports will be offering their traditional drink specials on frozen drinks, Bacardi pits and Smirnoff pits. \nThey aren't just mixing up the drinks -- they are also shaking up the entertainment scene. Though they'll continue sticking with regulars like X-Ray Roger Jimmy, Parker says the lineup for the school year will be completely different -- including bringing in more Chicago bands like Daddio and sponsoring the George Clinton concert at Bloomington's Freeman Farms this weekend (see Scene). Overall, Parker says the crew at Sports wants to make barhopping fun for students and plans to offer them something new and exciting with every inebriated visit.
Kilroy's Bar & Grill\n502 E. Kirkwood Ave.\nKilroy's will of course keep their extensive drink menu with perhaps the most elaborate list of shots and Long Islands in town. \nThe bar remains a smoking establishment and has also redone patios for students to enjoy their drinks and fun outside -- just don't stray too far from the jukebox, where you'll likely hear IU music venue favorite Rich Hardesty strummin' his epic "Never Wanna F@#$in' See You Again," a riff that's earned the No. 1 rotation spot on the Kilroy's juke. \nKilroy's is open for lunch now and even has a new menu, but manager Janet Parker says their late night crowd will probably remain the same -- along with their drink specials. (Students who crave stuffed breadsticks and other popular food items from Kilroy's -- without braving the infamous "birth canal" -- will be happy to know that the restaurant started a delivery service this summer.)\nHappy Hour resumes normal operation between 4 and 8 p.m. daily, with Big Beers -- patrons can choose between Bud, Bud Light, Michelob Light, Michelob Amber and Killians Red -- priced at $2.25. Fifteen cent wings are available, as are 75 cent stuffed breadsticks and $1 bones.\nThirty-two ounce Little Pits ($2.50) of Miller Lite, Bud Light, Coors Light and Bud are available all day Monday and from 4 p.m. to midnight Thursday. Food specials include 50 cent pizza by the slice, 15 cent wings and 50 cent stuffed sticks. Popcorn and chips and salsa are free.
NICK'S ENGLISH HUT\n423 E. KIRKWOOD AVE.\nRecently named one of the best Big Ten sports bars by a regional derivative of ESPN magazine, students and alumni alike can still "Sink the Biz" at one of the oldest bars in town. So don't worry -- buckets are still plentiful and the beer is still flowing as the 77th anniversary of Nick's approaches. But Gregg "Rags" Rago, food manager, says Nick's, although known as a hot night spot, is trying to lure business during the day. Rago says to expect new food specials for the lunch and dinner crowd as well as beer and liquor promotions in the evenings. Nick's wants their food to be as infamous as their buckets -- "Sinking the Biz" filling in as a new kind of "dessert."\nVideo game contests will continue this fall on Mondays or Wednesdays on the big screen upstairs, but most of the specials, says Rago, are still in the planning stages.\nFootball and basketball games are still expected to pack the fans in, and because of the number of Nick's large and spacious rooms, Rago says that the bar is eager to cater to large groups and parties. But in order to keep the crowds returning, Rago says Nick's will continue to provide good service, good beer and good liquor to all it's patrons. And don't forget to invite Mom and Dad.
Uncle Festers House of Blooze\n430 E. Kirkwood\nRemaining true to the spirit of Kirkwood bars, Uncle Festers plans to be as fun and exciting as ever coming into the new school year.\nThe big news is the major expanding they have in the works. An additional 5,500 square feet will help with the new area of Uncle Festers. A complete selection of spirits, 54 beers on tap, TV's, pool tables and the only covered porch overlooking Kirkwood and campus are all scheduled to be a part of Fester's Jungle Room Bar & Grill.\nEntertainment will continue as usual, as will open mic night.
BULLWINKLE'S COCKTAIL LOUNGE\n201 S. COLLEGE AVE.\nCatering to the gay and lesbian community of Bloomington, Bullwinkle's is back in action this fall with fiery new drink specials and one of the hottest dance floors around. Look for female impersonators on Mondays and Wednesdays and a magical dance scene on Fridays and Saturdays as techno blares through the place. On Saturdays expect house party DJ Triptonite and a diverse crowd of locals and students, says owner and booking agent Phil Rhoade. And be sure to check out Miss Gay Indiana this Saturday.
