The Distillery. The weather's turned a bit north on us again. But I went to the original Distillery on Mt. Hope Avenue for lunch the other week on one of the wish-I-could-play-hooky-from-work kind of days, and it reminded me of what a great place it is during the summer months. You can sit on the deck and share a pitcher and unwind after work. I remember doing this the first summer I lived here, and it's kind of nice to know some things haven't changed in a dozen years.
Atmosphere. The Distillery is your quintessential laid-back sports bar. There are more than 30 TV screens showing all kinds of sports. For this time of year, there will be hockey playoffs (Go Red Wings — the Detroit kind) and baseball. Yet you don't have to like sports to have a good time. Truth is, I've never watched a game there, but I enjoy hanging out with friends there. This last visit, I saw the president of a local company who had pulled up a chair to the end of a booth and was eating with his employees.
Drinks. Good specials. The beer is fine. There are a few craft beers, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Food. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. Some people really like their wings and ribs. I've normally gotten a wrap. To be frank, the food's not bad, the location is good and it's a nice place, so people don't really go there for the menu alone.
New stuff (at least in the last few years). If you want the adult atmosphere, I'd probably avoid Tuesdays when the restaurant offers Kids Eat Free night. There are locations on Ridge Road in Greece and on Winton Road on the Brighton and Henrietta line (I've never been to either, so I can't offer an opinion). Also, from The Distillery's Web site: free wireless Internet access. Definitely keeping up with the trends.
Parking. Always an issue. It's a busy area, and even with the overflow lot, it's sometimes difficult. You definitely have to allow time for that if you're meeting someone.
THE DETAILS
1142 Mt. Hope Ave.
271-4105
www.thedistillery.com
8: Noise factor
5: Hook-up factor
Factor: 1 being the lowest, 10 the highest
