Drew Munson, 31, Cedar Rapids
Owner @ Bricks Bar & Grill

Bricks took on a lot of water in the Floods of 2008. What was the bar like before the floods? Now?
Bricks was the main spot pre-flood.
Since the flood, we get a pretty strong turn out over weekends and in conjunction to events that take place,
but we’re not where we want to be in terms of numbers during the week.

What do you attribute that to?
So many people still aren’t aware of what’s downtown since the flood.
People need to realize that coming to downtown and supporting those businesses that have reopened is not only good for that particular business
but benefits the entire city.

What makes Brick’s unique to downtown?
The physical building is really unique.
It’s over 100 years old and the exposed brick inside is so original. People from out of town will come in and comment on
the fact that the bar feels familiar to them — either they have a place back in their hometown that looks like Bricks or they just feel like they can relate to the layout of the bar. Another unique item
is our kitchen. Within the core of downtown we are one of the few bars that also serves food.

Last summer Brick’s collaborated with the Cedar Rapids Jaycees and Teeghans and Volume. Why?
Lots of people don’t understand that we (businesses) are all in it together to get people downtown. Unlike a lot of communities we want to support each other and understand that working together is much more beneficial than competing. What’s good for one is good for all of us, and that not only goes for the bars downtown but for all downtown business.

Why Teeghans and Volume?
Besides the location, people like to bar hop when they are out and each of our places offers patrons something different. People usually start at Bricks, then go to Teeghans and end the night at Volume.
— QUINN

The Fieldhouse is coming to former Tilted Kilt site in Cedar Rapids

The owners of The Fieldhouse, one of Iowa City’s best known student bars, are planning a second operation in Cedar Rapids under the same name.

The Cedar Rapids Fieldhouse will open later this year at 1140 Blairs Ferry Road NE.

“They’ll do well up here” said Mike Waltz, an investor in C.R. Venture, which owns the building. He said the Cedar Rapids Fieldhouse will have more of a family atmosphere than the Iowa City Fieldhouse at 113 E. College St., a long-standing student haunt.

The Cedar Rapids restaurant naturally will feature plenty of University of Iowa decor and memorabilia, Waltz said. Some renovations of the building are planned, and an opening date has not been set.

The building most recently was operated for about one year as The Tilted Kilt, a franchised concept featuring servers and bartenders clad in Scottish kilts. But the franchise owned by Al and Donna Meyer closed in early February, and signs went up saying the restaurant was closed for retraining.

Before operating as The Tilted Kilt, the site housed the North Country Steakhouse.

David Carey of Marion, president of Iowa City Fieldhouse Inc., was not immediately available for comment.

John Osborn, 25, Iowa City
Bartender @ The Airliner

How long have you been a bartender?
Five years.

How did you get into bartending?
I was working in Cedar Rapids at Red Robin and they asked if anyone want to try bartending. So I did, and I was OK at it, so I stuck with it. Then I came down to Iowa City, and I’ve been here for three years.

What do you like about bartending?
I like talking to people. I get along with people. Seeing drunk people is pretty funny. It’s just fun. It’s like the most fun I could have making money.

What’s the worst part of bartending?
Dealing with the drunkest people. And the hours. Like Friday and Saturday nights, I don’t get to go out those nights, because I’m working.

What’s your favorite night to work? Why?
Monday and Tuesday nights. Because on Monday and Tuesday nights you’re at the bar by yourself, the whole bar is yours. It’s not that busy, but you have a decent crowd.

How would you describe the crowd here?
Young. They like to be out. If there’s something going on, they like to be there. We have a lot of frats and sororities that come in here. That brings in a large crowd, and they’re pretty fun.

What do you like to do outside of work?
I hang out with a lot of people who work here. We get together and play football. We hang
out and go to other bars. I have three animals — a cat, a dog and a snake. And I hang out with my girlfriend a lot.

Tell me something about you that would surprise your regulars.
Usually it’s my age. Everyone thinks I look 19, but I’m 25. I get carded a lot. I got ID’d for super glue last year. And I didn’t have it on me, so I couldn’t get it.
— ANNE

Lyle Williams, Center Point
Owner/bartender @ Shawn Ryan’s Irish Pub

How long have you owned Shawn Ryan’s?
It will be two years in April. I went into retirement after being a truck driver for nearly 30 years then decided to purchase Shawn Ryans.

What was it about this bar that made you want to get into the bar biz?
Aside from the fact that the price was right, I had been a patron for a number of years and knew there was potential for growth in the bar, clientele and kitchen.

And have you seen that happen over the last couple years?
Absolutely. We’ve broadened our customer base, with much credit going to our staff who have brought in a variety of people. The staff builds a great rapport with the customers, and that keeps them coming back.

Are there any local bar owners that have helped you learn the ropes?
Shannon Dixon, owner of Gilligans, has been a great mentor for me. She’s owned her business for more than 20 years and has been very helpful.

What makes Shawn Ryan’s unique?
Several things. First, our hours. We’re open 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and our kitchen stays open that entire time. We also have pool tournaments every Sunday along with karaoke every Wednesday and Sunday.  Another unique point is our zero tolerance policy. Anyone that gets out of line is automatically out.  It’s strict but our patrons know they can come here, relax and avoid trouble.

What do you have in store for St. Patrick’s Day?
St. Patrick’s  is always a record breaking day. This year we’ll be running our corn beef and cabbage special and of course will be open for the parade.
— QUINN

Stacey Donahue, 28, Iowa City
Manager @ Donnelly’s Pub

How long have you been a bartender?
About a year and half, two years.

How’d you get into bartending?
I started out as a server, and then kind of just worked my way up and became manager and started filling in as a bartender.

What’s the best part of being a bartender?
Honestly, we have a pretty amazing group of regulars here. I like being able to converse with them, meet new customers and just get the whole atmosphere of Donnelly’s. We’re a little bit of a different kind of a bar in the middle of the ped mall. We’re kind of relaxed. We’re open only to 21-and-over after 10 p.m., and we have a little bit of an older crowd, one that likes to come out for good conversation and good drinks.

What’s your favorite night to work?
Wednesdays, definitely. We have a $2 drafts, bottles and wells, so we remain pretty steady all throughout the night. It’s really rare to find a $2 Guinness or Boddingtons, so people get pretty excited about it. We get a good string of awesome, awesome regulars coming in on Wednesday night too, you know, everybody knows your name, knows who you are, and that’s so awesome.

What’s the best — or worst — pick-up line you’ve heard while working?
Ah, I’ve definitely heard a few. People always try to give you their phone numbers. You get them a lot of times on credit card slips with “call me later.” One guy, once, asked “Do you have a pen?” OK, why? “So I can give my number to you.” I think our guy bar tenders get hit on more, though. The women here are more aggressive.

What’s your favorite drink to pour?
A really good whiskey. We have a really good selection of single-malts. We have really good scotches here, too. We have Templeton Rye, which is made here in Iowa. It can be hard to find, and we pride ourselves on the fact that we’ve been able to keep it in stock for a couple of years now. Our top shelf liquors are so good. The Johnny Walker Blue Label is one we always recommend.
— ANNE

It has been a busy 16 weeks of Monday Night Football, with the Pints & Pigskins crew visiting and reviewing an equal number of bars.

Some of them were great; others missed the mark as being an ideal location to watch sports. Here is an end of season recap of all the establishments we visited over the past four months.

While there aren’t any more Monday Night games on the NFL schedule, you can still use this list as a guide to places to catch upcoming playoff games or the Hawkeyes in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 5.

I couldn’t pick an overall favorite, so I’ve divided the bars into tiers. Keep in mind, these rankings are based on how good the bar was for watching sports, not an overall review of the bar in general.

For detailed reviews, check out Hoopla’s archives at www.HooplaNow.com
Tier 1: The best of the best

The Fire House (9/10) — This is the first bar I have ever run into where beer prices drop as the night goes on. It’s a great idea and one I fully support.
PrimeTime (9/17) — This bar was a great spot to watch a game: good food, great atmosphere and plenty of space for you and a bunch of friends.
Deanoz (11/12) — A wide open bar with plenty of seating and lots of TVs to catch all the action.

Tier 2: A good second option

Mulligans (10/8) — Good food, lots of TVs, good service and plenty of space for you and your group to catch the game. This one is a winner.
Chucks (10/15) — The remodel of the place is fantastic, the food exceeded expectations and the service was great.
Bushwood (11/5) — With a nice selection of brews, food and plenty of TVs, give this place a shot if you are looking for a spot to catch a game.
Cocktails & Company (12/17) — The food was good, beer was cold and there was plenty of space for all the Monday Night football groups.
Third Base Brewery (12/24) — A nice local sports bar with unique beers and decent food. The number of TVs in this place is impressive, with a good view of the game, no matter where you sit.

Tier 3: Ehh … I can go out

Starlite (10/29) — The large TVs, good food and the large seating areas make this a great spot to catch the game, despite the dated décor.
Mahoneys (11/19) — Overall, this is a very cool bar with a lot of personality and a pretty decent place to catch the game. This place could be hit or miss since it’s so small, but it also may be a secret oasis.
Stadium Lounge (11/26) — This was a great spot to check out the game, so throw it into your rotation when you are trying to decide where to go.
Buffalo Wild Wings (12/3) — The diverse beer selection is a big positive but the standard food is a minor drawback. Even so, there is enough seating and the space big enough to handle large groups.
Mr. Bs (12/10) — A nice, out of the way bar where you can get a cold beer, cheap good food and a prime TV watching spot for the next game.

Tier 4: I’ll stay home and watch ‘American Idol’

DC’s (9/24) — As a bar to watch the game, DC’s didn’t meet my expectations, but I can tell it has the potential to be a good weekend spot.
Dublin City (10/1) — While this may be a great bar to visit with friends over a drink and get some great food, it’s not one which I would recommend going to catch Monday Night Football.
Piano Lounge (10/22) — The Piano Lounge is a great weekend spot for live music and martinis, but it’s definitely not a sports bar.
— DEREK

Jen Kibbe, 39, Cedar Rapids
Bartender @ Paddy O’Rourkes

How long have you been at Paddy’s?
A little over 11 years. I started bartending at a couple of bars in Czech Village, moved on and landed where I’m at today.

Anything new at Paddy’s we should be aware of?
The new menu comes out very soon. People need to stop in and check it out.

What keeps you behind the bar?
I love the industry. People are great and make it interesting. Snow days, for example, are the best.

Snow days?
Proof that people might not be able to make it to work or school on a snowy day, but they’ll make it to the bar and enjoy their day off.

What tricks of the trade have you picked up from other bartenders?
One guy who tends a bar up the road taught me a very important lesson. One night he was incredibly busy, and people were demanding things from him left and right. He finally just stopped and said “I only have two hands.” It was simple but taught me you have to take things one at a time and not get so caught up in trying to do everything at once.

What other things have added to your current bartending style?
I tell people like it is, which can be a bit unconventional but appreciated.

Have you ever had to go into counselor mode?
Counselor, personal financial officer, referee. You name it. I like it though because every day is different which makes it fun. Plus you get to learn all sorts of fun secrets.

What kind of impact can a bad bartender have on a bar?
You run a high risk of running customers out and developing a reputation for bad service fast. Bartenders are at the bar to set the tone. Bad service means bad tone.
— QUINN

Week 16 is the last Monday Night Football game of the regular 2009 NFL season and we have a treat of a game. The Minnesota Vikings invade Chicago for a divisional rivalry game against the Bears. The Vikings are playoff bound and the Bears are just playing for pride at this point, but it still should be a good game in the freezing December cold in the
Windy City.

On a side note, I will be viewing this game live, courtesy of the Cedar Rapids Piano Lounge. I wrote about the Piano Lounge’s Monday Night football drawing in mid-October. As luck would have it, I scored tickets at the Dec. 14 drawing. Lucky me! I just hope the wind coming off Lake Michigan isn’t too biting.

The final Pints & Pigskins bar review takes us to Third Base Sports Bar & Brewery at 500 Blairs Ferry Rd. NE in Cedar Rapids. Third Base is the only locally-owned brewery in Cedar Rapids and they create some interesting craft beers. The bar also offers a ‘mug club’ program which earns a free appetizer after you spend a certain amount, knocks $1 off each beer and gives club members a few extra ounces with their mug club-only steins. It’s a lifetime membership and a great deal if you are a repeat customer.

The beers take center stage at Third Base. The brewmaster has a seasonal brew on tap, so be sure to consult the white board behind the bar to see what’s pouring. Word of caution. Third Base brews are potent! Consult the white board and menu for each beer’s alcohol percentage and plan accordingly.   If microbrew isn’t your thing, they also serve a full line of ‘corporate beers.’ Sandwiches, burgers and some entree items make up the menu, as well as some unique appetizers like the spicy chicken nuggets (which are great and
worth a try).

The TV situation at Third Base is impressive. Each booth has their own flat screen and HDTVs are mounted nearly everywhere in the bar. 3rd base recently added a large open space game room, with dart boards and pool tables, as well as more TVs and plenty of seating for big groups.

Third Base is a nice local sports bar with unique beers and decent food. The number of TVs in this place is impressive, with a good view of the game, no matter where you sit.

— DEREK

Jack Craig, 24, Iowa City
Manager/bartender @ Mickey’s Irish Pub

How long have you been a bartender?
2 years.

How did you get into bartending?
I needed a job. I go to The University of Iowa, so it was convenient to work someplace downtown.

What’s the best thing about your job?
Probably the people. Having fun with the people I work with. And getting paid.

What’s the crowd like at Mickey’s?
It’s a lot of groups of friends. People come because of word-of-mouth.

What’s the worst thing about your job?
Probably having to deal with really drunk people. After the last football game there was an former basketball player who’s 7-foot-2-inches, and he got in fight with someone and I had to try to break that up, which wasn’t very easy when I was standing there staring straight up at him.

What’s the best night to work?
Friday. It’s the busiest.

What’s your favorite drink to pour?
Captain Planet. It’s our famous shot here. It’s a sweet drink that has a lot of flavors combined, like Captain Planet, you know, “By your powers combined — I am Captain Planet!”

What’s the best pickup line you’ve overheard while working?
How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice.

Why is Mickey’s a good place to come for New Year’s Eve?
We’ll have some pretty decent specials. We usually do. And this is a bar where you can easily access a drink, but there’s still has a busy, busy crowd. Also, we don’t charge a cover, so that’s pretty good for downtown Iowa City.
— ANNE

There are only two Monday Night Football games left. Week 15 brings us to Cocktails & Company at 1625 Blairs Ferry Rd. in Cedar Rapids for a game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants. The defending Super Bowl champions are struggling to save their season and the Redskins are hoping to play spoiler on their home turf.

Cocktails & Company is a large sports bar that features live music on the weekends and is also the ‘unofficial’ home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since this bar hosts bands, there is always plenty of room for a large party to grab a seat and watch the game on one of the four HDTVs, or if the game is big enough, on one of two HD projectors. Cocktails also has a side room which is home to several pool tables, dart boards and video games to help pass the time if the game is boring.

The bar features several rotating draft choices as well as a full line of bottles. Cocktails is one of the few bars on the Pints & Pigskins tour which served pitchers of beer, reasonably priced at around $7.

The menu at Cocktails is quite large and has many tasty items to choose from. In addition to burgers, salads and wraps, they also offer pizza. The pizza wasn’t anything unique, but it was pretty good and really nailed my craving for bar pizza. Cocktails also has a few types of wings, including a “Cocktails specialty” wing which is generously coated in a spicy batter and fried to perfection. They were great and I can’t wait to have them again.

This was a good bar to take in a game, although I really wish I would have attended for a Steelers game. I’ll have to make a mental note for next season. The food was good, beer was cold and
there was plenty of space for all the Monday
Night football groups.

— DEREK