COMMON SENSE: How to take your parents to a bar

Anna Ortiz is a senior telecommunications news major and writes “Common Nonsense” for The Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper. Write to Anna at aeortiz@bsu.edu.


For some students, the words “family” and “weekend” just don’t go together. Family means family members and a game of “Scrabble” while weekend at college means pounding music, shots and a hangover the next morning.

As Family Weekend starts Friday, please do not unleash the two worlds on each other. It will be mayhem, chaos. Imagine your mother at Dill Street Bar & Grill attempting to twerk, your dad unleashing his ‘80s dance moves on the dance floor of D Luxe.

Take a minute for those visuals to sink in.

There’s a safe way to show your parents around and give them a taste of Muncie nightlife while enjoying a cold one. Just pick the right time — 6-10 p.m. — and place to do it. Take a look into these more adult-oriented bar scenes and be happy your parents are picking up the tab.

1) The Heorot Pub and Draught House at 219 S. Walnut St.

The Heorot, with all of its battle axes and swords, stays away from the hard-liquor drinking party crowd. It offers 67 different ales, lagers, meads and ciders on draft and you can pick from 300 bottled drinks — and not one Jägerbomb or Long Island Iced Tea in sight. Needless to say, it’s the place to be for the more refined tastes, and there’s a drink for everyone. The giant serpent weaved through the building, weaponry and Viking decor will give a lot for the folks to admire and talk about. Like the microbrews it churns out, The Heorot is unlike your generic bar.

TOP PICKS
DRINK: Alpha King Pale Ale, American India Pale Ale
BREWERY: Three Floyds Brewery in Munster, Ind.

DRINK: Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine
BREWERY: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, Calif.

DRINK: Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
BREWERY: Wells & Young’s in Bedford, UK

DRINK: Dragon’s Milk, Bourbon Barrel Stout
BREWERY: New Holland Brewing in New Holland, Mich.

DRINK: Pumking, pumpkin ale
BREWERY: Southern Tier in New York

2) Savage’s Ale House at 127 N. High St.
If you’re looking for somewhere to have a drink and eat something other than cheap bar food, this is the place to take your family. With a comfortable dining area away from the bar and pool tables, there’s an extensive menu to enjoy. A variety of specials, burgers, sandwiches and wraps are for the picking without the grease. Like the Heorot, Savage’s offers a variety of interesting drafts. It’s an artsy establishment with abstract murals and works from local artists, so be sure to take a look around — it’s practically the Louvre of the Muncie bar scene.

TOP PICKS
Jalapeno Bleu Burger $6.50
Bacon, diced jalapeños, lettuce, tomato and blue cheese dressing on a toasted Kaiser bun
Reuben $6.50
Sliced corned beef, sautéed sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing on grilled marble rye bread

Ball City Cheesesteak $6.50
Sirloin steak, sautéed peppers and onions topped with cheese sauce on a toasted hoagie bun

Online link to menu: savagesalehouse.com/eats

3) The Folly Moon at 114 N. Mulberry St.
Another downtown Muncie bar, The Folly Moon is relatively new on the scene. It has a low-key atmosphere and is centered around the variety musical acts that cycle in at night. The blue-tinted lighting and dark decor are reminiscent of a Chicago bar, and your parents will enjoy some live entertainment to their taste. On top of that is the imaginative burgers offered.

TOP PICKS
The Sweet Heat
Caramelized bacon, jalapeños, habanero pepper jack cheese and topped with “frisco” sauce

Not-cho Everyday Burger
Nacho cheese, jalapeños, sour cream and everything you would put on a hot plate of nachos

The Saucy Gobble
Turkey burger, pepper jack cheese, barbecue sauce and mayo

Website: facebook.com/FollyMoon

4) Columbia Theater at 306 S. Walnut St.
This venue is fresh on the scene and is a throwback to the old theater that once stood in its place. Your parents will appreciate Columbia Theater’s taste of chandeliers, gold trimming, antique wood and crimson walls versus the graffiti and cement of less upscale venues. There’s plenty of breathing room and a big stage for live acts, just head out before the dance music starts rumbling later in the night — unless your parents are into that.