For many Ball State students, a night at the bars means a night of stumbling around the Village. But for those with a fear of running into a teacher’s assistant or looking to escape the regular college crowd, Muncie also offers many lesser known dive bars. Here are five Muncie bars that may not be on your radar.
Oasis Bar & Grill
Upon entering Oasis, a family-owned bar and grill located on the outskirts of downtown Muncie, patrons are greeted with sounds of classic rock blaring from the jukebox and historical sports paraphernalia hanging from the wood-based walls and ceilings. The lively, hoosier-friendly bar has been established since 1952, and is known for being one of the oldest bars in all of Delaware county.
The bar draws a lot of sports fans throughout Muncie, and there is always a group at the bar ready to have a lively conversation over anything sports related. There are flat-screen TVs placed on every wall of the bar dedicated to sports coverage.
Every Saturday night there is karaoke, which is a popular event among the regular crowd. Bottled beers are $1.75 and buckets of beer are $11.
Most regulars order a mixed drink such as a whiskey and coke, or a beer with the occasional shot. All beer brands are American and there are no draft beers.
Behind the bar, there is a separate room dedicated towards private parties and special events. The private room contains a pool table as well as a shuffleboard free to use by those that book a private party.
Oasis is known for its lengthy food menu and drink specials. Its most popular items include tenderloins and itsfamous bacon cheeseburger. Other food items include pizza, dill chips and tacos. Its open for breakfast and serve dishes such as eggs, bacon, sausage and bacon burritos.
Location: 1811 S. Burlington Drive
Hours: 8 p.m.-midnight daily
Recommended by the regulars: The “Buttery Scotch” or “Prison Drink” — a shot of Crown Royal mixed with butterscotch schnapps
Mr. Mouse Music Hall
Those looking for a more lively experience can check out the Mr. Mouse Music Hall, an upbeat nightclub located in Yorktown, Ind., 15 to 20 minutes outside of Muncie. The owner of the venue has previously owned and managed a nightclub in Panama City, Fla., a city rated as one of the top 10 Spring Break college hot spots in the country.
Immediately after entering the nightclub, customers are welcomed by a huge dance floor placed adjacent to a small stage that is frequently occupied by a variety of live bands and DJs over the weekend. DJ Goldie, a former WCRD host who was most commonly known for his “Loudpack” show, is the resident DJ of the venue and spins music ranging from top 40 hits to different forms of hip hop and dance music.
There is a patio area that connects to another section of the bar that is under renovation. When weather permits, are special events on the patio range from foam parties to mechanical bull riding.
The dance scene on the weekends is known to be lively, but there are also special events during the week such as “Monday Night Wings,” “Trivia Tuesday” and gambling on special occasions.
Location: 9101 W. Smith St., Yorktown
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 p.m.-midnight, Friday and Saurday 11 p.m.-3 a.m.
Recommended by the regulars: 100 proof schnapps, all drinks are known to receive a healthy pour
Sportsman’s Lounge
The Sportsman’s Lounge is a watering hole for those looking to grab a drink and wind down after a long day of classes or work. The color scheme of the venue is a dark red mixed with black and the lights are dimmed low to complement the calm vibe of the bar.
A large majority of the bar is dedicated to billiards. There is a pool league sponsored by the lounge that holds tournaments every couple of weeks through each month.
There food menu includes deep fried turkey, pizza and tacos. Complementing the dining area is a wall that holds several flat screen TVs dedicated to playing the popular sports event of the moment.
If you’d prefer to simply grab a bottle for the road, there is a carry our liquor store right at the entrance of the bar.
Location: 1806 E. Memorial Drive
Hours: 9 p.m.-3 a.m. daily
Recommended by the regulars: The Raha, which is grape-flavored vodka mixed with cranberry juice and topped with a splash of Sprite
Cheers
Don’t let the old-school decor fool you, located directly behind the Muncie Mall, Cheers has been dubbed a gem in the rough among Ball State patrons.
Throughout the week, Cheers is the perfect family sit-down restaurant, known for its breaded tenderloin, meat loaf and shrimp. The walls and ceilings are aged and decorated with old historic toys and paintings from the city of Muncie, as well around Indiana.
When the weekend comes around, the dining room tables are cleared out and the venue is transformed into a nightclub full of energetic and a diverse crowd of individuals looking to have a good time. There is a DJ Thursday to Saturday and live bands perform on special occasions.
Location: 3823 N. Broadway Ave.
Hours: Monday-Wednesday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-3 a.m.
Recommended by the regulars: Men prefer the Crown and Coke, women like the Sex on the Beach
Big Shots Pub
A spacious open room with high ceilings, Big Shots is a bar where patrons go to hear hard rock music played loud and watch the game on any of the two or three flat screen TVs mounted on each wall.
The walls are covered in sports paraphernalia ranging anywhere from framed Indianapolis 500 rosters to signed Larry Bird jerseys. There are several pool tables placed in one corner of the bar along with other saloon favorites such as dart machines and an array of other bar arcade games. Most patrons enjoy the free pool all throughout the week, along with their $1 draft beers on Mondays.
The bartop is abnormally long compared to your average bar counter and seats about 20 to 30 people. Although labeled a sports bar, it is more upbeat and wild than the average.
There is a bus service available free of charge with those that have a party of four or more.
Location: 700 S. Nichols Ave.
Hours: 11:30-3 a.m.
Recommended by the regulars: “Astro-pop shots,” which are known to taste exactly like the popsicle, include raspberry vodka, sweet and sour mixer and a splash of grenadine
