As a standard rule of thumb, I prefer to visit a given establishment on average 3 times before I make any true judgement regarding its ways. I've now done so with 308 and found each time a cringeworthy experience in and of itself.
To start with, 308 is a three story establishment, it utilizes the idea of different floors with varying themes as it attempts to cover multiple bar styles and atmospheres. The bar itself is new as of the last couple of years and aims for a modern style.
To be fair, the bar has a few things going for it. First off, the location is great. For a Purdue University bar, you really cannot get a better spot than the top of Chauncey Hill, the location of other favorite bars in the area. As for the establishment itself, the bar is the only in the immediate area to have a more modern flavor. The idea of three floors and varying styles is a great idea that is capable of playing to a wide variety of customers. The establishment, overall is uncluttered and although lacking the nostalgia of others, it is new and this could come in time.
Unfortunately, the above listed is where good points of the bar end. The following is a rather extensive list of issues I've found repeated on each occasion to the establishment with as little bias to personal taste as possible. To start, the bar rarely seems to have all levels open, only on one occasion has this been the case on a visit. The rest of the time all other areas save for half of the first floor are closed. For a bar that seems to take pride in the novelty of its different levels, it utilizes them very little and does away with one, albeit a risky one, of its strong points. One can't help but notice that the entire downstairs area that is usually open has 2 toilets for the entire population. 308 is rarely busy by any standard of the word yet even for the average 20-30 people, 2 toilets is not enough. Music is also an issue here. The selection is not always poor, but those at the bar are capable of paying to change to songs of their own choosing. This can be a fun and creative tool, yet in the hands of many, it can be a mood killer with some of the music that has come across on visits, even having driven out a few customers on one occasion. The mood of a somewhat up-classed bar is ruined in the mid section a bit as you come across a plastic pull out table used to play beer pong, with a large frat flag hanging being it. If that's the level of entertainment you want, then frequent a frat house. In a bar, it has little place and is ruinous given the attempted atmosphere. It's much like having a good meal and then half way through finding a mysterious something in your food that should not be there and ends up discouraging you from the rest of the food. The bar itself also has a very limited selection of spirits. It doesn't take much of a selection to run a proper operation but 308 seems to be on the verge of running dangerously close to not having essentials. If you are look for any variety or better quality of spirit, nothing too posh but a little more special than your standard run of the mill spirit, this bar is not going to be your number one stop.
Now, the most disheartening of all, the staff and service. Service here is frankly terrible. You will rarely if ever be ask what you'd like, instead waiting while the staff chats or sits. The bar has never been busy past maybe 40 people while I've visited, even on busier nights, and the staff can't even manage this number. Not being able to turn out drinks, food, and even cleaning at such a low customer level is disturbing at best. The employees are not overly friendly or outgoing and although not something required, it kills the mood when you enter and the staff doesn't even look excited or even moderately interested in being there. This tells me there is a disconnect between management and staff where little is being done to provide guidance and maintain a prosperous working environment. On each occasion I've experiment with different bar tenders and found all to seem very uncomfortable and unenthused about their tasks. Many times I've found that despite the pressure for food and drinks, some members of the staff will just be sitting around instead of taking orders, cleaning, or even just checking on guests and gauging mood and opinion. This seems to say that the management has now slacked in its ability to train employees on their tasks or even provide consequences for poor work behavior when it arises. Lastly, if you want someone to make you a good or even half decent drink, this is not the bar. I usually start by ordering very basic drinks and if they are up to par, then I increase in complexity. To be frank, on my occasions there, the barkeep could not properly measure and mix a whiskey sour, a gin and tonic, a screwdriver, and had not even the slightest clue what a hurricane was. The drinks tasted of low quality alcohol and very very unbalanced, even those requiring just two ingredients. read more