My wife and I settled into the Borgata Lobby Bar for a nightcap last night, the way one settles into a thought that is not quite satisfying but will do in the moment. There was a live pianist taking requests, and he was good. Competent, even charming, although his frequent reminders that songs will be played in order of greatest tip to least made us think his salary was entirely gratuity based. He played what people wanted to hear across a wide spread of genres, which is a kind of small miracle.
Still, it felt like a watered down substitute for something that once had a pulse. The ghost in the room was Gypsy Bar, which used to offer actual live music on weekends. Closing it was, in my opinion, a small but meaningful cultural error. Now, between B Bar, Long Bar, and this place, the Borgata has achieved a kind of perfectly acceptable sameness. Three bars, none of them offensive, none of them memorable.
My wife ordered her usual gin and tonic, a drink that asks for very little and is satisfied when it receives it. I went with a Sazerac, motivated by the presence of absinthe, which I had somehow avoided my entire life. It turns out absinthe does not cause hallucinations, unless you count the fleeting belief that you are having a more interesting drink than everyone else. Still, it was well made and nicely presented, as was hers.
Service was slow, which felt odd given that the bar was not especially crowded. Not neglectful, just unhurried in a way that made you aware of time passing.
Prices were what one expects in a casino hotel lobby. High enough to remind you where you are.
In the end, it is fine. Perfectly fine. You'll probably get a pretty good drink, you might hear a pleasant song, and except for your wallet, you'll leave no worse off than when you arrived. But you may also find yourself remembering something better that used to exist in the same building, and wondering why it doesn't anymore. Four stars, though at least half of one of them is doing a fair amount of emotional labor. read more