After this spot was featured on Booze Traveler, it hit my radar of "Bars I Want to Try". It's in downtown Palermo, not far off the main drag, but getting here seems sketchier than it is.
You have to walk down a couple of rape alleys, all the while wondering what street urchin is going to lunge out at you from the darkness. That didn't happen. Mostly, it just smells like stale piss. But you solider on, walking down one final narrow passageway before it opens up to reveal a courtyard where this bar and a couple other are situated.
You have to pay the cashier for a drink, then hand the bartender your receipt, which he tears and then pours your beverage. Weird. It sure made for some ugly ass lines here, I'll say that much. But I was able to secure a Jim Beam on the rocks with little fuss, so no complaints here. Almost as soon as I had ordered the place began filling up. It was only around 8pm; still early by Sicily standards.
Seems they get a high concentration of younger folks and motor scooter enthusiasts here. It looked like some kind of lame biker bar, what with a row of mopeds lined up down the block. By 11pm it was absolutely packed, so unless you want to be drinking with a massive crowd, get here earlier in the night.
Bonus: they had a shockingly clean bathroom. Not a bonus: the toilet had no seat and there was no toilet paper. Glad I didn't find that out the hard way. read more