I live in Rice Military and used to go to this bar often before they moved over to the First Ward. The bar was was obviously build on a tight budget, nothing wrong with that but it doesn't have the quaint feel the other location had. The new bar is wide and not deep the total opposite as the previous one and just isn't as nice. The new location does have a better patio but only because your not sitting on a patio. The R Bar seems to attract the "smokers" so be prepared for all the nasty smell on their tint patio...hell even the bar staff is out there smoking.
Speaking of the staff its a motley crew of individuals for sure certainly hit or miss with good service. There is even one older lady bartender with glasses, I think her name is Ashley, that gets completely wasted while working, and the drunker she get the more foul her mouth gets gets with "F..." this and "F..." that, gets sickening, especially if there is a ball game on and her team is loosing, pathetic really.
The owners are two couples, the two Kelly's (females) are always very nice and cordial to the guests very nice ladies. One of the men seems to be the brains of the outfit or at least the hardest working. He is always on the move taking care of things in the bar, not sure his name. Then there is Matt, he is the rudest person you can imagine, he is usually sitting at the bar pounding drinks and if there is a Steelers game on and he and all his other drunks buddies are taking up all the premium seats at the bar you might as well leave because you will be treated like crap from him. The owners should vote to tell him just to stay home.
They really missed the mark by not adding a small kitchen, the occasional food trucks are a pain and overpriced, they are missing some good profits without a kitchen just serving simple bar food.
The "Steak Night" they have is not only the worst in the city but the most overpriced. The steaks are HORRIBLE, over cooked, over spiced cheap low grade meat. The prices are outrageous, they need to go around and see what other places are charging. I have seen a GOOD 16oz rib eye, large baked potato and a beer for $13.00. Prob the average is $16.00 and its actually good, not like the MisSteak they serve and its 20 bucks, I also saw a $25.00 steak on the handout menu there ROTFLOL, and yes I have tried a few times just to make sure it wasn't a bad night. They are the only bar that actually has a Steak Night on Friday and they are not busy. Why? Because it sucks, they could clean up being the sole Friday steak bar! I hope they reach out to one of the three steak guys that services the local bars and get them in on Fridays.
Anyway, there are many better, nicer bars with a better staff and better food to choose from. read more