I ended up here for a Don't Tell Comedy show and had literally never heard of this place a day in…read moremy life. But walking in, I was pleasantly surprised.
It's tucked away off Front Street, and you have to head down the steps to enter the bar. Then, for the comedy show, we went down another level into the basement. That underground setting was actually PERFECT for comedy -- intimate, different, and just a really cool atmosphere.
But the bar itself is what caught my attention.
If you grew up when VHS tapes, VCRs, tube TVs, video rental stores, rewinding tapes, Saturday morning cartoons, and picking out a movie on Friday night were part of life, this place will bring back some memories. VHS tapes are everywhere, with old-school TVs and little pieces of nostalgia that immediately take you back to a completely different time.
There was something really cool about looking around and remembering when those things weren't "retro" decorations -- they were our everyday life.
From standing in the video store forever trying to decide what movie you were taking home, to somebody forgetting to rewind the tape, recording shows off TV, movie nights with family and friends, and that giant stack of VHS tapes everybody seemed to have somewhere in the house -- this place brought a lot of that back.
Very unique concept, and whoever designed the atmosphere understood the assignment.
Now, I do want to mention one part of the experience because I believe reviews should be truthful, but also fair.
There were several bartenders working upstairs. Most of the experience was fine, but one bartender in particular came across as unnecessarily standoffish and rude throughout the evening. I didn't catch her name, and I'm not interested in publicly attacking anyone personally.
The part that bothered me most happened when I was ready to close out my tab. Another bartender had started helping me, but this particular bartender redirected her to customers on the other side of the bar and then left me standing there waiting several more minutes.
Four minutes normally isn't the end of the world. But when you've already felt like someone has been dismissive toward you throughout the evening, those four minutes can feel like thirty.
I was frustrated enough that I almost said something, but decided it wasn't worth allowing one interaction to ruin an otherwise enjoyable night. I paid my bill, still tipped 20%, and left.
I mention this for management more than anything else: you have a really cool business here. Sometimes one employee's attitude can unintentionally become the customer's impression of the entire establishment. A little coaching on hospitality and how customers are spoken to could go a long way.
Outside of that interaction, I genuinely enjoyed myself.
Loved the concept. Loved the nostalgia. Loved the basement comedy experience. The Don't Tell Comedy show was great, and I would absolutely come back.
Definitely a hidden little spot worth checking out -- especially if you're old enough to remember when "Be Kind, Rewind" actually meant something.
