I had a very difficult time trying to figure out an accurate rating for The Cooler. I wish there was a 2.5/5 option, because that would more accurately fit this establishment. Located near Autzen stadium, I expected this to be a college bar; it's not, it plays non-stop country music and the dance floor is line dancing. It is a sports bar of sorts, with banners of Pac-12 teams hanging from the ceiling and it does have televisions showing sports, but I was there yesterday and you couldn't tell it could ever be considered a "sports bar".
When my friends and I arrived, there wasn't anywhere to sit. Specifically, there was actually a lot of open chairs. People had put their jacket on one seat and then went to the dance floor for a half hour at a time. Then they would return for a 5-10 minute break and go right back. But since they had "called" all of the seats, there wasn't anywhere to sit. The Cooler can only seat about 25 people. Too much room is relegated to the dance floor. I finally sat at one of the tables and 20 minutes later an angry woman approached the table and removed her jacket from the seat next to me and joined another table (and then promptly went back to the dance floor 3 minutes later and was gone for another 20 minutes).
This place is incredibly LOUD. The country music is so loud you cannot hear the person next to you. I yelled myself hoarse trying to talk to the people around me. They spoke but I could rarely hear them. It isn't fun to constantly have your face turned away from people so you can get your ear closer to them. The music could easily be heard if it was much lower. Why make people go deaf for no reason?
The waitress was very busy and checked on us constantly. She was very nice (cute, too) and we got our drinks we ordered very quickly. She was quick to pick up our empty glasses and get us more. The drinks themselves I was told were pretty good. I had a strawberry vodka and it was better than most I've tried. Certainly no complaints on the drinks end, so if that's the most important thing, The Cooler is a good place to try.
Overall, The Cooler isn't a bad place. It just also isn't a very good place. I get it -- you want me to get close to the person I'm talking to so that it create intimacy. It's bar psychology 101. But come on, if I get as close as possible and I STILL can't hear the person right next to me, it's too loud. And I don't mind country music (I've got 3 country songs on my phone that I listen to in fact), but I don't want it blaring the entire time. I thought this place played a variety of music so you could dance if you wanted to. Unless you are looking to line dance only, The Cooler isn't the place for you.
Personally, for the low amount of seating, the incredibly loud music, and a very generic atmosphere, I do not see me coming back. The drinks are good, but I rarely drink as it is, so I need more than a good drink to bring me in. I need a reason to stay. Going deaf while being yelled out for sitting at an empty table is not my idea of a place I want to hang out at. read more