Bar Tabs: Local 121

For the second straight time, I'm writing a Bar Tabs entry about a spot that's at least as much restaurant as bar. And if you want to go to Local 121, at 121 Washington Street (and isn't that convenient?) in downtown Providence, for dinner, you'll be in good company. I've heard the food is good, and they seem to be getting a good crowd. But even if you're in for the meal, you might want to consider asking to be seated in the bar, because in my humble opinion, it is clearly the draw of the place.

The first thing you'll notice when you hang a right into the Tap Room, as they call it, is how amazing all the details are. The bar is filled with panelling that is out of this world in its ornateness, and the space is filled with stained glass windows that are (so I'm told) made out of bottle bottoms. The room is long and narrow, giving it a hole-in-the-wall feel that is accentuated by the minimal lighting, just enough to bring out the character in the space.

One thing I really like about the place is that they have a nice variety of beers on tap, from the local and cheap (aka Narragansett) to the exotic and tasty. I've tried a few beers there I'd never heard of before, which is getting rather hard to pull off, and I've been pleasantly surprised both times. And the prices are entirely in line with what you pay at the neighborhood bar: they haven't tried to institute a cool tax by charging $8 for a Stella Artois or something.

And this is a good thing, because Local 121 is undeniably a cool place. They routinely have DJs playing some cool/random/trippy music, and make sure the vibe is clean and modern without being snobby or off-putting. It is a place I go when I need my watering hole to make me feel a bit more hip, not just to help distract me from the lowlights of my day. Add to that the fact that I've had some of the best bar conversations ever there, and it all starts to add up to a pretty robust drinking experience.

If the fliers I saw the other day are true, there is a regular DJ gig at Local 121 on Monday, and I'm planning on checking it out. I'll let them surprise me with a new beer, order something tasty from the small plate menu (they serve their full dinner menu in the bar until midnight, another big plus) and try to get into an interesting conversation. There are much worse ways to start your week.