Marion Court Room, Lancaster - Bar # 165

The Retired Guys finally made a long desired visit to the Marion Court Room in Lancaster today.  This bar has been a goto place for downtowners for at least 25+ years and continues to expand and improve as Lancaster itself grows and improves.

We were met upon entry by a cheerful bartender by the name of Barb.  She was enthusiastic about her place of employment and sold us on the need to return to enjoy live music on Friday nights in the courtyard, formal meals in the dining area, casual drinks and dining on the rooftop deck, and the Sports bar also known as "Court Side Lounge".  The courtyard is fully protected with an awning and side tarps should the weather turn nasty and is equipped with heaters for cooler evenings.  Significant improvements since I was last here for dinner about 25 years ago!

There were 10 taps which was misleading since 4 beers had duplicate taps and there were really only 2 "craft" selections.  However, the craft afficionado will not be disappointed as there were 16 bottles of "craft" beers available as well as many domestic and imported selections too.

As has been our custom we decided to have an appetizer and even though the kitchen does not normally serve food before 5:00PM they accomodated our desire to sample the Amish Sushi as shown below.  This item intrigued us because there is absolutely no fish in this "Sushi" and that was the single reason for selecting it.  Turns out it was good that we drifted outside our norm and both of us decided that this appetizer is worthy of our selecting it next time we return.  A very pleasant surprise indeed!

If you haven't been to Marion Court for some time it is time you made it a point to return as many changes (improvements) have occurred over the years and I suspect you will not be disappointed.

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P F Chang's, Lancaster - Bar # 164

This is our fifth consecutive week of doing an afternoon visit to a bar and The Retired Guys truly appreciate how great it is to be uh, well, retired!  We visited P.F. Chang's in Lancaster at the relatively new Shoppes at Belmont to satisfy our curiosity and to quench our seemingly never ending thirst for the perfect beer.

We were welcomed at the bar by Alem who would be our bartender and who proved to be quite knowledgeable of many varieties of beer beyond the 6 offerings on tap.  In addition to the draft selection there is a healthy mix of bottled beers to choose from if the tap system proves to not be expansive enough for a beer connoiseur's taste.  Alem suggested an appetizer for us and we followed his direction, much to our satisfaction.  As we enjoyed the appetizer it was shift change time at the bar so we said goodbye to Alem and hello to Alexandra who provided our second glass and shared some of her thoughts on bars in Lancaster County while she reviewed the list of places we have been to.  She also vouched for the freshness claim of all the ingredients used at the restaurant, having witnessed the daily deliveries in the early morning of products to be prepared then sold the same day.

P.F. Chang's is an international chain as well as being represented in 40 states within our USA.  It's success is based on its dedication to using local and fresh products to make all its menu offerings in-house and on a daily basis.  The taste of our appetizer clearly attests to the food quality and had us thinking of a return visit in the not too distant future.  

These Retired Guys will be resting up for a short week to gain strength for our next quest!

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Railroad House Inn (and Perry Street Cellar), Marietta - Bar # 163

The Retired Guys are still working through our postponed dates and so, for the 4th week in a row we have ventured out doing what we like to do best!  This week we visited the historic Railroad House Inn in Marietta to get a sampling of their beer and try a couple of appetizers.

I have been wanting to visit this location for a couple of years now but we put it off because the restaurant/bar is not open on our normal outing day of Tuesday.  Too bad we waited so long!  Upon entry today, we were directed to the Perry Street Cellar (downstairs) and were met by our bartender, David who turned out to be a positive in many ways.  First was his outgoing attitude and friendliness and second was his knowledge of the 12 craft beers on tap.  He easily discussed the nuances of each beer and was comfortable enough to suggest a favorite when we gave him an option of two or more to choose from.  David explained some of the history of the location and described a once a month event called BYOV (Bring Your Own Vinyl) which is proving to be a popular evening.

We enjoyed our sampling of craft beers that were new to us and also nibbled (gobbled would be a better description) at two appetizers that were excellent.  The food sample was enough to encourage us to consider returning for a full dinner in the near future.  

Upon completion of our beer tastings we toured the restaurant upstairs which has a charm that can only be found in historic locations such as this.  Where we were "considering" a return while downstairs, the upstairs convinced us that we need to do so on our next group dinner outing.  We believe that the ambiance will contribute positively to a tasty meal to be shared with close friends.  Based on our experience, we recommend this location to any who have not visited before.

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Decades, Lancaster - Bar # 162

The landscape of pubs and bars is definitely changing and a perfect example is the new Decades in downtown Lancaster.  As you enter the doorway of the Stahr Armory, built in 1928, you proceed through an open reception area and come face to face with a bowling alley, retro video games and pin ball machines.  What kind of adult playland is this?  The bar is pretty remarkable too.  We both agreed it may be the longest bar we have seen on our travels through Lancaster County.

Justin was our bartender who we previously met and he was friendly and smiling as always.  He really knows his products and is very smooth as he interacts with customers and co-workers.  There are 24 taps behind that lengthy bar allowing for a great selection of draft beer.  At Justin's suggestion we ordered their fried chili shrimp.  They were excellent and the perfect compliment to our IPA beers.  We even learned about a "new fangled smoker thing" from another bartender.  He mixed an Applewood Smoked Manhattan.  It was a very interesting production.

While Decades may not be a perfect place for a quiet romantic dinner, it is certainly a great place to meet your friends, have a drink and challenge them to your favorite game of skill.  There are no TVs  so you might as well get off your stool and have some fun.

Until next time, Cheers!

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The Tipsy Boar, Lancaster - Bar # 161

The Retired Guys returned to the same physical location we have been before, but this time with new owners, management and staff.  The Tipsy Boar has taken over the building that was formerly The Crazy Tomato on Centerville Road in Lancaster.  It is still a bit difficult to navigate in and out of the parking lot, but we found it was worth the effort because of the beer selection, quality of food we sampled and the friendly staff.

Looking at the beer selection; they have 40 to choose from.  Everything from the mainstream light varieties to major national beers to stouts, porters, microbrews and even ciders are on tap and available to refresh whatever your taste buds are craving.  It can be a bit overwhelming trying to make a decision when looking at the large listing behind the bar or the available paper copy.  The Retired Guys were up to the challenge and made choices that validated our ability to quench our thirst in the middle of the afternoon.

Shay, our bartender, was welcoming and had an Arkansas drawl that made you feel like a friend from the very beginning.  Although she admitted she is not much of a beer drinker, she knew her products, what was popular among the customers and made the effort to match you with a draft of your taste.  Beyond the dispensing of beer, what really makes Shay a good bartender is her talent of conversation and outgoing personality.

Our appetizer selection was ribeye spring rolls.  They were very tasty and when dipped in the accompanying sauce, had just the right kick to encourage another swig of beer.  Another patron had a brisket sandwich he enjoyed and looked pretty darn good too.  It is a safe bet The Retired Guys will return and sample more of this pub's menu.

Another great experience on an afternoon filled with good conversation and beer.

Until next time, CHEERS!

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Piccola Italian Bistro, Kinzers - Bar # 160

Well, it has been about 2-1/2 months since the Retired Guys last outing and within 5 minutes of entering the Piccola Italian Bistro in Kinzers, PA we knew it was worth the wait!  Actually the picture above says all that is needed to describe our experience today.  But, as regular readers of our blog already know, more is about to be written.  Please hang in there as Piccola Bistro is a true gem.

Upon entering, we were warmly welcomed by Nicole (owner) and Julie (day bartender).  We received a little history of the place and found out that Nicole is the 2nd generation owner, following in her parents' footsteps.  It used to be known as Kinzers Station but suffered a fire and was finally reopened in January of 2019 under the new name after significant refurbishment .  

This is one of the newer license establishments that sells made in PA only alchoholic beverages.  Ten years ago that may have been too limiting but now with all the excellent craft beer and spirits manufacturers opening locally and elsewhere within the state it is easy to find quality beverages that in many cases easily exceed the legacy offerings of the old time bars.  As dedicated beer drinkers, we focused on the 6 taps available and tried ones entirey new to us.  With samples being readily available, there was no risk to our adventure so we did indeed move beyond our normal comfort zones.

Well into our first selection, Aundraya came from the kitchen and introduced herself as the chef.  She described some of her appetizers and recommended a couple of them which we ordered.  Additionally, we were offered a sample of the evening's special of Spaghetti Tacos with shells made of only Parmesan cheese.  After sampling our three apps we were convinced that a return visit would be in order and pretty soon too.  We noted and want to share that today's experience caused us to rate Piccola Italian Bistro in the top two of all the places we have visited and a firm first based on the sampling of food.  If you have never been, GO!  If you have already been I'm guessing you need no further encouragement to return.

Toward the end of our visit, we met Amanda who is the bar manager.  That made four in a row who had the kind of personality that makes you feel welcome and wanting this to be the bar where "everybody knows your name". 

Fair to say that our return from out of town trips has started off in a great way!

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Johnny's Bar & Steak House, Stevens - Bar # 159

Almost a year ago we headed out with the intention of visiting Johnny’s Bar & Steak House in Stevens, PA but got waylaid a little.  As first time visitors we weren’t familiar with the fact that there are three separate bar facilities all somewhat attached and as it happens we entered into The Dock (at Kyma Seafood Grill).  It turned out that the staff was all female, of the young variety, and quite nice so I encouraged Terry to let me change my choice and we stayed to enjoy the beer and uh, well, the scenery.  Note that at our age, just about everyone else is of the young variety.

We aren’t sorry that we changed our minds back in May, 2018 but today’s adventure left us scratching our heads wondering why we took so darn long to return to this area! The experience today reminded us of two other bars we have been to where the interaction with both the staff and customers left us longing to have a place where we would be happy to be known as regulars!

Our bartender for the afternoon / evening was Trish who clearly likes her chosen profession and is a natural at mingling with her clients.  She has been at Johnny's for some time now and is there simply because she likes it.  Trish helped us with a sample of beer before committing to a full glass and encouraged us to share a bottle of a high ABV (15%-20%) to be better able to handle the drive home.  That bottle was a $17 purchase and is easily the most expensive beer we have sampled.  It was worth it!

A few years ago we realized that our experience at any given establishment was based more on the interaction with staff and other cutomers than the selection of beer available.  Early on we made a big deal about the number of taps and how many of those were "light", etc.  Today proved again that memories that last come from the rapport developed between ourselves and other customers at the bar, well, a particular customer.  Truly, it was a fun afternoon.

As is our custom, we sampled an appetizer with today's being a Flat Bread and it was great.  That, coupled with our hearing repeatedly that the steaks at Johnny's are second to none has convinced us to return for a full meal in the not too distant future.  If you have not experienced Johhny's, stop at the bar sometime for a brew or two.  You will probably enjoy your visit.

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