Atmosphere, food rule B-town bars

Bloomington nightlife wouldn't be the same without the bars, and the bars wouldn't be same if Nick's English Hut didn't exist. \nLocated on Kirkwood Avenue just off the Sample Gates, Nick's has been around for 76 years, has four bars and offers food including burgers, pizza, Stromboli and jambalaya. \nNick's once again has been voted Best Bar in Bloomington, and general manager Gregg "Rags" Rago couldn't be happier.\n"We're always excited with things that have to do with being called number one bar; that makes us ecstatic," Rago said. \nRago has been a part of Nick's since 1978; he started out working in the kitchen while attending IU.\n"I stopped going to school to work in the kitchen," he said.\nRago worked his way up to his current general manager position and works days, spending most of his time with his number one love, food.\n"Food is my main focus," Rago said. "During the day our loyal customers come here to eat."\nRago also said the reason Nick's is different from other bars is that all types of people come to Nick's to eat and just enjoy the unique atmosphere.\n"We get a chance to cater to different people, from the guy who plays guitar on the street to the president of the University," he said. "I love to travel, but there is nowhere like this place in the world. There are a lot of good restaurants in the world, but we've found our own little niche right here in Bloomington."\nRago also said while many people come during the day for the food, nightlife at Nick's is unlike any other bar.\n"At night, it's more of a party scene; it's a no-holds-barred type of place," Rago said. "It does get to be like New Year's Eve every night, and people have fun in a controlled environment. It's a large bar with a lot of nooks, so you can have your own little space, rather than a huge warehouse. That's what makes us unique."\nRago also noted other aspects that make Nick's stand out at a great place to come back to again and again.\n"Our décor is cool. We've got old wood, not plastic. We've got old pictures, some from the 1920s and some directly related to IU," he said. "But people identify with IU. People who came to IU years ago see the stuff in the bar, and they feel like they're young again. There's a sense of constant youth, and the youth motivates people. We have a product, and IU is a part of that product and we are a part of IU."\nRago said visitors to Bloomington can enjoy a one-of-a-kind-experience when they come to Nick's and Bloomington.\n"Some people have heard of Nick's and want to check it out, and Bloomington is an oasis like no other place," he said. "There is no place like this in the state or this region. Bloomington is a vibrant place; it's a stop in the corner of Indiana."\nAnother reason Rago thinks Nick's stands out is the relationships that exist between the customers and the employees.\n"You have to be a good employee. If I see the same guy in here three or four times a week eating lunch, and I don't go and talk to him, and then something is wrong with me," Rago said. "I like to talk to customers; I want to do whatever I can to make a customer feel comfortable."\nRago also said no matter when you visit Nick's there's always something going on.\n"There's a saying around here that is nothing is going on anywhere else, we're the busiest," he said. "People have nothing else to do so they come here and it ends up getting pretty packed."\nSenior Amanda Hardesty said she enjoys going to Nick's on nights that are less crowded.\n"I really like the atmosphere; it's very laid back and relaxed, and it's a place you can go to and not have to get all dressed up for," Hardesty said. "It's what we go there for, and the food is really good too."\nOther students come from other universities to play Nick's favorite game, "Sink the Bismarck." \n"My friends took me there to play Sink the Biz, so I wanted to come down and check it out and see what it was all about," said University of Indianapolis senior Greg Mundt, who heard about Nick's through friends that attend IU.\nThough Nick's was voted best bar, it's definitely not the only bar. Coming in second and third were Bluebird Nightclub and Kilroy's Sports Bar, respectively, both on North Walnut Street. \nMany IU students make going to Bluebird Wednesday nights a priority, mainly for 15 cent drafts and to hear good music from bands like Dave and Rae.\nSenior Liz Sander likes the Wednesday night crowd and the inexpensive drinks.\n"You can't beat beers for 15 cents, and plus you get to hear Pfreak Show, Catfight and Dave and Rae, and the crowd is ridiculous," Sander said.\nKilroy's Sports Bar, located on Walnut, offers many specials throughout the week and provides lots of entertainment on weekends.\nSenior Vicki Hunziker likes to go to Sports Thursdays and also likes the crowd that goes there. \n"I really like the fact that when my roommates and I go there, we always run into people that we know, then we end up hanging out with a group of people," Hunziker said. "I also like that downstairs has the DJ type of music and upstairs is usually a band, so you can pick what atmosphere you want to be in."\nWhether you crave bands, drink specials or discreet places to hang with friends and play a game of Sink the Biz, the Bloomington bar scene has something for everyone.