Unlike Southtown, near-campus and the Autzen area, Downtown Eugene resembles a true city center. The street peddlers are numerous, the smells are sometimes invasive and, for a student, meal prices, cover charges and drink fees can outcast a cheap entertainment junkie from an overpriced social scene.
Bargain seekers must tread softly downtown when looking for food. A humble hippie café can easily burn a hole in a hemp wallet. Luckily, Cozmic Pizza serves as the cornerstone for the college snacker. While the kitchen’s short hours prevent midnight munchie madness, Cosmic Pizza’s prime location allows for a quick slice of modestly priced organic pizza. Located on the corner of 8th Avenue and Charnelton Street, a pizza eater can usually find a partner for chess, a computer for Internet browsing, or live music for exotic dancing.
The Horsehead Bar-BQ has the grub to accompany the suds. Delivering a southern, pool-hall hospitality, the Horsehead kitchen cooks up pipin’ hot collard greens, tender pulled pork sandwiches and some mean gumbo. And, fortunately, the cooks stay up late to aid the refueling bar hopper.
Sweet Basil Thai usually means a sweet time. While dish prices may put a dent in your pocket book, dinner prices aren’t completely ridiculous. Adventurous expenders can order their dishes seasoned from extremely mild to extremely wild. With lunch specials under 7 bucks, it’s a great place to grab some fresh Thai food and challenge your palate to some midday heat.
When it comes to drinking, the Bier Stein is the Eugene temple for any true tap addict. Offering more than 5 refrigerated doors of bottled brew refuge and 10 more varieties on tap, this bar manages to pull all gatherings of different age and social status. Forget the mini mart, this bar also serves bottles to go, featuring a 15 percent discount on all sealed beers taken home. Although the constantly crowded atmosphere can be overwhelming, the Stein is the only place to really grab a unique pint.
For a less crowded space with more fun and games, one might stroll down to Good Times Bar & Grill. A few pool tables, some big screens, a couple dart boards and a boat load of video poker can usually ignite any bar-hopping rut. But Good Times also boasts a full bar, a decent kitchen, and a heated porch for wintry nights. Without a doubt, this bar is sure to entice any pre-function outing or suppress any Sunday sports blues.
For the seasoned sipper, the 6th Street Bar & Grill serves the most lethal Long Islands in Eugene. Located across from the Hult Center, 6th Street is always within an easy distance of any downtown drinking route. Roomy booths, burly bodyguards and strong drinks promote a positive atmosphere with conversational residents.
For those who aren’t completely captured by the nightlife, daytime walks through the city’s center can reveal a rare beauty of Eugene. Walking down the alley between Broadway and 10th Street from Oak to Charnelton, a strolling student will be amazed by the glamorous graffiti art creeping throughout the walls like a metro-mural.
Approaching the apex of downtown Eugene on Willamette Street and Broadway, you step into the presence of Eugene’s closest cultural kin, Ken Kesey. The Kesey Memorial not only stands as a timeless lifelike structure of the scholarly writer, but also as a precedent for Eugene’s passion for free assembly and unrestrained speech. Beatbox rappers, archaic artists and unruly kids all run free on this corner.
One of the best walks through downtown hits both of these locations, dropping you off right near the WOW hall and the Downtown Liquor store. After grabbing a cheap fifth or a refreshing slinger, check out the mural in the Charnelton alley: a mesmerizing mixture of our culture’s greatest influences, complete with Kesey’s Blue Bus breaking out in lower center.
Eugene’s night life is always entertaining. The city gets great shows and the bars offer cheap drinks and good food. But Downtown’s greatest spectacles are its urban art, weird people and farout events. While a walk through the alleys can always reveal one or two, an enthusiastic weekend-stroller can see all three at Saturday Market on 8th Avenue and Oak Street.
Hit the town
Daily Emerald
June 7, 2007
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