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Y! MyWebBar Review
Phone Booth Lounge
A comfortable, sprawling, low-key bar, filled with several entertainment options.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Having used more than a few phone booths back in the day, the Phone Booth Lounge conjured up claustrophobic thoughts of being just a little too close to our friends and liquor than we'd like.
That image couldn't be further than the truth — the Phone Booth Lounge is a comfortable, sprawling, low-key bar, filled with dart boards — real ones, for those who want to play it old school, and electronic ones, for those who don't feel like keeping score themselves. Barring the presence of a live band on the stage, three pool tables, a handful of video games and an electronic jukebox packed with enough tunes to please just about anyone round out the entertainment options.
Extras
The Phone Booth Lounge
- WHERE: 1554 E. Stroop Road, Kettering [Map]
- HOURS: 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, noon to 2:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Serving food daily until 9:30 p.m.
- MORE INFO: (937) 298-8712 or www.thephoneboothlounge.com
- MORE: Reader ratings, complete profile
According to our very friendly bartender, the Phone Booth has been around for more than 40 years, and, in her 15 years working there, she has served many a regular patron at "sleaze's corner" — the end of the bar where the regulars sit.
On our visit, a regular was sharing the details of a new home purchase to go along with a job transfer to northern Ohio.
The bar menu offered an assortment of the usual suspects — hamburgers, fries and the like at reasonable prices. The food prices matched the very affordable drink prices — $3.75 for a premium mixed drink is just what the budget ordered. The jukebox was the priciest thing there, with a dollar buying just two songs and $5 purchasing just 13. That's not very budget friendly, but, ignoring the bottom line, we played music anyway.
Entering the bar is like taking a time trip back to 1980. Wood paneling and red vinyl stools that you can tell have been loved over the years greet you as you walk in. That, combined with a small army of neon bar signs dotting the perimeter, reminded us both of a cool rec room that was the envy of the neighborhood back in the day.
Our trip, during a weeknight, offered a relaxing, mellow atmosphere where you could play a few games of pool, listen to music and carry on a conversation without screaming at one another.
Folks at the bar were friendly. The bartender said she hoped to see us back again, and the two guys playing pool next to us said goodbye before they left. That doesn't happen too often nowadays, and when it does you have to savor it.
Craig ordered a stumper of a drink — an old-fashioned — with mixed results. Our veteran bartender didn't fill the order, but she didn't miss a beat, saying she could make the drink, but she didn't have the necessary fruit to go with it. He settled on a Manhattan. Although the cherries seemed a little tired, the rest of the drink was a bulls-eye — just like the bar.
date worthy?
Not unless you're both regulars or are practically married — this is a casual hangout.
don't forget
Get your drinks before the band takes the stage. There's no cover, but once they start playing, drink prices go up 50 cents.
make your mark
For a mere $5 you can purchase a ceiling tile in the bar to decorate. Now that's what we call an art project!
happy hour
4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, happy hour specials include $1 cans of domestic beer and $2.75 well drinks, which would normally run you $3.
beer
Don't come looking for anything fancy. They have domestic beers on tap and that's it —$5.50 for a pitcher, $3 for a mini pitcher or $1.50 for a glass.
21 and up
If you're not old enough to drink, you're not old enough to be there.
