Dr. Ink | SDUN Columnist
A few of the bar games at Triple Crown Pub are free. But after slugging down Imperial Stout by the pint, Dr. Ink’s aim at throwing steel-tipped darts or whacking ping pongs across a table could become acts with unspeakable consequences. So shuffleboard it was, keeping the puck gliding straightly across the sawdust until progressing to an additional pint of something by Stone Brewing Co.
Triple Crown Pub in Normal Heights pulls in a confluence of bar crawlers from Kensington to the east and University Heights to the west. The demographic runs the gamut of sports nuts and jukebox hounds to beer connoisseurs and those who could give a damn that Soju is a substitute for hard liquor. (The pub holds only a beer and wine license.) In the world of neighborhood taverns, it’s exactly the kind of diversity that melts social barriers. How you’re dressed or where you work matter less than your ability to separate from everyday responsibilities. And the pub’s happy hour six days a week is poised to help you achieve that. From 3 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and noon to 7 p.m., on Saturdays, tap beer served by the pint is $1 off. There are 22 to choose from. Bottled domestics are discounted by $2 apiece.
It was here, while perched unevenly on a corner bar stool and chatting to a 30-something patron who claims himself a ping-pong wizard, where I had my first encounter with Dark and Stormy, a seemingly light beer by the San Diego brewing company, Airdale, that quickly throws you off kilter if you’re imbibing on an empty stomach.
An oozy cheeseburger was in order.
When the bartender asked what I wanted on the burger, I gazed back up at the menu board and said, “A bratwurst.”
Though the two items were served separately and not discounted, the much-needed sustenance amounted to only $9.75. Both were charry-good and decently sized.
From the outside, the pub’s dimensions are deceiving. Open front windows extend to a roomy, smoke-friendly patio in the back. It’s a little unkempt and minimally decorated, but highly conducive for striking random conversations with friendly strangers.
In two visits, the jock factor was practically non-existent, but that too is misleading, given there are 22 screens strewn throughout the place that altogether turn warm during seasonal sports games.
Saturdays in particular attract larger groups that launch into some serious pingpong and shuffleboard matches. Three billiard tables occupy an adjoining room, but for them the sharks pay 75 cents per game.
At 10 years old the bar appeals to many people at once, with an ambiance that allows competitive
spirits to coexist with passive drinkers who’ve never tossed a dart in their lives.
RATINGS:
Drinks: 4/5
Common cocktails are missing from the equation, although nearly two dozen beers on tap and a fair selection of bottled domestics help keep the palate engaged. A couple of hard ciders by the bottle are also available.
Food: 4/5
An active grill provides tasty rescues when overdosing on pitchers and pints. Cheeseburgers, dogs, brats and Polish sausage are among the nicely charred offerings.
Value: 4/5
The happy hour discounts aren’t dramatic and they apply only to pints and bottled beer. But nothing from the bar or kitchen is overpriced, and you can essentially get hazy and full for under $20.
Service: 5/5
The bartenders in each visit were friendly, conversational and alert.
Duration: 5/5
Four hours on weekdays and seven hours on Saturdays truly gives everyone a fair chance at letting down hair every now and then while saving a few precious
bucks.
