Andrew Bordelon, Guest Columnist

Setting the bar for a good night

By: Andrew Bordelon

Posted: 4/22/09

After drying off from a cleansing hot shower, I throw on a freshly ironed polo shirt and some jeans and prepare for another wild weekend night in Natchitoches.

Not everyone who lives here would have the same opinion that I do about how much fun this city can be, and many students prefer to visit their hometowns on the weekend.

I, however, have come to love the diverse social environments available in such a small town; for there is a place for everyone from honkytonkers to club rats.

Some popular bars in Natchitoches are Strait Country, Yesterday's, The Pioneer Pub, Ron's House of Sports, Antoon's and The Student Body.

Strait Country is the largest club in town and draws some of the largest crowds. Its beer pong nights and concerts attract the most people, including some who do not even go there on a regular basis.

Although some have referred to it as "Strait Ghetto," the average crowd I have seen seems to be a mixture of students from blacks and whites to Greeks and non-Greeks.

There also seems to be a larger number of security guards there due to past fights that have occurred at the club. However, the variety of events and concerts at Strait Country is what draws its crowds and provides the wild club-like experience.

Although smaller, Yesterday's also has the nightclub setting. Like Strait Country, it has the occasional penny pitchers and tastefully potent tiki bowls. The crowd at this particular bar on an average weekend is mostly Greek students, and, unlike the other bars in the city, it is still providing a karaoke night.

One should be careful when handling the karaoke equipment, particularly the microphone, if he wishes to remain a participant or customer there, but that's another story.

For those who are interested in more of a sports bar setting, there is Ron's House of Sports. This is another bar that offers beer pong but less frequently than Strait Country.

The crowds here vary from different students and non-students, and, like Strait Country, it attracts more people, especially students, for its beer pong tournaments. Also, like the two previously mentioned bars, Ron's is not open every day of the week. The last two bars, however, are.

The Pioneer Pub is a local favorite because of its variety of 19 draft beers on tap and the food it serves. This is the only one of the five common bars that serves food as well as drinks.The Pub's crowd is a mixture of students and non-students both young and old, and the Thursday night band performances are always an attraction for more customers.

The last of the most common bars is Antoon's. Antoon's Bar is open every day, and its nightclub sidekick, The Student Body, opens on weekend nights.

Like some of the other bars, the average crowd is a mixture of students and non-students, many of the students being Greeks. Having a more honky-tonk atmosphere, the bar is a common hangout spot for many experienced pool players during the week.

As the weekend approaches and The Body opens, students and the hard working staff at Antoon's Riverfront Restaurant come experience bar-hopping without ever having to get into their car.

Although there are no beer pong tournaments, a power hour or two is always a good substitute. Although karaoke is no longer offered, an occasional appearance of a "Bobby Falcon" can be seen.

Many students will stick with one of these most of the time, but they go out on the weekend and stray every now and then.

Of course, the more one attends a certain bar the better he gets to know the crowd and bartenders. This is usually why people stick with one place, but it is always good to get out and experience something new sometimes. So, I say experience it all if you can handle it.

From beer pong tournaments and karaoke to honky-tonkin' and fancy imported beer, never leave out one of these five if you want to truly experience Natchitoches from the perspective of the bottle.