If you’re looking for a night out on the town, or just a mere drink with friends, I would not recommend going anywhere near three particular bars in downtown Coeur d’Alene.
I recently turned 21, and for as long as I can remember I have been counting down the days until I could go out and have a drink with friends. I dreamed that when that day came, it would be one of the greatest days ever. I’ve come to find it was nothing that I had expected it to be, and not in a good way.
During my birthday week my friends and I explored many bars throughout the Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Spokane area. Each of them differed in entertainment, drinks and, of course, prices. The Beacon, Splash, and ICON seemed to be the worst.
We began the drinking adventure at the Beacon. The Beacon has a very classy look that makes you feel like you’re in a big city. The bar had good music playing from the jukebox, but it was way too loud. I couldn’t hear the person talking right next to me, and the bartender kept trying to figure out what I wanted to drink, but couldn’t hear me. I was so annoyed. Once I finally got my vodka and cranberry, it was so expensive.
Normally, a drink like this is around $4. I got charged $6.50. I couldn’t believe it. When drinks are so highly priced it makes me not want to tip the bartender. After one drink we were all ready to leave. On a scale from 1 to 10 (one being the worst) I give the Beacon a rating of four.
To continue our adventure, my friends and I decided that we wanted to go dancing at Splash, a bar/nightclub. Once we arrived, there was hardly anyone in the bar. It was 11 p.m. on a Friday and the only people there were two girls that looked like they were 12 year olds, and a couple that looked around the age of 50. I was bored out of my mind, so I decided to get a drink.
The bartender was overly involved with the girls and completely ignored that fact that I was even there. After waiting around for 10 minutes, I decided to say something. She made me a pretty stiff drink, for a pretty reasonable price. My rating for Splash is a three, for poor customer service.
Next, we headed to the ICON. The bar/nightclub was filled with extremely energetic people in a great dancing atmosphere. Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. The drinks were all right depending on what you got.
For example, the drinks that don’t take much skill, such as a vodka and cranberry or an X-rated and 7UP, were really good, but I was not impressed by the Liquid Marijuana. A Liquid Marijuana calls for Blue Curacao, Midori melon liqueur, Malibu coconut rum, Captain Morgan spiced rum, a splash of pineapple juice and a splash of sweet and sour mix. Mine seemed to be all pineapple juice and nothing else. When I think a “splash” of pineapple juice, I don’t picture the whole glass filled with it. It was disgusting compared to other places where I’ve ordered it. I give the ICON a rating of six for a fun dancing environment.
Out of all three of the bars, I feel Splash was the worst. The horrible customer service and boring environment almost ruined my night out. After the ICON I felt that I was ready to go home because I was so tired of being disappointed, but then a friend suggested that we should go to the Moose Lounge.
When I got to the Moose my mood instantly went from spiritless to being ready to dance the night away. The exceptional live music, tasty drinks, and great prices instantly captured my excitement. It is a place that everyone of drinking age can go to and feel welcome. I give the Moose a rating of 10.
I would recommend that anybody who wants to go out for a satisfying night should go to the Moose Lounge because you won’t be disapointed. The other bars annoyed me with high prices, poorly-made drinks and bad service. Thanks to the Moose Lounge, my downtown birthday weekend adventure wasn’t a complete loss.
Opinions expressed in editorial and opinion articles are the views of individual NIC students. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Sentinel, North Idaho College, or any other organizations or groups there-in. North Idaho College is not responsible for the accuracy of statements or opinions shared.
