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Panic Bar was like home to many in Lincoln's LGBTQ community

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A Lee Enterprises, Incorporated newspaper. Majority shareholder: David Hoffmann, Hoffmann Media Group.

Editor's Pick Alert Top Story

Panic Bar was like home to many in Lincoln's LGBTQ community

1 of 3

Celebration at Panic in favor of same-sex marriage ban lift

Kelly Erisman (left) and Katie Skinner hug in celebration at Panic Bar after a federal judge struck down Nebraska's ban on same-sex marriage in 2015.

Five Shots: Panic Bar, 5.6

Bartender Laura Davies makes a Mrs. Yuka Layme in 2019.

Kara Kugler-Wright (left) and Stacie Schultz toast in celebration at Panic Bar after a federal judge struck down Nebraska's ban on same-sex marriage in 2015.

Prefer us on Google Learn More

Sadiyah Ali

Kara Kugler-Wright was hoping someone would “take the torch” for the next generation of LGBTQ people in the Lincoln community.

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Five Shots: Panic Bar has a place in Lincoln's history
At the Panic Bar, Erisman provided 'safe space'
Song, dance and drag at the Panic, calling attention to the legacy of Kelly Erisman

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18 Lincoln-area dive bars to check out

WC's South

Patrons enjoy afternoon drinks at WC's South, which won Lincoln's best dive bar competition in 2019. The bar is located at 2109 Nebraska 2.

Past story:

Chuck Cheever is planning a big party on Friday at WC’s South Sports Bar, one befitting of the newly crowned best dive bar in Lincoln.

“We want to show our appreciation to our regulars,” said Cheever, the owner of WC’s, which breezed through the 16-team bracket-style competition by knocking off three No. 1 seeds, including the Tack Room in the finals.

For the record, WC’s was seeded third in the four-team South region, which means it was considered -- at least on paper -- an underdog in every matchup. Forget those rankings. Those things are never right, they say -- especially in this case.

WC’s was nobody’s underdog.

"We never thought we were a No. 3," Cheever said.

Not that he is complaining now. Being a part of Ground Zero’s first-ever Dive Bar Challenge was a constant thrill, one that seemed to gain momentum each week and grew business in the bar, Cheever said.

“The word got around about us and there were a lot more people here with each week,” he said. “There was a lot of talk about it inside the bar. It gave everyone the chance to compare other bars around Lincoln, to talk about how we compare with bars like the Tack Room.

“There are a lot of great bars in Lincoln.”

And after limping out of the gate and falling behind Roca Tavern by double digits, WC’s proved itself worthy by rallying to win that match -- and three others.

"This is quite a three-week run that we've been on," Cheever said. "It's been a lot of fun checking my phone to see the updated scores. We got a little nervous on Saturday afternoon and started making calls to people to get online and vote.

"Rally the vote, that's what we've been doing the last couple of weeks."

The finals matchup with the Tack Room was never really that close. Cheever got a little antsy when WC’s early lead slipped to eight points. That’s hardly as close as the opening-round victory over Roca, when WC’s rallied the vote in the final hours to win by a handful of votes.

It responded with resounding victories over regional top seeds Grapevine Bar (South), Harry's Wonder Bar (Downtown) and the Tack Room (Cornhusker).

After Friday’s celebration, which will include a special on pastrami sandwiches, he said, Cheever plans to begin looking for a way to defend WC’s crown next year. After all, the only thing harder than scaling the mountain is maintaining that perch from atop it.

But Cheever, not one to miss an opportunity to throw a jab, had one more question:

"Are you going to make us a No. 3 seed again next year?"

Touche.

GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star file photo

The Tack Room

The Tack Room at 1445 Cornhusker Highway, is one of eight still alive to be crowned Lincoln's best dive bar.

Journal Star file photo

Top Hat Bar

Top Hat is at 736 W. Cornhusker Highway. "Friendly owner. Friendly atmosphere. Great drink prices! Awesome place to just go and chill," a Facebook reviewer said.

Top Hat Facebook page

Bob's Tavern

Bob's Tavern is at 6212 Havelock Ave. "This is nice blue-collar bar for the working man," a Yelp reviewer said. "It's a long room with a long bar, a pool table and a shuffleboard table with some tables toward the back and space for bands to play. The beer is cold and the drinks are cheap."

Previous story:

Bob's Tavern

6212 Havelock Ave; open noon-1 a.m. daily

A 106-year-old Havelock tradition. The building that houses Bob's Tavern was built in 1912, originally serving as a pool hall in the small town of Havelock just northeast of Lincoln. The town was incorporated in 1930, and 11 years later, Bob Studnicka of Lincoln bought the pool hall, turning it into a bar. It was under his ownership until 1981, when a couple named Kissy and Wally bought it. Then in 1986, Havelock native Steve Wight bought the bar he'd grown up watching his parents go to. "It's kind of amazing that the bar has been around for 77 years and only had three different owners," Wight said. "It's one of the oldest continuously ran bars in Lincoln. I don't know of many that have sustained for that long without moving or closing."

The working-class crowd. Bob's has always served railroad and plant workers as they finish work for the day. "It's a blue-collar, working man's bar," he said. "It's just an old beer joint where people come when they get off work to socialize." Most customers are regulars. Wight said a lot of them are alumni of Lincoln Northeast, the high school he attended. "It's cliche, but I have the best customers," he said. "They take it upon themselves if there's a broken hinge or if there's a light bulb out. They all take pride in it and it's like they own part of it."

Live music. For absolutely no cover (ever), you can watch local artists take the "stage" — a few tables pushed around to clear a small area for band equipment — every Friday and Saturday night at Bob's. The tavern hosts an open mic night each Wednesday from 8 p.m. to midnight. Wight says local blues musician Levi William got his start at these open mics he was just 17 years old. "It's a good place to practice playing in public to a crowd that's respectful and welcoming," Wight said.

Shuffleboard. For reasons unknown to Wight, shuffleboard is a just a thing in Havelock. At both Bob's Tavern and Arnold's Tavern down the street, shuffleboard tables are a top attraction. "I think it's so popular because you don't really see shuffleboard in bars that much anymore, since it takes up so much room," Wight said. "We have pool tables but they're not touched half as much as the shuffleboard tables." The bar hosts shuffleboard tournaments throughout the year, so if you're interested in joining, follow their Facebook page for updates.

The prices. Bob's Tavern doesn't have any happy-hour specials, but boasts low prices all day. A full pitcher of any draft beer costs $8. Pints are $2. "We're known for having some of the most reasonable prices in town," Wight said. That extends to hard liquor, too: For about six weeks each year, during flu season, Wight runs a special he calls "flu shots." He'll take whatever random liquor a distributor might have sent him to try, mix it with something like cranberry juice or Hi-C and sell the mystery shot for $1. Wight said it's a good way for him to get rid of some of the "junky brews" he might have left over and that people look forward to it every year.

— Hana Muslic

Bob's Tavern Facebook page

Tam O'Shanter

Tam O'Shanter is at 105 S. 25th St. "It is a little icon in Lincoln," a reviewer on TripAdvisor.com said. "The steak was perfect."

Journal Star file photo

Harry's Wonder Bar

Harry's Wonder Bar is at 1621 O St. "This might just be the ultimate dive bar experience in Lincoln!" one reviewer on Yelp said. Another one: "A fun, dive-y, working class sort of bar. Perfectly situated to use the facilities and have a quick drink afterward when you need it on game day."

Previous story:

Harry’s Wonder Bar

1621 O St.; 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday

A downtown institution with a unique name. The Wonder Bar has been a downtown staple in some form since the 1940s. But it didn’t get its full name until the late 1960s. “It’s called Harry’s Wonder Bar because Harry Koch ... owned the place,” said Steve Coufal, keno manager and bartender. “It was a block down and, after a year, he moved it here. This (the 1709 O St. location) was the original Wonder Bread store in Lincoln. So they called it Harry’s Wonder Bar.” Koch sold the bar to its current owners in 1984. “It’s one of the few bars anywhere in town that’s been around 50 years," Coufal said.

From neighborhood to college bar — daily. From its 10 a.m. opening until early evening, Harry’s functions as a working class, neighborhood bar for the east side of downtown. Then, as the sun starts to go down, it changes into a bar for college students, most of whom go to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "It’s like ‘Cheers’ during the day,” Coufal said. “After 7 to 2 a.m., it slowly switches over until it’s almost all college kids by the end of the night. But we end up with the same atmosphere. The music may be a little louder, but it’s pretty much the same.”

The games. Harry’s has a pool table that, Coufal said, is heavily used, especially at night. There’s a couple of video games as well, including Bank Shots. But the game that’s most played at Harry’s is keno. “We’ve had it almost since it first started,” Coufal said. “We’re usually in the top five in Lincoln in the amount written.” As if to confirm Coufal’s statement, a patron stepped up and got three cards. “All of us in here play,” he said.

The drinks. Harry’s doesn’t do anything all that fancy with its drinks. It’s an old-style bar, after all. But it prides itself on the size of its drinks and its low prices. All of the bar's mugs are 14 ounces and the shot pours are 2 ounces. “It’s probably the strongest drink in town and the biggest pour in town,” Coufal said. “And we have some of the cheapest prices.” For example, a domestic beer pitcher is $6 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and domestic beers — both in bottles and draft — are $2 during that time period. Prices increase slightly after 6, but Coufal said they’re still among the lowest downtown. And a very full shot glass he displayed before handing to a patron confirmed the pours are, indeed, large.

The food. There’s no grill at Harry’s, but the bartenders will cook up a Tombstone pizza for anyone who is hungry. And there’s a full run of snacks — chips, nuts and, of course, jerky. “It’s real bar food,” Coufal said.

— L. Kent Wolgamott

Courtesy photo

Old Pub

The Old Pub, located at 420 S. 11th St.

Previous story:

The Old Pub

420 S. 11th St.; open noon-2 a.m. daily (happy hour 3-7 p.m. Monday-Friday)

A neighborhood staple. The Old Pub has stood for 37 years in the strip of businesses on 11th Street, near K and L streets, but that's not to say things never change. The bar was founded at 308 S. 11th St., which now houses the College of Hair Design. Since losing its initial lease in 1985, The Old Pub has drifted south. For years it occupied 408 S. 11th St. (now home to the Hot Mess). In 2014, it found its current home two doors down, next to Method Cycles & Craft House.

A bustling block. "It's kind of an up-and-coming area right now," Old Pub co-owner Mike Schmidt said of the neighborhood. "It's not O Street, but it's still downtown. We get a good mix of people." That stretch of 11th Street houses seven bars, with more moving in. "I consider it to be a neighborhood, small-town bar in a downtown setting," said Schmidt, who along with Doug Litz took over ownership of The Old Pub five years ago.

Familiar faces. Schmidt estimates at least 60 percent of those who walk into The Old Pub are regulars. They range in age from 25 to 75 and order the same drinks the same way every time they visit. It's a "comfy place" for people to hang out, Schmidt said, and a lot of his regular customers keep coming back because of the bartenders. "We try to hire people who are more willing to engage with customers and not just stand behind the bar making drinks all day," he said. The staff makes it a priority to maintain the bar's clean, accessible appearance. The nice bathrooms are a pleasant surprise for people who frequent Lincoln's college bars.

Super secret special bloody mary recipe. The Old Pub is known for an infamous bloody mary recipe created by long-time bartender and manager Danny Young. He was the face of the bar for decades after it opened in 1978, Schmidt said. Young died a year and a half ago, but the Old Pub continues to use his bloody mary mix. A Sunday special, it owes its unique taste to a blend of spices. It's also poured in a secret way, which is said to contribute to the flavor. "But really, a big part of its popularity was Danny," Schmidt said. The drink is served with a beer back. And Sundays are a good day to visit The Old Pub, with $1 off every drink. The $2 Miller High Lifes are also popular among patrons.

Old Pub Soul Club. On the last Saturday of the month, The Old Pub turns into a funky club. Sequins, fur, hoop earrings and jumpsuits fill the space on Soul Night as everyone from college students to business professionals break it down to Motown, jazz and funk on the dance floor. All the music comes from vinyl records spun by local DJ group "The Gettin' Hipper Fun Bunch," led by Rik Minnick. The music usually packs the bar from 9:30 p.m. until close these nights, Schmidt said. It's a fun time for people who love oldies.

— Hana Muslic

Journal Star file photo

Down the Hatch

Down The Hatch is at 5601 N.W. First St. in the Highlands. Zomato reviewers recommend the happy hour and the pizza.

Journal Star file photo

Gray's Keg Saloon

Gray's Keg Saloon is at 104 N. 20th St. A Google reviewer's take? "It's a dive bar. Perfect. Friendly bartenders. Great local bands. Bike night. And of course karaoke (and the monthly potluck). But really. It's like Cheers. They know your name. Your friends are there. And you will make new ones."

Courtesy photo

JJ Hooligans

JJ Hooligans 

311 N. 8th St.

"Cheap and dirty in a good way," writes one Twitter user. That about sums up what a good dive bar should be. Hooligans takes it to another level with something called a vapor shot that has to be experienced.

JJ Hooligans

Arnold's Tavern

Arnold's Tavern

6113 Havelock Ave.

This place, located just down the block from Bob's, has been up and running since before VJ Day. It's been remodeled since 1945, but it still has that same old-time charm.

Victoria Ayotte

Waverly Keno Trackside Bar

Waverly Keno Trackside Bar & Grill

13901 Guildford St. Suite H, Waverly

You have to love a place the features two happy hours every day -- one at the end of the business day and another from 10 p.m. to closing each night. The happy-hour beer specials are make a trip to Waverly well worth the effort.

Victoria Ayotte

Roca Tavern

Roca Tavern

4101 Main St., Roca

It's off the beaten path -- about 10 miles south of Lincoln -- but worth the drive, patrons say. Management has worked hard to create a welcoming and friendly environment.

Victoria Ayotte

Grapevine

Grapevine Bar

2620 Stockwell St.

Another one of Lincoln's iconic drinking establishments. This one is known for being dimly lit -- an ideal rendezvous spot? -- and, oddly enough, its neighborhood bar atmosphere. It also has a liquor store attached to it.

Victoria Ayotte

O'Rourke's

O'Rourke's Tavern is at 1329 O St. The bar, according to one Yelp reviewer, "features a great variety of craft bottled beer, full liquor bar, and about 10 different beers on tap…You can fill up a bowl of popcorn, fresh and white."

Courtesy photo

Watering Hole

The Watering Hole has locations at 1321 O St., 84th and Holdrege and 1550 S. Coddington Ave. It is known for its wings, "just a good low-key place to get great wings and catch up with friends," one Yelp reviewer said.

ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star file photo

Cappy's

Cappy's Hot Spot Bar & Grill

5560 S. 48th St.

Another unknown bar that gets rave reviews from people who happen upon to it. Its regulars -- and there are a bunch -- know it for a friendly atmosphere, great burgers and quite possibly the best chicken wings in town. 

Cappy's Facebook page

1st Avenue

First Avenue Lounge & Social Hall is at 2310 N. 1st St.

Victoria Ayotte

Reach the writer at 402-473-7214 or sali@journalstar.com

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Celebration at Panic in favor of same-sex marriage ban lift

Kelly Erisman (left) and Katie Skinner hug in celebration at Panic Bar after a federal judge struck down Nebraska's ban on same-sex marriage in 2015.

Bartender Laura Davies makes a Mrs. Yuka Layme in 2019.

Kara Kugler-Wright (left) and Stacie Schultz toast in celebration at Panic Bar after a federal judge struck down Nebraska's ban on same-sex marriage in 2015.

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