Highland's Best Bars
Hidden Treasures and Neighborhood Favorites
Better known for its restaurants and shopping than for its nightlife, the Highland area is in the midst of a surge in popularity, both as a place to live and as a place to visit for the day. Featuring bars that have been around for decades as well as hip new establishments, try out the Highland neighborhoods next time you're looking for a spot to drink, eat, chat and have a great time.
1. My Brother's Bar
There is no sign or indicator to mark the location of this famous bar where men like Kerouac, Cassady and Ginsberg once drank. Instead, the building on the south corner of 15th and Platte looks dark, almost abandoned, until you step inside. The only indication of what this building is the occasional "B" emblem painted by a window and the menu resting on one sill. Hidden around back is a quaint little patio, perfect for warm summer days and hidden from the eyes of passersby.
There are no televisions and no music is playing to stifle out conversation; My Brother's Bar is all about personal connections, whether they're between yourself and your friends or just the camaraderie you'll feel with the bartender after a few visits. There is no single social group that can lay claim to the bar, it's frequented by everyone from families with children to businessmen to college students. The burgers served are quite good and the onion rings are a sure hit, if you're not concerned about the calories, that is.
Menu2. Forest Room 5
Approaching Forest Room 5, you think you're heading into a tiny little restaurant/bar, but once inside this assumption will soon be abandoned. Instead of being some little neighborhood joint, the building just keeps on going: room connected to room connected to room, rounded off by a back patio. Each space has a distinct style and is small enough that the bar never feels overly packed, even when it probably is. Right now Forest Room 5 is a very hip spot, and the excellent tapas and drinks will surely impress your date or friends. The biggest drawback to this bar is its service. While sometimes you get lucky and have a spot-on server, often you will have to deal with quite a wait.
Menu3. Tico-Tico Club
Tico-Tico Club is that kind of quietly hip bar that so many places aspire to become. From the weird collection of memorabilia and trinkets that occupy unused niches to the friendly, slightly kooky owner at the bar, this is the kind of place that few people visit but those who do come back again and again. It's a great no-attitude, no-expectations place to have a drink and chat with your friends or with the other patrons if you've shown up alone.
4. Mead Street Station
Right in the middle of Highland Square, Mead Street Station is simply a great little neighborhood bar. Most of the patrons you'll find drinking and dining there come from close by. Art by locals hanging on the walls and live music bring the place some aura of culture, but the main attraction is usually the company you bring. The tiny space and its small outdoor patio are often crammed during peak hours so show up at a non-traditional time or just expect a bit of a wait. Bring your friends, order a few appetizers and drinks and catch up in this great neighborhood hideaway.
Menu5. Three Dogs Tavern
Out of character for the whole quaint Highland Square area, Three Dogs is a great place to stop by for a drink and a chance to watch whatever big game is playing. As a result, the patrons of Three Dogs tend to have a higher ratio of men to women than the rest of the area, and the atmosphere feels more like drinking for the sake of drinking than anything else. Aiding this atmosphere of friendly and sometimes heavy drinking, the prices are fair and the bar-style food is filling and consistently tasty.
