Inside: Water Street Tavern

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Water Street Tavern has everything the teeming hordes of college co-eds would expect from a Friday night out in the city’s historic downtown district: a cool setting, live music, 20 HD TVs, a rooftop patio and all the beer and liquor you could drink. It’s no surprise the place is typically packed every weekend night during the school year—and every day in between, for that matter. When the students aren’t swarming, Water Street plays host to a steady stream of residents and visiting parents drawn in by the laid-back setting, ambitious beer list and great grub made on site by Cajun Dave’s. It’s a crowd-pleaser through and through, a navy blue and gold stamp on the Golden Flash experience. It's perhaps the quintessential Kent State bar.

Libations: There’s a reason why Cleveland Magazine included the Water Street Tavern on its list of the city’s 20 best beer joints. Water Street features an impressive list of bottled and draft selections, laid out in its full glory on a large chalkboard hung on the wall. Domestics include the likes of Coors Light, Landshark, Michelob Ultra and Miller Lite. Highlights from the list of crafts and imports include Does Equis, Harp, New Castle, Red Strip, Sierra Nevada and Wild Blue lager. (For the cider enthusiast among you, the bar offers both Strongbow and Woodcuck.) The bar also has a deep store of liquors, perfect for mixing in bombs, shots or other inebriating concoctions.

Food: Water Street Tavern doesn’t serve food itself. It does, however, offer patrons the full menu of Cajun Dave’s, which is located on site. The restaurant offers a wide array of apps and entrées ranging from classic pub grub (think nachos, wings and burgers) to spicy cajun fare. The shrimp Creole ($12.50), for example, combines sautéed shrimp (sprinkled with Creole seasonings), which are practically drowned in a spicy Creole sauce. For those cash-strapped college co-eds, Dave’s offers thrifty daily specials, such as Monday pizza nights (one-topping, eight-slice pizzas for $6.50), Thursday’s $2 tacos and Saturday afternoon “bar bite happy hour” from 4-7 p.m. (when all items on the “bar bite” menu are $1 off).

Atmosphere: Other than Buffalo Wild Wing’s around the corner, Water Street Tavern is perhaps the closest thing you’ll find to a traditional sports bar in Kent. The place has ample room to maneuver to get a view on one of the 20 flat-panel TVs hung throughout the navy and gold painted interior, while the walls feature photos, pennants and other paraphernalia from Kent’s many sports teams. The tavern’s central bar, which occupies a circular space in the middle of the main room, makes it easy to approach and grab a direction from all directions, while the rooftop patio provides a perfect perch to enjoy a cocktail, conversation and a cool summer breeze.

Service: Water Street Tavern doesn’t offer a four-star, full-service experience, not that you would expect such luxury from a college sports bar. This is more of a do-it-yourself type establishment. Want a drink? Walk on up to the bar and get one. Want some grub? Walk over to Cajun Dave’s order window and speak to the friendly gal working the cash register. The impetus, in other words, is on you. And when you do take it, your initiative will be reciprocated with a professional, friendly and speedy wait staff who efficiently address your order before moving on to serve another happy customer.

Crowd: The image seekers have 157 Lounge. The hipsters have Zephyr Pub. And the laidback “every student” has Water Street Tavern. The quintessential college bar attracts the quintessential college students—friendly co-eds from the 21-and-older crowd who are just looking to have a good time. You’ll find them milling about, drinks in hand, dressed comfortably in jeans and T-shirts as they engage in gregarious conversations with friends and strangers alike. Granted, the populace can change depending on the time or situation. Water Street is a favorite among visiting parents as well as those diehard Golden Flashes who come for away-game viewing parties. Speaking of which …

Insider tip: Want to keep tabs on the Golden Flashes as they play away from home? Water Street is the official away-game watch party venue for all Kent State athletics. Swing by to watch the football team or basketball teams take on their rivals. Just be prepared to cheer along; the place can get pretty boisterous, especially as the final seconds tick down on the clock.

Bottom line: There’s a reason Water Street Tavern is a mainstay on the Kent State bar scene. It offers students a cool, casual setting where drinks are plentiful and cheap, there’s always a familiar face and everyone shares the goal of having fun.