Mission 3: Happy Village
2 pints (out of four)
Pint scale: 1 = totally flat; 2 = glass half full;
3 = big buzz; 4 = beer-goggled goodness
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When we strolled up to Happy Village on Saturday night, the bar looked like a quiet oasis on a residential sidestreet in the East Village neighborhood. The outside gave no indication of the huge, hidden alfresco scene beyond.
Once inside, we couldn't help but wonder why this neighborhood haunt was so packed. Compare it to the Cubs: Ever wonder how they fill the stands at Wrigley Field every year, regardless of how badly they play? The same thing goes for this homely hang.
The garden: The beer garden is clearly the crown jewel of Happy Village. Two tented areas, picnic tables, plastic chairs, a goldfish pond, a grassy knoll and a trellis create a space reminiscent of your neighbor's back yard.
That said, this was exactly why some of us didn't understand its appeal: It felt as if we'd accidentally walked into a low-budget wedding reception. Why go to a bar when you can have a more pleasant experience at your buddy's place--and not have to leave your date sitting alone while you trek inside to buy beers? Now, we love a good dive bar, but dive bars and beer gardens don't always mix.
Oh well. We all agreed the uneven concrete was a trip--literally. Ladies, watch your heels: Almost everyone, including the men, stumbled at some point. (And, no, it wasn't because of too many beers.) On the plus side, we saw lightning bugs! And as the night wore on, the twinkly lights shining on the lush greenery improved the overall ambience. After 9:30 p.m., the place was packed, and extra chairs were a hot commodity.
Crowd: The eclectic crowd leans toward artsy, bohemian types, but you can expect yuppie families and ex-frat boys too. We also were joined by dozens of unwanted guests: gnats. Citronella candles would have been a nice touch. So would some music, come to think of it.
The regulars we spoke with, mostly locals, are fiercely loyal to the bar; they even expressed frustration with the spot's recent increasing popularity. While many people were friendly and open to mingling, we definitely wouldn't call this a pickup joint.
Entertainment: Two words: ping-pong. (Or is that one word?) In an effort to escape the heat and 'skeeters, we moved indoors to an area resembling a fraternity basement: bar, ping-pong tables and a pair of mid-'90s Gateway computer speakers straining to kick out some tunes. We suggest hitting the sign-up sheet before 9 p.m.: It's first come, first served.
With an intramural ping-pong championship under his belt, Ted was prepared to own anyone who stepped to his grill. He and Kevin, however, were disappointed that the rules prohibited beer pong, an old fave from their frat days.
Beer: Happy Village keeps things simple: No beers on tap, just a limited selection of popular imports and domestics, including hipster staple PBR ($2.50; five for $10 on Sundays and that's it for specials). The bar also caters to the Jameson crowd: $5 on the rocks, $4.50 cocktails and $4 shots. And nothing says awesome quite like shots from plastic thimble cups.
Service: Initially, this was a disappointment. With no servers outside, you have to transport drinks to the outside area yourself. But the bartenders inside were super-friendly and helpful, offering to wipe down wet chairs and helping us order pizza for delivery. Take note: There's no food here. But Happy Village provides a couple of dozen delivery menus so you can order in. And there's always the tamale guy.
Bottom line: Maybe the locals know something we don't. Or maybe Happy Village is to East Village as Wrigley Field is to the North Side: the only game in town. Either way, we're guessing it's an acquired taste--and if the idea of chillin' in your neighbor's back yard with a bunch of strangers appeals to you, then you stand a good chance of acquiring it.
[ The Beer Garden Guides are (in back) Kevin Hastie, Ted Perlstein, (in front, left to right) Liza Bunting, Jessica Christenson and Shannon Ridgeway. They are a Metromix Reader Review crew that critiques what's cool in outdoor drinking through June. Your job? Let us know if you agree with the crew by leaving your own reader reviews.]>> Check out Metromix next week to see what the Guides think about Moretti's--their final outing. Leave your Reader Review on Moretti's now.
Originally published June 20, 2007.
metromix@tribune.com
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