The party places just keep coming on Capitol Hill.
The Pub on Penn (1278 Pennsylvania St.) held its grand opening celebration on the last weekend in July, a little more than a month after brand-new hotspot Beauty Bar (608 E. 13th Ave.) opened its doors down the street.
Occupying the space formerly known as Cafe Netherworld, the Pub on Penn is a departure from the Netherworld scene. Netherworld was a dark, rather gloomy place that billed itself as a “cyber cafe” — a long-outdated term — that also served alcohol. The Pub on Penn, by contrast, aims for the straight-up, old-school sports bar atmosphere.
The front room of the Pub is a basic bar area, with TVs and music blaring. In back is a large game room with high ceilings and tall tables perfect for playing cards. A Big Buck Hunter video game, a sports-bar staple, draws faux-hunting aficionados while a single, sparkly lane of Skee-ball beckons from a corner.
The Pub on Penn folks, who also own Washington Park watering hole The Pub on Pearl (1101 S. Pearl St.), added a second patio to the west side of the building. The original, more- secluded patio still exists, as well, just around the corner.
Like its sister to the south, happy hour runs all day at the Pub — from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., guests get deals on booze and food. Daily specials offer a different bargain each day, too, like $2 lemon-drop shots on Tuesdays and $5 all-you-can-eat wings on Wednesdays. The $2 Bloody Marys and screwdrivers on Sunday can be used to soothe the hangover from $3 Jagers on Saturday.
The Pub’s food is typical bar chow, designed to satisfy cravings for fat and salt while sitting on a bar-stool. Iowans and other Midwesterners will be pleased to see a version of the famous Maid-Rite sandwich on the menu: Loose beef, not in patty form, piled on a steamed bun. The Pub’s “Made Right” includes a heap of condiments not usually found on a loose-meat sandwich, but it’s customizable.
Though the interior and the vibe’s changed quite a bit, Cafe Netherworld’s customer base of freaks and geeks are still hanging at the Pub. That seems to suit everyone just fine, though. Capitol Hill is a diverse neighborhood, and the Pub on Penn is a neighborly kind of place.
Get over it!
Back to Beauty Bar: Tonight is the second installment of the club’s retro dance party “The Hump.”
Created by New York City DJs Myles and Lindsey, who are flying in for the occasion, “The Hump” features only music produced between the years 1988 and 1998. That means lots of jams from artists like SWV, Public Enemy, Deee-Lite, Aaliyah and many more. The song choices are hip-hop and R&B-focused, but with a little house splashed in for added danceability.
Beauty Bar’s DJ booth and dance area are big, but it’s going to get sweaty. And that’s a good thing.
Traveling DJ.
It’s another house party at Beta (1909 Blake St.) when DJ John Dahlbäck pays a visit on Saturday.
The Swedish DJ has a penchant for melody, and it shows in his own house-music productions, as well as his track selection. It’s no surprise coming from a man who grew up with musician parents and landed his first record deal at age 15.
Advance tickets for Dahlbäck’s show are $10, available at .
Beta’s taking the show on the road next weekend: Look for the “Beta Beach” at the Mile High Music Festival on Aug. 14-15.
