March may be over, and Villanova may have taken the tournament, but here at the Scout we aren’t done with bracket madness quite yet. Enjoy a condensed Peoria bar bracket below.
Seedings- Farmington
1. Crusens
2. Country Club BBQ (Cams)
3. Jimmy’s
4. Trolley
Seeings- Downtown
1. Saddle Up
2. Lava
3. Kelleher’s
4. Kenny’s
Seedings- Campus
1. Pitch
2. Fieldhouse
3. Jimador
4. The Basket Case
Seedings- Uptown
1. Donnelly’s
2. Crusens War Memorial
3. Thyme
4. Bullpen
Matchups
Farmington:
(1) Crusens vs. (4) Trolley
Crusens is iconic, every student knows it. Whether it be from stepping in for the first time freshman year, or not wanting to leave the night before graduation, anyone who walks under that neon sign leaves with a story to tell.
Trolley is a small, but underrated venue. Most notable for $1 pudding shots and a stopping point for people leaving the Country Club, it can be utilized if a group rolls in at 1 a.m.
(2) Country Club BBQ (Cams) vs. (3) Jimmy’s
Country Club has gone through a change of ownership, and its competition with Crusens has been lopsided in Crusens’ favor. However, it’s still no joke, with the Saturday tradition of getting pushed by townies on the slut box as a rite of passage for students.
Jimmy’s is known for having a wise-cracking Twitter account and being a popular hangout for upperclassmen or graduate students. The Irish interior and friendly confines provides for a more chill atmosphere for a seasoned bar hopper.
Downtown:
(1) Saddle Up vs. (4) Kenny’s Westside
Saddle Up has a mechanical bull, Kenny’s does not. NEXT.
(2) Lava vs. (3) Kelleher’s
Under a new look and ownership, Lava (formerly Berlin R.I.P.) is not as committed to the nightclub scene as it used to be. Until midnight, it’s a more relaxed venue. After that, the club feeling returns.
Kelleher’s is Peoria’s top tier Irish pub. If it branches out to students more, it will get a higher seed in next year’s bracket.
Campus:
(1) Pitch vs. (4) The Basket Case
Pitch has the unbeatable appeal of karaoke, and the idea of drunkenly belting out “Livin’ on a Prayer” is worth waiting until you turn 21, with an ID that’s actully yours.
The Basket Case does not have much of a reputation on campus, but it deserves a spot in this bracket due to its up and coming potential.
(2) Fieldhouse vs. (3) Jimador
Whether it be Monday night trivia, or the back party room, Fieldhouse is an integral part of being a Bradley student. It is the perfect start (or end) location for a bar crawl, and provides all the necessary tools one needs to get drunk close to home.
Using proximity to its advantage, Jimador combines a short walk with huge margaritas to provide students with a refreshing way to get sauced. It would be seeded higher, but its status as a bar is under scrutiny.
Uptown:
(1) Donnelly’s vs. (4) Bullpen
Donnelly’s half price wings cannot be beat. NEXT.
(2) Crusens War Memorial vs. (3) Thyme
One of the more interesting matchups, the lesser visited uptown location of Crusens does not lack in fun what it does in student inhabitants. For the gambling readers, this is the Crusens that is more likely to pay out on the slot machines, so that carries weight.
Thyme caters to a different demographic than the others on this list, making it a unique entry into the field. Their selections of craft beer and happy hour specials plants Thyme firmly as a 3 seed for the uptown region.
