Guys’ Night Out
By Cathy Kiley
The Valley is loaded with places to party with friends. For this issue, I called a few guys and headed out to explore fun places to meet, eat a juicy burger, pizza or wings, watch a game and enjoy a beer. Let’s start with The Pigs.
The Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs kicked off another season in April and tickets are still available for upcoming home games at Allentown’s critically-acclaimed Coca Cola Park where you can feel the excitement of minor league baseball right in our own backyard. Enjoy a hot dog and brewski while celebrating another win for our Pigs with Ferrous, FeFe, and other fans. Log onto ironpigsbaseball.com for a complete schedule of games, concerts, and special events as well as ticket availability. While there, check out info for parties and group outings.
After the game, head down to The PigPen Sportsbar and Grille for eating and partying. Part of the 33,000 square foot PigPen Family Entertainment complex, this is one of the area’s hottest nightspots, featuring a huge dance floor, stage and state-of-the art sound system. Here you can experience some of the best bands and DJs the Lehigh Valley has to offer. The Slaughterhouse Pub offers a traditional pub atmosphere if that’s what you’re in the mood for. There are flat and jumbo screens throughout the complex and the restaurants are open every day. Plenty of mouth-watering hearty sandwiches are on the menu featuring pulled pork (of course) and baseball-themed burgers as well as munchies and party packages.
Done eating? Then go bowling at The PigPen’s completely renovated and updated bowling facility attached to the arcade area. Check out their late-night Cosmic Bowling. Complete with lasers and three jumbo screens, you are guaranteed to have fun and not miss your favorite televised sporting event while doing so. Log onto pigpensportsbar.com for information on nightly food specials and entertainment events. You can also check out the PigPen on Facebook and Twitter.
If gambling is your game, meet your buddies at The Downs at Lehigh Valley on Union Boulevard to place a bet or two on hundreds of horses racing at tracks throughout the United States. This is a real guys’ venue (but the girls like it too.) Catch the excitement of post time on the many televisions placed throughout The Downs’ betting parlor and celebrate your winning picks at their bar and restaurant.
No matter how you arrange your night, the Lehigh Valley has tons of nightspots from which to choose.
Later, head to Southside Bethlehem and take your chances at The Sands Casino & Resort. The Sands features 3,000 of the hottest slots and poker machines, electronic Black Jack, Roulette and 3-Card Poker games in a setting that encompasses the history of Bethlehem Steel. Surrounding the gaming room are a mix of busy restaurants and eateries. Emeril Lagasse recently opened Burgers and More (“BAM”), a more casual option to his signature upscale Chop House. The Carnegie Deli duplicates the original New York City deli and serves sandwiches big enough for even guys to share. The St. James Gate Irish Pub offers Corned Beef Reubens, Shepherd’s Pie and other Irish food specialties to pair with a pint or two of ale. You can also grab a bite at the Market Gourmet Express Food Court if you are in the mood for a Nathan’s Hot Dog or pizza or simply enjoy drinks at the Coil Bar or Infusion Lounge. There are many places to have fun at The Sands whether you gamble or not.
After a couple of hours at The Sands, take what is left in your pockets (or some of your winnings) and head on down the road to The Tally Ho Tavern at 205 West Fourth Street in South Bethlehem. “The Ho” began its life during Prohibition in the 1920s as a speakeasy and has been in continuous operation as a tavern for over 68 years. The Tally Ho is a masculine college bar and they are proud of that. However, it’s a fun place for just about everybody. We always go here before a show at Godfrey Daniels. Order the famous Tally Ho Wings with some Homicide, XXXX or 3-alarm sauces and wash them down with a Yuengling or Guinness, or pair up a legendary Ho Burger with Crispy Ho Fries. There is a lot of history at “The Ho” as evidenced by the fascinating stuff carved into the booths over the years.
Speaking of history, if you are heading in the other direction, finish off the night at The Keystone Pub at the Butztown Hotel on Easton Avenue in Bethlehem. This historic 200+ year old stone building houses some of the most fun in town. Everyone loves the Keystone’s burgers, sandwiches and fries and there is always something going on in the rustic pub bar. Happy Hour is every day from 4:00 to 6:00 PM with selected 50% off appetizers to go along with their daily beer and drink specials. Monday is Wing Night so choose your potency from Rookie, Hot, Killer and Sweet and Spicy sauces.
Infini-Tee Golf Center, located just across the river in Phillipsburg is the place to hone your golf skills and get your game into shape before the season is in full swing. Work on your driving and putting skills or your short game in their huge practice areas. Then, play a round on one of over 50 courses offered on Infini-Tee’s state-of-the-art golf simulators. Take a lesson from or have your swing analyzed by the PGA teaching professionals on staff, or take advantage of their golf fitness programs designed to get the golfer back into shape as well. There’s also an 18-hole miniature golf course to cap off your practice with a bit of fun all in the comfort of this incredibly clean and spacious 23,000 square foot indoor facility. Custom club fitting is available as are golf supplies and clothing. Check out infini-teegolf.com for hours, directions and information on their programs as well as corporate and private party options.
After golf practice, go back across the Delaware and stop at Pearly Baker’s Alehouse in downtown Easton. Pearly’s is a favorite local stomping ground where great beer is always on tap and delicious burgers are always on the menu. It’s a fun spot to stop after any activity for a quick bite or a more substantial dinner. There are always plenty of people catching up at the bar and music on weekends. Remember Pearly Baker’s –“the cure for what Ale’s you!”
Stop in Forks Township at Big Woody’s Sports Bar and Grille at 1855 Sullivan Trail for food, drinks and fun. Just one in a chain of four eateries, (the others located in Allentown) Woody’s packs a menu perfect for a bunch of guys to meet and enjoy a game in any season. In addition to college sports, they subscribe to all the packages-NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB—and they broadcast all the UFC® (Ultimate Fighting Championship) broadcasts free of charge. The atmosphere is lively with televisions of every size all over the place. There must be at least 60—in every corner, on every wall, in every booth in the dining room and, yes, even in the restrooms. Happy hour is every day from 4 to 6 PM with discounts on draft beers. Woody’s is a true sports bar with something always going on. (And you never know when the Bud Lite Girls will show up for a special event!)
Head down to Stones Crossing and William Penn Highway in Palmer Township and test your skills at Gallery Billiards. There are 18 tables in this clean, carpeted, non-smoking facility. Gallery is open every day until 3:00 AM with tournaments on Monday and Thursday nights. (Wednesdays offer discounts for the ladies and there are DJs every Friday and Saturday.) Snacks and soft drinks are available and Gallery Billiards is BYOB. Log onto gallerybilliards.com for more information.
Hungry? Drive back towards Easton. The frosty mug on the sign for Shruty’s Pub at 1853 Northampton Street in Wilson Borough invites guys in for a fun night out on any night of the week. Shruty’s has been around for 25 years and is a cozy neighborhood pub with an accommodating staff and friendly patrons. There are about a dozen beers on tap at the tiled bar and another dozen or so bottled selections in the cooler. Shruty’s 10 televisions all feature a different sporting event and there are video games and a juke box in the bar area, which seats about 20. The menu features great-looking burgers, soups, salads and munchies. I love their German Pizza topped with chip steak, onion, and hot peppers but Jackie behind the bar told me I had to try the Taco Pizza while she poured me a beer. The special that night was a Hot Roast Beef Sandwich with French fries and gravy. Talk about a guy’s hefty late night snack! And, since the kitchen stays open until 1:00 AM, a complete possibility.
Should you be traveling west from Gallery Billiards, Fegley’s Allentown BrewWorks is a popular venue for a guys’ night out. This offspring of the Bethlehem BrewWorks is housed in the former Harold’s Furniture Store at 812 West Hamilton Street and is a unique, fun spot. Grab your friends and head over to this multi-floored facility to taste some of the beers brewed on-site. They have juicy burgers and seasoned fries to accompany those beers and my favorite-Beer and Cheese Soup as a starter. Happy Hour is from 5 to 7 PM featuring $3 select draft bargains and there are always special weekend goings-on. With the weather getting nicer, try getting a table sitting in the outdoor Biergarten. Check out their extensive website at thebrewworks.com for complete menu, Mug Club and special event information. Both Bethlehem and Allentown BrewWorks locations are always hopping on the weekends and, for that matter, any night of the week. Oh, and don’t forget that the latest installment, BrewWorks on the Green, opened last year at Allentown Municipal Golf Club.
One of the best places after a softball game or pick-up hoops is Detzi’s Tavern Rt. 512 in Wind Gap. Detzi’s Tavern has been family-owned and operated for over 50 years and makes what has many times been voted the best steak sandwiches in the Lehigh Valley. Pair your cheesesteak or burger with some sweet potato fries and you have hit pay dirt. Together with the attractive atmosphere and friendly people, Detzi’s always makes for a fun night.
So, there you have some of my picks for guys’ night out. Mix and match or throw in some stops of your own. No matter how you arrange your night, the Lehigh Valley has tons of nightspots from which to choose—but just remember to have a designated driver in the group.
