The Thirsty Scholar

The folks at this subterranean bar are so proud of their Irish credentials, they display a James Joyce Pub Award on the wall—an icon that largely goes unnoticed in the dusky interior. Here, scruffy intellectual types and British expats engage in lively banter over college rock that may be a bit too loud for highbrow discussions. When there’s room at the shiny copper bar, pony up and try a pint of the Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen from Oregon, poured from an old-fashioned tap, or any number of frozen drinks (most beers are $5 during happy hour, daily from 2 to 8pm).