"Good evening, Frankenstein's monster!" you say to the menacing green statue to the left of the door as you enter, and he says back...well, nothing, because he's just a statue. Swagger on into the Leadway Bar and Grill and take a seat at either the decked-out bar, one of the many tables strategically placed throughout or the red 'couch-thing' against the far wall (seriously, there's just no better way to describe it).

Now that you're seated, take a thorough look around you at the most impressive thing about the decor—the artwork. This isn't a faux-fancy restaurant with pretentious "art" and bore-the-hell-out-of-you atmosphere, it's a neighborhood bar that displays local and unusual art that makes you sit up from your sleep-inducing date and take notice. Metal works hang from the ceiling, resembling scorpions and other less-recognizable monstrosities. The entire front hood, headlights and all, of an old-fashioned Chevrolet looks either like it's phasing (X-Men/Kitty Pride-style) or busting (Commando/Arnold Schwarzenegger-style) through the top of the wall by the bar. And everything, from the exposed-brick walls to the steel-plated bar to the hardwood tables, is bathed in a mixture of intense green and red light that immediately takes you back to science-fiction and horror movies of the 1950s, except instead of being afraid, you're drawn in and can't avert your eyes.

The food and drink selection won't blow you away like the look will, but the menu options are well above average. Appetizers include chicken wings, chicken fingers, popcorn shrimp and fried calamari ($6-$7); for a full meal, try items like the Leadway cheeseburger, a salad with chicken strips and fries, a chicken sandwich and more (all around $8). Beer by the bottle hovers around $4, including Blue Moon and imports like Amstel light, Stella Artois and Beck's. The only real drawbacks to speak of: A) the main bar maid is a "low talker" (Seinfeld would not approve) and B) the kitchen isn't open on Sundays.

People get hungry on Sundays, that's all we're saying.

Centerstage Reviewer: Benjamin Andrew Moore