Goodbar's sign implies that you're about to enter an intimate and quaint Irish pub. Intimate it may be (thanks to candle-topped tables and cushy red booths), but once the music hit, you'll quickly realize that this ain't no Guinness-pouring pub. The front part of the bar (where the walls look like red blood cells) features hints and dabs of Warhol-influenced artwork, though things get trippier with the "aqua lounge," one of two upstairs lounge areas. An outdoor beer garden provides another choose-your-own-adventure environment.

The food is a smidge more eclectic than your typical bar; the veggie-quesadilla and Marsala chicken, made with honest-to-goodness vino, are standouts. Like most other bars of similar ilk, Goodbar has daily specials. Wednesday is "Midday Mayhem," with $2 domestic drinks, and Saturday boasts specials concurring with Iowa Hawkeye football. If you're willing to spend a few more bucks, Goodbar also offers fancy martinis for like a Coffeecake version (with Stoli Vanilla, Bailey's Irish Cream, Kahlua and Goldschlager) and the Willy Wonka (with Stoli Vanilla, Godiva white and dark chocolate liqueurs). There's never a cover, and private party packages can turn your friends into tipplers at $20-$40 a head for three hours of drinking. All in all, Goodbar lives up to its name.

Centerstage Reviewer: Jon Graef