Get your beer by the yard at the Owl Bar

There's just something about the Belvedere. Maybe it's the series of posters announcing it's presence halfway down the block before you even get there, maybe it's the pictures of famous guests in the lobby, or maybe it's that wedding-cake-gothic roof that finishes the whole thing off. Probably, though, it's the fact that it's one of the few buildings I've encountered with not one, but two bars. And that just makes it special.

The Belvedere's mirrored lobby gives way to the mellow, wood-paneled interior of the Owl Bar, where stuffed animal heads (whether animals were actually harmed in the making of the bar or whether the heads are fake is beyond the knowledge of this reporter) mix with stained-glass accents behind the bar to create an atmosphere at once casual and posh. Over the bar, the stuffed owls which give the bar its name survey the scene placidly, blinking now and then. Lore has it that the blinking was originally designed with the purpose of informing drinkers during prohibition of when it was safe to partake of liquid refreshment, and when the presence of law enforcement officials precluded that luxury.

There's a full bar down at the Owl, but any patron will tell you that what this place is really about is beer. Their draft list is one of the most extensive around, and what's more, you can buy it in yards. Yes, you read correctly. They sell beer in yards. It's a long thin glass, with a bulb on the end and flared on top, like the plastic glasses they sell fruit drinks in a Spring Fair. They're served in a wooden frame to keep them from falling over, and frankly, they're a little hard to drink from, as well as being pretty pricey (about $14 or so), but there's nothing that can compare with the coolness factor of sitting with a group of friends after work with your yards and half-yards, and watching as the cool, frothy beer rushes down the tube to quench your thirst. Nothing like it, my friends.

Of course, there's also food to be had at the Owl. For example, the chicken tenders are some of the crispiest I've ever had. Really. The sheer crispiness of them is to be marveled at. The chicken underneath is pretty good too, but the crispiness really forms the highlight of the whole plate. The brick oven pizza is also quality (well, pizza made in a brick oven almost inevitably is) and it's served until closing time, which is a big plus when those late-night, middle-of-drinking-spree hunger pangs come upon you suddenly, but you don't want to leave the bar. There's also a more extensive, non-bar-food menu, but given the timing of this reporter's visits, there's been no real sampling from it.

The Owl Bar is casual enough to hang out with friends, but posh enough to bring your parents and to make you feel like you're living the good life for a while. Friendly service and a low smoke factor make it all the more alluring, but keep in mind that all this ambiance has a price. But then again, as always, you get what you pay for.