Horror Movie Bar Crawl

Alcoholics and horror fans alike know that when you're jonesin' for a fix, beggars can't be choosers. In these instances any old place will do. Yet we all have our personal favorite drinking spots where we feel most comfortable and at home. Here is a list of my favorite drunken horror hang outs, the bars in horror movies that I return to most often and where I sometimes even score one on the house.

THE HOWLING (Name Unknown)
Now this is my type of joint, just regular people sitting around shooting the shit and enjoying brewskis, burgers and billiards. Nobody puts on airs here and they're very friendly to out-of-towners. My only advice is to be very specific about how you want your hamburger cooked; the last time I ordered one rare they let it cook through the entire closing credits!

MY BLOODY VALENTINE (The Cage)
Moosehead fans rejoice! This is the place for you. After a hard day in the mines you couldn't ask for a more relaxed vibe. They'll even let you play five-finger fillet on the tables! Stand warned though. Don't get bartender "Happy" started on the olden-timey days. He'll really talk your ear off!

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2 (Don's Place)
Somewhere in the heart of Springwood lies this notorious gay bar. Don't ask me how to get there; I don't remember a thing. I do know that it's hidden in a dark alley and that's rarely a good sign. From what I recall, the lighting left something to be desired, but that may have been due to my ill-fitting leather cat mask. It's definitely worth a stop-by if you're interested in the more adventurous scene (i.e., S&M gym teachers), but I'd keep my eyes on my drink and who's serving it at all times.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME (The Silent Woman Pub)
The only drawback to this fine establishment is that it acts like a magnet for drunken Shriners. If you don't have a problem with listening to "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" sung in your ear all night, everything is Jake. You can't beat the location, it's within walking distance to Crawford Academy and it's adjacent to a draw bridge in case you want to play a little game of "Chicken'!

THE HUNGER (Unknown Goth joint)
This place is more of an after-hours club than a bar, but I bring it up because if you go, you are guaranteed to have the time of your life. First of all, you can still smoke there, which is a major plus (actually thanks to proprietor TONY SCOTT the whole place is literally filled with smoke!), and you won't just hear groovy tune-age from the likes of BAUHAUS, you will actually get to see them perform live! Plus, if any of you swingers out there are looking to score some ANN MAGNUSON tail, this place is really your best, and only option.

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 (Casino Bar)
I love this place!!! There is always a great mix of locals, and I still hold the Q-bert high score there! It's quiet enough that if you want to talk bar stool psychology, you know like why mongoloids are such mother-loving murderers, your friends can actually hear you! The staff is all around attentive, even if they do spend more time flirting with customers than actually clearing away empty beer bottles.

THE EXORCIST (The Tombs)
This place is very crowded, you should know that from the get-go and it may take you a while to get served, but once you've found a booth Beelzebub's you're unkle! I like to take all of my priest buddies here and get them completely, stone cold wasted. Since this is Georgetown, it's not long before Father so-and-so is straddling a jukebox and performing a sax solo just like ROB LOWE in ST. ELMO'S FIRE! I would also recommend the establishment from THE NINTH CONFIGURATION which was also penned by WILLIAM PETER BLATTY, but I think if you went there you might get your face punched in.

HALLOWEEN (The Rabbit In Red Lounge)
A source of plenty of schoolyard speculation, this out-of-the-way Haddonfield, Illinois night spot is famous for its lenient policies regarding proper age verification. ROB ZOMBIE's remake may have split fans down the middle in the T.M.I. department, but few complained about his remodeling of this particular joint. Rabbit re-dux has got girly-girls doing the hoochie coochie!!!

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (The Slaughtered Lamb)
It's not the friendliest place on Earth, but at least it's warm. What you're really going out of the way for here is atmosphere and the Slaughtered Lamb just reeks of old world tradition. Dart throwing, joke telling and if you go often enough, you're just bound to bump into DROP DEAD FRED (RIK MAYALL) playing chess! Just don't ask the regulars about the five-pointed star on the wall and, above all else, remember the Alamo!

THE SHINING (The Overlook Bar)
If you want to go high class, I always suggest a hotel bar. Not only are they required to keep the place relatively clean, but also it's usually teaming with yummy transients you'll never have to speak to again. The Overlook Hotel's bar is so fricking swank that Replicant God Dr. Eldon Tyrell (JOE TURKEL) is the gosh darn bartender! Whenever I want a refill of the good stuff, I just slam my glass down and say, "I want more life f*cker!"

So, when I want to tie one on, those are my personal favorite horror watering holes. If there's some place that you dear reader frequent that you'd like to recommend, the comments section is all ears! Just remember I prefer nuts to pretzels, AND I'm on a limited budget.

UPDATE: Once again our brilliant readers have spoken and these are their top choices when it comes to wetting their own horror whistles.

Amanda by Night and Aunt John can be found tying one on at "One Eyed Jacks" from TWIN PEAKS. Sometimes they'll even bounce over to sister establishments "The Bang Bang Bar" and the "Pink Room" Slow down you two, the night is young!

After Amanda calls it a night and returns home to her hubby. Aunt John finds consolation with PHEOBE CATES at Dorry's Tavern from GREMLINS.

Mamasweetpeaches and Erczilla are all about The Winchester from SEAN OF THE DEAD and why shouldn't they be?

Tank and the Mickster (who also raves about the club from FRIGHT NIGHT) know that the best jukebox is at NEAR DARK'S "Shit Kicker Heaven" where there always seems to be an ALIENS cast reunion taking place.

PLUS: After all this drinking you might need some late night diner grub. Amancebado suggests Beakman's Diner from NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and Theauldlangsyne sings the praises of a joint you may have seen in THE BIRDS.