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I was apprehensive about going to South Bend because there was no where that I felt safe to leave my car while I was inside the bar. It's a tiny little bar. It seems to be very open, gay and straight. Very dark though. We went there for a drag show. The show started at midnight and we left at 12:08... I was unimpressed and never bothered to go back. A few other people find it "charming" but I'm not one of them.

If you can FIND AWOL then you're doing pretty well. It's hidden right at the end of Parson's near the corner of Broad St. The only way you can find it is if you've been there before. No, that's not to say you need Captain Jack Sparrow and a broken compass, but it's a HARD place to find. And parking is just awful. The bar is small, I've never seen it busy, but the bartenders are good and very friendly. Go with a friend and don't expect much of a military theme...because there isn't one.

When I first went to Tremont I had been warned that it was a scary little place. But, if you've traveled the Pennsylvania Turnpike you've seen far worse. It's a little bar, not much about it that stands out. The clientele are older. Karaoke on Weds. and Sat. is average. The drinks are small, but inexpensive, and the atmosphere can best be described as "sullen". A recent update and some remodeling make it less dark, but it's unremarkable in every other way. Too far from other bars, bad parking.

Somewhere Else is where you go when you wish you were somewhere else. True... But not necessarily very helpful. It's a tiny little bar. They have drag acts at the weekend on a teeny little stage. Darts and pool table are the usual fare, and the bar is adequate, and prices reasonable. I have rarely spent more than a few minutes at this bar before getting bored and going "somewhere else". The patio is fun during the summer though, and there's charm in the little firepits during the winter.

Union Station is one of the most entertaining bars I've ever gone to. They serve food - which is consistently disappointing - and drinks and lots of very enjoyable entertainment. The "video lounge" aspect is always a hit - music videos, comedy montages, and the Sunday favorite: "showtunes" make it worth while. If you go, be prepared to stay for fun. Chicken Quasadillas are the best thing I've had, but I've had lots...and I use the term "best" very losely. Good bartenders and slow service though.

"Haven't you ever been to a gay bar before?" the drag queen asked. Samantha Rollins has no use for subtlety. "Well, this isn't a gay bar...it's just a bar that lots of gay people go to." And that's the truth. Havana is a sister bar to Union Station and Axis. It's crowded more often than not. The drinks are smaller than the ones at Union, bigger than the ones at Axis, but still expensive. Sunday's church for strippers and drag. But take a friend, otherwise it's lonely. And go early, or you stand.