DukeCityMuscle

Decent dive bar, can be fun, but many drawbacks

The GOOD: The bartenders are friendly, the space looks pretty manly, leather and rubber groups occasionally have club nights there, reasonable assortment of beers, wines, and liquors, seldom see any women. The BAD: Baseball on TV distracts everyone and makes them LOUD, monster-sized drinks (6 ounce serving of whiskey!) attracts hardcore drinkers aiming to get shit-faced, cover charge on Friday and Saturday but no theme or entertainment to justify it, no door control to keep out drunks, creeps, and psychotics. The VERDICT: It's a crap shoot. Give the Eagle a try, but be prepared to fight the urge to drown a drunken, touchy-feely fruit-loop in the toilet.

Make no mistake, it's a DANCE CLUB

Before EFFEX opened, everyone told me it was huge and would have something for everyone. Make no mistake, it's a modern gay disco, period. The crowd is largely 20-somethings. The DJs play a very metropolitan mix, which is refreshing in Albuquerque. The drinks cost a buck or two more than you might like, but they're made well. The smoking area is a bit small considering the number of smokers, but there *is* a smoking area. Overall, it's a very well executed city disco that you would normally have to travel to another state to experience.

Same as 10,000 other New Mexican style restaurants

Sadie's is nice enough, the staff is pleasant, the food is consistent, and the prices are average. But I found Sadie's to be pretty much exactly like thousands of other "New Mexican food" restaurants in town. There was absolutely nothing special nor dismal to distinguish this business. Nice enough to visit now and then but nothing to write home about.

Gay-friendly neighborhood bar and grill

The Copper is a great cross-roads where you'll meet UNM students, downtown hipsters, long-time residents, new urbanites, and a noticeably higher percentage of gay people than at a typical not-explicitly-gay bar. That's because everyone is genuinely welcomed here. Extensive draft selection with $2.50 specials all the time, frequent cocktail specials for $3.50, and food specials most nights. The menu features deep-fried appetizers, monster burgers, hefty salads, and robust panini, and home-made cake for dessert-- definitely "guy food". Wednesdays highly recommended, all drafts $2.50 a pint, look for the bald guy drinking a Black & Tan and say "hello" to me.

Not awful, but not much to recommend

Sidewinders falls into the sad category of "Well, there are only 3 gay bars in town, so it'll have to do". Only one of the bartenders ever remembers the night's theme or discounts. The owner/manager is immune to suggestions, he'll cut you off mid-sentence to ask if you've seen his online sex profile. You can meet fun people and make new friends at Sidewinders, but it's only because the patrons make an effort. The owner certainly doesn't.

Drag bar managed by harsh control freaks

The harpies who manage Albuquerque Social Club treat guests like they're not worthy of the privilege of suffering through toxic drag queens (unless you're an ecstasy dealer or bubbly co-ed with a fake ID, then you get the red carpet). Patronized by UNM LUGs (lesbians until graduation), 40-something professional drunks, and chain-smoking prissy boys drinking far too many Red Bull and vodkas. Unsuitable for anyone with dignity or self-respect.