Joe Halser ran the Landmark 1850 from 1983 until 2007 when he closed the business due to family illness. He reopened it last September after a four-year hiatus. Like the sign in front of the building reads, the restored bar and restaurant truly is an "adventure to the past."
Steve Gilbertson has a very specific vision for The Standard, 1754 N. Franklin Pl., the corner bar that he co-owns with Jay Stamates. It has a '50 feel, however, The Standard is not gimmicky. Instead, it's comfortable, affordable and cozy.
If you could step back in time 100 years, you might be surprised to find that River Street -- as Edison Street was then called -- was lined with taverns, music halls, hotels and, believe it or not, brothels.
Mike Christ, owner of Mike's A Little Bit Country on State Street, believes the secret to a long, happy existence is drinking a lot, having good sex and not smoking. Christ doesn't worry too much about money, or about much else for that matter.