The Butterfly Bar

A stone's throw away from Salty Sow, the Butterfly Bar feels a bit like Dad's abandoned home office, usurped by his rebellious teenager. Drinks here are straightforward, as is the bar menu, but that's not really why you visit. Go instead for the bizarre environment and endless outdoor seating, which make it feel like an edgier version of Lustre Pearl. Entry to Butterfly Bar involves an outdoor fence that opens to picnic tables, twinkly lights, and – what are those? Why yes, those are hula hoops! Keep walking to the (indoor) bar proper, and you'll find a heavy wooden desk and a switched on, old-timey table lamp – looks like Dad was doing his taxes before things got crazy. There's an art movie playing on the wall, or at least there was when I was there, and after witnessing what appeared to be either a ritual sacrifice, orgy, or combination of the two, I asked the bartender what movie it was. "Why, that's Juliet of the Spirits," he told me, as if it were Home Alone or The Sound of Music. Apparently I'm rusty on my Fellini. Bring friends and/or an open mind to Butterfly Bar; this is a place to bring a posse, or join a brand new one. After (and only after) you've consumed at least two beverages, you may show off your little-known hula hoop skills, which are even more entertaining in the dark.