Which bars are cashing in on the most CSI students this summer?
By: Veronica Slazak
According to students at CSI the most packed bars this summer will be Unique, Kettle Black, Marina Cafe, Ho’Brah and Jimmy Max.
“My top choice for going out this summer in Staten Island would be the pool hall and bar Unique in Arden Heights,” said Micayla Cannatelli. “They have diverse music, pool tables and darts which are available to play for anyone.”
Unique, located in Arden Heights, is filled with young, twenty through thirty year olds all from Staten Island. The dress code at this bar is casual, with some bar goers wearing sweatsuits and others wearing jeans with a dressier top.
Unique stays open until 4 a.m. and depending on how late one stays the night can go from relaxed to a true night club setting. They have about five pool tables, enough to entertain a group of friends.
“Marina Cafe is outside, right on the water,” said Jillian Handley. “The drinks are cheaper than Paradise Island.”
Marina Cafe is located in Great Kills, and is a harbor-side waterfront restaurant. The scene is lively and features a popular tiki bar with water views. They offer tropical drinks, rum buckets, and house music.
During the day Marina Cafe is known for its upscale-casual dining setting but on weekends it could be described as a high-energy party atmosphere. They are popular for large parties, brunches, birthday celebrations and of course upscale dining.
“I’m going to have to say Ho’Brah is my favorite bar, especially on a Friday night,” said Emily Mohlenhoff . “They do karaoke twice a week there.”
Ho’Brah is located on Forest Avenue, across the street from Kettle Black and is popular during the St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl. During the summer, that doesn’t change.
The indoor space includes tables, a full bar and plenty of TVs, always turned on to sports channels. On Tuesdays and Thursdays Ho’Brah offers karaoke. They offer a full menu including tacos and burritos and their most popular drink is a margarita.
Jimmy Max is also popular among CSI students. It is located in Westerleigh, on Watchogue Rd. The crowd is older, unlike the other popular bars. It is a relaxed atmosphere with live music, often an acoustic guitarist or piano player as the evening entertainment.
Most CSI students prefer the atmosphere at Jimmy Max when a highly anticipated sports game is happening, like in October when the MLB playoffs. They offer $2 domestic drafts and $3 bottles in the bar area during NBA playoff games. They have consistent weekly events like Trivia Night, Bingo and karaoke.
Though not technically a bar, CSI students pinching pennies like to go to Chilli’s for the $6, 2 for 1 margarita.
Another favorite spot is Kettle Black, known for its role in the St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl and located on Forest Avenue. It is a sports bar turned night club after hours, where most of its customers sport casual dress. The atmosphere is loud but casual.
Kettle Black has DJs like Erik Ng spinning on weekends, playing popular music, like current pop hits and remixes that bar goers dance to. When Kettle Black isn’t a sports bar and grill, they remove the tables and create a large dance floor which is usually packed .
“My favorite bar on Staten Island would have to be Kettle Black, mostly because the DJ is good and the Angry Orchards are cheap,” said Jillian Handley. “Whoever the live band is, the music is usually good.”
