Graduate Lounge

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The Graduate Loungue (often simply called the Grad Lounge) is a bar/lounge located in the Campus Center. They reopened on a trial basis in Fall 2005, and have gone through a massive rollover of staff and supervisory employees during Spring semester of 2007. Beer is served as soon as they open, and during "happy hour" they have various bar food (pizza, chick strips) to offer as well. The atmosphere is usually very relaxed, as it is typically not at all crowded. A common misconception is that the bar is only open to graduate students, but this is inaccurate; any and all students 21 and older can spend time there.

[edit] Drinks

The Grad Lounge serves a variety of beers, both on tap and in bottles. The following beers are currently served on draft: Guinness, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Samuel Adams Seasonal, Steel Rail, Budweiser and Bud Light. They have a bottle collection which includes: Grolsch, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, St. Pauli Girl and many others. Additionally, the Grad Lounge keeps several wines on hand. The prices are generally the same as, or in some cases less than many of those in area bars.

[edit] Atmosphere

There is a piano in the back, and a small outside area adjoining the lounge (dubbed "The Ashtray") where people can bring drinks out and smoke. There is a small bar area which seats roughly 10, many small 2-4 person tables, and a few couches located in the back. As a general rule the lounge is a quiet place, though occasionally you'll see a few gregarious and/or intoxicated undergrads/grads sitting at the bar playing quarters (they're usually polite about shutting up if you ask).

The new staff has been very professional and nice. Jason, in particular, is a consummate bartender: always has a joke, an odd story, and drink lined up for you when you need them. The bar uses its glassware now (there was a time when it was using plastic cups), and so ordering a Guinness is a bit more fulfilling.

[edit] Criticisms/Problems

• Is it a bar/lounge or an academic area. Or both? Sometimes there is a tension between the lounge/bar aspect of the establishment and its role as a place for people to study often causes odd circumstances (someone studying feverishly for a final, someone playing quarters at the bar). Sometimes this means that the music is so low as to be imperceptible, or feeling guilty when you relate that particularly raunchy joke loudly to a friend. That said, there is a large, quiet study room right across the way from the lounge which helps function as a safety-valve for this sort of thing.

• You can't order a pitcher of Guinness. It's on tap, they have pitchers... they just won't serve you one. It's completely absurd: the reasoning is that this somehow degrades Guinness, but if I'm willing to pay for a large quantity of Irish beer, you'd do well to give it to me in any liquid-sanctioned container I please.

• The walls are very dull. This may seem like a rather unimportant detail, but the oppressive concrete walls leave something to be desired.

• They're closed for the summer. The Graduate Lounge appears to be closed during the summer which poses the problem of not being able to access a beer supplier during the hottest months of the year. This seems to be a simultaneous criticism of both the Graduate Lounge and the University at-large.

• There isn't anything to do. This isn't a problem for everyone, but I've heard some complaints that there aren't any "activities" at this bar. I've heard questions regarding TVs (for sporting events and NTN Trivia), an "American shuffleboard" table, pool tables, pong tables (either beer or ping), and perhaps even a strip pole. Not a stripper, mind you. Just the pole.

[edit] Hours

The Grad Lounge is open M-F, 11am - 9pm, but appears to be closed during the summer. Hours are at the Campus Center Hours page.

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