Here comes a regular

Like most holes in the wall, Gusoline Alley has gone through its fair share of alterations, but a bar like Gus', it never really changes. If it did, it would die. For a joint whose history reads like a family tree of burned out ex-rocker-cum-starry-eyed hopeful, Gus' has been both home and hideout for many a drinker (this scribe included). Its walls have played host to some of the most underground good times to ever go down in this town, but is no stranger to tears. Hell, that is why we love it. Frankly, it is easy to romanticize a place like Gus' - with its torn-up booths and shockingly dark mien, it is the quintessential Bukowskian watering hole. The filmic tragedy of its sordid history (including a near closure a few years back), unkempt bathrooms, cheap beer, slew of regulars and a background music of the Pogues and the Clash makes you swear the movie Barfly was modeled after it. We will always come back to Gus'. Why? Because, a place like Gus' reminds us of the best moments in our life ... a place like Gus' is a frozen piece in time.

Eve Doster is the listings editor of Metro Times. Send comments to [email protected].