Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Before all the new “designer” bars there were many local Barron’s around the city.

My dad frequented Pat Connolly’s and The Coronet, which became Redbones in Davis Square. The bar counter had pickled eggs, Slim Jim’s and BEER NUTS. Dad called them “gin mills” and he referred to beer as “a cold one.” I remember seeing Ballentine Ale and Schlitz in our refrigerator.

I posted a request for reader’s recollections and here they come. This is only a partial abbreviated list. There were so many.

“Don’t forget Mahoney’s, corner of Broadway and Medford St., Medford, and the Land of Odin right next door to Canty’s. It had about 5 different names, but that is the one that stuck in my head! LOL! They had all the huge colored lights up above.”

“Danny’s and Canty’s right across from each other in Magoun Square.”

“Whitney’s, Virgies, Khoury’s.”

“The Cadillac is now a liquor store.”

“Drake’s.”

“JoAnn Goggin-Vining.”

“Jumbo, Saki’s, Johnny D’s, The Genoa, Markey’s, Railside, Venice, Pine Tree, Gaslight, Jumbo’s, Dapper Dan’s, Rosebud, Surrey Room, Blarney Stone, Bullpen, The Moose Club, Jon’s Place, Robins, Kevin’s Koerber, The Continental, Coleman’s, Frascati’s, Sligo, The Holland Cafe, The Willow, and Winter Hill Cafe, on the ground floor in Marshall Hall.”

“Tabs, The Glendore, The Oasis, Jumbo’s, Father’s, O’Malley’s, The Willow, The Abbey, Kevin’s Korner, Khoury’s, Decos, Art and Bob’s, Mystic Tavern, Gentleman Jim’s, Shady Hill. These were just a small portion of barrooms listed. I know some were just over the line. Definitely plenty of places to get a drink!”

As I mentioned this is only a minuscule list of the many barrooms in the old days. This column isn’t big enough for them all. Let’s just say I just wet my whistle with this shortlist.

I remember the smell, the atmosphere and seeing all the regulars in their assigned stools. Oh yea, we could still smoke in those places too. A bookie was easy to find too.

For me there were two favorites, Redbones (formerly The Coronet and Barnabys), where I had a favorite spot, and my all-time best, the iconic and historic Embassy Lounge. A shout out to Jerry D and rest in peace Sandy and all our friends that have passed. Great memories. Cheers everyone!

At The Embassy lounge (where the Chinese restaurant is on Somerville Ave.), when it was time to close, manager Johnny C used to say, “Hotel motel time! Let’s go!” Today, it would be very convenient to cross the street to the new hotel! How cool would it have been to have a hotel within stumbling distance?