The night starts out when Frank convinces me and Dalton to head down to Jackson, Missouri. We work the door at Frank's rough-and-tumble nightclub; Dalton using his fists to do a bit of house cleaning. Then Dalton meets this hottie blonde doctor, but of course that jackass Wesley has to ruin things by. ...

Wait. I'm sorry. I'm describing the 1989 bust-‘em-up film Road House, not the Roadhouse Tavern on South Hill. And while the tavern and the movie do have some similarities, there certainly isn't a brawny Patrick Swayze character guarding the tavern door. Well, there might be one, but he doesn't work Friday nights.

The interior of the Roadhouse Tavern bares some resemblance to the country bar Patrick Swayze watches over in Road House. There's a pool table, pull tabs and patterned carpeting. Neon bar signs provide mood lighting. Patrons snack on greasy fries and stacked burgers and wash them down with domestic pitchers. The bar staff is a tad surly (a bartender-ess huffs when I order a whiskey ginger), but they pour stiff drinks.

Though the Roadhouse's decor is reminiscent of the Double Deuce (the bar in the film), the tavern's patrons are anything but ornery. In fact, the tavern has a cozy, neighborhood-y feel. Most patrons are dressed casually. Scents from the deep fryer waft into the seating area. High fives, laughter and friendly chatter echo from every corner of the bar. No roundhouse kicks or knife fights anywhere in sight.  Even the singles scene is friendly. There isn't the forced, "everyone is here to hookup" vibe that some clubs have. Here at the Roadhouse Tavern, people are light-hearted. Mellow. A grey-haired man approaches a single lady at the bar. They chat. A group of young men eye some newcomers in short skirts. The girls smile back. Sure, there are more girls than guys, but there's something novel about the relaxed atmosphere that has me thinking singles could get lucky. 

Patrick Swayze-like high excitement it's not. But if you're looking for domestic brews and a potential chat with a neighborhood cutie, the Roadhouse Tavern definitely has your back.

Roadhouse Tavern

open until 2 a.m. daily, no cover,
15518 Meridian E., Puyallup
253.841.3082