The text hit, I glanced at my phone and there was one word with a question mark. "Beer?"
The reply was equally succinct -- "Absolutely."
It had been another long week and the idea of beer sounded splendid.
After a bit more text banter, the decision to imbibe a cocktail or two on a recent Friday had us meeting at Gecko's Bar & Grille, an authentic Buffalo bar with a fun-loving crowd.
In some ways, Gecko's is like any other local neighborhood bar: pool table, dart board, outdoor patio. In other ways, Gecko's stood out for the fun people -- both behind the bar and those unwinding and embracing their weekend.
My friend, PT, has a dual role as both my urban music director and co-pilot in finding fun bars. He felt we would do just fine at the Hertel Avenue establishment. His suggestion to try Gecko's was far better than some of the music he later played in the bar's digital jukebox. (Talk about a selection of music, from Tupac to the Tragically Hip.)
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What first impressed me about the bar were the 24-ounce bottles of Labatt Blue for a very reasonable $4. It was about the size of a wine bottle, but with a twist-off. For me, the standard Guinness with a fair price of $4 for a pint of the Irish black gold.
The crowd was mainly a mix of twenty- and thirtysomethings. Numerous television sets showed a Sabres game and when the team scored a goal, a red flashing light mounted on the ceiling (just like the ones found behind the nets at the arena), lit up and people high-fived each other.
I found the friendly bartenders refreshing. Even though they didn't know me and they clearly had friends and acquaintances in the crowd, they served whoever was next in line for a drink. They were polite, prompt and professional. Such a rare quality in many bars nowadays.
Most of the crowd that night was dressed casually, although many of the women looked primped and polished, while the guys generally sported hockey jerseys, T-shirts or other causal wear.
While the music selections weren't my favorites (PT had inserted several George Washingtons into the jukebox and the sound of urban soon filled the bar), it was tolerable enough. And while there was certainly a lot of bass, people could still strike up conversations.
More music came on and the night continued on. Other people came and left, and as the evening passed, the mood in the bar stayed upbeat. And while some think that Gecko's is tucked way, way away from the clubs on Chippewa, a dozen or so Canadians who were in town for the hockey game chose the Hertel watering hole. Even though many of them had donned Canadiens' jerseys, there were no comments, no issues. Just more people drinking and relaxing and having fun.
By midnight the crowd had thinned a bit, PT had to work the next day and I had a five-mile run planned, so we called it an evening. With winter here, Gecko's is surely a hot spot for the cold days ahead.
***
Gecko's Bar & Grille
1464 Hertel Ave. 835-9073
Scene: Good selection of hops, songs and people. Very busy weekends and nights Sabres are on the ice.
Dress: Women dressed to be looked at; guys dressed to watch a hockey game.
Music: Wide variety from a digital jukebox.
