Triangle Tavern is Open
Yesterday marked the grand opening of the revitalized Triangle Tavern at 10th & Reed. The Triangle had been closed for about seven years, but the stories from those days remain infamous. People loved the food and there was always an array of talented, yet eclectic singers and musicians causing an old-school, lively fun.
This new edition of the Triangle, brought to us by the same folks behind Royal Tavern, Khyber Pass Pub, Cantina Los Caballitos, and Cantina Dos Segundos, does a nice job respecting the Tavern’s past while updating it to compete with the likes of the nearby P.O.P.E. and Fountain Porter. The bar looks original and photos from the Triangles history line the walls.
The lighting has been updated, yet remains comfortably dim. They’ve got a water ice machine that offers six flavors to add a little vodka too. The draft beer selection was solid. I ended up going with the Victory Braumeister Pils, but had the option of a strong group of local brews.
The menu maintains a nice balance of Italian standards, while including an impressive selection of vegetarian/vegan alternatives.
I ended up grabbing polenta fries and a vegan roast beef sandwhich and was not disappointed. The sandwhich kicked ass. A couple next to me grabbed orders of Buffalo Wings and Vegan Buffalo Wings and raved about both.
The staff was incredibly friendly. I know it was the grand opening, but they made us feel right at home. They even had a “welcome book” that people could write in to mark the grand opening. The bartenders crushed it. Both dudes looked cool without any of the pretentiousness that you can sometimes find in what some label “hipster bars”, but not with these guys. They were quick with good service against a solid and steady crowd.
My buddy and I really enjoyed the visit and agreed that we’ll be frequent visitors, especially since he only lives a couple blocks away.
The only knock I have is about the noise and music. Voice carry in this place and the music was really difficult to hear. At times, I didn’t know if there was any music playing. For me, music in a pub is vital. I’m hoping they rearrange/improve the speaker set up and find a way to absorb some of the conversation noise.
I spent $5.00 in the jukebox, too. I was stoked to see they didn’t have a digital jukebox where people can download any annoying music of their choice. However, I was a bit disappointed with their selection.
They seem to be looking to appeal to the younger and aging hipsters, while respecting the past of the tavern. They had White Stripes and Television mixed in with Sinatra and classic rock. All of that’s good in theory, just their selections lacked.
2 Aerosmith records is two too many. 3 Oasis discs are probably two too many. I’d rather have one or two origianl Rolling Stones records instead of a greatest hits collection and some obvious choices that were absent. Kudos to them for having Loretta Lynn, Patsy Kline and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. That’s really the only complaint I could muster. That’s just me. I’ve consulted with places in the past on their jukeboxes so I could be a little senstive.
Don’t let this stop you from supporting a great place that should see a good bit of success in the future. Hopefully, I’ll see you there in the near future and you can buy me a beer!
[UPDATED: returned and the music sound was much improved. We could clearly hear music being played. Big difference. Way to tweak along the way. I’d still like to replace some of the CDs in the jukebox, though. Really like this place after 2nd visit]
