Congratulations to Deep Ellum for getting the reader’s pick for Best Bar from The Phoenix! It is well deserved.

Other Allston winners include: Brown Sugar won Best Thai, Common Ground won Best Trivia Night, Le’s for Best Vietnamese, Sunset for Best Bar for Beer Selection, the 379 Club for Best Men’s Haircut, The Pill at Great Scott for Best Dance Night and Urban Outfitters for Best Women’s Clothes.

Moving on to the making-stuff-up section: Myung Dong 1st Ave won Best Place to Detonate a Soju-Bomb. Paint Pens in Purses won for Best Artist, Graffiti/Performance/Street (specifically for what they did at Marty’s, but previously mentioned here re: LAB). Even the alley behind our new Kelly’s gets a curiously biographical nod of sorts. And lastly, Blanchard won Best Wine & Liquor Store (a year post-puppy stomp, the collective mind has forgiven).

Anyway, congratulations to all!

I’m a sucker for HDR so was interested in this photo set of the shiney new grime-free Common Ground.

Nacho Patrol has been eating their way through Allston. Their gut, your gain. HEED THEIR WISDOM.

Sunset Bar & Grill: massive

We were in heaven…yet it quickly turned to hell. These nachos suffer from too much of a good thing– so many ingredients were piled on them that it was near impossible to get an even distribution. It took us a good ten minutes to crack through the cheese to get to the pork, and even then, only Guest Judge Doreen had easy access.

Common Ground: unflavored

After a few bites we flagged down our waitress and asked for a side of chili in hope of a hail mary. We poured it on top and hoped for the best, but unfortunately, all was lost, as even the chili was bland…

Our House West: best when intoxicated

Yet despite all the awkwardness and embarrassment, we continue to return, for the $3 Brubaker’s, consistently favorable male-to-female ratio, and the fact that it is within stumbling distance of Nacho Patrol World Headquarters.

That sounds about right.

Rock City Prom was at Common Ground last weekend (this pic is from last year since this year is Flickr negative). Apparently, there was some martini brawlin’.