by Lauren Pepiciello Growing tired of spending night after night at the Grape? Are you and your friends craving a change of scenery? Many Fairfield students overlook the fact that Fairfield County has great nightlife in places other than the town of Fairfield. Stamford, only about 20 minutes down I-95, is one of them. It’s actually closer to Fairfield University than New Haven, and personally I think it is a lot more fun. Therefore, after having practically grown up in Stamford, I thought I’d give all of you who are unfamiliar with the city, or even Connecticut for that matter, some insight into Stamford’s nighttime scene.
Thirsty Turtle 84 W. Park Place
This is one of Stamford’s most popular bars in one of Stamford’s most popular nighttime locations. You can find a very mixed crowd here, from college students to young professionals to an occasional hip mom or dad.
It is a great place to go whether you want to just hang out at the bar, on the outdoor patio in nice weather with a drink, or if you want to listen to a live band and dance the night away with your friends. You’ll usually find a mixture of locals and out-of-towners here, so it is also a great place to meet people.
Thirsty Turtle has a great Happy Hour from 6 to 8 p.m. for a little more than $10 per person. Happy Hour usually draws a good crowd, especially in good weather. It is likely that you will find a buffet of finger foods to snack on. There are also two floors, a couple different rooms, and more than one bar.
The only drawback is that the Turtle can get pretty crowded on the weekends, and it is possible that you will find a line if you get there at prime bar time. Warning to underclassmen: do not even try to go if you are not 21. They will scan your ID, and if it is fake, they will take it. I’ve seen it happen.
Tiernan’s Pub ‘ Restaurant 187 Main Street
This bar, located just across the street from the Thirsty Turtle, offers an area where you can go and hang out at the bar or at one of the back tables if you’re not into dancing. If you are into music at bars, you can listen to live bands (there is usually one there on weekend nights).
Tiernan’s, however, usually draws a much younger crowd than many of the other Stamford bars. It is usually filled with college students who want a more casual scene where you can chat with the people around you, play darts, or hang out in front of the computer games (Photohunt is the best). Despite the fact that I refer to this bar as “casual”, it is actually filled with pretty trendy booths, tables and lighting. The upside to this place is that there is rarely a line to get in, so many times people go there to escape the Thirsty Turtle crowds.
Hula Hanks 261 Main Street
Hula Hanks is owned by the same people as Thirsty Turtle, so you will find some similarities here. Both bars are typically very crowded and frequently have similar drink specials. Hula Hanks is two floors with one bar upstairs and one downstairs. You can look off the balcony of the top bar and see the crowds dancing below.
Whereas many of the other Stamford bars have live bands, Hula Hanks usually has a DJ, giving it a much more “clubby” feel. You will undoubtedly see people dancing. If you are not a dancer, you will probably get annoyed at the people knocking into you as they try to dance. When that happens, go outside to the patio with the tables and Tiki torches.
The fun part about this bar is the décor. Its name speaks for itself-there are palm tree and surfboard decorations galore. It’s always a good time there, but you will find a line on the weekend. Like Thirsty Turtle, don’t go unless you’re 21. It’s the same deal there, and, nine times out of 10, you’ll see a cop at the door.
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