Two drinks: America Live

Bartender Cory Pennington whips up a Long Beach at America Live in Fairfield. (Credit: Tony Jones | Metromix)

Feeling adventurous on a recent weekday, Erica and I ventured up to Fairfield for a drink at America Live, an establishment soon to be featured on the upcoming second season of Spike TVs “Bar Rescue.” Apparently the show is like Extreme Makeover, but with bars, and they revamped the former Win, Place or Show.

The vibe: It’s America all the time at America Live. Red, white and blue lights line the parking lot, and the place itself is actually elevated overlooking Dixie Highway, like a city shining on a hill. There’s ample parking – even on Bike Night, when we did a terrible job of fitting in with our VW hatchback – but note that the entrance is actually off of Mack Road (and not directly on Dixie Highway/Route 4 as you might infer from the address).

Inside, America Live is spacious, with room for two pool tables, plenty of seating and a very long bar. Everyone was watching the Reds lose on a multitude of flat screens, but it didn’t seem to dampen spirits. A very modern jukebox was playing classic rock non-stop, and most of the Bike Night participants looked to be taking advantage of the huge patio.

The bar has a no-frills, but comfortable feeling inside. A decent-sized stage on one end looked like a nice amenity, good for the live music and karaoke nights.

The drinks: Erica ordered a Long Island Iced Tea (straight out of the Captain Morgan Long Island Iced Tea tap) for $7 and although a little sweet, was not skimpy on the alcohol.

I eased into the evening with a Leinenkugel Summer Shandy on draft ($4). Although my beer was served in a plastic pint glass, it tasted delicious on a hot night. They have a decent beer selection at America Live – Budweiser in bottles looked to be the most popular choice.

My second drink was the Green Acres, one of their specialty cocktails ($7), a concoction of Bulleit Rye Whiskey, ginger ale, cucumber, and lime. Unfortunately, a couple of pesky fruit flies got to my beverage before I did, but the bartender was kind enough to pour me another. I think she took pity on me trying to fish the intruders out with a straw.

The Green Acres was a refreshing drink, and not one I’d expected to find. The cucumber was a fun touch that accentuated the rye and ginger ale. And it made me feel slightly healthy.

The food: We stopped in just after the kitchen closed (at 10 p.m. most nights during the week) but the menu looked promising, especially if you are interested in barbeque. They offer a wide variety of tangy, smoky, red-sauced options (like pulled pork, slabs, brisket, and baby back ribs) as well as wings, a couple of salad options, and some interesting sides, like deviled eggs.

The verdict: I’m not sure it’s a destination spot, but America Live Bar and BBQ is an ideal neighborhood tavern. The fact they offer live music is a nice addition, and based on the crowd I saw on the night I visited, they seem to be doing a good business after their nip and tuck makeover.