Two drinks: C & D Café

C & D Cafe owner Louis Webb holds a Bloody Mary cocktail drink (Credit: Joseph Fuqua II | Metromix)

Embedded on the corner of a residential block in Northside, C & D is a neighborhood bar that lives - both geographically and aesthetically - apart from the more prominent Hamilton Avenue strip. It may be working in its favor, as the bar has accumulated scene credibility, emerging as a favorite destination for Northside denizens.

The look: At first blush, C & D looks like most vintage neighborhood watering holes. Circling the block to park was our first indication that the experience at C & D has as much in common with "house party" as it does "bar scene."

The front room is cozy and unpretentious - an antidote to the cultivated-cool bars that "try" to be hip. There's precious little room and few tables to sit down. This is a stand-and-chat-in-a-semicircle kind of joint.

With just enough room to flail your arms around, C & D's bric-a-brac bedecked backroom provides an outlet for rug-cutting. DJs hold sway on weekend nights and sets are sometimes multimedia.

The sizeable back patio area is better described as a backyard, but, as we found with the bar, it's endearing - and maybe even more conducive to social interaction. During winter months, the C & D backyard features a fire pit to keep smokers and outdoor types warm.

The drinks: We tried an Anchor Steam, followed by the boho beer of choice - the Pabst Blue Ribbon. Both are available on tap. Those who have eked out an existence in New York or any other expensive metropolis will appreciate PBR at sub-$3 price points.

The selection at C & D is good enough to satisfy most beer-literate patrons. The C & D Happy Hour, which runs until 8 p.m., isn't the most extravagant around, offering $1.50 PBR ($6 pitchers) and 50 cents off well liquors and drafts.

The verdict: While we hesitate to brand C & D a "dive," it certainly embodies some of the characteristics of the genre. The C & D calls on the better aspects of a sports bar, neighborhood pub and alternative nightspot. Witness the SportsCenter-feeding TVs interspliced with an upcoming in-bar cello performance.

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