By Chris Tait
We are a rock music bar.”
Provided by our lovely waitress Elyse, this description fits the Rusty Cage perfectly, right down to the guy wearing the Coor’s shirt with the sleeves ripped off and the patron passed out in a corner.
A first impression of the Cage would render images of the things that provided the old “Crack Alley” with its namesake. AC/DC, a plethora of blue collars, and the dark mood have “cougar country” and “biker bar” written all over it. The only thing is, there aren’t any cougars or bikers.
Upon entering, you are welcomed by an octagonal bar, an island of liquid mountains amidst a sea of dark booths and dimly lit tables. There’s a stage for live music, a jukebox in the corner and plenty of space all around, accentuated by the fact that the place is nearly empty on a Thursday night, despite the best efforts of a university cover band.
The only women in the place consisted of a group in the next booth, whom, I suspected, were brought by the band and our waitress.
The service was great, but whether or not that was because we were one of only three small groups in the place, we’ll never know. Is there really much competition for their attention?
So, you can take from these findings:
1. Do not expect to pick up women at the Rusty Cage.
2. Do not dress up to go there. Unless of course by “dressing up” you mean not going buck naked.
3. The Rusty Cage is a delightfully dark and wonderfully set up place, with plenty of character… and no people. To be fair, Thursday could be their slowest night of the week. If you’re looking to see other people and be sociable:
4. Bring everyone you know.