Adequately named, The Top is at the top of the restaurant hierarchy in Gainesville. With mouth-watering burgers, craft beer and a quirky, cozy atmosphere, it’s a spot that’s perfect for any occasion.
If you’re the type of person who saves The Top for dates, birthday dinners and family gatherings, you’re missing on one of the most enjoyable aspects of the joint: the nightlife.
Walking into the bar is like taking a tour of a vintage thrift store in Cali, with funky art covering the walls and pink and blue lights bouncing softly off of stained hardwood. It’s one of the most visually appealing bars in Gainesville. The outdoor area has it’s own bar and a charming patio that’s perfect for mingling.
Almost every night of the week there are hearty drink specials and good vibes galore.
Wednesday is “Craft Night” with $2 off select craft draft starting at 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday are “Signature Weekends”with $2 off signature cocktails and wines all night and Sundays, well, it’s Happy Hour all damn day.
What about Tuesdays and Thursdays, you ask? Well, those are in their own category of boozy bliss.
Token Tuesdays
There’s something really satisfying about gripping a nice piece of wood after a strong cocktail.
A wooden token, that is. (Ya filthy animal.)
Token Tuesday at The Top is the ultimate alcoholic trading experience. It’s a weekly night that turns boring BOGO drink specials into an interactive community of wooden tokens and boozy bartering.
The rules are simple. Starting at 10 p.m., if you order a “well” drink (bottom shelf), you’ll receive one wooden token from the bartender. Order a pricier drink and you’ll receive two wooden tokens. You can then use the tokens as currency to buy more drinks. (Two tokens will buy you two well drinks, for example.)
“Someone may choose to save their token to use the following week, pass it along to a friend or simply hold on to it as a keepsake,” said staff member Mike Lipscomb.
With tokens and drinks flowing freely, the atmosphere has a fun sense of community that isn’t always found at packed bars.
It’s hard not to get a woody for Token Tuesday.
Cheap Thrills Thursday
If the name alone isn’t enough to entice you, the deals certainly will. Starting at 10 p.m., well drinks, PBR tallboys and Narragansett tallboys are $2 all night long. Yes, two doll hairs are all you need for a cold one.
With retro games, cozy booths, attractive people and interesting conversation (the kind of that doesn’t consist of “So, like, what fraternity are you in?”), it’s a killer way to spend a Thursday night in downtown Gainesville.
It’s easy on the wallet and hard on the liver. Just the way we like it.
So, ditch the monotonous Midtown nights and head to The Top for a night of the three best things:
“Good food, good friends and good times.”
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