Palace Saloon

06/25/09

Worst Bar in Tallahassee

by JerryF

The Palace Saloon: Worst Bar in Tallahassee

So I felt that after being a patron at the Palace for five years, it would be informative to describe this place and give warning.

For the progressive minded, I implore you to stay away from the Palace. It is a fairly working class, conservative, and country music type of place and while there is nothing inherently wrong with that, there tends to be a mentality of ignorance among regulars as well as a resistance to learning about new things. Usually night time draws the frat/sororstitute crowd. I have heard African American patrons being referred to as “nigg*rs” by regular patrons and frat types on several occasions, and it is amazing that the bartenders on duty when these events have occurred condoned this type of behavior by failing to ask the offending party to either shut up or leave. Many of the older regulars who are men will regularly take shots at the female bartenders: most of whom are half of the age these men.

The Palace’s ventilation system is the worst in town. This is perhaps why smoking bans for bars, which was once inconceivable, should now be mandatory everywhere. There are low ceilings, which means that the smoke accumulates much faster than in bars with higher ceilings.

The old owner, Chuck Fisher, was a very friendly guy and would listen to customer concerns. Chuck has since gone on and sold the bar to two new, young owners, Russ Burke and Lora Taaffe. Whereas Lora tends to be friendly, Russ is the biggest piece of sh*t ever. He’s not funny when he tries to show a sense of humor and most of the bartenders left over from the Chuck era think Russ is garbage. He has all of these big ideas for expanding the bar but I just laugh at him whenever he starts up about it. The bar recently went a week without AC (the system was busted) which suggests to me that they obviously didn’t have the funds to get the job done.

If you put on music that is neither country nor some Lynard Skynyrd bullsh*t, expect to have the bartenders (this is more Russ than anyone else) skip your music and not reimburse you.

So not only do you have a bunch of creepy rac*st bigots at the Palace: you have a sh*tty owner who won’t refund you when he decides to bump a song that he doesn’t like. Chuck, the previous owner, was annoyed when he was told some of the bartenders would skip songs because he wanted to be able to allow customers to hear a variety of music: plus they were paying for the right to hear their music. This Russ character is absolutely shady and has no class at all.

The Bartender Rundown.

In my experience, there have been only six worthwhile bartenders from my time going there: Ashley (no longer working there), Reagan, Jared, Sarah, Ronnie, and Trish. Everyone else there are who has worked there and no longer works there s*cks. The memorable s*ck asses are the following:

Suzy. She usually works during the day and she is the oldest bartender there. She is always in a grouchy mood. Every day is a bad day for her. Her husband Mike comes in occasionally to drink or help her move boxes of beer into the bar. I sometimes wonder how someone could be married to a person who is always grouchy and scowling: like a dog waiting to be kicked. I was particularly annoyed that she allowed a previously barred patron back at the bar (the patron in question supposedly pulled a knife on a former employee).

Sean. Horrible, horrible bartender. He used to be night manager when Chuck owned the place but was demoted. I’m not even sure he works there anymore.

Theresa. Two faced poser. She no longer works there.

Alicia. Worst bartender ever. Should not have been hired. No longer works there.

Please note that during football season, the Palace doubles its prices on gamedays and it is extremely crowded. You are probably better off going to Snookers where it is less crowded and less smoky.

• Pros: Not really any except for cheap beer
• Cons: Worst Bar in Tallahassee