Craft Beer at the Second Chance Saloon

Tuesday night is half-price burger night at our local watering hole, the Second Chance Saloon. My wife and I met our friend and Chicago Cub fan for a Second Chance dinner, drinks and the 6^th game of the World Series. The dinner crowd was thinning out, leaving us several choice seating options. We ended up sitting side by side by side at a table, all of us facing the big TV. The preview of the Cubs versus Indians game was on.

I concentrated on picking out a beer among the 100 selections.  They have a nice bottle collection and 18 taps. I picked Blue Point Oktoberfest from the 9 ever-changing taps. It is a well-made Oktoberfest. It tastes like Fall! I gave it a 3.25 on UnTappd.

A couple neighborhood kids we knew arrived, and gave us a nod, but did not stop to visit. (It’s tough to be cool when your friend’s parents are at your bar.)

Even with such few patrons, we noticed a nervous energy around us. As we ordered our drinks, people were coming in and out of the bar area, often smelling of cigarette smoke. Even for a local neighborhood bar, the activity among the tables was surprisingly busy. I assumed it was some kind of World Series fever, with fans hyped up about either the Cubs or Indians ending their long running World Series droughts. The Cubs haven’t won in 108 years, the Indians –  68. The Cubs even have a song honoring their streak – A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request.

The game started as the food arrived. My Old Bay wings were delicious, and the burger was outstanding.  Oddly enough, people were still milling around and seemed indifferent to the game.

Suddenly, a guy stands in front of the big screen TV, introduces himself, and starts singing karaoke! A string of karaoke singers come up and sang, all the while, we watched the game. I felt like I was home, with people constantly walking and standing in front of the TV.

At one point, the Cleveland center fielder and the right fielder let a fly ball drop for an error, scoring 2 runs. The 5 or so people actually watching the game cheered, but the karaoke singer at the time was un-phased.  It was 3-0, Chicago, at the top of the first inning.

The bottom of the 1^st and second inning were uneventful. Then things got weird.  Behind the constantly changing karaoke singers, the Cubs started putting people on base. A very large man with a red knit cap came up to the stage/TV blocking area.  He hunches up, making himself seem smaller and begins singing a Celine Dion hit in a falsetto. Right in the middle of shrinking red cap’s crescendo, the Chicago Cubs shortstop, Addison Russell, crushes a ball to centerfield for a grand slam! The 5 remaining Cubs fans at the 2^nd Chance erupt into cheers while red cap sings on, totally oblivious. Meanwhile, a previous karaoke performer walks up to the stage, points a vuvuzela at red cap’s ear and honks. Our red cap soloist continues singing to the end of the song as though nothing unusual happened. He leaves the stage to a smattering of clapping, and I join in to acknowledge the most amazing karaoke performance I’ve ever seen.

You won’t always see amazing things at the 2^nd Chance Saloon, but it is a terrific neighborhood bar with very good food, an awesome beer list and a great wait staff.

Cheers!

Warren