Bar review: Sam's Lounge

OK, let's get one thing out of the way before we dive into what makes Sam's Lounge great—yes, it is a hotel bar.

But that's just insomuch as it's literally a bar that's attached to a hotel—the Best Value Inn and Suites in this case. whatever negative connotations "hotel bar" conjures in your head don't apply.

At Sam's you'll find no lounge singer banging out tired standards on a rusty piano. You'll find no jaded traveling salesmen quaffing martinis and making lame jokes. You'll find no hen-pecked husbands hiding out from their wives (well, actually, you might find some of those).

No, what you'll actually find at Sam's Lounge is one of Jackson's coolest nightspots.

The drinks: Wth a full bar, Sam's can make just about any beverage your heart could desire, and with it also being a place popular for doing shots, they might even make some up too. They've got Jaegermeister and SoCo shot machines expressly for that purpose.

Their beer selection isn't as vast as other Jackson spots like Martin's, but they do have a good selection of domestics and imports, with Pabst Blue Ribbon being a can't-miss cheap choice. They also serve Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan on tap, along with others.

The decor: Hope you like beer and booze promos, because Sam's take full advantage of what companies send them to put on the walls. Nonetheless, Sam's has a cozy-but-not-too-cramped atmosphere, with a lounge area in the front by the bar with a really excellent internet jukebox and a large fishtank for a little ambiance. It's also got a back area with pool tables and the music stage, with a good bit of wide open space for rock show shenanignans. The pool tables are acutally some of best you can find in town that aren't at a dedicated pool hall like The Green Room.

The crowd: Sam's customers are loyal to their bar to almost a fanatical degree, and you'll most likely see the same folks there every weekend. Good thing they're cool people. Sam's has become the hangout of some of Jackson's hippest—from tattoo aficionados to rock musicians to rollergirls to metalheads to punk rockers, the gang's all here. Needless to say, it's not a place really to bring a date for a quiet evening. This crowd likes to drink and get rowdy. Oftentimes boisterous sing-alongs break out when something like AC/DC or the Misfits blasts out of the jukebox.

The service: Just like you'll see the same smiling faces in the crowd regularly at Sam's, they've also got a workhorse staff of regular bartenders who are part of the crowd too and just as apt to join in on the rock 'n' roll singalongs. They're attentive, good mixers and just plain good people. You'll only have to stop by a few times before they know what your drink of choice is.

The sounds: Here's what has drawn a lot of the crowd to Sam's as of late—the live music. Having put on shows for only a couple years now, Sam's has become one of the premier places for underground rock, metal and punk bands to play. It's become the home-away-from-home for local metal act Redneck Trucker (Sam's Lounge t-shirts are emblazoned with "R.T.M.F.," which stands for "Redneck Trucker mother-yougettheidea"), and other local faves like Deltagun, Hypnotic Chickens and more play there often. Touring acts like the Boss Martians and others have hit the stage at Sam's too.

The food: Being connected to a hotel, Sam's gets around one of Mississippi's most antiquated and asinine liquor laws: having to serve food to serve booze. So if you're hungry at Sam's, the somewhat sketchy snack machine—which also dispenses cigarettes at a ridiculous markup—is your only option.

The damage: While it's no longer cheap to get drunk no matter where you go, Sam's at least keeps it affordable. Beers start at $2.50 and the average mixed drink sets you back about $5. Cover charge is never much more than $5 unless there's a big band playing or a four-band bill taking the stage.

See also: Word on the street is that the owner of Sam's has purchased the building that housed George Street Grocery, one of Jackson's most beloved and historic bars that unfortunately shut down for good in 2007 after going through a number of owners. Expect a review when they get to slingin' brews soon.

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