Finding a good place that all of your friends can enjoy together can be a struggle. Some like country music,  some like rap music and it can be hard to find a place that does the best of both worlds. If you’re thinking of trying one of these out, here is what I really think of each one of them and why.
Erb and Culture
8/10
This club has it all, from the underground large dance floor to the pretty wall signs and the cool lighting. Here’s why it is not a 10/10. First of all, it’s the farthest one I have been to uptown, which makes walking in the cold not all that worth it. The cover fee is not absurd, but the tequila shots can add up, so to go out and go to Erb and Culture takes a bit of money to afford. The best thing I have been to Erb and Culture for is the events that are hosted by Mosea.
Phil’s Grandsons
9/10
Phil’s has its pros and cons. The layout is very unique, which I like, with a lower dance floor, a raised dance floor near the DJ booth, a raised floor with poles and two different bar areas with some booths. This place gives you space for your own crowd to enjoy it. However, the bathrooms are extremely small for a nightclub holding a lot of people and are usually out of toilet paper or soap when I have been there. They also have themed music nights, so the music has been a hit or miss for me each time I go. However, if you go on Sunday the music is always good. Plus, Phil’s has some good deals on drinks, whether it’s the pitchers that can be refilled or certain cheap shots, they always have something cheaper for a budget night.
The Drink Uptown
7/10
The Drink located right across from Pub on King is a prime location. However, unless you get on the guestlist before 10 p.m. the line is usually very long and not entirely worth it in the cold of winter. With The Drink having a very small dance floor, it is hard to have too many people in there at once, which is why the lines end up being so long. The cover fee is not horrible and if you get on the guest list, there is no fee which is a nice bonus. But the drinks also add up here quickly. I also really enjoy the lighting there and The Drink by far has the absolute best bathroom a bar can have, it’s large with lots of sink space, lots of stalls and lots of room. Plus, it has a huge mirror where all the girls take photos. You may think a bathroom isn’t that important, but wait until you have to wait in line for one. The only real bone I have to pick with The Drink is that it usually plays a variation of the exact same songs plus a few newer ones as they come out and are popular. I also don’t like the private booth setups along the walls as they don’t feel very private for what you spend on a booth. Other than that, I enjoy The Drink.
Pub on King
Best of both worlds: 8/10
Now Pub on King is interesting because it’s a restaurant by day and a club by night. Well, not a real club, but close. I like that Pub has a lot of booths available for sitting in when you’re tired of dancing. I also like how there is no cover fee for entering which for a budgeting person, is a real bonus. Pub also has specialty nights like dollar beers which if you are a beer fan, you would enjoy. Pub also has T.V.s so if you’re trying to watch sports at all, this is the place to be. There is also a variation in the music since they play all different types. I also like that if you have dinner at Pub, you can go back for drinks or drink until it becomes more of a bar/club vibe. The bathrooms are relatively small and always have long lines (for the girls, I don’t know about the boys) and the dance floor isn’t much of an actual dance floor, but more so where there is an open space in between the tables and the bar. Which is fine, but always seems kind of tight to me.
Kentucky Bourbon BBQ
10/10
If you’re looking for a sports bar, this is the right place to be. Kentucky has huge screens and nice booths to watch the games. Their spinach dip is to die for and honestly the only thing I ever go for. It’s a super nice place to chill with friends for dinner, especially in the summer when they have their patio open. Kentucky is more of a sit-down and drink than a party bar, so if that’s what you’re looking for, I wouldn’t go here. The bathrooms are never crowded and very on-theme with the whole country bar thing. They are also very large. They do play music, usually country but not entirely limited to country and I’ve heard they have live music sometimes as well, but I have never been there for it. The pitcher of white sangria is to die for and is relatively cheap!
Dallas Nightclub
8/10
Dallas has many good and bad qualities to it. First, the big thing everyone is thinking: it’s far. Yes, it’s in Kitchener and you could walk to it if you really wanted to, but it is probably a two-hour walk. However, if you want a country bar/club, this is the best you’ll get in the area. The entire place is themed very nicely and the country music they play is usually pretty good. The lighting there is amazing with string lights hanging above the dance floor. There are also two tiers, one main big dance floor and then an above section that also has a bar and ATM. The great thing about Dallas is the upstairs bar and the booths on the side of the dance floor (if you can snag one). A bone to pick with Dallas is the bathrooms (yes again). I don’t know what the boys are like, but the girl’s bathroom usually smells and the stalls are so tight you can barely squeeze your body through. There is also usually a line for the girl’s bathroom. Ultimately, it’s a good country club if you don’t mind the commute. However, if you’re looking for line dancing, you may want to try somewhere in Guelph.
You don’t have to agree with any of the ratings I have listed above, they are just my personal preferences for the bars/clubs within the Waterloo area. If anything, I hope you learned some things about at least one of these bars/clubs and will consider heading out to one you haven’t tried yet on your next night out.