What is Northside Yacht Club? It’s not a dive bar, and most certainly isn’t a Yacht Club, either. I’ve heard plenty of folks (especially when they opened their doors in 20150 be a little skeptical of this place. I’ve heard it be referred to as a tiki bar, a hipster hideaway, and the aforementioned “dive bar” moniker. It’s not really any of those things. In typical Northside neighborhood fashion, it sort of defies the categorization that we like to try to put things into – and that’s part of the personality that makes this place so great.
The History Of It
Northside Yacht Club isn’t exactly a historical bar, though it’s got some history to it. It was once the Northside Electric Company. That’s actually how it got its name. The picture behind the bar is of the building during a massive flood back in 1937, with water all the way up to the second-story windows.
When the current owners took over and looked at the photo, the name just sort of fit. The idea of Northside residents puttering around the streets in boats entered their minds – it just seemed weird enough to fit the neighborhood bar. But “NSYC” had a bar life before they took over, too.
It was at one time a bar called the New Orleans Cafe, before becoming a bit of a hippie bar called Gypsy Hut. The sad closure of Gypsy Hut inspired local entrepreneurs to buy the space and convert it into a much-loved bar called Mayday. As their lives took slightly different directions, Mayday was forced to close as well… which was where the current owners came in and in a stroke of inspired genius, created Northside Yacht Club.
What To Expect From Your Visit
The bar is definitely nautical-themed. When you walk in the main door the bar is decorated with all sorts of… stuff. There are ropes hanging from the ceiling, dive helmets, life preservers, and all sorts of knick-knacks. Out back is a big, two-story patio with an outdoor bar that is absolutely amazing in the summertime. It’s a lot to take in, but could really easily become way too cheesy if things weren’t really good.
They are really good, too. From the beer list to the cocktails (all made from fresh ingredients) to the service – it’s all done really well. The food is phenomenal. They have some of the best wings in the city. That makes it hard for me to order anything else, but when I do I’m always really happy about it.
