The Spread Eagle is is located off the black horse pike in Mt.Ephriam NJ. The bar sits on the corner with no sign, and nothing to attract your attention. The GPS was the only reason that we found this bar, otherwise we would have driven right past it. The few patrons that were outside smoking cigarettes when we walked up to the bar all stopped conversating amongst each other, and greeted us all as we walked in the door. I was immediately angry because the review said that the people were rude; the people that greeted us were not rude. I just kept thinking to myself, "The toilet better be sinking."
When you walk through the front door the entire bar is in plain view. There is an old Piano to your left discretely pushed against the wall, an old arcade game next to the piano, and a modern touch screen jukebox next to that. A bowling game sat against the back wall, and 2 flat screen T.V's (that kept shutting off )hung above the bowling game. Booths, and big refrigerators filled with six packs of beer lined the far right wall, and glowing ceramic houses sat on top of the refrigerators. We took our seats at the bar and were greeted by a friendly male bartender who was attentive, and pleasant during our entire visit. He would walk down the end of the bar and converse with the "regulars" but he was always looking over his shoulder to make sure our glasses were filled. He even put money in the jukebox and told us to pick out some songs! Once we were situated with full glasses of beer, and Aerosmith on the jukebox, it was time to check out the bathroom.
My heart was pounding as I walked to the bathroom door, I needed to see the sinking toilet. I would have even settled for a hole in the floor where a sinking toilet used to be, but once I walked in the bathroom I realized that there was no need for a sinking toilet; the awful drapes were enough to make this my new favorite dive bar. Old, heavy, once colorful, now grey, floral/ fruit print curtains hung from the small window in the bathroom. They were curtains that your grandmother threw out for being out dated. They were awful, and wonderful all at the same time. I immediately became confident that a sinking toilet had to accompany these drapes. I flung open the stall door and there it was, a sad, sinking, crooked toilet. I laughed and took pictures when I saw it, but then I felt bad for the toilet. I felt like the toilet was sinking in an effort to get away from the drapes. Whatever the case may have been, the review I read was right and I was thrilled!
I couldn't have been more pleased with the Spread Eagle Inn. It is definitely a dive bar but as I have stated in the past, a dive bar isn't always a bad thing! This bar has been added to the route for The Dive Drive caravan which will take place this summer. Stay tuned for more details!
ON TO THE NEXT ONE......
