By Megan Roiz
It’s the end of the week and you are recouping from a round of classes. If you live on campus and don’t feel like going far, what are your options? Asking around, it seems that most people say that you should look into going to Northgate.
You’ve heard about Northgate, even seen it across University Drive as you were walking over to SBISA dining hall, and you know that it is a bar hopping bonanza from Thursday through Saturday nights because of the police blockades and thick, thrumming crowds of people. But what else is there to do?
Northgate is a district of College Station, just north of the University, which is mixed-use. It consists of various businesses, restaurants and entertainment. Due to its convenient location and diverse mix of food, drinks and fun, Northgate is a popular hotspot for students and locals. Most places have food and drink specials different nights of the week, and more than a couple of the joints feature bands who hail from all over.
Grab a few of your friends and head out. If you’re driving to Northgate, parking can be a slight annoyance, so if you go early, you are more likely to get a well-placed spot. Some people have no issue parking in front of the residences. At the risk of having your car towed, your best bet would be the Northgate parking garage or one of the two pay lots. One is located directly behind the Dixie Chicken, and the other is behind Shotzi’s.
Starting out on Northgate with a full belly and a few good conversations under your belt is never a bad idea. For every Texas A&M student, an experience at the Dixie Chicken is a must. The burgers are good, and you can always take a break to shoot some pool or play a round of dominoes. “The Chicken,” as it is called, is open every day of the week, from 10 am to 2 am, and happy hour is Sunday to Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Don’t forget to carve your name on a wall or a table!
Other places to consider include La Bodega, which specializes in fresh, from scratch Baja California Mexican food, Kyoto Sushi, and Freebirds World Burrito. La Bodega has $2.50 Tuesdays, which gets you a margarita and queso, and hosts live music every Wednesday to Saturday night. Freebirds on Northgate was the first one in College Station. Go in and write your name on the wall or make a foil animal and hang it up somewhere inside.
Several places on Northgate host live music or have good dance floors. Schotzi’s has $1.00 shots on Thursdays with karaoke and live bands most weekends. They also have open mic night with $1.00 wells most Monday nights. Daisy Dukes is a Western dance club with pitcher, draft, well and longneck specials on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. They just recently opened another dance club called Martini Street, which is located in front of the Northgate parking garage. The Corner is a popular place to watch sports with seven 42-inch flatscreen tvs, and they have an upstairs patio with a bird’s eye view of University and the surrounding Northgate attractions.
If you’re into karaoke, O’Bannon’s is the place to be on Tuesday evenings. The entertainment begins at 10 p.m., and the line fills quickly. Enjoy a Guinness, and make sure to get an O’Bannon’s Beer Tour guide. With 75 to 80 beers to test and a two-beers-a-day limit, the Beer Tour is a great way to discover which brews you like and which you don’t.
Hookah Station, located on College Main, is a hookah lounge and bar with a pleasantly smoky atmosphere. With a variety of specialty hookah flavors, it’s a good spot to sit and relax with your friends. They are also able to host themed and private parties.
After dancing, listening to music and playing some pool, you’re probably getting pretty tired. If you live on campus, it’s a quick and easy walk back “home.” But if you’re not so close and are unable to drive back, Carpool is the service for you. Carpool is a student-run, non-profit organization serving the BCS community with free rides home every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. It’s safe, free and easy to access, so make sure to take advantage of the service. The phone number for Carpool is on the back of your student ID.
Northgate provides so much more than a few bars and a couple of nightclubs. Whether you’re out to celebrate or you just want to relax and enjoy some good food, it’s a great and convenient place to go with some friends. With that, we wish you a safe and fun Northgate experience!