The Upstairs Pub — Restaurant in Bloomington

I am currently finishing my PhD at IU. Since my first summer here, 4.5 years ago, I have been a loyal customer and fan of Upstairs. It has always been my go-to place for an evening out with friends, family, coworkers, recruits, etc. I've loved playing pool, darts, and music on the TouchTunes app.

But last Friday, when I was meeting up with a graduating friend, her family, and some professors from our department (my second night there last weekend), I encountered a bouncer who decided I did not seem 21 (I'm 26 and have never had an issue getting into a bar). He studied my Ohio ID then decided to bend it (which bartenders have done before for some reason, even though Ohio IDs are not designed to be tested with a bend test). He bent it extensively, and the lamination creased. So he bent it some more. and the lamination completely broke. Then he shook his head and said he would not let me in. I explained that I am 26, my id is real, I come to their bar all the time, and that he just broke my ID for no reason. He said he had to talk to his manager, walked away with my ID, came back 10 seconds later, and let me in, with no apology or explanation. I stayed for a drink but was honestly really annoyed and did not want to further support the business. I am a very easy going person, and I have liked Upstairs a lot, but I felt so disrespected and frustrated by my encounter with that bouncer (who I have to hope has just been poorly trained) and I can't help but feel like it's time to find a new go-to bar. I am frustrated that I now need to carry my passport around until I can make a trip home to Ohio where I will need to pay for a new license since mine is now damaged and will certainly be rejected by any other bar, store, or restaurant.

And frankly, my international coworkers have been expressing similar feelings of disrespect for years at the hands of Upstairs. Their international driver's licenses get rejected so they bring their passports (which is stressful for them because losing those would make their lives very difficult) but even their passports get scrutinized and questioned extensively. We are talking 25-40 year old people. Our 28 year old German colleague has felt so disrespected by the bouncers at Upstairs that he refuses to go there anymore and I after my experience, I understand where he is coming from. I also understand the stress of finding fake IDs, but common courtesy and respect is free and it's easy to treat everyone (even people you think are underage)...

Popped into The Upstairs Pub while me and my partner were in town, and while we were well aware it would be a college bar, we weren't expecting as poor of an experience as the one we had. Bartenders were rude and poured badly, foam and beer still pouring over the sides of the glass even as it was set on the bar in front of us. Then our bartender informs us in detail on how much he dislikes serving beer. The drinks were shockingly cheap though, which was nice and may be the only reason I'd give this three stars.

I can see this being a decent bar to get rowdy with your buds. There was plenty of room, and the crowd seemed to be having a decent time. Atmosphere was fine but nothing to write home about, but the titular "stairs" to get up to the bar were incredibly steep and short. I know that sounds weird, but it was actually the most noteworthy thing there. I can't imagine being a little buzzed and trying to maneuver my way up/down those...

Not the nicest bar, but popular with the students. I realize being in the service industry sucks but one of the bartenders was incredibly rude to my friend (who is new to the area and just started drinking alcohol) and it really spoiled the mood. And, to clarify we were not hammered or anything. There was a miscommunication between them about the tip amount (my friend made the mistake), and she made some uncomfortable comments about my friend that really hurt their feelings over a simple misunderstanding on bar tipping etiquette (my friend is international so it's different across the sea). After that, I went up instead to purchase the drinks. I asked for cash back so I could tip her and she seemed annoyed that the whole cash amount wasn't hers to keep (which would have been a 40% tip). I'm a Bloomington local and it's disappointing to go to a bar like this in my hometown. All the other bartenders I encountered...