Wanna go out late? Some Erie places might be open, but you should call first
For many, a night on the town used to start at 10 p.m., and go hard until the bars had to close by law at 2 a.m. It might end with a late-night meal at Dominick's or Perkins or Eat'n Park, open late if not all night. It was almost a rite of passage. Folks went to bars to let off steam, laugh, loosen up their inhibitions and meet people who might someday turn out to be their soul mate, at least for a while.
In March 2020, COVID blew through that tradition like a freight train. First, the bars closed entirely, laying off their workers. As the pandemic grew, restrictions like 25% capacity rules made opening up seem fruitless, and social distancing and mask-wearing made going out feel like more trouble than it was worth.
Now the restrictions are gone, but the changes seem indefinite.
In an informal poll of local watering holes, the Erie Times-News found many established bars that three years ago wouldn't have dreamed of closing before 2 a.m., but are now closing their bars at 10 or 11 p.m., even on Fridays and Saturdays.
Below is a partial list of many of those bars, and their current operating days/times. Contact reporter Jennie Geisler at jgeisler@timesnews.com or 814-870-1885 to update the list.
The Alibi Bar
3516 Buffalo Road, 814-899-4300, The Alibi Bar
Mondays through Wednesdays, 3 to 11 p.m.; Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Fridays, 1 p.m. to midnight; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to midnight; Sundays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Big Bar
14 E. 10th St., 814-888-9464, bigbar.net
Sundays through Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to midnight; Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Calamari's Squid Row
1317 State St., 814-459-4276, calamaris-squidrow.com
Daily, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Chippers Tavern
4608 Wattsburg Road, 814-825-5176, Chippers Tavern
11 a.m. until about 1 a.m.
Cloud 9
25 E. 10th St., 814-870-9007, cloud9erie.com
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4 to 10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 4 p.m. to midnight
Colony Pub & Grille
2670 W. Eighth St., 814-868-0395, CoachsSportsBar
Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to midnight; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Colony Pub & Grille
2670 W. Eighth St., 814-838-2162, thecolonypubandgrille.com
Daily, 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Coach's Sports Bar & Grill
3804 Elmwood Ave., 814-868-0395, CoachsSportsBar
Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to midnight; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Cornerstone Bar & Grill
809 E. 38th St., 814-825-3700, cornerstonebar.com
Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Doc Holliday's Bar & Grill
7425 Schultz Road, 814-868-3627, dochollidayserie.com
Mondays and Tuesdays, 3 p.m. to midnight; Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to midnight; Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Saturdays, 3 p.m. to midnight; and Sundays, noon to midnight
Edinboro Hotel Bar
100 Meadville St., Edinboro; 814-734-5103
Daily 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Erie Ale Works
416 W. 12th St., 814-314-9089, eriealeworks.com
Wednesdays through Thursdays, 3 to 10 p.m., Fridays, 3 p.m. to midnight; Saturdays, noon to midnight; Sundays, noon to 8 p.m.
Gatherings Pub and Grill
2902 Reed St., 814-455-0268, facebook.com/gatheringspub
Mondays through Fridays, 3 p.m. to midnight; Saturdays and Sundays, noon to midnight
Haggerty's Bar and Diner
1930 W. 26th St., 814-454-2777, bit.ly/haggertysbar
Sundays 11 a.m.-midnight; Mondays through Thursdays, 7 a.m. to midnight; Fridays and Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Irish Cousins
3924 Main St., Lawrence Park, 814-899-2060, irishcousinserie.com
Daily, 2 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Jekyll & Hyde's
8 E. 10th St., 814-456-0072, jekyllandhydeserie.com
Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4 p.m. to midnight; Fridays, 3 p.m. to midnight; Saturdays, 4 p.m. to midnight
King's Rook
1921 Peach St., 814-456-6439, facebook.com/kingsrookclub
Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Must be a member or guest of a member
Oasis Pub & Tiki Bar
3122 West Lake Road, 814-833-1212, oasispuberie.com
Tuesday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Wednesdays 11:30 to 10 p.m.; and Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to midnight; Sundays, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
McCoy's Barrelhouse
1013 State St., 814-871-2940, mccoysbarrelhouse.com
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
My Way Bar & Grill
2218 East Lake Road, 814-315-6929
Daily, 2 p.m. until midnight or 1:30 a.m., depending on business
Rack 'n' Roll
2040 W. 38th St., 814-864-3535, bit.ly/racknrollErie
Mondays through Saturdays, 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The Saucery Tavern
2606 W. 26th St., 814-838-4307, facebook.com/TheSauceryTavern
Monday through Wednesdays, noon to midnight; Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 2 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m. to midnight.
Sloppy Duck
726 W. Bayfront Parkway, 814-452-6699; facebook.com/sloppyduckeriepa
Fridays and Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.; and Sundays, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sullivan's Pub
301 French St., 814-452-3446, sullivanspuberiepa.com
Wednesdays through Saturdays, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.
That Place on 26th
1527 W. 26th St., 814-459-7243, ThatPlaceon26th
Daily, 11 a.m. to midnight
UPick6 Houses
Public House: Mondays through Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to midnight; 4575 West Ridge Road, Millcreek Township, 814-520-8495, facebook.com/upick6publichouse
Harbor House: Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to midnight; Fridays and Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to midnight; closed Mondays. 4454 Buffalo Road, 814-616-8106, facebook.com/upick6harborhouse
Tap House: Mondays through Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to midnight; closed Sundays. 333 State St., 814-520-5419, facebook.com/upick6taphouse
Pier 6: Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to midnight; Sundays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Mondays.
VooDoo Brewing Co., Erie
101 Boston Store Place, 814-520-6990, voodoobrewery.com
Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon to 10 p.m.; Fridays, noon to midnight; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to midnight; and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
White Buffalo Bar and Grille
3406 Buffalo Road, 814-315-0709, White Buffalo
Mondays through Fridays, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Some Erie-area bars still seeing less crowds since COVID
