Olivia Nobles
Staff Writer
Most college students reach their 21st birthday while enrolled in university, and living in a college town presents multiple avenues for celebration.
Troy is home to three major bars: The Front Porch, Double Branch Lounge and Infusions Cocktail Bar. While several other establishments in town have bars, I only compared establishments which exclusively serve alcohol in order to best inform Troy students of their options when going out on the town.
The Front Porch
The Front Porch, established in the 1970s, is Troy’s oldest bar and, subsequently, is highly recommended by many students.
The prices are very fair, so most nights a customer can expect to pay $2-$7 per drink, and special $1 deals are frequently advertised on their social media pages. Cover charges fluctuate, with busy nights creeping up to $15 for entry and slow nights not charging an admission fee at all.
Price:
The atmosphere at The Front Porch, while accommodating, is the part of the experience which leaves the most to be desired. Out of all three bars, The Front Porch is consistently the loudest, and screaming to communicate with friends can leave you without a voice the following day.
Additionally, the indoor section of the venue is comprised of several small rooms haphazardly laid out. On the busiest nights, it’s very easy to lose friends in what feels like a maze.
One fantastic aspect of The Front Porch’s atmosphere is ample seating. It is incredibly easy to find benches outside, chairs inside, or even a stage to sit on when dancing becomes too tiring.
Atmosphere:
Double Branch Lounge
Double Branch Lounge offers exactly what you would expect from a college town bar—plenty of music and plenty of drink choices.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that this bar is the only one on the list to have an active transportation service which patrons can use going to and from the bar.
The prices at Double Branch Lounge are also fair—cover charges vary by the busyness of the night, ranging from free to about $15.
Drinks are usually between $3 and $6, and social media specials are frequent.
Price:
The atmosphere at Double Branch Lounge is the best aspect of the venue: there are three separate music stations for busier nights, and each one manages to produce an impressive volume without being overwhelming and without drowning out the other music stations.
The two main rooms inside are very open, and it’s easy to stay in a group. There’s plenty of seating inside, and the outdoor areas have full awnings with benches, chairs and tables.
Atmosphere:
Infusions Cocktail Bar
Infusions Cocktail Bar opened in January of this year on Love Street, and it’s the same venue which was once The Trojan Tavern. They boast an impressive menu of infused cocktails, though standard wines and beers are available, as well.
Infusions Cocktail Bar has the most expensive drinks of the three bars, with the least expensive drinks beginning at $4 and some top-shelf shots costing $11. Because it opened so recently, it hasn’t yet experienced a crowd which could warrant a cover fee, but management is considering charging some after their grand opening event (which does not have a set date yet).
Price:
The atmosphere at Infusions Cocktail Bar is markedly different than at the other bars in Troy. It provides a much calmer atmosphere—the music is softer, and customers include locals in their 30s and 40s just as much as college students.
The venue itself is by far the smallest on this list, and one downside to this is the potential for a large crowd to create feelings of claustrophobia.
Some afternoons, bartenders serve Troy students while they collaborate on school projects, which could certainly never happen at the other two establishments. All in all, Infusions Cocktail Bar is the place to go if you’re searching for a relaxed environment to enjoy conversation.
Atmosphere:
Each college student wants something different from a night on the town, and luckily, Troy has something to suit everyone’s needs.
From partying long and hard at The Front Porch, to dancing and singing at Double Branch Lounge, to sitting down and catching up with a friend at Infusions Cocktail Bar, there’s something in this town for everyone.
*Planning a night out?
Don’t drink and drive! To stay safe, you can:
1. Download the Uber app and utilize the modern-age option.
2. Barbara’s Dependable Taxi Service LLC – (334)566-1464
3. Find a dependable friend and ask them if they’ll be your Designated Driver.
4. The Double Branch bus – (334)268-8107
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