Old School Fridays at Vibz Uptown

If you haven't been to Vibz Uptown on a Friday night, you're doing yourself a huge disservice. Do you like quality drinks at reasonable prices? Do you like delicious food? Do you like live music or dancing to old school hip-hop and r&b? Then seriously...get down here!

Vibz takes the task of planning a night out to the next level. Let's say you get off work at 5 this Friday and you're looking for somewhere to kick back and relax. According to their Facebook page, happy hour starts at 6pm. STARTS at 6pm! I don't know about you, but I usually want to go home and nap on Fridays if I plan to be out all night. By the time I'm rested up all the drink specials are over because happy hour is usually ending by 6. Who the hell is making these early ass happy hours? If I get off work at 5, trek to your bar in after work traffic, I'm maybe making it there at 5:30. What's that? One drink? The great thing about Vibz is that they're running on some lovely CPT, just like me. Reduced priced drinks go until 8pm.

So you've gotten a nice little buzz going for a couple hours, but you're starting to get a little hungry. You COULD leave the club and eat at one of the many delicious establishments nearby, but like I said, Vibz has your night taken care of! Around 8pm, a cook will pop out from the abyss and put 3 hot trays of delicious food on a table by the bar. Tip: eat the macaroni & cheese. It's so good it'll make you wanna slap your mama (which you may be able to do, since old school Fridays are a classy affair for a classy woman like your mom.) And it's all for the low low price of $free.99!

Now your belly's full, the Patron's got you in the zone as they say, and you're wondering what more this night could possibly have in store. What's that happening on the stage? Is that a band setting up? Word, Vibz? You've got live music tonight too? Every Friday night starting around 9pm. And the bands are really good. I have yet to be let down.

For two hours you chill out and listen to the band. Depending the kind of music they play, you're dancing and sucking down drinks. But eventually the band starts packing up their shit and saying their goodbyes. More and more people have come through the door by this time. You've probably already run into your uncle in his lilac and white pinstriped suit with his matching hat and shoes, along with Sister Evelyn from church snapping her fingers on the dancefloor, so how can you leave? The DJ gets on the mic and the music starts. Everyone is on the floor, from ages 24-84. A gentleman taps you on the shoulder and asks if he can buy you another one of what you're drinking. You politely accept, but wonder if you'll have to keep him from humping your leg on the dancefloor all night. In the end, he hands you your drink and walks away simply saying, "have a good evening, pretty lady!" with a polite smile. It's a classy joint, after all. By the end of the night, you'll be dancing and singing along to "Candy" by Cameo with the rest of the room. And trust me, they WILL play that song!

Three tips for the night:
1. If you want to try this mac & cheese, get there early. It goes QUICKLY.
2. Get a mixed drink of anything. They're made beautifully.
3. Get some facebook fame and let the bartenders take your picture while you're there. They'll even let you do a retake if you made a dumb face in the first one.

Here's the stuff you should remember:
Happy Hour: 6pm-8pm **specials** reduced price drinks
Food & Band: 8ish-11ish
Old School party: 11ish-2am
Music: R&B and Hip-Hop. There may be a few newer tracks snuck in there, but come ready to hear music that's at least 15 years old and love it!
Dress code: No sneakers, baseball caps or athletic wear. (honestly, just dress nice. you'll feel a little embarrassed if you come in dirty jeans and everyone else is in their night-on-the-town digs.)
Ages: 21+
Cover Charge: $5 before 10pm
Address: 3155 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06120