Fun at Bentley's Pub in Champaign, IL

Champaign, Illinois is quite a college town where the bars are stuffed with students looking for suicide. It is difficult for a guy like me to find a bar I like. As for myself, I enjoy the relaxed, chill, type of bar. Places that aren't stuffed up to the eyeballs with dumb kids.

Bentley's Pub proved to be such a place.

When I walked into Bentley's Pub on 419 N. Neill Street with a certain lady on my arm, I was pleased to see that I could actually breathe in the pub. The congestion of patrons was nearly non-existent. Sure, there was a group of college kids in the place, but they left promptly. They were on a bar crawl. A golf crawl to be more specific. I nearly laughed at the sweaters tied around their shoulders. Regardless, they were descent fellows, all.

So they leave and I'm left at the bar.

Finally we get a drink from one of the new bartenders. He's new, because an old patron tells me so. This patron is shooting darts and joking with me on how hard it is to get a drink. But honestly, it didn't take too long to get my rum and coke. It was in the typical tumbler and the price was reasonable.

The bartender, my company, and I were able to have a light-hearted conversation over the state of business with the place. The bartender claimed that the place was usually as busy as it is when I attended. This was a Saturday night. I don't think I've ever came to a bar on a Saturday night where I can easily spread my elbows and get a drink as quick as I did.

In addition to this, the lighting is very low. It gives that laid-back feeling. At the same time, however, they do not consistently keep the place in the dark. When I first entered, the lights were bright enough for people to shoot darts and play other games, but as the night progressed, the lights were dimmed to give that soothing environment.

If you're ever in Champaign, Illinois, Bentley's Pub is definitely a place to check out.