The Royal American opening this week

• The sign says it all

It has the sheen of roughness, but underneath the repurposed furnishings and subdued lighting, The Royal American is a stylish little place.

• Main room and bar (with a small stage)

Revolutionary Eating Ventures (REV), operators of Monza, Taco Boy, Poe’s, and Closed for Business, has taken the old Charleston Forge building on Morrison Drive and refurbished it just enough to make it a comfortable place for a can of cold beer.

• One of two bars. This one’s the quieter one.

Co-owner Karalee Nielsen, who runs REV with Tim Mink, says they’ve been calling it a dive bar, but it’s REV’s answer to the dive bar, which means it’s got a certain cool factor. Of course, the key to any good dive bar is cheap prices. To that end, the Royal American is going to have an all-night menu of $2 can beers and $2.50 drafts.

• John Penney and Karalee Nielsen

• Beer list from a preview night. The bartender said it was missing a few good ones.

Their beer list is a compilation of cheap American lager and Rust Belt beers, with Iron City, Stoney’s, and Yuengling showing up alongside Schlitz 1969 and Miller High Life. Local brewery Wesbtrook also makes an appearance on the can list. Well drinks will be $3 all night long, too.

• Menu: keep it simple stupid

Because the kitchen is pretty much nonexistent, they’ve got a limited food menu of chili and burgers, with a vegetarian option for both. Add some Fritos to your bowl of chili for an additional 50 cents, and you’re all set for a fun night.

The Royal American will open to the public on Wed. Dec. 21 and will be open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.

Help support independent journalism by donating today.