Amidst the heart of the Rutger's New Brunswick campus is the Golden Rail. The establishment is located in an area filled with bars and nightclubs that attract Rutgers students. Unlike its adversaries, such as Stuff Your Face, Clydes, and the Scarlet Pub, the Golden Rail tends to attract patrons who do not attend the university. Furthermore, the Golden Rail is the only bar in the "downtown Rutgers area" that is not a broken-down, filthy, college bar. The question that follows is: "is the Golden Rail an attractive venue, or the most luxurious campus pub?"
The answer is clear; the Golden Rail is the best of the college bars -- but a disappointing venue for anyone who is not a current Rutgers student. Firstly, the bar's location is a turn-off for any non-Rutgers student. It is located in a bustling area, and as a result, parking near the bar is virtually impossible. Secondly, the area is filled with immature Rutgers students, many of whom are under the legal drinking age -- minors aimlessly wondering the streets -- explaining the unproportionally high crime rate. The bar's bouncers are very confrontational and inhospitable. However, this is most likely due to the amount of underage persons attempting to enter the bar.
The bar's interior was renovated less than ten months ago; however, it is already run-down. The bar stools are ripped, the floor tiles are cracked, and the restrooms appear as if they were the location of World War III. On the upside, the bar is filled with plasma televisions that are always displaying premiere sporting events.
The Golden Rail lacks a kitchen; therefore, no food is offered at the bar. However, this is not the menu's major flaw. There are few "top shelf" brands available. As of three months ago the only "top shelf" liquor was Grey Goose. The bar has taken steps to remedy this issue by purchasing bottles such as Johnnie Walker Black Label and Single Barrell Jack Daniels; however, the selection is still poor. The bar lacks bottles such as: Bombay Saphfire, Maker's Mark, Courvoisier, and Remy Martin XO -- just to name a few.
The bar is often filled far beyond legal capacity -- making it over-crowded, unbearably hot, and dangerous. Over-crowding is not always negative. The more people in the bar, the more individuals on the dance floor, and often the more lively the atmosphere. However, the Golden Rail is filled unproportionately with men. This testosterone-packed atmosphere seems to scare away attractive women -- maybe because they do not want to be bothered by so many immature boys. Whatever, the reason, attractive women seldom patronize the Golden Rail. Moreover, the unnproportionate amount of men often leads to fights. However, the security does an excellent job making sure that small scuffles do not turn into shoot-outs or full-blown brawls.
Despite all of the flaws of the Golden Rail, there is one, major, positive. The liquor is cheap! Almost all drinks are far cheaper than they would be at any other local bar. Furthermore, the Golden Rail often runs drink specials that are hard to comprehend. For example, the last time I went to the bar Long Island Iced Teas and all drinks made with Jack Daniels and Captain Morgan were $2. Any size, any drink containing Captain or JD $2! Would you like alcohol poisoning? For those prices I bet you would.
I would not recommend attending the Golden Rail if: you are above the age of 24, a student of a another local university (particularly Kean or Princeton), or if you are a male looking to mingle with attractive females. However, the Golden Rail is by far the best of bars located near the Rutgers campus, and the prices make it possible for anyone to spend an evening at the bar.
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