Early Drinkers Welcomed at Exit

Twilight Zone

Laurie Pearman

Details

2051 E. Madison St., 324-7462.

Until my household joined the 21st century by plugging into the Internet, we could often be found waiting patiently for the nearby Twilight Exit to open at 4 p.m. in order to use the bar's Wi-Fi. You may feel a little silly starting to drink at that time of day, but the generous bartenders don't look at you sideways, even when you bring a laptop in during karaoke night. Instead, they point you to the quietest corner in the space and let you do your thing. Whether you can do it while wasted people wail their versions of "Like a Rolling Stone" is another matter. This neighborhood joint bridges Capitol Hill and the "Seedy" (Central District), and has become a lot less of that as gentrification has taken its toll. But it's still an utterly punked-out space, with myriad midcentury lamps all set to their dimmest wattage and abundant graffiti in the bathrooms past the crowded pool tables. If drinking and socializing don't always mix, solo diversions are plenty: Sit near the saddest-looking wallpaper sunset in history, play a round of pinball, shoot a deer with a fake gun, order a burger, or—if you're lucky enough to be around on Thanksgiving—feast on some turkey and stuffing, gratis. You can tell they care that people come back, and not just for the Wi-Fi.