Great Deals at Dave's

Beer tastes better outside.  That is a fact.  Spring has certainly sprung and everyone is ready to break out the flip-flops, the sunglasses, and hit downtown with friends.  There are lots of places to enjoy a nice cold one outside in Harrisonburg.  However, if your like me, and only have about $20 left in your bank account, Dave’s Taverna is definitely the place to go.

After an agonizingly long day stuck in Carrier library, the started to peak through the clouds, begging people to come out and enjoy it.  After getting as much studying done as possible, three of my friends and I decided to ditch our studies and hit downtown.  I was a little apprehensive because I didn’t have that much money to spend.  My friends reassured me that it would be worth it at Dave’s.

When we got to the restaurant, the hostess knew right away where we wanted to sit. The taratsa.  We climbed the spiral staircase, through the upstairs dining room, and were lead outside to the rooftop deck.  As the door swung open, the sky was perfectly blue with a great view of the Downtown Court Square.

The taratsa is a great place to enjoy a beer outside.  There was a good crowd there for a an early afternoon, but it didn’t affect our experience in a negative way at all.  They had music playing in the background that was set at the best volume.  It wasn’t too loud where you are yelling at the person sitting next to you.  They had heaters just incase the temperature dropped, but my group had sweaters and were comfortable.

Our 5:30 p.m. arrival time could not have been any better.  The menu read “Happy Hour is from 4-9.”  According to Do Downtown, it has some of the best deals in town.  The discounts Dave’s offers during Happy Hour are absolutely perfect for the struggling college student.  The beer prices were from $2.75 to $5.75 for a 24 oz. beer.  They also offer $2.75 rail drinks as well.  Unfortunately, they do not allow pitchers on the rooftop, but you are still getting a sweet deal.

The selection of beer at Dave’s is pretty decent.  My friends and I all have different preferances when it comes to beer.  They the 24 oz. bottle with a frozen glass.  The serving size is perfect when you are with a group of friends so we could all taste test each other’s. 

The waiter was extremely helpful at offering us his own opinions and knowledge about the beers the restaurant served.  The menu didn’t have any real description about the beer, but our waiter was ready and extremely helpful to our table distinct IPA’s from lighter brews and so on.

I ordered a Shock Top Belgian white.  It is a wheat ale that is perfect for springtime rooftop relaxing with your friends.  The waiter told me it has orange, lemon and lime peels in it, that helps give it a lighter feel.  They serve it with an orange slice to help bring out the flavors.  Other beers that my friends ordered were Blue Moon, Yuengling, and Newcastle.  Each of us ordered about 2-3 beers.  No one had a bill exceeding $12.

If you are on a limited budget, and are looking to unwind outside with your friends, Dave’s Taverna is one of the best deals in Harrisonburg!


- Kendall B.