Hit Parader

About Hit Parader

Named for the old rock magazine whose covers paper the walls, this downtown bar is a pointed alternative to the honky-tonks a few blocks south, and reviewers note approvingly that the bands play no country. A raised stage with a proper lighting rig faces cabaret tables, framed rock photography lines the walls, and a side lounge carries a neon Bowie's sign as part of a David Bowie theme that comes up again and again in reviews. The sound draws specific praise, with one visitor calling it among the best-sounding bars in the area. There is no cover, drinks are fairly priced for downtown, and the kitchen sends out Southern bar food such as waffle fries, fried pickles and chicken strips. Hours are irregular, covering Monday and Wednesday evenings, Friday from 4pm to 1am and Saturday from 6pm to midnight. Google rates it 4.6 from 361 reviews; the one recurring note is that the room is often quieter than the music deserves.