Is Aquarius a bar, a restaurant or a club? With the varied scene here, it's hard to tell.
The small bar slowly fills with men wearing baseball caps, faded polo shirts or designer hoodies. Some slowly lumber towards the back of this beige-stucco-and-brick space to enjoy their pastor tortas and a cold bottle of Corona at a table. They're here to unwind from a long day of work while enjoying a game on one of the flat-screen televisions.
A second room holds more tables, and on this Monday evening, a handful of giggling women who've come to partake in free salsa lessons. The buffed dance floor clears of the lone couple warming up to Tejano music played by the DJ on a small elevated stage. He turns the music off for a moment and shuffles through his CD organizer, looking for some salsa beats to start the night off right.
Everyone's talking to each other, either upon their arrival or after they've saddled up to the bar for a Negra Modelo. Most know they're not here to drink the four domestic beers offered by Aquarius, but maybe a Tecate or Heineken instead. There aren’t any draft beers, and no one cares much as they enjoy the fact that any given night features a bevy of drink specials.
So...is it a bar? Yup. A restaurant? Judging by the amount of dining tables-sure. A club? The DJ and dance floor seem to say so. Does anyone seem eager to categorize it as anything other than a place to have a good time? Not so much.
Centerstage Reviewer: Nola Akiwowo
