A bar for Mainahs: Andy's

Andy's Old Port Pub sits in the same spot Nappi's long occupied in the heart of tourist-infested Commercial Street. The pub retains a nearly identical layout to the Nappi's of yore, but that is where the similarities end.

"We're not grimy anymore," says Jennifer Fox, who along with Rick Frantz owns Andy's. That's the truth. Open since June 2007, the pub retains the same unpretentious feel but did away with many of the qualities often associated with Nappi's. "You inherit a reputation because of the location," Fox adds. "And I can say we have women in here now."

A dozen people filled the pub during my visit and those who left were soon replaced by new faces, a revolving door common during the afternoon boozing hour. The bartender knew every single person who entered by name and within a few minutes was on a first-name basis with me.

The crowd is for the most part straight off work, and unlike many post-workday bars, Andy's lacks any noticeable filth factor. It is well-lit, clean and carries a warm atmosphere that immediately induces comfort. The two TVs were tuned to ESPN, but this is no sports bar, as the talking heads of “Around the Horn” were uniformly ignored.

During happy hour (often followed by its close cousin, nappy hour) the Shipyards are $2, which is a good special surprisingly few people took advantage of. There are a lot drink options, ranging from $4.75 wine glasses to unpronounceably expensive liquors. Despite the high-class choices, the vast majority of the patrons sipped domestic bottles.

Andy’s aims to be a place where food is as important as drink. The kitchen serves up a wide menu, including a new batch of specials daily. We ordered jalapeño poppers, which might have originated in the freezer, in addition to a side of onion rings. Freshly battered and salty, I really can't say enough about these. There is also free popcorn, a good addition for us poor barhoppers.

In the back of the the pub is a dim lounge area, complete with another TV and pool table as well as a series of framed pictures that commemorate musical acts Andy's hosted. The pub has two distinct places to hang out, each with their own lighting and feel, which lends itself greatly to Andy’s atmosphere. In the back area is also the sink, which somehow forgot to join its cousin, the toilet, in the men's bathroom.

Above the kitchen and bar area is a small office that overlooks the entire establishment. The only reason this is worth mentioning: I've always wanted to play Tony Soprano and sip my martini as I observe highly successful club. So...props to the owners for choosing a location with the bar office.

At the front near the window is a cramped sitting area where the acoustic acts perform. Jeff Aumuller was setting up for his 5:30 p.m. gig and I couldn't wait for him to play, because the music piping from the speakers ("Sweet Surrender", to name a tune)was weaker than Dunkin' Donuts' coffee. Aumuller’s chicken pickin' was dark and relaxing, the type of tunes that make you tip the bottle to the sky.

Visitors to Andy's might be confused about the name (the bar isn't dubbed after either of the owners) or the logo (a cherry). The pub is named after Andy, a man with a disability who owner Rick took under his wing many years ago.

And the cherry? His favorite food.