Nice and cozy: The Snug

With a small footprint, an intimate atmosphere and unique interior architecture, The Snug is an apt name for the bar, like that of Honda’s tiny new car, the Fit. And, as their MySpace page stages, Snug is also Guns backwards (the bar is owned and run by people with good senses of humor).

The Snug has been open for a bit over a year and is located on the ground floor of a brick Congress Street mid-rise apartment building. A stone's throw away is a gutted and abandoned four-story apartment building and across the street lies the Eastern Cemetery.

The skyline of downtown looms to the West in this out-of-the-way location for all but Munjoy Hill and the East End residents. On this stretch of Congress, the view is great and neighborhood is relaxed and quiet, an excellent location.

The pub opens for business at 5 p.m., and we arrived first, allowing me to snap pictures without being threatened. Owner Margaret Lyons said the afterwork crowd is strongest on Friday, but the segment was well-represented on a Wednesday afternoon. The crowd size was similar to Una’s Happy Hour, but the clientele much different.

Counting Guinness glasses as the sun set, it was apparent to me this bar isn’t “Irish-ish,” as described by Lyons, but really pays homage to the old country. Tasteful black and white family portraits of a childhood Lyons dot the walls, two huge Guinness mirrors frame the bar and copious amounts of Irish depressants are available to patrons.

But the thing that sticks out must be The Snug’s snugs. These enclosed booths/compartments are a real original. With room for about 10 people (a bit of a squeeze), these areas offer VIP treatment for you and your friends.

“They’re these little booths that sort of have walls on them, that have a certain sense of privacy,” Lyons described.

The privacy is cool if you come with a party of your own, but it could inhibit those social butterflies who go out to meet new people. Sitting in our snug, I sensed a rowdy scene, what with music blaring and loud conversations booming. I couldn’t see any of this, however, because of our somewhat claustrophobic surroundings.

If you don’t want to settle into a snug, there are other seating options. You can sit in the lounge area or settle up to the bar, where you are sure to be served by a lively host.

“That’s one of the fun things about having different bartenders. We have five rotating bartenders...and people come in for their favorite bartender,” Lyons said.

On this night our bartender was Michelle, a hip girl who made us feel welcome upon entering and knew exactly what her customers wanted.

“Guinness, Guinness and...Jack and Coke,” she exclaimed, predicting (correctly) the drink orders of a trio of regulars.

A few minutes later she asked if we liked The Clash. I said yes and so did our fellow drinkers, leading her to crank up the Greatest Hits on her iPod, a snapshot of The Snug’s spontaneity.

“The cool thing is, you could be sitting here, the music’s on, and all of a sudden the Begees come on and everybody is up and dancing. You never know,” Lyons explained.

Though this evening held no dance parties, it is evident The Snug is a different experience depending on when you go. The variables are the bartenders, and the crowd they bring along with them. This contributes to the bar’s appeal, though I suppose if you disliked a particular bartender (Lyons said they all have strong personalities), it would be a reason not to go.

The Snug is a winter bar that seems to slow down a little in the summer once deck weather begins, says the owner. It’s a place people duck into on their way to and from the Old Port and East End, and has become a destination for others.

If you want Irish (not including food; The Snug has a very limited menu), The Snug is your place. And if you and your friends want some relative privacy, you will find it here. Snug as a bug, in The Snug.