Do you know what country devours the most sweet potatoes? Do you know how much a Pabst Blue Ribbon draft costs at Goldie's Bar? The answers, as I learned while kicking back and playing a game of Trivial Pursuit at Goldie's: China and $1.

The music here is whatever the bartender, "Crago," has on his iPod. If he likes what's going on with your iPod, he may play that as well. There are two televisions, but more importantly, there are involved conversations uninterrupted by them. Free darts, pool, Trivial Pursuit (Volume 6 and Star Wars edition), video games, magazines and Lord of the Rings pinball are signature in-house leisures.

"I’ve spent about 30 bucks in a night trying to collect all the Rings," says loyal local Tom Foyer (which is about 6 times the cost of his average bar tab at Goldie's, I might add). "The clientele here is above par for the North Side. And the $1 PBR doesn't hurt."

Crago says about two out of every 10 orders is not a PBR. There is a towering selection of booze behind the bar, but if you ask for a drink recommendation, he likes to promote the Chicago native, Malort. "I believe it's made of grass clippings from alongside the Dan Ryan," he says.

This uneven trapezoid-shaped bar has an attractiveness that contradicts its laid-back philosophy. Each table sits below a tiny (I mean tiny) tanzanite-blue lamp, the floor is clean and the guests are sophisticatedly calm. But don't let the raised French doors posing as windows (win-doors, get it?) deceive you. It's a dive. There's no menu at Goldie's, but the "tamale man" comes in twice a night, or you can just ask for a take-out menu from the bar and have something delivered from the neighborhood.

Centerstage Reviewer: Kate Anderson