Iowa City is recognized for many things, but the one that has many Hawkeyes the most proud is status as number 4 party school in the nation. Who knew an undergraduate university had such a huge population of legal drinkers?! A big part of this prestigious reputation can be credited to the lively bar scene in downtown Iowa City. While most would go downtown in search of a good time and the best tasting drinks offered, I went for the completely opposite reason. I went downtown in search of the worst shot served at the beloved bars of Iowa City.
First stop: Brothers
I was served Prairie Fire, which is a mixture of tequila and Tabasco sauce. After taking the shot it wasn’t entirely terrible because I enjoy tequila, but once the Tabasco sauce hit, my mouth was burning. It continued to burn for a few minutes then it all wore off. Not a horrible shot, but it sill made the list.
Next Place: Mickey’s
Mickey’s a small Irish pub that has a somewhat authentic look and feel. When asked what the worst shot was, the bartender was a little stunned and you could tell she had never been asked this question before, but she served me The Dead Nazi. It was Goldschlager, Ice 101, and Jager. It looked pretty with all of the gold flakes floating in it and they definitely fooled me. It tasted like mouthwash and it had the burn of it, too. I left Mickey’s with my breath smelling fresh, but my throat burning.
Mickey’s also let me play the ring toss game that usually ends up with the worst shots. You make three rings out of straws. You throw all three on the liquor bottles lined up behind the bar and whatever they land on that’s the shot you get. You get to discard one and replace it with a chaser of mixer—it’s the luck of the throw. I got very lucky while playing and got Malibu and Svedka and I added pineapple juice as a mixer.
Third Establishment: Deadwood
I had never stepped in to Deadwood, but I would probably go back. The incredibly nice bartender made me a Cement Mixer, which is a mixture of Bailey’s and lime juice. The acidity of the lime juice caused the Bailey’s to curdle and gave it a very thick, yogurt-like texture. It didn’t go down very easily and I was forced to polish it off with a spoon. It had a very sour taste, but you could still taste the Bailey’s that made it very unpleasant. I must have made a face that let her know how bad it was and the bartender bought my shot.
Fourth bar: Donnely’s
The Tijuana Hooker is what I was given. The bartender mixed Tequila, Tabasco sauce, and then added a scoop of cottage cheese. It looked terrible, but oddly enough it didn’t taste as bad as it looked. It tasted like cottage cheese mixed with Tabasco sauce, which burned, but you couldn’t taste the tequila.
Fifth establishment: Sam’s Pizza
The bartender put water in a shot glass and I didn’t think it was going to be bad, until he added tequila and melted butter. It tasted like tequila, but extremely greasy and it was warm. It had butter after taste and it was terrible. Why would you put melted butter in anything?
Sixth place: Airliner
Upon asking what their worst shot served is, the bartender had a smirk at her face and she pointed at the little mat on the bar. She called the shot The Bar Mat. At the end of the night right around closing, this little mat is full of liquor from the entire night and they empty it all in to a shot glass. They hand them out for free most of the time and they told me that some people give them to their friends as a prank. It usually doesn’t taste terrible, but the idea of it is repulsive.
Final Stop: Joe’s Place
The bartender started laughing when he was asked what their worst shot was and he knew instantly. This bartender was the creator of The S**tstorm. He put a shot of gin in the microwave until it was steamy, then he added a few drops of Worchester sauce, and topped it off with tequila. It turned a foggy green color and I realized how it got its name. It tasted terrible and this might be the worst shot served in Iowa City. But before I could leave I had to take a second one, because the creator of this terrible shot had never tasted his creation. The only way he would was if I did it with him and it was even worse the second time around.
If you’re looking for a good time in Iowa City or for the best tasting drink, I do not recommend any of these horrible choices.
Disclaimer: All testing of shots were taken by an individual of legal drinking age.