At last! Your 21st birthday has finally come and you want to celebrate it in a fun (and hopefully safe) manner. A lot of people go out on the actual day of their birthday, but many choose to wait until midnight the night before so they can celebrate the minute the clock strikes twelve. If you plan on enjoying your birthday on the eve of your 21st, there’s nothing like getting dressed up to enjoy a dinner out with friends. Check out a few of these places for a memorable night:
Sophia’s Thai Kitchen
Located on E Street, Sophia’s Thai Kitchen is a good place to start if you’re planning on doing a bar crawl. It’s small and cozy, which is a nice way to ease into the bar scene. The decor is great too; they have tea lights strung across the outdoor deck, a cool fish tank, and small, intimate tables inside. Sophia’s also has a birthday wheel that you can spin to get a free drink, as long as one person in your party buys a drink too.
University of Beer
The bars downtown are relatively close to each other so you can easily walk to all of them. Walk on over to F street and stop by University of Beer, right next to Panera. It’s a casual bar that definitely gives off a college town vibe (it’s decorated with its own “school” crest!) and the bathrooms are nice and clean (a definite plus for primping). You’ll also get a free Baby Moonie from the bartender.
The G Street Wunderbar
Go one street over and you’ll see a whole line of bars! When you go to bars the bouncers normally stamp your hand, but if it’s your birthday get ready to get stamped on the forehead at Wunderbar! They have pool tables, video games, dart boards, and a small dance floor with music blasting. This place is a bit dim and smoky, but still fun. The bartender will give you a pretty strong free mixed drink and you can dance a little with your friends before going to the next place.
Tres Hermanas
You’ll get to add to your forehead stamp collection if you go to Tres Hermanas because the bouncer writes “TRES” on your forehead with a thick black marker. Tres has a bigger dance floor with pulsing lights of different colors. If your goal is to get tipsy, your friends might order you an AMF, an acronym for “Adios Mother F-er.” Warning: It’s pretty strong. After that, go dance with your friends! If you’re with girlfriends and don’t want to split up or have guys come into your group, dance close together and in a small circle. It’s fun!
Our House
Our House is right across the street from Tres Hermanas. It’s small and has a hipster, laid-back feel to it, so sit on the comfy couches or tables to rest and drink a LOT of water. It’s important to stay hydrated! Drink at least three cups before heading to the next location. Our House doesn’t give anything for free on your birthday, but chances are you’ll be asked to dance and twirled around by people on the dance floor.
KetMoRee
End your bar crawl at KetMoRee, the bar with the biggest dance floor in Davis. The bouncers will give you your final stamp on your forehead, and the bartenders make birthday guests strong shooters. You’ll probably run into a lot of people you know there since it’s always a go-to place. Finish off your 21st birthday night with a bang by dancing on the dance floor (they have a smoke machine!) for the last time before you turn in.
By the time you’re finished with a bar crawl, you’ll probably be hungry and craving fast food. Walk over to Jack-in-the-Box and eat some fries before you go home. Remember that restaurants and other places downtown close at midnight, so if you want to go to other places like Bistro, Davis Beer Shoppe, or Cafe Bernardo, you’ll have to go either on the day of your birthday or some other night. One more tip before you go: wearing a plastic tiara, a sign strung on your neck, or a sash to indicate that you’re 21 will make it easy for the bartenders to see you so you get your free drinks faster. Not to mention all the birthday high-fives and shout outs you’ll get from everyone else when they see it’s your special day!