William Kennedy

86 Bar and Restaurant The Gordon Hotel 555 Oak St. 86Speakeasy.com.
Typically, when someone recommends a bar that you might want to check out, the location might be the first thing mentioned. But telling you the address or even exactly where the 86 Bar and Restaurant is located would ruin half the fun in getting there. What we can tell you is the small, dimly lit space is behind a nondescript door marked “janitor’ in the lobby of The Gordon Hotel. Make a reservation on the website ($1, refunded after you arrive), receive a text with a password to give once a button on the side of the door gets pushed and a slot slides open, and you’ve arrived. While there, enjoy what might be Eugene’s largest whiskey selection along with delicious appetizers and a sense of exclusivity that’s truly hard to find.

Lane 25 1166 State Hwy 99 N. 541-688-9904. EntertainmentEugene.com.
If bowling brings to mind cheap hot dogs and watery beer, leave those notions behind at Lane 25, my staff pick for the best place for grownups to go bowling. Located in the Gilbert Center on Highway 99 in the same shopping complex as Strike City Lanes, Lane 25 is Eugene’s only 21-and-over bowling alley. It’s a place for mid-size private business parties, special events and gatherings, date nights, adult birthday parties or just a night out, according to Eric Gilbert, whose family owns the business.
The big draw at Lane 25, though, is the menu. Forget stale nachos and try artisan pizza or a grass-fed burger, among other options, with 36 rotating taps of beer, wine and cider. According to Gilbert, the Lane 25 formula is what many bowling alleys are doing across the country. “We always have a bunch of beer on tap. We always try to have really good food, and the space is cool inside,” Gilbert says. As well as bowling, there’s a shuffleboard table with pinball and a fireplace. Best of all, Gilbert adds, there’s no obnoxious music or little kids bowling next to you.