Barking Spider Tavern   

The Barking Spider is a longtime haven for hippies, folkies, students and all combinations thereof. "Eclectic" is the word for the music programming at this indoor-outdoor venue -- American songbook, reggae, folk and rock all get a fair amount of play. And on Saturday evenings before the sun goes down and the place gets packed, wanderers-in can listen to the public radio program "A Prairie Home Companion" through the Spider's speakers. No food is served -- visitors have to content themselves with feasting on bags of chips and the Spider's retro-folk ambiance. There are plenty of fine beers, including Stella Artois and Red Stripe, as well as a full selection of liquor. Although winter events at the Spider are a great strategy for battling cabin fever, the place really comes alive in the summer months, when visitors to nearby University Circle attractions cap their days with a refreshing beverage on Spider's rustic patio. Other benefits: no cover charges for music events! Also, dogs are not only allowed; they're provided with their own water dish.