By-pass Lounge - Pittston

The Bypass Lounge is a local dive bar with alot of heart! The owner, Jim, is a little rough around the edges when you first meet him, but once you've earned your right of passage he becomes a great friend! The bar has specials that usually end around 10pm. I typically get a pitcher of beer that costs $5.00 (you get about 2 1/2 beers out of it). Mixed drinks (double) are $8 which is a little pricey for a local dive bar. This drinks used to be much cheaper, but just like everything else in our economy, the alcohol prices went up as well! The bartenders are great and the crowd is pretty hit or miss. Some weekends you won't be able to find a seat, whereas others you can spend some quality time with Jim and the bartender because there is nobody else for miles. The bartender also passes out free shots of various things depending what they have alot of in stock at the time. They are also known for passing around little snacks for free such as cheese balls, ham and cheese on crackers, or mini BLT sandwiches! They have a Jukebox with all the top hits and songs from the past as well. The owner also tries to have themed parties for major holidays such as a new years party, Christmas party, and Halloween party. At these events, you buy a ticket for $20 ahead of time, then the day of the event you eat and drink for free (buffet of various foods). Overall I think it's a nice place to go with a group of friends to have a laid back night of drinks and music. There is a dance floor but it is rarely utilized. It definitely isn't for everybody but if you don't mind a divey scene and mixed crowd you should be alright!

How have I missed this review for this long!? We live close by this wonderful gem. We do not get out like we use to, but when we just want to kick back, have a few drinks and enjoy ourselves, we turn to none other than the By-Pass Lounge. I have actually been coming here off and on for 12 years or so. The original draw for us (growing up and living in Scranton, we didn't go south of Moosic very often) was the rumor of the artwork in the bathroom. We didn't believe it, so we figured a drive was worth it to look into these mysterious rumors. Well they were true, but we found something else, something better. A bar we liked to hang out at. Not too big, not too small. A pool table, dart board, beer and booze. What else do you need? Atmosphere you say? Yup, they have that too. It's everything you want in a dive bar and more! A few TV's are turned on while music plays over head. i have seen live music here once or twice. On some nights, there are balloons to make animals out of, glow in the dark bracelets and all sorts of funny things tossed on the bar for us adults to revert back to kids and break the ice with. The beer selection is pretty good for a local dive bar, and the liquor selection is on par with most bars around. The bar staff are great. No waiting for drinks while bartenders stare at you and refuse to serve you. A wonderful idea they have here, and it is so simple I don't know why myself or any other bar ever thought about it before. When you order a pitcher of beer, it is served in an Ice-Tea pitcher with a frozen ice pack attached to the lid. Now your beer does not get warm while you drink it! Genius! In summation: looking for a new spot to hit this weekend? Looking to change things up a bit? Looking to drink some beer in Pittston? Look no further than the By-Pass Lounge.

The BPL, as the regulars like to call it! I don 't consider myself to be that elite, but many of my friends have been going here every weekend for years. However, I just started this year, then promptly moved to Philly so I will never get into their zone...ahem, cough cough, Kanye. Anyway, the Bypass is a small bar with a good amount of regulars. If you had to pick a night to go, definitely pick Fridays! They have an awesome bartender that night named Melissa...she always does a great job! The owner, Jim, is also a great guy and really funny. Just look for the bald guy hanging out at the bar and cooking up some food in the back. If you 're a regular here, you are gonna get lots of free swag, especially on your birthday so it pays to make a name for yourself here! You can also start a band with pots and pans, and other awesome stuff like dancing on a stripper pole! There 's even naked chicks waiting for you in the men 's room and you can stare all you want and not get in trouble. My only gripe is there should be a late happy hour...like 9-11 or 10-12! Otherwise, no other complaints here.