It's no surprise to find mostly guys at Taps House of Beers (5120 Washington Ave.), and who could blame them? Beer, football and cute bartenders who know about beer and football: It's like a Bud Light commercial but with better beer.
Natalie Hollon has been bartending for more than seven years. She's seen it all. At her last job, the owner only hired bartenders for their looks and not their skills. One bartender even served a Red Bull and vodka without ice. "He told me he had never bartended before. I asked him, 'Have you ever had a drink before?'" She quickly left that bar for the job at Taps.
Hollon loves working at Taps. (Well, except for St. Patrick's Day. Rowdy leprechaun-looking crowds fighting for green beer - sounds like a nightmare.) She and her friends even hang out at Taps on her days off. "The girls are great, and the owner is great."
On a recent night, she recommended Boddington's and cider. "With 93 beers on tap, you start to experiment." Well, this experiment was a success. Just don't order a lemon drop. "Everyone orders them, and I hate making them." Guilty as charged.
Hollon's a cute bartender at a popular sports bar, so I had to ask about the worst pick-up line she's heard. She laughed. "There are so many, but the worst is probably, what are you doing when you get off work? Really? It's two a.m., and I've been working all night." What do you think she's going to do? She's going to bed - by herself.
