Bar Review - Bopping with the Balkans at Bosnia Inn
Genre: Refugee rec room
Where to?: Multicultural Clarkston. Located in the Super Giant Foods shopping center on East Ponce de Leon at Brockett Road.
The Scene: Depending on the time and the day of the week, the Bosnia Inn Niteclub and Restaurant is a bar, restaurant and disco lounge. There are two pool tables and some video games at one end of the room, and a bar at the other. The middle is filled with tables for those dining. The decor might be described as '70s Middle Eastern, with arched doorways, bold black and white patterns on the walls, and salmon pink chairs and tablecloths.
The Clientele: During the week, Bosnia Inn is the Eastern European equivalent of Moe's Tavern. Bosnian men tip bottles of beer and smoke cigarettes while discussing what seemed to be very important issues, judging by their gesticulations. We were informed that Bosnian women come out on the weekend when the space becomes the Zenith Club international disco featuring dance music from soukous to techno.
Drinks: The Bosnia Inn is hoping to get a liquor license next year, but for now, only beer and wine are available. Our crew went native and downed the piva (beer) from Croatia called Karlovacko, a rich, 5 percent alcohol lager. Of course, the regulars preferred Heineken and Corona to the beer from home. Bud, Bud Light, Miller Lite and Sam Adams are also available.
Munchies: Bosnian favorites from the kitchen are meat heavy and include kabobs, veal and a sampler of traditional fare. Enough description is included in English so that you will have some idea of what you are ordering.
Wallet impact: The Karlovackos, which are not on the beer list, are $4, while the other imports are $3. The American beers were all $2.50, including Sam Adams, making it the best deal in the house. Food prices ranged from $6 for kabobs to $17 for the sampler platter.
Cultural exchange: When we first arrived, our group kept to ourselves while the regulars did the same. Owner and bartender Hajrudin Bejdic (we just called him Rudy) did his best to answer our questions while bringing our beers on a silver platter and pouring them into frosty glasses. The regulars broke the ice when one fellow bought us a round and another invited us to play some pool.
Soon the Slavs and the Angloids were all gathered around the pool tables grooving to the Eastern European disco-pop pumped through the impressive sound system and having a good ole time. Everyone was quite friendly and seemed glad to have a diversion from the usual evening hunched over beers with the guys.
The best thing about an international city is being able to visit other countries without leaving town.
Bosnia Inn. Mon. closed; Tues.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri., 11 a.m.-3 a.m.; Sat. 2 p.m.-3 a.m., Sun. 2 p.m.-11 p.m. 4622 E. Ponce De Leon Ave., 770-934-0993.