Profile

Ontario Bar is a joint project from Andrew Benedict and Scott Frederick of Buttermilk, Boat, and Great Lakes. When Frederick was growing up in Michigan, he’d make beer runs across the border to Windsor, Ontario, where the drinking age was just 18. He discovered the joys of Herr’s ketchup-flavored potato chips, Molson on draft, and Moosehead and Labatt Blue in bottles, and he’s now serving them at Ontario Bar, along with ten varieties of Canadian whiskey (like the beers, which go for $5 a pop, they’re reasonably priced). The bar is simply decorated — you’re looking at old booths salvaged from an upstate Shriners club, a tabletop Pac-Man/Galaga machine, and, of course, a jukebox stocked with Canadian tunes from Metric, Great Lakes Swimmers, Arcade Fire, and Neil Young (there will also be D.J.’s spinning indie rock).  — Daniel Maurer