Farside Tavern is my favorite bar in Hoboken. I wish I had a good reason to tell you why, or to sway you with candied words, but I cannot. What I will tell you are the things that I like about the bar, and the people who work there that make it a special place to be for me, kind of like my second home:)

People choose a bar for different reasons. Some like the music, some like crowded bars, some like dance bars, and others like friendly bars. Farside is a friendly bar, not a bar where black clad bouncers stare you down or bartenders selfishly snap at you, asking for your order. It's a place where the crowd is laid back, and the employees are even more so.

Take John Sivo for example. He has been the owner of Farside for the last two years, and in those two years I think I saw him angry once; this is the kind of person who is hard to get wound up. He always has a smile on his face, or an invention on his mind. Did you know that Mr. Sivo is co-inventor of the Animator? Ok, so you don't know what the Animator is - Yet. Its a feeding bowl for lizards that vibrates dead crickets so the lizards think their food (the crickets) are alive. He just sold the product to an animal food company for a pretty penny. John is an avid pet owner (Crocodile, lizards, iguanas & snakes), and does reptile shows for local schools and organizations. When he is not inventing (or wrestling alligators), he usually tends bar on Thursday nights.

Then there is Jerry Goodman and Kenny Richardson, the two regular bartenders on Friday and Saturday nights. Both are local Hobokenites, growing up here in town, and bartending ever since they were legally allowed to. Jerry, or Goody as his friends call him, is in charge of the music selections on the weekend nights, either by playing his CD mixes or taking requests from the crowd. While Jerry is mixing the music or the drinks, his partner in arms, Kenny, will either be working at a feverish pace or planning the next practical joke on Goody. They obviously have a good time when they work together, and make the bar shine.

Farside Tavern is the place to go when you want to meet with your friends for a few drinks, while you shoot some darts or listen to some good music. Did I mention that Patrick Fleming plays here on some Friday nights? You can check his website: http://www.songmeister.com for details on where he is playing next.

If you are new to town, and are looking for a good place to go where you can make some new friends, you should definitely give Farside a try. It's not your typical bar, it's a lot like that TV show bar where everyone knows your name, and they're always glad you came. Ok, maybe not exactly like that, but its pretty close! You can visit their website (designed by Goody) at: http://www.farsidetavern.com

Reviewed by: Sean Iaquinto