Hard Rock Cafe

Its no exaggeration, that Hard Rock Café is one of the premier watering holes of Bangalore. This weekend when a good friend visited us from Hyderabad, we decided to catch up there. This was going to be my nth visit to the place since it opened. However, it’s a bit difficult for me to remember when I went there last as I mellowed down on my bar visits since the great Indian public smoking ban coupled with recessionary waves. There are a few things that caught my attention this time. Few, I probably did not notice earlier and some definite changes.


Valet: As I gave my car keys, the valet was polite & informed me that I need to give a 10-minute notice while asking for the car back. I guess, they are parking the car, way away from the bar.

No barstools: As I chalked my way to the bar, I realized, they have taken off the entire set of bar stools (rather bar-chairs). I always found the bar counter of HRC a bit uncomfortable. I do not like low seating bar chairs for a thing and secondly they did not have enough leg space. On house pack days, it’s a bit difficult to sit there and have a conversation with people jumping from all sides for their drinks. Looked a good sign to me. I was happy to order and hold my drink right there, though the height of the counter is still a negative.

Less crowded: HRC seemed to be unusually less crowded for Saturday evening. I guessed 8.30 was still early. We stayed there till about 9.30 and then moved over to the backyard section to satisfy my smoking urges. I realized, people had been walking from behind me all this while straight into this section. The crowd was buzzing in this side and the non-smoking section was holding a just a few people. This side was packed. Personally, that’s how I like weekend bars to be - crowded. Besides, the level of music is just right this side.

Second bar: Since people were flocking to the alfresco section, it seemed wise for the HRC to open a second bar in there. Not so attractive, but still serves as an immediate bar for the overflowing side of HRC. No bar stools here either. I guess space constraint. I like this section though, now.

No Dheeraj: My wife`s bum-chum buddy and HRC`s operations manager - Dheeraj has quit the place. Dheeraj is managing Ruby Tuesdays now and there is a new face here at HRC.

Service Charge: I might not have noticed this before, but HRC joins the club of the TGIFs and others of the world, mentioning a 10% service charge on the bill. Worst, your vat gets levied on service charge as well. Your beer got expensive by so much now. Rethink tipping??

Music still remains to be something to be worked at HRC, with irregular variations in genre and deafeningly loud decibels inside towards the end. Anyways, who cares, after you get your high? Food was okay. I liked my onion rings with the beer and I liked their service well. They have some competition on the same road with the F-bar coming up now. Needs to be watched how well they hold to their love all, serve all belief.