Gainesville's downtown is crawling with the potential for greatness. And a new bar-restaurant shows just how great it can be.
Cry Baby's, which opened in May, offers Gainesville residents a space unlike any other in town – a cocktail bar with a vintage, retro twist. Pair the ambience of a corner location with happy hour specials and a kick ass burger and you have a spot made for a Friday night on the town, after-work drink or casual Tuesday night.
At first, I wasn't sure what to expect. But, when I walked through Cry Baby's wooden door last week, I was greeted by funky music, a beautiful herringbone bar and a pineapple glass made to be Instagrammed.
I arrived in time for the happy hour specials and spent quite sometime deciding between which one of the craft cocktails to indulge in. The bartender pointed me in the right direction – a hurricane (ironically as Hurricane Dorian was making its way to Florida). The drink was served in an adorable glass pineapple and topped with mint and a cinnamon stick. So. Good.
But, while the drink was enough to bring me back, Cry Baby's really had me planning my next trip with the first bite of my burger. Man, that burger! I'm a plain Jane burger eater just like my dad (meat, cheese, bun), but the "secret sauce..." Yes. Just yes. I feel like Plankton – I need the formula!
I am SO rooting for this bar-restaurant and hope it sets the standard for downtown Gainesville. In a sea of college dive bars, we need more Cry Baby's.
If you haven't tried it yet, RUN! I promise you won't regret it.