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Discover the nightlife pick of the week from the Side Bar Downtown.

Side Bar has always been one of the Gaslamp bars to see and be seen, but for the past three years, Side Bar's Ruby Thursday special has taken your standard Thursday night on the town to the next level.

The man in charge of elevating your experience is Jonny Ollis, bar manager and drink-mixing extraordinaire. He began bartending at the tender age of 18 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Since taking his skills to the Sidebar, he loves the intimate lounge atmosphere which allows him to build relationships with customers. Jonny recently got engaged, so ladies, save the pick-up lines.

His specialty cocktail is the refreshing Black Cherry Mojito, which has gathered a cult following since its humble beginnings as an experiment for a friend earlier this summer. Tell Jonny what you're in the mood for, and he will deliver a drink catered to your individual taste. Just don't ask for a Scooby Snack; according to him, it's the worst drink ever invented.

Black Cherry Mojito

  -Muddle 3 lime wedges, fresh mint leaves, ¼ oz. of Monin's Mojito mix and a sprinkle of sugar
-add ¾ oz. of Black Cherry Effen vodka and ½ oz. Cruzan Black Cherry Rum
-shake vigorously
-add soda water and a black cherry to garnish

Ruby Thursdays at Side Bar attract a high-energy, upscale crowd with the swanky red-lit lounge setting (hence Ruby Thursday) and lively hip/hop DJs Matty A and Ikah Love spinning until the wee hours.

The crowd tends to range from early twenties to mid-thirties, with a good majority of them women. And don't be surprised to see an occasional Charger or Padre enjoying the bottle service. MTV fan favorite Wee Man is also a Side Bar regular.

Downtown's Side Bar lounge is conveniently connected to Ciro's Pizza Kitchen, which serves up huge New York-style pies from its stone oven until 3am. Jonny says the pizza is better than anything you'll find in New York, so your late-night munchies don't stand a chance. Order up bottle service, and have your pizza delivered right to your table, only at Side Bar.

The best time to arrive is around 10pm to avoid the inevitable line snaking around the block. Dress to impress in your best downtown designer duds and be prepared to drop ten dollars on a cover after 9pm.