anchors away

The Anchor Grill in Covington is an institution of sorts. In business for 60 years, the 24/7 diner never closes. We ended up at the Anchor Grill after checking out one more girl on a stage Friday night at Southgate House. The show rocked, with stand-out performances by the lovely Jordana and alt-country superstar Lydia Loveless.

I overdid it Friday. I have a three beer limit that went out the window at Southgate House around midnight. Thankfully, the pay lots in Newport will let you leave your car (usually until noon) if driving is out of the question. It was. Out of the question.

Saturday, my place looked like a schizophrenic’s apartment that I once visited. Instead of prescription bottles and pizza boxes though, my coffee table was papered over with post-it notes and a jumbo bottle of aspirin resting next to my diet coke. Sure, Saturday I was at Jean-Ro’s French bakery, but at 2 in the morning on Friday, it was all about the Anchor.

People-watching at the Anchor Grill nets a complete mix of regulars from the neighborhood (at the bar) and hipsters in skinny jeans and chucks rolling in after a night out (in the back room). We got to the Anchor before 2 so netted my favorite booth, in the front room by the door. All the better to watch and listen. Friday night we eavesdropped on a couple of boys who didn’t fare well at the bars and were madly text messaging random women. Any women. Trying to find a place to rest their weary heads for the night.

The Anchor Grill doesn’t have a non-smoking section. The late-night crew that mans the kitchen tends towards 50’s era classics on the jukebox, and Friday night we sang along to Ol’ Blue Eyes while we noshed on a late-night breakfast. Nothing’s organic at the Anchor Grill. Thank goodness. I recommend the home fries. With cheese, of course. The perfect antidote to a night of beer drinking and live music.

The Anchor Grill, located at 438 W. Pike Street, Covington. Closed on Christmas.

My head hurt until about 3:00 on Saturday, when I finally went back to sleep. Ow.