In a dimly lit space, patrons hover over pool tables or wait in line to order one of the staple cocktails the bar has to offer. The Vandalizer at Mingles was voted as the best drink in Moscow.
“The Vandalizer was kind of one of those drinks that just kind of on Friday night, so you have always done ICs (Long Island Iced teas),” Tony Reigner, the bar’s general manager, said. “And the current owner, Ben, when he bought the place about a decade ago, he wanted to do something that kind of set us apart.”
The Vandalizer is a riff off of the Long Island Iced Tea, with sweet and sour mix instead of Coca-Cola. It is a fairly popular riff that has been found in several places, but Mingles named it the Vandalizer. The drink’s namesake is the University of Idaho mascot, Joe Vandal.
Mingles’ interior is dark and evokes a strong feeling of nostalgia for the 1970s. The lower part of the floor is filled with pool tables and the bar is on a raised platform in the back.
Mingles is more than a billiards hall or local bar. Many members of the Moscow community flock to Mingles.
“When I was a kid, I used to sit at the bar with my dad and eat lunch,” Reigner said.
While Mingles is technically a bar and grill, owners established it as an under-over bar in the mid-2000s. The age requirement allows many college students to spend time at Mingles even before turning 21, which contributes to the bar’s community feel. “I really love getting to know the kids, and then seeing them graduate and move on,” said bar manager John McGraw.
Many of the employees at Mingles have been working there for years. Part of working at the bar is seeing UI students grow up through their college years.
“But, I mean, Mingles is kind of tried and true,” Reigner said. “It’s always been here and it’s always fun to see new generations come in and leave and come back with their kids.”
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Abigail Spencer can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ABairdSpencer