Local 510 was an absolute gem when it first opened. It was still in the stages of recognition and not too many people knew about it despite its amazing location on 4th Street and 17th Avenue. It kind of felt like an upscale Ship & Anchor because it overlooked the street making it great for people watching, but instead of splintery benches you had luxe black vinyl booths and stools.
They always have great DJ's that rotate throughout the evenings or weekends making it a great place to go to listen to music, but not to dance. There food is great. The menu is super simple but they do it really well. Sometimes you just feel like having a cone of sweet potato fries and side of garlic aoili -- they do it just right. I have also tried the Butter Chicken a couple of times which was delicious.
If you don't feel like drinking when you head there (they have a great selection of beers, ciders, and cocktails) they have french pressed coffee which is such a treat to enjoy on a warm summers evening.
I think the only drawback for Local 510 now is how busy it is. Last time I went there I almost had to wait in line (luckily my friend was waiting for me) and then line was quite long. Once we were inside there was nowhere to sit so we ended up standing for awhile. Not to mention we could hardly have a conversation. I think for a bar that is so loud they should have room for dancing because otherwise you just have a bunch of people standing in a room with really loud music.
In the summertime they have live music which is cool, but I definitely want to check out Local 522 which is there counterpart closer to Eau Claire which showcases live music almost regularly -- particularly catering to those interested in folk and roots music.