Scholars Lounge

I generally try to avoid doing stereotypically American things, but every now and then they are necessary, so last night I went to watch the rubber match of the subway series. There are a handful of Irish pubs in Rome, the closest things to true sports bars, and some of them can get American sports. However, Scholars is the only place I have found that has an mlb.tv package and can therefore get any baseball game out there even if it's not on national tv. Watching an internet feed can be frustrating at times as it does freeze every now and then to let the video buffer, but it's better than nothing. I enjoyed watching the Yankees put a beating on the Mets last night, delivering Johan Santana the worst loss of his career and gaining a game on the Red Sox for first place in the AL East.

Aside from getting baseball games, Scholars is very nice little bar. There are hardly ever many Italians in there, and during the school year it can be so crowded with study abroad students it is actually just unpleasant, but when school isn't in session there is a good regular crowd of Brits and Americans who live in Rome or come here with some frequency. They have a good beer selection and discounts for American students, always helpful. They bring in live music once a week or so, I've managed to hear the same Bon Jovi cover band twice. They have decent food as well, they make big salads, which are hard to find in Rome, good long sandwiches on toasted baguettes as well as a creamy Irish stew. They also organize a trivia night on Mondays in the spring and fall, which I have never made it to, but have heard good things about.

Conveniently located just around the corner from Piazza Venezia (Via Plebescito 101) their website is http://scholarsloungerome.com/