Mama Tried

"Mama Tried is a bar that wears a lot of hats. The little Downtown spot can, depending on the night, feel like a dive bar or a cocktail bar or a post-work Happy Hour spot. They have good weekly and monthly event programming, like a very popular emo night. It’s the kind of place you end up after midnight, sweaty and ready to dance on their red carpet, which is shockingly clean for a carpet inside a bar. It’s mostly simple well drinks and beer, especially when they get busy on the weekends. But it’s a fun spot if you’re in the mood for loud music and maybe a shot or two." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino

"Mama Tried and she delivered with a happy hour menu that runs from 4-8 p.m. here. Find a bunch of fun $7 drinks, $5 well drinks, and $3-5 beers (plus a $5 shot of the day)." - Missy Frederick

"At Mama Tried, bar manager Tyler Kitzman blends house-made pumpkin syrup, espresso, and reposado tequila in the pumpkin spice espresso martini. It is served year-round and costs $13." - Juliana Accioly

"Every time we go to Downtown’s Mama Tried, the DJs are playing songs that are very hard not to scream along to. Things can get crowded here since it’s so small, but that’s not a bad thing if you don’t mind rubbing shoulders with people who also just realized they still know all the lyrics to Big Pun’s “Still Not a Player.” If that’s not your speed, stop by the monthly emo night (which usually falls around the last Sunday of each month) for a truly wild evening where you can loudly relive all those angsty middle school feelings." - mariana trabanino, ryan pfeffer

"Low-key turn-up is Mama Tried’s style, pumping out diverse beats every night of the week. The cocktail menu features creative libations, while the retro bar games pay homage to a different time in nightlife’s past." - Dara Smith, Olee Fowler