Duke's Bar - Nashville TN
Right in the heart of Five Points, Duke's is sure to have some heavy bowl traffic. With heavy traffic comes lot's of graffiti potential, and Duke's shows it. However, none of it was that bad! Most instances of initially offensive writing were modified to carry a positive message, or simply make much less sense.
While slightly grimy, I imagine things could and have been much worse. I'd recommend a more regular wipe down of the toilet and I might almost leave the graffiti - it's kind of fitting for the bar. Not much else to say about this place, I feel pretty neutral about the whole experience.
Okay. Also. Why are there two trash cans here? Can anyone explain this?
Eagles Deli
A great place for Boston College students to eat up and squat down, Eagles Deli has an interesting restroom situation. With a fantastic atmosphere at a glance, there were some... vandalism issues, that warranted an in depth discussion about public image.
"WHAT ARE You looking at(?) THE JOKE IS IN YOUR Hand" is just a mess of capitalization errors to begin with. I would expect more from the students of BC. Moving on, if we consider the differences in the male and female anatomy and possible restroom activities, the problem soon becomes evident.
This restroom is unisex, so assuming all possible activities are equally likely, there is at most, a 1 in 4 chance that the patron of the restroom will be a male, standing, and urinating facing the affected wall. Eliminating 75% of your joke audience is a mistake on the writer's part, and exposes the blatant sexism of public restroom graffiti.
Otherwise, the restroom was a treat to visit! The assisted flush, halogen lighting, and powerful water pressure gave it a good chance at a total rating of above 90%. I decided to exclude rating the few paper towels on the floor, as this is primarily a temporary issue. Perhaps I'll visit again for a second review, in hopes of a cleaner wall and mirror. Until then, thank you Eagles Deli for the opportunity.
Mary Ann's - Cleveland Circle
Absolute mess. A nightmare. Something out of a cautionary tale. All these things describe the bladder and bowel emptying situation at Mary Ann's in Brighton, MA. This was the "restroom" that showed me enough was enough, and prompted the beginning of this review.
I'd like to start with assessing the privacy of the room. With no lock on the door, you'd expect that we'd see some kind of stall protecting the bowl, but this is not the case. Before you number 2, you should CERTAINLY check this review. While using the urinal, a gentleman walked in, locked eyes with me, said "oh fuck", and left. There's no telling the embarrassment that would have ensued if I'd been on the pot.
With two sinks, you'd more strongly expect a stall for the toilet. The mirror is covered with stickers including one advertising "SIMIDAWG PRODUCTIONS" with the slogan "I MAKE SHIT HAPPEN." By the way, the only way you're going to see yourself in the mirror, is if you stand between the toilet and wall, as I did for the selfie. The wall tiles are the worst shade of pink you could find at Home Depot. The World Dryer is outdated tech. There's a pretty nasty crack in one of the urinals.
This bathroom makes me upset, and I refuse to spend more time reviewing it.
Berklee's 921 Building - Staff Bathroom
This dump zone hits most of it's marks with a splash! A functional retreat for the faculty and staff of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that some of the world's greatest musicians had taken care of business in this very spot.
I was surprised to find 1 ply toilet paper hanging next to the bowl. Berklee may create a comfortable space for musicians to hone their craft, but there was certainly nothing comfortable about rubbing cardboard down there. That said, once you flush, you can admire yourself in the fantastic wall-to-wall mirror behind the sink.
Also worth noting was the lack of water on the sink counter. Truly something rare in this day and age, I felt safe laying my coat on the counter while using the facility, without the fear of it looking like it had been through a rain storm. Thanks to Berklee for the wonderful experience, and I hope to visit again soon(with my own roll thank you very much).
Dunkin Donuts - Cleveland Circle
It's not often that you find a bathroom with so much color coordination, yet so little atmosphere. With an assisted flush toilet, timed valve sink, and powerful air dryer, it has the hallmarks of an industrial bathroom built with low maintenance in mind.
The employees of Dunkin' obviously know how to service a loo - this place was clean! A few scuffs and bumps, plus a slightly leaky faucet, were forgivable due to the charming drip tray on the soap dispenser. A nice touch; great job DD!
Without any accent pieces or obvious decorations, the atmosphere suffers here. Using the restroom felt like I was only there to take care of business, not to enjoy my stay. This may be acceptable for some, but not for the BBR. Signage was posted in multiple places advocating for a clean restroom, and proper hand washing techniques. If you're in the area and get the urge, check it out! Be advised that you must be a patron to use the restroom there.
The Publick House
For a bar with a draft list larger than most, and a fairly rowdy crowd The Publick House has a very pleasant men’s restroom. I imagine they have a women’s restroom as well, but I did not pay it a visit. The dynamic painted walls and functional accent furniture make using this facility a real treat.
I was also surprised to find a two piece gravity-flush in here, not so common in most bar restrooms, which often use assisted flush technology. A classic GOJO and XLERATOR combo for our wall would usually bode well for the post-sanitation rating here, but the sink does not.
Hanging precariously from the wall with an inappropriate amount of calking around the edges, I fear the sink is one good bump away from a fatal tumble. An hour or two of repairs from a good plumber or contractor should do the trick, Publick House!
