The intersection of Main and Broadway, Downtown Mt Pleasant. (Flickr)
The age-old adage that your years in college should be some of the best of your life has long been propagated through pop culture references, and you know what? It’s one hundred percent true. Only in college will you be surrounded by thousands of people your own age, who are dealing with the same things and going through many of the same experiences as you are. One of those important experiences? Treating yourself to a weekend night out on the most bustling street near campus. At Central Michigan University, this street is none other than Broadway.
Stretching across the downtown Mt Pleasant, Broadway Street has some of the busiest foot traffic in town and shares an intersection with many other hotspots, including but not limited to Main Street. On any given weekend, Broadway and Main are filled to the brim with parties and hangouts populated by CMU students. If you’re a student at CMU or just in town for a visit, be sure to check out some of our favorite downtown establishments.
When you think of college bars, you most likely think of cheap beer, loud music and a ton of students having fun. At CMU, there’s no better college bar than The Bird Bar & Grill. In addition to some of the best drink specials in town, The Bird cranks out some pretty great food, so you can fill your stomach with substance before you assault it with alcohol.
If you’re looking for a comfortable atmosphere with a friendly staff, we recommend The Blue Gator Sports Pub & Grill. They feature a cajun-inspired menu, a great beer selection and a slew of positive reviews. Think of The Blue Gator as the place to go to catch the game on TV, grab a bite to eat and throw back a few beers after a long week of classes.
Not too far from Blue Gator lies Brass Café and Saloon. This bar features a fantastic menu and a beer selection that even the snobbiest of connoisseurs would have to approve of. Have a date with a classmate you want to impress? Brass Café is a pretty safe bet.
If you have a little extra money (or your financial aid check just arrived) and are feeling classy, why not hit up Midori Sushi. If sushi isn’t your thing yet—oh come on, just try it—you can always linger in the lounge and take in a few martinis, but be warned. They may be little, but they can pack a big punch.
Last on our list of Broadway favorites is Marty’s Bar. According to one Yelp reviewer, Marty’s features “strong drinks, no need for doubles.” If that doesn’t sound appealing after a stressful Friday exam, we’re not sure what will.
Want to live near Broadway? Check out Rent College Pads and browse a list of Mt Pleasant houses and apartments for rent near Broadway Steet.
Callie Kollenbroich
Callie Kollenbroich has been the Operations Coordinator and Content Writer/Editor at Rent College Pads since 2015. When she's not working, you can find her at home, eating peanut butter out of the jar and bingeing an unhealthy amount of Forensic Files. She's not as lame as she sounds.