Low Spark

Drinks are OK, nothing special. The bar space is kind of strange since the bar itself is very large and square. I’ve been a few times and it always feels like the patrons are standing around the bar staring in the center, it’s a strange set-​up.

I’m not sure about all these peeps handing out 3 stars and the 4 stars. B****** be cray. This place should be collecting them like Mario and Luigi!
I’ve been here a few times and have never had to wait, never had a bad drink, never had a bad bartender. I should probably add we’ve ONLY come here during peak hours. Plus the drinks here are delish. That Rye Summer is where it’s at! (yes I’m aware you shouldn’t end a sentence in a preposition).
If you haven’t been you should definitely stop by for a drink or three. The fish tank full of vodka is well worth it :)

I was a little hesitant to try this placed due to the mixed reviews, but ventured out and wasn’t disappointed.
The cocktails were good (we had the Baya and Tropic Thunder) and came fast (of course we were the only people in the bar). We also had shots on the Sunday special and they were chilled to perfection.
The bartender was friendly and gave us some of the special pretzel mix that other Unilocalers raved about (which is locally made and really good). Sadly, the octopus has passed on to that great big ocean in the sky, but they’ve replaced her with really cool fish so the ambiance is the same.
Overall, this place is good, cocktails were a little pricey which is why this didn’t get 5 stars and I would have loved a small bites option, but still good all the same.

The bartender was so incredibly rude and drinks were subpar. The one star is for ambiance, while small the fish tank is so cool and all the mirrors and leather and different textures are fun. We walked in and didnt receive any greeting they just stared. Because we look young our bartender asked to see our IDs and was super awkward the whole time about. He actually looked surprised that we were of age. He stared at our IDs extra long (theyre not fake buddy). Drinks were $ 10 and up. Just not worth it. They tasted absolutely weird. My friend got a baya sour that was not even a tad sweet and tasted like pickle juice. Sadly i won’t be back. There are so many otr bars that dont judge my age. I’m 23 and in graduate school. (Bye.)
UPDATE: the employee/​owner is not so gracious with criticism. A screen shot is posted of his response. I know it was completely appropriate to check my ID, however i’ve been to plenty of other bars who ask to see it without an attitude. I also got a note from another Unilocal elite who said he and his wife were in their 50’s and got completely rude service. So i guess avoid this bar at any age, or approach with caution i guess.

I’ve been to Low Spark a couple times and have yet to fall in love with it. I feel like it’s a good option if you’re in OTR and all of the other bars are too busy, or you have a large group, but it’s not my first choice.
The décor is nice. I like the lounge vibe with the fish tank in the middle of the bar. Normally not as crowded as other places in OTR.
If you’re getting a beer, you’re fine, but their cocktails are inconsistent. I was here on Saturday night, and I ordered the Harvey Wallbanger cocktail ($ 10) to start. It was awful. It was completely imbalanced… There was way too much bitters and almost all of the lemon vodka was floating on top, almost as if it wasn’t mixed. I still drank it because I paid $ 10 for it, but I made a *disgusted* face the entire time. My friend ordered the same drink from a different bartender and his was much better (still not great, but at least it was stirred). I think they need to work on their training of their staff.
There are better options in OTR for cocktails.

Everyone here has been super friendly. Good beer selection and great, if pricey, cocktails.

I finally got to come here for a drink or two last week and loved my experience, with one caveat.
The drinks (we both got stout-​type beers) were delicious and service was quick and friendly. We also loved that in this aquarium filled bar, they serve Jefferson’s Ocean, which is a bourbon that’s aged «at sea» — the barrels are sent out on a boat to age– gimmicky and also delicious!
The Octopus has been replaced by tropical fish, which are much easier to spot :)
The one caveat to our experience was simply a loud, drunk dude who was shouting at people sitting next to him and the bartenders said that unfortunately he’s a regular and the reason they «turn up the music.» A bummer and a total vibe ruiner, but he left partway through our visit and we just loved the quiet, dark ambiance and the friendly bartenders!

I wanted to like this place, but tiny cocktails range from $ 10-​$ 12. Is this New York? Get real. Also, my raspberries for garnish were moldy, on a $ 12 drink:.

I stopped at Low Spark for a beer on Saturday afternoon to check it out for the first time. I liked the 70’s vibe and décor inside. The bar is a big square right in the middle so you are looking at other patrons, which was kind of nice, as opposed to always staring at a bunch of bottles. They had a nice selection of beer on tap. It is a smallish place, so I could see it getting too crowded on a weekend night, but when there isn’t an overwhelming crowd it’s a nice addition to the OTR bar scene.

Great addition to the OTR bar scene. The service was friendly and fast and the drinks, while a little pricey, were great. I had the delicious Grasshopper ($ 10) and my wife had the Baya Sour ($ 12) which she reluctantly let me try and that was great too.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on the very tasty complimentary pretzel treat that is served at the bar. Oh my goodness. I love pretzels and the extra «stuff» that is blended in with them.
I enjoyed our first experience here and will have to come back for happy hour or maybe the Sunday Vinyl night where one can bring in records (those black circular things that some might remember their parents having) and play them hopefully to the aural enjoyment of those at the bar.
*parking may be tricky in this area so plan accordingly and travel in groups if possible. ;)

New to the area, but lacks personality. The highlight of this bar is a fishtank that reportedly houses an octopus named Sheila, but it seems unlikely that an octopus would come out of hiding much when the full noise of the bar is going.
The décor is nondescript, with laminate instead of finished wood on the bar. They have a couple of good beers on tap and make some interesting cocktails, but there isn’t a lot of cohesion.
Overall, it’s a little tough to decide what kind of bar Low Spark is trying to be. Still, they have good drinks at fair prices.

Love this place! Low Spark gives off a cool 70’s vibe and is a comfortable place to grab a drink. Their cocktails are inventive, great bourbon selection, and diverse selection of craft beer. The staff at Low Spark are friendly and able to answer any questions I have. I once asked for a bourbon list and they did not have one, but then the bartender listed all of them for me from memory. It was great! My favorite cocktail is the Rye Summer.
Now the best parts of Low Spark: they have an octopus AND they are pet-​friendly! My cat Arlene and dog Eliza both love Low Spark. One time we were there on a Sunday afternoon and the bartender even gave Arlene a water with an umbrella in it (see the pics). She appreciated that thoughtfulness and attention to detail. The octopus (I think her name is Shelia) can be difficult to spot at times but when you do it’s very exciting! She is striped and oh so interesting to watch. I loved that they explained to me how she is cared for and it sounds like she has a pretty good gig going there. Living the good life! One time a fire truck pulled up and a bunch of firefighters came in. We were afraid something was wrong but they simply said, «We heard there’s an octopus, we’re here to see it.» It made my day. This is definitely one of my new favorite spots in OTR!

A great local bar. No TV’s, just good conversation and good drinks.
Jake and Stephen kept the bar conversation lively and poured delicious cocktails. I can highly recommend the Roxanne is a perfect balance.
The atmosphere is electric and clean. The fish tank in the center of the bar is cool but needs more fish! (There are currently none! Just an octopus.)
This bar gives me a good feeling. I will be back often.

I was excited to see the newest bar in OTR, now that I have, I doubt I’ll be back. The drink specials were great during happy hour and the free snack mix is a nice touch. However, the attitude from the bartenders is unneeded, there are plenty of other watering holes in the neighborhood.

Low Spark = Low Service.
If this were my neighborhood bar, I’d dig it, but it’s not. It’s another trendy bar in a neighborhood packed with other bars, and the service was just bad enough that I don’t imagine I’ll head back.
I asked a question about a beer offering I wasn’t familiar with. It was Alpine brewing, recently acquired by Green Flash and newly distributed in the area. The reply I got was «I have no idea dude», with a little attitude that I was an idiot for asking the bartender about the beers they offer. Heads up — OTR is filled with knowledgeable bartenders.
When I went to order my second beer, the bartender told me he’d be right with me. He then proceeded to wander off, refilling the snack bowls on the bar. Not sure that would be my priority, but whatever. When I caught the other bartender’s attention a few minutes later, I ordered another beer. To my surprise, happy hour had ended 1 minute before, so my beer was $ 2 more than the last one. I made a comment about trying to order a beer earlier, and the reply was «Nothin’ we can do. Computer says so.»
It’s not the computer, it’s the attitude that make this place not worth going back to. If that is how you are going to treat your customers when you’ve only been open a month, I’ll take my business somewhere with knowledgeable, friendly staff. It’s not that hard.
The only reason this didn’t get one star was the prices at happy hour seemed pretty good for the neighborhood.

A nice change of pace for OTR. The space, the décor, the music. It’s all different, yet still all fits in the neighborhood.
We were there on Halloween, a few days after they opened so it wasn’t crowded at all. The first thing we noticed was the 70’s playlist playing in the background. Nice touch. They tout themselves as a throwback to the 70’s kind of place and I think they nailed it. Mirrors on the walls, yellow/​orange old school bar stools, a fish tank in the middle of the bar. It’s definitely giving off a 70’s vibe — but not tacky.
The drinks were fairly priced. There were a bunch of wines under $ 10 which you won’t find many places in OTR. I also really liked how their beer menu was laid out. They had them separated by the characteristics that each one entailed. For example, there was a ‘Dark and Roasted’, category, a ‘Fruity & Spicy’ category, etc., each with a few beers. This makes it easy to find what you’re in the mood for.
They don’t have food, but you are greeted with some pretzels and nuts — very old school etiquette. If you’re a Budweiser lover you’ll enjoy this bar. They serve up the Buds ($ 3 all day, every day) in a throwback Budweiser mug. A small but unique touch. The cocktails coming out looked high quality. That is to say there were no pre-​made syrups and flavorings being used. Everything was crafted with love (and flames sometimes).
They also have a great Happy Hour so I’d recommend going in for that if you can. Overall, Low Spark is a great in-​between spot bar option that is a little off of the main drag. It will surely be a great stop if you are waiting for a table at Salazar. Cool vibe, good drinks. What else do you need?

I felt like I was in a bit of a time warp while I was in Low Spark. The padded walls, the long mirror on the left, and the awesome aquarium in the middle of the bar which is home to a real life octopus. It has a classy feel to it. They had Motown on the Pandora which was great and meshed well with the vibe of the place.
The space is very small. The max capacity sign stated 46 customers at a time. I’m not so sure that many people could fit in there at once. The bartenders were great, the cocktails were good, and the beer selection was pretty decent. The cocktails weren’t as good as Sundry or Japp’s for that matter so I was a bit shocked to see $ 12.00 for a pretty basic Rye Manhattan that wasn’t anything special. I guess that is the direction the neighborhood is going in.
All-​in-​all I like Low Spark. It was very chill and laid back, although it was a Monday night, so I’m sure that tiny space gets packed Thursday-​Saturday. It will probably make its way into my rotation of places in my neighborhood to hangout at.

Came here on a Sunday afternoon and really wasn’t impressed at all. The décor was nice and upscale but like it was trying too hard. The place is small and it feels crowded. The bar is right in the middle and seating is around it, kind of reminded me of a hotel lobby bar. Cocktails were on the higher end… the cheapest being $ 10, it was served in a small coupe glass and the two cocktails I tried weren’t that great. Overall, in my opinion there are way better spots in OTR with better quality drinks and cheaper.

Low Spark — how cool and unexpected are you?!
I am totally digging the vibe at Low Spark, and my advice is don’t compare this place to any other bar in OTR because that is just not fair. Go in with an open mind and take it for what it is.
We stopped in for happy hour on Halloween night.
Happy Hour includes:
$ 2 off drafts
$ 2 off wells
$ 1 off wine
$ 3 Budweisers in throwback mug all day, evr’y day.
This is one of the cheapest places to snag a drink with wines ranging from 7 – 10 a glass and cocktails starting at $ 10. I can’t remember the last time I saw a glass of wine for only $ 7 somewhere. And during HH the bf got some really nice local brews for only $ 4 bucks!
The space is a chunky rectangle but I kind of like it because you can see all the action from anywhere you sit. Also a giant fish tank frames the inside of the bar and it’s kinda neat to look at. The space at night transforms and the color scheme of the purples, reds, and oranges really sing. Check out my picture below.
I got a grapefruit, champagne and Boston bitters cocktail and it was one of the better ones I’ve had. Well made and very balanced. All fresh ingredients here. I also scored a prosecco split for only $ 8 bucks helllllo, yes please!
My only qualms with this place is the service. When a customer comes in and sits down at the bar, it’s nice to be greeted with a smile, and a rundown of the menu (especially when you are a brand new business!) What we got was a cold, what-​do-​you-​want kinda deal. When we asked the bartender some questions about the menu she seemed seriously annoyed that we were bothering her. Maybe she was just having a bad day, but I feel like that first impression really sets the tone of the experience.
Overall, a funky new spot that I definitely encourage you to check out and put on your happy hour radar!

We stopped at Low Spark for a drink on Halloween. It is a beautiful little bar across from Salazar.
We were greeted by a fun crowd and bartenders who made just a little effort to dress up. The drink menu is short and a bit inventive. My 86 year old grandfather is an old bartender. I was pleasantly surprised to see one of his go to drinks– the Harvey Wallbanger on the menu. I ordered their delicious version of a Harvey Wallbanger– we will not tell Grandpa that they do not float the Galliano :).
They had an excellent selection of beer for my friends and the bartenders were very knowledgeable about mixed drinks not on their menu. They also had delicious snack mix.
If you are a budwiser fan, you might enjoy the special cup these beers are served in.
Service was excellent during our visit. Our bartenders made sure we had drinks and kept water glasses full as well.
Three cheers (and five stars) for Low Spark. This is definitely a nice stop in OTR.