David Adame/Caller-Times file DANCING UP A STORM: Sharkey’s, located downtown at 315 N. Chaparral, attracts a young crowd of dancers.

Go from low-key to high energy

Boot scoot, boogie or kick back with a beer at local bars, clubs


By Brendan Walsh, Caller-Times

   You love the nightlife, you got to boogie? Or is domestic beer with free peanuts more your style? From plush couches of Velvet to the teetering barstools of Vernon's, there are plenty of places to kick back with a drink in the Coastal Bend.

   Corpus Christi
   The downtown entertainment district has seen its ups and downs. Though the party scene isn't what it used to be, there are still some hopping options.
   Sharkey's attracts young dancers. Velvet fills with the alternative lifestyle crowd on weekends.
  

Clubs & Nightlife Corpus Christi Sharkey’s Downtown, 315 N. Chaparral, 882-9077 Mulligan’s Pub, 621 N. Chaparral St., 884-8190 21 Spirits, 802 N. Chaparral St., 882-4820 Velvet, 511 Starr St., 882-4200 Executive Surf Club, 309 N. Chaparral St., 884-7873 Dr. Rockit’s Blues Bar, 709 N. Chaparral St., 884-7634 V.I.P., 5820 S. Staples St., 991-0188 Murdock’s, Airline and Holly Roads, Windchase Shopping Center, 991-9606 Boxer’s Sports Bar & Grill, Gaslight Square, 1000 Santa Fe Drive, 881-9200 No Whar But Texas, 4610 S. Padre Island Drive, 852-9694 Roper’s, 4653 Everhart Road, 855-6462 Vernon’s, 1030 Third St., 882-0030 Santa Fe Cantina, 1011 Santa Fe St., 888-8769 Padre Island Farah’s, 14305 S. Padre Island Drive, (361) 949-0120 Port Aransas Sharkey’s Beach Club, 2600 Hwy. 361, Port Aransas, (361) 749-4254 Shorty’s in Port Aransas, 821 Tarpon St., (361) 749-8077 Kingsville Country Luau, 115 University, Kingsville, (361) 595-4331 The Flightline, 1210 S. Sixth St., Kingsville, (361) 595-1991 On the Net Visit caller.com, keyword night life, to find out about live music, chat about bands, and upload original MP3 files.

Mulligan's brings in a crowd of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students, while 21 Spirits attracts the martini-swilling crowd and their hangers on.
   The Executive Surf Club closes early but is a popular happy-hour spot, and Dr. Rockit's is the place for blues.
   Outside of downtown, try V.I.P. for the latest Tejano music and its next-door neighbor, V.I.P. II, for urban beats and techno rhythms. Murdock's and Boxer's are popular sports bars, while No Whar But Texas and Roper's appeal to country-music folks.
   For more low-key entertainment, try Vernon's, where the floor is always covered in peanut shells, or the nearby Santa Fe Cantina.
   Padre Island
   On the Island, the place to be is Farah's. The bar has a beautiful back deck next to one of the Island's canals.
   Port Aransas
   Spring break types (and those with similar mindsets) head to Sharkey's (which is no longer affiliated with the downtown club of the same name) in Port Aransas.
   A more low-key atmosphere can be found at Shorty's, where there's occasional live music, and veteran bartenders have been serving up cold beers for decades.
   Kingsville
   In Kingsville, try Country Luau to get an idea of what happens when cowboys go to Hawaii.
   The Flightline hosts live bands on occasion and offers pool tables, dart machines and video games as nonmusical distractions.
   Hitting the hot _night spots
   Corpus Christi
   Sharkey's Downtown, 315 N. Chaparral, 882-9077
   Mulligan's Pub, 621 N. Chaparral St., 884-8190
   21 Spirits, 802 N. Chaparral St., 882-4820
   Velvet, 511 Starr St., 882-4200
   Executive Surf Club, 309 N. Chaparral St., 884-7873
   Dr. Rockit's Blues Bar, 709 N. Chaparral St., 884-7634
   V.I.P., 5820 S. Staples St., 991-0188
   Murdock's, Airline and Holly Roads, Windchase Shopping Center, 991-9606
   Boxer's Sports Bar & Grill, Gaslight Square, 1000 Santa Fe Drive, 881-9200
   No Whar But Texas, 4610 S. Padre Island Drive, 852-9694
   Roper's, 4653 Everhart Road, 855-6462
  

Vernon's, 1030 Third St., 882-0030
   Santa Fe Cantina, 1011 Santa Fe St., 888-8769
   Padre Island
   Farah's, 14305 S. Padre Island Drive, (361) 949-0120
   Port Aransas
   Sharkey's Beach Club, 2600 Hwy. 361, Port Aransas, (361) 749-4254
   Shorty's in Port Aransas, 821 Tarpon St., (361) 749-8077
   Kingsville
   Country Luau, 115 University, Kingsville, (361) 595-4331
   The Flightline, 1210 S. Sixth St., Kingsville, (361) 595-1991
  
   On the Net
   Visit caller.com, keyword night life, to find out about live music, chat about bands, and upload original MP3 files.