Sometimes, things have to get worse before they can get better. This was the case with the closing of Como’s much-loved bar, Sporty’s Pub and Grill, in late June. 

Como Tap has now taken its place. It offers the same vibe, staff and entertainment with some upgrades to the menu, decor and game room. 

The restaurant-bar opened its doors early this September. When you walk in, a pinball machine greets you to your right and the same old pool table awaits you in a windowed room to the left. The room is rearranged in a way that gives pool-lovers more room to play, out of the way of the pinball machines. 

Gone are the sports decor in the karaoke room. Instead, posters of movie stars, TV shows and music from the ’90s adorn the walls. This seems like a fitting change, as the room hosts the bar’s weekly trivia nights on Tuesdays and karaoke nights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. 

One of the most notable changes is the upgraded menu. In an attempt to cater to a wider range of customers, the bar has added gluten free options, cauliflower “chicken wings” and a “Beyondelicious” vegan burger.

The burger is an improvement to the old menu, though at $16, it is spendy. Perfect for meat and gluten-free guests, the patty comes served on a gluten-free bun with mushrooms, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and fresh pico de gallo. 

While Como Tap offers locally-sourced meats and beer, these changes come at a small cost to customers. Como Tap does not offer the same five-dollar food menu, a staple of Sporty’s. 

College students and Como residents alike will approve of the happy hour. From 3 to 7 p.m. daily, the bar offers discounted appetizers and drinks. Continuing the tradition of cheap beer offered by Sporty’s, another happy hour from 9 p.m. to close offers three-dollar pints of Hamm’s and Michelob Golden Ultra. 

The bar has ten tap-lines and focuses on local beer offerings. Though beer is the drink of choice at Como Tap, the offering of cocktails is impressive. The cocktails are largely wine and champagne-based and the menu offers a drink for each of the basic liquors. The most popular is a wine spritzer made with white wine, cranberry juice and sprite. Another specialty is the “gin fizz,” with house-made, organic gin. 

With a few adjustments, Como Tap is the Sporty’s 2.0 we never knew we needed.