Nightlife in Springfield

At street level, Diablo’s Downtown Lounge hides behind the guise of a traditional bar. There, hearty burgers and beers culled from 10 tap lines arrive at tables surrounded by subtle red upholstery and a gallery’s worth of local artwork. But tucked away on the pub’s subterranean level is a shadowy nightclub where painted flames race up the walls and repeatedly disappoint revelers trying to light their cigarettes. Formerly Perry’s Nightclub, the downstairs haunt still invites dancing on a large floor infused with ‘80s, hip-hop, or contemporary house music handpicked by DJs and special guests. Each level hosts its own events throughout the week, including karaoke and bingo upstairs and Goth-themed dance nights downstairs.

Beyond a comfortable, classic façade of bare brick and warmly-lit windows, Gridiron Sports Bar & Grill houses revelers hoisting frothy glasses of beer and relishing the smoky, savory aroma of hearty American fare. Traeger grills sear strip steaks until they're ready to share their nutritional value with diners and feed the bar's eight meat-fueled HDTVs, whose large screens flicker with the likes of football, basketball, and celebrity euchre. Beers domestic and imported (including microbrewed options) work with wine and cocktails to keep palates clean and the atmosphere lighthearted. Breakfast hits the tables from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends; patrons under 21 are welcome to hang out in the family-friendly pub until 8 p.m. daily.