A look back at the has-been haunts — and some current contenders — that, well, um, “rounded out the UF student experience.” Stagger down memory lane with us as we pay tribute to a century of iconic pubs, clubs and hangouts (some that may have come with hangovers).

by David Finnerty

Sure, sure. College is about higher learning — mastering knowledge that will enable lifelong job satisfaction. No argument here. That’s how it should be. But, come on, even the most studious student needs a break from the books now and then.

Luckily, Gainesville is, and always has been, loaded with places to relax and unwind. After a lengthy debate around the office water cooler here are 10 memorable Gator hangouts. Look for our March Madness-inspired bracket of our all-time Top 64 starting March 12 on the UF Alumni Association social channels.

Let the debate begin.

The College Inn

Place most likely to bump into Wally and the Beaver.
During its heyday in the 193Os, ’40s, ’50s and early ’60s, College Inn was a popular diner where the Boys of Old Florida grabbed cups of coffee and read newspapers. (As years passed and segregation laws were challenged, The College Inn became a lightning rod for Gators protesting the cafeteria’s “whites-only” policies.)

The Cotton Club/Blue Note Club

Best blues and jazz.
A plain, almost windowless wooden building, the onetime Camp Blanding World War II store-turned-movie-theater-for-Gainesville’s-Black-community-turned-nightclub was a welcoming stop on the “Chitlin’ Circuit.” In the 1950s it attracted performers like BB King, Ray Charles and James Brown and was a popular hangout for the Gator football team.

Florida Gym

Best campus hotspot.
Alligator Alley, as it was unofficially named, opened in 1949 and from the start was UF’s “everything” venue: basketball games, commencement ceremonies, Fall and Spring Frolics, Blue Key banquets and concerts. Even a memorial service for President John F. Kennedy took place there. For under $5, students could see the likes of The Carpenters, Joan Baez, Donovan and Harry Chapin.

Dub’s

Best rock ’n’ roll club.
For a quarter century, Dub’s was the place to be on a Saturday night in Gainesville. Owner James “Dub” Thomas handpicked the club’s performers, including rocker Bob Seger and comedian John Belushi, and sold cheap beer. While other hangouts came and went, Dub’s thrived to the delight of Gators until Thomas’ unexpected death in 1990.

The Rathskeller

Best place to catch a rising star.

U2 at UF, what else needs to be said? Affectionately known as “The Rat,” the campus eatery was a popular gathering spot for Gators until it burned down in December 1987. Famous bands that performed there before hitting the bigtime include Mudcrutch (later Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers and, of course, U2.

Great Southern Music Hall

Best concerts.
The old Florida Theater was remodeled and reopened as the Great Southern Music Hall in 1974. Just down the street from UF’s campus, GSMH soon became students’ go-to venue for some of the hottest musicians of the 1970s and ’80s. Jimmy Buffett, Ike and Tina Turner, James Taylor, Jerry Lee Lewis, Muddy Waters and other legends performed there.

Skeeter’s Big Biscuits

Best place for a midnight … or wee hours … meal.
The 24-hour restaurant on 13th Street has been called a “campy-country-hangover-grub joint.” Gators of a certain era (1970s, ’80s and ’90s) liked to grab a bite there after a night on the town to fill their stomachs and clear their heads. On weekends, the longest lines to get in the door started forming around 2 a.m.

Purple Porpoise

Best place to see a ghost.

It could have been due to the bar’s notorious Kamikaze Halftimes, but patrons there would occasionally report seeing spirits of the ghostly kind in the upstairs hallway. (An unsubstantiated rumor: a female student was killed there in the 1960s.) When the much-loved Porpoise closed in 2002, grieving Gators held a candlelight vigil. Bartender Pete Delmonico spoke for all of us when he told the Gainesville Sun, “This place has seen a lot of craziness, a lot of marriages, a lot of divorces and a lot of debauchery. And I’ve loved every minute of it.”

Leonardo’s

Stickiest floor.
Far more than inexpensive pizza and garlic knots, Leonardo’s was a Gator ritual for almost 50 years — a friendly place to celebrate a graduation, take a break from finals or grab a bite between classes. Whether from the cooking grease residue or decades of foot traffic, the popular restaurant’s floor was as sticky as a Gecko tongue. Patrons waiting in line to order would practically need to peel their shoes off the tile. A casualty of COVID-19, Leonardo’s closed in 2020.

Salty Dog Saloon

Most lovable underdog.
Squeezed into a row of newer joints on the north side of campus, the Salty Dog is a longtime Gator hangout that just won’t go away. The cramped little bar has weathered competitors with big bank accounts, a pandemic and seemingly endless University Avenue construction projects. Through it all, the Salty Dog has hung on like, well, a hound with a bone.

Join the fun on March 12 and vote on your favorite hangout on the UF Alumni Association social channels (@ufalumni) as we count down the 64 Great Gator Hangouts through the generations.