In new year revamp news, noted Haight Street dive bar Murio's Trophy Room has been transformed with a new, slightly slicker look. After closing a closing a few months back to update the always charming "random stuff on the wall" theme, Inside Scoop reports the venue for many a Roller Derby afterparty has thrown open their new floor-to-ceiling windows to welcome patrons to a sleek new space featuring, most strikingly, actual tables at which to sit down.
Although Murio's, established way back in 1959 and beloved as the kind of place where you could get a cheap beer, play a round of pool and kick the jukebox when it skipped, the first round of eager reviewers on Yelp haven't found quite the same charm in the new digs. As one Ariana M. writes:
"I miss the old murios!!!! ...I can forever complain about the change, one thing I do like is the comfy couches in the back but I'd take the old dingy cave like back area any day. No place to dance :("
Meanwhile, Siegfried S. temporarily lifted his personal boycott on the place to check out the new bathroom facilities. From his 1-star review:
"...male patrons will be relieved that they no longer have to sneak into the women's restroom to drop a deuce, as was the case previously."
That said, the biggest victim of the Upper Haight's lounge-ification seems to be the Pliny the Elder, which is reportedly no longer available on tap.
