In the corner of Mash, there lies a booth. Above that booth, scrawled on a hidden tile of the ceiling are the words: “A woman needs a man like a worm needs a bike.” Dusty chalk is smeared around these words, as well as the surrounding spaces. In fact, almost every inch of the establishment is covered in chalk, whether it be initials or the bolded “go blue!” or tidbits of sass like this one. Because it is this chalk that gives Mash flare. Despite the rustic appeal of its decor, the speakeasy nature of its booths and bar, the chalk is what gives Mash a sense of community and identity amongst the many college bars Ann Arbor is blessed with.
The chalk, and the pickleback shots. Because for 8 dollars you can get a grandpa — or what I would call the perfect concoction of alcohol that doesn’t involve martini glasses or mixed sugars. A pickleback shot followed by a smooth Pabst Blue Ribbon, a grandpa is what you want when you’re sitting in the corner or on the floor, listening to a band you’ve never heard of play “Soul Man” like John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd are leading it.
Check out the rest of 2017’s Best of Ann Arbor here.