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The first time I was here, the place was about empty (it was a weeknight and they had just opened). That time was a good experience...lots of variety on tap with a few Flying Fish selections, as well as Dock Street and other local micros. The waitstaff was courteous, and we had a good time. Food was good too. The second time I was there was a completely different experience. They were out of one beer I wanted, and the other I wanted was totally flat. The staff were disconcerned with me or my party to the point of rudeness. We were told to remain confined to the relatively small bar area, or pay a $10 cover each to see (really, really bad) amateur poetry. The next time I'm in the Trenton area I'll stick to other cheaper, kinder establishments.
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While not quite a beer bar in the strictest sense, six of Urban Word's seven taps are well-chosen and relatively local micros. The current lineup includes Flying Fish's Extra Pale Ale, Abbey-style Dubbel and Belgian Farmhouse Summer Ale, River Horse's Special Ale and Lager, and Yuengling Black and Tan. It's worth the trip just to find these three excellent Flying Fish selections on tap at the same time! A few micros are also available in bottles, including Dock Street Bohemian Pilsener, Yuengling Porter, and Flying Fish ESB.
Urban Word boasts an excellent menu of mostly light fare, including vegetarian dishes, all prepared with an adventurous flare that's been missing from the local dining scene for... well, forever. Many nights also feature live entertainment. Not surprisingly, this tends toward the eclectic and often draws from a diverse range of local talent, including jazz, fusion, spoken word, funk, and improvisational artists.
Service is good to great - I was pleasantly surprised that the bartender, Jonathan, knew both my name and my preferred beverage by my second visit.
Parking is available in a well-lit private (but free) lot in the back. This is a definite plus, given the somewhat abandoned feel of much of the surrounding neighborhood. But hopefully this will become less of a concern as the area improves - a new arena across the street is nearly complete, and other revitalization projects are also in the works.
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