Packed with rows of cheap bars, stellar parties and a very social student body, Iowa City has a reputation as a solid college town. Just ask Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Kyle Orton, who spent a much-publicized bye weekend earlier this year drinking at an area sports bar. But it's the locals, especially the club-hopping coeds, who make the Hawkeyes happy. And the best place to find them is 3rd Base Sports Bar, more commonly known as the Fieldhouse, one of the more popular drinking establishments.

The Scene: From the Tim Dwight-autographed footballs on the wall to photos of famous Iowa wrestlers, the Fieldhouse is the off-campus museum for Iowa athletics. But it's not merely a memorabilia-obsessed sports bar for jocks. Venture past the artifacts and televisions in the front sports bar area and you'll discover a massive dance floor, one of the biggest in Iowa City. On most weekends DJs spin to packed crowds looking to perfect new moves, both on and off the floor. "A lot of people used to ask where I was going when I went out at night," said senior political science major Katie Koenig. "But now they know I'm always at the Fieldhouse." Even the bathrooms at The Fieldhouse are (semi-) famous, having made a short cameo in the Midwest hip-hop comedy Whiteboyz.

Girls at the Bar: Plenty of fine farmers' daughters come through the Fieldhouse doors every night looking for fun. Fieldhouse regular and business grad student Michael Moller says he goes to 3rd Base for one reason: "The girls go to see the athletes, and I go to see the girls." If you want to get their attention, forget standing around the bar area and head straight to the dance floor.

Dress Code: College casual is acceptable, within reason (leave those shower sandals at home). You'll see anything from T-shirts to designer threads inside. The only things you won't see are sports jerseys and backwards baseball caps, which aren't allowed.

When to Go: Besides game days when black-and-yellow-clad Hawkeye fans congregate around the bar's TVs, there aren't any weekly events at 3rd Base. Occasionally, the bar will have a big blowout for holidays like Mardi Gras. The only timing issue is when you decide to arrive: On a busy night, the line outside the door gets brutal after 11 p.m.

At the Bar: All the staples of a solid liquid diet can be found at the Fieldhouse, including Jäger bombs and a mean Bloody Mary on Sunday mornings. For those seeking quantity over quality, the 32-ounce $2 personal pitcher special on Tuesday is a must.

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 7 p.m.-2 a.m; Friday, 3 p.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 7 p.m.-2 a.m., except during football season, when the bar is open from 11 a.m.-2 a.m on Saturday and Sunday

Text by Alexander Lang
Photos by Nick Loomis

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