The name might throw you off at first. Rick's American Café owes its moniker to Humphrey Bogart's classy ex-pat lounge in Casablanca. But you probably won't find the likes of Bogey and Bergman canoodling at this non-stop Ann Arbor party, where hundreds of Wolverines pound Jager bombs like it's a contact sport.

The Scene: Co-owner Steve Crowley doesn't mind pointing out that his bar's a great place to find a little action. "Rick's opened its doors in 1979, and we've been around for so long because you get more than just beer here," he said. With 400 to 500 people (a combination of upperclassmen, grad students and locals) roaming through this tavern on any given night, raging hormones are never in short supply. "Let's just say that girls who hook up at Rick's certainly don't mind the attention they receive," said Brett, a senior accounting major.

You can go home with more than just a hangover, but Rick's is also a great place to chill. "Going to Rick's is like a rite of passage," said Zoe, a senior economics major. "I've heard about it ever since I was a freshman, and it was definitely worth the wait. This is the perfect bar to just drink and take in the scene. Sometimes you just need to sit down, bitch to your friends and drink."

Chicks at Rick's: "You've got your fair share of sorority girls dressed to impress and on the prowl," Brett explained. "But then there's also a fair amount of girls just drinking beer and listening to the music." Think naughty-preppie, like the friskier girls in the Abercrombie catalog coming to life.

When to Go: On Mondays there is happy hour (drinks are half-price); Tuesday there's no cover; Thursday is ladies' night (girls get in for free and their drinks are half-price). Crowley says the bar is packed Wednesday through Saturday, so if you're not standing in line with the first 450 people, be prepared to wait.

Dress Code: For ladies, brand names and expensive bags are the norm. But guys can slide by with a pair of jeans (sans holes) and a button-down.

At the Bar: $2 pitcher specials on Wednesdays; $3 Coronas on Fridays; $5 Jager bombs (a shot of Jagermeister in a glass of Red Bull) on Saturdays.

Where It's At: 611 Church St., Ann Arbor, Michigan

Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7 p.m. - 2 a.m. Closed on Sundays.

Phone: (734) 996-2747

Text by Brooke Handler
Photos by Brett Mountain