Blacked-out glass on the doors and small windows mix with solid blue paint across siding, brick and tile to create a somewhat intimidating dive bar fortress vibe for first-time visitors. Blue paint outside gives way to almost entirely black-painted interior, grey walls mixing with black ceilings and equally black faux wooden flooring. Light peeks through a pair of very small windows set toward the ceiling, creating only the hint of an outside world quickly absorbed by the bar lights and dark hues within.
The bar itself sits just inside the front door, stapled dollar bills forming a thin line along a ledge above. Because the bills are scattered, the look is a classic dive bar dollar bill mosaic still in progress. Most of the surfaces inside The Mushroom have been refinished or replaced and the bar is no different, a modern counter style with a wide wooden lip. Beyond the dollar bills, decorations behind the bar are sparse. The basics are covered, including a few sets of taps, but that’s about it despite a glimpse of dive bar-standard wood paneling in back.
The Mushroom is dividing into two rooms, the front including the bar and a few low tables in addition to a gaming nook of sorts that includes a pair of electronic dart boards. Wide wooden slats run about halfway up the wall here and throughout this first room, some of it looking a little weathered but dark rather than the typical light brown paneling typical to dive bars. Renovated bathrooms can also be found in this room, dispelling an outdated review or two that can be found online decrying the state of The Mushroom’s facilities.
