http://www.secjams.com/2012/03/your-guide-to-saturdays-in-columbia/

Your Guide to Saturdays in Columbia

With Mizzou being one of the two babies introducing themselves to the rest of the SEC in 2012, it is understandable that fans from all parts of the conference would come to the beautiful city of Columbia, Missouri to check out their new rivals. The campus is beautiful, the town is alive, and gameday will fit right in with other schools in the greatest conference in college football. Columbia has exquisite food and drink locations around town that will make both families and college students come back year after year.

If you are looking for the number one bar that you must attend in Columbia, look no further than Harpo’s: Great service, countless televisions, multiple bars, and cheap specials. The bar gained national attention after Mizzou students carried the goalpost from their upset win over #1 Oklahoma all the way to Harpo’s, where they distributed pieces to all of those who pitched in to the effort. The self-proclaimed title of "THE Missouri Bar" does not disappoint.

Another great place to stop in at in Columbia is Willie’s/Fieldhouse. This spot combines the personality of two bars into one location that will fit anyone’s needs. Willie’s allows you to sit down, have a meal, play some pool, and watch the day’s games. It is a great family bar. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Fieldhouse is made for one purpose, to drink alcohol. Two levels, three bars, and a large patio, it is the perfect place to come if you are out of a ticket for the game and want to enjoy it with a few hundred Tiger fans.

While not really a bar, a place to head to get your tailgating off to the right start is Tropical Liquors, or Trops as the kids call it. The carry-out alcoholic beverage store will get you moving in the right direction with drinks such as the "Tiger Paw" featuring peach snapps, Bacardi 151 rum, pineapple juice, and orange juice, all mixed perfectly into a slushie. The drinks are reasonably priced for the ample amount of liquor in each cup and nothing says college football like being buzzed at 10:30 AM.

Last but definitely not least, if there is anything that you have heard about CoMo food, it is most likely Shakespeare’s Pizza. Winner of Good Morning America’s Best College Hangout, this pizza joint is the perfect mainstay right in the middle of town. Featuring some of the best meat lover’s in the state and some good gameday drink specials, this is the ideal place to bring families for the game, assuming you can get a table. Two locations in town help alleviate the wait times, but this pizza is worth waiting for.

All in all, there is something for everyone to have a good time in Columbia and we look forward to meeting our future rivals in the coming years.

John Guminski @JohnGuminski