From the corner of South Blvd. and East Blvd. the red and blue neon sign of Vinnie's Southside Sardine Bar can be seen. Various fishing and nautical decorations liberally garnish the exterior of this establishment.

Remnant of most seaside bars of Coastal Carolina, Vinnie's Sardine Bar is often packed to the gills with people leaving many a would-be sailor waiting on the dock.

Expanded to three locations, Vinnie's Sardine offers a wide variety of seafood delights. Raw Oysters are $8.95 a dozen and seafood baskets range from $8.95 to $11.95.

The interior of Vinnie's has a very natural look from the wood floor to the wood tables. There are several televisions that adorn the walls for sports fans, and a bar that reaches from one end of the room to the other. However, stake a claim early because when the sea of people come in a wave of thirst, you might need a life raft to get out. The music unfortunately is limited to arena rock with a slight dribble of the 1960s.

Patrons of a diverse nature congregate Vinnie's Sardine, from college students to professionals. The crowd is lively and generously mixed. The sound of laughter fills the salty air as buckets of beer bounce across the bar like buoys.

If you are one of the fortunate ones to get a table, tell the waitress to keep the beer flowing and you will never go dry again. The service at Vinnie's is top notch, for they are prompt and attentive to your needs.

Taking a trip to Vinnie's Southside Sardine Bar, located at 1714 South Blvd. is worth the venture. Every night Vinnie's has $1 domestic, and every Thursday $2 Guinness and Bass specials. The prices on imports and mixed drinks are very good for the area.

If the doldrums of the University area are getting you down, stop by the South End to visit Vinnie's Sardine and have a drink for me.