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Touch (now closed)

Introducing the 'iBar'

When people think of the future, they only think of a world where Tom Cruise uses fancy touchscreens to stop crimes before they happen, only to find HIMSELF accused of a crime he didn't actually commit, so he has to get this eye transplant and hide in an ice bath and do a lot of running, even though there are flying cars. Offering a competing vision for the future, but keeping the screens, Touch.

Looking like an iPhone impregnated a cocktail lounge, Touch has taken over the old Bungalow space with a mix of rich black and burgundy punctuated with bright touchscreens through which patrons can order their drinks, the kind of place Don Draper might hang out, if he was actually George Jetson. The action starts when you're sitting at one of six touchscreen/table outfitted booths (or standing in front of the huge 8x6ft illuminated glass screen), where you'll, um, finger your way through a possible 67,000 drink combinations, or even take the screen's drink suggestions based on your mood (examples: Feeling amorous? Sex on the beach. Sad? How about some alcohol?). Aside from facilitating drink orders, the screens also allow you to bid on which songs you'd like to hear, play a very friendly game of spin the bottle, or even send instant messages to other tables, because how else are you going to communicate with that group of girls 15 feet away? Exactly.

They're strictly a drinkin' establishment, so there's no "mozzarella stix" option on the touchscreen, a technology the owners plan to eventually expand to other bars and cities, with the hopes of creating the kind of powerful network that can stop Tom Cruise ... before it's too late!

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ExhortGet the word on their grand opening and NYE parties at TouchiBar.com

Touch (Emailed on December 18, 2009)

Grand opening Saturday: 1622 W Belmont, btw Ashland and Paulina; Lakeview; 773.883.8888

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