You know when you have to stand in line to get into Black Finn — not Suite or Whisky River, but Black Finn — the crowd at the EpiCentre is getting a little ridiculous.

So here's my solution to those of you like me who have none of the patience it takes to stand in line to get into an overly crowded bar that boasts nothing out of the ordinary: Venture somewhere outside of the EpiCentre once in a while.

I can hear your disgruntled replies now: "What? Are you kidding me? The EpiCentre is THE place to be on the weekends!"

But why? Why is it THE place to be? Because there are so many people there?

Let me share a little secret with you, my friends. If more people ventured outside of the multi-entertainment complex, perhaps other places in Uptown would get a fair shot at being "THE place" to be.

Anyway. After standing in line for a few minutes at Black Finn this past Friday night, my friends and I elected to make a stop at Molly MacPhersons instead. The trek wasn't that far down 5th Street (by the way, how late am I to find out that Fiji/Kashmir closed? Alas, not that we didn't expect that to happen, right?) as we passed Latorres and Dandelion Market (both venues which seemed to be doing quite well — this makes me proud).

What do I like about Molly MacPhersons? Well, for one, the popcorn machine. Sad but true. After a few drinks, I eyed the machine in the back as a server started it up, adding buckets (from my seat it looked like buckets, but I was a few shots in, so maybe not?) of butter, wondering if I had to part with some well-earned cheese to enjoy the kernels of the corn.

The answer is nope; the popcorn is free and you help yourself. They've even got extra seasonings to add to your liking. (Although later on that night, I'd come to find out that the popcorn was a bad idea, but that's just me and my low tolerance.)

On the crowd side, it was a slow night for Molly's, but there were enough TVs in there to keep us distracted, and the friendly (good-looking) bartender wearing the kilt definitely added to the Scottish pub atmosphere. Not to mention, I'm all about drinking at a place where I don't have to fight someone to get to the bar.

Speaking of the bar, it seemed like it could easily get congested, as there is a wall that separates the bar from the tables, leaving a narrow path. Those of you who like to lean against it to flirt with the bartender may find it difficult to do so.

Regardless, whether you're looking for a strong selection of single-malt whiskies (which Molly's boasts of more than 150)  or just an alternative to the EpiCentre, Molly MacPherson's is a place you should put on your list.