It was a busy couple of days for Doug and Marty's Boar House last week. The bar of legendary fame with Moscow's expat community celebrated the 51st birthday of owner Doug Steele, along with its usual St. Patrick's Day festivities.

In honor of the two momentous occasions, Guinness beer flowed from the tap for a mere 30 rubles, a fantastic deal in anyone's book, and the Irish band Oilean flew into Moscow to keep the party lively.

"We sold 47 barrels [of Guinness] this week," said Steele's business partner Marty Bainbridge. "I've worked at some of the busiest bars in London and I've never sold more than two barrels a week."

Partygoers last Wednesday were also treated to fancy footwork by the Russian Celtic society.

There is little you can tell an expatriate about Doug and Marty's that they don't already know. The owners have created one of the most popular meeting points for foreigners and young Russian professionals. It's also considered a top place for singles.

"It's a great place to meet girls," said a young American journalist who asked not to be identified.

The bar always pulls in a crowd, and usually by 9 p.m. the dancefloor is filled with dancers looking to find their one true love, at least for the night anyway. I've seen many a Boar House romance during my time in Russia, but I have yet to follow up on the results.

Wednesday's after-work party is one of the hottest nights to stop by. For 150 rubles you can take advantage of free beer and champagne, along with other items on the affordable happy-hour menu. The party used to be free to anyone who subscribed to the club's e-mail list, but ever-growing crowds and hordes of drunken students looking to take advantage of the free booze put a stop to the democratic entry system.

"Those who need invitations will get one," said the burly security guard last Wednesday.

However, it's still not a bad deal for cheap drinks and food. Every day from noon to 9 p.m. food is 50 percent off, making the slightly expensive menu (around 200-300 rubles a plate) extremely affordable. If you like pub food, then for after-work dinners and business lunches it's probably one of the best deals in town.

Unfortunately, the crowds are a bit of a double-edged sword. While the masses guarantee there's always a party inside, they also make finding a table a challenge when it's busy, and it is nearly impossible to move when it's packed. The mayhem that ensues during football, soccer and rugby matches also mean that your orders for more beer and gut-building nachos may be lost in the chaos.

But if you want to cheer for your favorite teams, surrounded by other natives of your homeland, then it's the place to be. Of course, if you get bored with the game, you can always shoot pool with your friend on the two tables in back, or step out onto the balcony upstairs.

Westerners will never feel far from home inside. The decor and interior are something that no Russian would ever dream up, not for lack of creativity, but just because he or she would find it culturally alien. The Boar House is a product of the decadent West, and Lenin would roll in his grave to see the fruits of capitalism flourishing in his city. As for me, I like nachos.