The amenities--three bars, Web access, regularly scheduled DJs and VJs--aren't that unlike those of any well-kept downtown watering hole. But it's the Saloon's commitment to offer a haven for both scene vets and novices that makes it stand out. "It's pretty hard to disentangle the Saloon from the gay community," says manager James A. Anderson, who considers his establishment a gathering place as much as an entertainment venue. The Saloon walks its talk with support for the Aliveness Project, District 202, and the Pride festival; it also partners with the Minnesota AIDS Project to distribute free condoms in the bar. Anderson says everyone is welcome at the Saloon, though he does discriminate "on the basis of behavior."