#1055 - Buffalo Chip Saloon, Cave Creek, AZ - 3/26/2010

Wow.  The Buffalo Chip Saloon and Steakhouse is another huge, western-themed place with a big patio with picnic tables and fire pits.  I have to give it the edge over Harold's, Greasewood Flat, and the Horny Toad -- how many bars do you know that feature real bull riding?

On Friday's the Buffalo Chip also features an all-you-can-eat fish fry (walleye,  lake perch, cod and catfish) and a huge barbacue option with brisket, sausages and such in big vats. 

Of course it attracts the standard Cave Creek crowd of cowboys, bikers, retiree, and tourists, but I also liked the people and conversations here best. In the picture with me is Jerry and his wife from Illinois, and Jimmy, who served in WWII before the services were integrated, retired from the auto industry and moved out here, and at 80 still rides his horse virtually every day.

Paul the bartender was very cool, and around the corner was an older woman with a huge wedding ring, beat-up cowboy hat, and heavy mascara saying into her phone, "Zoe, it's grandma.  I'm at a bar."

Good food, decent drinks, good crowd, live music and dancing 7 nights a week -- I plan to make this a staple of my Arizona trips.

6811 E Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, AZ 85331 - (480) 488-9118
buffalochipsaloon.com - newtimes - yelp - azcentral

#1054 - Harold's Corral, Cave Creek, AZ - 3/26/2010

Harold's Corral is another big, western themed place in Cave Creek, and dates itself back to 1935, when Johnny Walker opened the Corral Bar to serve workers building the Bartlett Dam. In 1950 it was purchased by local character Harold Gavagan, which led to keeping lions and tigers in back and visits by various celebrities. Currently it is owned by some displaced Steelers fans, and serves as a gathering point for Steeler rooters who moved away from the midwest cold, just as the Buffalo Chip caters to Packers fans.

Did I say big? Harold's seats 800 (600 inside and 200 on the outside patio). It has great happy hour prices -- my gin and tonic was $2. Nowadays it is full of the standard Cave Creek cross section of cowboys, bikers, retirees, and tourists.

6895 E Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, AZ 85331 - (480) 488-1906
haroldscorral.com - azcentral - yelp

#1053 - The Horny Toad, Cave Creek, AZ - 3/26/2010

Note to self: Next Spring Training trip, reserve a room for a night or two in Cave Creek. It's a really fun little town.

6738 E Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, AZ 85331 - (480) 488-9542
thehornytoad.com - yelp - newtimes - metromix - azcentral

#1052 - Hoot & Howl, Goodyear, AZ - 3/25/2010

55 N Litchfield Rd., Goodyear, AZ 85338 - (623) 932-3580
yelp

#1051 - Dirty Dogg Saloon, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/24/2010

The Dirty Dogg is a biker bar where scantily clad servers literally swing from the ceilings to the tunes of butt rock music (AC/DC, Kid Rock, etc.), in routines well practiced to take advantage of the very limited space.  But despite the very watchable athleticism of the staff (swinging hulahoops upside down, timing swings to lock lips with other girls, etc.), the action really gets going when numerous female customers get in on the act (and the staff are quick with scissors to convince them to add to the prodigious collection of panties hanging from the ceiling).

You're not allowed to take pictures (and several bouncers are watching like hawks and quick to pounce if  your phone takes aim), but there are ample (NSFW) examples on the flickr page and youtube, if you're curious.

10409 N Scottsdale Rd., Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 - (480) 368-8095
dirtydoggsaloon.com - flickr - newtimes - yelp

#1050 - Greasewood Flat, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/24/2010

Greasewood Flat is something else.  It's technically in Scottsdale, but not before you drive away from the clusters of night clubs and golf courses, out through the desert to a 120-year-old bunkhouse that used to be the main stagecoach stop between Fort McDowell and Phoenix.

The center is a large open area with rows of picnic tables and lots of fire pits blazing away.  The bar is the basics and the food is burgers and chili (don't go hungry -- you'll get that way during the comically long wait for food).  But the reason to go is for the (largely authentic) old west setting.

Greasewood also has live music (country of course) and dancing, and is popular with both the biker crowd and families.  There's lots of stuff to look at, a great desert sunset view, and the communal arrangement of picnic tables is conducive to striking up conversations.

27500 N Alma School Pkwy., Scottsdale, AZ 85250 - (480) 585-9430
greasewoodflat.net - culinaryfool - azcentral - yelp - newtimes

#1049 - Culinary Dropout, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/24/2010

Another nice place in the Sam Fox chain, like Olive & Ivy, and my second favorite cocktails in the Phoenix area after Jade Bar.  Had a nice Smashed Irishman (Jameson, lemon juice, honey, reduced Guiness, and mint) and a good cocktail and bar chat with bartender Sean.

7135 E Camelback Rd., Ste 125, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 970-1700
foxrc.com - azcentral - yelp

#1048 - Olive & Ivy, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/24/2010

Don't be put off by Olive & Ivy's location at the edge of a mall -- it's got a large, sunny, and highly comfortable patio on the banks of a canal.  The emphasis is on wine, but there are some decent cocktails.  And while this blog is about the bars not the restaurants, I can't go without mentioning that the food was excellent from start to finish.  (In my case this was their standard focaccia bread and pesto, a bruschetta with crescenza cheese and fig preserves, and a chicken curry salad.) Service was efficient and quite friendly.

O&I is one of several Fox restaurants in the area, and from my sample of them, these tend to be very good.

7135 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 195, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 751-2200
foxrc.com - chowhound - yelp - metromix - azcentral

#1047 - Jade Bar, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/24/2010

After talking to a number of bartenders in the area -- and doing some fairly extensive personal research -- I feel pretty comfortable saying that if you want the best cocktails in the Phoenix area, you should head to the Jade Bar at the Sanctuary Resort.  This is off the beaten path a bit, and after a few miles down streets with no street lights, it felt a bit like driving to a ski lodge up in the mountains.  It's worth the drive though.  I had two excellent cocktails ("The Last Word" and a "Pendemums Club"), and one enjoyable and informative conversation with Jillian the bartender.  Wish I could have made some of their mixology classes.

5700 E McDonald Dr., Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 - (480) 948-2100
sanctuaryoncamelback.com - scottsdale cvb - yelp

#1046 - Stone Rose Lounge, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/23/2010

The Scottsdale area has a lot of posh resorts and hotels, and just because you don't want to pay $600 a night to stay there doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy their bars, with their expansive desert views and opulent fire and water features. 

One of the better ones to visit is the Gerber Group's Stone Rose Lounge in the Scottsdale Fairmont, a "modernist take on a classic 1950s beach club." 

The Stone Rose has a woody indoor bar that opens to a large patio area with fire pits and fountains.  A central fountain contains a large flame in a globe, while blue lit water and river rock surround an elevated bar across the way.  The cocktails are significantly better than average -- and significantly more expensive.  But it's worth it to go once in a while and take in the surroundings, especially around sunset.
7575 East Princess Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85255 - (480) 585-4848
fairmont.com - facebook - gerber group - azcentral - yelp

#1045 - Mac's Broiler and Tap, Tempe, AZ - 3/23/2010

6430 S McClintock Dr., Tempe, AZ 85283 - (480) 755-3050
yelp

#1044 - The Lodge, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/23/2010

This, as the name implies, is very lodge-like indeed.  That includes not only the decor, but the fairly standard drinks, with a few interesting beer choices, the better than average food (I had a fine sloppy joe and salad), and a warm feeling like you just came in through four feet of snow rather than 80 degree sunshine.

And their web site is a little trippy.

4422 N 75th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251
scottsdalelodge.com - myspace - newtimes - yelp - metromix

#1043 - Pattie's First Ave. Lounge, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/22/2010

Patties is a standard issue dive bar with a random crowd oddly inserted into the middle of the faux cowboy art environs of Old Town, Scottsdale.  It's a fairly large place, with a semi-open patio with ping pong, etc., and it attracts more old drunks and losers than most bars in Scottsdale, which usually makes for a better bar

7220 E 1st Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 990-0103
yelp

#1042 - Italian Grotto, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/22/2010

This place is old-time Scottsdale, along the lines of the famous Pink Pony, and its easy to see why it is often packed.  It has good food, stunningly cheap prices (e.g. $11 for entree, salad, and bread), and a great selection of local characters (including RT, working the bar, and a couple umpires from the game when I went.  Since it was overflowing on the late Monday evening I attended, I asked RT what it would be like on a Friday night; he pointed out that it was that full because the Giants had a home (spring training) game that day, and "It's been like this since 10 this morning."  But every subsequent evening I passed it was just as full.  The bar is just the basics and you need to expect a wait for dinner, but it's worth it.

3915 N Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 994-1489
italiangrotto.com - yelp

#1041 - Red Garter Saloon, Tucson, AZ - 3/22/2010

This is basically one of those small, minor highway casinos.  I can see how a few people in the area might come to love it, but only in the same way that you might come to love a retarded nephew.  The devotion is real, it's just a sort of arranged marriage -- not what anyone rational would choose if they had a lot of options.

3143 E Speedway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716 - (520) 325-0483
redgartertucson.com - yelp - igougo - citysearch

#1040 - Fray Bar, Nogales, Mexico - 3/22/2010

A fairly classy place in a fairly old (1950) and classy hotel.

Fray Marcos Hotel, Campilo 91, Nogales, Mexico
hotelfraymarcosdeniza.com - tripadvisor

#1039 - Pancho Villa Bar, Nogales, Mexico - 3/22/2010

Okay, this is a pretty cool little bar, with a cave-like decor that makes you feel like you're hiding out with Pancho Villa (whose army occupied Nogales in 1914).

Av. Obregón and Calle Campilo, Centro, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico 84074
fodors

#1038 - Cheves & Munchies Bar, Nogales, Mexico - 3/22/2010

Very much an American touristy place -- even by Nogales standards. But that's not necessarily a bad thing when you're in the mood for a cold margarita in a shady, open area on a hot day south of the border.

Calle Campilo and Av. Obregón, Centro, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico 84074 - 631/312-6764
fodors

#1037 - Woody's Bar, Tucson, AZ - 3/21/2010

While I was at The Cuff, a member of our party remarked that every gay bar anywhere in the world looks exactly the same.  I will leave this commenter anonymous -- except that his name is Alan and he lives in Vancouver BC, and he once had the audacity to order half-fries/half-salad with his meal in the U.S. (to which our no-nonsense server responded that she'd be "laughed out of the kitchen" if she tried submitting that).

He was exaggerating, of course, but not by that much.  And that seems a bit of shame, doesn't it?  For all the cliches about decorating, entertaining, etc. etc., gay bars themselves (not counting the people who populate them) usually don't have much personality.  There's the leather-theme stuff, the standard techno/dance-floor stuff, and a lot of black walls and floors, and red rope light.  There are a few exceptions of course, but by and large there aren't many times you step into a gay bar and think, wow, what a cool, unexpected sort of place.  That seems like it should happen more often.

I was introduced to Woody's by some folks I at a "Drinking Liberally" meeting that I stumbled upon in another bar.  While the interior is the same boring decor and the cocktails are uncreative, there is a large patio with lots of plush, semi-veiled seating areas that provide it some pleasant and unusual character.

3710 N Oracle Rd., Tucson, AZ 85705 - (520) 292-6702
mywoodysaz.com - myspace - yelp

#1036 - The Shanty, Tucson, AZ - 3/21/2010

The Shanty is not a shanty at all, and it doesn't appear designed for "shanty Irish." Rather, it's a copper-plated, almost upscale, Irish bar and restaurant, which gives little hint of its age (est. 1937) and with (male) servers that look like they all play on the college volleyball team. The large, shady patio is quite nice, but when I go to a "shanty" -- and especially an Irish shanty -- I expect to see an old, red-faced bartender who looks like he's been there for 40 years and a decor that seems to welcome the lower working class. And when I go to a bar that's 70-some years old, I expect a bit more personality, and to feel its age a bit more.

Aside from the old paintings now carefully guarded by ugly plexiglass, the whole interior looks like it could have been slapped together last month from the cookie cutter Irish themed bar template. The service was friendly and I enjoyed the conversations (I'd stumbled into a local meeting of the "Drinking Liberally" group).  And perhaps I was spoiled by a previous string of Tucson bars oozing character (Meet Rack, Kon Tiki, Shelter, Buffet). But the Shanty left me utterly uncharmed.

401 E 9th St., Tucson, AZ 85705 - (520) 623-2664
yelp - dotucson - 10best.com - metromix

#1035 - The Buffet, Tucson, AZ - 3/21/2010

Along with the Meet Rack, The Buffet Bar & Crock Pot places my two favorite dive bars in the country in Tucson.  But while I love the Meet Rack for it's gradually revealing layers of weirdness, it is the crowd and the immediate vibe that make The Buffet a great dive.

 It has the most elemental features of a dive: it is old (est. 1934), it has a ramshackle decor with years of uninvited contributions from patrons, it has cheap and strong booze (with Coors the only beer on tap), and it was full of lively characters on a Sunday night. For Seattlelites, think of the Blue Moon, with a bit wider demographic and even more graffiti.

The Buffet is the oldest bar in Tucson, established shortly after prohibition, although The Shanty up the road a piece has the oldest liquor license (1937), as the Buffet's was suspended a few times over the years. And just as The Shanty is not a shanty at all, there's no buffet at The Buffet -- although there is a crockpot, which holds hotdogs. But it's a grand old place.

538 E. Ninth St., Tucson, AZ 85705 - 520-623-6811
Est. 1933
yelp - metromix - mydivebar.com

#1034 - The Shelter, Tucson, AZ - 3/21/2010

The Shelter is full of mid-century retro goodness, with an emphasis on lava lamps and the Kennedys.  They also serve better than average cocktails -- and more creative.  This is a must-see if you're in Tucson.

4155 E Grant Rd., Tucson, AZ 85712 - (520) 326-1345
dotucson.com - tucson underground - yelp - igougo

#1033 - Kon Tiki, Tucson, AZ - 3/20/2010

I'd heard that Bamboo Ben helped to spiff up Kon Tiki recently, but I was still more impressed by the decor than I expected.  I'd put it up with the Tonga Room among my favorite tiki bars below the Mai Kai line.  I personally favor the lazy afternoons with old regulars to the younger, louder crowd on weekend evenings, but I was happy to see it doing a brisk business.

The appetizer plate, and in particular the ribs, were first rate, and the huge menu of drinks better than average.  Wish I could be there April 10 when a bunch of the tiki folks help out with the relighting of the Kon Tiki torches ceremony.

(More pics)

4625 E Broadway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85711 - (520) 323-7193
kontikitucson.com - critiki - yelp

#1032 - Urban 7 Martini Kitchen, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/19/2010

Drinks were pretty good, not great.  Decor appeared to be by Abercrombie and Fitch.

4151 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 548-6327
azurban7.com - azcentral.com - yelp

#1031 - The Coach House, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/19/2010

The Coach House is Scottsdale's oldest tavern (est. 1959), and provides a pleasant, divey alternative to the other clubs in the area, with just the basics (I was advised not to try ordering any drink with more than two ingredients). It was unpleasantly packed on the Friday evening I dropped by during Spring Training and Spring Break, but I eventually managed to squeeze in to the bar for a drink and squeeze out for some air and enjoyable conversation.

The Coach House also has a reputation for over-the-top Christmas lights during the holiday season (see image on their Facebook page).

7011 E Indian School Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 990-3433
coachhousescottsdale.com - facebook - yelp

#1030 - Trader Vics, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/19/2010

I love Trader Vic's, of course, and this particular visit had the benefits of being on the patio on a warm March night in Scottsdale, where the ubiquitous scents of jasmine and fire pits make the evenings all the more pleasant.  Also, this one is associated with the swanky Hotel Valley Ho, which makes a fine additional stop.

6850 E Main St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 248-2000
tradervics.com - hotelvalleyho.com - yelp

#1029 - Howl at the Moon, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/18/2010

I happily missed the dueling piano session.

7419 E Indian Plaza Dr., Ste A, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 994-4695
howlatthemoon.com - facebook - yelp

#1028 - Crown Room, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/18/2010

7419 E Indian Plz., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 423-0117
myspace - yelp

#1027 - American Junkie, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/18/2010

This is a sports bar combined with punk rock images (Iggy, Nirvana, etc.) and overly sweet cocktails that appear to have been designed for 13-year-olds.

4363 N 75th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85252 - (480) 990-3000
americanjunkieaz.com - myspace - yelp

#1026 - Loco Patron, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/18/2010

4228 N Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 874-0033
locopatron.com - facebook - myspace - yelp 

#1025 - Geisha-a-go-go, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/18/2010

7150 E 6th Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85250 - (480) 699-0055
geishaagogo.com - yelp

#1024 - Stingray Sushi, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/18/2010

A fairly swanky bar and sushi restaurant with in-floor aquariums.

4302 N Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85250 - (480) 941-4460
stingraysushi.com - yelp

#1023 - Saddle Ranch Chop House, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/18/2010

This was a sedate, steakhouse the last time I visited, but now is a sprawling, packed center of attention of younger crowds for whatever reason, with a mechanical bull, giant martini glasses filled with cotton candy, and fire pits where they encourage you to roast smores.

4321 N Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 429-2263
srrestaurants.com - yelp

#1022 - Shotgun Betty's, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/18/2010

The standard cowgirls-dancing-on-the-bar bar -- only it's in Scottsdale, so the women are hotter.

7330 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
NewTimes - yelp

#1021 - Lucky Silver Tavern, Tacoma, WA - 3/14/2010

A nifty old dive just down the road from the Java Jive that has been owned and run by the same family since 1966.  It was bingo night when I attended -- I played in for three games and won nothing.  Prizes included a can of sweet corn, a box of Ritz crackers, a battery lighted magnifying glass, and a box of Bodyform panty liners.

I wish I knew how old this place is, but city guides show that it's been around since at least the 50s.

2605 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA, 98409 - (253) 472-0360
myspace - waymarking - clubplanet

#1020 - Adriatic Grill, Tacoma, WA - 3/14/2010

4201 S Steele St., Tacoma, WA 98409 - (253) 475-6000
adriaticgrill.com - seattlepi - yelp

#1019 - Garbe's Tavern, Chehalis, WA - 3/14/2010

Update: Garbe's Tavern was purchased by new owners and converted into Sidelines Sports Bar in April of 2014.

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This place is a little like The Star up the road with an extra room and two pool tables added. A little less divey (they didn't have any Rainier can wind chimes) and they have a DJ and live music on weekend nights.

Garbe's has actually existed in Chehalis since at least the late 40s, starting out by replacing the Eagle Tavern at 987 Chehalis Ave sometime between 1946 and 1948, and moving to the current address in the late 1970s.

313 NW Chehalis Ave., Chehalis, WA 98532 - (360) 748-4288
virtualtourist - urbanspoon - clubplanet - yelp 

#1018 - Star Tavern, Chehalis, WA - 3/14/2010

Update: The Star Tavern cloed (in 2015?)

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Google Maps listed this place as "closed permanently," -- which was news to the customers and the pleasantly sassy bartender I found there. It's a nice old dive that's been around for a long time (current owners family have run it since the 60s, I was informed). When I visited on a Sunday afternoon there were six customers, all drinking big cans of Busch Light.  I opted for a Dick Danger Ale (brewed in Centralia).

I was a little early for the big Twin Cities Sertoma Club olympics, which spanned Chehalis and Centralia bars with various contests -- pool, darts, shuffleboard, etc.  (Sertoma is a civic group that raises money for deaf youngsters and other charitable causes.)

The Star Tavern appears to have been founded in the 1960s. As per the Historic Chehalis Downtown Walking Tour, the building dates to 1910: "Constructed as the Royal Bakery, the building is constructed of stone and retains integrity in its original design. It is representative of the commercial structures erected in the second downtown. The building has also been a barber shop, apartment building, and a liquor store. In later years it became the local Junior Chamber of Commerce who used the space for rummage sales."

242 NW Chehalis Ave., Chehalis, WA 98532 - 360-748-4222
web site: facebook
chronline - urbanspoon - untappd