#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