My tattoo artist recommended this week's spot to me. He said I would love Time Out Lounge at the Northeast corner of Mill and Southern, in the very back of the plaza. He said he thought I'd like it because it is a quiet spot, and he seems to think being in school is stressing me out. Imagine that.
I pulled up and thought that the outside looked a little less than welcoming. I mean, it's all boarded up and you can't really tell anything about the place from the outside. It occurred to me that my artist can have a messed up sense of humor sometimes, and I thought maybe this was some not-so-funny joke.
However, I'm glad I walked in anyway. There are four pool tables in the center of the room, and a long bar to the right. The other side of the room in lined with booths. It's a single room, and not very big. There are old-school arcade games against the far wall. This place isn't just a friendly neighborhood bar; it's a quiet neighborhood bar. If there were 30 people in it, it would seem busy.
They don't sell food at Time Out Lounge, but they offer an interesting alternative. The bar tender offered me a menu list of places that deliver to the bar. Talk about feeling like I never left my living room!
I got a drink right away, and the bartender was friendly, but here's the best part: They have ACE Pear Cider. I am a nut for pear cider after doing some time in Texas, where it's very common. It really is quite tasty, and ACE is one of my favorite brands.
It's very dark in Time Out Lounge, and the atmosphere is relaxing. There is a jukebox, but no one seemed all that interested in it. The bartender said it's busy on the weekends, but as I said, it would seem busy with 30 people in it. I can see why my tattoo artist likes it, since he loves to sit somewhere quite and draw for hours on end.
Overall, I'd say it's a great place to brood about test scores, hide from homework, or take some time out. However, this is not a place to meet people. If you want to hang out with someone, I think you better bring them. The barflies all know each other and didn't seem interested in talking to the new kid. So, bring your own company if you want some. Otherwise, check it out for the peace and quiet. I know that's what I liked about it.
— Jenifer DeLemont
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
A place to take a chance
The Horse and Hound got a make-over this year, but some things never change. The new sound system and internet jukebox are fancy, but it's still a bar for off-track betting enthusiasts, no matter how you dress it up. The customers sit in the east room with their eyes glued to the TV screens, waiting to see if their dog or horse is going to make them money. Sometimes they win, and buy a round for their friends. Sometimes they loose, and sulk in dismay. It's dramatic and tense; probably more than your average sports bar. Some play the ponies for fun and say they could stop anytime, and some admit they can't stay away.
It's not just off-track betting though. November 18, poker enthusiasts can come down to the Horse and Hound at 4 p.m. and compete for a chance to win a seat at the World Series of Poker worth $10,000.
For those who aren't into loosing a small fortune gambling on anything, there is more to the Horse and Hound than off-track betting and poker. The main room of this bar is the restaurant area with tables, waitresses, and an extensive menu. My waitress recommended the chicken sandwich, which is tasty, but there is a huge variety of sandwiches, as well as typical bar food like burgers, hot dogs, and wings. They have food specials every day, and I went on a Tuesday, which is all-you-can-eat taco day. I did not take advantage of this and eat all the tacos I could, but they did look tasty.
The spacious patio with bar access plays host to a whole different type of person; there to drink and have fun. Of course, they serve drinks all over Tempe so it might have been the happy hour specials that made this seem like a great spot to hang out and drink. It's all about the $2 cape cods. If you're a beer person, they have $1.50 pints of domestic beers, which you might want to enjoy while you can, because I suspect the price of beer is going to go up as the hops shortage becomes felt in the industry. Bar tenders all over are worried that the cheap pint of beer may be rather elusive in the months to come. But, I digress. As a bartender myself, hops shortages are the types of things that keep me up at night.
The moral of the story is, the Horse and Hound has something for everyone, including video games, shuffle board, and pool. I had seen it many times because it's right next to Chasers at the Northeast corner of Dorsey and Broadway roads, and I have been to Chaser's for several concerts. For some reason, I never dropped in, but I'm glad I finally did. It’s a very diverse environment. As usual though, don't bring your younger friends, because this is a 21 and over bar.
— Jenifer DeLemont
It's not just off-track betting though. November 18, poker enthusiasts can come down to the Horse and Hound at 4 p.m. and compete for a chance to win a seat at the World Series of Poker worth $10,000.
For those who aren't into loosing a small fortune gambling on anything, there is more to the Horse and Hound than off-track betting and poker. The main room of this bar is the restaurant area with tables, waitresses, and an extensive menu. My waitress recommended the chicken sandwich, which is tasty, but there is a huge variety of sandwiches, as well as typical bar food like burgers, hot dogs, and wings. They have food specials every day, and I went on a Tuesday, which is all-you-can-eat taco day. I did not take advantage of this and eat all the tacos I could, but they did look tasty.
The spacious patio with bar access plays host to a whole different type of person; there to drink and have fun. Of course, they serve drinks all over Tempe so it might have been the happy hour specials that made this seem like a great spot to hang out and drink. It's all about the $2 cape cods. If you're a beer person, they have $1.50 pints of domestic beers, which you might want to enjoy while you can, because I suspect the price of beer is going to go up as the hops shortage becomes felt in the industry. Bar tenders all over are worried that the cheap pint of beer may be rather elusive in the months to come. But, I digress. As a bartender myself, hops shortages are the types of things that keep me up at night.
The moral of the story is, the Horse and Hound has something for everyone, including video games, shuffle board, and pool. I had seen it many times because it's right next to Chasers at the Northeast corner of Dorsey and Broadway roads, and I have been to Chaser's for several concerts. For some reason, I never dropped in, but I'm glad I finally did. It’s a very diverse environment. As usual though, don't bring your younger friends, because this is a 21 and over bar.
— Jenifer DeLemont
Get your Irish on
Rula Bula is the kind of place that is neat because it's different. All semester I've been writing this blog and looking for the coolest bars to tell you about, and what I have found is that most bars are pretty much the same.
My friend Shari from Scotland came to visit and suggested Rula Bula. She had been there before and remembered that they have excellent food. I have never been one for Irish food, because as far as I knew, it was all boiled cabbage or potatoes. However, a trip to this place totally changed my mind.
I don't know what drink goes with Irish food if you aren't a beer person, but I had a Sunkiss, which the bartender brought over right away. (Sunkiss: Vodka, O.J. and Red Bull.)
For dinner, I had the pecan encrusted salmon. It came with Brussels sprouts. I had never eaten Brussels sprouts because apparently my mom had nightmares about them. I guess her mom used to force her to eat them, and she hated them, so they where not allowed in the house. However, I think even my mom would like the Brussels sprouts at Rula Bula. I don't know what they cook them in, but they really are delicious. The salmon was awesome too.
When you see Rula Bula on Mill, it looks like a really small place. I figured it would be tiny inside. The front is small and rather unimpressive. I have to say though, it's much bigger on the inside, with a long bar, lots of tables, and a patio. It reminded me of some sort of fold in space-time like in Star Trek. From the outside it seems like a single-room kind of place like last week's bar Time Out Lounge. But when you walk inside, the place is spacious and welcoming. Shari said it reminded her of a little pub in Scotland where she lives. I've never been to Scotland or Ireland, but it was definitely a good place to spend a few hours catching up with a friend.
So, if you're ready to expand your horizons and warm up to some good old Irish cooking, check out Rula Bula.
— Jenifer DeLemont
My friend Shari from Scotland came to visit and suggested Rula Bula. She had been there before and remembered that they have excellent food. I have never been one for Irish food, because as far as I knew, it was all boiled cabbage or potatoes. However, a trip to this place totally changed my mind.
I don't know what drink goes with Irish food if you aren't a beer person, but I had a Sunkiss, which the bartender brought over right away. (Sunkiss: Vodka, O.J. and Red Bull.)
For dinner, I had the pecan encrusted salmon. It came with Brussels sprouts. I had never eaten Brussels sprouts because apparently my mom had nightmares about them. I guess her mom used to force her to eat them, and she hated them, so they where not allowed in the house. However, I think even my mom would like the Brussels sprouts at Rula Bula. I don't know what they cook them in, but they really are delicious. The salmon was awesome too.
When you see Rula Bula on Mill, it looks like a really small place. I figured it would be tiny inside. The front is small and rather unimpressive. I have to say though, it's much bigger on the inside, with a long bar, lots of tables, and a patio. It reminded me of some sort of fold in space-time like in Star Trek. From the outside it seems like a single-room kind of place like last week's bar Time Out Lounge. But when you walk inside, the place is spacious and welcoming. Shari said it reminded her of a little pub in Scotland where she lives. I've never been to Scotland or Ireland, but it was definitely a good place to spend a few hours catching up with a friend.
So, if you're ready to expand your horizons and warm up to some good old Irish cooking, check out Rula Bula.
— Jenifer DeLemont
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