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
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