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| Sports-oriented venues break out the buffets and big screens for Super Bowl viewing | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Craig Outhier, Get Out | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| January 31, 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
TOP SHELF  Asia de Cuba at the Mondrian Scottsdale: If you want to splurge, look no further. For $50, guests can eat as much revved-up bar food (including lobster poppers and Kobe beef sliders) and suck down as many domestic beers, cocktails and Bloody Marys as they please. Yeah, the cover charge is steep by sports bar standards, but relative to the everyday prices at this decadent fusion eatery, $50 is actually a smokin’ deal. And there’s an 8-foot TV screen to watch the game. 7353 E. Indian School Road. (480) 308-1131. mondrianscottsdale.com. Farrelli’s Cinema Supper Club: Known colloquially as “that place where you can legally get smashed while watching movies,” this restaurant/exhibitor is earmarking one of its 12-foot movie screens (and dedicated 85-seat auditorium) to the game. The $40 cover charge ($20 for children) includes a lavish all-you-can eat buffet and nonalcoholic drinks. If you want to deflower that virgin daiquiri, it will cost extra. Reservations required. 14202 N. Scottsdale Road, Phoenix. (480) 905-7200. farrellis.com. Phantom Horse Grill at the Arizona Grand Resort (formerly known as Pointe South Mountain Resort): From its perch overlooking south Tempe, this sports-themed grill has catered to countless Super Bowl fans over the years. (In fact, it’s where I first watched Janet Jackson’s notorious “wardrobe malfunction.” Ah, memories.) The food buffet ($18) includes such tried-and-true staples as nachos and bratwursts, and beer prices will be slashed. 8000 S. Arizona Grand Parkway, Phoenix . (602) 438-9000. arizonagrandresort.com. MIDDLE SHELF  Half Moon Sports Grill: This is one of the classier sports bar chains in the Valley; in fact, for a place that chooses exposed butt cracks as its main conceptual motif, I would say surprisingly classy. (At first, you barely notice the framed, sepia-toned portraits of female volleyball players and other lissome beauties. And then it’s like, “Whoa … hide your shame, girl!”) Anyway, the $3 Fat Tire special is the East Valley’s best drink deal, and Super Bowl-watching-wise, there’s not a bad seat in the house. 325 W. Elliot Road, Tempe. (480) 456-9400. halfmoonsportsgrill.com.  SanTan Brewing Co.: For the NFL’s special day, isn’t a special brew in order? Why settle for a boring Bud when you can have a HopShock I.P.A.? All the microbrews at this historic downtown Chandler hot spot will be half off (that’s $3.25), and since they were conceived by master brewer Anthony Cannechia, formerly of Four Peaks, you can also bet they’ll be pretty drinkable. 8 South Marcos Plaza. (480) 917-8700. santanbrewing.com. Upper Deck Sports Grill: You thought reserved seating was the exclusive domain of rock concerts and airlines? Think again. Your $24 cover charge affords you not only repeat visits to the open buffet (wings, sliders, burgers), but your very own, pre-selected seat at this wildly overcrowded Old Town sports bar. Too spendy? Upper Deck will also have a 24-foot projection screen in the parking lot. 4224 N. Craftsman Court, Scottsdale. (480) 941-9333. upperdecksportsgrill.com.  Majerle’s Sports Grill: Owner Dan Majerle expects a big Super Bowl crowd at the tavern’s Chandler Fashion Center location; large parties are encouraged to reserve tables, with a prestipulated minimum purchase. A beehive of activity, this place; including bocce ball tournaments, Budweiser promotions and myriad drink and food specials. 3095 E. Chandler Blvd. (480) 899-7999. majerles.com. IN THE WELL San Tan Flat : For the Queen Creekers among us, why not stick with the rustic charm of your hometown and take in the game at San Tan Flat? If the weather’s nice you can watch the game outdoors, or you can go inside and nosh on the saloon’s ridiculously low-priced flatiron steaks ($9.95). For Super Bowl fans, the Flat offers all things cowboy … except the Cowboys. 6185 W. Hunt Highway. (480) 882-2995. santanflat.com. RT O’Sullivans Sports Bar & Grill: With 70 TV screens, this Mesa sports-lovers’ paradise may — and I emphasize, MAY — lead the East Valley in that particular department. In any case, the place knows how to jazz up the sports-viewing experience. For the Super Bowl, the bar is resurrecting its popular “Pigskin Bingo” feature (first ridiculously overproduced truck commercial gets a square, etc.) and offering $3 Coors mugs. Same goes for its Superstition Springs location. 1010 W. Southern Ave. (480) 844-1290. rtosullivans.com. Gallagher’s: Want some local B-list celebrity seasoning with your Super Bowl? Watch the game with sports-radio personality Jeff Dean (XTRA Sports KGME (910 AM) at this easternmost location of Gallagher’s three Valley bars. According to Dean, the bar boasts somewhere in the area of a thousand digital TV screens and, like, a million-watt speaker system. And radio guys never exaggerate. 3220 E. Baseline Road, Phoenix. (602) 437-0981. gallaghersaz.com. Fox & Hound Pub & Grill: Come Sunday, this Gilbert beer emporium will be promotion-girl central, with swag giveaways from Budweiser and Coors. But if you do insist on watching the Super Bowl at home, the restaurant also offers a buy-100, get-100 buffalo wing deal. That’s just enough to feed 310-pound Patriots guard Logan Mankins, if he happens to drop by. 1017 E. Baseline Road. (480) 507-2343. tentcorp.com. GROUND ZERO More options: If, God forbid, you’re willing to brave traffic and want to see the Super Bowl closer to the source, you can plunk down $350 for a VIP “viewing party” at the Fox Sports Grill in Glendale, hosted by Cleveland Browns star receiver Braylon Edwards. 9425 W. Coyotes Blvd. Or you can spend a mere $100 for a reserved seat at the nearby Native New Yorker, also near University of Phoenix Stadium. Contact Craig Outhier by email, or phone (480) 898-5683 |
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