Bongo's Bar & Grill

I went back to Bongo's after getting recognized somewhere else. My plan was to drink and sulk. Maybe scratch someone. I walked in on Jeremiah Clay Neal and the Claybyrds making wonderful sound. I walked in and the barmaid remembered what I drank. I walked in on a bar full of people having a fabulous time. My advice to you? Walk in to Bongo's or find The Claybyrds (or both). Better yet? Run. Great service. Long pours. Clean tap. Cool people. Huge menu. Good grill. Heavenly sound. Yes. The sound. Jeremiah Neal could be the love child of Etta James and Michael Stipe… with Bono as his nanny. His voice is clean and compelling and along with his finger-lickin’ acoustic guitar work, he puts out sound with such skilled enthusiasm that even the veins in his neck get hard. He’s joined on stage (okay, at Bongo’s, it’s really just the other side of a very small bar) by The Claybyrds… Jeremy Stokes on trumpet - insightful, clear, tight, beautiful sound & vocals, Chris Hoskins on saxophone - smooth, provocative, alluring & achingly understated, Brad Stell on drums - the heartbeat of the night, consistent, life affirming and sparkling, Andrew Baxter on bass - deep, complex, persuasive & intoxicating (and insanely young) and David Frost on electric guitar - beautiful, Clapton-esque & technically delightful. Oh, there’s a bonus. The group is eclectic and gorgeous. They are visual snack food in addition to being a sound banquet. The Claybyrds offer a broad range of original works like Neal’s beautiful, insightful “The World Changes” and smile inducing “Naked”in addition to a vast choice of consistently well played cover tunes. From Van Morrison’s “Moondance” to Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, Sublime and Steppenwolf you’ll find that The Claybyrds are a rocking, satisfying movable feast. Offering clean, tight sound (and a CD of original work at gigs (for cheap, too)) This cat calls The Claybyrds at Bongo’s a great time. Pros: Consistent Sound Huge Range of Songs more

Bongos rocks. I've been going there a lot as of late and for good reason. They offer 2.50 Red Stripes and the longest happy hour in AZ, 11-7...they do happy hour on the weekend too. Huge menu, supposedly a great breakfast and something going on every night. They have TV for sports fans and a great atmosphere to just socialize in. It is a small place...hopefully small enough to stay hidden! Pros: 2.50 Red Stripes, huge menu, events, longest happy hour Cons: no draft beer, small more

The bar and grill concept is a tired fad that most chains fail at miserably. Predictable menus, sterile service, and gaudy decor translates into overpriced mediocrity. Bongo's old school beach bar atmosphere is a refreshing oasis in the midst of the restaurant wars. The menu is a binder full of pub favorites with manly portions and one-of-a-kind drink options. Couple that with the unmatched hospitality courtesy of co-owners Melinda and Doug along with multiple flat screens to satisfy your hunger for sports, and a buffet of event options including poker night, comedy night, and karaoke and you have a recipe for a one-of-a-kind locals only pub. I prefer the burgers as well as Dave's famous weekend breakfasts including biscuits and gravy and fried potatoes. The New Year's Eve special supper of prime rib was fantastic. Give Bongo's a try! Pros: ambience, flat screens, food and portions, ultra-friendly owners Cons: hard on the waist line more