Over the last few weeks we have reviewed several excellent restaurants, but sometimes you just want to hang out at the bar, watch the games, have a few drinks and enjoy good food.
My favorite bar to do this at is Rounders (8030 Blue Diamond Rd.). Here’s a neighborhood bar that has it all. When I go to a bar I want plenty of televisions so I can be sure to catch my game of choice (which is who I have money on that day). Rounders has me covered there. No matter where you sit at the bar you will have several TV’s to choose from.
Next I want a friendly staff because I’m going to be here awhile when watching a game or two. No one wants to hang out somewhere that doesn’t provide good friendly service. In all of my many trips here the staff has always been attentive to my every need.
When my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers played Dallas late in the season, I was at Rounders watching the game with my Steelers jersey on. The waitress serving my table was wearing a Cowboys shirt. I said this could be bad for me if the Steelers beat your Cowboys and we joked back and forth the entire game. Every time the Cowboys took the lead I would tell her I wasn’t tipping her if the Cowboys win.
We had fun the entire game and when her Cowboys did beat my Steelers she actually bought me a drink. That’s what a neighborhood bar should be like.
As for the food, Rounders hits a home run. I think they have some of the best bar food in the city and one of the finest Happy Hours around. The Happy Hour goes from 2-7 p.m. and late night from midnight to 3 a.m., giving you plenty of time to get real happy with the food and drink specials.
In addition to the normal Happy Hour, anytime there is a televised football game Happy Hour Specials are in affect. They have a special appetizer menu featuring all items at 50% off that period. I’m all about the food.
I love their Chicken Wings. Face it, football and chicken wings go together like love and marriage. Rounders marinates their wings with garlic then tosses them in your favorite sauce. I am also a big fan of their flat bread pizzas. They have a Tri Tip Steak Quesadilla that is out of this world and during Happy Hour it’s a steal.
Sometimes when watching the games you just want to munch on something while enjoying a cold drink. I would suggest trying their Homemade Kettle Chips served with their personal dip. And, if the games you are watching don’t turn out the way you hope, I have the perfect way to make you feel better – order the Banana Caramel Xango for dessert.
This is a banana caramel cheesecake that is flash fried in a flour tortilla then served with vanilla ice cream and warm caramel sauce. This dessert made me feel better after a Steeler loss, it’s that good.
If you don’t want to sit in the bar, Rounders has a separate dining area and an extensive menu serving more than just the usual bar food favorites. So whether you want to play some video poker, watch games, shoot darts, play Golden Tee or just enjoy good food, Rounders has you covered. I give Rounders 3.75 Forks!
Marco D’Angelo is the senior handicapper at Pregame.com. He co-hosts FIRST PREVIEW every Thursday night at 11 pm on ESPN 1100 AM/98.9 FM. Follow him on twitter: @MarcoInVegas. Contact him at [email protected].