Sahuarita is not a dry community by design. Believe me, you live down in this Stepford-like community long enough and you’re going to want to drink.
But when the El Charro restaurant on Rancho Sahuarita Blvd. closed in mid-June, it left this suburb of 26,000-plus without an actual place to sit down and enjoy a beer, a margarita or a couple-three shots of Jack. I mean, unless you don’t mind sitting on the curb outside the Fry’s Marketplace or the Super Stop.
El Charro’s owners said at the time it planned on opening a gastropub in the El Charro spot in the near future, but it wasn’t until I saw the permanent sign for Pub 22 go up this week that I was convinced it would actually happen.
When, exactly, that Pub 22 will open, though, is anyone’s guess.
A noticeably flustered worker told me today he “hopes” the joint will open in about two weeks, though it all depends on when “all the little details” are taken care of. A quick look inside makes it seem that all the infrastructure is in place, including some nice-sized TVs, lots of steel and grunge decor, as well as 24 tap handles. The plan is to have possibly 16 craft beers on tap, along with a menu that will still incorporate the El Charro brand of Mexican food along with “Italian food, great American food, some awesome mac & cheese” and who knows what else.
Just let me know when I can start a tab.
This article appears in Aug 8-14, 2013.
oh a gastropub… how original
The Tucson city council would have put a stop to this
“Stepford-like community”? – my, how snooty of Mr Pedersen; one would think that he wrote for a major paper, not the free Tucson Weekly!
If anybody wants a drink all they have to do is drive right next door to Green Valley, they have plenty of bars.
The Wetspot and Coach’s are both in the Town of Sahuarita. Those are both bars. Somebody wrote an article without actual facts.
Tried Pub 22 on its first day. The place is ugly !! Whats with the beer kegs hanging from the ceiling? That is so tacky – they didn’t do themselves any justice with the remodel, the place looks dumpier now than it did before, and the beer lines are the same, way too long and they don’t clean the lines properly, gives you a major headache when you drink their tap beer.. also way overpriced.. I give them one year and they will be out of business
Re: Terry’s comments
I also went to Pub 22 yesterday for their ‘soft’ opening. I was not impressed w/the décor, especially the suspended kegs. They’ve just opened so the beer lines should be extremely clean & I had no post drink headache. Their beer prices are comparable to other bars w/similar craft beers; menu is eclectic w/some unique choices. As I told one of their mgrs.: “sincere good luck, but this neighborhood will not sustain 22 different beers on tap”. I’m returning today for their happy hour(s) w/discounted beverages & a $5.00 bar menu. They just opened & I have more patience than Terry – they need some time to work out the kinks..