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“Bear Down at Playground”: Catch the next UA away game at official watch party hot spot

“Bear Down at Playground”: Catch the next UA away game at official watch party hot spot

Feb 5, 20192 min read


If you’ve been in Tucson all of your life, or perhaps have only lived in the city for a few months, you know the local sports fanatics like to bear down.

Although, bearing down isn’t always easy. What if your favorite University of Arizona team decides to pack up, travel elsewhere, and lay down the hurt against another team on their own stomping grounds?

Luckily, Playground Bar & Lounge is helping you get your game on with weekly watch parties, which is equipped with a limited “Game Time” menu to keep you in your seat while the Wildcats hit the court.

The exclusive game day menu features some of the favorites, such as the Pickle Fries or the Onion Rings, but also select appetizers you wouldn’t often see on the menu — like the Tostito Locos. Plus, it would’t be complete without specials on wells drinks and select draft beer and wine. There’s a cooling collection on the sidelines to help you keep your cool throughout the game’s toughest situations with just $4 each.

The menu’s definitely something to drool about — just avoid the double dribble.

Various Game Time menu items at Playground Bar & Lounge
Various Game Time menu items at Playground Bar & Lounge (Photo by Jackie Tran)

“Game Time” Watch Party Menu

  • Chicken Basket – buttermilk chicken tenders, fries, ranch, and house sauce ($5)
  • Chili Cheese Fries – house chili, cheddar, and onion ($6)
  • Chili Cheese Dog – beef frank, house chili, cheddar, and onion ($6)
  • Tacos (2) – price and available depends on the day
  • Tostitos Locos (choice of beef or chicken) – Salsa Verde Tostitos chips, ranchero beans, verde cheese sauce, cabbage, avocado crema, chipotle mayo, crema limon, red onion, and cilantro ($6)
  • Asada Fries – salsa verde cheese, grilled steak, caramelized onions, topped with guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and cilantro ($5)
  • Onion Rings – with barbecue sauce and ranch ($5)
  • Pickle Fries – with ranch and house sauce ($5)

Sure, watching the game at home is great, but have you ever rooted for cats in style?

The Playground recently went through some renovations including a new garden courtyard, a much larger climate-controlled rooftop that offers one of the best views of the Tucson skyline, and a front patio that provides the sights of sounds of downtown.

Front patio at Playground Bar & Lounge (Credit: Jackie Tran)
Front patio at Playground Bar & Lounge (Credit: Jackie Tran)

Keep in mind, the exclusive “Game Time” menu will also be available during the other sports partners games throughout the season. If the Wildcats aren’t playing, or if you’d just plainly rather watch one of the others, the game day specials still stand.

Playground Bar & Lounge is located at 278 E. Congress. For more information about the Happy Hour, menu, and more, visit playgroundtucson.com.

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Article written by:

Matt Sterner

Matt Sterner

More about Matt

At a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.

He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.

If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.

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