The Short Rest Tavern: A hidden romantic getaway for geeks & gamers

Not everyone likes Valentine’s Day. 

Some consider it a consumerist attempt at getting us whipped up into some fabricated romantic frenzy so we buy heart-shaped candies, overpriced jewelry, and dopey-eyed, pink-dyed bears with the words “I Wuv Woo” emblazed on their cuddly tummies. 

Then there are those that consider the wide world of gaming to be lame. Sitting around a table talking about imaginary wizards and beasts or in front of a screen, moving around imaginary wizards and beasts for hours on end. 

Combine the two factions of thought and opinion and you have a February 14th riot on your hand. But what if the two could live in complete harmony? 

Imagine a place that is dark, cozy, tucked away, and serving tasty food and really good beer and wine. Sounds romantic, right?

Now, imagine that place replete with swords and axes on the walls, where music from “The Lord of the Rings” plays gently in the background, and the room is lit by firelight, magical orbs, and an oversized color wheel 20-sided die. Sounds nerdtastic, right? 

Lords and m’ladies, may I now introduce to you…The Short Rest Tavern. 

Nestled in the stern of Tucson Games and Gadgets, on the second floor of the Tucson Mall near the closed façade of the old Sears, lies a dimly-lit drinkery you and your companion can seek solace from well-trod stretches of retail establishments. 

Named after something an adventurer does when they need some time to eat, sleep, and drink, The Short Rest Tavern serves up both local and imported beer in a variety of styles  — rotated regularly to keep you guessing and coming back for more. The maidens behind the bar are always in good cheer and know their ales and lagers.

Need a suggestion if you are not keen on a particular brew? Huzzah! They will delight you with many an option to bring a smile to your face, tickle the tongue, and entice the belly.

For those seeking to return on a regular occasion, you can join something titled the “Secret Society.” Hush now, dear reader, for this option is one for those that can extend a yearly sum of $100 to the good proprietors. 

Gasp! Such robbery! 

No, my good lector of Tucson Foodie, for this is a righteous enterprise. For one, that sum yields you a personal goblet proudly displayed upon a wall of kinship who also enjoy a good row with orcs and bugbears while traversing the lands in seek of treasure. It also invites a dollar off of each drink, 10% off any food item, and a 5% discount in the games shop anterior. It is as if your thirst for mead and merriment doth pay for itself.

Chuffed are we!

It seems we have fallen off the path leading us into the bosom of amour, which is the subject at hand. The Short Rest Tavern is inviting to all countenances, as the gaming society is inviting to all who are already in the fold. They’re also welcoming to those who are curious as to what the hullabaloo is with tabletop, card, or role-playing games. 

If you have yet to discover the wonders of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), this is the stop to begin your journey. 

On Valentine’s Day, it may be wise to collect other inaugurated couples to sit with while playing the night away in the Tavern. In fact, the entirety of Tucson Games and Gadgets is a space where you can wander with your drink, be it made with barley or grapes, and join in on the fun and frolic.

Just don’t take thine potation beyond the limits of the repository of books, puzzles, miniature figurines, and so many polyhedral dice you wouldst thou think you have stepped into a dwarves mine of gems and fulgent frippery. 

Although, after partaking, you and your intended are thus propounded to shop with heads spinning in mirthful euphoria. Just watch the coin purse as impulse purchases do tend to happen whilst in that state. One bejeweled cellphone case with the word Qween emblazed on it is fine. But 10 of them? Surely, you are in jest.   

If the ever-popular role-playing game inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien does not suit you or your suiter, there are over 500 games to choose from at The Short Rest Tavern, which opened in September 2020. Respect to Tucson Games and Gadgets for not giving in or giving up on such an amazing concept during such challenging times. 

The Short Rest Tavern just has that feel of an inn you’ve read about or seen in a fantasy movie where a halfling got super excited about having a pint.

If you are confused as to where the saloon is located, just go to the huge map of Middle Earth in the corner seating vicinity, near a roaring hearth, and under a TV playing an episode of Pokémon. 

As you gaze into the depths of each other’s eyes, all while getting their 12th Level monk to succumb to your spell of a cursed scroll, save some time to nibble as you canoodle. Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a full pound of tater tots covered in nacho cheese for eight gold pieces (AKA $8). Or perhaps a bag of churro-flavored popcorn as you slam down your Gilded Drake card in hopes that it foils Drizzt Do’Urden. 

The food, much like the beer, wine, company, and entertainment, is fun, plentiful, tasty, and above all a distraction from the real world. 

The Short Rest Tavern is a retreat the rest of us can call home and make our own. It’s not just for gamers and nerds anymore… and I use those terms honorably because I embody each and every nomenclature. Having been playing D&D since 1980, back when I was only nine years old, Tucson Games and Gadgets is a home away from home. The Short Rest Tavern resembles a comfy basement where we’d spend hours and summers whiling away as the rest of the world spun by. 

That is exactly why all of us freaks and geeks need to make the trek to The Short Rest Tavern for not only Valentine’s Day, but for most days as well. 

Because where would Strider go for a drink? Some crowded posh point where the drinks are complicated and the food is prettier than it tastes? No way. He would be in the corner of the Short Rest.

This Valentine’s Day, you and yours need to grab some drinks, play games, and get lost in a tavern away from the beaten pathways. Because beaten pathways usually lead to certain doom. You’re going to need a +10 or better roll to make sure. But you knew that already. Right?

The Short Rest Tavern is located at 4500 N. Oracle Rd. #253 (inside the Tucson Mall). The tavern is open 1 – 11 p.m. on Monday – Thursday, noon-midnight on Friday – Saturday, and noon – 11 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit shortresttavern.com.