This is probably my favorite bar in Tucson. Great atmosphere, dark decor, and they run a lot of cool events. The drinks here are decently priced, with a friendly staff. It's great if you're into the alternative scene. Also, their tacos are pretty awesome. read more

My only complaint about the Surly Wench is I don't go often enough. I have always been treated with respect at the Wench by both the staff and the customers. The decor is fun and unique... very rockabilly and pirate inspired. The jukebox is one of my favorites in town, with plenty of the Cramps and Pixies to keep you satisfied. They have air hockey, foosball, pinball, and Pacman. I like going on Monday nights, when there's a DJ. The manlesque shows are really fun to go with my friends. Lastly, this place's kitchen is seriously underrated. I've had and loved the potato tacos, tator tots, and hummus. There are a ton of creative vegetarian options. Food is cheap, and the kitchen is open later than most on 4th ave. It's cash only and you order in the back, but don't let that deter you from getting some tasty late night eats. read more

Amazing alternative style bar. Always so much going on. The music, beautiful women of Black Cherry Burlesque, The Manly Manlesque Show, game night and special events. The staff is amazing nice and food is good too. Get the Mom's tocos or the amazing fries. All made with fresh ingredients. read more

Surly Wench Pub - Having a nice cold beer at my favorite bar. - Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I'm new to the Tucson area and this was the first bar I went to and with good reason. Browsing through yelp reviews on Tucson gay bars I realized there are no decent ones, not really at least. On one review of I don't remember what bar, one girl wrote a review and mentioned The Surly Wench at the end, and I was convinced. Great atmosphere, amazing staff/bartenders, friendly, etc. Favourite place to drink so far. read more

we had fun here! fast service, and good drinks with interesting names. they seem to have a lot of cool events happening on a regular basis like 90's night dance parties, and comedy nights read more

Best dive bar in town since the Buffet seems always overrun with frats slumming it or looking for easy prey. Gives Che a run for its money for best bar downtown since sorry to say the Tap has seen better days. No attitude & everyone seems pretty relaxed & laughs a plenty. The bar is a fine place to plop yourself down for a few hours. Jasmine's my all time fave pour master/sass talker. Pool & the only air hockey table around,i believe. Dance floor & sound system good enough for me. Yeah its on 4th ave., it can't all be ideal! read more

Hands down, THE BEST Bloody Mary's in town!!! If you like them spicy, ask for the green Chile Vodka, it packs a punch and will keep you coming back for more!!! I love this place!!! read more

I love this bar, 96% of the time. Great prices on drinks, fantastic decor, they've got pool, jukebox, video games and an air hockey table. Perfect place to go for a quiet afternoon drink or for a rowdy Friday night. The bartender Jasmine is such a nice gal, always smiling and happy to help. Extra love goes out to Eric (the aforementioned bouncer/doorman/all around best employee) for always greeting my friends and I with a big hug and a smile. Extra points for the food- their chef knows exactly what she's doing in the kitchen. I'm giving four stars instead of five because I stopped in there in the midst of the 4th Avenue St. Fair last weekend and they majorly bumped all their prices up just for the fair. The bar didn't have any more customers than usual for a Saturday afternoon, and when the bartender handed us our bills having not told us we'd be paying almost twice as much for the same drinks, we were pretty pissed. It was a bad business move- if anything, they should have had drink *specials* for the event like the majority of the 4th Ave bars that day. Highly suggest going there when there's NOT a street fair going on though. read more

The crowd of smoking mohawked, spiked, inked and plugged Wench patrons smoking defiantly on the street is a little off-putting for the more squeamish Fourth Avenue bar goer, but persevere. The music here is worth it. I've seen the Ting-Tings, the guitarist from White Stripes, and a wealth of uber punk, metal, and industrial bands here worthy of a much higher cover charge than the $5 which is de riguer here. The Wench caters to a devoted death punk clientele with dark vinyl and a Lynchian barroom off to the side in which one might expect to find an iron maiden for decor instead of glass cases with Wench merchandise. The sound from the stage is clear and loud - no cavernous reverb muddies the music in the smallish band area. An oddly-placed pool table limits the view of the band from the general area of the large bar, and the Wench is not without design flaws, but the kind, mostly female bar staff whip up strong cocktails with broad strokes instead of pointilist precision which are not for the faint of heart. Its age alone qualifies the Wench for epic divehood, but the music at this venue is anything but old and tired. For an intimate mosh pit, a peak at the latest vinyl fads and piercing trends, and the pungent smell of sweaty leather, the Wench is the place to be. read more

Very nice, chill and interesting crowd. Atmosphere was chill also and the bartenders are cute. Would definitely visit again.

One of the grossest smelling places I've entered. It was like having a cocktail in a port a potty. The reason for even staying there was we were at the street fair and needed a break from the crowd and wanted to cool off (I don't think they had ac, but whatever). Walking into the restroom another patron replied that it wasn't the most pleasant place to be. Reading the other reviews I can't believe I was at the same place! The fact they had a food menu completely repulsed me. I can only imagine the cleanliness of the kitchen with the place smelling like a sewer. The one good thing was the bouncer was very sweet. That was about the only good thing to say about our experience. Sorry. read more

I made a joke that upset the bouncer and he declared me too drunk to come into the bar despite my obvious sobriety. He got embarrassed for overreacting and instead of apologizing he then insulted me and the group of friends I was meeting. We went to Plush instead and had a great time. I've worked downtown for years and am typically treated very well by fellow service industry folk. I guess we'll be spending our Tuesdays elsewhere as long as this oversensitive jerk is at the door. read more

It is odd, but I do like this place. I sometimes sit there with a drink, look around, and wonder why I like this place. I don't think I really fit in, especially when I wear my collegiate clothing, all decked out after a football game. The guardian at the door is cool and efficient. Bartender is friendly and competent; my drinks are always tasty and get to me fast. So in other words, no problem with service. Sometimes the music where the dance floor is sucks, but watching people dance funny to horrible music is entertaining to watch. Had me grinning for an hour, and downright laughing with tears rolling down my face for another. It doesn't get packed in here, thats probably the reason I always end up here, but its not dead either. The people that do show up, well, they are usually my source of entertainment. And I mean that in a good way, as in, I wish I was bold enough like him/her, and not in the way like, look at that idiot (okay, a few times i thought that). Some of them do look like they are on alot more than just drink. The main thing is, everyone is enjoying being themselves. I always enjoy myself here. So when another UoA football game rolls around, or we just in the area, It is most likely than not that I will end up here. read more

If you want to deal with nasty bouncers and rude bartenders this is the place to go. Apparently if you miss the tattoo quota you are clearly not good enough for this bar. The last two times I went I saw people get kicked out for breathing. For example, a guy was standing in the middle of the bar talking to someone and was apparently in the way of the bouncer who asked him to move by screaming at him and pushing him. When the guy objected to this behavior the bouncer proceeded to kick him out. I've been to this place at least 10 times and after seeing that I've had enough of the Surly Wench and it's terrible employees. There are way to many great bars in Tucson to deal with the type of bartenders and bouncers who work at this place. read more

Wasn't sure where to go in town. Checked Yelp for some idea of a district I could check out. 4th Ave near the U of A seemed promising. Didn't get there until 10 P.M., when apparently all kitchens in the area close (seemed odd). Surly Wench delivered what I needed. This place confused me at first. The kitchen is cash only, but I can treat the bar as an ATM and pull cash from my credit card to spend on food? Aren't you part of the same establishment? The food was really good though - we brought the Pita appetizer back to our hotel and my girlfriend had it for lunch the next day. The sandwiches were well put together, and the Salsa Burger was out of this world. Impressive micro brew list as well. I'd never heard of Ska brewing before (and this was the same night a band called Ska-Boom was playing the Hotel Congress - is ska still popular in AZ?). Decor was reminiscent of the bars I frequented near the University here in Mpls, so it ended up being a nice homey atmosphere. I also enjoyed that they were playing Saturday Night Fever on the T.V. above the door. And the big plus - so often a bar will decide they are going to be "gritty," and they end up becoming a shithole. Not so with Surly Wench. Yes, they have a skeleton theme with the posters on the walls, and it's kind of dark, but the kitchen is clean and well-lit, and the washrooms are nicer than some I've seen at four-star restaurants. For my OCD, that was icing on the cake. read more

This is my kind of place. My husband and I stopped by after a long day of walking, museuming, and shopping. We were here for happy hour on a weekday and the vibe was very chill. The whiskey old fashioned I ordered passed my test. The decor and low light make for a relaxing respite from the sun of a bright or hot day. The air hockey table was a lot of fun next time I visit I want to check this place out at night.... they have karaoke and burlesque shows weekly. read more

i still can't get over how cheap the drinks were here. i ordered 3 tequila-pineapples, and the tab was $7.50??!? seriously? well i wasn't planning on drinking that much tonight but SHIT if you're gonna just give it to me, dont mind if i do! as an out of towner, my cousins knew just where to take me for a good time. their friend was in a fashion show here for some local designers and stores, which was an awesome way to advertise some local duds! cool rockabilly/anything goes kinda vibe where you can get your drink on and mingle among tuscon's finest. read more

Maybe im just unlucky or maybe there is always a cover to get into this place. Which is weird because nothing musically i have ever heard hear has been worth it. I like the atmosphere that divey black leather punk aura of a smoke filled palace of badassery, but with crappy service more often then not and awkward feng shui im sad to say it becoming a passing phase. read more

I have now been to Surly Wench well over a few dozen times. They just opened up a whole new room with a bar inside and plenty of couches to relax on. I always start a tab and am always surprised to get my bill because it is always cheaper than what I thought I would be paying. I have eaten there a few times and the food is soooo good. I recommend the BBQ Burger with crispy tater tots. Yum. They also have potato tacos and fried Oreos which I hear are very tasty. The doorman there is always pleasant and so are the bartenders except I have to agree with a comment below, there is one rude bartender, I wonder if we are talking about the same lady. There all always live bands or DJ's and this bar is never boring. From burlesques shows to guitar hero nights to 80s dancing, it's a must "stop by" if you are on 4th Ave!! read more

I always seem to end up at the Wrench when I'm down on 4th ave. the reason, well the funky scene and great prices of course. I like the energy that Wrench gives off. I like the air hockey and the various arcade games in the front. There is a back room with a stage. I've been here when live bands have played and this past weekend they were playing dance music. Never really too packed to walk around but never too empty either. A good balance. I'm sure ill be back! read more

The Surly Wench is atmosphere and it's nice knowing I'll have a lower chance of being groped by a drunk asshole here than other places. I've had mainly good bartender experiences too - only had one eye roll come my way. Prices are fair, their bruised pears are amazing, and the jukebox is like a mish-mash of teenage punk rock nostalgia. I just don't like the cover that forces me to other bars when all I want is air hockey and the Wench in my sweet embrace. read more

This place is home. The seating is great and they have Ace Pear on Tap. The jukebox has heavy metal, punk, rock, and oldies. The food is also really good. I love to go here and hang out with my friends. Not to mention the bouncers are gentlemen have stepped in and saved me from creepers before. read more

from the old wrinkly ladies in bikinis and goth women gyrating in wedding gowns (gross, yet incredible! you can't look away!)...to the Gia-Era pic of Angelina Jolie on the wall...to the wonderful jukebox...to the cute DJs who play New Order!!!!!...this place is AWESOME! i found this place, despite it's surly name, to be very hospitable. the bartenders, door men and clientele were in my experience quite friendly! i just moved to town from NY and it gave me a little (well large) dose of much-needed seediness reminiscient of the lower east side. i recommend the dance nights on thursday, where they place dancey and new wavey tunes, and youre most likely to see a wrinkly old woman getting down! definitely give it a shot! read more

My first visit to the Surly Wench ever was to see "Black Cherry Burlesque" perform on the first Friday of the month, which they do every month. I've always meant to go having heard about this a couple of years ago, so I packed up some courage to go by myself and did it. I showed up at 8:15 and the event started about 10 minutes later. It's a $10 admission fee for the show, and you get a stamp so you can come and go (it looks like most of the people who come to Surly Wench go out to smoke). Drinks were nice, I got rum and cokes for just $2.50 and they have a separate, and much quieter bar, attached to the side, which I want to explore next time. Much more chill than the main room. There are booths to sit at but if you want to see the stage you mostly need to stand, and boy did it get packed, especially for the 10 o'clock show (I stuck around for that, too when some friends showed up). The burlesque was a lot of fun; some of the dancing wasn't always the best, but there are nearly naked women on stage! And there are jokes from the emcees as well as raffles, amateur contests, and even a really funny performance from a man who, well, dressed as a dog did some risque things to a cardboard cutout of Judy Garland. Use your imagination on that one. It gets packed, and getting to the bar can be a little crazy. Arrive early, get your drinks, and explore that other bar area. They have a lot of cool stuff in nooks and crannies so look around. And the number of pinup type women here and gothy type guys was awesome for people watching. read more

Well I was invited to go here to watch a Burlesque show .And i have to say it was amazing.The club is small but cute.I had a hard time getting service.I think it was because I was straight haha.Anyways I did enjoy the show .And learned a thing or two from the girls. read more

Shout out to the bartender and owner who saw to it today, that I had the perfect birthday gift for my husband. You're the best!

If you moved to Tucson from a big city, this is the closest thing you'll find to "home." Badass atmosphere, tons of seating areas so you can find the right space for what you're looking for. The dance floor is separate enough that people say they're going to the "club" when they're out for a dance night, but integrated right into the bar so you can be as much a part of things as you want (or don't, as the case may be). Dykes and other hot homos galore. Pool, arcades, air hockey. Check it out. read more

Best bar in Tucson. Service is always fast and polite. Also love the food that they serve. No lie, might be the best burger and tacos I have ever eaten. If you are looking for a bar that will treat you like a friend, you found the right place! 5 Stars is not enough for this bar. It is the TOP of the line. read more

Sure, the wenches are surly, but so are the patrons. The place exudes an atmosphere of someplace between 'respectable' and seedy. The crowd is a collection of drunk coeds and college pukes, dingy alt types from around 4th Ave, and the occasional deranged vagrant. Play some pool, get hammered, have a good time. The Wench is remarkably good for this... read more

Dear god I love this bar and miss it like crazy. Nothing I've found in San Francisco can compare. Visiting Tucson for a week in April and I'm spending every damn day and night in a comfy booth listening to Faith and Kiss and Sunday Morning Comin' Down.. Miss my sushi girl, miss my Scorpions, miss my surly sirens. read more

Surly Wench is certainly an interesting place, but it is also a great time. Between the various entertainment, the Double Fister special, and the Hamms beer, I always have a good time at Surly Wench. I often don't plan to stay out late, but more often than not I find myself at Surly Wench until close. read more

Only been here during the day so far, but was happy with it. Hoping to get down here for a nighttime show one of these days but who knows when that will happen?! On a whim the wife and I strolled in to grab a bite to eat. and a pint. Excellent beers to choose from, as well as the hipster PBR that seems requisite for 4th Ave bars. I can certainly see where service may be a turn off to some. The bartender definitely seemed less than interested in us until I engaged him on things like different beers and punk rock. After that, he was essentially a friend to us. The food was better than I was hoping--certainly pub grub, but with a twist. Being a Scooby-Doo fan since childhood, I had to try the Scooby Snack--jalapeño poppers on a bun under a bed of mushrooms and sauce (vegetarian, not vegan). Definitely seems like something Shaggy would eat. And honestly, delicious "junk food". I just don't think my gut could take it too frequently! The place is what you'd expect from other reviews--dark (essentially coated black) with a punk rock/pirate take on kitsch. Pool tables in the back, air hockey, jukebox, although during the day the bartender had a punk/reggae pandora station streaming from a PC. Overall, I like it... a different feel for Tucson, even for 4th Ave. Keep an open mind and you might be surprised. Now to get down there for one of the burlesque shows... read more

The Surly Wench has an interesting atmosphere, as you might guess from the name. Apparently they have burlesque there sometimes, which I'm curious about but haven't seen yet. Their beer is good, and they usually have specials. They also have a couple pool tables. It's a fun bar to hang out in. read more

Great atmosphere, cheap drinks, pool tables. So far it's the only place I know of in Tucson that serves pickle juice chasers.

Definitely worthy of checking out. I've never had a bad time here. Prices were good that I remember. Yeah most girls here are gay, but who cares? The place is awesome, food is terrific and their shows are fucqin epic. read more

Refused letting me in with a valid California drivers license but let my friend who has a fake ID stroll right in. When I pointed out my ID was very valid the lady at the door was insanely rude to me. They need a binder with out of state IDs and learn how to tell the fakes from the real ones because the system they have now literally let's fakes waltz past them. Don't recommend coming here unless you have a fake ID or an Arizona one. read more

It's also worth noting that I've seen several dudes get their asses handed to them for being creepers.

Air hockey, good jukebox, good bartenders, good decorations, good food and fried candy bars (the latter not an attraction for me, but at least a source of amusement), has some essence that reminds me of Baltimore (home). Comfortable, fun. read more

I love Surly. I may be partial because this is where my guy and I first said I love you to one another. But aside from that even, it's fantastic. Great bartenders, they're so personable and nice. The drinks are a deal and it's just an overall great atmosphere. Definitely a Tucson fave! read more

Nasty nasty urinal tasting drink! How could a drink taste so bad!? Its like they did it on purpose somehow. And ordered a double but it was absolutely watered down with what must have been toilet water. Not okay! Do not recommend, and I love dive bars! Nope! read more