Had the meatball appetizer and a jack and coke. Â It was dead on Monday night, however, the monsoon was in full swing. . .
Good people watching. Â Wouldn't want to be in there when its crowded. Â Dark interior, don't know why, but most of the few patrons were watching the Home Run Derby. Â I guess it could have a romantic atmosphere. . .I dunno.
I definitely like the swings on the ceiling. Â All different lengths. Â Sort of reminds me of Freddy Krueger movies or maybe hell raiser. . .
I only went here because someone said it was a cool place. Â Parking sucked because its by U of A. . .so street parking if your lucky to find a spot close.
I have a love/hate relationship with Playground.
On the love side, I really love what this place has done for downtown Tucson. Â Two years ago your best bar options downtown (Congress excluded) were Sharks and Zen Rock. Â Playground really took the lead in making downtown a much classier place to enjoy a night out. Â They have been largely influential in changing the whole downtown culture. Â I love that they have three unique and well designed areas to hangout. Â The rooftop is probably the coolest space in all of Tucson to enjoy some great music and a good cocktail.
Unfortunately for whatever reason, fair or unfair, it is just a really lame scene. Â I really want to like Playground, but every time I go there I end up leaving and going somewhere else. Â Somehow they've attracted the wrong crowd, despite doing everything right from a design standpoint. Â If you are looking for stuffy and pretentious, this is your spot and you will probably have a glowing five star review. Â Personally I just don't enjoy that scene. Â For a place called Playground, it's not really that fun.
Stop in for a cocktail, check out the scenery, and then head on down the road.
Ugh. Was so excited to come here for my birthday. Great space, love the patio. Was looking forward to half-price apps, specifically lobster mac & cheese.
Really had to work on the bartender to get him to stop being a hipster snot. The servers were similarly humorless, and unbelievably absent. The service here is a dumpster fire.
So! No half-price apps anymore! The whole reason we were there. Certainly wasn't the drink prices.
Never going there again, despite lovely setting. Hard to believe this is associated with The Hub, as they seem intent on providing excellent customer service.
The Patio on top of the roof is great, the view is spectacular. Â It is a great place for a show, I have been here several times on different nights, usually for just a moment or 2. Â It is a great space both inside and out, the crowed is normally kind of rich college kids the fraternity sorority types on the superficial side (there was a group of girls so made up I thought they were drag queens, not that I have anything against d.q.'s). Â Not my crowd hope it never was, but with the right friends maybe during the summer, I will go and hang on the roof on a warm summer night. Â If there is a show there I am interested in I will go as well.
Review Source:This is probably the NICEST, swanky'est bar in Tucson. As far as atmosphere is concerned, this place sets the bar VERY, VERY high... everything from the decor and lighting to the roof-top bar. Lots of young professionals. This is a great place to take a date after seeing a show at the Rialto or even just to go grab a few drinks at when there is nothing else going on. One of my friends from Scottsdale said it was the coolest bar he had ever been to and I would have to agree.
Review Source:OK, ready for a review out of left field? Â
My wife and I met up with another couple here for an afternoon gathering on the back patio. Â Sound normal enough? Â Well, we chose this place so we could sit outside and have a drink and let our 1-year olds play together. Â Gasp! Â OK, if you've judged me to be the worst parent ever, there's no point in defending our actions. Â Besides, you would have likely stopped reading by now anyways. Â If you think it's ok that adults don't completely put their lives on hold after having a child, then I implore you--check this place out for a cocktail in the afternoon. Â It is chill, and the chairs are a climbing paradise for the youngsters! Â The vibe is so completely laid back and wonderful. Â Completely at peace here with our little guy. Â
The funny thing is I guess this is night and day different than if you go here at night. Â From what I've heard, frankly I don't think I want to go here at night. Â Not out of fear or anything, just not my scene. Â Besides, with our little guy, I can't remember the last time I went out at night anyways!
Go check it out during the day if you're looking for a ridiculously comfy patio to chill and sip. Â And if you have a little, bring him/her along. Â It would be great to see a tidal wave of toddlers take this patio over!
I'll admit my experience definitely wasn't ideal, it was so packed i didn't get to try out the bar and the rooftop was closed that weekend which was the main reason i wanted to try it out. So hopefully the next time i go i'll have a chance to enjoy the roof and maybe better dance music, it  was pretty generic, but overall the place has a good vibe to it.
Review Source:We visited this place on a Saturday night and got there early. The place started getting packed about 10ish so it was nice that our big party got a chance to grab a nice area to sit.
Our waitress Ashley was very good so I give her a thumbs up for her service. Just make sure you order a drink when your half way through.
Their food is amazing! If you like spicy food you have to try their prime rib chilli! I'm in love!
The rooftop at night is nice but they didn't a wide selection of import beers and going up and down to use the restroom and getting my choice of beer at the bottom bar gets old.
I'm going to be 40 so the house music upstairs...eh...not very hot about it but it was ok.
I'll be back for sure!
I like Playground solely because they play great music on the weekend nights (if you're a fan of house music, you'll agree). The rooftop area is also beautiful and gives you a great view with twinkling lights.
However, with a posh atmosphere and dance music also comes a hit or miss crowd and bartenders/security that probably deal with a bunch of crap so they're pissed off half the time.
I've always gone here with a bigger group and I don't get easily annoyed with other people so the iffy crowd doesn't bother me much. If you want to go with some friends to dance your butt off and ignore everyone else, this is your spot. If you're the type of person that gets easily annoyed with douchebagery and girls in stilettos and mini skirts, you might want to find another hang out.
The staff I've dealt with (bartenders, security guards, bouncers) have neither been friendly nor horribly rude. Let's just say I don't feel a need to give a great tip to them for their stellar service.
It's a must to check out. If it's your style, you'll love it. If not, Congress is a minute walk.
As a consequence of its central downtown location, size, and general appeal, it seems that at least half of my nights out in Tucson start out or end up at Playground. The concept was cool from the start -- quirky decor, swingsets hanging from the ceiling, menus like school notebooks, astroturf on the patio -- and with the now-open roof deck, I can spend many happy social hours here.
The drinks are a little on the pricey side, but there's a good selection of beer on tap and the service is quick. I haven't tried the food since the menu was changed from the cute brown paper "lunch" style snacks, so I look forward to trying their menu items in the near future.
Another fun aspect of Playground is the constant entertainment (makes sense, given the name!) with old movies playing on the big projector on the patio, strange trippy images playing indoors, and oftentimes a DJ on the roof. When the weather is nice, there's nothing better than gathering a big group and hanging out on the large sofas on the patio, and if you run out of things to talk about, there's always great people- and tv-watching.
The bartenders need to learn Customer Service!
I love this place - it's the hippest new place in downtown Tucson, and the rooftop deck is amazing. Â The ground-level outdoor area is also great (I love the couches).
BUT...the indoor bartenders need better manners. Â During an (admittedly busy) recent Saturday night, I stood at the bar for a full ten minutes without one of the four bartenders serving me, acknowledging me, or even making eye contact. Â
That's pretty hard to do - I'm 6'4", and I was leaning on the bar, trying to get served. Â All it would have taken was a simple "be right with you," but they seemed determined to ignore me. Â After ten minutes, I gave up in frustration, left the place, and spent my money next door at Sapphire. Â If this happens again, I will not return.
I was very excited when the Playground first opened up. Finally a "Nice" bar in Tucson to get good drinks, hang out, and even dance!
While this is still one of my favorite places to come out to, the Playground has definitely started to catch on leading me to the first "CON" that I have which is weekend evenings can get ridiculously crowded. Like in a concert having to move through crowds with your elbows crowded. Second, the inside bar is usually loud (there is always a dj inside) and service has been consistently slow. Depending on how crowded inside vs. outside is I will decide between the inside bar, outside bar, or a server when seating is available. Other than those issues, which you are likely to find at any other popular bar, its a fun place to come that has their own unique cocktail list and consistently mixes the drinks well.
I adore the outside patio which features a trendy (some say Vegas style), "garden seating" area. The roof is also really cool for people watching, hanging out in the nice weather, or dancing when they have an additional dj on the roof.
Playground also serves food which is delish but don't plan on meals after drinking as the portions are small. Even though they serve food, the server's aren't hired for their vast food and drink knowledge as this isn't a restaurant (referring to weekend evenings anyway when it really just a bar and lounge), Every server I have ever had has been great, friendly, and relatively fast!
If you are looking for a decent hang out spot and want to avoid the less civilized types (aka drunk dudes trying to fight at Maloney's over a chick who just puked over the patio rails) , this is good place to go! Good cocktails and snacks, decent amount of seating, indoor and outdoor options, attractive patrons and staff... :)
WTH is up with the bottle service at this place?????? Â My friend paid $300 for a table with bottle service, which the bottle wasn't even left for us! The waitress kept it in the back and was pouring us drinks out of it. Â Or lack there of. Â We had a VERY difficult time getting drinks all night even though we bought a bottle. Â It got so bad we finally complained. Â So, they gave us a bottle of champagne and that is the only reason this review has 2 stars. Â It seems like a fun place but GET YOUR BOTTLE SERVICE IN ORDER.
Review Source:If you can't tell from my check ins, I'm a frequenter of nightlife in Tucson...
I could not possibly be any happier with playground.
When it first opened and even when it was still in the works, I was a little skeptical of what was going to come of it.
I LOVE the decor and atmosphere.
Awesome drink specials, way more than i could ever ask for when it comes to something so trendy.
AMAZING staff!!! Drew definitely took care of us and made us feel at home and like VIPs, and Ben quickly took care of us at the bar.
Definitely a must see spot in Tucson!
I'm basically a regular at playground. Â From trivia on Monday, to after-kickball shenanigans on Thursday (they're the sponsor bar,) Â and the occasional weekend pit-stop, I'm here a lot. Â
The decor is very modern and not similar to anywhere else in Tucson. Â The inside has great spaces for lounging, the inside is really an ode to the whole "playground" theme, and the rooftop adds a big-city vibe to the entire place. Â The beer selection is good, and the cocktails are creative, but none have really impressed me. Â My favorite drink is their white wine blend, it's crisp and refreshing, the perfect summertime drink. Â
Their menu is recently expanded from small bar treats to full meals. Â I've sampled the tots and the popcorn on many occasions, and their delicious. Â My current favorite though is the beet and goat cheese salad. Â I'm currently obsessed with beets and they are exquisite in this salad. Â I'm crazy about it. Â
Playground is a great addition to the downtown Tucson scene.
I have been frequenting this place lately as my weekend and after work drink spot. I love the drinks and I love the location downtown. The best part of PG is the rooftop and the backyard lounge! It is sad they do not open it every night of the week, but on the weekends it is definitely poppin! They host a lot of DJs, most of which will play dance/house/trance type music. I love being on the roof and dancing my face off! It is not like other places where you are inside and if you are like me and like to stay on the dancefloor a long time, you don't have to worry so much about sweating your face off. ha!
The appetizers are pretty good! I like getting the pretzel bites and the prosciutto wrapped asparagus. 4-7 is their happy hour everyday and they just started a special for the summer where from 4 to close all apps and drinks are half off on tuesdays!
There are plenty of helpful servers. All of which are friendly and pretty! The bartenders are pretty good as well, but as with any popular bar, expect to wait in line for drinks at one of their 3 bars.
So plan a night out! Meet here for happy hour, go next door to the hub for great food, come back to PG for dancing and people watching.
Possibly one of the more interesting places to hang out on Congress. Â Then again, so were Zen Roc and Saffire a few years ago. Â
While the buzz is still in the air about this lounge, expect to find a good mix of Tucson locals and students, and expect a 5-10 minute line for everyone to pack in. Â Unless of course if you are well liked by the staff, then you can apparently screw everyone in line by going straight to the front.
Once inside there are three unique areas to hang out w/ your crew: the indoor bar with plenty of seating, the outdoor patio with large group seating areas, and the upstairs outdoor patio, which has its own mini bar and place for dancing, that is, when its not closed off nearly every other night for 'private parties'. Â If you like a big crowd, this is the place to be. Â If you want to dance, go across the street to Congress (though I bet slipping a few bills to the bouncers could allow you to head up). Â
Speed of service is not their highlight. Â Well, service in general for that matter.
If you are new to town or just want a place to chill and mingle w/ new people, this isn't the best place to explore, as usually everyone stays reserved in their own groups.
I love the atmosphere here! I like to go for Geeks Who Drink on Mondays and also appreciate the fact that, unlike some other venues in town, they have a good sound system. The service is usually good, although we've been there on one occasion where it was really quite slow. The bathrooms are clean and the food is great (try the pretzel bites!). They have some interesting mixed drinks that you probably couldn't find elsewhere in town, however at least one of the drinks (the Benny Blanco) is no longer being made there but is still on the menu. Another time we were there and all of their taps were out! It's not a usual thing for them, but how can you be a bar and have all of your taps out?
Although there are a few little annoyances, overall I really enjoy going to Playground and appreciate the fact that they have a decent amount of parking in the rear. I would love to go some night and check out their Bar Cinema, it sounds like an interesting idea!
Hub, yes! Playground? No! Did I fall and bump my head? No, I don't think so. Read further.
Since the construction is wrecking some of the downtown and Fourth Avenue businesses, a friend and I decided we would travel downtown to get some appetizers and a drink or two. We chose Playground. She'd been once; I'd never been. When we arrived, there was a private party upstairs and I got that inner glow that comes with community pride. I was pleased to see so many people with the same idea to invest some time on the downtown scene.
What I noticed right away was that I really liked the feel of the space. I didn't care for the TVs near the bar, but I love that the bar takes center stage. I found the décor to be contemporary and welcoming. Love the hanging green, wall to ceiling, toward the back. Gorgeous locale.
We took a seat. I had a chance to sit in one of those large black chairs. Comfortable and comforting. Everything was going well. Our greeter came right away to say hello and to provide the menus, which are designed in the form of composition handbooks. Nice touch. She then told us our server would be right with us. Sweet!
Now, there must have been about six other people downstairs. Granted, the party upstairs was on in a big way, but we did see a couple of staff members floating around. We weren't sure who our server was, but we kept looking around every time someone would pass. No matter that the server didn't come right away. We were still browsing the menu.
Nearly 10 minutes passed before our server arrived and asked if we would like water. We did. She left for another few minutes. We had a few questions and, when she returned, my friend allowed me to ask first. I wanted to know if the Chardonnay was oaked because, if it wasn't, I was going to try one of their cocktails. At that moment, the server pointed at the menu and, no lie, said: "The name of the wine is right there on the menu." The echo reverberated in my head: "...right there on the menu...right there on the menu...." In my mind I said, "Uhhhhh, OK." I proceeded to tell her that I wasn't familiar with the label and that I preferred full-bodied, buttery wines. She told me she would go ask about it. She returned more quickly this time, but she told me she wasn't sure if it was oaked.
Insert: Long, deep, frustrated sigh.
I asked if I could have a taste. She said sure and left. Now, my friend is still waiting patiently to ask her question. Never during this fiasco did the server ever ask if she wanted anything. It was at that point we began considering leaving. All told, we'd been at the establishment nearly 20 minutes.
When our server returned she pulled the fatal drive-by: She slid the wine glass onto the table and kept walking, all without stopping. I gave my friend the eye. The Chardonnay was a bit too bright for me, so I considered a cocktail. But as we sat there talking about the utterly weird experience we were having, finding that yet again we were waiting and waiting for our server, we decided to just leave.
We opted for a different downtown establishment, one with better service.
At this moment, I have no interest in ever returning to the Playground, but I do suggest you check it out if you haven't. It is a wonderful concept, and is the kind of scene that adds to downtown. And while we never had a chance to order anything, the dining options sound delicious and, at times, fun. There were a few things on the menu that I had not seen on other menus in town. I just hope you have much improved service.
The more I go to the Playground the more I like it. I have been going since opening day and it seems to keep getting better. The roof top finally has a small bar and usually a DJ setup. The last time I was in the music was kick ass. The patio out back is large with plenty of space to chill and laugh with friends. I haven't had any of the mixed drinks due to my lack of interest in mixed up girlie bevs. I must say the libations I do partake in are mixed well and hit the spot.
I would also recommend this place if you are into English premier league soccer. On the weekends the Playground is one Tucson's only bars to open early A.M. for the EPL matches. Over all this place ROCKS! Â Have fun and be safe.
I attended this place for the first time for a Trump Tight entertainment "After Work Party event on the rooftop. Parking in the rear was a definite challenge after 5pm, so get there early or you'll be footing it from a parking garage.
When you walk in the rear from the parking lot, you are on the outside patio, which is decorated with turf grass and lots of sofas and little stools to sit on. There is also a bar outside and you can smoke and order appetizers out there.
This place definitely accommodates all ages and nationalities. I was pleasantly surprised with how friendly everyone appeared to be. The inside has seated dining and a bar in the center..this is where you will see all the swings hanging from the ceiling. You also can go sit on the patio that sits facing congress and people watch, drink and eat. The place is free to enter, but they do check id..why the check ID up front and not in the rear where the parking lot is baffles me..but whatever.
I went upstairs for the party and they had the live bad Nod Squad playing old school 6-8 pm. Afterwards,there was also a DJ playing variety pop and hip hop. There were LOTS OF LADIES, and few men, but most folks were dancing and having fun. There was a bar up there that also honored happy hour from 6-8 and drinks ranged around $3.50-4.00. After that drinks are around $7 and cups are small, but bartenders know how to hook up a drink!
The view is fantabulous and weather was awesome.. can't wait til summertime.
Only downside, you have to walk downstairs to the inside bar are to use the restrooms, but at least there is an elevator and a cooling zone when you step off elevator upstairs. At least they did have more than 1 bathroom stall!
I will definitely be going back with more friends!!
Spent my St. Patty's day here and I have to say that I love the roof top. No Cover on St.Patty's day is what reeled me in. Â :) Â Tucson does not have much to view downtown, but with our great weather I don't mind chilling on the roof top looking at Hotel Congress. They have stairs and an elevator to get upstairs easily. There are portable heaters on the room top and outside patio. The swings on the ceiling and grass on the wall really give it a fun atmosphere. The furniture is very chic I must say. I want to go back and watch some basketball or football on the huge TV screens they have on the wall.
Drinks are a little pricey, but well made. SHOUT OUT to the bartenders!! You were awesome. As soon as I walked up to the crowed bar someone was asking what they could get me. I have been down fourth and congress and never got my drinks that fast. The menu of small bites looked inviting. I really enjoyed myself and can't wait to go back and try the seating on the outside patio.
I love to have drinks while the sun is still shining. Â It just feels great...Especially on Sundays. Â Playground has 50% all Rum drinks all day every Sunday. Â This is my new favorite thing.
The view of the cars passing on Congress, sunlight coming in the huge windows and the nice breeze coming in the front patio all equal such an awesome ambiance. Â With my love for Downtown Tucson, there is not a better place for daytime drinking.
It gets even better after 4!......Every drink is 50%off until 4PM-7PM for Recess. Â
The only thing missing is HUB's appetizer menu. Â Now that would just be super-awesome. (And totally possible, since HUB shares a door.)
Walking in on a rather quite Tuesday night, I met up with a few of my fellow industry pals at The Playground and was welcomed by a cool ambiance and a great energy.
The pretzels were ordered not once but twice and were described by yours truly as "pillows of goodness"... Smothered in a delicious cheese sauce, it was the perfect accompaniment to a couple of beers.
The only issue I had was the waitress. She didn't seem all there and gave us delayed responses and blank stares. Let's just say she was under the category of 'special people' among our discussion (so it wasn't just me that thought this)
I've heard mixed reviews but I was pleasantly surprised and would come back for a repeat experience (maybe minus the airhead waitress ;) )
What a perfect place to meet! Â I loved this new, classy, cool, open, bricked walled bar next to the Hub!! I really didn't know what to expect...with all the chatter about the swings overhead. Â So glad to have seen it myself now. Â Our bar food and beer were fantastic, our server was friendly and helpful, and the ambiance itself is just plain fun. Â I think I could find a different little corner to sit in each time and not get tired of coming here for a long time. Â
I had the  Odell Cuttthroat Porter and a taste of my friend's Sleepy Dog Red Rover.  The dark and red beers were fantastic and stayed cold the whole time.  The food menu is quite limited, but what they serve, they do it well.  We ordered the Pretzels with cheese on the recommendation of the server and they did not disappoint.  They were small bites and came out piping hot...delicious!!  We also ordered the Marinated Pickles.  Wow, I couldn't stop raving about it's sweet, sour brind it was marinated in.  We sat in the front room under the wall of TVs...but next time will venture out to the patio for some more comfy couches and a movie.  I'll definitely see you back at the Playground!!
Style over substance.
I have to admit, Playground is potentially a cool place to hang out.  The inside is a spacious room with plenty of standing room, dim lighting and a nod to film noir style.  There's a huge tv on the wall, and I hope this place doesn't become another sports bar because I actively look for places to go where I won't be at risk of getting a high-five from anyone  Looking up you'll see a bunch of weathered wooden boards hanging from chains.  Those are swings; the most useless, un-fun swings ever.  Out back is a really nice patio area with plenty of seating, heaters, and a bar that wasn't open on my visit.
I was very underwhelmed, however, by the drinks and the bar experience, which was why I went there in the first place. Â There were only a few beers on tap, mostly of the standard fare. Â The cocktails are expensive, even if you don't go top-shelf, and the bartenders on the night I went had all the service skills of a teenager working at Old Navy. Â Honestly, I don't care if I'm greeted the second I sit at the bar, but I do insist on a good cocktail and perhaps some idle chit chat so I don't have to sit there watching the the servers gossip with each other. Â I tip well, when deserved.
There is the good and the bad. Let's start with the good....it's a truly hip place and the who's who of downtown Tucson can be seen here. The decor inside is cute. There are swings hanging from the ceilings and the booths and tables are pretty intimate. The bar is pretty big as well. The best part is the huge TV's on one side of the wall. I wonder if they turn the sound on for sporting events? The beer selection is ok. The Hub has a better selection. Maybe that's done on purpose? The outside is cute too. They have cabanas and couches for people to sit on. There are heaters and another bar which could be good. There are these tiny round seats that you can maneuver around so that is a plus as well.
Now for the bad...sorry but I must. There is a pretty big "specialty" drink menu. I thought I'd give the bartender some love and order one of those drinks. It was prosecco with lemon essence. I thought it would be tangy but instead it tasted like medicine. My pal who was celebrating her birthday got a "made just for you" drink which also tasted like medicine. Gross. I decided to try one more drink and got something simple. Dirty Grey Goose Martini. It was horrible. Where was the dirty? The bartender was completely not helpful. Apparently, they only have certain alcohol. The bday girl wanted vanilla vodka with coke. They didn't have it. I looked around and saw they had Hanger One lime vodka and she got coke and that. It was good. The outside bar does not serve wine or beer you must go inside for that. I also see from another review that they won't make an old fashioned? Seriously?
I don't know if it's the newness of the place or what but I can get a better drink somewhere else. I like the atmosphere and they play old movies outside on a huge white wall. Do they turn the sound on during the week?
I almost forgot the kicker. The fox chocolate lady was there for a private party and she mistook us for that party and when she figured it out she said oh you're not my party and smugly took her chocolate away. Lol. Ok.
I hope this place improves. Does anyone know if the upstairs will ever be open to everyone?
Just wanted to do a quick update! Went out last Monday with my coworkers and some friends and finally grabbed some food! The cookies were served warm and soft and were sheer perfection! We also snatched up some popcorn and to my surprise it was seasoned with what I believe was chile powder and lime and it was amazing. The pretzels were served warm and with a side of cheese sauce for dipping and were salted perfectly! But my absolute favorite was the pickle tray! If you like pickles try it out they are amazing and served with deviled egg filling for dipping which sounds weird but trust me compliments the pickles perfectly!
This place is fantastic on week nights when the insanity of the weekend isn't taking over!
When your father, who lives out of state calls to chat and you tell him you are headed to the Playground with your sister later that evening and he all he says is, "don't fall off the jungle gym". Â No questioning, no huh?, just a simple piece of advice. Â So, I take a note to self to watch where I am walking in my heels tonight. Â Love you dad.
So, I went to the Playground with the sister and friend tonight to check out what the buzz was about. Â And I can say, the buzz is worth it. Â This is a fantastic space. Â And, exactly what Tucson needs. Â Its not a club with a cover charge and required bottle service at a table, its not a local bar with a jukebox, and its not a restaurant. Â Its a lounge and I LOVE LOVE LOVE that. Â Not that there is anything wrong with the other places, but this is what Tucson had been missing.
They have a varied selection of signature cocktails and drinks, some are exclusive to the area you are in, some shared. Â We all had a few different cocktails and tried some of each. Â All of them were good solid cocktails. Â Nothing that was amazing, but strong and tasty for sure. Â We also tried the potato chips and dip, the pretzels and cheese and the crostini and cheese. Â I really enjoyed all three snacks, but in order of favs it was hands down pretzels first (who doesn't love a cheese sauce), then the chips and dip, then the crostini and cheese. Â
The decor, set-up and overall ambiance of this place is perfection. Â Really. Â They nailed the space, the feel, the vibe. Â You need to check it out for that. Â And though the rooftop is not open yet, I can only imagine it will be just as good.
The only bummer of the night was our server. Â She just wasn't very good. Â She seemed awkward in her role and not very comfortable. Â Maybe this is her first time serving? Â Either way, after sitting in a booth for awhile, I went to the bar to order. Â A different server noticed and pointed it out to ours, then she came over. Â I watched that happen. Â Then she would come pick up empties and not ask if we wanted another. Â We had to stop her and tell her. Â Then hunt her down for a check, etc. Â I really don't think the bartenders were slow, I really think it was just our server. Â So hopefully with time, she will get better.
This place totally adds to all the cool things happening in downtown Tucson and will be one of my new favorite places for late night cocktails.
Just asked if the bar had south comfort and was told "no we're a classy bar" way to insult the customer! All I wanted was a southern & soda.
So to finish the story on that one...my friend also couldn't order a sipping bourbon (all I know is that he prefers to drink top shelf liquor and he said they didn't have anything worth ordering). As a side note to the classy thing, the two girls in front of us ordered giant strawberry daiquiris and the guy after us ordered three bud lights. Because THAT'S super classy.
Aside from the bartender needing to come up with a better response or the liquor selection needing to be rethought. I must say that I did like the atmosphere, the decor, and the fact that there is more than one stall in the bathroom for the ladies (yay!).
It did get very crowded after about 10:30pm (but it was a Saturday, so no surprise there). The sofas which we were sitting in to the left of the entry became quite awkward as you were face to crotch with everyone crowding in the door so I'd recommend the patio or the right side of the bar which had a few nice booths as well as more standing room.
After dinner my friends and I ventured out downtown and one of the stops was the Playground. Â I had been wanting to go there ever since it opened. Â It not only was cute and retro, but the service was prompt and great! Â I really liked the layout of the bar and how much seating there was. Â
We had one drink on our stop which was a grape cocktails with Pop Rocks to garnish it (I know you are as excited about Pop Rocks as I am!) Â
I can't wait to go back and have a happy hour or just some drinks! Â It was very fun and funky!
Very cool vibe, fun yet sophisticated. Loved the outdoor seating on the patio, cozy and chance to talk as music not too loud. Disappointed the roof top not available to see yet as per the waitress not enough security yet.
Small portion on the popcorn order.
Lots of lookey-Lous traipsing through kinda disruptive guess in time the curiosity will wear off
GREAT ATMOSPHERE!
I've only been to the happy hour (or Recess as it's called) at Playground, so I can't speak to its night time experience. That said, my friends and I had a good time. The drink specials include $3 wells and $3 beers on tap. I liked the beer selection, including two varieties from Barrio Brewery (one of which was a special Playground IPA.)
The food is pretty good, my friends and I got the house-made potato chips with guacamole aioli and the pickle dish. Later on, I tried the pretzel nuggets with cheese dipping sauce and I HIGHLY recommend. They were really delicious.
The decor is fun, there are swings hanging above the bar and astro turf around the couches outside. The rooftop deck looks really neat but it wasn't open when we were there. (Maybe only a late night or weekend thing?)
I'll be back here for sure. I love the ambiance, with unusual and modern decor. There's a large back patio, complete with astro turf and comfy seats. There also seems to be a roof location, though it was closed off when I went.
The drink menu is pretty impressive, loads of things I'd never heard of. Everything I tried was very strong alcohol-wise, which I consider a pro and a detriment at the same time.
They seemed to have plenty of staff helping our waitress when she got busy, but it was probably good we weren't in a hurry because things weren't exactly snappy.
We ordered the homemade chips, which were tasty but got tiring to eat because they were so thick and hard.
This is what I saw from opening night. Beer was cheap and a horrible selection, while all other drinks were twice as expensive as they should be. The food was expensive and service was hard to get.
That being said. The rooftop lounge was fantastic. Except for the fact that there were only two heaters and no places to sit. It would make a great place for the Argentine Tango crowd in town to gather for a milonga. While the movie on a while was a fantastic idea it attracted very little viewers, which was regrettable.
Some Fun funky new fresh energy in town! I like it !Being from San Francisco it is so hard to adjust out here in the desert. The playground has brought some great new energy downtown and that's what it needs!
The decor is great and the roof will  be even better when it gets a little warmer! Thanks Kade for bringing us The Playground!
I have high hopes for Playground Bar & Lounge, Kade at The Hub definitely knows his stuff and this place looks like it will be great. The decor is very trendy and minimalist without being in your face. A lot of exposed brick for a more urban feel. I stayed on the inside, since it's been a cold winter. But very nice overall experience for the indoor seating.
The cocktails were inventive and delicious. I had a cocktail from the $9 list that had Anjeo Rum in it and some obscure soda served with it so you could pour as much or as little of the soda as you wanted. I liked this a lot because some people prefer light or strong drinks.
The bar fare menu was a bit limited, but it is a bar and food isn't the biggest thing. I Had the pretzel blocks with the melted cheese and that was delicious, perfect food for drinking. I also tried the marinated olives, which were a bit garlicky for my liking but if you like garlic would be right up your alley.
All in all I'm excited about where this place is going and what it will be soon.
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