Sling Shots Sports Bar

This is a fairly nice little dive-y type establishment. As smoking-available dive bars go, it did not smell horrible to me (your nasal experience may differ) and overall the place, once entered, seemed quite inviting.

There's a stage, a mirrored raised area which I believe was for dining, plastic brick on the wall and decent tables.

Any time I, or my friends have been there there's been a Rascal parked somewhere around, I'm not sure whose it is but it does testify to the convenience of the place and potential awesomeness of the Rascal-owning individual.

I didn't quite get a sense of the people at the bar. When we walked in we got some looks for not being regulars, but after that were otherwise ignored. Which is what you want in a bar unless you're attempting to step into a story. And by looks I'm not saying "stink-eye" just "oh, look, new people, that's interesting, back to my cards."

Waitress was friendly, the fried pickle spears were pretty tasty, but as Kim Y pointed out they needed toweling off before frying. Not a horrible thing, just means you have to pick up some fried occasionally.

Had we not needed to run to meet some friends on our next tour-de-Madison night, I think spending a night here would have been a fun time. The couple of hours we were there left me feeling that's a place that needs to be revisited.

As for the scene, I don't know. Scenes change, it was an older crowd with a few youngsters thrown in, but my total Sling Shots time has been less than 3 hours.

Parking is ok, but I'm told if you have a larger vehicle it would be annoying. A Honda Element fits anywhere, a limo or Bigfoot no... but finding parking elsewhere should not be a problem if it's bumpin.

If you're looking for the place, it doesn't exactly jump out at you, so just turn east on Due West (there's a mapco and a taco bell) and it will be in the building behind the Taco Bell. If you're google-mapping it right now, the A marker is on the wrong location on the wrong side of the street, and the street view from 2009 says "Pope's Place" - just look at the taco bell, square building to the east is it.

I mean, yeah - its in Madison; minus one star for my inconvenience. But if you love a good dive you've got to check out this unassuming place just north of the Davidson-county line.

So you walk into the place and your grandpa may back in on a rascal to play a roving game of poker; you may also be a little skeered by the collection of hogs parked out front, but guys and gals I have 5 words. $7 dollar pitchers of Gerst.

Yup, the draft choices. Bud, Bud Light and....local Yazoo delights? Yes, please! If those 3 choices served up in giant frozen goblets don't tickle your fancy - happy hour is 11-7 and they have cheap cheap cheap wells and bottles.

Service was fabulous, fried pickles were just alright. They just need to learn the trick of drying your pickle before you fry it. *Yes, that does indeed sound dirty. The full menu involves BBQ delights when the sister company 'Slow and Low BBQ' has left over goods from the day. (This is what my pal Andrew tells me - he works up the road at Spring Hill. Hi Andrew!)

After 7 Slingshots keeps the party crowd appeased with trivia, karaoke and live bands. Mileage may vary depending on the night. But I don't think you'll regret bellying up to a table on the mirrored balcony with the cheapest Yazoo ever for some fine company and people watchin'.