Only been here during the day so far, but was happy with it. Â 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. Â 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. Â The bartender definitely seemed less than interested in us until I engaged him on things like different beers and punk rock. Â 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. Â Pool tables in the back, air hockey, jukebox, although during the day the bartender had a punk/reggae pandora station streaming from a PC. Â
Overall, I like it... a different feel for Tucson, even for 4th Ave. Â Keep an open mind and you might be surprised. Â
Now to get down there for one of the burlesque shows...
I'm clearly the odd woman out here, but I've been totally misled with this place. YES, I knew it was a burlesque bar, which I have yet to watch (and remain intrigued, but only happens on the weekends), but my foodie radar was highly triggered by several folks in town, claiming their bar fare is the "best" in Tucson and their vegetarian options are "not to be missed." After one dining experience I know that I do not intend on dining here again. Aside from the fact that their food is not very fresh (this I gathered from the clear view into the kitchen that one gets as they place their order at the kitchen) there is zero customer service. I walked in with a group of friends after deciding that being on a wait list at Lindys wasn't worth it and based on the recommendations I was excited to give it a shot. Epic fail. Walk into the bar and awesomely and nicely present myself to the bartender and told her how excited I was to try the food (her response was "yeah, it's super awesome!), grab a few menus and sit down at a booth with my friends....about five minutes later...no server, no water....the basics. I head back to the bar to ask about a server: "oh, yeah...we don't have servers." Given that I told her with excitement that it was my first time there and had heard great things, it would've been nice to have been told that you have to order food at the kitchen window and drinks, including water, at the bar. Ordering at the kitchen was even more painful. Again, trying to express interest the single person manning the kitchen, it was very clear our meal was going to be an adventure. Explaining a "bun less" burger was like a foreign language. Half an hour later I had to go back to the kitchen to ask about our food (two bunless burgers, one order of fried tacos and fries). Awkward much? Food came out and tasted of fryer oil that had not been filtered or changed recently. Ranch dressing 100% bottled. Not a single item was hand made. I'm hoping the lettuce and onions for the bun less burgers were at least hand washed. At a previous job, I trained customers on keeping their fryers clean, and this one tasted of old oil. Bummer. When a menu advertises that they have "Brew City" Onion rings, that essentially tells me that they're buying their goodies prepackaged. Yes, the patties, fries, veggie burgers, etc are prepackaged, frozen and hopefully defrosted. I can't speak to the "highly regarded" chili, since all I saw of it as I ordered from the  window at the kitchen was the frozen chili in a tupperware container as the cook held it in is hand and said "ugh.....I think it's still frozen."
Perhaps, I'll change my mind after a Burlesque show....but this foodie is less than impressed.
The Surly Wench was the perfect introduction and regular hit up during my brief stay in Tucson for many many reasons.
-I tried TACHOS here: Tater tots and nachos sauce= why have I NEVER thought of this before. I'm going to sell the sh*t out of these to hipsters in SF for 8$ (jk...or am I?)
-DEEP FRIED OREOS: enough said
-Great beer selections including local brews which I am so down for
-They have AMAZING decorations- I almost considered getting the godzilla wearing a sweater when I was drunk
-The staff was beyond awesome! I've never had that much fun at a bar
-Table Hockey + Foosball+ alcohol = Major fun
-They have a huge venue space in the back perfect for seeing shows
-Pool Table
-They have a full menu which is all kick ass and delicious
and finally...
Did I mention Godzilla and the sweater??
This place was pretty cool, makes me think of like a dark kind of biker style bar that you might find in LA or something.
Service was good, friendly bar tender who was on top of getting round after round. The BBQ BACON BURGER was great! Â Really satisfied the drunken munchies.
Fun spot to go get drinks with friends, haven't gone to the Burlesque show but I think that is for the next visit.
This is an awesome Pub, particularly when they have Burlesque shows. Â It draws a different crowd than I'm used to, but I thought the Bartenders were cool and some of the food they were putting out looked pretty appetizing.
The Burlesque show we attended was well worth the $10 cover, as it was lengthy with short intermissions, had some good musical acts, and I have to say, it was just plain hilarious.
I'm not sure what to make of this place. Â I guess I should be here on a Friday or Saturday night, but Sunday mornings are kinda dreadful and dead. Â
Needless to say, my friends and I stopped by for a shot or two. Â Maybe just 1 actually. Â We also ordered some food along the way. Â Fried Oreo's what the heck!? Â You'd think this was a carnival or state fair! Â Well actually this place reminded me of a carnival. Â Seriously, what the heck is this place! Â It seems a tad bit shady with some hard rock and roll theme along with some gothic "I want to cut myself" feel. Â
My buddies and I decided to order some burgers too. Â I had the BBQ Bacon burger while my friend had the mushroom swiss. Â He said it was one of the best he had, but then again he was drunk and hungry. Â My burger was kind of dry, but my waffle fries were decent. Â One more fireball shot? Â Sure what the hell, I'm at a carvival! Â The taters really hit the spot here by the time I was ready to walk or stumble same thing I guess. Â
Service was good here. Â Then again we were the only group. Â However, I can appreciate a smile with my service to some "old folks" like us walking into a college bar. - Enjoy!
I have fairly mixed feelings about the Surly Wench. If someone suggests it, I'll go, but it will never be my first choice. Although, I must say that their little bar off to the side is pretty neat and I love it in there! I wish that it had a patio considering that Tucson has more beautiful nights than unpleasant ones.
Burlesque nights are always fun with Black Cherry Burlesque-- those ladies can WORK IT. And dancing afterwards is always a blast, but those are the only nights I find myself really having a great time at The Surly Wench. The bartenders are really nice and I love their finesse.
If you're into Rockabilly or Psychobilly, I say go for it and meet some fellow -billy-ers, but I prefer some other bars around town.
It is odd, but I do like this place. Â I sometimes sit there with a drink, look around, and wonder why I like this place. Â 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. Â 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. Â 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. Â The people that do show up, well, they are usually my source of entertainment. Â 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.
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. Â A good balance. I'm sure ill be back!
Review Source: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.
Review Source: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.
Review Source:Great bar scene, i've heard of other people having bad experiences but mine have always been fun. Came here on my 21st during the Club Sanctuary nights which I am a huge fan of now and love to go to!
However, their "Fineline Revisted" event was a huge letdown.
Prices on drinks are great, can't beat  'em! Prices on food a little bit more expensive.
The vibe is a darker but chill one, darker lighting really sets the mood for their goth nights.
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.
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.
I love love love this place. This was on my bucket list of bars I wanted to visit while in Tucson, so my husband and I had a night out on 4th Ave, came here (naturally) and it did not disappoint. As soon as I walked through the door I felt happy. Â Why you ask? Well call me strange (I am) but I loved the dark ambiance...the skeletons, moose heads, posters etc. Also a great place to people watch. Â Also loved the music they played. Â There was a dj playing industrial music but I can't say I've heard much of what he played before, but I greatly enjoyed it. Â The bartenders were good and I didn't find myself having to wait for drinks.
In summary: I just really wish I could beam myself from Minnesota back to the Surly Wench in Tucson any time I felt like it.
It was crazy packed for a Saturday night! I really hate paying cover but whatever we did it. Perhaps it was because we had too much to drink?
We had a good time. The beer selection was pretty good. I am a nerd and got Ace Pear cider. I love that stuff! The band was rockin' and everyone was having a good time. We didn't try the food but there is food available.
If you love crazy, funky, out of your comfort zone places then come here!
The name is perfectly fitting for this grungy venue. It's a dark, edgy no-nonsense bar that caters to a diverse crowd of goths, bikers, punks and other odd characters, but I've never gotten attitude from the staff for being a pretty average-dressed gal. The drinks are also stiff and tasty. If you want to experience the wilder side of the Tucson night life, I can definitely recommend an evening at the Surly Wench!
The Burlesque shows on First Fridays are a must!
We came here last night because on Mondays they have a really great dj. Â However no one was really dancing and even when they did not super great. Â Now let's talk the actual bar, great prices on everything. Â Seriously Surly Wench is a great place for drinks on top of it they have video arcade games so ridiculous and yet so perfect. Â My husband loves Galaga and we had a blast for a Monday night.
On every first Friday of the month they have a burlesque group perform. Â Now that night it is wall to wall people but I highly recommend going.
Always a good time at the Surly Wench.
Definitely a unique place. Â Lesbian pirate roller girl burlesque bar. Â Interesting drunk food and dollar PBR's at happy hour starting at 6 or seven. Â This means after your buy one get one double shot drinks at the Buffet, you can polish off an early night at the wench with a couple of those and still have half your twenty dollar bill left.
One big drawback, there is one skinny bartender, totasl bitch. Â Will ignore you, insult you and demand a tip or kick you out for not giving at least a dollar.
This bar is one of the top five reasons I wish I lived closer to Tucson. Â Coming from someone who has a cabinet full of ornate skulls in her living room, it almost goes without saying that I dig the Surly Wench's style. Â I love the vibe, the staff, the drinks, the fried food I demolish because of the drinks, and I love dancing on the stage with other gothy-90s revelers during their Fineline Revisited night.
If ever I become a bar fly (a retirement option I will seriously consider) this is where I will call home.
If I could describe "the Wench" in one word, it would be "home".
I've been to many bars in my days, in many cities, some of the best drinking cities in the country (New Orleans ring a bell?) and have yet to find a bar anything close to "the Wench". The staff are professional and take no s*%t from anyone. You act up you get removed, you act right and treat folks with respect, you get treated with respect. The regulars also don't put up with shysters pulling pranks.
The prices are some of the most reasonable in town. The jukebox has won awards for being the best in Tucson, but then again so has the bar. parking can be a pain at times, but then again with Arizona having some of the toughest DUI laws in the country, you shouldn't be driving anyway, and parking issue solved, "cab it".
All in all, it's a great place to be and you won't be disappointed.
Although not my typical go-to nightlife option while roaming 4th Ave,
I always have a great time when I do visit this bar.
This place has a fun, alternative crowd, vibe.
I definitely do not blend in however everyone is very nice,
patrons & staff alike.
Perfect for a chill night of playing pool, listening to good music,
and having some strong made drinks.
Be sure to check out their Burlesque shows, amazing!
& occasional some great musicians perform, also worth checking out.
This is my favorite bar in Tucson. The staff is really friendly, the jukebox is awesome, most of the events are great, the food is amazing, and the drinks are stiff and affordable.
The only downside is that there are almost always a handful of douchey frat-types trying to slum it and pick up some punk rock chicks.
DO NOT MESS WITH THE BARTENDERS! If you behave yourself like a good bar patron, then they will give you respect.
Good bands roll through here, local and out of state. Great drink selection and beer selection.
Bar food is great. Just what ya need after a good game of pool, a killer band and a strong drink.
Imagine the Pirates of the Caribbean ride had a backstage bar for carnies and you've got the Wench. Â I've been a regular here for years and I can honestly say that the folks who've been kicked out had it coming. Â
This place is great if you like to drink... real drinks. Â The bartenders here are the real deal. Â Sure, they can make a redbull-and-whatever but that'd be like asking Rembrandt to paint your fence. Â Think "old fashioned", or, if you want to drink like the cool kids, order Jamesons here. Â
This place is not so great if you like to act out, fist pump to techno, or stiff your bartender. Â If that's you, feel free to grace the other bars on fourth with your cool guy self. Â
Otherwise, just mind your manners and you can have a blast here.
Hey, yeah, yup. Totally as good as it gets. The Surly Wench, for what it does, does it better than anyone else. Fantastic bloody marys, surly wenches behind the bar. Overheard once "It's not called The Chipper Fucking Barkeep!"
A stage! Live music a few nights a week, and they're always pretty well organized about it, too. Â Air hockey, upright classic video games, pool table, mega-touch video (if that's what you're into), and an in house kitchen making some reasonably good bar food, deep-fried fair food, (yup Twinkies, Oreos) burgers, tacos and such.
Home of; Black Cherry Burlesque, Tucson Roller Derby and The Fineline Revisited, a revival of a well loved Tucson Goth-Industrial club. All of these things help to make the Surly Wench special and different from any place you'll go.
Important note here, like most of the best places in Tucson, this place is well loved by the people who work there and its' regulars, and is the sort of place where you may get funny looks if you try to take liberties. Be polite, it's a little like being in someones living room. It pays off, and you'll be family in no time.
PRO TIP; Black Mondays (On Monday nights, yes) are hosted by Tammie award winning DJ Matt McCoy of BangBang fame (and many other very successful club nights for over a decade). Come watch him spin new and strange, experimental and whatever he wants. Guest DJ's every week, it's like the test kitchen of electronic music. FUN.
Oh! Extra PRO TIP; yes, if there's no street parking, or if you absolutely just cannot parallel park there is a secret parking lot directly behind the building. It's probably safer than the street, but you still need to walk all the way around to the front.
Did you say catchy?
Enticing?
Intriguing?
Hell yeah!!
Since our friend and host for the week works at "The Wench" that was a mandatory stop on our Tucson adventure.
And that was a good thing!!!
Not only did they have a hefty selection of beer on draft - a good dozen in my estimate, a killer liquor collection and quite a large menu of classic bar items but the decor is just mind-blowing.
::::::::::::::: at loss for words::::::::::::::::
"Vampire brothel" as someone described it is quite on.
In a warehouse - I would add 'cause it's definitely rough on the edges.
The art displayed on the walls leave little doubt about the attraction of the owners to the dark world. Sexy vampires tearing up bloody hearts? Sure!!!
Along with a generous busted piratey wench, sexy blondes, and a galaxy of sadist heroines who just make the place totally unique.
Throw a few very kitschy items (goat trophy head?!? fishnet-ted leg as a lamp base?), FREE pool, a big screen to see the latest Japanese intergalactic vampire movie or robot porn (really - you have to be Japanese to even think of it) and great punk rock concerts on weekends and then you have it.
The Surly Wench is quite an experience!
Not to be missed when you are in Tucson!
First off--how cool is this place's name? I caught a Rockabilly showcase here with my cousin and thought the place was pretty off the hook. Loaded bar, decent beer selection and killer ambiance.
I think the place can best be described as feeling like you're in a vampire brothel. Maybe that's not everyone's idea of killer ambiance--but strangely enough, I felt very at home here.
There's pool tables and plenty of spots to hang and people watch. The people watching is especially cool here. I do wish the stage area were a little broader, but still--it's a nice set up. Cheers to the Wench!
Back in my Tucson days, this was my favorite bar. I love love love the vibe and the people who hang out here. Unlike some other 4th ave spots, TSWP is NOT full of insipid U of A undergrads in short shorts and baseball caps. Like some of the other reviewers, I really appreciated having a place to go where I could drink in peace without having some douchebreathe try to pull some cheesy line or grab my ass. Â Plus, the place seems pretty queer friendly without being a "gay bar" so that makes it a nice environment for all.
I love the bitchy mean bartenders, who aren't that mean at all, really.
Definitely go enjoy a bruised pear (pear cider topped with guinness) in this cool spot. Â Watch out for the bloody marys- they pack a mean punch.
Only complaint: sometimes the band ruins the vibe instead of enhancing it.
The best part? The huge wench painting behind the bar. Â She's my patron saint.
It's always a good sign when you walk into a bar for the first time and two of your favorite (but random) songs play in a row. Â
The bartender was nice (not surly at all), the drink was good and cheap, and the booths are comfortable. Â I also have to love a pub where you aren't getting harassed by jocky, frat boys the whole time you are there.
I love this place but my friends often shy away from me when I am craving some Surly Wench.
The women you find here are like the next Angelia Jolie's, hot, different and very seductive.
You won't find any Guess wearing, white belt showing douches in this place, only laid back, and rather interesting people who like to have a good time and have more knowledge on society than most others.
Plus they have a good idea with a roped off drink line to avoid the jackass standing behind you shouting to a bartender....see they're smart.
The wenches here surely are not surly. Â
- Nice booths for a chat with friend's
- live bands, different DJ nights that mostly feel like the old Fineline
- Fineline Revisited!
- good drink specials
- roped off drink line to avoid the bullshit
- pool
- air hockey, or, as another user said, air honkey
- fattening delicous bar food
- swanky bathroom
I loves me some Surly Wench. Â I buy some cigs from Puff 'n' Stuff and spend all night here. Â Sometimes I get drunk enough to dance.
-
This bar was love at first sight when I first came here as a Tucson visitor. Good music, attractive ladies, decently priced drinks, awesome stuff to read on the walls and a kick ass jukebox.
I've lived in Tucson about 4 or 5 months now and I have to say that "the wench", as everyone calls it, is slipping. Black monday's are now obsolete, but when they were around it was depressing to see so many people acting like pretentious hipsters instead of dancing! I mean, monday nights were the best music nights in T-town that I'd ever been to and there were usually only 2 people on the floor. Also, their need to charge a cover everytime a crappy rockabilly band comes through town drives me nuts. I refuse to pay to see a band I've never heard of play crappy music.
But there are still great things about the wench. Air hockey and the kitchen are among them. They have awesome drunk food, people!
Overall, I think they've changed a bit over the past few years (there are way less lesbians there now), but I still go for the burlesque, music and hockey which I am hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
I would love to say that I love this bar because it's so cool, which it is, or because the bartenders are fast and cool and friendly, which they can be, or because they have great drink prices and good music, which they do, usually, but sadly no I go to this bar for one reason: air hockey table.
Sure they play cool movies on the tv with the subtitles on, and sure they have booze and bands play there sometimes and they have pool tables and the fratties are afraid to enter, but they have a freakin AIR HOCKEY TABLE!
Honestly it's the only reason I ever go into the Wench and it's probably the one reason I will ever go into the Wench. Sure I'll get a drink at the bar, but only so I can get quarters.
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