The word that most aptly describes the Sneaker's experience:\n\nEww.\n\nThis exclamation should be accompanied by a scrunched up nose, sneer or depressed sigh depending on the intonation.\n\nDoes the smell of open sewage wafting from the bathrooms entice your tastebuds? Eww! *scrunchy nose*\n\nDo shriveled potato skins, overcooked fried zucchini sticks, or soggy hot wings float your boat? Eww. *disdainful sneer*\n\nDoes the fact that they constantly change their specials and scheduled events without notice, luring you into this depressing hole under false pretenses sound dandy? Eww... *depressed sigh*\n\nI live dangerously close to this place, so more often than not I'll end up here when there's a dispute along the veins of: \"Whatta you wanna do tonight? I dunno. How bout you?\"\n\nMost frequently this is the end decision on a Friday night, when they hold live trivia with a host and the opportunity to win 20 to 30 bucks if you come in first or second place. But it's difficult to enjoy some live trivia when it's canceled every other week without any prior notice. That kind of business ethic doesn't instill any loyalty in your customer base. It's also kind of trashy how our winning credits are always hand written in near illegible chicken scratch on a piece of register tape, only redeemable for food, and only on a day other than trivia time. I get it. You want to lure us back on a weekday so we'll spend money in the bar. Klassy.\n\nI wouldn't have such a problem with the place if it the food was at least worth it. The nachos are huge and covered in lots of toppings but it's primarily cheap-o nacho cheese sauce or sour cream, which add little flavor and just make the whole thing a sloppy mess. The wings are soggy and generic (the hot isn't spicy in the least-- maybe they were referring to the temperature?), and there's an absolutely terrible Island Jerk flavor. The zucchini sticks are always overcooked and soggy. The cheese sticks are hard and chewy, not stringy mozzarella. The potato skins look like shriveled little potato abortions adorned by three bacon bits and some nacho sauce. The pizza is pretty decent and probably your best bet. I wouldn't recommend anything else on the menu. They use cheap, bargain basement product and it shows in the quality of the food.\n\nThat leaves the bar to make up for the abysmal food. Too bad that's pretty hit or miss, with an emphasis on the miss. For about a two month stretch Sneakers seemed to change their daily specials week by week if not day by day. One day it would be two dollar ladies mixed drinks all day, next week just 9pm to close. Then it would be two dollar drafts all day, changed to half priced wings during happy hour. I don't like the bait and switch. I understand that a new or struggling place needs to cut costs and redefine its specials but when it's changing that often (too quickly for even the signage on the tables or menus to keep up) there's a serious issue with management that needs to be addressed. \n\nIt seems like they've finally settled things to 75 cent domestic draft beers during happy hour (Coors and Bud) and half priced appetizers. Solid. Then from 9pm to close the daily drink specials start. Good. Keep it simple, stupid.\n\nThe service at least tries to make up for the crappy food and ever changing drink specials. They're always more than patient when it comes to explaining the changes and always apologetic when they get the brunt of our disappointment when we've been victims of the ole bait and switch. \n\nThe decor looks like a tacky college sports fan decorated it with all the tables sporting different teams and mascots, and paraphernalia splashed all over the walls willy nilly. There's also a weird identity problem going on, with some cheap wine prints on display in the bar and a gigantic statue of Uncle Lester from the Addams Family dressed in a referee suit. They offer Rock Band but I've never seen anyone playing it. They offer the Buzztime Trivia but hardly any televisions are ever tuned to it. There's a couple pool tables, darts, a basketball game, Buck Hunter and a couple other video games in the back. It just seems to be having an extreme identity crisis, trying to be something different to everyone, but half assing it so no one ends up satisfied.\n\nThey've taken to serving beer in plastic cups and giving out paper plates for food during happy hour which is a bit on the depressing side. The general vibe makes it seem like it's on the brink of closing any given week, which is too bad because they easily have one of the best patios in Tempe. \n\nIf you're going to go, sit on the patio and enjoy the greenery, cool water, friendly ducks and turtles sunning themselves. It will make you forget just how much of a downer it is inside the place.
places reviews