Fried bologna sandwich, anyone?
Country music star Toby Keith, who scored a 2003 hit with “I Love This Bar,” has opened his long-awaited Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill at Mesa Riverview.
The restaurant, which was announced more than a year ago, is huge — 20,000 square feet of rough wood, corrugated steel and polished concrete. The centerpiece is an 85-foot island bar shaped like a guitar.
There’s also a glass-enclosed VIP lounge with private bar, two private dining rooms that look like sheds (pictured), a dance floor, a store selling Keith’s CDs and clothing and, of course, a mechanical bull.
The country-themed menu, backed by embroidered saddle leather, offers burgers ($7.99-$12.99), sandwiches ($8.99-$10.99) and entrees ($10.99-
$22.99), including:
• A fried bologna sandwich with Miracle Whip dressing on garlic toast ($9.99);
• A “4×4” bacon cheeseburger, with four strips of bacon and four slices of cheese ($8.99);
• Deep-fried Twinkies with whipped cream and strawberries (two for $4.99, pictured below); and
• Draft beer served in 32-ounce Mason jars ($6.25).
Of course, all these pale in comparison to the “Arizona 100-Ounce Challenge,” a 32-ounce beef patty, 4 ounces of cheese and 6 ounces of “fixin’s” on a 10-ounce bun, along with 16 ounces of “Freedom fries” and a 32-ounce beverage.
The challenge, which costs $29.99, already has been attempted twice in the restaurant’s first few days. Both were unsuccessful.
Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, 1065 N. Dobson Road, Mesa, is open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. weekends. Info: (480) 844-8629 or tobykeithusa.com.
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Just what we need. Another restaurant catering to the unhealthy lifestyles and contributing to the obesity in our area. Is there anything of health on this menu? I am glad to see that airlines are finally making people pay for their mistakes. Nothing like sitting on a flight for 5 hours between flyers that think they have a right to half of my seat and theirs’.
I went and the food was great. Would go again in a minute.
This is a needed necessity to the movie district. Its not just healthy food mimi, its our lifestyle in general as a car dependent, lazy society that is not active, especially when it is nice outside. We can’t walk, bike or recreate that much because of how our cities are laid out. There is nothing wrong with some good food that brings taste once in a while. We need to create an active lifestlye.
eastrider - if you really believe that since the cities are laid out wrong we cannot live an active lifestyle boy do we need to educate our society. This is probably one of the most attractive states for an active lifestyle and it is only the folks that choose to ignore the availability. I guess we do need another restaurant to the area so that we can overeat and then sit at the movies! Geez…….
My wife and I checked this place out last weekend. It was great! There’s nothing wrong with indulging in good old AMERICAN fare now and again. We were there late on a Saturday night and there was a good crowd. A waitress mentioned that they will have live entertainment on certain nights. I saw the stage area which looked pretty cool. This place is a great addition to the area. I guess “mimi” and I won’t be meeting here to share an order of deep fried mac and cheese any time soon…
Every time I’ve been to the one in Vegas, it’s about 10 to 20% occupied. The only reason I go by is to see if it’s still open and am dumbfounded every time. I would swear that Harrah’s is supplementing the establishment so that they have something to cater to the country and western crowd. I give this place three years max. Nah, I’ll say fall of 2011. (a message to El Travelador: the bet is on hombre)…
HELLO, here! Are you serious, Mimi? It’s a treat, not an every day menu! And food alone is not the reason for everyone being obese! What about the processed food full of hormones, what about health reasons! Get over yourself! It is a fun place to go and enjoy a treat!!!! If you don’t like it there, then don’t join the folks that love that bar! If you are such a health nut, then you need to take yourself to reviews of your style restraunts, instead of running your mouth here!
“Deep-fried Twinkies with whipped cream and strawberries.” (Pictured above.)
I’m sorry. While strawberries look delicious, the rest of the stuff on that plate looks disgusting.
I guess Mary’s lifestyle is so active she sits in front of her computer all day!
Sorry, I was so tired from working out I got the name wrong….. I meant Mimi is so incredibly active, that’s why she sits in front of her computer all day commenting on food articles.
You people sure do miss the point.
I can’t wait to go eat here! I think Mimi should open a salad bar right next to Toby Kieth’s Bar and Grill and see how she does! Maybe she has been sitting on her exercise bike for to long and it got lodged!
mimi, if you don’t like it don’t go there. Mesa does need places like this. Something that will bring a little life to an otherwise dull city.
Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar & Grill” in Mesa
Toby Keith Covel ,born in Clinton, Oklahoma, is an American country music singer. Toby Keith has expanding his “I Love this Bar & Grill” restaurant chain to ‘Mesa Riverview’ shopping center. The country music-themed restaurant is located just east of the big Bass Pro outdoor sporting goods store and it’s said that two fit together.
Toby Keith opened his first” I Love This Bar & Grill” in downtown Oklahoma City in June 2005, and since then he has opened restaurants in Harrah’s casino in Las Vegas and in North Kansas City, Mo.
Toby Keith’s albums all earned gold or higher certification, including his debut “Should’ve Been a Cowboy”, which topped the country charts.
Lewis Wolff, owner of the Oakland A’s major league baseball team has opened Mesa’s first Hyatt Place hotel this month in the ‘Mesa Riverview’ shopping center. The Mesa four-story hotel is considered an economic boost for the district and for Mesa, and it is within walking distance of Toby Keith’s “I
Love This Bar and Grill”, and the Bass Pro Shops.
There is a lot up in the ‘Mesa Riverview’ shopping center in West Mesa.
Mimi’s just upset because there’s no drive-through.
GREAT FOOD…Fabulous unique menu items. Everyone is super friendly. The bar was packed with patrons drinking draft beer in mason jars…very cool place.
Besides Toby Keith and the new Hyatt Place which just opened, Mesa Riverview has a number of unique shops and restaurants.
OMEGA GYROS in the theater district just a bit away from Toby Keith’s place is an awesome new restaurant with great food and very reasonable prices! Definitely check it out!
And the Cinemark Theater is a great theater - cheaper than either Harkins or AMC (and they refill Harkins drink cups also), seats are more comfortable and they show the same movies!
All I know about Toby’s bar is that my 22 year old son went there last night with his friends. He called me this morning to tell me it was awesome and that he thought my husband and I would enjoy it. He said it is really something! We will definately pay Toby’s a visit in the next couple of weeks.
It should be called “I Love This Cholesterol Test”…. or “Toby Keith’s I Love This Heart Bypass Surgery”
I have been waiting anxiously for Toby’s to open for the past year, seems longer, and I was not disappointed. It is a fun place where the food is tasty and the employees are all wonderful. My thoughts for those of you that do not appreciate Toby’s-Stay home, cook your own dinner and leave the seat open for someone who does.
Mimi, Mimi, Mimi,
Choices. We all have them. It’s time to stop blaming the restaurant industry (or worse, individual establishments) for our inability to control our own eating habits. It’s not the establishment that makes people fat and unhealthy - it’s the individual’s lifestyle. The choices for diet and exercise we all make for ourselves each day. Sure the menu is unhealthy. Lots of red meat I bet! What really would you expect a country music star like Toby Keith to open? A fruit and salad bar? Just don’t patronize the place if you find the menu too unhealthy. If you’re a tofu and sprouts person, knock yourself out! The point is there is room for both - just don’t go overboard. This establishment along with the other businesses in this new center will bring lots of needed revenue to the area and has improved the desirability of living nearby. Live and let live Mimi.
OMG it’s a bar people! It’s a place to go and have a good time, chill out!!!!!
I’m going tonight and cant wait to pig out on some yummy food and ride the bull! Mimi you need to learn how to relax a little and have a good time.
I want to try this place out. I cant wait. I love obesity omg its so great. Just want
to say thanx for making every comment about mimi instead of fat house country music err i mean toby keiths fat house of food.
wow there sure are a lot of health nuts on here. Mimi you need to keep flying southworst airlines a second rate low cost sheap skate airline. Thanks to people like you us real people can have a good time and live and not worry about how other people live. You and everyone else should look at the past and see how this country has gone down hill. Murder crime and i do believe that more people dye each year in automobile crashes than dye from (fat) as you call it. Work in the medical field or get a degree in health and medicine before yuo start tell people how to live we have became a more overwieght society because of processed foods, “fat free” foods, and the government ruining our lives ad dictacting how we live and what we eat and drink in our water and food everyday. I bet Mimi you drive a car everyday, work out and have only fat free things in you house. LOOK at the stats if your body does not get the needed fats, salts, minerals, and such(to many to list and dont want to lose you) then it cant function and become drained and sick faster. LIVE YOUR LIFE AND NOT EVERYONE ELSES AND THIS WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE. Do you hear that Obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BIG JD everyone should listen to him he speaks the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!CHOICES. OUR GOVERMENT IS TAKING THEM AWAY FROM US.. US IRAQ the new USA………DICTATORSHIP……..
Mimi…. You dont have anyone complaning to you about the Soup plantation! Do you know why most people eat beef? I’ll tell you why cause it taste good…. Yes Red Meat may not be the best for you, but it is in my lifestyle and how I was raised. I happen to like salads but I like Fried Porkchops, 32 Porterhouse, Collard Greens… yeha Baby!!!! If you dont like it, dont eat it and we dont need you telling us about it. So have your Wheat grass Latte and mind your own business.
I haven’t been yet but mainly cause I am a 68 year old native and live on a fixed income! Would love tor try the calf fries if they have them there like they show on their OK City menu! Those and some salsa can’t be beat! Can’t eat those big steaks any longer as I have 18″ less intestines than most folks because of Chron’s disease! Born and raised on SE Arizona cattle ranch, our motto was “Eat Beef, Keep Slim”! I have more than one stripe in my pajamas but I dang sure ain’t obese and have eaten beef , beans and hot mescan food all my life as did my great great grandad who was a Pony Express rider and died at the tender age of 101 and 6 months in 1928! Those folks knew how to cook, how to eat and how to work! The latter (work) is part of the problem with today’s society, certainly not the food!
We were greeted as we walked in the front door by the girl across the room behind the bar, asking if we wanted to sit and eat at the bar. When we said no, we would like to sit at a table, another girl walked up and asked us if we wanted to sit at the bar. Again we said no we would like to sit at a table. Then the phone rang and she answered the phone and left us standing there. Keep in mind it is 10 am on a Saturday morning. There was PLENTY of help and very few customers, so being ignored at this point and waiting for the phone to be the priority didn’t set well. We were taken to our table. And told our server, Jereme J would be right with us. Jereme came to the table and asked what we would like to drink. He brought us our coffee, and 4 little creamers. We asked if we could have some spoons and more creamers. He sent the busboy over with 2 ice tea spoons and he dropped them on the table. A few minutes later Jereme dropped 2 more creamers on the table and walked away. He returned and took our order. At this point we really felt like our being there was a total inconvienence to him. He stop by the table and asked if we needed and more coffee,we said yes and that we would need more cream too. He dropped off a pot and 2 more creamers. Our food came and when Jereme came back to see how everything was we asked if we could have some jelly. He asked us if we wanted grape or strawberry and returned with 2 packets. At this point my heart is breaking, hoping that our simple requests for additional condiments did not wear out poor Jereme and also cause the entire place to go out of business with the additional cost of the jelly and cream. Mr. Toby Keith, we love your music and videos, but the people you chose to work in the establishment with your name on it leaves a lot to be desired. We will not be returning or bragging about a good experience..
Mimi………STFU……. no one is shoving the food down anyones throat………..it’s a personal choice……………..I go, I dance, I leave,………………….end of story……..bite me…… I’m low cal and low fat………..
On May 15th 2009, we booked Barn #2 for our wedding reception. We booked a week in advance when we were enjoying a third evening at your bar. We noticed first that the band that was playing was amazing. (It was a band with a lead singer that was female). We spoke to Diane Corcoran in order to find out information on the room closest to the dance floor. She explained to us that the cost to book was $250.00 in which would be our bar tab either way in food or drinks. We agreed and she asked for our credit card number. The following Friday was to be our reception. Wednesday, I called and spoke with Diane and asked her if it would be OK if we brought in some tables covers and décor about 2 hours prior to the evening. We were told that we could not. She told us that that was 2 hours that she could “sell it” and if she could “sell it” she was going to. We thought it was a bit harsh being that there are tons of barns and every time we have visited since your doors opened they have been empty. But, we said OK and we just forgot about it. When we arrived to Toby Keiths by Limo service we were extremely excited for our 40 guests to enjoy everything we love about your location. (Yes, that’s right we brought in 40 people who probably would have never visited a country bar in that night)…Here is the problem, we stood outside the door and waited for Diane to walk us over, the room was the same as we had seen it the first night just plain, no bells and whistles, which is fine, it wasn’t promised or anything, just may have been nice to have something come with the room, bottle of champagne (even cheap charged to our tab) or even if they did some sort of appetizer platter and charged it toward the $250.00. I then asked if we could change the channel on the flat screen from Sports to our own DVD or even just Toby Keith videos. She said we couldn’t so we stared at “Sports” all night with no sound. Prior to ordering anything at all I told not only Diane, but the first waitress (Asian girl) that she assigned to us that we would not be paying anything over $250.00 that night and to cut it off when the bill reached that amount. We also instructed and made it clear to them both that we (the bride and groom) would be the only ones allowed to order anything for anyone to our tab. They both agreed. We ordered the first round of drinks around 8:45pm, the band still wasn’t on yet. We got them and they were extremely weak and filled with a ton of ice (similar to an alcoholic snow cone)….fine…we understand the bar scene….we then wait about 15 more minutes with all of our guests in the practically broad daylight of our stadium lit barn for drinks….we then went straight up to the bar to order the drinks ourselves. After about 20 more minutes, they assign another waitress to our barn, we then told them it was not necessary that we would prefer one person just work diligently with us and we would tip them well for it. That was denied, the second blonde waitress took care of us as best she could but seemed overwhelmed with having to tend to everyone else in the bar as well as us, we did not see the first waitress really at all until toward closing. When she arrived after not seeing her all night, she came to me, (the bride) and said, “Your tab is only at $210.00 that we needed to order more in order to hit the $250.00 mark. Fine, we ordered another round of drinks thinking that that should cover it. 10 minutes later the round of drinks came, and so did the bill which came from our other waitress (the little blonde) the bill was nowhere near what the other waitress had just explained, the total was $340.00 and we still hadn’t even tipped yet. Ok so lets back up a little bit.. We understand if mistakes were made on our bill, but the first time we ever entered I love this Bar and Grill, we were so happy that you were open and so excited to have a country bar near our home. Well I ended up having a martini and my fiance a brownie sundae dessert, the check came and I put a $100 bill inside the holder. Well the waitress came back with change for a $20 bill. We ended up going back and fourth for a minute with her telling me I gave her a $20. Opening my wallet I showed her that I had only hundreds and that she was mistaken. She ended up finding the hundred and giving me the correct change with apologies. The next time we arrived at the bar (the night of booking) the band was amazing (the female lead singer band), the time of our reception the band was horrible. I had my guests extremely excited about the dancing and told them how much fun we had in weeks past. Just to give you an idea, not one line dance was done that night other than one electric slide and the rest two steps. Being from a country background, we have never seen that happen in any country bar and never expected it from yours. Not even being acknowledged by the band that we took our entire wedding to Toby Keiths, or even an announcement of appreciation or congratulations, my maid of honor suggested they do a first dance for us. So after a long while of boring music which all sounded the same that night, they played our first dance. At the first few twangs of the guitar I cringed….”Oh my God” I said to my now husband “They are playing, looking for love in all the wrong places!!!” I wanted to run off the floor but also wanted to keep etiquette in front of my guests so continued on. This one I have on video if you would like to see. Horrific.
To summarize my complaint letter my problem is this. Since you have opened we have spent over $1000.00 alone not to include what our 40 guests spent that night. We paid a ridiculous bill at the fault of the first waitress, (we didn’t even know her name because she wasn’t even around, she was an Asian girl). We felt so taken advantage of we told the blonde waitress we expected a call from the bar manager or owner and she ensured us that we would be contacted ASAP and apologized over and over for the mistakes that had been made that night, telling us over and over how sorry she was for everything that had went wrong. We ended up tipping the little blonde about $100.00 in cash and tipped the bar accordingly feeling like since the waitress’s understood their mistake and that we made it clear that we wanted Toby Keith’s to contact us, that your bar would make all well with us promptly and not to mention the reception had already been so frustrating with waiting for drinks all night and the extreme difference in the bar tab, the fact we couldn’t bring our décor in early, we couldn’t change the TV screen, the mechanical bull was broken, the band didn’t do any songs that we could line dance to and our first dance song was “looking for love in all the wrong places!” Also the fact that we weren’t even thanked correctly for bringing in so much business, and the lack of care and concern from the first waitress is appalling. The entire night was a total nightmare, and ever since we kept saying we should have just all went to Toby Keiths and never booked that stupid room which ended up setting us back $480.00 with items we didn’t even want to order and horrific service.
My maid of honor paid $78.00 in drinks she ordered at the bar, My landlord which was a guest paid another $48.00 for a round of shots (which might I add, and you may find this funny) I told her to bring something that wasn’t red because I didn’t want people spilling rainbows all over my huge white dress, she brought blue shots all around!!) I mean the brain capacity is amazing. (This was the Asain girl by the way)…Not the sharpest tool in the shed.
To me, it looks like Diane Corcoran is overworked. She stopped in a few times, but the fact that I made it so clear to her we weren’t paying over $250.00 that night and there was such a huge mistake on the bill is careless on her part.
After being humiliated by the band on our first dance, and the fact that we all found the music boring, especially in comparison to the amazing female led band you normally have at Toby Keith’s, we wanted to leave in a big way but couldn’t because it was explained to us that unless we met the $250.00 we would be charged anyway for it.
The worst part of it all is that we were ignored. After leaving our contact information, and the waitresses admitting their wrongs, and the promise that we would at least receive an apology or phone call from head staff which never came, leaves a bad taste in our mouth about the bar in general. We would have been happy if someone just called to follow up and ask us how our night was..
It has been almost a month now, and my husband has asked me to write this letter for weeks, I continued to stay calm and give you a chance to get in touch with me, but the call never came, nothing was done, nobody has followed up.
We don’t expect anything from you to make up for this, but we want you to know that we think the layout of the bar is amazing, we think the food menu is awesome, we love the country concept, but unless you get some people in there that can really focus on client appreciation, and that can also ad up bills correctly and make sure no mistake is made, and when one is made that you make sure there is follow up, especially concerning a once in a lifetime wedding reception, then I feel you will struggle with good word of mouth. I have worked in the bar and restaurant industry for over 8 years, not to mention we specialize in marketing and advertising. My husband has a degree in public relations and writes for many of our local newspapers. I guess you just never know when these types of people will be visiting your bar. Between the two of us we just cant believe that you would skimp on hiring people that know the importance of client satisfaction and customer service.
Good luck on future ventures, at this point no matter how much hope we had for your bar and grill, we wont be visiting again..
We have visited twice. The first time we were there was a few weeks after it opened around noon on a Friday. We sat at the bar, service, bartenders, and food were enjoyable. There was a soudcheck (what the bartender explained it was) of extra loud music (not country) for about 10 minutes, we were about ready to leave when it stopped. We went back on June 20th around 2 PM and sat at the bar to relax after shopping. After waiting for a five to ten minutes with no acknowledgement from any staff member, we saw two girls and apparently their supervisor not 5 feet from us behind the bar having a chat-STILL not even one nod of acknowledgement as we sat there with our money on the bar and no drinks or food in front of us. That was when we left, and decided to go across the parking lot to Logan’s Roadhouse. What a difference! The bartender greeted us promptly, gave us Happy Hour price on the two drinks even though officially we were 20 minutes early. She was friendly throughout our whole visit and stopped and chatted with us when she had time. We won’t being going back to Toby Keith’s any more after the bad service last week, instead patronizing Logan’s Roadhouse when we are in the neighborhood.
I’m sorry but this just isnt the place to vetn and vent… and vent…
I think that everyone needs to leave Mimi alone, though I do agree with alot of what ya’ll say… Just ripping into someone who spends all day telling other people what to do, trying to track people off of SOMEONES LIVING and TREATS, doesnt give others the right to totaly degrade the person… (even if they do desurve it)
I visited the bar in OK last summer with my grandmother, great aunt and her husband… The food was freakin fantastic and at the time i had dental problems but was still able to eat the steak (something that I could have not done anywhere else. I’ve tried.) which melted in my mouth it was so tender! Oh my gosh, it was FAB!!! I’m 20 and about 120lbs at 5′0″. I’m what people might call skinny-ish, but I eat what I want and exersise is not even in my vocabulary. The service was so-so, but even rude people need a job, though my waitress was awesome. I would highly recomend for everyone and their
mom (unless health nuts) to indulge into a little treat here.
-Mimi- just has to understand that if someone has health problems or contrindecations such as being a health nut they are not going to go to this kind of a place. It’s a treat of good old american eats.
My suggestion for a review page, if you’ve NEVER been there or don’t know anyone who has went there stop sitting infrount of your computer like a fat AS$ and critisizing other people’s choice of foods.
To me, as long as I’m HAPPY, I dont care what my weight or diet consist of. I like chocolate, cake, cookies, DEEP FRIED TWEENIKIES, and other goodies.
My suggestion: Live life to it’s fullest, indulge into a treat now and then and enjoy the ride of life for we dont have very long here on earth, and regaurdless of what we eat and how much we exersise, we all die. I don’t believe that God sends people to hell for eating GOOD food. So I don’t understand teh conterversy… People who get heart problems due to fats and ect. have done it to themselves but you know… we all die and they give doctors a job… There simple. Live how you want and DON’T try to change other people.
I will visit and defenatly will inform you all on how the visit goes for sure.
PS: People need to let others make their own choices and quit nagging other people… We live in a fine state to get out-doors and enjoy ourselves. I personally HATE going otside in the summer, but others enjoy it.
Ever think that its just how people WANT TO LIVE. Some can’t help their weight, and those people I am sorry for and want to appologize for anyone who has ever said a nasty word. You are beautiful just the way you are, and in the end we will all have perfect wings. Don’t judge, don’t hate, don’t try to controll others. Love everyone.
I am amazed @ Vodden’s story. They had 40+ people there and only expected to pay $250?
I think you got what you paid for.
Wow Voddens, you had your wedding reception at a country bar and restauraunt. Dumbfounded is right, you did get what you paid for and what you deserve.
Vodden’s; just when I think people can’t be dense…you rant here. You worked in the industry for 8 years and didn’t see a problem with having a $250 limit on your reception (at a bar no less) for 40 people!?!? Please say that you missed a 0?
By the way….thanks for the Asian reminder, we get it. She probably wasn’t dumb, just being vengeful!
Voddens: you booked a wedding party a WEEK in advance and only wanted to spend $250 for 40 people? You claim to work in the hospitality industry. Either you didn’t pay attention during that time or wanted something for nothing. I think you got what you paid for. You should have known a week wouldn’t be time enough for a new restaurant to have it together. The setup refusal should have been your first clue.