Maloney's: big enough for two worlds to collide

Maloney's on Fourth, 213 N. Fourth Ave., is a bar that joins together the college scene with Tucson's older adult crowd. Some people dub it a Cheers-like bar, with the vast space, pool tables and decorative photos and quotes. With the music blasting (everything from classic songs to the newest popular hits) it is an enjoyable experience to hang out in this dimly-lit bar.

Not your typical predominantly-college-crowd bar, Maloney's is filled with multiple bars with lots of room for many bar-goers. With a large balcony, this bar gives people the chance to get fresh air along the long deck. When I went here the past time, it was Saturday night of Homecoming weekend. I waited in line for 20 minutes, which wasn't bad at all considering campus bars had 2-hour-long waits. I actually had an interesting experience getting into Maloney's this time. The people I was with managed to get some sort of VIP cards for us. With this card, you can enter on the left side of the balcony and get right in. Well, somehow the situation got screwed up and the guy wouldn't let us in until a guy tipped him. I've seen this done in movies before, but this was a first in real life. What an exciting start to the night.


The first room you walk into has an oval-shaped bar completely stocked with alcohol. Booths surround the room to give people a break from standing. One very big plus about this bar is its large availability of seating; however, on crowded days you will still find yourself standing. The walls were decorated with a variety of pictures and quotations. The wall to the restrooms from this front room is filled with pictures of famous performers when they were younger.

The next room inside is larger, with a few different levels of floors. Here you'll find a couple pool tables and another bar. The place was so large I didn't even make it to the other side (mostly cause I was a little too scared to leave the crowd I knew - an older man who sat 5 feet away from where I stood was staring at my group the whole time).


The drinks were priced pretty well. I didn't know it at the time, but I guess they have some sort of beer deal on Saturday nights. This was a lesson to remember to ask for specials before I order. Nevertheless, a large glass of a mixed drink (my favorite: Long Island) was only $6. The glass seemed almost double the size of glasses at Dirtbag's. I was happy.

The crowd flowed from inside to outside and back inside. The doors were wide open to make access to the outside very easy. Overall, the place has a very fun set up. It's spacious like O'Malleys, but not as spread out. The bar just looks very well-kept and upscale-ish, without seeming too expensive. The only downside I saw, was not the place but the crowd. I prefer to hang out at bars with people my age. The crowd at Maloney's definitely has an average age of mid- to late-20s, maybe even higher. It is more a T-Loc scene than the other bars I've written about previously. However, it is still a fun place and an experience you can't neglect!

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The bar hosts wrote a note on the Maloney's Web site to all bar patrons - a cute little poem. It reads:

We've created a place where people can gather
A Place to have fun and kick up a lather
Where spirits are high and filled with good cheer
Your problems and troubles have no place here
We offer good food and drink at a low price
An idea created from our patron's advice
So grab a cold beer and settle on in
The fun at Maloney's is about to begin

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Check out other reviews of Maloney's:

Travel Yahoo Review

Pub Crawler Review

City Search Review

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