The Silver Pony

From the moment you walk through the door of this friendly and laid-back South Phoenix country dive, you're treated as a regular. Outgoing bartenders welcome patrons with a hearty "howdy" and serve up bottles of Bud without attitude. The crowd is equally affable, even on a raucous weekend night. Harley-Davidson types knock back a few beers and play darts, while blue-collar workers from the neighborhood eagerly shoot pool with vaqueros dressed in Mexican cowboy wear. Boot-scootin' bands, such as Urban Country, provide an upbeat soundtrack on Fridays and Saturdays as customers do their two-step thing on the dance floor. There's also a baseball bat hanging behind the bar, which, the bartenders joke, is for patrons who might "get a little out of hand. But frankly, it's doubtful the staff ever needs to wield the weapon, because the vibe here is plenty amiable.