The Buffet

I’m not sure exactly what it is, but entering the Buffet is like entering another dimension. Time slows down. The air smells differently. The drinks taste so much stronger (okay, that one can be explained — these kind bartenders are generous with their pours).
I’ve been to the Buffet more times than I care to admit. I’m not an alcoholic, but I am a survivor of Buff Day: 7 straight hours in the Buffet, celebrating both happy minutes and subsisting only on the food to be found here (and let’s be real, hundreds of booze calories).
Most of the reviews posted here over the past couple years do a fine job of describing the Buff: divey, dirty, awesome. While some have commented on the clientele (covering such a vast range of humanity), I feel obliged to remark on the bouncers. I have never felt safer drinking on/​around Fourth Ave. or downtown, than I have felt at the Buffet. Yeah! At a DIVE! I mean it. A creepy and/​or crazy drunk dude so much as spends a minute too long trying to talk to me, and a bouncer would be over his shoulder, making sure I’m alright, checking to see if he needs to intervene. That’s not to say you can’t send other people drinks and chat up strangers — you absolutely can. I just have never felt like any other 4^th Ave./downtown Tucson bar staff member was so attuned to its patrons to notice someone’s body language… or care enough to step in as a college kid’s wingwoman. Granted, the Buffet is a lot smaller than other bars, and it’s generally well-​staffed, but I so appreciated always feeling like someone had my back.
One other thing that has gone unmentioned = The Dirty South. It’s got SoCo and probably 3 other liquors along with some sour mix (yeah, not the same thing you can find online made from peach liqueur… totally hit me up if you get your hands on a copy of the Buff’s recipe). It goes down easy but packs a punch, like so many of the (cheap!) drinks here. And you can’t go wrong with Stoli or Maker’s.
So, go, bring cash and hand sanitizer (for the bathroom). Take your date to see if s/​he can hang low-​maintenance style; take your buddies to chill and play shuffleboard; meet fellow alum there to reminisce; head there after work, before a concert, to hit happy minute, or just because you need a break from everything else. Tip your bartenders well and soak up a piece of what makes Tucson, well, Tucson.

This place is a real dive bar. It’s usually crowded inside. The walls are all covered in writing from people who sign their names or write random stuffs.
They do this thing called happy minute where you can order a drink for one dollar as long as it’s within one minute. A guy comes around and hands out coupons for a dollar drink that you can use as long as it’s for the same drink that you currently have.
They have a shuffleboard table. The crowd here is usually really cool. The staff is very friendly.

This place is disgusting. I love it.

About 2 – 3 times a year we will head down to The Buffet, either to get reacquainted with our college stomping grounds with some old friends or to shock and amaze unsuspecting out of town visitors whom have never experienced a dive bar as divey as this. Make no mistake: this isn’t just your run of the mill dump that’s been classified as a dive simply due to poor maintenance and deplorable hygiene standards. This is the real deal. The Buffet looks, smells, and feels like something out of «Barfly» and I wouldn’t be surprised if Charles Bukowski’s ghost had decided to take up residence here.
You’ll find a mixture of all walks of life here with an extremely wide age span, and all are welcome. Some find the older clientele a bit frightening, though anytime we’ve seen a fight break out it was between a couple of inebriated college boys — but generally that’s not the norm. Most people come here to relax and enjoy a reliably stiff drink, a game of shuffleboard, and maybe a beer-​steeped hot dog. The bartenders are punctual and competent at ensuring your glass is never empty. And the drinks are cheap, even for top shelf. Your scrapbook is not complete without a photo of you here.
During our most recent visit, The Buffet did not disappoint. My gin and tonic was heavy on the gin, my hot dog was delicious, and the restroom was revolting (hint: bring hand sanitizer and try not to touch anything).
Whether you’re a seasoned Tucsonan, a college student, or a tourist, this place should definitely be on your bucket list.

This dive bar in Tucson is a cult favorite. It has all of the perfect makings for a serious dive bar spot. a wide variety of regulars, a great juke box, pool table, shuffle board, very scary bathrooms, graffiti on the walls, friendly bartenders, cash only, & greasy food choices. This is a favorite stop for graduates to come and get a 6am cocktail or two before graduation. A Tucson staple and a must for the «keep Tucson shitty» motto.

If you’re visiting in town, this is a must-​try. If I learned this correctly, this is the oldest continuously served bar in Tucson (about 80 years old), and is now owned by the original owner’s bookkeeper and her children. Definitely keeps the culture going.
Happy minute at 6pm! The bartender will pass out coupons for a free drink– you can get one more of whatever you were drinking when the clock struck 6pm.
I would also recommend that you try this place DURING THE DAY, while the sun is out. This is because the bar is very dark inside (it takes some adjusting to when you walk in), but the real kicker is when you walk out, and the sun is still out! It’s so bright stepping out, and for the few seconds it’s pure Arizona bliss.

My middle 50s aged father loved this place. And we opened it at 6am before commencement last year. Since then I have «opened» multiple times after finishing an all nighter grading students’ work or typing a research paper for my grad program. It’s cash only. But they’re also one of the largest consumers of Makers Mark in the country. I love this place. And if my middle aged dad loves it, all of you should.

Im here from out of state & I love it.
Cheap booze for here, & even cheaper booze to go.
I need to live in walking distance so I can give them all my money.

Usually this is a place where you «end up», however, my night started here.
This place is dingy, dirty, strange, and… AWESOME.
They have a pretty decent atmosphere and the bartender was super sweet and attentive. I can’t even imagine the sh*t she has to put up with during her shifts.
Cheap prices.
They have a bathroom that was so bad that I chose to either 1. Piss myself or 2. Risk getting a bladder infection from holding my pee. I chose option 2.
I survived this place and that’s all I could ask for.