Best Neighborhood Bar, South Phoenix

From the moment we first stepped through the door of the Silver Pony, we realized it was our kinda place: a friendly and laid-back joint with reasonably priced drinks. An ultra-outgoing bartender named Valinda welcomed us with a hearty "howdy" and served up a bottle of Bud with nary any attitude. The crowd populating the south Phoenix roadhouse 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 like Urban Country provide an upbeat soundtrack on Fridays and Saturdays for customers doing their two-step thing on the dance floor. There's also a baseball bat hanging behind the bar, which Valinda says is for patrons who might "get a little out of hand." But frankly, we can't imagine the staff ever needing to wield the weapon, since the vibe here is plenty amiable.