CORBETT'S — Restaurant in Tucson

Every single week I look around me while sitting in a beanbag chair vaping my life away and say “man, Tucson is growing”. Now we’re not quite Phoenix nor do we want to be. But we’re growing. We’re like a smaller Portland with a tan, better food and 20% less pretentiousness. It’s something. And even though the economy forces us to watch the price of eggs and gas like a fat kid watching a fondue fountain, there’s still plenty of new businesses popping up and new joy to be had by all Tucsonans. So when Corbetts opened up downtown, it caught my attention and I knew i’d inevitably wander in like a curious, mangy cat. But then I heard someone say it was a pickleball spot. A pickleball spot? Pickleball? The last time I heard that word was when I was a kid and I was forced along with Uncle Tony when he was sent to collect some ‘unpaid dues’ from Freddie, the geriatric at Shady Pines. I remember Freddie telling Uncle Tony that he would get the money but he had to win at Pickleball first. Uncle Tony told me to wait in the car after Freddie threw a paddle at him. Since then, I figured it was an old man’s game. Not anymore apparently.

Quote on quote this pickleball is “the fastest growing sport in America” and is a mix of table tennis, tennis and badmitton…all three of which have never gotten me or any of my friends laid. After spending 10 hours on youtube, I learned about the baselines, the sidelines & the non-volley zone lines. No pickup lines needed as I was definitely going to be surrounded by other middle aged cynic dudes with a penchant for beer, non conventional cardio and general disdain. I learned about the serving style, the 2 bounce rule etcetera, calling the non-volley zone the “kitchen”, etc etc. I figured if geriatrics and boomers can dominate this game, then so can I. They have pensions, I have tensions. They have real estate, I have hate. They have blue chew, I have blues clues. You get the point. I’m here to dominate and claim pickleball for millenials and generation x,y,z. The only social security they’re gonna need is the security team at Corbetts after I rain pickles of fury down upon their wrinkly domes.

I figured I’d just show up and chain vape off court watching the competition like a lion watching a gaggle of gazelles. I don’t know what a group of gazelles are called, but gaggle sounds right. I would just wait until someone got injured or until a losing side needed a champion to step in. So I put on some old school knee socks, my best Chuck Taylor’s, some 70s basketball short shorts, a gold, satin button up and an American flag headband before driving over. When I walked in, the staff knew what was up. The joint was bustlin. Full on large restaurant and bar before walking out to the courtyard where the action was. I was making my way towards the back doors to get to the courtyard and kept mutterin ‘PICKLEBALL PAPA is here’ next to all the people dining so they knew what was what. As soon as I reached the courtyard, my phone went off like a prison alarm and I saw that dreaded text “severe weather alert”. I began to walk towards the courts where a bunch of middle aged dudes with mustaches were already making a name for themselves and just as I was about to do the two finger dad whistle to get their attention, Zeus decided to interupt and a torrential downpour soured all of our pickles.

Paddles dropped, pickle balls cornered and jarred and a bunch of smelly, sweaty legends began to take cover. I wasn’t about to throw in the wet towel though, so I went to check out the indoor courts which were already fully occupied and the smell of feet and moldy beards overwhelmed my senses. My eyes were watering but I asked one of the older dudes waiting if there were any openings. The boomer laughed and almost metaphorically said “no more room left for you, kid” as if to put out a cigar on the only hope my generation had left. But I did go inside to eat wet and alone at the bar and had the Tucson Toro Burger with seasoned fries and a High Noon Seltzer to make the pain of defeat go away. Most...

The recent experience at our party over the weekend at the Corbetts was undeniably one of the most disappointing encounters I've had. Firstly, there was only one server assigned to 40 people, resulting in a chaotic ordering process with no adequate support provided.

Secondly, we were seated outside, with some of us uncomfortably facing the sun. When we asked for the blind to be lowered, things took a turn for the worse. A manager attempted to assist on one blind, but the second one she didn't lower. This prompted a party member to offer help to the struggling server.

Instead of addressing the situation calmly, the original manager began yelling at the party member for helping to lower the line. She refused any explanation and escalating the tension. Eventually, another manager intervened, but the damage was done. The GM was called, exchanged words with the party member, and abruptly ended the conversation by asking us to leave, comping our meals and drinks, which by then totaled over $800, we weren't looking for a handout.

None of us were intoxicated, nor did anyone raise their voice. It was bewildering to be expelled over such a trivial matter as adjusting blinds. Our party comprised business owners, military personnel, and hardworking individuals simply trying to celebrate a birthday.

I had been considering the venue for our client appreciation event, expecting over 250 attendees and multiple vendors. However, witnessing their inability to handle 40 guests and their overreaction to a minor issue has completely deterred me from considering them for any future events.

The behavior displayed by the two managers was domineering and unacceptable. They should undergo mentoring and coaching to handle similar situations more effectively...

I would recommend visiting this establishment for a date, a meal with a colleague or a get together with friends.

Staff: There were numerous staff present, and they were all extremely attentative.

Atmosphere: The facility is spacious with numerous pockets for entertainment. You could sit at a table, the bar, or play a game of pickleball. It was a clean and esthetic environment.

Food: The food is a la cart. I would recommend ordering fries with your sandwich or burger. The prime rib looked absolutely mouthwatering, but this time, I chose to get the prime rib sandwich instead. The wings were nice and juicy, crispy and flavorful. I did not like the default dipping sauce. It was too mild for me.

Drinks: whiskey ginger highball was refreshing and perfect. I prefer any drink with whiskey, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of liquor. Additionally, these drinks are well portioned with liquor (i.e., they do not skimp).

Overall: I would recommend this place for a drink with friends on a Saturday night or a game of pickleball. I would also recommend this place for a Thursday night dinner with your partner. The food is exceptional. It is above and beyond what I would expect for a typical bar fair, and I would be happy to go here for a date night or dinner with a...