Cleator Bar and Yacht Club - Mayer, Arizona

wilfredo carracelas

No puedo valorar un sitio al cual estaba cerrado cuando pasé DOMINGO aproximadamente 10:00am
Pero el lugar se mira como a mi me gusta

Moises Green

Un atractivo perdido en la montaña. Bonitos paisajes.

EE Grimshaw

*3 1/2 stars*

If you are in the mood for a place like this, you're going to love it. It's a vibe, and the middle of nowhere doesn't even begin to describe where we ended up to get here. But if you're tired and looking for a bite to eat? Your tolerance for the quirky Wild West dive bar with a dash of Deliverance is probably going to be limited.

This was a quintessential adventure; my top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality found this while we were stuck in a miles-long traffic jam on Route 17 N heading up toward Sedona. She described it, it sounded ridiculous and interesting, so we made an impulse decision to take our rental SUV onto an unpaved road for over 15 miles to give it a shot. That's a memory that's going to stick with me for a lifetime; blasting 90s rap, nervously side-eyeing ominous pot holes and getting progressively hungrier as the scenery began to look more and more like the set of Tremors. If you're approaching Cleator the same way we did (honestly, your options are pretty limited so that's probably exactly what you'd do), be aware - it's going to take a while. On the way back to the highway, I was definitely more comfortable driving around on the rough surface, but assume it's going to take at least twice as long as your navigation app tells you.

I was honestly a little disappointed when we walked in and there was a tiny gift shop to the left of the entrance, and more kitsch than authentic personality. That tells you immediately they're catering to the more adventurous tourists than establishing themselves as a legit watering hole for primarily locals. It SEEMED like a few of the guys at the bar were from nearby, but there were at least two people near us who were also looking around and clearly not from the area.

We'd bypassed lunch in the Phoenix area so I was pretty hungry. Part of this for sure is that we didn't do enough research on our end to confirm definitively one way or the other, but they had NO food options, which to me is always a mistake. I'm sure there are plenty of dive bar purists out there who think having even a bowl of peanuts out tarnishes the image, but it just makes common sense and frankly is safer - do you really want your customers who are mostly by definition venturing far off the beaten path drinking at your bar on an empty stomach? Anyway.

Our bartender Tina was very nice, and quintessential salt of the earth. She apologized for the lack of official food options and even offered us a free sandwich from behind the counter. Also super nice and above and beyond? One of the other customers overheard me talking to my chum about how hungry I was and went outside to grab some Lunchables for me (he refused payment). Honestly? Those Lunchables hit. I haven't had one of those since elementary school and they've never tasted more delicious - turkey and cheese for those who want to take a trip back to a simpler time. The people were incredible, which is usually the best part of a dive bar experience, so they have that going for them here.

We each went with a Mike's Hard Lemonade (I spiced it up with a pink one). I probably needed the sugar, so on that basis alone it was a positive. I didn't want to get too frisky when my caloric intake for the day was a snack from 1993, so that was the extent of our alcoholic adventures. We did take the time to use the facilities, which included a memorable sign in the bathroom - "if it's yellow, let it mellow." Got to preserve the water in the desert. We also took a quick gander at the backyard area, which had a few picnic tables and a setup screaming for a food vendor; this would have been a pleasant area to rest/kick back if we weren't there right at the tail-end of an historic heat wave with 100-degree temps, but that's probably a nice spot in slightly more tolerable conditions.

It's a recommend for the adventure aspect alone (and my chum definitely liked this more than I did), but grab a bite somewhere first. The Lunchables are NOT on the menu.

Paul Boyd

Driving out in the desert on our way to Crown King and outta nowhere is "The Bar" aka Yacht Club.. this is a must stop for a cold beverage on your way up or down from The King!! Puts the dive in dive-bar, dollas all over the walls and a bar tender with a smile and great service. Out back there is a Pirate Ship and band stage. Highly recommend this gem - just turn off the Bumble Bee exit and head towards Crown King and you can't miss it!! Love this place!

Spinning Wheels Photography

This is a great place to get a cold drink to wash all the dust down from the dirt roads. On this day it was packed, which seems to be an everyday on the weekend thing. They brought up a food vendor to make street tacos and tamales. Great food. There is even ice cream for the youngster.

Roxanne Sebring

Such a cute, fun bar! Our Bartender Sue was totally awesome!! Beautiful drive, out to this almost ghost town/old gold mining town. Worth the trip!

Brian Reddick

Yep, a yacht club in the middle of the desert. However, this isn't the high society yacht club you might be thinking of. It is the place for the work'n man/woman, weekend dirt loving side-by-side runner and off roader that wants a break for good beer, good service and good conversation.

Saif

This place is an Arizona treasure. The stories Harmony has shared make it even more enjoyable. The hot dogs outside are edible but don't expect gourmet.