By Morgan James
As I’m sitting in a high comfy booth watching the game across multiple screens, a table of older gentlemen, lift their glasses as they smile across the room in camaraderie. A young couple strolls in the door waving at the gentlemen in recognition. A middle aged group of patrons seated across the room laugh aloud with the server who just brought them drinks. The warm, friendly atmosphere invites several diverse patrons into the doors of The Block Sports Bar & Grill over the hour or so of my visit to this neighborhood hangout in the heart of Cathedral City. I am impressed by the clean, well-lit tables as the server happily turns to specifically requested games. I have heard from other patrons that the space has been nicely renovated with the new change in ownership last year, bringing in more natural light and a large, smooth, accommodating bar counter.
Saul Chavez, the owner, stops over to say hello and check on the service as the food arrives, burger steaming. We chat for just a minute about the daily happenings there including Reggae Nights on Thursdays, featuring popular bands like Higher Heights, a Coachella Valley reggae favorite; Rock Music on Saturdays, featuring entertaining bands like Ghost of Kelso and Alyce Bowie; Karaoke every Friday; Karaoke in Spanish every Tuesday; and even Jazz nights; Metal shows; and Top 40 DJs, have been thrown into the mix on occasion. Saul feels strongly about bringing in high quality musicians and treating them right. The music in the evenings frequently bring large crowds, energizing the surrounding neighborhood with great vibes in the short time that Saul has owned the place and he plans to keep that going, proud to host such a varied crowd on a regular basis.
I am elated as I bite into my very juicy burger, bun crispy on the edges, and extremely soft and chewy throughout. This rivals any of the best burgers in town with absolute certainty. The French fries are medium to thick steak fry style, delightfully crispy on the edges, yet perfectly fluffy inside. For American faire, this meal is wonderfully satisfying. I also tried the Daytona grilled wings at Saul’s suggestion as they have quickly become the most popular item on the menu and with good reason. These wings do have an incredible burst of flavor without being overly spicy, truly finger-licking tasty. Another item I decided to try was a simple house salad. I am always weary of ordering salads in most Sports Bars, but to my pleasant surprise, the lettuce, tomatoes, onions and croutons were fresh and crisp. Saul recommends the chicken club as his favorite item on the menu, a sandwich I will have to try on the next visit… if I can keep from ordering another dreamy burger at that time of course.
I recommend stopping in to say hello and join the happy family of patrons that frequent The Block Sports Bar & Grill in Cathedral City on the corner of Ramon and Date Palm and have a tasty meal. The service is friendly and the large eating area is warm, well-lit and clean. A pool table keeps things lively and a variety of live music and karaoke offers a fun time most nights of the week. Especially make sure to take advantage of popular specials like $1 Taco Tuesdays served from Noon to 11pm. You can’t find a better deal than that! The Block offers 50 different beers, boasting 23 of those beers on tap. Prices range from a $5.99 generously large House Salad, $7.99 for a 10″ Dodger Dog with all the fixings, $9.99 for that Fantastic Cheeseburger and Fries, to a huge portion Chicken or Beef Nachos for $12.99.
Tuesdays: $1 Tacos & Spanish Karaoke
Wednesdays: Specials on Wines
Thursdays: Live Reggae
Fridays: Karaoke
Saturdays: Live Rock
www.facebook.com/theblocksportsbar
