LET'S EAT: Bleachers

The menu at one Ahwatukee Foothills restaurant has everything from chicken wings to fillet mignon.

The owner and servers even get in arguments as to which chef makes the best clam chowder.

Hard to believe it’s a sports bar.

Last year, owner Mark Clarke purchased Payton’s Place and turned it into Bleachers by upgrading all the TVs in the restaurant to high-definition plasma screens, remodeling the interior and adding an outdoor patio with a fireplace.

“There’s no other patio in town like this,” Clarke said, adding that with the weather changing, the patio is a great place to dine.

All the soups in Bleachers are made in-house, as are the salad dressings. Clarke recommends the cheddar-crusted chicken, saying it’s an “incredible meal.”

Consistency is very important to Bleachers. That’s why three of its chefs have been working there for six years or longer.

Also, within the past three months, Bleachers has been featuring live music on Friday and Saturday nights by classic rock cover bands, as well as karaoke at 9 p.m. on Thursdays.

Clarke has worked in the restaurant industry for 26 years. From working for Carl’s Jr. for several years to owning nine franchise restaurants, Clarke has really found his niche.

“I love the food industry, and my love for sports kind of goes hand-in-hand with a sports bar.”

Clarke said his love for sports bars dictated how he set up the TVs to watch the games, because he likes to watch all the games he can. That’s why his customers are able to watch every football game aired on Sunday mornings.

Bleachers also caters to large parties.

“We have some very good things going on here.”