The building opened in 1951 as the Maverick and has been the Buffalo Chip for most of its life. Larry Wendt has owned it since 1999, and on Thanksgiving Day 2015 an arsonist burned it to the ground; the outdoor bull-riding arena survived, so he served drinks from it while the saloon was rebuilt. The Chip reopened about a year later. Live bull riding runs Wednesday and Friday nights, the house band plays Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00 PM, and people dance.
Eat like it is a cookout: steaks off the grill, Texas-style barbecue, nothing delicate. The bar is also Arizona’s unofficial Green Bay Packers headquarters, a tradition that dates to the late Packers receiver Max McGee finding the place, and the team sent memorabilia to help refill the walls after the fire.
When to go: a Friday bull-riding night in the cooler months. Gates open at 6:00 PM; get there early, because the view from the back is mostly hats. Hours run to 2:00 AM Wednesday, Friday and Saturday as of this writing.