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The fate of Maloney's on Campus has been in limbo ever since the popular Tempe college bar abruptly closed its doors after St. Patrick's Day this year.
Then JHS Ventures, a group of former Maloney's employees and Arizona State University alumni, revamped the bar into an ASU-themed hangout.
Devil's Advocate opened Oct. 2, providing a place where students and alumni can feel comfortable watching a game on a Sunday afternoon or partying with friends on a Thursday night.
“We don't really know what happened with Maloney's; it's still a bit of a mystery to us,” said manager Nick Buchholz. “We saw it slowly turn towards becoming a corporate entity, which left a bad taste in folks' mouths. Now there is a good feeling here.”
There hasn't been a lot of renovation. Buchholz said the staff spent about a month cleaning the place up. They installed more televisions, so patrons can have a view from every angle. A new sound system and jukebox invite dancing on weekend nights. Shuffleboard and pool tables add to the laid-back vibe. Photographs on the wall from the historical society provide a slice of Tempe's history.
“Everyone seems really happy,” said bartender Vicky Reynolds, who worked at Maloney's until it closed. “It's a little bit more fun with the shuffleboard table and jukebox, and a little more customer-oriented because there are things for them to do.”
New menu: Another big change is the food.
“The food menu is budget-conscious and we make everything from scratch, from the pizza dough down to the sauces,” said Buchholz, who created the menu.
“We are proud of the food and people can come in, order a couple things and get out of here full.”
Menu highlights include Kobe beef sliders, pizza and Buchholz's pineapple habañero wings.
“They are pretty phenomenal and sweet at the beginning, then they take you for a ride,” he said. “I made them on the spot on opening night…and they have been a crowd favorite since.”
Drinks are also recession-friendly, with $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon all the time and an extensive happy hour menu. Guests can find deals like $2 wine, $3 Tuaca lemon drops and Jose Cuervo margaritas from 3 to 7 p.m. every day, and more deals during the late night hours on weekends.
Calling all aWhile Devil's Advocate is still busy Thursday nights when ASU students are out bar-hopping, Buccholz said he is really focused on attracting recent graduates.
“We want people who used to go to ASU to come here,” he said. “We are really trying to cater to them; that's why the food is so good and cheap. People with a more advanced palate will have an appreciation for that.”
