First Place:
Great American Ranch
13995 Raised Antler Circle, Midlothian
608-0182
greatamericanranch.com
Second place: District 5
Third place: J.R. Crickets RVA
Billed as a restaurant and saloon, Great American Ranch has plenty to offer the discerning bar goer, from 32 televisions to a horseshoe-shaped bar and covered patio. They break things up into a saloon side, which houses a huge 11-by-17-foot big screen television where you can see all the big sporting events, while the other side is the ranch, best known for the ever-popular mechanical bull. Sadly, it has no name (we asked).
They’re big on events from Movie Night every Tuesday — also known for Beer Tower Tuesdays — and Wednesdays are now steak nights. Happy hour runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and weekends are when it busts out the mechanical bull, live DJ, craft cocktail bar bucket, shots and drink specials. They call it Saturdays at the Ranch.
“We have a country-western theme, only play country and rock and roll,” says manager Mandy Williams. “Weekends at 9 p.m. we go to [ages] 21 and up. And we have a D.J. who plays country music and rock.”
On weekends, there’s generally between three and four hundred people, Williams says, adding that the bull is free to ride and goes all night. Yee-haw!