Saddle Bronc
San Angelo, TX
Here's a little secret: if you want to get great service at a dive bar, all you have to do is not order any alcohol. Seriously.
I realized this on a road trip where I stopped at 6 or 7 bars. It just kept happening over and over. Since local law enforcement, the pope, and my personal lawyer all disapprove of drinking 6-10 beers and driving 200 miles in a day, I usually order Cokes and Topo Chicos. And I've noticed that bartenders are nicer to me when I do this.
Maybe they think that I'm in recovery. Like I'm someone who has woken up in their fair share of bathtubs, but is now on the straight and narrow and just wants to pop into the old haunts. Or, maybe they think I'm a safety inspector. I'm assuming inspectors can't write citations after a few buttery nipple shots. Or, even worse, maybe an IRS agent. A plague upon the land.
So I'm used to getting decent service. But at Saddle Bronc, I honestly did get the VIP treatment. When the ATM didn't take my card and there wasn't enough change to break my bill, the bartender bought me a fresh 0.5L Coke bottle straight up. And then, she showed me around a bit. I saw the "smoker's lounge," basically a roofed hut on the back patio. I even got an invite to the Xmas party, happening later that night. Like I'm the Prince of Wales or something.
On my visit, a couple early-morning regulars sipped on beers and watched the news. There was talk of a recent 5.4 magnitude earthquake in Midland, and one patron disputed that it was a result of fracking. There was no geologist around to confirm.
The current owners, Ila and Bruce Johnson, have been running this joint since 2003. They bought it off a friend who owned it since the early '90s and they decided to keep the name. I'm glad they did. It's a good name, distinct and fun. "Saddle Bronc." It works.
Saddle Bronc is a clean, quiet bar with a pool table. It doesn't have live music or a kitchen but it has something even better: good service and early hours. Every town in Texas could use a place exactly like this. A solid spot to stop in at 8AM and enjoy a Coke.
Or 6-10 beers.