The bar at El Meson (Photo by Mark Gilliland)More Info
EL MESONAddress: 248 Northgate Park and 2204 Hamilton Place Blvd.Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-SaturdayPhone: 423-710-1201 (Hixson) and 423-894-8726 (Hamilton Place)
By birth, the Ruiz family owners of both El Meson locations may be Mexican. But when it comes to most sports, their fandom is boundless.
“Come support your team! We support them all,” said Tony Ruiz, owner of the Hixson location, in regards to the 2018 World Cup soccer games. “Though, now that the USA is out, I’m focusing more attention on Mexico.”
Tony admits that when his native team plays, El Meson offers “extra special” food and drink specials. Still, any soccer match screening is a good time at El Meson. Mid-afternoon on a recent Friday, the bar at the Hixson location was already packed with patrons, their eyes turned to the row of large TVs.
“There were even more people, but a lot of them left at halftime,” Tony said.
During games, both El Meson locations offer domestic beers for $2 a pint and imported beers for $3 a pint. There is always a different food special, such as a creative new burrito recipe — something for which everyone can cheer, regardless of their birthplace.
The great thing about the World Cup, said Tony, is that “you really don’t have to root for your country. There are so many great teams.”