Legion American Bar & Grill to host El Tour de Zona cyclists Come drink & ride with history

Mike Ablin had a dream – more like a vision – of creating a place in Southern Arizona that would make him proud.

He’s done that with Legion American Bar & Grill in Bisbee, where patrons can “drink with history.”

And eat as well.

Legion American Bar & Grill (57 Subway St) will host El Tour de Zona cyclists in a couple of weeks – March 21 – for its soft opening as it prepares for a great future in Bisbee.

“We look forward to this event,” said owner Ablin, a Chicago native turned New Yorker turned Arizonan. “We can’t wait to share this with the community.”

It took a trip to Bisbee a handful of years ago to raise his eyebrows to great potential and return to the bar and restaurant business. He had a tavern in New Jersey earlier in his career.

“I tell people this quite often, I’m not a holistic person,” he said. “As soon as I drove through that tunnel and I got to the other side, it just hit me like a ton of bricks. I’m like, ‘what in the world is going on here?’ I have found it to be one of the most enjoyable places I’ve ever been to. The people are friendly. There’s always something bizarre and crazy going on down there in a good way. It’s just got great it’s just got great energy.”

And so, it began.

He found the building he wanted – the former American Legion home for a couple of decades – a 6,000 square foot, two-story building that says Bisbee and “has tons of history.” It’s all original and has the feel of Bisbee – historic and strong.

“We’ve gone to great lengths to save all the old original materials, the original tin ceilings, antique windows, the wood bar,” he said.

He called it an “emotional thing, given he was attached to the building and its architecture. It’s my life’s dream.”

Originally built in 1898 and had had a few different tenants before the American Legion settled in, it is now the creation of Ablin, who is also into historic preservation.

“I saw it and thought: ‘this could be something great,” he said. “It’s something spectacular.”
It can hold 165 people on the mail floor and another 100 in the hospitality section upstairs.

“Everyone who walks into the building says, ‘wow, is this cool,’” he said.

The food will be Texas-style barbeque: ribs, pulled pork, brisket, stuffed Italian sausage with jalapenos. Sides like buffalo wings, chicharrónes, Mexican street corn.

“Your traditional Texas style barbecue,” Albin said. “Get a piece of Wonder Bread, and here you go. Knock yourself out.”

And, by the way, he said, “what’s better than having a cold beer, having barbeque and sitting out on the patio and looking at the mountains. It seemed to fire on all 12 cylinders.”

Adding, “everyone says when they walk around the streets, it’s just magical. This is just going to be another spot where, if you’re going to go to Bisbee, you’ve got to stop by the Legion Bar and Grill. And, have a drink with history.”