If you are looking to go out with your friends and have a good time with expensive drinks and good food, The Den Zone might be the place for you. The Den Zone, which was originally The Pavilion–a place where many peoples’ husbands would go fishing on a weekend–is now a place where many people can go to shake ass on a Friday night. 

The Den became popular during fall of last year. It was advertised as a place to hang out with your friends, watch the day’s sports on the big screen, trivia nights and DJs every week. For those above the legal drinking age, they have a bar as well, which is convenient when living in a dry county. 

The prime time to go to the Den is around 10 or 11 pm. That’s when the music starts and the crowd starts pouring in. Be careful, though, because they do have a capacity limit, which may affect the amount of time you wait in line. 

They have a newly upgraded menu featuring food offerings improved from the beginning of the year. If you’re not yet 21, though, the Den Zone provides a vast array of soda options, so perhaps you can try getting drunk and bubbly off the carbonation.

Now, whatever you do, don’t try to get in with a fake ID, as they do have security out front who are pretty good at clocking whether it’s a fake or not. But don’t worry, even without alcohol in your system, you are sure to have a great time. 

Since my friend works at Den Zone, a typical night there for me starts bright and early…at about 8 PM…when not a soul is in sight yet. I can get in and sit behind the desk, catch up and, like a true Arkansan: people-watch. 

I’ll order myself a sour amaretto, and then I wait for the place to fill up and the music to start sounding. As I mentioned before, if you are not someone who likes to dance and get shoved around in the crowd, they do have trivia nights on Tuesday and karaoke nights on Sunday. 

The trivia nights consist of 3 rounds of about 10-15 questions, and each group writes down your answers on the sheet. They put the question up on the projector as well as announce them on the mic. At the end of each round, the points are added up and the lucky winners are announced. The Den has a place for everyone on campus, even the little trivia nerds.

Opening an establishment like the Den Zone is one of the things A-State did right, and it shows. On Friday nights, the line basically crosses the parking lot, with waiting times reaching up to 30 minutes. Going on a night out at the Den is a great way to unwind and have a good time, with or without drinks. 

The prospect of the pricey menu at the Den tends to turn many people off, though, making many believe it’ll be an overrated experience. If this has been the consensus you’ve been surrounded by when considering a night out at Den Zone, my advice is to give it a shot. 

Although it may appear daunting, look the long line straight in the eyes, go see for yourself with the $10 entry fee with your A-State ID–one of the many perks of being a student here.

With a friendly staff, good food and drinks, and mostly a good DJ from time to time, going to the Den Zone sure is one of the more fun things to do on campus, even if you go do it alone. 

Categories: Life