Pregame takes over former CK Tavern Spot in Ahwatukee

🍔 I stopped by at lunchtime Monday to check out Pregame Sports Grill, which opened Saturday in Ahwatukee, tucked into the northwest corner of Chandler Boulevard and 42nd Street.

If that location rings a bell, it should. This building was most recently home to the short-lived Headliners, which lasted less than a year before closing in May. But longtime Ahwatukee folks will know it best as CK’s Tavern & Grill, which held down that corner from 2004 all the way to 2025.

The biggest physical change is immediately obvious: Pregame knocked out some walls to open the space up. Where CK’s (and later Headliners) felt a bit more segmented, the new layout is noticeably more open, with better sightlines across the room, which, for a sports grill living and dying by TV coverage, seems like a smart call.

Staffing on day three was a mix of old and new. There was a veteran bartender who clearly knew a good chunk of the lunch crowd, greeting regulars by name like nothing had changed. Alongside them were a few newer hires who were still very much in training mode. Totally normal for a weekend-old restaurant, and nobody seemed bothered by it.

What’s on the menu

The grand opening menu is intentionally lean right now: 10 appetizers, four burgers, three Philly cheesesteaks, wings with a choice of 15 sauces and five dry rubs, and two desserts to close things out.

I went with the chicken Philly (pictured), which comes with your choice of side for $12.99 – a nice price for lunch in this neighborhood.

On the drink side, they’re pouring 24 beers on tap, with more options available in cans and bottles for anyone who wants to branch out from draft.

I’m not going to “review” a restaurant on its third day – that’s not fair to anyone still finding their rhythm behind the bar or in the kitchen. But the bones are there: a more open room, a full bar, and a menu built for game day.

I’ll swing back once Pregame has had a few weeks to settle in and see how things shake out.