You can't beat a bar with its own tag line. Especially when the tag line is "The Wet Spot."

That's the catchphrase at Waterfront Grill in Chandler. The bar sits just north of a man-made lake and has a quaint patio overlooking the water.

Six months ago, the Waterfront was a fine-dining establishment. But new owner Barry Fountain had something else in mind. He ripped out the carpet, built a stage for live music and opened up a hip new watering hole for East Valley patrons.

So here I am, and I have to say, I love the peanuts. Instead of the ubiquitous bowl of pretzels, the Waterfront offers pails of peanuts, shells and all, that you can hurl to the ground and make a lovely mess without remorse. It's a great way to relieve stress.

There's a birthday party here tonight - about 80 people - and they are having a fabulous time. The band, known for playing rock-and-roll covers, is catering to the party's every request with such classics as Sweet Home Alabama and Honky Tonk Woman.

The band is called the Furious George. They are real estate agents by day and crazy rockers by night. The lead singer grabs a blue fiddle and heads into the crowd, where an enthusiastic woman grabs it and fiddles her way back up to the stage. She's good, I think . . . I'm no fiddle connoisseur.

The Waterfront is proud to host a number of popular Valley bands, including Chalmers Green, Shirley's Temple, T.A.T.E. and Four Turns Left.

But back to the "The Wet Spot." I didn't get it at first - I wondered why silly inkblot designs are everywhere, from the walls to the back of the bartenders' shirts. Oh, I see now. A tag line for a bar. Intriguing. But even cleverer is the phrase mentioned in their radio advertisements: "The Waterfront Grill - it's the only wet spot you don't mind sitting in."