Upon first arriving in Arizona, my boss's relatives were insistent upon visiting a BBQ place about 20 minutes from our hotel. I wasn't feeling picky and everyone seemed game after a few hotel lobby drinks, so a huge group of us drove out to check this place out.
The Horny Toad has plenty of kitsch value upon arrival, and that aspect is played up heavily. There are wacky signs, funny T-shirts, and gift shops filled with an odd assortment of local art and weird novelty items. The wait was almost 2 hours, so that left us lots of time to look around, but they did have a large side bar where we hung out and listened to some passable country covers from a local band.
Once we ate, it lost a bit of its luster. From most of the people sitting around me, word has it that the ribs were stringy and not very good, and disappointment hit a lot of my co-workers. I, however, lucked out, because I was struck by the menu's insistence on the fried chicken. The chicken was outstanding, the breading was top notch and the meat was tender and delicious. The actual barbecue sauce was excellent, and I poured that on my fried chicken (I highly recommend this if you come here!)
In the end, I didn't think the wait and the hype were nearly worth it, but I had a very yummy meal at the end of it all and I might have been the only one at our table who enjoyed our late night dinner. It's a big, weird tourist trap, but if you're coming here, take my advice and get the fried chicken.