Where: Club Central is at 3121 North Third Avenue. Go west on Thomas and north on Third, a 10-minute walk.
Drink: Tap That Ass, a heady drink consisting of Hennessy, cranberry, and Alizé, $8
Danny Hellman
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Scene: A two-story nightclub with two bars, tables for dining, a dance floor, a stage, and a space for karaoke. Proprietor/barkeep Wilford is a nice fella who chatted us up for a couple of hours as we sucked down his powerful concoctions. "They do the job," Wilford said. Amen, brother. — J.B.
Central/Osborn
Where: Alexi's Grill, a five-minute walk north of the station
Drink: Crown Royal with a splash of ginger ale, $6.50
Scene: Alexi's sure smells good. Too bad we aren't there to eat. The bar, which is separated from the restaurant, isn't bad but is, perhaps, slightly over-lit. Alexi's seems like the kind of place where traveling businessfolk hunker down for a cocktail after saying a long-distance goodnight to their spouse and kiddies. — J.B.
Central/Indian School
Where: George & Dragon, a five-minute walk north from the station
Drink: Tetley's ale, $4.75
Scene: A favorite among some New Times employees, G&D was destined for a spot along the light rail, as it's a natural for any kind of pub crawl. You can't go wrong with this drinkery: occasional live bands, pool tables, soccer on the tube, and a signed photo of Joe Strummer behind the bar. — J.B.
Central/Campbell
Where: Maizie's Cafe & Bistro, a 10- to 12-minute walk north of the station
Drink: De Bortoli Chardonnay (Australia, 2007), $7.50.
Scene: This place is packed with an equal mix of yuppies and post-college 20-somethings. It was good to see, given that Maizie's (open only since May 2008) isn't really within walking distance of a significant residential area. We like that this place exudes a vibrant, open, modern feel without trying too hard to be hip. — J.B.
Central/Camelback
Where: Applebee's, a three-minute walk from the stop
Drink: Applebee's Main Street 'Ritas (in strawberry, mango, or wildberries flavors), $3.40 before 7 p.m., or $7 after 7 p.m.
Scene: Applebee's is the only bar within walking distance, but there are plenty of cool local businesses in the area. Red Hot Robot on Camelback, Practical Arts on Central, Stinkweeds Records, and Halo piercing shop are all clustered on the intersection. — N.D.
Seventh Ave./Camelback
Where: Charlie's, 727 W. Camelback Road, a minute walk from the stop
Drink: $3 beer pitchers from 2 to 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays with $1 happy hour drinks from 7 to 9 p.m.
Scene: Charlie's, in the middle of what's known as "the gay corridor," is a country-themed gay bar, so expect to see lots of dudes of all ages (but mostly guys in their 30s and 40s) in cowboy shirts and hats. —N.D.
19th Ave./Camelback
Where: Four Kings Cocktail Lounge, a two-minute walk down 19th Avenue from the stop
Drink: Rum and Coke, $2.75.
Scene: The lounge tends to get a lot of retirees during the day, with a younger crowd at night. The club can be selective about who gets in the door. It discourages attire like hoodies and beat-up tennis shoes. —N.D.
19th Ave./Montebello
Where: Oz, a five-minute walk from the stop, on Bethany Home Road
Drink: Rolling Rock, $4.50
Scene: This stop is across from Christown Spectrum Mall, so expect to see lots of fellow transit commuters, families, and holiday shoppers when you first get off the rail. At Oz — best described as a borderline-dive gay bar — expect to see lots of good-looking gay men, drag queens, and the friendly face of Booker the bartender, who's known to pour stiff drinks and crack loose jokes. After all you've been through, relax and enjoy it. — N.D.
