Cocktails

Martini Mixology: The Scottsdale Culinary Festival hosts a night of cocktails at Suede Lounge

Mojito Masterclass at Sanctuary

Second Helpings

Martini Bopper

Best Martini

Harris' Restaurant
3101 East Camelback
602-508-8888

Best Strawberry Daiquiri

Tempe Improv Comedy Theater
930 East University
(at Cornerstone mall), Tempe
480-921-9877

Best Margarita

Old Town Tortilla Factory
6910 East Main, Scottsdale
480-945-4567

Best Margarita

El Encanto Mexican Cafe

Best Cocktail

The Flirtini

Best Margarita

Cabo

BEST PLACE TO DRINK LIKE HEMINGWAY

Merc Bar

BEST MARGARITA

Salty Señorita

BEST BUZZ

Espresso Martini at AZ 88

BEST MARTINI

Durant's

Summer Guide: Shaking it Up with Valley Mixologists

Durant's

TequilaAZ Brings Agave Goodness to the Lath House

Jonathan McNamara See more shots from TequilaAZ in our slide show. The Lath House at Heritage Park has never been as lively as it was on Saturday, March 22 for Tequilaaz, a tequila and mescal festival that had hundreds downing agave goodness and feasting on fare from local restaurants. The ... More >>

Moet Mojito Night

Jonathan McNamara See more shots from TequilaAZ in our slide show. The Lath House at Heritage Park has never been as lively as it was on Saturday, March 22 for Tequilaaz, a tequila and mescal festival that had hundreds downing agave goodness and feasting on fare from local restaurants. The ... More >>

Bottoms Up

Definitely try this at home

Wet Paint

Definitely try this at home

Behind the Bar: Strawberry-Coconut Mojito at The Mission

Lauren Gilger Mike Bunker's Strawberry-Coconut Mojito at The Mission in Old Town Scottsdale. Mike Bunker's concoctions at The Mission in Old Town are often sweet, often strong, and almost always delivered with a touch of flair. "I feel like I have a good palate for cocktails," he says. "And ... More >>

Recipe: Basil Gimlet from The Parlor

Lauren GilgerBartender Gillian Tervet behind the bar at The Parlor on Camelback Road.​Where she grew up in small-town Georgia, Gillian Tervet says, "by middle school, we were drinking whiskey." "That's just the way it is in the South." Next month, when she heads off to Australia for a few mo ... More >>

Behind the Bar: Trudy Thomas, Camelback Inn

Lauren Gilger Director of Beverage Trudy Thomas in BLT Steak at the Camelback Inn.​There are bartenders. And then there are bartenders. Trudy Thomas is the latter. By bartenders (emphasis on the art), we mean those who take their jobs a lot more seriously than the rest - those who discuss ... More >>

Recipe: Clover Club and Blood Orange Pisco Sour from BLT Steak

Lauren Gilger The Clover Club and the Blood Orange Pisco Sour at the Camelback Inn.​Trudy Thomas spent her childhood in the bourbon distilleries of Kentucky. She spent her a good part of her twenties working under Wolfgang Puck in Chicago, and now she's spreading the mixology gospel in the ... More >>

Recipe: Run and Come F#@k me from The Turf Restaurant & Pub

Adriane GoetzThe R&CFM martini's refreshing taste can be deceiving.​The Turf Restaurant and Pub may be an Irish bar, but Jameson and Guinness are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to The Turf's list o' libations. No matter what yer poison, The Turf's bartenders can make it--and they do ... More >>

Recipe: Rhythm & Blues From Rhythm Room

Benjamin LeathermanThe Rhythm and Blues, as created by Mona Watkins.​The Rhythm Room has built a reputation over the past two decades as the Valley's premier destination to hear the best in rootsy, down-home music like the blues, Americana, and rockabilly. But what about its drinks? Not so much. ... More >>

Happy Hour Cocktails at Spotted Donkey Cantina

​This winter season, the specialty cocktails offered on the happy hour menu of Spotted Donkey Cantina in north Scottsdale will have you feeling like it's a lot warmer, as the chic southwest Mexican restaurant presents sweet, brightly colored drinks more suited for the beach than for cold mo ... More >>

The Grand Opening of Salty's Beach Bar, Earth Hour and This is Why You're Fat in Today's Eater's Digest

An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives. ​ The North Scottsdale Salty Senorita location is now Salty's Beach Bar. Head north and celebrate the grand opening today from 11 a.m. till 2 p.m. All day long (or until you pass out) you can enjoy free samples fro ... More >>

Behind the Bar: Josh Warner at Wildfish Seafood Grille

​Josh Warner knows how to throw a party. The 30-year-old bartender at Wildfish Seafood Grille at the Scottsdale Waterfront might have a taste for light and simple cocktails, but he's not light on entertaining skills. After learning about what brought him to bartending, it's no wonder Warne ... More >>

Top 5 Cocktails That Will Make You Fat

This subway sign from the NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygeine is about sugary soft drinks, but you get the point.​Just because the bartender doesn't hand you a nutritional information packet with your cocktail doesn't mean those calories don't count. For some, a night of binge-drinking ca ... More >>

Tonight: Organic, Shaken and Stirred

​Paul Abercrombie must be a booze psychic.His new book, Organic, Shaken and Stirred, is full of delicious-sounding, organic, exotic cocktails that I want to drink all summer long. There's the Arboretum, with vodka, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, agave nectar, orange bitters, basil leav ... More >>

Happy Hours: Your Guide to Valley Spots Worthy of Your Drink Money

​Paul Abercrombie must be a booze psychic.His new book, Organic, Shaken and Stirred, is full of delicious-sounding, organic, exotic cocktails that I want to drink all summer long. There's the Arboretum, with vodka, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, agave nectar, orange bitters, basil leav ... More >>

Julie Hillebrand at J&G Steakhouse

Claire Lawton​ Since helping open the Phoenician's J&G Steakhouse over a year ago, Julie Hillebrand has been hard at work changing the way people think about cocktails. A trained chef, she's an advocate of fresh ingredients and unique flavors who uses her culinary skills to concoct impro ... More >>

Happy Hour Report Card: Cafe Zuzu

The Spot: Cafe Zuzu6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale 480-421-7997http://www.hotelvalleyho.com/scottsdalerestaurants/cafezuzu.html Erica O'Neil Cool Redux! The spread at Cafe Zuzu's swanky happy hour.​The Hours: Monday through Friday between 4 and 7 pm. The Details: 3 dollar bonanza! Enough to s ... More >>

Afternoon Delight

Dress up your day drinking at Jade Bar

Bill DeGroot at Quiessence

Bill DeGroot ​Bill DeGroot is an oddity for us here at Behind the Bar, for he no longer works behind the bar at all. A veteran of the cocktail scene for more than 15 years, DeGroot paid his dues at establishments throughout the valley, including Star-Spangled Tavern, Canal, E ... More >>

Iruna: Happy Hour Report Card

Erica O'Neil The spread at Iruna's happy hour. ​The Spot: Iruña, 7217 E First Street, Scottsdale, 480-398-3020 http://www.irunaaz.com/ The Hours: La Hora Feliz is celebrated every day of the week at Iruña, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. The Details: Sangria or a Smirnoff-based beverage will run y ... More >>

Fuego Bistro Owner Opening Fuego Tacos at the Esplanade

Imagine Fuego Bistro's signature roasted pork on a taco, and that'll be Fuego Tacos. Yum. Remember Nixon's, the Esplanade watering hole for political junkies? I sure do -- for ages, it was a favorite New Times hangout, where the edit staff would pow-wow upstairs with snacks and cocktails. Sin ... More >>

Clint Manning at Canteen

Zach FowleClint Manning​Having been open a scant two months, Canteen Modern Tequila Bar (640 S. Mill Ave., 480-773-7135) is still the new kid in town, though it sure doesn't seem like it. One glance at the line snaking out the door of the tequileria each weekend will have you thinking the pla ... More >>

Ticoz Resto-Bar: Happy Hour Report Card

Erica O'Neil The food and beverage spread at Ticoz's happy hour. ​The Spot: Ticoz Resto-Bar, 5114 N. 7th St, Phoenix, 602-200-0160 http://www.ticozaz.com The Hours: Ticoz offers relaxed pricing on drinks and apps every day of the week from 3 to 6:30 pm, and again from 10 pm to close. The D ... More >>

Five Places to Celebrate National Margarita Day

Gallo Blanco's margarita never disappoints.​Yeah, there happens to be a food holiday for every single day of the year, but some seem more legit than others. (National Turkey Neck Soup Day? WTF?!) National Margarita Day is one that seems actually worthy of celebrating, altho ... More >>

Happy Hour Report Card: Secreto

​The Spot: Secreto, 4232 E Chandler Blvd, 480-706-2220 The Hours: 3 to 7 pm Monday - Friday The Details: Happy hour is only available at the bar. Drink prices range from $2.25 for domestic bottled beer to margaritas and martinis for $5. All happy hour menu items range from three to six ... More >>

Bottomless Cocktails Invite Locals to Drink on a Dime

TheCulinaryGeek via FlickrSay "Bloody Mary" three times at Local Bistro, and you'll get three more rounds.​Lately, we've been hearing some buzz about the trend of bottomless cocktails. No, we're not talking about downing a cosmo in your leopard-print thong -- though that could happen after you ind ... More >>

Sunday Funday

TheCulinaryGeek via FlickrSay "Bloody Mary" three times at Local Bistro, and you'll get three more rounds.​Lately, we've been hearing some buzz about the trend of bottomless cocktails. No, we're not talking about downing a cosmo in your leopard-print thong -- though that could happen after you ind ... More >>

Monday Mojito Madness

TheCulinaryGeek via FlickrSay "Bloody Mary" three times at Local Bistro, and you'll get three more rounds.​Lately, we've been hearing some buzz about the trend of bottomless cocktails. No, we're not talking about downing a cosmo in your leopard-print thong -- though that could happen after you ind ... More >>

The Rum Bar at Breadfruit: Happy Hour Report Card

The Dark & Stormy and a Spinach Patty (Pat-tee) at Rum Bar.​The Spot: Rum Bar, the adjoining lounge next to the Jamaican eatery The Breadfruit, is located at 108 E Pierce, Phoenix, 602- 267-1266. www.thebreadfruit.com/rumbar The Hours: 5-7pm, weekdays. The Details: The Happy Hour of ... More >>

Five Places to Find Skinny Margaritas in the Valley -- and a Recipe to Make Your Own

The Margarita Lite at IslandsCourtesy of Islands Restaurants​It used to be that if we wanted a margarita under 100 calories, we'd just take a shot of tequila, salt first, lime last. But there's a new trend blending behind the bar. From Islands to Blanco Tacos, low-cal margaritas -- most often c ... More >>

Talking Tonic with Rancho Pinot's Travis Nass

Image via Apartment Therapy Take a sip back in time with Rancho Pinot's gin and tonic featuring homemade tonic​When it comes to classic cocktail perfection, it's hard to beat the Gin and Tonic. Crisp, well-balanced and crystal clear, drop in a few ice cubes and a slice of lime, and you've g ... More >>

Shot Show

Image via Apartment Therapy Take a sip back in time with Rancho Pinot's gin and tonic featuring homemade tonic​When it comes to classic cocktail perfection, it's hard to beat the Gin and Tonic. Crisp, well-balanced and crystal clear, drop in a few ice cubes and a slice of lime, and you've g ... More >>

Gin: How to Drink It, and Like It

Really, they're better than you think!​In my years of bartending, one of the things I've heard the most is this: "I don't like gin." When I press for details, the story is always the same: They had a bad experience with it years ago (inevitably in college) and haven't been able to touch the ... More >>