Cocktails

The "Gin Wheel": Step Up Your At-Home Cocktail Game

Ok so it's a little bit over the top but we're all for bringing back some formality to dinner parties and get-togethers. What happened to the good old days when people pulled out the fine china with a group of close friends and drank real cocktails instead of cold brews out of a can? We should bring ... More >>

Weird Cocktails: Put Down That Jack and Coke This Summer

5 Weird (and Tasty) Cocktails in Metro Phoenix

If you find yourself with a Jack and Coke in hand this summer, you're not doing it right. In the wonderful world of cocktails, weird is the way to go. Whether that means you stumble into the back-alley entrance of a speakeasy or you take your drink muddled, shaken, and flambéed into Flavor City, th ... More >>

The Chipotle Patron Margarita: You Get What You Pay For

Did I just spy a cocktail shaker behind the cashier at my local Chipotle? Why, yes, I did. Chipotle has rolled out a new Patron Margarita, a margarita "so good, you'll forget you're drinking from a plastic cup." Their words, not mine. I just had to see that shaker in action and find out more about ... More >>

Summer Mixology Classes with Travis Nass at the Last Drop Bar, Starting May 19

There are a few great mixologists in the Valley, and most cocktail connoisseurs would say Travis Nass is, hands down, one of them. He and his handlebar mustache have been creating quite a name for the Last Drop Bar at Lon's at the Hermosa Inn as a place to get unique drinks. See also: - Tastemake ... More >>

How To Make the Best Mint Julep, Ever.

This weekend, brace your livers for impact. Sunday is Cinco de Drinko Mayo. Thankfully, I already have that base covered with how to make an awesome margarita. But first, it's time to get out your ludicrously oversized hats for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. If it's time for the Derby, it's time fo ... More >>

13 Metro Phoenix Restaurants and Bars with Cinco de Mayo Celebrations

Okay, so maybe you don't know exactly why it's a tradition to eat, drink, and party on Cinco de Mayo (FYI, it's to commemorate the 150-year-old Battle of Puebla, a victory of the Mexican militia over the French army). But those pesky details shouldn't stop you from having a truly awesome modern Amer ... More >>

The Secret to the Perfect Margarita (Hint: It Does Not Include Agave Nectar)

I just took a look at the calendar, and realized that Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. Never mind that it's barely a blip on the radar in Mexico; around here, it's become Cinco de Drinko, where it's socially acceptable to get wasted on crummy margaritas and horrible Mexican beer. If you're ... More >>

10 Best Margaritas in Metro Phoenix

Summer is coming. Time to switch our drinking regimen from stouts, red wines, and whiskey to more refreshing beverages. The first thing that always comes to mind when the temps top 80 degrees is a margarita, and, boy, do we know quite a few places around town that serve up unique and delicious takes ... More >>

Tony Abou-Ganim & Adam Seger: On Vodka, Vermouth, and Cocktail Culture in Russia

Chef Salad takes a detour this week, interviewing three more of the country's leading beverage industry experts, all of whom are participants in the second annual AZ Cocktail Week, which started this past weekend and runs through February 22. Seminars are held in the Sands Room at the Hotel Valley H ... More >>

How to Make the Best Singapore Sling, Ever.

Ring the bell, it's time for Last Call, where JK Grence, bartender at Shady's, serves up booze advice and recipes. Got a burning question for your bartender? Leave it in the comments and it might be answered in a future column. Just as I was enjoying the sunny 80-degree days this week, the weather h ... More >>

Citizen Public House in Scottsdale Plans to Unveil Carbonated, Bottled Cocktail on New Year's Eve

Fizzy cocktails are nothing new. The Tom Collins, gin and tonic, French 75, Champagne cocktail and good old rum and Coke have been tickling noses for decades, if not centuries. But these days, bartenders in New York and San Francisco are making house-carbonated cocktails, and to hear them tell it, ... More >>

Carol of the Bars

A Blue Hawaii for Barack, a Shirley Temple for Mitt -- and for You, the Recipes

Ring the bell, it's time for Last Call, where JK Grence, bartender at Shady's, serves up booze advice and recipes. Got a burning question for your bartender? Leave it in the comments and it might be answered in a future column. In case you haven't noticed, the Presidential election is just a few da ... More >>

The Hemingway Daiquiri: Frozen Isn't Always Froufrou

Ring the bell, it's time for Last Call, in which Shady's bartender JK Grence serves up booze advice and recipes. Got a burning question for your bartender? Leave it in the comments and it might be answered in a future column. See Also: Classic, Straight-Up Daiquiri Ask most bartenders what they th ... More >>

11 Favorite Summer Cocktails from Metro Phoenix Restaurants

Toss the gin and tonic. And don't settle for a mediocre margarita. We've got 11 fresh summer cocktails that will have you dreaming of July all year long (really). Bottoms up. Tennessee Peach at Del Frisco's Grille Who doesn't love fresh, juicy peaches in the summer? So just imagine them in a cockta ... More >>

Mixologist Travis Nass Creates Cutting-Edge Cocktail Program for The Hermosa Inn

Ever since Fred and Jennifer Unger breathed life into the quietly crumbling Hermosa Inn in 1992, the property has been beloved for many reasons, including its '30s-era architecture, rich history, splendid dining patio, and modern American food. Now it's poised to be the city's number-one destinatio ... More >>

Bartender vs. Mixologist: What's In a Name?

There was a day when a bartender was a bartender. Period. The end. But in recent years, more and more bartenders have begun calling themselves mixologists, a term with a distinctly academic ring to it. You don't have to be a semanticist to imagine how that sits with some people, particularly old-sc ... More >>

Taking It Slow: Some Great Drinks Take Time

A friend recently handed me the February 2012 issue of Esquire magazine. Sticking out the side was a Post-It with three huge question marks and an arrow pointing inside. The arrow pointed to the cover story, "Agree: Bill Clinton and 78 Other Things We Can All Agree On". Specifically, it pointed to " ... More >>

Last Call Goes On Spring Break: Adios Motherfucker!

It's that time again, time for the students at ASU to be on spring break, heading off to Puerto Peñasco or Lake Havasu or goodness knows where. And with spring break comes a time-honored tradition for college students everywhere: Binge drinking. One of the most popular mixed drinks for copious cons ... More >>

Six Favorite Specialty Cocktails in Phoenix

​ Who says Tuesday morning is an inappropriate time to talk cocktails? Not us. Cheers, Phoenix -- here are six of our favorites. And yours? 6. Caramel Appletini from Amsterdam One of the many things Amsterdam, the haven for gay and straight alike in downtown Phoenix, is known for is its too-long- ... More >>

Ten Favorite Margaritas in Metro Phoenix

pinterest.com​We don't really go for all the hoopla over the made-up holidays that have crept onto the calendar in recent times, thanks to clever marketers. You know, like Orange M&M Day and Brown Rice Tortilla Week. (We made those up, don't worry.) But there's one fabricated celebration w ... More >>

Monday Mojito Madness

Sunday Funday

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

Afternoon Delight

Dress up your day drinking at Jade Bar

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 >>

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

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

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 >>

Moet Mojito Night

Mojito Masterclass at Sanctuary

BEST MARGARITA

Salty Señorita

Bottoms Up

Definitely try this at home

BEST PLACE TO DRINK LIKE HEMINGWAY

Merc Bar

Best Cocktail

The Flirtini

Best Margarita

Cabo

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

Martini Bopper

Second Helpings