Best Bartender 2022 | Adrian Galindo | Nightlife | Phoenix
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Best Bartender

Adrian Galindo

Tirion Morris

When Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin of Tacos Chiwas and Rene Andrade of Bacanora teamed up to open Espiritu Cocktails + Comida on Mesa's Main Street, they wanted cocktails to show off their Mexican heritage — and they wanted Adrian Galindo heading it up. "He's that guy," says Hernandez, referring to Galindo's rare ability to be chemist, psychiatrist, best friend, and showman all at once, a master at making intoxicating drinks in an intoxicating way. Galindo, who helped run Ghost Ranch and Bacanora's drinking programs, got into bartending because he loves to be the center of attention, but he's much more than a spotlight-seeker. Sit at the bar, and Galindo can wax poetic about the finer points of mezcal or geek out on the terroir of raicilla, all while lighting things on fire — sugar cubes are a fave — and dripping blood-red bitters down a clay skull mug. It's a full sensory experience. Stay till last call for his Chante Power Hour. It's worth it.

Best Neighborhood Bar

Boondocks Patio & Grill Tempe

There's usually something fun going on at Boondocks in Tempe. It could be trivia night, rowdy ASU fans packing the place after a game, live tunes by local musicians, or a UFC fight on pay-per-view. But even on the slowest of evenings, we always feel welcome and content. While its sister location in Old Town Scottsdale is more of a party bar, the Tempe outpost is typically more mellow, the kind of place you hit up for lunch or to catch up with an old friend over a couple of beers. Show up regularly, and it won't take long for the bartenders and waitstaff to start recognizing you. You'll get familiar with the menu, which offers top-notch bar food like garlic fries and a lineup of creative burgers. And you'll start thinking of Boondocks Tempe as your go-to bar, a place where the staff and regulars may not know your name, but they'll smile when they see your face.

Best Nightclub

Cake Nightclub

For all its faults, Scottsdale's entertainment district doesn't tend to dwell on the past. When a particular nightspot fizzles out, its owners — and the clubgoer crowd — typically move on to something new. So when the bygone Cake Nightclub was resurrected earlier this year after a five-year absence, it was notable, particularly since it was a tremendous upgrade from its original location just up Saddlebag Trail. Version 2.0 of Cake is larger, louder, and more decadent than before. The glow-up included tripling its size and doubling down on its over-the-top amenities. Now, there are even more posh VIP areas, a bigger outdoor patio, and a massive video wall. The club's licentious and libertine vibe has become more potent as locals come to drink, dance, and debauch as aerialists perform from rings hanging from the ceiling and big beats come from the sound system. Subtlety has never been Cake's style. Heck, it's never been a thing in Scottsdale, period.

Best New Nightclub

Darkstar

It's been a rough couple of years for downtown Tempe nightlife. First, the pandemic wiped out a number of DJ-friendly spots along Mill Avenue. Then, popular electronic dance music hub Shady Park went dark earlier this year after losing a legal battle over noise issues with neighboring senior adult community Mirabella at ASU. So when Darkstar launched in April, it was quickly embraced by clubgoers and EDM fans eager for a new place to get down and go hard. The two-story, 4,500-square-foot dancing and drinking haven features amenities geared toward the party crowd, including some not found at other Mill Avenue bars. A mezzanine level is perched above the enormous dance floor, allowing people-watching and great views of the DJs. The A/V setup boasts a PK Sound system and multiple large-scale HD video screens behind the stage. And local concert promoter Relentless Beats books a wide variety of EDM superstars here, ranging from legends like Bad Boy Bill to such festival-quality artists as JAUZ, Cut Snake, and Mat Zo. Looking for the Valley's best new nightspot? Set course for Darkstar in Tempe.

Best Place to Drink Outside

Luckys Indoor Outdoor

Luckys Indoor Outdoor

Inside, Luckys feels like a vintage dive bar you went to once but can't remember. There's an antler chandelier when you walk in, the walls are paneled in wood, some barstools are red, and there's a pool table. Of course, plenty of details make it not your parents' dive bar, like how clean it is. But outside, there's a beautiful, expansive patio — and that's where the magic happens (or maybe it's just the Jell-O shots kicking in). The lights strung overhead are red, and the twilight glow makes it too easy to lose track of time when the weather is fine, and the company is good. Luckys has swings, long tables on a covered deck, bocce ball, a skyline view, and a food truck that says no more than "Hot Food." When it's midnight and you're six Cold Snacks in, you don't need more details than that. It also doesn't hurt that the Luckys patio is dog-friendly and the drinks are deceptively strong.

Best Mocktails

Garden Bar PHX

Tirion Boan

Those of us who don't drink are no longer settling for "mocktails" composed of nothing more than fizzy water and juice. Garden Bar PHX is an incredible new spot for nonalcoholic cocktails; Kim Haasarud, owner and palate wizard, gives Garden Bar's virgin drinks the same attention as everything else on her award-winning menu. Haasarud stocks the bar with alcohol-free, distilled spirits that mimic spirits' properties or create an entirely new experience. There are a few ways to drink NA at Garden Bar. First, many of their cocktails can be made NA by swapping for a spirit alternative by their profoundly knowledgable mixologists. Otherwise, Garden Bar has a spirit-free cocktail section with standalone cocktails made with CBD tincture and spirit alternatives. A blackberry vanilla margarita, whiskey smash, and a gin alternative drink called Green Bee were featured this summer, but whatever beverages are on seasonal menus to come, we know they're going to be great.

Best Rooftop Bar

From the Rooftop

Politics, climate change, the Arizona Diamondbacks' dismal record — there's a lot in Phoenix life that weighs us down. But it's easy to rise above it all at From the Rooftop, the bar atop the Cambria Hotel near Roosevelt Row. High above the city streets, we can feel our troubles melt away as we enjoy some light bites and sip on a cocktail. We're partial to the fried Brussels sprouts with balsamic, lemon zest, and bacon bits, and the Pool Vibes, a cocktail made with lime vodka, agave, cranberry, lemon, and lime juice. Sunset is obviously the optimal time to hang out at From the Rooftop for the best views, but the weekend Beats & Brunch events are a big draw, too.

Best Dive Bar

Roadrunner Lounge

Lauren Cusimano

Every hole-in-the-wall bar has an excess of Christmas lights, equally colorful regulars, and cheap booze. The Roadrunner in south Scottsdale has all those aspects on lock, plus a few bonuses that put it over the top as the best dive in town. They've got one of the largest selections of board games we've ever seen. The quirky vibe includes googly eyes randomly arranged throughout the place. And it's also a favorite haunt of local Twitter raconteur and boozehound Clue Heywood, which counts for something. The thing that keeps patrons from all over the Valley coming in, though, is a sense of family. There are photo collages of patrons adorning the colorful walls. The staff goes out of their way to ensure everyone's staying safe while in the throes of their alcohol-fueled bliss. Napkins are placed over drinks if you step away to use the restroom. Bartenders will spot you a buck if you need something salty or sweet from the vending machine. And they'll eagerly arrange a ride if you've had too many. That's how the late Willie and Cassie Franano, the mother and daughter who owned the Roadrunner, ran the joint, and its current proprietors are happy to keep things that way.

Best Place to Drink Underground

Valley Bar

Benjamin Leatherman

We fell in love with Valley Bar on our first visit. Because what's not to love? From the well-crafted cocktails named after Arizona politicians past and present, to the iconic shadow mobile telling the story of the infamous Phoenix Trunk Murders of the 1930s and the quirky vintage decor, Valley Bar continues to be an impossibly cool place to hang out. We recommend ordering a classic menu item like the Sandra Day Old Fashioned or a newer drink, the Ground Control to Captain Kelly, made from Singani 63, Giffard's Orgeat, John D. Taylor Velvet Falernum, Montenegro, passionfruit, and lemon. Once you've got a drink in hand, you can play some darts or some Skee-Ball, post up in one of the cozy booths, or head to the other side of the basement space to watch a concert. We also enjoy socializing in the bar's secret library. If you don't know where to find it, well... we're not going to tell you.

Best Place to Drink in the Dark

Highball

Lauren Cusimano

Highball's cocktails are beautiful, topped with fresh sprigs of mint and served in cut-glass coupes. But you can't really see them. You have to let your taste buds do the judging at this impressively dark bar. Very low lighting casts a moody glow over shiny leather chairs and patrons donning their nighttime best. Cocktails, created by Valley bar experts Libby Lingua and Mitch Lyons, rotate with the seasons. As dark as it is, it would make sense if this bar inhabited a basement. But quite the opposite. Find it located on the second floor, up a steep flight of stairs on McDowell Road and Seventh Avenue. Highball welcomes customers to ascend into the darkness.

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