Best Mechanical Bull 2022 | The Buffalo Chip Saloon | Nightlife | Phoenix
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Best Mechanical Bull

The Buffalo Chip Saloon

Lauren Cusimano

In a city that keeps getting further from its Old West roots, Buffalo Chip Saloon up in Cave Creek is still an authentic Southwestern watering hole after more than 70 years. Whiskey and beers flow freely seven nights a week, especially during the live bull-riding sessions at the outdoor rodeo arena on Wednesdays and Fridays. You, as a civilian, probably shouldn't try to ride the real bulls, but you can try your hand at staying on the Chip's mechanical version, which is just one of the bar's entertaining features. The event calendar includes music by the house band, Pick o' the Litter, and free dance lessons. The Chip's sprawling compound boasts fire pits, lawn games, an outside stage area, and even a small church on the premises if you feel like your Saturday night fun warrants some Sunday morning repentance. (It's also a Green Bay Packers bar, for you cheeseheads.) Pretty much every honky-tonk has tall beers and twangy tunes, but Buffalo Chip has an authenticity a lively atmosphere that makes the trip to Cave Creek worth the drive.

Best Hookah Lounge

i-MAD Bar

It's time to have your fruit and smoke it, too. That's right, your hookah expert at i-MAD Bar did, in fact, stick a bowl hewn from a pineapple and packed with shisha atop your water pipe. Or maybe it was made from watermelon or an apple. Regardless, adding the fresh-cut produce helps accentuate any of i-MAD Bar's dozens of flavored tobaccos with a fruity zest. This two-story venue is a casual lounge by day and a bustling nightclub by night. The attentive staff eagerly whisk out aromatic pots of potent Turkish coffee, dishes laden with Middle Eastern cuisine, or a few extra coals for your hookah on weekend nights as a live DJ spins hip-hop and more from the inside balcony. And you don't need to visit either of the two full bars to collect a cocktail — a waitress is always around to bring you a falafel wrap or an Old Fashioned to accompany your nargile. On cool evenings, you'd be remiss to miss the rooftop bar and patio with its panoramic views of Old Town Scottsdale. For special occasions, reserve the VIP salon, filled with plush couches, curved televisions, and Champagne on ice, and enjoy a night of global pop music, bottle service, and the ever-present bubbling of sweet-smelling smoke being huffed.

Best Open Mic

El Charro Hipster Bar and Cafe

Lauren Cusimano

If you want to try your hand at an El Charro Hipster Bar and Cafe open mic, get there early. El Charro Hipster, a family-owned cafe and restaurant on Grand Avenue, holds the event on Thursday nights, and the line to get a slot sometimes stretches all the way back to the bar. For good reason: As it's been serving handcrafted paella and artisanal mezcal cocktails, El Charro has cultivated a real arts community. On Thursday evenings, everyone from aspiring singers to established talents feels emboldened to take the microphone for a few minutes. And the audience, perhaps charmed by El Charro's mole appetizers and eclectic decor, is always welcoming, even for those who are out of tune.

Best Jam Session

Groove Theory

Head over to Crescent Ballroom in downtown Phoenix on select Saturdays and you'll find the Groove Theory, an hours-long, live jam session full — as its name promises — of straight grooves. Groove Theory is the creation of local musicians Zeedubb and Lord Kash of The Stakes, a seven-member hip-hop outfit known for grandiose live performances. Since 2019, the two musicians have hosted Groove Theory on Crescent's patio. Throughout the night, local musicians circle through, stopping by a microphone to rap a few bars or bust out some crazy jazz licks on a sax. Zeedubb and Lord Kash are experts at holding a groove, and are truly skilled at improv. Groove Theory masterfully avoids the easy pitfalls of jam sessions — which are sometimes overcrowded, discordant, full of clashing egos — and instead brings together a hodgepodge of brilliant jazz, funk, and hip-hop artists, allowing them a space to create grooves unplanned, out of thin air. The result is captivating.

Best Gay Bar

Stacy's @ Melrose

With its faux Gothic windows and medieval-looking chandeliers, Stacy's @ Melrose is designed to look like a cathedral. But we're guessing most churches don't have signs posted in the restroom reminding the patrons that there should only be one person per bathroom stall. No, Stacy's is a place to worship at the altars of friendliness, inclusivity, and entertainment. The bar has stuff going on nearly every night of the week, from DJ nights to drag shows, and the vibe is what you make it. Whether you want to hang with the friends you came with, or branch out and meet new people, it can happen at Stacy's. We like to hang out there on Thursdays for all-night happy hour — $4 pineapple mimosas are enough to make us say "amen."

Best Gay Dance Club

Charlie's Phoenix

Matt Hennie

On any given night in the Valley, the answer to the question, "Where's the party?" is usually "Charlie's Phoenix." The venerable nightspot has been open since 1984, and we have a crazy fun night every time we go. The expansive property has plenty of space inside and outside for drinking, dancing, and making new friends. Feeling shy? Charlie's is often packed, so gently bump into someone, apologize, and strike up a conversation. If you prefer to watch other people dance, Charlie's has free steamy shows featuring their legendary go-go boys on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. Add in bingo, karaoke, line dancing lessons, and drink specials on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Charlie's is a guaranteed good time any day of the week.

Best Lesbian Bar

Boycott Bar

Benjamin Leatherman

The decline of lesbian bars in the U.S. is noticeable enough that there's a docuseries on the subject coming to The Roku Channel this fall. That's a loss, in our book, because we need more bars like Boycott Bar. Boycott, located in the Melrose District, is featured in the series, which means that anyone with a Roku will get to see the unfussy interior decorated with images of classic movie stars like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe. Everyone is friendly at Boycott, from the guy at the door to the bartenders to the crowd. We love the mostly enclosed patio accessible by a sliding door, where you can play some free pool or even a couple of rounds of Super Mario Bros. 3 on an original NES. Show up on Thursdays for some spirited karaoke, and enjoy Boycott's welcoming vibe.

Best Drag Show

4Some Revue

Lauren Cusimano

Right in the heart of central Phoenix is Kobalt, a gay bar whose weekly 4Some Revue drag show is one of our favorite ways to spend a Friday night. You should probably know that "4Some" is a misnomer. On any given Friday, you'll probably get to see more than four performers — the core cast is composed of queens Toothpick, Gigi, Mynx, Salem, and Ru Paul's Drag Race Season 13 alum Joey Jay, plus there are special guests nearly every week. You should also probably know that tables for the popular weekly event are the best way to enjoy the show and sell out fast, so you may want to make a reservation. And you should definitely know that 4Some Revue, like all the other events at Kobalt, such as Monday Naughty & Nice Drag Bingo and Sunday karaoke, offer both wild fun and a welcoming inclusive atmosphere. Any more questions?

Best Tiny Music Venue

Old Town Tavern

How small is the performance space at Old Town Tavern? On one Friday this summer, Honeygirl bassist Jeff Hecht actually had to play standing outside with the door to the bar open. But what OTT lacks in size, it makes up in the artists they showcase and the fun to be had. For most of the year, OTT hosts at least one artist per day, including Pistoleros veteran Mark Zubia, party favorites Elvis Before Noon, and Wyves frontman Corey Gloden. Everyone seems to pass through OTT at some point, including the many regulars, folks in town for business or pleasure, packs of bachelorettes, and random Old Town Scottsdale partiers drawn in by the sound of music. They all find the same thing: affordable drinks, a convivial atmosphere, and live performances by some of the Valley's best-known musicians.

Best Small Music Venue

Last Exit Live

Benjamin Leatherman

Due to the ongoing Valley Metro Rail construction happening on Central Avenue, it can be kind of an ordeal getting to a concert at Last Exit Live. But trust us, it's worth it. The spare interior leaves plenty of room for patrons to pack in and see local, regional, and national acts like KONGOS, Gang of Four, The Woodworks, and so many more. The sound quality is excellent, and the indoor/outdoor setup (big rollup doors open during nice weather) means that you can hear the show even if you're taking a breather at one of the picnic tables on the patio. And you'll have to take our word for it, but Last Exit has one of the coolest green rooms in town, with a massive gallery wall put together by local designer Sid Rhea.

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