Metro Phoenix is home to some great views, and occasionally, some truly astounding sunsets. In our opinion, the bold hues of an evening sky are best enjoyed with a cocktail in hand, preferably at Skysill Rooftop Lounge, the bar atop The Westin Tempe near Mill Avenue. Skysill serves mostly elevated bar food (think a lobster corn dog and chicken-and-waffle sliders), plus fun cocktails along with a full bar. We recommend the Sky's the Limit, a sweet, fruity mix of Hanson's organic vodka, blue curacao, pineapple, guava and lime. Skysill hosts events like pool parties and DJ nights, but honestly, we like being there best on a quiet evening when the clink of glasses and the faint sounds of the city below are the only accompaniments of another perfect Arizona sunset.

Entering Valley Bar through a back alley and down a deep flight of stairs adds a sense of intrigue and excitement to every trip to this hotspot, whether to meet a friend for a well-crafted cocktail, catch a band, partake in a trivia match or see a group of storytellers entertain a crowd. The Music Hall is the side of the bar where live music, dance parties and performance events happen. It is intimate, holding about 250 people, and when fans fill the room to see a favorite band, it ups that cozy vibe, squeezing everyone together in a sonic fervor that intensifies the entire experience. A mobile telling the story of notorious Phoenix murderer Winnie Ruth Judd anchors the main part of the bar called the Rose Room, which also holds a pool table, Skee-Ball and a few intimate booths. Next time you're looking for a fun night out at a bar, we recommend you head underground.

You spot the sidestreet with the single red light shining above a descending staircase and a queue of people and think the mystery of how to enter this downtown Gilbert speakeasy is solved. But that's not actually when the puzzle of how to get into The White Rabbit begins. It starts sooner as knowledge of the monthly password — available on the website — is non-negotiable to even earn a place in line. One of the must-stops in the Heritage District nightlife scene, The White Rabbit speakeasy requires a bit of a hunt down a dark path and an apparent dead end at a bookcase. Once you figure out that the bookcase is a well-disguised door and how to open it, your journey is rewarded with a Victorian era-inspired space that's dark and elegant with an atmosphere that makes you feel like you've discovered a secret VIP club you may not qualify to be in. A sophisticated handcrafted cocktail menu boasts high-end spirits, private labels made exclusively for the bar and original concoctions crafted with house-made mixers and syrups. An exclusive to-go cocktail menu is available should you want to take a taste home.

Speakeasies are where you can feel like you're a part of something special, and Gin and Reel certainly exudes that cool factor when you walk down the stairs and enter a room that feels like you're visiting another era. It's definitely a small space, but comfortable in all the ways that matter. Here's the secret: To gain entry, approach the barista at Stir Coffee (the storefront for the speakeasy) and grab the password to sample the drinks. The cocktails are fun and have interesting flavor profiles. We're partial to the Dream of You, a mix of Tito's, yuzu Japanese liquor, limoncello, lemon, simple syrup and lavender water. Other highlights include the Royal Rascal and the Fit as a Fiddle. Cocktails can be paired with charcuterie boards, pizza or dessert, and or for those who want to ease up on the liquor, wine and beer are also available. On a weekend night, expect the place to be busy, so get your name on the list fast. You can linger during the busy nights, but after two hours at the speakeasy, you'll have to head out and give someone else a turn.

There's not much we can say about Platform 18 that its avalanche of accolades hasn't already expressed. The most recent, and perhaps most important recognition came this summer, when the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation awarded Platform 18 the title of Best U.S. Cocktail Bar at its 17th annual Spirited Awards. One of the concepts (along with UnderTow and Grey Hen Rx) inside the Century Grand space, Platform 18 is a 1920s Pullman train car-inspired craft cocktail bar. Once you're inside the carriage you can find a seat at the bar or at one of the low tables. Screen projections in front of the "windows" make you feel like you're actually traveling by train, which is cool, but you're here for the cocktails, which are intricate, inventive, pricey and unforgettable. We already knew that Barter & Shake, the team behind the concepts in Century Grand, were doing some of the best cocktail work in town. Now, the rest of the country knows it, too.

Don't laugh because this bar closes at 10 p.m. (and 9 p.m. on Sundays). That's part of the charm of The Joy Lush Club. Because not everything in Phoenix's massive nightlife scene has to be open till 2 a.m., and having a spot for laid-back festivities is crucial in having something for everybody. This little spot may close before others and often caters to a more casual drinking experience, but that doesn't mean Joy Lush exactly skimps on the beer and wine choices. The club features 16 beers on tap and a rather large curated wine list, plus other offerings outside your standard bar experience. Plus, there's live music and regular visits from food trucks to round out the evening while furthering that sense of comfort and downtown connectivity. If you're ready to call it a night before 10 p.m., you can take home some of your favorite beer or wine, a feature that is both awesome and solidifies the bar's status as a leisurely spot not unlike your very own abode. Partying is all well and good, but why not try a bar that promotes zero expectations and comfortable seats alike?

Forget opening at 2 p.m.; Rum Runner's Bar stars slinging suds at 6 a.m. every single day. Even if you're looking to do more than simply get smashed by noon, you can use all that time to your strategic advantage. That means whether you're augmenting weekend brunch with more drinking, or starting your night out on the town at 1:30 p.m., Rum Runner's will be there to cater to your many needs. And it's not just that this bar is basically like some real-world "Cheers" — it's got a decidedly impressive set of amenities. On top of your standard bar offerings, there are great deals (like the one for to-go margaritas), free all-day pool, shuffleboard and semi-regular goldfish racing, which has to be seen to be truly believed. Is the pirate theme a little silly? Sure, but then that's sort of the point, as it makes for a perfect level of gimmickry to enhance your partying. In the end, Rum Runner's is not just a neighborhood bar but a one-stop shop for having fun on your own dang schedule.

Teddy's Preserve was inspired by Teddy Roosevelt and aims for a "national park vibe," but don't wear your REI zip-off pants and Keens here. This sprawling tree-lined oasis behind the towering Ten-O-One building at Central Avenue and Roosevelt Street is the place for stylish downtown denizens who want expert cocktails, late-night bites and a chill vibe without being cooped up after dark inside a bar or club. You order indoors, where a chic, modern ambiance with custom-tiled walls and oval-backed barstools beckon to those who want to stay in. But it's better to wander out to the courtyard, where you can relax and sip under the string lights and stars. The inventive drinks list harks back to the 1970s rather than the turn of the 20th century with names like Foxy Mama and Boogie Down, and true to Teddy's legacy, the business is serious about conservation. It composts, uses no plastic, and turns its bottles into glassware. A food truck churns out comforting plates of corn dogs, turkey legs, quesadillas and more until 11 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and midnight on weekends.

We like to take new acquaintances to Palo Verde Lounge if they've never been there before. If they're horrified, they're probably not our kind of people. If they immediately settle in for a pickle shot, a game of pool or a smoke on the back patio? Friends for life. The Dirty Verde, as it's known, has all the necessary criteria of a quality dive bar: zero windows, a truly impressive amount of graffiti (even on the ceiling), bags of chips in lieu of a kitchen, an outdoor area populated by random pieces of patio furniture, plenty of eccentric regulars and a cash-only policy. We sometimes go there for events like DJ nights and concerts, but mostly Palo is our last stop during a wild evening out, when we're not quite ready to head home and we want to commune with night owls like ourselves.

Darkstar has been part of local nightlife for less than two years but has already eclipsed other clubs in the Valley with its emphasis on electronic dance music and wild weekends of beat-filled bliss. Operated by EDM fans, for EDM fans, the two-story drinking and dancing emporium along Mill Avenue is outfitted with stellar amenities — an elite PK Sound setup, state-of-the-art production, gigantic HD screens and multiple bars — with plenty of space to rage on both its dance floor and mezzanine level. The DJs behind the mixers are also out of this world, owing to local promoter Relentless Beats bringing in premier artists and producers like trance duo Gabriel & Dresden, house music guru Mark Farina and synth-pop siren Elohim. Suffice it to say, if you're into EDM ragers, you'll wind up in Darkstar's orbit before too long.