The Top 100 Bars in Phoenix

It’s a bar! It’s a plane! It’s — a metro Phoenix cocktail destination!

If you’ve sipped a cocktail in this city recently, you know Phoenix is a hotspot for immersive bars with world-class drinks. But 25 years ago, it was merely a hot place with a reputation for chain restaurants and dust. 

At the turn of the century, no one considered Phoenix much of a drinking destination. Sure, you’d find your cool old Western saloons and historic steakhouses. Craft beer was just starting to enter the picture. But bars were mainly places where you could nurse a bottle of Miller Lite or maybe a Jack and Coke. And these are some of life’s simple pleasures. Who doesn’t love shooting a game of pool underneath Christmas lights, beside a bangin’ jukebox, while you arch the occasional flirty eyebrow at strangers?

Over the years, the city evolved and Phoenix’s drinks scene matured into something undeniably cosmopolitan. In the early days of the cocktail scene, a lack of competition allowed mixologists to tinker instead of fighting for attention. Gradually, these determined Epicureans cultivated a genuine scene. Soon enough, the national spotlight found the Valley. Now, travelers from all over the country visit to see what we’ve got on offer.

Our boundless sprawl and frontier mentality provide space and freedom for creative bar owners to set up shop and go big. You want to turducken a three-bar concept — a vintage train car, an apothecary and a seafaring ship — under a single roof? Go wild. The city’s your oyster.

A crucial moment for craft mixology in downtown Phoenix was when Ross Simon opened Bitter & Twisted in 2014. The downtown Phoenix bar combines industrial, urban architecture with a storybook menu, transporting customers around the globe with genuinely unique flavors. The city had a new standard for excellence on the rocks.

In 2015, cocktail mastermind Jason Asher partnered with Rich Furnari to launch the hospitality group Barter & Shake and, soon after, the bar Counter Intuitive in Old Town Scottsdale. The duo debuted Arcadia’s UnderTow in 2016. The nautical tiki bar became the first in a wave of immersive bars built around evoking a sense of travel and adventure. The award-winning train-themed Platform 18 started chugging at Century Grand in 2019, and the Instagram-darling plane bar Carry On took flight in 2024. 

In July 2025, Little Rituals was named the best hotel bar in the nation at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. The swanky cocktail destination on the fourth floor of the Residence Inn by Marriott Phoenix Downtown continues to earn the industry’s top accolades. 

The past quarter-century also saw leaps in the state’s home-grown beverage production. In 1999, Arizona had 12 licensed wine producers. Today, the state is home to nearly 100 producers who cultivate a range of varieties, crafting bottles and blends that travel nationwide. Arizona craft brewers, too, make top-notch beers that continue to earn national recognition. 

But bars are about more than plaques and rankings. They bring people together. They’re where friends gather to tell old stories and to live new ones. They help celebrate life’s highs and commiserate the lows.

For some people, a bar night means gathering with neighbors to swap sips of dazzling cocktails. Others prefer to pair a bottle of syrah with funky Spanish cheeses. And there are still plenty of barflies looking for a Bud heavy on ice, a rack of half-straight pool cues and a jukebox that takes crinkly dollar bills.

The bar scene in Phoenix has grown up fast. Our collection of dives, breweries, wine bars, immersive experiences, neighborhood haunts and nostalgic watering holes has never been stronger. With such an abundance of riches, it’s hard to narrow it down. But Phoenix New Times editors and writers have traveled the Valley, doing research disguised as drinking, or maybe the other way around. Here are our Top 100 Bars in Phoenix. 

Phoenix Cocktail Bar Hot Spots:

Sip a creative cocktail at these swanky spots.

• Bar 1912 – High-end, architectural bar
• Barcoa Agaveria – Two-floor agave extravaganza
• Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour – Mixology magic in swanky digs
• Butler’s Easy – Neighborhood craft cocktail spot
• Carry On – Retro plane ride with cocktails
• Coabana – Tropical chic
• Floor 13 Rooftop Bar – Urban skyline perch
• Highball – An upstairs speakeasy
• Killer Whale Sex Club – Dark, cheeky bar
• Little Rituals – Best hotel bar in the U.S.
• Melinda’s Alley – Spooky basement bar
• Platform 18 – A tasty train trip
• Sidecar Social Club – A mini, moody bar
• Skysill Rooftop Lounge – Views for days
• Tell Your Friends – Swanky underground lounge
• The Bearded Barber – Anthem speakeasy
• The Brickyard Downtown – Elevated cocktails and bites
• The Ostrich – Underground, industrial speakeasy
• The White Rabbit – Swanky craft cocktail haunt
• The Womack – Sexy, dimly lit lounge
• Three Beans Cafe – Espresso martini bar
• UnderTow – Immersive tiki ship
• Upstairs at Flint – Views, bites and people-watching

The Best Classic Phoenix Bars:

These Wild West watering holes have stood the test of time. 

• Aguila’s Hidaway – Drinks in a bomb bunker
• AZ88 – Martinis and stellar Scottsdale people watching
• Bikini Lounge – Cash-only tiki dive
• Buffalo Chip Saloon – Bar, barbecue and bull riding
• Casey Moore’s Oyster House – Historic, probably haunted pub
• Chopper John’s – Bikers and rock music
• Coach House – Dive bar, big holiday energy
• Dubliner Irish Pub – Sports and live music tavern
• Hanny’s – “Mad Men” and martinis
• Jade Bar – Valley’s O.G. craft cocktail bar
• Lon’s Last Drop – A sip of Valley history
• Longbranch Saloon – Pool and grub in Tolleson
• Nu Towne Saloon – Historic gay bar
• Palo Verde Lounge – A dive’s dive
• Rips Bar – Multi-genre music hub
• Roman’s Oasis – A good time in Goodyear
• Rusty Spur Saloon – Kitchy cowboy bar
• Seamus McCaffrey’s Irish Pub – Whiskey, Guinness and chips
• Silver Pony Bar & Grill – Friendly southside dive, music venue
• Swizzle Inn – Christmas lights all year
• The Dirty Drummer – Diner meets dive country bar
• TT Roadhouse – Contra-Scottsdale Scottsdale bar
• Yucca Tap Room – Huge, classic dive and music venue

The Best Phoenix Bars for Dancing and Music:

Get down on the dance floor or enjoy some live music at these lively spots.

• Boycott Bar – Casual, upbeat lesbian bar
• Charlie’s – Gay bar, always a party
• Club Contact – Downtown’s newest, hottest club
• Cobra Arcade Bar – Games, colorful drinks and lively dancefloor
• Karamba Nightclub – Gay Latino dance club
• Kobalt – Karaoke, drag shows, cheap drinks
• Low Key Piano Bar – Underground dueling piano show
• Roosters Country – Longstanding country music bar
• Sazerac – Lively LGBTQ+ leaning party
• Stacy’s at Melrose – LGBTQ+ event hub
• Stardust Pinbar – Pinball disco
• The Chill Room – Non-alcoholic bar, music venue
• The Little Woody – Every 30-something’s favorite dancefloor
• Tom Ryan’s – Country music dive
• Valley Bar – Underground adventure

Neighborhood Bar Favorites in Phoenix:

Cozy, fun, full of regulars. These are your local hangouts. 

• Bar 1 – Casual, neighborhood gay bar
• Cornish Pasty Co. – Pastys, pool and Guinness
• Devil’s Hideaway – Neon-lit subway station
• Easy Tiger Bar – Hip, casual new-school dive
• First Draft Book Bar – Books and beers
• Gabby’s Sports Bar & Grill – Fun, unpretentious neighborhood hang
• Gracie’s Tax Bar – Hipster haven
• Irish Wolfhound Restaurant & Pub – Live music, billiards, Irish fare
• JT’s Bar & Grill – Wings, beer and sports
• Linger Longer Lounge – Perfect Friday with friends
• Luckys Indoor Outdoor – New-school dive, great patio, surprisingly good cocktails
• Night Owl – Nostalgic pizza pub
• Sidewinder – Tiny diner
• The 480 Bar – Chill Chandler hangout
• The Boom Boom Room – R&B and hip-hop lounge
• The Greedy Hamster – Homey, convivial gathering spot
• The Starving Artist – Moody lounge, full food menu
• Title 9 Sports Grill – Women’s sports bar

Phoenix Beer, Wine and Cider Bar Destinations:

Craft breweries, cideries, wine bars and taprooms with top-notch pours.

• Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. – Fire pits and double IPAs
• Chupacabra Taproom – Cozy craft beer hangout
• Cider Corps – Industrial cider taproom
• Far Away Wine and Provisions – Your wine friend’s living room
• Goldwater Brewing Co. – Casual craft beer in Old Town
• Greenwood Brewing – Airy, bright brewery
• Hopsology Taproom and Wine Bar – A beer nerd’s paradise
• Jamie’s Bottle Shop – High-end wine bar
• Kitsune Brewing Co. – Geeky beer
• Los Milics Vineyards Scottsdale Tasting Room – A taste of southern Arizona wine country
• Pinnacle Brewing Co. – Unique craft brews
• Rebel Wine Lounge – Classy day-drinking spot
• Rift Wine Bar & Taphouse – Brews, bottles and food trucks
• Saddle Mountain Brewing Co. – Classic brewpub
• Sana Sana Cerveceria – Craft beer with cultura
• Sauvage Wine Bar and Shop – Hip natty wine bar
• Simple Machine Brewing Co. – Clean-cut, friendly brewery
• Six Byrd Cider Co. – Gluten-free heaven
• The Wandering Tortoise – Neighborhood beer patio
• Trevor’s Liquor – Liquor store, restaurant, bar extraordinaire
• Wren House Brewing Co. – Cozy bungalow brewery