Celebrate Mardi Gras at these Phoenix restaurants and bars

This week marks the beginning of Lent, which for many, means a time of fasting and reflection that begins with Ash Wednesday. It also means we get one last feast, and this year’s Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, has plenty of places in the Valley to help you wring every bit of decadence out of this Carnival season.

While we may be a bit far from the krewes and parades of New Orleans, the following spots will have you feeling like you are there in spirit. Laissez les bons temps rouler, indeed! 

Four Peaks Brewery: Brewdi Gras Beer Dinner

1340 E. Eighth St., Tempe
If you haven’t been to a Four Peaks beer dinner, you are in for a treat. This year’s Mardi Gras coincides with Arizona Beer Week, and the talented brewers and chefs are crafting six courses for Brewdi Gras that marry fresh oysters, blackened frog legs, gumbo, a crawfish boil, alligator ribs and beignets banana pudding with a bevvy of complimentary pints. The dinner starts at 6 p.m., and tickets are $87. Mardi Gras attire is encouraged, and beads will be provided. 

Fat Tuesday

680 S. Mill Ave., #106, Tempe
Come for a Rocket Fuel Daiquiri, stay for the bead throws, burlesque and DJ at Fat Tuesday’s Mardi Pardi. The festivities kick off at 6 p.m. with Vaugn Willis and Ear Candy, and then DJ Mayday takes over until 2 a.m. 

Blue Plate Co.

2800 N. Central Ave., Suite. A100
Formerly CC’s on Central, Blue Plate Co. is ready to celebrate Fat Tuesday. Chef Sharon Cunningham has recently pivoted her acclaimed cooking to accommodate lighter lunch fare for her midtown office clientele. For the holiday, expect Cunningham to reach back to some classic Creole favorites.

Simple Machine Brewing Co.

701 W. Deer Valley Road, #1
If you’re in north Phoenix, head to Simple Machine on Tuesday night. The Deer Valley Road brewery is going all-out for the evening. Enjoy a pint or two of their craft beer with an all-day Happy Hour (or a purple and green shot, made especially for Fat Tuesday), catch live jazz guitar from Doyle Figueroa, and grab some food from New Orleans Family-owned food truck Bayou Bistro. Oh, and there will be king cake.

Grace Lutheran Church

Hope Hall, 1124 N. Third St.
If community and generosity are more in line with your celebrations, then Grace Lutheran Church has you covered with their Music for Meals, a Fat Tuesday event that will feature free New Orleans-style cuisine and music from the Connections band. Instead of a cover, attendees are encouraged to bring canned food donations for The Pitchfork Pantry, a local food pantry that aims to serve ASU students experiencing food insecurity while in school. No registration is required, parking is free and the festivities kick off at 6 p.m. 

Hot N Juicy Crawfish

7000 E. Mayo Blvd., #1114
740 S. Mill Ave., #185, Tempe
6751 N. Sunset Blvd., Ste E101, Glendale
Many will try, but only one can pinch all the tails and suck all the heads at the Hot N Juicy Crawfish Crawfish Championship. Finish one pound of crawfish the fastest, and you could win a $200 gift card. There will also be prizes for the top three mudbug munchers at every location. Sign up in-store before the drawing at 8 p.m., and while you wait for your chance to be a Crawfish King or Queen, enjoy their all-day happy hour and $8 Hurricanes.

Old Town Mardi Gras Bar Crawl

If Bourbon Street and Old Town Scottsdale have only one thing in common, it’s a collective appreciation for a good bar crawl. Participating bars such as I-Mad Bar, Wasted Grain, Mother Truckers, Boondock’s Patio and Grill, Barstool and Mesquite are offering exclusive drink and food specials tied to this premium ticketed event. The $9.85 starting ticket price also allows for free all-access entry to participating venues and a City Party Pass App that allows you to pre-plan your route and “party at your own pace.”