Neighbors Lounge

Located in a slim strip mall in the northwest Valley, Neighbors opened in 1992 and hasn’t changed a whole hell of a lot since. (You can spot the place by the massive illustration on the front windows of a lively bar crowd, which also dates back to the 1990s.) Neighbors is a come-as-you-are type of […]

Networks Bar & Grill

Politicians and power brokers are known to congregate at Networks, as are professional athletes, office workers, and well-heeled housewives. You’ll immediately notice a suit-and-tie crowd chatting on cell phones over their drinks, and, upon closer look, you’ll notice a more eclectic crowd of tourists and downtown denizens gathering at Networks, too. Located off the lobby […]

Night Owl

Who doesn’t love pizza and beer? The classic combination is the starting point and calling card for Night Owl in south Scottsdale. This is the sort of spot you wish would open in your neighborhood. Those who live nearby are lucky ducks. There’s a large, twinkle light-strung patio, a welcoming bar, plenty of booths to […]

Nu Towne Saloon

Open since 1971, Nu Towne Saloon has earned landmark status as the Valley’s oldest gay bar still in operation. Located in east Phoenix across Van Buren Street from the equally historic Tovrea Castle, it’s survived a lot over five decades: recessions, the fickleness of LGBTQ+ crowds and a massive fire in 2010 that completely gutted its interior. […]

O’Kelley’s Sports Bar & Grill

A touch of the Irish in south Mesa, O’Kelley’s is a dark-wooden pub that boasts 50-plus televisions, a regular gaggle of bar patrons, a pool table, darts, golf arcade, and full menu. It also hosts local rock bands on Fridays and Saturdays and karaoke on Mondays and Thursdays. Craft beer and poker are the way […]

Old Town Tavern

Coming across Old Town Tavern is like discovering a hidden clubhouse. Ensconced among a shopping complex, eateries, and apartments, an fireplace warms patrons hanging out amid the wood and brick expanse of the Tavern, and the sound of an acoustic duo playing songs by The Who greets the ears. Climb the stairs to the crow’s […]

Old Town Tortilla Factory

Gorgeous, Southwestern-themed hacienda-like restaurant featuring a tequileria with more than 100 types of distilled agave juice, and a vast, elegant patio with a captivating, flame-spitting waterfall. The food ain’t too shabby, either. The gourmet, house-made tortillas are some of the best in the Valley, and there are various, mouth-watering items on the bill of fare, […]

Ole Brass Rail

This east Phoenix dive, located on Thomas Road across from perhaps the most chaotic Walmart in the Valley, opens at 6 a.m. and possesses many of the qualities one associates with a tavern that caters to morning drinkers. The crowd is casual bordering on haggard. The bar serves what we’ve come to call “personal pitchers” […]

Onyx Bar & Lounge

The proprietors of the Onyx Bar & Lounge should charge admission, because their lustrous establishment boasts awe-inspiring views of both Troon Mountain and Pinnacle Peak, usually when lit by the amber rays of sunset. The radiantly rustic furnishings and décor of the cozy drinkery, located inside the opulent Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale, is equally splendid, […]

The Ostrich

The Ostrich is located behind a wooden door at the bottom of a stairwell around the corner from Crust Chandler. The name of this basement bar could suggest an ostrich burying its head in the ground, but actually, this was the room where ostrich feathers were stored by city founder Dr. A.J. Chandler himself. A […]

Outrider Rooftop Lounge

A visit to Outrider Rooftop Lounge feels like a cheat. Surely you have to be a hotel guest at the Canopy Scottsdale Old Town Hotel or at least a tourist visiting Scottsdale to access this rooftop bar, right? Wrong. The high-flying bar, complete with lounge chairs, fire pits and impressive views of Camelback Mountain, is […]

The Ox Sports Bar

Tucked behind a Circle K just off 32nd Street north of Thomas Road, this ramshackle neighborhood tavern might be a little hard to locate, but is totally worth hunting for since the Ox kinda rocks. The blue collar crowd picks this joint as the meeting place to play darts, as evidenced by its six different […]

Padre Murphy’s

Don’t let the “padre” in its moniker fool you, as the only thing remotely Hispanic about the place are the nachos on the menu. (Truth be told, it’s named for an Irish Catholic priest that owner Tom Boyle has known since childhood). Although its name might be a bit misleading, Padre Murphy’s is about as […]

The Paisley Violin

Temporarily closed: Gina and Derrick Suarez’s quirky bohemian bistro is a comfortably cool spot that contains creative endeavors of every shape and size. Situated along Grand Avenue, it’s a mecca of Mediterranean and Euro-style edibles served up in an ultra-arty atmosphere accented by a constantly revolving collection of photos, paintings, and sculptures. Boutique wines such […]

Palo Verde Lounge

A perplexing question is, “What’s the crowd like at Palo Verde Lounge?” All kinds park themselves at this dark, cash-only Tempe bar: construction workers in hi-vis gear at a prolonged happy hour, weekly regulars from the neighborhood, new drinkers from nearby ASU. Like the clientele, the atmosphere can be hard to predict. Some nights you […]

Papago Brewing Company

When you walk through the door of this casual neighborhood brewpub, located among the many shops and eateries of Papago Plaza, you’ll be greeted by a larger-than-life-sized statue of a portly, jolly monk. If you love beer – especially beer from Belgium, where monks make the good stuff – you should take that as a […]

Paradise Lounge

Board games and beer mix with music and madcap fun at this quaint neighborhood tavern nestled near Paradise Valley Mall. Its proprietors provide a little bit of everything for their patrons, including drink specials and distractions aplenty. Come in during the quiet hours and enjoy such all-day specials as $2.50 domestic bottles, $3 well drinks, […]

Pat O’s Bunkhouse Saloon

Pat O’s puts the “G” in the Melrose District’s LGBTQ scene. Its clientele is largely gay men, many of whom are unabashedly members or fans of the bear or leathermen subcultures. Former owner and namesake Pat Olivo – a fixture in the local gay scene for decades – died in March 2022, but his bar […]

Pattie’s First Avenue Lounge

Patties First Avenue Lounge is the ratty dive among the restaurants, cocktail lounges, and other tourist traps of Old Town Scottsdale. We mean that in the best way possible. Pattie’s has been open since 1992, and its regulars range from millionaires to spring training visitors to bachelorette party attendees to old timers who’ve been coming […]