The Rock Springs Cafe & Saloon

If you’ve ever made the drive up north on the I-17 to Sedona, Flagstaff, or the Grand Canyon, you’ll remember Rock Springs Café from its giant sign advertising pie on the freeway. Maybe you’ve even been so enticed that you stopped to check out the Arizona landmark, which has a history dating back to 1918, […]

The Rock

The showroom of this extremely LGBTQ-friendly Melrose District watering hole is a destination for drag, comedy, and cabaret performances – or often a mix of all three. Popular local queens – Barbra Seville, Lady Christian, Espressa Grande – are regulars on the calendar, performing shows with names like the “Lady Christian Trailer Trash Review.” Definitely […]

Rockbar Inc.

It’s safe to say that the Scottsdale landscape has more than a few clubs devoted to dance music and electronica. Which is why a nightspot that specializing exclusively in rock & roll like this recent Old Town arrival tends to stand out among the rest. According to its owners, the two-level Craftsman Court spot will […]

Rocket Fizz

For a quick dose of nostalgia, take a peek inside this mom-and-pop soda and candy shop in Surprise. The brand is based in California, and the interior certainly has a laidback, beachy vibe, but the only location in Arizona is independently owned and operated. It’s a family-run shop, so don’t be surprised to be greeted […]

The Rogue Bar

Previously known as one of the Valley’s favorite hangouts for hepcats, the Rogue is still the kind of dank-yet-dope place that features indie types sucking down PBRs, local rock bands performing onstage, girly-pants-wearing hipsters mingling about, and its infamous graffiti-covered bathroom. Just make sure you don’t park in front of the convenience store next door, […]

Roka Akor

Scottsdale’s uber-stylish Roka Akor, a spin-off of London-based Roka, sets itself apart from the Valley’s myriad other Japanese restaurants by specializing in robatayaki, Japanese-style grilled dishes; a few are traditional, but many have a creative, contemporary spin. Of course, there’s sushi here, too, as well as other top-notch tapas-style dishes. Honey-glazed grilled duck breast, butterfish […]

Rokerij

Here sits a beautiful stone house of a restaurant just down the street from Richardson Browne’s other eatery, Richardson’s. Rokerij is Dutch for “smokehouse,” but this is basically a classy chop shop with plenty of atmosphere. Dim lighting, copper-topped bars, European prints on the walls, and outstanding service make this the sort of place you’d […]

Roman’s Oasis

Like Doctor Who’s TARDIS, Roman’s Oasis is bigger on the inside. From the parking lot, the historic bar looks a bit ramshackle, a roadhouse that has evolved and grown over the decades. Inside, the sprawling bar goes on and on. The front room, anchored by a shuffleboard table and a large portrait of John Wayne, […]