Fiddler's Dream

This all-volunteer, all-acoustic Westside music café just celebrated its 26th anniversary, and remains Phoenix’s only smoke-free, alcohol-free small performance venue. Widely known for hosting local and national musical acts, Fiddler’s Dream is also renowned for its unusual open-stage policy: Following most Friday and Saturday night shows, any act is offered 10 minutes (or three songs) onstage. A long list of music festivals, live acoustic concerts and national touring acts keeps this place hopping on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, when the friendly staff also serves up coffee, tea, and tasty diner food besides. There’s a real vibe here, too—squint a little, and it’s easy to pretend you’re in a North Beach bistro circa 1968, waiting for Joni Mitchell or Judy Collins or Joan Baez (or one of the other folky chick singers whose names begin with J) to perform.