The Dirty Drummer Eatin’ and Drinkin’ Place
2303 North 44th StreetThere’s much to love about The Dirty Drummer. The wood-paneled walls. The open grill behind the bar. A jukebox packed with Merle, Willie, Waylon, and the Hanks. Its proximity to a Costco. And, yes, the Wi-Fi. This sports bar, honky-tonk, and luncheonette at 44th and Oak streets was opened in 1975 by Frank “Drummer” Armstrong and his business partner, “Dirty Dave” Werner, and it’s perfect for a couple hours’ worth of work with a laptop, phone, and maybe a Drummer Burger with a Miller Lite.
Time Out Lounge
3129 South Mill Avenue, TempeFamiliarity is the name of the game at the Time Out Lounge. The owners and many bartenders have been behind the bar for years, serving craft and domestic beer, quick cocktails, and easily accessible shots of … anything. It’s roomy, has three pool tables, is ice cold, and opens at 11 a.m. every day. Pair all that with Wi-Fi and you’ve got the perfect bar for that thesis, manuscript, script, or just a couple hours on Reddit.
Pomeroy's
5555 North Seventh StreetNot much has changed at Pomeroy’s since it opened in 1983. Wood paneling covers most everything, including the front windows. At the bar or one of the joint’s many wooden booths, bust out the laptop and order the house wings or a burger with a cold glass of domestic beer. Need a break? There are a couple of pool tables, darts, lots of seating, and Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure.
Charley’s Sports Grill
8110 West Union Hills Drive, GlendaleThis northwest Valley joint — you can find it in the back of a plaza on the west side of Loop 101 and Union Hills Drive, near Arrowhead Towne Center — is many things: a bar, a lunch counter, a place to get some work done. The front room at Charley's has a fireplace and a few tables, plus the TVs (showing whatever game's on) are often muted. And the patio’s nice when the weather’s nice. It serves any domestic beer you can name and breakfast all day.
Canteen Arcadia
3619 East Indian School RoadCanteen is a coffee shop, bar, and coworking space in Arcadia, spottable by its giant front windows that open up to the foot traffic of Gaslight Square. Along the wide, wooden bar, you'll find laptops lined up for miles — or so it seems. There are snacks and charcuterie boards, coffee and tea, and lots of adult beverages, including cider, seltzer, domestic beer, and signature cocktails like the Hummingbird Nectar or the Cowork Mule.
First Draft Book Bar
300 West Camelback Road, #1Attached to Changing Hands' Phoenix location, First Draft Book Bar creates an atmosphere that's a blend of cafe, bar, and bookstore. Speaking of blend, it also feeds the need for book lovers, remote workers, and students to have a coffee, wine, cocktail, beer of their choice. Order a white sangria, lavender lemonade mimosas, or beer and wine on tap, and get to work. It stays pretty quiet in here; it's a bookstore, after all.
Bottleshop 48 — Craft Beer & Fine Wine
3318 South McClintock Drive, TempeThe 2,000-square-foot Bottleshop 48 in Tempe has 500 square feet dedicated to wine, 1,000 square feet for handcrafted beer, and a good amount of surface space ideal for a laptop, notebook, tablet — whatever you got. Owner Jordan Book offers Wi-Fi in addition to beer and wines that may not appeal to the masses, favoring instead more rare products.
Jobot Coffee
333 East Roosevelt StreetJobot's patio is Phoenix-famous — especially with writers, professionals, and students. Most coffeehouses in town only have a couple of tables outside or don't have anywhere to sit outdoors at all, so when the weather is actually nice, there's no coffeehouse more hauntable than the spacey Jobot. That's not to mention the incomparable people-watching of those strolling Roosevelt Row if you need a quick distraction. Its ample out-front seating also comes with high-quality coffee and cocktail choices, natch.
Sip Coffee & Beer
3617 North Goldwater Rd, Scottsdale620 East Indian School Road
The cafe-bar Sip Coffee & Beer has two locations — one near old Town Scottsdale, and one in Arcadia. The locally owned spots have the look of a coffee shop, with lots of tables and a counter for ordering. But both offer booze, too, meaning you can transition from the coffee part of your day into the beer part of your day without even leaving the place. And as we know by now, working's much better with beer.
Lovecraft
3128 East Cactus RoadLovecraft injects a dose of personality to the Phoenix craft beer bar. Its theme is New Mexican. Fiery chiles lace the mac-n-cheese, lobster bisque, and burritos, and a ristra dangles by the entrance. Its small glass chandeliers and mismatched mirrors and chairs make the place feel almost like an antique shop. Lovecraft’s beer menu is big, yes: more than 100 brews deep — from local picks to rare finds. It’s also perfect for a laptop, book, or just some light phone time thanks to the front wraparound patio outside and vintage-looking booths and tables inside.
The Shop Beer Co.
922 West First Street, TempeSome bar patios are afterthoughts. Not the patio at The Shop Beer Co. in central Tempe, where it feels like you’ve been invited to a spacious backyard. Here, you’ll find picnic tables, soft lighting, colorful wall art, and clean bathrooms. Food trucks, too. Evening workers will enjoy the soft lighting and spacious tabletops outside with a pint. Our favorite Shop brew is the Church Music, a 6.7 percent IPA that has some pineapple juice in the mix; the F.Y.I.T.M double IPA and the Crispy blonde lager are also standouts.
The 1227 Tap Room
1227 East Northern AvenueDreamy Draw boasts one of the sleekest beer bars in town. The 1227 Tap Room is located in a funky, easily accessible (as in, plenty of parking and bike-rack space) strip mall that’s also home to a T-shirt shop, tattoo parlor, thrift store, and the Zombi World Market & Occult. Inside, you’ll find tables, chairs, and a long, L-shaped cement bar perfect for a laptop. Post up and order beers and ciders on tap from Wren House Brewing Co., Helton, and Cider Corps. (You can also peruse the cans and bottles at one of three large fridges in the back.)
