The Top 100 Places to Drink Near 36 Below

  1. A Spirited Award-winning cocktail bar built inside a replica Presidential Pullman train car, Platform 18 commits to the bit fully: wood paneling, digital windows showing rolling landscapes, Prohibition-era drinks, the whole deal. The crowd dresses up a little, leans in, and genuinely plays along. Book a reservation ahead, because showing up without one is a lot like missing your train.


    Awards
    Address
    3626 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  2. Awards
    Address
    3626 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  3. Rank 3. UnderTow

    Tiki Cocktail Bar

    The whole place is built to feel like the cargo hold of a 19th-century ship, which sounds gimmicky until you're actually sitting inside it, sipping something tropical and elaborate through a porthole view. Phoenix has caught up with the whole immersive-bar thing since UnderTow pioneered it, but this one still does it better than the copycats. The cocktails mix tiki classics with more inventive stuff, and the crowd is mostly people who came for the vibe and stayed for the rum.


    Awards
    Address
    3626 E Indian School Rd, Unit 100, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  4. Awards
    Address
    3620 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  5. The Little Woody is a dive bar that can't quite decide what it wants to be, and that's exactly why it works. Red lighting, pool tables, darts, an arcade room, and decent cocktails all coexist without any of it feeling forced. The crowd on weekends is young, loud, and very much here to have a good time well past midnight. Order a specialty cocktail, grab a flatbread, and let someone beat you at darts.


    Awards
    Address
    4228 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  6. Awards
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    2701 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  7. Rank 7. Six Byrd Cider

    Cider Beer Bar


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    Address
    3619 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  8. Awards
    Address
    2417 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  9. Awards
    Address
    1514 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  10. Rank 10. Carry On

    Cocktail Bar

    A cocktail bar inside a mock 1960s first-class cabin, where the flight attendants check you in, a beverage cart rolls through the aisle, and the "windows" show sky. People show up in vintage fits and take the whole bit very seriously, which somehow makes it better. The cocktails are genuinely great and genuinely pricey, reservations drop weekly and go fast, so treat this like an actual trip: plan ahead, dress up a little, and enjoy the ride.


    Awards
    Address
    2 N Central Ave, Ste 101, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  11. Rank 11. Sauvage

    Natural Wine Bar

    Sauvage is a natural wine bar tucked into a historic cottage off McDowell, the kind of place where the person pouring your glass actually wants to talk about what's in it. The selection leans toward obscure regions and funky bottles you won't find at Total Wine, and the owner is genuinely good at reading what you'll like. Grab a tinned fish snack and let him guide you. The room feels like someone's very cool living room.


    Awards
    Address
    149 W McDowell Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  12. Rank 12. Barcoa Agaveria

    Mexican Cocktail Bar

    Two bars for the price of one, and both are worth your night. Barcoa is a mezcal and agave cantina where the crowd genuinely knows their spirits, not just the ones with pretty labels. Upstairs is lively, with a patio and a food truck parked outside for tacos. Downstairs is darker, quieter, and reservation-only, the kind of basement bar that makes you feel like you discovered something.


    Awards
    Address
    829 N 1st Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  13. Rank 13. Little Rituals

    Cocktail Bar

    Voted the top hotel bar in the country, Little Rituals sits on the fourth floor of a downtown Marriott and somehow completely transcends that sentence. Push through the beaded curtain into a room of glittering lights and plush chairs where the cocktail menu reads like an illustrated storybook. The crowd is a good mix of hotel guests who got lucky and locals who definitely made a reservation. The bar snacks are serious enough to call it dinner.


    Awards
    Address
    132 S Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  14. Awards
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    1 W Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  15. Awards
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    4402 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  16. Awards
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    10 W Vernon Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  17. Awards
    Address
    5700 E McDonald Dr, Paradise Valley, AZ · Paradise Valley
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  18. A neighborhood wine bar on Seventh Street that actually feels like somewhere you'd want to hang out, not just somewhere you'd end up. The menu of small bites and pours changes often, which keeps the regulars coming back and gives first-timers a reason to return. Desert-toned walls, a crowd that ordered without overthinking it, and spritzes that justify the trip on their own.


    Awards
    Address
    4810 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  19. Rank 19. Rough Rider

    Cocktail Bar

    You take the middle elevator down to the basement of an office building, the doors open, and suddenly it's 1890 and someone mixed you a very good drink. Rough Rider is a genuinely moody speakeasy-style cocktail bar with wood paneling, high ceilings, and candlelit nooks that feel made for people who don't want to be seen. The cocktail list leans Victorian-inspired with a wink, and the kitchen is serious enough to keep you planted for the night.


    Awards
    Address
    1001 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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    WebsiteInstagram
  20. Rank 20. Futuro

    Mexican


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    Address
    909 N 1st St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  21. Awards
    Address
    5114 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  22. Awards
    Address
    903 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  23. The name isn't a bluff, but it's not what you think either. This dim, tucked-away cocktail lounge on Roosevelt Row is run by serious mixologists who keep rotating in genuinely interesting new drinks. Look a little closer at the walls, though, and you'll notice the polaroids, all shot right here, all tastefully not-that-tasteful. It gives the whole moody room a wink that somehow makes the experimental cocktails feel even better.


    Awards
    Address
    922 N 6th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  24. Awards
    Address
    300 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  25. Awards
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    7353 Scottsdale Mall Scottsdale, AZ · Scottsdale
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  26. Greenwood Brewing is the antidote to every dark, loud, aggressively masculine taproom you've ever been dragged to. Woman-owned and designed to match, it's all globe lights, brass accents, and airy vibes on Roosevelt Row, with two outdoor courtyards that stay comfortable year-round. The crowd skews creative and friendly, the beer is genuinely good, and you can order food from nearby spots right to your table.


    Awards
    Address
    425 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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    WebsiteInstagram
  27. A faded pink dive bar in a former tax office, which honestly explains the vibe perfectly. Cheap beers, a jukebox worth fighting over, and a crowd that'll challenge you to Scrabble before the night gets away from you. Later on, the patio turns into a full-on DJ situation, just smokier. They also throw stuffed animal contests and reality TV watch parties, so check Instagram before you go and lower your expectations for productivity the next day.


    Awards
    Address
    711 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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    WebsiteInstagram
  28. Rank 28. Pretty Penny

    International

    Roosevelt Row has no shortage of spots, but Pretty Penny is the one that actually feels like an occasion. It's an upscale dinner-out kind of place, forest green and sleek, where you're greeted with a pour of bubbles before you've even looked at the menu. The cocktails are as serious as the food, so don't skip them. The crowd is date-night dressed and ready to spend, which is the right energy for a room this sharp.


    Awards
    Address
    509 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram
  29. Rank 29. Chilte

    Modern Mexican

    Modern Mexican in a converted motor hotel on Grand Avenue, and the kitchen's attitude is basically "we don't care," which only makes sense until you taste the food and realize they clearly care a lot. The menu rotates seasonally, the team pulls in guest chefs, and Food and Wine named the chef one of America's best new talents. The crowd skews creative-class Phoenix, the kind of people who'll try a grasshopper quesadilla without being talked into it.


    Awards
    Address
    765 Grand Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  30. Awards
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    7419 E Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, AZ · Scottsdale
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  31. Awards
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    2501 E Telewa Trail, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  32. Awards
    Address
    4626 N 16th St, Unit 101, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  33. Awards
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    3015 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  34. Awards
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    4802 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  35. Awards
    Address
    1001 N 3rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix

  36. Awards
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    711 E Missouri Ave, Unit 115, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  37. A proper dive bar where the walls are literally wallpapered in dollar bills and Christmas lights never come down, which tells you everything you need to know. Local rock bands take the small stage most nights, the barflies are the friendly kind, and the vibe is very much "we've been here forever and we're not changing anything." Shoot some pool, catch a game from a good bar stool, or take it outside to the patio.


    Awards
    Address
    2547 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  38. Awards
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    2222 N 16th St, Unit 6, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  39. Awards
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    4700 N 12th St, Unit 107, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  40. Awards
    Address
    6031 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  41. Rank 41. théa

    Mediterranean


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    Address
    4360 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  42. A genuine Phoenix institution that's been around forever, The Dirty Drummer is a dive bar and live music venue where the boots are real and nobody's performing irony. Expect country, honky tonk, and rockabilly most nights, with line dancing that looks intimidating until your third beer. The bar menu runs wings, burgers, and nachos, and happy hour runs weekdays if you're watching your tab. Sports on TV, cold drinks, zero pretension.


    Awards
    Address
    2303 N 44th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  43. Awards
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    2243 N 12th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  44. Awards
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    839 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  45. Awards
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    3508 N 7th St, Ste 100, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  46. Awards
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    5202 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  47. Awards
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    7105 E First Ave, Scottsdale, AZ · Scottsdale
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  48. Awards
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    2315 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  49. Awards
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    2201 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  50. Awards
    Address
    635 W Glenrosa Ave, Ste 109, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  51. Awards
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    3838 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  52. A brewpub that actually feels like someone's house, because it basically is one. The taproom is tiny, the community table makes strangers into friends fast, and the rotating taps give regulars a reason to keep showing up. Bring takeout from nearby or catch a food truck out front. The Spellbinder hazy IPA is the one everyone talks about. Neighborhood crowd, no pretense, plastic dinosaurs on the windowsill.


    Awards
    Address
    2125 N 24th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  53. Awards
    Address
    214 E Roosevelt St, Unit 2, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  54. A converted gas station in the Melrose District that somehow became the neighborhood's unofficial living room. Copper Star is a laid-back coffee shop open early every day, with a drive-thru for the rushed and a shaded patio for everyone else. The bagels are homemade and genuinely good, and the breakfast sandwiches are the kind of thing you didn't know you needed until you're halfway through one.


    Awards
    Address
    4220 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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    WebsiteInstagram
  55. Rank 55. Valentine

    Sonoran Mexican

    A wood-fired all-day cafe in the Melrose District that has turned Arizona sourcing into something close to a religion, and somehow made that feel fun rather than preachy. The room shares space with a vintage furniture store, which tells you everything about the crowd: creative types who dress well without trying. Come for brunch when the menus overlap, and don't skip the attached speakeasy, Bar 1912, hiding in the back.


    Awards
    Address
    4130 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  56. Awards
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    811 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  57. Awards
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    600 N Fourth St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  58. Awards
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    812 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  59. Awards
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    4829 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  60. Awards
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    1001 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  61. Awards
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    149 W McDowell Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  62. Awards
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    618 E Adams St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  63. The Valley's oldest gay bar has been around forever, and it shows, in the best possible way. Think grandma's attic crossed with a dive bar crossed with a fever dream: there's a plaster rooster taller than most people you know, a fortune-telling machine, and a miniature Eiffel Tower on the roof. Regulars shoot pool and nurse cheap beers while the decor quietly dares you to ask questions. Come as you are.


    Awards
    Address
    5002 E Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  64. Awards
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    6522 N 16th St, Unit 6, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  65. Awards
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    5532 N Palo Cristi Rd, Paradise Valley, AZ · Paradise Valley
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  66. Awards
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    7134 E. Stetson Dr, Unit B110, Scottsdale, AZ · Scottsdale
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  67. Awards
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    7133 E Stetson Dr, Scottsdale, AZ · Scottsdale

  68. Awards
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    3243 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  69. Awards
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    5749 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  70. Awards
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    2915 N 68th St, Scottsdale, AZ · Scottsdale
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  71. Awards
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    1502 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  72. Awards
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    2425 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  73. Awards
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    7011 E Indian School Rd, Scottsdale, AZ · Scottsdale
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  74. Awards
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    7033 E Main St, Unit 102, Scottsdale, AZ · Scottsdale
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  75. Awards
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    45 W Jefferson St, Ste J, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  76. Awards
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    901 S 7th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  77. Awards
    Address
    2144 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  78. Rank 78. Boycott Bar

    Cocktail Bar


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    Address
    4301 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  79. Awards
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    4130 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  80. Awards
    Address
    201 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  81. Rank 81. Mis Raices Café

    Mexican Coffee Shop


    Awards
    Address
    1325 Grand Ave, Unit 3, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  82. Awards
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    1301 NW Grand Ave, Unit 6, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  83. Awards
    Address
    2 N Central Ave, Unit 101, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  84. Finding Valley Bar means following a sketchy alley off Central Avenue while seriously questioning your life choices, but the basement dive waiting at the bottom is absolutely worth the commitment. Cheap beers, cocktails named after Arizona politicians, a dance floor with live DJs, and a back room with skee-ball and shuffleboard keep the crowd loose and loud. The hanging mobile above the bar commemorating a local murderess sets the vibe perfectly.


    Awards
    Address
    130 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  85. Awards
    Address
    4700 N 12th St, Unit 118, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  86. Rank 86. Bar1

    Cocktail Bar

    A laid-back gay cocktail bar that skips the theatrics and just lets people hang out. The candlelit room is full of folks actually talking to each other, which feels radical these days. Grab a craft cocktail or a specialty shot, play some pinball, or drift out to the patio. Daily drink specials keep things interesting all week, and the happy hours are generous enough that you'll probably stay longer than planned.


    Awards
    Address
    3702 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  87. Rank 87. Rips Bar

    Dive Bar


    Awards
    Address
    3045 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  88. Awards
    Address
    1418 E McDowell Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  89. A pinball arcade and cocktail bar hiding behind a fake freezer door inside a pizza shop, because Phoenix apparently decided subtlety is for other cities. One hard pull and you're in: glowing dance floor, disco ball, machines to lose quarters in. The crowd is wonderfully random, goths and Disney adults and post-concert indie kids all sharing the same floor, which somehow works completely.


    Awards
    Address
    401 W Van Buren St, Unit B, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  90. Awards
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    5835 N 16th St, Unit A, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  91. Awards
    Address
    1544 E McDowell Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  92. Rank 92. Cafetal Coffee

    Colombian Coffee


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    Address
    777 S College Ave, Unit 101, Tempe, AZ · Tempe
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  93. Rank 93. Bikini Lounge

    Tiki Dive Bar

    Phoenix's oldest tiki dive bar has been around forever, and it has absolutely no interest in impressing you, which is exactly why you'll love it. Frosted beer glasses, kitschy tchotchkes behind the bar, pool tables, and a patio for a smoke. Show up on a Tuesday when a DJ spins vinyl and the whole place turns into a dance floor. It's cash only, so hit an ATM first or just stand there looking embarrassed.


    Awards
    Address
    1502 Grand Ave, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  94. Awards
    Address
    7150 E Sixth Ave, Scottsdale, AZ · Scottsdale
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  95. Rank 95. Sidewinder

    Diner American

    A gloriously dingy vintage diner-bar in Garfield where the bartenders serve you with what can only be described as polite contempt, and somehow that's the whole appeal. The team behind a proper French bistro built this on purpose, so the cheap beer and messy sloppy joes are a choice, not an accident. Regulars who look like they live there will not move for you. Go anyway.


    Awards
    Address
    924 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  96. Awards
    Address
    4750 N Central Ave Unit 140 Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  97. Awards
    Address
    400 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  98. Tucked behind Lom Wong, this patio bar is where you cook your own dinner on a tabletop grill set into a pot of bubbling broth, which sounds chaotic and is, in the best way. The mookata setup means you're basically running your own little BBQ-hot pot hybrid while sipping craft cocktails. Come for the full cook-your-own-meal situation or just for drinks; the crowd is here to have fun either way, not to impress anyone.


    Awards
    Address
    218 E Portland St, Unit B, Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix
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  99. Arizona wine is having a moment, and this sleek Old Town tasting room is a good place to catch up. Los Milics pours wines from its own vineyard in a region people are starting to take seriously, and the team behind it also runs one of Scottsdale's most respected restaurants, so they know what they're doing. The bar staff are genuinely chatty and will walk you through a flight without making you feel like a student.


    Awards
    Address
    4151 N Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ · Scottsdale
    Online
    Website
  100. A brewpub that takes its beer as seriously as its food, which in Arizona is rarer than you'd think. The rotating taps lean seasonal and locally inspired, and the kitchen matches the ambition with oversized burgers and duck fat fries that make the whole thing feel like more than a beer stop. The crowd is laid-back Gilbert locals who know the difference between a good IPA and a great one, spilling out into the beer garden when the weather cooperates.


    Awards
    Address
    721 N. Arizona Ave Gilbert, AZ · Gilbert
    Online
    WebsiteInstagram

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