Trophy Room in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona
Shrouded in mystery, this new cocktail spot is from the eclectic, inventive minds that launched Wren & Wolf, a bar and restaurant in downtown Phoenix. Opened in late winter 2023, Trophy Room is not even allowing photography inside the bar, professional or personal (our photos were taken in the hallway outside). It is accessible for those in the know through Wren & Wolf, and the long hallway one takes to reach it is ominous in the best way possible. But yes, that means to enjoy it, guests must check their phones at the door. Each seating is just 90 minutes, and there are never more than approximately 40 seated in the intimate space at one time. So, is it worth it? Oh, very much yes. But that is all we can say… for now.
2 N Central Ave suite 101, Phoenix, AZ 85004
UnderTow in Phoenix & Gilbert, Arizona
When it was founded in 2016, initially located under Sip Coffee in Arcadia in a former oil change bay, UnderTow set a new standard for bars across the Southwest. Set inside a fictitious 19th Century clipper ship, the immersive cocktail bar helped Arizona earn national acclaim. Now located next door to Sip inside Century Grand, UnderTow (one of three cocktail concepts in the building) is a little bigger and the lights a little brighter, but they never outshine each year’s new menu of cocktails that captivate all five senses. A word of warning: the menu will have at least 20 spirits you have never heard of, but do not let that intimidate you. The team behind the bar are experts at breaking them down and helping guests choose the right alcohol-infused adventure that suits them best.
3626 E Indian School Rd Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ 85018
Rough Rider in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona
This truly creative concept—think upscale Victorian aesthetic meets modern cocktail techniques meets Teddy Roosevelt fan club—is also from the mind of Pigtails co-owner Kyla Dahl. And it is even harder to find! Rough Rider is in the basement of the Ten-O-One building on Roosevelt Row and is accessible by a time machine. Okay, it is accessible by elevator, but it may as well be a time machine as it transports guests to another world; a dimly lit one from the 1800s filled with wood, lanterns, vintage books, and a massive portrait of original member of the Rough Riders (look it up, kids) Teddy Roosevelt himself. The cocktail menu continues the theme, going as far as to offer cobblers, which are jam-based cocktails popular in that era. Expect deft mixology skill from today complemented by a robust food program featuring both shareable plates and larger rustic entrees inspired by Roosevelt’s era, including game meats.
1001 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Pigtails in Scottsdale & Phoenix, Arizona
In 2018, the Whining Pig—previously a small beer and wine bar with locations in more urban neighborhoods—opened an expansive location at Desert Ridge. Why so much space? Because there is a secret inside. Upon entering, there is a beer bar like the others in the Valley. However, pass that bar and head into the dark hallway toward the bathroom signs. Just past the bathrooms, there is an entrance to a seperate bar with no signage anywhere. That is Pigtails (there is also a hidden entrance outside even harder to find, but once inside, push the bookcase and it reveals itself). Dark with a full wall of green succulents, an expansive bar and low booths, Pigtails features both traditional and more exotic drink options using barrel-aged whiskies, house-infused spirits, and scented mists. Its popularity allowed the brand to grow, and now there is a second Pigtails hidden in downtown Phoenix just barely visible to onlookers paying attention on Washington Street near 1st Street as well.
21001 N Tatum Blvd Suite 46-1405, Phoenix, AZ 85050
Prime Bar in Chandler, Arizona
While many of the other prime spots are underground, the actual Prime Bar is high in the sky. On the 11th floor of Wild Horse Pass Resort and Casino to be exact. It is the extension of Prime, A Shula’s Steak House, which is similarly on the 11th floor. But this is no mere hotel bar. Not by a longshot. An indoor-outdoor architectural wonder, it faces west to maximize the sun setting over the nearby mountains each night, a truly magnificent site to behold from on high. Once the sun goes down, the bar glows by the light of the moon, thanks to the chic design of the space. The only thing that rivals the ambiance are the cocktails. There is a clear focus on higher-end spirits as well as elegant updates to classic cocktails, but the bartenders have their fun as well, dreaming up whimsical seasonal and weekly offerings destined to be new classics.
5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd Chandler, AZ 85226
Garden Bar in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona
Sometimes the best sneaky spots are hidden in plain sight. There is a charming white house, complete with a picket fence out front, located on 6th Avenue just south of Roosevelt in Phoenix. But this is not just any early 1900s California Bungalow-style home. This is actually Garden Bar, the brainchild of cocktail cookbook author (she has eight available at last count) Kim Haasarud and winner of both Phoenix Magazine’s 2022 Best New Cocktail Bar and the 2022 Foodist Award for Superb Bar. Both its expansive cocktail and mocktails, which change regularly, are inspired by taking the garden and translating it into something special in a glass.
822 N 6th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003
The White Rabbit in Gilbert, Arizona
There is a curious red light on the south wall of the Heritage building in downtown Gilbert. As you approach it, if your party has a secret password (available by going to The White Rabbit’s website and signing up for the VIP list), then the red light shall lead to adventure. Beyond the light is a 1920s-style apothecary, but with plush tables and chairs inside. It’s run by the fictional (or is he?) Dr. O’Hare, whose team can “prescribe” alcoholic concoctions to cure whatever “ails” each guest. The “prescriptions” are available on a menu divided by spirit-forward, refreshing, vintage, and sometimes seasonal categories.
207 N Gilbert Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234
The Parlour Room in Gilbert, Arizona
Opened in late 2021, this sister concept to the White Rabbit is in the basement courtyard level of the Heritage Building so patrons can conveniently enjoy both The White Rabbit Cocktail Bar and The Parlour Room concepts in the same evening. It delves deeper into Dr. O’Hare’s tail…err, tale…and is awash in red lights from floor to ceiling. It also delves deeper into the martini, offering a laundry list of options, plus has DJs and other entertainment all its own. Bonus: it requires no password.
207 N Gilbert Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234
.Written by: Alison Bailin Batz
Photography by: Luke Irvin