Nightlife >>

• Best Place to Shoot Darts
  Clicks Billiards
  We've got a passion for anything old school. Vinyl's way better than MP3, Grandmaster Flash will always trump Jay-Z, and the original Nintendo is far more fun than the Xbox 360. And when it comes to the game of darts, we prefer old-fashioned boards made from sisal fibers to them new-fangled... More >>
• Best Arcade
  Golfland SunSplash
  Video games are an absolute religion for some people. Magazines like GamePro and Electronic Gaming Monthly, their bibles; digital heroes like Master Chief and Mario, their gods. And arcades like King Ben's Castle at Golfland SunSplash are virtual temples, where vidiots genuflect (so as to better... More >>
• Best Countercultural Carnival
  Sadisco*
  You won't find any death-defying rides, outrageous animals, or complicated midway games at a monthly Sadisco* affair. Just freaks . . . and plenty of them (like, enough to fill an insane asylum or a sideshow). Be they leather-clad rivetheads, mayhem-craving punks, or gloomy Goth types, the... More >>
• Best Musical Carousel
  Celebrity Theatre
  The musicians, singers, and comedians that hit the stage at Celebrity Theatre not only get to perform in the round but get to experience the rotating stage, which may be as unique an experience for them as it is for us. How do we know? Well, Celebrity stage newbies tend to remark on their... More >>
• Best Place to Catch a House Show
  Mitchell Park Neighborhood, Tempe
  Mill Avenue may be known as Tempe's main drag, but you'll find us off the beaten path, most weekends: There's a sleeping sonic giant just steps away from Mill known as Mitchell Park, an old-timey 'hood built between the '30s and '60s. Some of our town's best musical talent, such as Foot Ox, Bri... More >>
• Best Place to Find a Rave (5 Comments)
  AzEDM
  Old-school ravers around here love reminiscing about the good ol' days of the Valley's underground dance party scene. Back in the early- to mid-'90s, they ramble, Phoenix was rife with non-stop illegal and illicit all-night dance affairs, boasting big-time DJs, massive cuddle puddles, abundant... More >>
• Best Hipster Dance Night
  Shake! With William Fucking Reed
  DJ William Fucking Reed has a knack for bringing sexy back while simultaneously bringing breaking national acts to the party. His weekly dance night, Shake!, has been going strong since 2005, thanks largely to the litany of luminaries Reed finds to spin tunes. Guest DJs have included JD Samson... More >>
• Best Place to Party on a Yacht Without Getting Seasick
  Yacht Rock Sundays
  Sail away to the calming sounds of Steely Dan, Michael McDonald, and more whenever your captain of smooth, DJ mig50, plays yacht-rock classics at the Ruby Room. The event emcee spins those heavy-on-the-cheese hits by Boz Scaggs, Hall & Oates, and the Doobie Brothers on good ol' fashioned... More >>
• Best Bull Ride
  Saddle Ranch Chop House
  In the climax of the '80s flick Urban Cowboy, a duded-up John Travolta managed to hang onto a bucking mechanical bull for almost 30 seconds. Man, if only we coulda lasted that long. We were attempting to replicate the actor's feat on the faux toro at one of the Valley's two Saddle Ranch Chop... More >>
• Best Dance Floor
  Bar Smith's Rooftop
  Bar Smith is an early adopter of great DJs, great dance floors, and an overall big-city vibe we love to see hitting our bit of Sand Land. The upstairs outdoor dance floor is our fave in this town. Sure, it might be toasty in the summer, but it's worth it for the view — high-rises lookin'... More >>
• Best Local Vaudeville Show (2 Comments)
  Romantasy Cabaret
  The day that the eggheads finally invent a time machine can't get here soon enough, because we've got some major plans for that wondrous doohickey. Besides heading back to eighth grade to confront the bully whose daily thrashings stunted our self-confidence to this day, we're warping back to the... More >>
• Best Karaoke (1 Comment)
  Bullock's Cocktail Lounge
  There are a few reasons why we visit Bullock's for its karaoke. Besides offering more than 10,000 songs for us to sing along with — either on key or off — the Phoenix bar also attracts a diverse clientele that comes for karaoke action seven nights a week. It's a wide cross-section of... More >>
• Best Karaoke for Introverts
  Geisha A Go Go
  We're free as a bird while singing along to tunes in the car or alone at home. But the word "karaoke" always makes us want to run and hide because we're too desperately insecure to croon in front of people. That's why we think the private karaoke rooms at Geisha A Go Go — one of the newest... More >>
• Best Open Mic Night
  Mondays at Yucca Tap Room
  What better way to start the workweek than to watch people get onstage and share their talent? Whether it's a longhaired hippie dude with a guitar doing a Simon & Garfunkel cover, a disgruntled college kid performing a spoken-word piece about the war in Iraq, or two inebriated girls just... More >>
• Best Place to Play Cornhole
  R.T. O'Sullivan's Sports Grill
  Midway games can humble one's pride. We've had our egos bruised many a time while seeking victory at impossible-to-win contests involving catapulting frogs or coins flipped at dishes. Particularly humiliating are games that require objects (be it baseballs or beanbags) flung through holes. Our... More >>
• Best Place for Guitar Hero Tournaments
  Uncle Monkeys
  Don't tell your professor we told you, but now Mesa Community College and ASU students have an excuse to ditch class on Tuesday nights. This strip mall bar across the street from MCC and just a few miles from ASU's Tempe campus hosts competitions for the play-along, interactive guitar-shredding... More >>
• Best Place to Play Rock Band
  Sandbar Mexican Grill
  The latest craze among Valley bars and clubs these days isn't some overpriced fruity martini or even playing host to the hottest DJs around. Nope, it's Rock Band nights, where patrons test their mettle at the ultra-hot video game (which involves groups of three or four playing simulated... More >>
• Best Hookah Bar (1 Comment)
  Layalena Restaurant
  Layalena reigns supreme in indulging your Middle Eastern fantasies. It's a far cry from Tempe's swath of seedy college hookah hangouts. Think belly dancing, gourmet Lebanese-inspired eats, and a sumptuous interior with brick columns and stained-glass lanterns. There's an upscale-casual dress... More >>
• Best Brew Pub (2 Comments)
  Papago Brewing Co.
  Papago Brewing Company in Scottsdale is everything a brew pub (and your date) should be — comfortable, relaxed, and completely loaded. Beer oozes from every corner. There are beer taps decorating the lodgepole bar, beer signs on the walls, and a beer engine for cask-conditioned ales. No... More >>
• Best Neighborhood Bar, Downtown Phoenix
  The Roosevelt
  Every good neighborhood bar has a few key things — a great selection of drinks, a fair pour, a great staff, and maybe a snack or three to help pace yourself. The Roosevelt has those essentials in spades, plus a couple of others for good measure, like a gorgeous building, lovingly restored,... More >>
• Best Neighborhood Bar, Central Phoenix
  Shady's
  Who'd have thought a tiny bar with a sign that gives a nod to '80s and ska scenesters would be such a friendly, welcoming spot? Usually, a bar that dips its toe in the too-cool pool will pack an attitudinal wallop. Instead, Shady's '60s interior is retro and relaxed. Pick a drink, any drink, and... More >>
• Best Neighborhood Bar, Scottsdale
  Coach House
  Coach House is an anomaly among the glitz and glamour of Scottsdale's nightlife scene. It doesn't boast an ample dance floor or a million-dollar sound system or even bottle-flipping bartenders who pour the latest designer drink. What this tiny, wooden-walled roadhouse, circa 1959, does have is... More >>
• Best Neighborhood Bar, Arcadia
  JT's Bar & Grill
  Ah, the typical Arcadian. If you live in the neighborhood, and you want breakfast, you hit La Grande Orange. Light lunch? It's all about Pita Jungle. For your swankier dining needs, radioMILANO, the Vig, and Postino fit the bill. Coffee time? Stop by Mama Java's. And when you want to slum it up... More >>
• Best Neighborhood Bar, Tempe
  Casey Moore's Oyster House and Seafood Restaurant
  The first time we tried to find Casey Moore's Oyster House and Seafood Restaurant, we got lost. Located on Ash Avenue just two blocks from Mill Avenue, it's actually in a real neighborhood, historic Maple-Ash. By the end of the night, we were cursing the lucky stiffs who have houses just across... More >>
• Best Neighborhood Bar, Southeast Valley
  Crabby Don's Bar & Grill
  It's kinda ironic that Crabby Don's has such a surly-sounding moniker (as well as a menacing, frown-face logo), considering that this Gilbert watering hole is a place where many nearby drinkers stop by to have an awesome time. Nearly every time we've visited, the place is usually packed with... More >>
• Best Neighborhood Bar, South Phoenix
  The Silver Pony Bar & Grill
  From the moment we first stepped through the door of the Silver Pony, we realized it was our kinda place: a friendly and laid-back joint with reasonably priced drinks. An ultra-outgoing bartender named Valinda welcomed us with a hearty "howdy" and served up a bottle of Bud with nary any... More >>
• Best Neighborhood Bar, West Valley
  Exit 7 Bar And Grill
  Wanna know what really bores us? To tears? Adam Sandler flicks, for one. Not to mention flaky artist-types. Another thing we find particularly tedious and mind-numbing are bars in which there's absolutely nothing to do other than drink, stare at the boob tube, or endure depressing stories from... More >>
• Best Place to See the Main Events
  R.T. O'Sullivan's Sports Bar and Grill
  The wait is over. The heavyweight champ's finally squaring off against the persistent challenger and the title belt is most definitely on the line. The hype has been relentlessly building for months, and it's sure to be an unforgettable donnybrook, with the irresistible force truly meeting the... More >>
• Best Sports Bar, Downtown Phoenix
  Networks Bar & Grill
  This watering hole, located inside the downtown Phoenix Hyatt Regency, is one of our favorite drinking establishments to pop into after a game, concert, or art shindig. The interior is bathed in sleek hardwood floors, faint lighting, and flat-screen TVs. The crowd is different from a typical... More >>
• Best Sports Bar, Central Phoenix
  Half Moon Sports Grill
  People living in Phoenix proper are spoiled. Two of our three major stadiums are practically in their backyards, and with that comes a whole bunch of marquee-name sports bars downtown. But where do Phoenicians go to catch a game when they can't make it to the stadium and don't want to deal with... More >>
• Best Sports Bar, West Valley
  Santisi Brothers Pizzeria Sports Bar
  We come to Santisi Brothers to indulge our sports-based ADD. It's easy to do here, since there are well over 100 TVs. That's enough to play all of this year's Kobe Bryant temper tantrums at once. Not that we'd want to, since all that snarking would distract from the pool tables, dart boards, and... More >>
• Best Sports Bar, Northwest Valley
  McDuffy's
  Mere minutes by car from the Cardinals' stadium, this Peoria sports bar is the overachieving older brother of the now-defunct Tempe location. (Sure, we might have downed a drink or two there, back in the day.) This is no college bar — it's all grown up and gone Sports Bar, and a great one... More >>
• Best Sports Bar, East Valley
  Woodshed II
  We've been going to the Woodshed II for more than a decade and, we gotta admit, we never tire of this way-off-the-radar, low-key dive. The location is in a dimly lit strip on the northwest corner of Dobson Road and University Drive that looks as though it's been abandoned for 20 years. Inside,... More >>
• Best Sports Bar, Scottsdale
  Upper Deck Sports Grill
  This converted two-level nightclub in Old Town Scottsdale proudly flies Arizona teams' flags outside along with those of Michigan and Illinois teams, for all the Midwestern transplants to our fine state. We like it because the laid-back atmosphere and comfortable setting ensures all fans can get... More >>
• Best Sports Bar, Tempe
  Four Peaks Brewery
  It took us a long time to choose this one. The Arizona Cardinals' (and subsequent Fiesta Bowl and Super Bowl) exodus from Sun Devil Stadium left Tempe without the sports scene the East Valley was accustomed to. Longtime game-day favorites like McDuffy's and Bandersnatch vanished and, apparently,... More >>
• Best Pool Hall
  Kolby's Corner Pocket
  If you're serious about billiards, follow the pros. Literally shoved into the corner pocket of a Tempe strip mall, Kolby's Corner Pocket attracts the top names in pool. Last year, trick shot pro Johnny Archer took on fans at Kolby's, and earlier this year, local superstar Scott Frost bested... More >>
• Best Lesbian Bar
  Cash Inn Country
  Cash Inn has managed to persevere where other lesbian clubs have closed, and there are many reasons for this. The club gets its share of regulars, for one thing, but Cash Inn's combination of cheap drinks (including $1 draft beers on Tuesdays, $2 pitchers on Thursdays) and expanded entertainment... More >>
• Best Gay Bar (1 Comment)
  Amsterdam
  The décor in this chic lounge is striking — a beautiful, wood-paneled Art Deco bar; white Roman pillars; sparkling chandeliers; burgundy leather couches, and a black baby grand piano all add to the classy ambiance. The drink of choice is the martini, of which Amsterdam serves more... More >>
• Best New Gay Bar (1 Comment)
  Retrobar
  The building that formerly housed the clubs Shepherd's and The Eagle is now Retrobar, a groovy, space age-themed club that combines vintage fashion with retro imagery. Guests are greeted by a cluster of mannequins, all dressed in Studio 54-style garb and huddled around tables. A gigantic... More >>
• Best Dive Bar
  Dilly Dally
  Some things are just classic. Hard to top. If you have a fetish for dank smells, dirty fish tanks, and hot salty nuts, then there is no better dive for you than the Dilly Dally. If you're turned on by doing tequila shots with old men and staring at titty photo collages, then you won't be... More >>
• Best Place to Turn Green — Without Envy
  Skeptical Chymist Irish Restaurant & Pub
  Whoever invented the phrase "green around the gills" was Irish, probably from war-torn Belfast. How do we know? 'Cause we braved Skeptical Chymist's annual Guinness & Oyster Festival last St. Pat's and personally experienced the culinary terrorism — er, hallowed Irish tradition —... More >>
• Best Place to See and Be Seen
  SkyBar at the Mondrian
  There is so much eye candy on display at SkyBar, it's hard to figure out exactly where to rest your gaze. (Just make sure that when you go in for the kill, your target's legal — the place was busted on Valentine's Day with more than 20 underage drinkers inside.) But it's not quite your... More >>
• Best Bar to Run into Old Phoenix
  Feeney's
  Technically, this place is a restaurant, a solid, old-school prime rib joint that also does great seafood and still features a salad bar. (You know the type.) But the real secret here is the bar, which is dark and friendly and filled with the most interesting people. You never know if you're... More >>
• Best Hotel Bar
  Wright Bar at the Biltmore
  When it comes to hotel bars, we don't want one of those sealed-off, hipper-than-thou Ian Schrager nightclubs. We want a place to chill out, chat up the bartender, and watch the foot traffic. And, on every count, the piano bar tucked into the lobby of the Biltmore delivers. The look is pure Frank... More >>
• Best Place to Lounge
  Vocé Ristoranté & Lounge
  Clubbing is fun, yes. But after a few nights of pulsating lights that keep your pupils in a constant state of dilation, bass beats that shake your arm hairs, and chemical poisoning from your spray tan, you're on the verge of a code 10 anxiety attack. It might be time to peel off your sparkly... More >>
• Best New Bar
  Chez Nous
  Whether it's rock bands or baseball stadiums, re-creating the old charm just never quite seems to work. That's why we were skeptical when Chez Nous — the super-dark '60s cocktail lounge on Seventh Avenue and Indian School Road that was torn down and replaced by a British supermarket... More >>
• Best New Nightclub
  PHX Nightclub
  The club scene in Phoenix can be as fickle as a pickle. Some new nightspots throw open their doors and are the place to see and be seen, packing in the hotties by the hundreds. Meanwhile, other places can debut to much pomp and circumstance but remain emptier than a ghost town. Thanks to its... More >>
• Best Strip Club
  Centerfold's Cabaret
  The charm of Centerfold's is threefold: hot chicks, cheap drinks, and good music. The dancers here run the gamut, from blue-eyed blondes with enhanced breasts to petite Asians in tiny neon thongs to beautiful black women with sparkling body jewelry. The common thread among them is a desire to... More >>
• Best Place to Get Naughty
  Whip Lounge
  You'll definitely want to leave your inhibitions at home when visiting Whip Lounge. That's because sin is most definitely "in" at the kinky new Mill Avenue nightspot, which features a debaucherous design scheme of a slightly BDSM bent (and looks like something out of a early-'90s Nine Inch Nails... More >>
• Best Rock Club
  Joe's Grotto
  This long-standing north Phoenix rock club got a new, state-of-the-art sound system in the past year, allowing for concert-hall sound in a small room. Owner Joe Grotto has been booking bands that know how to take full advantage of a sonic boom, from the manic rockers of -itis to the brutal metal... More >>
• Best Place to See Jam-Rock Bands
  The Goat Head Saloon
  Here's some groovy news for you: Ever since opening its doors last spring, Goat Head Saloon has become a destination place for fans of jam rock. Every month, this charming Mesa watering hole hosts gigs by bands specializing in the funky, Grateful Dead-style genre, usually featuring extended... More >>
• Best Blues Club
  The Rhythm Room
  There are other blues clubs in town, so what it is about the Rhythm Room that separates it from the pack, year after year? At first, we thought it could be the sheer number of shows at the place — there's live music almost every single night of the week. Then we thought, it's gotta be... More >>
• Best Country Nightclub
  Handlebar-J
  From the hundreds of cowboy hats adorning the walls to the sawdust on the floor, there's no place more "country" than Handlebar-J. This steakhouse/nightclub has been owned and operated by the Herndon family since 1975, and owner Gwen Herndon's sons, Ron and Ray, can often be found performing as... More >>
• Best Country-Western Bar
  Spirits Bar & Grill
  This bar — formerly Thunder Pass, located in the no man's land between Mesa and Apache Junction — is one of the most eclectic watering holes around, a place where cowboys, biker dudes, and young Republicans somehow mingle with one another without overturning tables and tearing out... More >>
• Best Texas Jukebox (1 Comment)
  Texaz Grill
  There's more to Texaz Grill than great Texas comfort food. When you're chowing down on a Texas-size chicken-fried steak, with a massive mug of iced tea waiting for you to slurp down your gob, you may think there's nothing that could possibly enhance your experience. Well, pardner, you'd be... More >>
• Best Venue for National Music Acts
  Marquee Theatre
  Sure, the parking costs $5 (and there's never enough of it), the security can be rude, and all shows are general admission and standing room only. So what makes the Marquee Theatre the best place to see national acts? Well, one reason the shows rock at the Marquee is because of the venue's sound... More >>
• Best Music Venue for Local Acts
  The Sets
  Sure, The Sets hosts its share of mid-level national shows (everything from punk legends The Dwarves to underground hip-hop act Bear The Astronaut), but this massive venue hosts more local shows than national ones and, indeed, more local shows than any other venue of its size. The bulk of The... More >>
• Best Local Band Destined for the Big Time (1 Comment)
  Digital Summer
  Since they debuted on the Phoenix music scene in January 2006, the rockers of Digital Summer have experienced a level of success that many local bands would kill for. The five-member outfit has not only gotten its songs in regular rotation on Valley radio powerhouse KUPD, it's also landed gigs... More >>
• Best Cover Band
  The Chadwicks
  Formed in 1994, Tempe-based quartet The Chadwicks is one of the few bands in the city whose repertoire consists almost entirely of cover songs. Even The Chadwicks' "alter ego" band, Rock Lobster, plays covers exclusively. What makes the band stand out is the scope of its playlists — these... More >>
• Best Tribute Band (8 Comments)
  UnSkinny Bop
  Very few tribute bands attain such a degree of national success that members of the original band recognize or perform with the tribute band or such that the tribute band is able to sustain itself on a national tour. There are The Atomic Punks (a tribute to Roth-era Van Halen) and Led Zepagain... More >>
• Best Jam Band
  Ten Dollar Outfit
  TDO rocks on the contemporary tip, with an original sound that blends folk, rock, jazz, and pop — sometimes in a single song. The band's latest (and only) studio album, East Meets West, displays the Phoenix trio's ability to merge smart acoustic arrangements with unbridled jams, but it's... More >>
• Best SXSW Buzz for a Local Band
  What Laura Says Thinks and Feels
  You couldn't go anywhere at the 2008 SxSW music festival in Austin without hearing somebody rave about Tempe band What Laura Says Thinks and Feels. They were named in Soundcheck magazine's "Label Alert: The 411 for Lovelorn A&R Reps" section, which proclaimed that WLSTaF "will slay you"... More >>
• Best Local Supergroup
  Los Guys
  Led by singer/guitarist Mark Zubia (formerly of the Chimeras, the Pistoleros, and the Zubia Brothers), Los Guys provide the perfect medium between drunken dance-party music and straight-up rockin' Americana. The core is the soulful 'n' tough twang of Zubia, the consistency of drummer Gary Smith... More >>
• Best Live Karaoke Band
  The Instant Classics
  This six-piece band was formed in 2002, after a group of musicians got together for a last-minute gig at a company awards party in Hawaii. When the new band was informed it'd be playing five nights, it assembled a list of cover songs that it could quickly learn. At the party, the company vice... More >>
• Best Band Revival
  Hellen
  When the young, petite sisters of death-metal band Hellen, Mindy and Desiree Duponte, first caught our attention two years ago, we were impressed with their raging brand of guttural metal and psycho-operatic vocals. But before the sisters could fully realize their potential as Hellen, Desiree... More >>
• Best Band Featuring a Random Assortment of Instruments
  Dry River Yacht Club
  Onstage there's a bassoon, a bass clarinet, a cello, an assortment of percussive instruments stacked and hanging near a Mac, an acoustic guitar, and, beside the singer's microphone, an accordion. The band members pick up their respective instruments and begin to play. The sounds they construct... More >>
• Best Battle of the Bands
  98 KUPD's Rock Fight
  When the grand prize for a Battle of the Bands series includes 70 hours of recording time at Highland Recorders (birthplace of recordings and mixes for the likes of Fall Out Boy and Phunk Junkeez), $500 cash, a $750 shopping spree at Highland Clothing in Scottsdale Fashion Square, and an opening... More >>
• Best Stage Show
  Peachcake
  Attending a Peachcake show is like taking a messy frolic on acid through Candyland with a bunch of demented children's show characters. You're liable to be covered in confetti, candy, and silly string, and you're actively encouraged to dance and sing along with vocalist/percussionist/bassist... More >>
• Best House DJ
  DJ Tranzit
  To say that a little backbiting and trash-talking goes on in the Valley's DJ scene is about as obvious an understatement as admitting that Amy Winehouse likes to let loose once in a while. We've lost count of the times boastful beat-jugglers have bent our ears dissing the skills of their fellow... More >>
• Best Hip-Hop Weekly
  Blunt Club
  This year, the Blunt Club moved from its longtime location, Hollywood Alley in Mesa, to set up shop at Club Red in Tempe. Part of the reason for the move was that the Blunt Club founders wanted a change of scenery, but they also just plain needed more room. Other hip-hop weeklies have hosted... More >>
• Best Place to Rub Shoulders with Future Hip-Hop Breakouts
  Groove Candy
  This weekly dance night draws major players from the Phoenix hip-hop scene, whether it's old-school producers like 5Fith Coast Records head Roca Dolla, industry peeps like Power 98 deejay Karlie Hustle (founder of Groove Candy) and DJ M2, or cutting-edge MCs like Kavy, Grime, and Knawledg. Local... More >>
• Best Local Hip-Hop Radio Program
  Friday Night Flavas on Power 98.3
  This radio program really plays up local hip-hop in a way that no other commercial radio show has ever done. Every Friday, from 1 to 4 a.m., hosts Ramses Ja and Bootleg Kev spin tracks by the Valley's best hip-hop artists, highlighting fresh cuts from the likes of Justus, Tha Formula, and Grime,... More >>
• Best Collaboration (1 Comment)
  Justus and KRS-One
  Justus, one of the MCs of long-standing local hip-hop group Cut Throat Logic, felt he might've been going out on a limb when he asked the legendary KRS-One to perform on a track for his first solo album. After all, the two had just met after Justus opened for KRS-One's show at the now-defunct... More >>
• Best Monthly Blues Jam
  Rhythm Room All-Stars
  This supergroup includes some of the most talented blues players in Phoenix — Big Pete Pearson (vocals), Chris James (guitar, vocals), Bob Corritore (harmonica), Brian Fahey (drums), and Patrick Rynn (bass) — and they've been bringing a classic Chicago blues sound to the Valley since... More >>
• Best Place to Hear Jazz in Downtown Phoenix
  The Lost Leaf
  Every Sunday and Monday night, two of the Valley's best jazz ensembles, Jiggle and Moseyhorse, nestle themselves in the exposed-brick corner of this artsy beer/wine bar and play the hippest burning jazz in town. Jiggle, which starts at 9 p.m. each Sunday, is an experienced quartet that plays... More >>
• Best Place to Hear Jazz in Scottsdale
  Nello's
  When we were young, we threw a temper tantrum when Mommy tried to force us to take those dreaded piano lessons. Now, as slightly more mature adults, we wanna cry out of jealously when we watch the amazing piano-based trios who gig every Tuesday night at Nello's in Old Town Scottsdale during... More >>
• Best Happy Hour
  Mickey's Hangover
  This place will ruin your diet. But isn't the point of happy hour to get all nasty on some bar food and cheap beer after a frustrating day at work? We know that after a long day of calling people who don't want to talk to us, that's about all we're good for. And Mickey's is the perfect place to... More >>
• Best Place to Drink Agwa
  Big Fish Pub
  If you read our feature story about Agwa de Bolivia Coca Leaf Liqueur ("Liquid Blow," Niki D'Andrea, June 26, 2008), a new liqueur made from Bolivian coca leaves, you may have tried to order it at your favorite local bar, only to find that it either didn't carry Agwa or was completely out of the... More >>
• Best Cosmopolitan
  Merc Bar
  When it came time to round up our 10 best girlfriends for the long-awaited Sex and the City movie, we knew there was only one place to go afterward, for a round of cosmopolitans: Merc Bar. We love this Biltmore hotspot because it's not only dark and sexy but comfy — the perfect place to... More >>
• Best Martini
  Durant's
  Flashy, trendoid nightclubs have tried their best to Disney up the martini, essentially dumping the dessert of the day into a cocktail glass, splashing around some alcohol, and slapping the suffix "-tini" on it. The result is a concoction that looks like something a Kool-Aid-swilling,... More >>
• Best Daiquiri
  Padre's Modern Mexican Cuisine
  We'd always been big fans of the margaritas at Padre's, but, as every drinker knows, man cannot live on margaritas alone. So we scanned the menu one night and found Padre's signature daiquiri — and we're pleased to say we've never looked back. Named for Ernest Hemingway, who was a daiquiri... More >>
• Best Tequila Selection
  Barrio Café
  Finding the best liquor selection is just a matter of geography. If you want a killer poured pint, visit an Irish bar. For wine, try a European bistro. So, it's no surprise that we discovered the best tequila selection at a top-rated Mexican restaurant. Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza's... More >>
• Best Sangria
  Ticoz Resto-Bar
  This colorful hotspot — popular both with stylin' gay guys and ladies who lush — does a great job with every drink on the menu. Lychee mojito? Guavatini? Trust us: You can't go wrong. But our quaff of choice has become Ticoz's passion fruit sangria. Think Cabernet, passion fruit,... More >>
• Best Mojito
  Fuego Bistro
  The perfect mojito is light and refreshing, with a sweet overtone that masks the kick of the rum. That's why we love the Prickly Pear version at Fuego Bistro, in central Phoenix. The flavor is subtler than the mojito's standard lemony notes, and tastes a little like watermelon without the... More >>
• Best Margarita
  Cien Agaves
  They've got nine very interesting margaritas on the menu at Cien Agaves — and though we are normally a sucker for things flavored with pomegranate or tinged with tamarind, we never exactly got around to trying any of the specialty versions here. Why? The house margarita — just $4... More >>
• Best Local Beer
  Cordillera Blanca White Chocolate Ale
  Sonoran's commercial description calls Cordillera Blanca White Chocolate Ale "light, refreshing, and completely unique," and, for once, it's not just a bullshit company line. Chocolate stouts are pretty commonplace now, but this is the first time we've had a light, honey-colored chocolate beer... More >>
• Best Beer for Wine Snobs
  Hopsquatch Barleywine at Four Peaks Grill & Tap
  So you won't drink anything not served in a crystal goblet. You sneer at the thought of second-growth Bordeaux. Well, wine snobs beware, there's a new kid in town — and he's knocking down your asinine assumptions about beer faster than you can say Gewurztraminer. Four Peaks' Hopsquatch... More >>
• Best Drinking Story
  Mary Cope at Yucca Tap Room
  Mary Cope has tended bar at Yucca Tap Room for 22 years. A lot of her stories are too graphic (even for us) to print, but she does have one that qualifies as a classic. A man walks into the bar and orders a drink from Ms. Cope. She can tell right away that he's three sheets to the wind. She... More >>