Best Cocktail Creator 2024 | Jesse Knox | Nightlife | Phoenix
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Best Cocktail Creator

Jesse Knox

Huarachis is known for its tacos and its founder, Chef Rene Andrade. But at the downtown Phoenix restaurant, the cocktails stand out as well. And that's all thanks to Jesse Knox. Tasked with creating drinks that would fit the vibe of this trendy-yet-nostalgic taqueria, Knox came up with a playful menu of libations that both celebrate classic flavors and dial them up a notch. Take the Horchata Punch, a clarified cocktail that evokes the creaminess of the classic milky rice drink through a boozy, crystal-clear format. Many of the cocktails pair Jarritos sodas with artisinal mezcal spirits such as bacanora or sotol. The menu continuously rotates, but one thing remains true: With Jesse Knox behind the bar, the drinks at Huarachis make this taco shop a cocktail destination.

Best Speakeasy

Pigtails

Devan Sauer

Pigtails gives us everything we want in a speakeasy without the bluster and pretension that can bloat this genre of cocktail lounge. In both its downtown and Desert Ridge locations, Pigtails manages to hide itself from plain view without dissuading drinkers with passwords or the need to make a reservation. The vibe is dark and moody, but a living wall and copper accents add dimension to the space. The cocktail menus differ by location but both expertly riff on classic shaken and stirred tipples, along with shots, mocktails and a regularly-rotating mystery punch. Pigtails also has snacks to tide you over, from sophisticated raw bar bites to craveable cheesy nachos.

Best New Speakeasy

Tell Your Friends

Jill McNamara

New bars open all the time, and most don't do much to make a lasting impression. But in Tell Your Friends, the speakeasy underneath North Scottsdale eatery The Americano, we've got a winner. The ultra-luxe space is anchored by a golden fixture that runs across the ceiling and down behind the bar. There are a small number of seats at the bar, or you may choose to sit in an elegant velvet chair. The cocktails are potent and inventive. Call the Paparazzi is Tell Your Friends' version of an espresso martini, and the Flapper Fizz, made from vodka, apple, vanilla, amaro, lemon and Champagne, is a bubbly delight. Lest you get too tipsy, consider ordering something off the food side of the menu; options include fire-roasted oysters and a dip trio (smoked white fish, caramelized onion dip and pimento cheese) served with potato chips and fried saltines.

Best Neighborhood Bar

Casey Moore's Oyster House

Jennifer Goldberg

We honestly don't know what Tempe nightlife would be like without Casey Moore's Oyster House. The bar, set in an early-20th-century home, has been a mainstay of the area for decades, serving generations of ASU students and professors, neighborhood folks, fans of seafood and Gammage patrons. Drinks are strong and fairly cheap, and menu has a solid lineup of pub favorites (our picks include the gold wings, the fish and chips and the Cajun cream pasta). On a Friday or Saturday night, you can only hope that'll you find a table at the lovely wraparound patio dotted with trees and lights or inside at the bar. (There's an outdoor bar, too.) If you're extra-nice to the staff, they may let you take a peek upstairs, but watch out for the ghosts that are said to haunt the bar. The vibe is always casual, the clientele is always friendly and with any luck, Casey Moore's will always be around.

Best Dive Bar

The Bikini Lounge

Benjamin Leatherman

The more things change in downtown Phoenix nightlife, the more they stay the same. In the case of the Bikini Lounge, it's been 20 years since the last time we crowned the historic tiki-themed haunt as the Valley's best dive, and it's still worthy of the honor. In that time, not much has changed at this long-running Grand Avenue mainstay, which dates back to 1947, save for the tiki-style bike rack in front and the bamboo-ringed patio out back. It's still a cash-only spot, filled with quintessential dive bar bona fides, from its gloriously scuffed bar and stained concrete floor to the men's room outfitted with a janky condom machine, sketchy paint job and questionable odors. Maybe it's the potent pours at the Bikini Lounge, but the Christmas lights always seem to shine a little brighter, the regulars are friendlier and the staff is more colorful (including doorman and local sideshow artist Dr. Rev. Stephen Strange) than at other local shitholes. In an age when the dive bar aesthetic has become an oft-copied concept for new nightspots, nothing beats a true classic like the Bikini. We're betting it'll still be serving dirt-cheap drinks long after these newer and trendier spots go belly up.

Best Sports Bar

Santisi Brothers

You want to watch the game? How about all of them? Santisi Brothers in northwest Phoenix takes game-day options to a new level with its 100 — yes, 100 — televisions that they refer to as the Wide Wall of Sports. That many screens means that you can keep tabs on multiple sporting events at once. And as you cheer for your favorite teams, you can enjoy drinks from the full bar and well-executed sports bar fare. Santisi Brothers is known for its pizzas and Italian fare; the garlic knots are excellent, and we're partial to the Santisi Combo pizza, which comes topped with pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, onions, olives and mushrooms. On any given Sunday, there's a good chance you'll find us watching the game at Santisi Brothers.

Best Tiki Bar

UnderTow

Tirion Boan

There are lots of tiki bars around, brightly colored joints with wicker furniture, drink umbrellas and coconut shrimp. We love those places. But UnderTow is a tiki bar on a whole other level. The Barter & Shake concept takes you underwater into the hull of a 19th-century ship, complete with portholes and sound effects. The current menu is inspired by the Yucatan and includes complex, inventive cocktails for all palates. The showstopper is the In Honor of Nameless Days, a rum- and tequila-based monster flavored with plantain, poblano, coconut, pineapple, lime and garnished with gold. It costs $44 and arrives at your table covered with a skull inside a lion head. (You just have to experience it.) A welcome recent addition to the menu is a snack trio of corn nuts, cheese and chorizo, which helps soak up some of the alcohol and is delicious to boot.

Best Game Bar

Taproom-120

We're not trying to push any buttons, but the arcade bar concept feels a little played out. What was once a niche idea locally has expanded to numerous nightspots across the Valley, offering a similar mix of joystick favorites, pinball machines, game-inspired cocktails and not much else. Enter a new challenger: Taproom-120 in Gilbert, a VHS-themed bar with a punk flair that's a scrappy alternative to its competitors with unique thrills to complement its solid lineup of games. Inside its Starbase 120 arcade, a curated collection of 15 pinball titles and various arcade classics — including gems such as a Crystal Castles cocktail unit and Transporter The Rescue pinball machine — awaits players. Taproom-120's other draws can be found in its main room, where a stage hosts lively rock and ska shows, or outside when the Arizona Wrestling Federation sets up a ring for events. Other geeky distractions at Taproom-120 include handmade items from local artists for sale, enormous bookshelves packed with board and card games and fun events such as the Wrestler Roulette Paint Night. A skateboarding festival is even happening in early October. Who needs to play Donkey Kong for the umpteenth time when you can watch smackdowns or go skanking at Taproom-120?

Best Hidden Bar

Stardust Pinbar

Benjamin Leatherman

Speakeasy can be a four-letter word. It evokes pomp, circumstance and unnecessary passwords. While Stardust Pinbar technically fits the bill of a hidden bar, it leaves any of the pretension of a traditional speakeasy at the door. To find this eclectic, electric David Bowie-inspired pinball lounge and watering hole, you'll enter through Ziggy's Magic Pizza Shop. Open what is disguised as a freezer door and you'll be greeted with upbeat music, an illuminated dance floor and a disco ball twisting overhead. The walls are lined with vintage pinball machines. The bar manages to balance its nerdcore and club vibes to create a unique, quirky space that is never dull. Order a drink and try your luck at a few games. Stardust features a menu of specialty cocktails including the Saguaro Slammer. The tipple of gin, melon liqueur, kiwi puree, lemon and soda water arrives in a cactus-shaped glass.

Best Rooftop Bar

Skysill Rooftop Lounge

Jeff Zaruba

There's no better place to be during one of Phoenix's shockingly vibrant sunsets than a rooftop bar. We've got plenty to choose from, but we're partial to Skysill, the lounge atop the Westin Tempe near Mill Avenue and Arizona State University. Truth be told, there's no bad time to be at Skysill. In summer, during the day, it hosts pool parties and the views of Tempe are spectacular. At night, you might find a DJ or a movie night, the city nights sparkle and you get a breeze that's impossible to catch at ground level. And whenever the bar is open, you've got cold drinks, a light but satisfying food menu and a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

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