Whether you're a visitor here for business or pleasure, or a Phoenix resident wanting a high-energy night out, you'll need a game plan to make the most of your evening. Here’s one in the form of our guide to the Valley’s hottest clubs and nighttime hangouts, organized by city.
Downtown Phoenix
Bar Smith
130 E. Washington St.602-821-8569Having opened in 2009, Bar Smith has been around long enough to achieve institution status in downtown Phoenix nightlife. Co-owners Pete “Supermix” Salaz and Sean Badger (a.k.a. DJ Senbad) have cultivated an urban and arty atmosphere — numerous graf murals decorate the walls — while keeping turntables primed for local and touring selectors on both levels of their two-story club. Bar Smith’s schedule is always busy with popular and innovative dance events, including the long-running weekly house music session Solstice on Saturdays. Its rooftop patio is still a go-to gathering spot and has hosted sets by numerous electronic dance music stars and local DJs like Blossom who have gone on to greater fame.
Cobra Arcade Bar
801 N. Second St., #100602-595-5873 Hit up Cobra Arcade Bar on any given night and you’re bound to encounter a colorful crew of locals working joysticks, pounding drinks, hitting the dance floor and soaking up its arty vibe. Its game selection is all retro everything with dozens of classic coin-ops available for play. Meanwhile, murals by artists El Mac and Lalo Cota dominate the walls and local DJs like Hartbreaks, Yellawave, and ManeOne drop mixes every weekend and keep the energy level as frenetic as a Fortnite free-for-all while bartenders whip up geeky signature drinks. There’s even an anime-themed lounge with Japanese import games a few doors down. If you’re game, they open up daily at 4 p.m.
Club DWNTWN
702 N. Central Ave.Situated next to Central Avenue bars The Grand and Sanctum, DWNTWN consists of multiple rooms, bars and amenities. Pay $10 and head left for access to the main room and its sizable dance floor and serpentine-shaped bar furnished with a towering supply of cerveza, many kinds of tequila and other intoxicants. Pay $20 and head right for the VIP area with plush couches and bottle service. DJs spin a mix of Top 40, hip-hop and Latin urbano genres as patrons dance and party into the wee hours. The place stays open until 2:30 a.m. or later.
Monarch Theatre
122 E. Washington St.602-821-8569 The Monarch has ruled downtown Phoenix’s club scene for more than a decade. The two-story spot has done so by offering a diversity of events, ranging from Latin dance nights and hip-hop sessions to all-out EDM ragers, on both of its floors. Its 7,000-square-foot main room is spacious, laden with amenities like elevated VIP booths and equipped with a PK Sound system and an enormous stage. Upstairs, the popular Scarlet Lounge hosts DJ events put on by tastemaking local promoters like Techno Snobs that frequently feature underground sounds and undiscovered talents. Here’s hoping Monarch Theatre reigns supreme for decades to come.
Stardust Pinbar
401 W. Van Buren St., Suite C602-354-2931Stardust Pinbar is anything but dull. The colorful and clandestine lounge inspired by David Bowie is hidden inside the same building housing concert venue The Van Buren. It features 13 pinball machines, an illuminated disco dance floor straight out of "Saturday Night Fever," a fuzzy DJ booth and a bar with stools covered in glittery silver vinyl. Getting inside is also fun, as it involves a secret entrance rigged up like a walk-up freezer in the neighboring Ziggy’s Magic Pizza Shop next door.
The main room and stage at Thundercat Lounge hosts DJs and electronic dance music.
Benjamin Leatherman
Thundercat Lounge
747 W. Van Buren St.602-789-3600Go back in time — and have a blast doing it — at one of Phoenix's newest nightspots. Brought to you by the same folks responsible for Thunderbird Lounge, Thundercat Lounge has an aesthetic inspired by 1980s pop culture. The 200-person capacity main room is equipped with a 20,000-watt PK Sound system and an LED video wall. Surrounding the large black and white checkered dance floor are seven VIP booths. Thundercat regularly hosts dance nights and other events.
Tempe
C.A.S.A. Tempe
5 E. Sixth St., Tempe480-557-8226Been into C.A.S.A. since its recent remodel? One of Tempe’s best party spots just got better. There’s now more room for nighttime fun at the outdoor/indoor establishments on Sixth Street just off Mill Avenue, including a large alcove on its patio that features seating areas for large groups and bottle service, a new DJ booth and various HD screens. All of C.A.S.A.’s regular amenities remain, though, including the two-level open-air bar and the indoor dance club next door. They’re also still serving signature cocktails in plastic mini-buckets, which are just as potent as ever.
Darkstar Theater
526 S. Mill Ave., #201, Tempe480-408-5010 In the mood to dance? This two-story nightclub and music venue inside the historic Tempe National Bank Building features multiple bars, a large stage dotted with video screens, an A/V setup with PK Sound and a mezzanine level allowing views of the enormous dance floor. The brainchild of Scott Price, owner of Shady Park and Sunbar, has welcomed huge crowds after debuting in April 2022, as well as sets by EDM stars Bad Boy Bill, JAUZ, Nils Hoffmann and Cut Snake. Recently, it's shifted into a heavier focus on live music, but there are still plenty of DJ nights on the calendar.
Fat Tuesday
680 S. Mill Ave., Tempe 480-967-3917The blithe, boozy spirit of New Orleans’ famed Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras is celebrated on a nightly basis along Mill by the ASU students and 20-somethings gathering at the Tempe location of Fat Tuesdays. A crew of amiable drink jockeys are happy to dole out 28 different frozen daiquiris by the yard or toss out beads, no flashing required, while its resident DJs spin up high-energy tunes of a Top 40 and hip-hop bent five nights a week to keep its two dance floors — one is inside and the other is out on the patio — hot.
Glow Shots & Cocktails
414 S. Mill Ave., #215, Tempe480-329-4090 Everything's more fun in the dark, right? Glow Shots & Cocktails is the latest resident of the second-floor space at the corner of Mill Avenue and Fourth Street, and its appeal lies in its dimly lit interior accented with plenty of blacklight decor. A rotating cast of DJs regularly spin at the nightspot while scantily clad servers hand out cocktails on the large dance floor. Check out Sturdy Thursdays, when hip-hop, R&B and drill mix with drink specials for a hell of a good time.
Mill Cue Club
607 S. Mill Ave., Tempe480-966-0068 Feel like shooting some stick? You can do so at this combination pool hall, bar and nightclub in downtown Tempe where dancing to club bangers, Top 40 and EDM is just as much of a focus of the spot as the billiards. If you’re into the former, local DJs are in the mix every Thursday through Sunday evening. For those who dig the latter, Mill Cue Club features close to a dozen wobble-free tables of racking and cracking action in the back and no warped cues, scuffed-up balls, or torn felt in sight. Here’s hoping your aim is true, hustler.
Sunbar
24 W. Fifth St., Tempe480-687-8409In 2019, local restaurateur and entrepreneur Scott Price took a decrepit office space and neighboring head shop and transformed both buildings into an EDM wonderland. Sunbar’s enormous music hall boasts the biggest dance floor in Tempe, a high-quality sound setup, banks of lasers, a massive projection screen and high-style seating areas. Also on the property: a pinball and game room, and an outdoor patio. Put simply, Sunbar is the gold standard for dance-oriented nightspots in the Valley.
The historic Laird and Dines building houses both Varsity Tavern and Rodeo Ranch.
Benjamin Leatherman
Varsity Tavern/Rodeo Ranch Bar
501 S. Mill Ave., Tempe480-534-8620 (Varsity Tavern) and 480-534-8620 (Rodeo Ranch)Varsity Tavern and Rodeo Ranch Bar are sister establishments that occupy the top of and bottom of the historic Laird and Dines building in the heart of Mill Avenue. Both are excellent choices for a good old-fashioned night of drinking and dancing. The young, fun crowd that routinely packs each spot come for the high-energy music, drink specials and party atmosphere. Downstairs, Rodeo Ranch has a mechanical bull if you feel like ending your night with a ride.
Zuma
605 N. Mill Ave., Tempe480-829-6775 Clustered between popular Mill Avenue joints C.A.S.A. and Mill Cue Club, Zuma draws in countless college co-eds multiple nights a week with its party-hardy vibe, booming soundtrack, and ample libations. Fair warning: The club is on the narrow side and things can get a bit cozy, bordering on cramped, when things get going after dark on weekends, often resulting in folks jockeying for space and spilling out onto the smallish patio and a huge line to get in. Basically, try getting there early, be prepared for some close-quarters action, and expect to shower both before and after, particularly if you get hit will the excess spray from some ASU kids shotgunning beers.
Scottsdale
Bottled Blonde
7340 E. Indian Plaza, #100, Scottsdale480-970-1112Good news party monsters: Last fall, Bottled Blonde topped its expansive patio by adding a 2,000-square-foot rooftop lounge and party deck. The elevated space, which is accessible from the sidewalk, is outfitted with outdoor games like cornhole, ringed with seating and offers primo views of neighboring spots and the usual weekend hullabaloo caused by clubgoers on the street below. The upshot is there’s now more room at Bottled Blonde, a popular pizzeria, craft beer garden and nightlife destination that’s a lively and engaging social milieu.
Cake Nightclub
4405 N. Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale480-626-8465Enduring the large crowds and long lines common at Cake is worth the hassle, as the sweet life awaits you inside. The libations are decidedly top-shelf, big spenders get pampered with attentive service and its lingerie-clad staff are total smokeshows. And things have gotten even swankier since Cake returned to Scottsdale’s entertainment district after an extended hiatus. The rebooted version of the club, located just down the street in the former home of INTL, is bigger and bolder with more sumptuous amenities, an upgraded audio-visual system, a larger patio, a new look and twice as much debauchery and vice. Stop by and get a slice of the action.
Casa Amigos Tacos + Tequila
7320 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale480-361-3440Wondering what the vibe is at Casa Amigos? Just look at their Instagram — it's about 98 percent photos of the bar's lovely, scantily-clad staff. So when you head to the heart of the Scottsdale nightlife district for an evening at Casa Amigos, you should be cool, stylish and ready to party. Late in the evening, the spot is filled with the young and beautiful dancing to tunes spun by DJs. You could also get there a little early and grab a bite before the night gets going. Casa Amigos offers a solid lineup of classic Mexican fare.
Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row
4420 North Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale480-382-1505When a place is owned by locally grown superstar Dierks Bentley, you can bet its country music offerings are on point, pardner. Such is the case with Whiskey Row, the recording artist’s namesake nightclub and honky-tonk. It's just as homespun as any of his chart-topping hits and just as raucous. Overflowing with rustic charm and city-slicker touches, its elevated booths ring the 5,200-square-foot property, each featuring tabletop beer taps and offering excellent views of country and western bands performing on the stage above the bar. Feel free to wear your Wranglers and hit the dance during concerts or weekend dance nights.
The District
7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale480-664-0356 Situated in front of Maya, this combination nightclub, day drinking bar and hip restaurant draws its name from Scottsdale’s entertainment district. It's got all the trappings of a party haven: a dance floor, DJ setup, state-of-the-art sound, big booths, a vast collection of intoxicants and HDTVs playing sports by day and music videos at night. People-watching opportunities abound, thanks to large windows overlooking Maya on one side and the patio opening onto the sidewalk of Indian Plaza.
El Hefe
4425 N. Saddlebag Trail, #101, Scottsdale480-945-6200 Don’t let El Hefe’s “Super Macho Taqueria” subtitle fool you; thrill-seeking clubgoers come to the 3,800-square-foot spot in Scottsdale mainly to partake in drinking, dancing, debauching and various combinations thereof. El Hefe’s been one of the most popular party destinations in the Valley since opening in 2011 but never shows its age. Its owners renovate every few years and the latest makeover added a 45-foot LED screen, a new DJ stage, better seating and Day of the Dead-inspired decor. It cost an estimated $1 milllion, but as a neon sign on one wall declares, they “paid the cost to be the boss.”
Hi Fi Kitchen and Cocktails
4420 N. Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale480-970-5000 As its name implies, Hi Fi is all about sound. There’s an enormous boombox mural along one wall, an artfully arranged collection of vintage speakers above the bar and a massive audio setup broadcasting beats and bass laid down by DJs. It’s not the only thing cranked up to 11 at the open-air nightspot. Banks of spotlights and LEDs paint the place with a maelstrom of color, swirling across booths decorated with graffiti-like art and the nonstop throng of bodies in motion on the dance floor, between rows of tables, and anywhere else patrons can find room to dance. Hi Fi’s potent cocktails — which boast names like “High Voltage,” “BPM” and “Reverb” — also help keep things moving.
The Hot Chick
4363 N. 75th St., Scottsdale480-550-7819The sad fact about Scottsdale’s nightlife scene is that the lifespan of most spots is only a few years at most. The Hot Chick, though, has bucked those odds and managed to thrive, even surviving a fire that gutted the place during the darkest days of the pandemic. One of the secrets to its success is the wealth of activities contained within its late '70s/early '80s-style digs. Think "Dazed and Confused" meets "Boogie Nights." It's an eatery, bar and adult playground that's packed with distractions like retro arcade titles, ping-pong, Skee-Ball machines, board games, colorful murals and a pair of basketball hoops on the outdoor patio. And then there’s the busy dance floor at the center of The Hot Chick, where Slippe and other local DJs pump out the jams. It'd be hard to be bored here.
Maya
7333 East Indian Plaza Scottsdale480-625-0528Maya debuted as a 20,000-square-foot day and nightclub in 2013 back when pool party joints were making a splash in Scottsdale. It offered fun in the sun around its pool in the warmer months with ragers after dark inside its Vegas-style dance hall year-round. After the trend went belly up, its owners flipped the script: the indoor club was ditched while the outdoor area was reconfigured during the fall and winter into an open-air party space and “nightlife garden” called Clubhouse at Maya with games galore, various bars, a full menu and posh patio seating. Swim soirees still take place in the spring and summer. A new nightclub is currently being built from scratch and will debut later this year. In the meantime, the indoor space will become a venue of sorts during the Super Bowl festivities with a stage, couches and high-tech lighting and sound elements being brought in for a series of concerts.
Pretty Please Lounge
426 N. Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale480-621-9252Pretty Please Lounge is a rarity in Scottsdale’s entertainment district: a genuine nightclub. While neighboring spots operate as hybrid bar/restaurant concepts in order to survive, Pretty Please strictly does DJs, drinks, and dancing, and does it well. A voluminous selection of spirits, premium bottle service and a soundtrack of hip-hop, Top 40 and R&B are offered during nights like Pretty Please Fridays and Bliss Saturdays. It's relatively small in size compared to nearby clubs, but there’s always room enough to strut your stuff. Plus, good things tend to come in small packages.
Riot House
4425 N. Saddlebag Trail, #105, Scottsdale480-935-5910“Bigger is better” has always been Scottsdale’s motto. The proprietors of Riot House lean into that fact by offering one of the largest dance floors in the city, enormous wall-sized LED projections, unrivaled VIP and bottle service, and arguably the loudest sound system along Saddlebag Trail. There’s also a tropical theme to the place, as evidenced by all palm tree motifs and fruity craft cocktails on the drink menu. It's a taste of South Beach-style nightclub excess in the heart of Scottsdale.
