Phoenix Halloween-themed pop-up bar Black Lagoon opens Oct. 1

Phoenix is in for a spine-tingling, tasty treat this October. The award-winning Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon is descending on Sunny's Lounge with a new creepy cocktail menu and haunting atmosphere.

Black Lagoon was co-created by hospitality vets Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage who previewed the concept in 2019 at Tales of the Cocktail, an industry event held annually in New Orleans. In 2021, the pair officially launched Black Lagoon in Toronto to howling praise.

“The response was wild,” Ramage says. “We were lined up around the block.”

Black Lagoon has expanded to 35 bars and cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. “We really just want folks to feel like they’ve escaped into our little corner of the underworld for a while,” she says.

Black Lagoon will soon cast a spirited spell in Phoenix over the latest concept from Barter and Shake Cocktail Entertainment, Sunny's Lounge, from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1. The group is behind some of the city’s most immersive bar experiences, including Century Grand, Platform 18, and UnderTow.
“Erin and I have both worked in the industry a long time and we reach out to venues we know and trust to pull off great cocktails at a high volume,” Ramage says.

Black Lagoon previewed ten cocktails, shots, and non-alcoholic drinks on its menu, many of which were inspired by pop culture and the horror genre.

“We heard that there is a remake of 'Nosferatu' coming out in 2024,” Ramage says. “We’re both really excited for the release and decided to name a drink after it.”

The sipper inspired by the remake of the iconic 1929 silent horror flick, Nosferatu’s Rise, is made with coconut washed Lot 40 Rye Whiskey, Lustau Amontillado sherry, cinnamon, flavor-enhancing saline and a shake of Bitter Queens Caribbean bitters.

Ramage says that she’s been “really into gin highballs lately” and mentions that the Hex Appeal is her favorite cocktail on the Black Lagoon menu.

“The honeydew and Lustau Dry Vermouth gives it a little herbaceous kick,” she notes. From start to finish, the Hex Appeal comes together with Fords gin, Lustau dry vermouth, absinthe, honeydew melon cordial, citrusy lemon, saline, and fizzy seltzer.
In addition to the lineup of boozy concoctions, Black Lagoon will offer non-alcoholic libations. “We put in a lot of effort to ensure our pop-ups are welcoming for everyone,” Ramage says. “Having non-alcoholic cocktails on the menu ensures that folks feel like they can come enjoy the vibe, whether they’re drinking or not."

There are four unique zero-proof drinks, including the Witching Hour made with matcha, lemon, honeydew cordial and a splash of bubbly tonic. There’s also the Blood Lust, a tea-infused refresher featuring Giffard syrup, miso falernum, rooibos, lemon, and ginger beer.

Sunny’s regular drink menu, which includes crowd favorites like the gin-forward Thai Me Down, will be available during the pop-up, too.
During the Black Lagoon takeover, Mat Snapp, executive vice president of operations at Barter and Shake, says he wants Sunny’s to be like everyone’s favorite trick-or-treat house. “We’re trying to keep our neighborhood vibe and get spooky at the same time,” Snapp says.

So, head over for the eerie Halloween vibes and stay for the spellbinding cocktails — they’re sure to have you creeping to the bar for another round.

Black Lagoon at Sunny’s Lounge
2701 E. Indian School Rd.