* CenPho Favorite
Address: 718 N Central Avenue
Website: http://www.amsterdambar.com
Looking to tear it up on a Monday night? If so, Amsterdam is the place. Some of my wildest nights out in Phoenix have been on Mondays at Amsterdam at their weekly "Martini Monday." Every other night of the week is also fun at Amsterdam, especially weekends, but on Mondays you can get a martini or a manicure for only $5. (Now you understand how a Monday night at Amsterdam can quickly get crazy). This predominently gay but "straight-friendly" establishment hosts one of the most diverse crowds in the city. The bar itself is also unlike anything else in the Valley of the Sun - the interior is dark with low lighting and a large wooden bar. Artwork done by local artists hangs on the walls and is for sale. The indoor seating area has huge comfortable couches that you sink into. The outdoor patio - which was recently expanded - has ample seating, heat lamps and a swamp cooler so that it is comfortable year round. The staff is very friendly and the bar has a community feel to it - you can almost always tell who is a regular and who wandered in off the street by accident. But no matter how you end up there, this is a great downtown establishment that is a fun and reliable place for cocktails and socializing.
MORE: AZCentral.com
UPDATE: The new patio is now open - it is much more modern and not quite as casual as before, but it is very nice and features a second story balcony for looking over the crowd. A new room that is connected to the bar is also open for dancing. There is also now a large sidewalk patio in front of the bar. Amsterdam is movin' on up!
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* CenPho Favorite
Address: 609 East Adams Street
Website: http://www.pizzeriabianco.com/bar/index.html
Bar Bianco was originally opened to accommodate people waiting for a table next door at Pizzeria Bianco. But the bar itself is as much an enjoyable experience as the restaurant. Bar Bianco is located in a beautifully restored historic home, and is very cozy with dark wood, candles, low lighting, and intimate seating areas. There is also a nice front porch that makes for good people watching. So if you’re waiting for a table at the restaurant, this is definitely a great place to kill time. But even if you aren’t dining at the restaurant, it is still an enjoyable place for casual drinks and conversation.
Address: 130 East Washington
Website: http://www.barsmithphoenix.com/
This is one of my new favorite bars in downtown Phoenix. The lower level has a sleek, sexy vibe with a long, comfortable bar. There is also table seating with food service. But the best thing about Bar Smith is the rooftop bar. It is completely open air and features both bar and table seating. There is a large chalkboard for those with artistic inclinations. There are decent views of the surrounding downtown Phoenix area. And they've got plenty of misters to make it comfortable even on a hot summer night.
By the way, don't be discouraged by the shooting that happened outside this bar a few weeks ago...it's actually located in a relatively safe street in downtown Phoenix. I've never thought twice about walking down there at night. That shooting was pretty random.
* CenPho Favorite
Address: 1502 Grand Avenue
Bikini Lounge is a rare gem in the Valley...it opened in 1947 and hasn't changed much since then. Drinks are cheap, the crowd is casual/artsy and tiki art is abundant. The woman who owns the bar remembers most faces and is a friendly person to chat with while she's working at the door. The place is always hopping on weekend nights, but can get especially crowded if there's an event going on at one of the nearby art galleries. And if you're in search of a local watering hole for a casual mid-afternoon cocktail, it's good for that too! Bikini has a great jukebox with appropriate classics such as Patsy Cline, The Eagles and Johnny Cash. Just be warned that it usually takes at least an hour before your music selections will play, so head straight to the jukebox when you arrive! There is plenty of street and lot parking nearby. And despite reviews you may read about it being in a sketchy neighborhood, the area where it is located is just one block from one of the nicest historic districts in Phoenix, and the area in general is very up-and-coming. I've never felt uncomfortable being in the area at night. This is one of my favorite CenPho establishments. Long live Bikini!
MORE: TikiRoom.com
* CenPho Favorite
Address: 4631 North Seventh Avenue
Website: http://www.charshastheblues.com/
Char's has a well-earned reputation of being the best blues bar in Phoenix. The bar features live blues music every night of the week. The venue is small and intimate, so get there early if you want a seat up front. Char's has one of the most diverse crowds in the Valley but everyone is there for the same reason - good music, good drinks and good times. The dance floor gets hopping from the second the band hits the stage. The night we were there, Fire in the Sky was playing. The lead singer is quite a character and often wanders around singing to and interacting with patrons. He was very good at engaging the crowd and everyone was into the music right from the start. Drinks are cheap and waitresses zip around the restaurant to ensure that everyone has a fresh cocktail. But the best reason to go to Char's is for the music. Char's definitely has the blues and that's a very good thing.
MORE: AOL City Guide
* CenPho Favorite
Address: 675 West Indian School Road
Website: http://www.cheznouscentral.com
Chez Nous is a total time warp. As soon as you step into this tiny lounge that is adorned with dark wallpaper, leather booths and a small dance floor for swinging to the live R&B music, you feel as though you’ve been transported back to the 70s. The entire bar area is about the size of my living room, so be prepared to get cozy with your fellow patrons. The scene is very cool, chill and urban, and the crowd is one of the most diverse in the Valley. Drinks are cheap – not quite 70s pricing, but there aren’t many places in the Valley where you can get a $3 cocktail even when it isn’t happy hour. Chez Nous is also a good place to go during the week when there isn’t as much of a crowd and you can relax and enjoy the music. The weekends are busier and more energetic, but an equally enjoyable experience. Either way, Chez Nous is a Phoenix treasure that has stood the test of time and shows no signs of fading. Groovy baby.
MORE: Phoenix New Times
desert senorita
UPDATE: We're very sad to report that Chez Nous closed its original location (and not only has it closed, but they have torn down all of the buildings on that corner to make way for something new - my money is on a Walgreens because we certainly don't have enough of those in CenPho). But before you get too depressed...buck up camper. Because Chez Nous is not dead! It is just relocating. We'll let you know as soon as we learn more.
* CenPho Favorite
Address: 2448 Grand Avenue
Website: http://www.grandavetavern.com/
On the exterior, Grand Avenue Tavern is about what you would expect for something on, well, Grand Avenue. The bar is a small, generic stucco building next door to a motel called The EZ-Inn. But that's about where the Grand Avenue cliches end. Once you step inside the tavern, it feels like you're in Scottsdale (but not in a bad way). The interior boasts polished cement floors, a mahogany bar and tables, cushy black leather booths, stone columns and modern art. But don't be deceived by your surroundings, because prices for drinks are very much CenPho, not NoSco. There is also a pool table. And there is a cozy outdoor patio with a fireplace. The staff is very friendly and attentive. Renee is one of the funnest bartenders in the Valley of the Sun! We've been told you can rent the entire bar out for private events on Saturdays when the Grand is closed, and you just have to drink a minimum of $300 in alcohol. The clientele is interesting - the night we were there, the crowd was a mix of cowboys, bikers and yuppies. Friday afternoons are the busiest time of the week at the Grand when local industry convenes to celebrate the end of the work week. But the convergence of several different crowds at the Grand just seems to work - and quite well.
* CenPho Favorite
Address: 3 West Monroe Street
Descending down the flight of stairs from the street into Monroe's can be visually overwhelming as you go from a bright, sunny Arizona day into a dark cavern dimmly lit by several dozen red lights. Even the Widmer, Budweiser and Stoli neon signs are red. The service staff at Monroe's is very friendly. We were there on a Wednesday afternoon so it was pretty quiet, but we were told that Monroe's has live bands Wednesday through Saturday night and the bar gets busier then. There is also a ping pong table in the backroom if that sort of physical activity while drinking interests you.
MORE: Phoenix New Times
* CenPho Favorite
Address: 816 North Third Street
The Roosevelt is the newest bar in CenPho, brought to you by the owners of Matt's Big Breakfast. Matt's has been my favorite downtown breakfast joint since it opened, and The Roosevelt definitely lives up to the same standard. We were just there on a First Friday and this place was HOPPING. If you've ever been to Bar Bianco before, it has kind of the same vibe - old restored house with lots of little rooms and cozy seating. They did a really nice job with the restoration of the house. The Roosevelt only serves beer and wine, but they have a top notch selection. The service is just as friendly as it is at Matt's (the same family members who work at Matt's also work at The Roosevelt - when do these people sleep?!?). Just like Matt's, The Roosevelt will now be in my regular rotation of downtown establishments.
More: AZCentral.com
Address: 3031 East Indian School Road
Website: http://www.aintnobodysbizness-az.com/
MORE: Phoenix New Times
Address: 609 West Osborn Road
Bruno Mali's is the spin-off dance club version of its neighbor, Hidden House Cocktail Lounge. Local DJs spin global beats (Mondays), jazz (Wednesdays), reggae and salsa (Thursdays), 80's hits (Fridays) and underground and old school hip-hop (Saturdays). And on Sundays, the theme is "Muck Fundays" as the crowd defiantly resists the arrival of Monday morning work by cutting loose old-school style. So if you need to get your groove on, head to Hidden House and Bruno Mali's.
MORE: Phoenix New Times
Address: 122 East Washington Street
Website: http://www.burnnightclub.com
Burn is the new hotspot for the gay set in Phoenix. I am not a gay male, so take that into consideration when reading my review, but regardless I headed down there with some of my boys last Saturday night for some fun. We had a good time - the DJ was OK but not great, but the wait staff was great and we had enough to drink to make the dance floor fun. For being the new "it" place, and given what they charge for table service ($250 minimum), I was kind of unimpressed with the interior. The benches and beds in the booths are actually quite uncomfortable and the decor of the club is pretty average. But the boys seem to love this place, and it was packed, so I guess it's the most popular gay nightclub downtown at the moment...at least until something better comes around.
Address: 727 West Camelback Road
Website: http://www.charliesphoenix.com
Charlie's has been open for 21 years now (and for a reason). For the record, I was in elementary school when it opened. That said, it is a fun place. I went a couple weeks back on a Saturday night and it was crowded, but not to the extent that one couldn't move. Whereas it's primarily a country and western bar, it's an eclectic mix. Around 1:00AM they switch it up to dance music. There are several bars so getting a drink is never a problem. The patio is expansive and even a volleyball court for Sunday afternoon fun! Little did I know that there are other Charlie's...one in Vegas, one in Denver, one in Chicago. and perhaps a couple of others that I can't quite recall at the moment. Apparently they all have the cowboy boot shaped disco ball. I don't care who you are, that's just fun! There are a few pool tables for those so inclined. Also there are several dart boards. If that's not your bag, the dance floor is always open. I went again early on a Sunday afternoon and there weren't many people there, but I was so impressed at how clean it was after what was presumably a busy Saturday night, given that was the night of the Madonna concert. They have recently remodeled and the restroom is impressively large. They offer free dance lessons, astoundingly cheap happy hours, and drag shows, depending on the day. Check their website for more information. All in all this is a great, casual, unpretentious place.