Phoenix and Scottsdale Nightlife Guide: Bar Hopping and Clubs in Phoenix and Scottsdale Arizona

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Spotlight

Phoenix and Scottsdale

Nightlife

The nightlife is sizzling in this desert city, with much of the action centered on downtown Scottsdale, downtown Phoenix, and Tempe's Mill Avenue. Note that most bars and clubs close down at 2am in the Greater Phoenix area. For up-to-date event info, check out listings in The Arizona Republic (www.azcentral.com) or in the free alternative weekly Phoenix New Times (www.phoenixnewtimes.com). Echo Magazine (www.echomag.com) is another great resource for tuning into the Valley's gay and lesbian scene – your hotel concierge can direct you to the nearest distribution points.

It would be a serious faux pas to miss checking out at least a few of the season's trendiest, albeit ever-changing, hotspots of downtown Scottsdale, with more than 50 nightspots – including dance clubs, wine bars, jazz lounges, and more – many within walking distance of each other. Our top pick for dancing is Axis/Radius (7340 E. Indian Plaza; 480/970-1112; www.axis-radius.com) – this two-clubs-in-one, joined by a glass catwalk, fills up fast and usually has a line outside. Kazimierz World Wine Bar (7137 E. Stetson Dr.; 480/946-3004; www.kazbar.net), dubbed "Kazbar" by locals, is a great date spot with romantic candlelit décor and more than 1,850 types of wine on the menu. Popular Martini Ranch's (7295 E. Stetson Dr.; 480/970-0500; www.martiniranchaz.com) slick Southwestern décor sets the scene for nightly live bands and a bustling poolroom. We also like Sugar Daddy's (3102 N. Scottsdale Rd.; 480/970-6556; www.sugardaddysaz.com) for their fantastic 5,000 square foot outdoor patio and live music, but love it for the complimentary limo pickup and drop-off service in a 7-mile radius. Urban cowboys and cowgirls, meanwhile, put on a fine show of two-steppin' to live country-western music at the Handlebar J Restaurant and Bar (7116 E. Becker Lane; 480/948-0110; www.handlebarj.com) in northern Scottsdale.

The downtown Phoenix bar scene is somewhat more subdued than that of Scottsdale, revolving largely around sporting events and performing arts schedules. Phoenix is one of the few US cities to have four major sports teams, and sports bars predictably abound. Two of the most popular are the high-energy Alice Cooper's Town (101 E. Jackson St.; 602/253-7337; www.alicecooperstown.com), owned by the Phoenix-bred rocker for which it is named and known as the place "where jocks and rock meet"; and Majerle's Sports Grill (24 N. 2nd St.; 602/253-0118; www.majerles.com), a more traditional neighborhood-style sports bar packed with big-screen TVs and situated just a block from the US Airways Center where the Suns play (the bar is operated by former Phoenix Suns star Dan Majerle). North Phoenix, meanwhile, touts Char's Has the Blues (4631 N. 7th Ave.; 602/230-0205; www.charshastheblues.com) – this intimate "House That Blues Built" features such local headliners as the Carvin Jones Band, Sistah Blue, and Hans Olson. If it's scenery you're after, consider drinks and jazz music with a view at Pointe Hilton at Tapatio Cliffs Resort's Different Pointe of View (11111 N. 7th St.; 602/866-6350; www.pointehilton.com), perched on a mountaintop 1,800 feet above the city.

Downtown Phoenix is also the hub of the cultural and performing arts scene with venues like the ornate Spanish baroque-revival Orpheum Theatre (203 W. Adams St.; 602/534-5600; www.phoenix.gov/STAGES), modern Dodge Theater (400 W. Washington St.; 602/379-2800; www.dodgetheatre.com), and the Herberger Theater Center (222 E. Monroe St.; 602/254-7399; www.herbergertheater.org) offering everything from Broadway-style productions to ballet, concerts, and opera. Additionally, the Phoenix Symphony holds orchestra concerts at Symphony Hall (75 N. 2nd St.; 602/495-1117; www.phoenixsymphony.org).

Tempe's Mill Avenue is a laid-back bar and clubbing strip that caters to the city's young and somewhat rowdy ASU students. Just stroll along the pedestrian-friendly street and eventually a tune, atmosphere, or crowd is bound to pique your interest. Two of our favorite nightspots include The Library Bar & Grill (501 S. Mill Ave.; 480/929-2922; www.thelibraryusa.com) where rock-and-roll, free-flowing drinks, and a mostly female, scantily clad waitstaff meet; and Rúla Búla (401 S. Mill Ave.; 480/929-9500; rulabula.com), an authentic Irish bar featuring live Irish music, traditional pub grub, Irish staff, and of course, thick pints of Guinness.