kind of sanctuary. (It even looks like a sanc- tuary, much of it shielded from the street by trees and flowers and foliage and lattice- work.) Here, on the large, brick patio, the shade is abundant and Tempe’s fading col- lege-town vibes are well-preserved. You’ll find cool professors, townies (but not the scary kind), pretentious English majors (god bless ’em), people who still smoke cig- arettes (we don’t judge), and lots of dogs. So much of Phoenix feels new, sometimes to its detriment. Casey’s is that rare bar where the past is still alive and thriving. EEEEE From the Rooftop 222 East Portland Street (inside the Cambria Hotel Downtown Phoenix) 602-675-3500 ftrooftop.com The rooftop bar at Cambria Hotel Down- town Phoenix gives you a straight-shot view of all the best Valley landmarks: Cam- elback Mountain, Piestewa Peak, and all the construction happening along Portland Street down below. The high vantage point also means you can scout Roosevelt Row to see if the nightlife is popping — or finally dying down. Head up to From the Rooftop for after-dinner craft beer and cocktails, or before dinner for a dip in that shimmery rooftop pool. And for fans of hyper-local drink names, try the Camelback Sunset: passion fruit, sparkling wine, apertivo, and orange zest. Seating is first-come, first- serve, and reservations can be made for the furniture clusters — upscale patio furniture fancy enough to make you feel like you’re in an old Pier 1 Imports commercial. EEEEE Ernie’s 10443 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 480-948-4422 erniesinn.com How many dive bars let you smoke a ciga- rette? From how many can you see stars? The ceiling at Ernie’s is partly open, mak- ing both possible. And that’s just where things start to get good at this north Scotts- dale watering hole. A low-key, zero-judg- ment crowd kicks it at Ernie’s until 2 a.m. every night of the week. Pool balls clack, karaoke voices howl, and people keep an eye on sports on high TVs, discussing (and half-forgetting) life while the drinks flow. Miller and well drinks are the norm. The menu doesn’t fuck around, offering tuna melts and club sandwiches. A proper dive so far north in Scottsdale almost seems like a myth at this point, but that’s part of Er- nie’s charm. 208 Stardust Pinbar 401 West Van Buren Street, Suite C 602-354-2931 stardustpinbar.com Ziggy’s Magic Pizza Shop in downtown Phoenix uses some sleight of hand when it comes to its most unique feature: a secret entrance to Stardust Pinbar, the David Bowie-inspired game bar next door. Stroll into the pizzeria’s back room and through a mock-up of a walk-in freezer door, which leads to the glammy lounge with its illumi- nated dance floor, Bowie-themed art and cocktails, and various pinball games. It’s been a pleasant surprise for first-time pa- trons and went viral on TikTok after co- owner Ariel Bracamonte posted a video of the entrance in October 2020. One female viewer called it her “new favorite thing.” Same, girl. Same. EEEEE Rough Rider 1001 North Central Avenue 602-675-0439 roughrideraz.com In the 2010s, American cocktail bars were obsessed with the Prohibition-era aes- thetic. All those suspenders and vests. Lots of ice blocks being clubbed with big wooden mallets. Handlebar mustaches. Rough Rider, which opened this summer in the basement of the Ten-O-One building, has a whiff of that vibe, but it draws its in- spiration from even farther back in time. It’s named after the Rough Riders, the rag- tag cavalry of cowboys Teddy Roosevelt led during the Spanish-American War in the late 19th century. Cocktail-wise, the menu’s split into four sections, two of which are very old-timey: cobblers (which include jam) and punch (made with tea). The place is properly dim and does a nice job evoking Teddy’s era, with caskets jutting out of the walls, built-in bookshelves, ornate wood- work (including in the elevator), and a lovely white marble bar top. (The team be- hind Rough Rider also is involved in The Whining Pig and Pigtails Downtown.) The place looks built to last, like much of the stuff produced in this proud American era. Here’s hoping the bar is, too. EEEEE Churchill’s Fine Cigars 5041 North 44th Street 602-840-9080 And other Valley locations churchillsaz.com We didn’t think that cigar bars were our thing — until we visited Churchill’s. The intimate space in Arcadia isn’t as big as other cigar bars in town, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in class. The walk-in humidor has a well-curated selection of stogies, and the wood floors and club chairs make the space both cozy and ele- gant. There are three Churchill’s locations in town, but only the 44th Street outpost has Winston’s, a full bar with an emphasis on single-malt Scotch, bourbon, and rum (although they make a mean lemon drop, too). A top-quality filtration system means that even people who don’t dig the cigar smell can hang out comfortably, so every- one is able to come and get the full Churchill’s experience. EEEEE The White Rabbit 207 North Gilbert Road, Gilbert twr.bar First things first: Go to The White Rabbit’s website and sign up for emails. That’s how you get the monthly password to this east Valley speakeasy, which is located under- ground in Gilbert’s Heritage District. Once you give the password and find the secret en- trance (we’ll let you figure that one out your- self), you’ll find yourself in another world, one that’s dark, intriguing, and intimate. There’s a limited menu of appetizers and des- serts, but the drinks are really the draw here: Cocktails are inventive and intricate, and we’ve spent many a night taking sips from our friends’ glasses, the better to try as many con- coctions as possible. The White Rabbit isn’t the place to have a rager; it’s a spot to dress up for, soak up the old-school atmosphere, and imbibe in good company. EEEEE Mill’s Modern Social 83 East Broadway Road, Tempe 602-491-9119 millsmodernsocial.com The indoor fun center — a place where people can hide from the sun while eating, drinking, and entertaining themselves in a variety of ways — is a popular destination in our desert climate. There are lots of choices around town, but we’re currently delighted with Mill’s Modern Social at the corner of Mill Avenue and Broadway Road, which opened earlier this year. The first thing you’ll notice about Mill’s Modern So- cial is the sleek, on-trend decor — it’s bou- gie, but not in a bad way. There are games like cornhole, giant Jenga, and table tennis; an arcade room with darts, Guitar Hero, and Super Mario Bros. (arcade games are free on Wednesdays after 3); and an im- pressive number of pool tables. The food and drinks are pretty standard (burgers, flatbreads, appetizers), but they hit the spot. We find ourselves returning to Mill’s Modern Social again and again for fun and food in a stylish atmosphere. EEEEE Endgame 1233 South Alma School Road, Mesa 480-331-1809 endgamebar.com Local geeks rejoiced in 2020 when Ryan Scott rebooted his popular game bar at its new home in Mesa after a four-year absence. And like that long-awaited Psychonauts se- quel, it was worth the wait. Version 2.0 of Endgame is significantly larger than its origi- nal home in downtown Tempe with an enor- mous main room, dance floor, multiple bars and patios, themed food and drink options, and dozens of gaming stations equipped with PC rigs and almost every major console known to mankind. Ravers and rappers have embraced Endgame as much as the gamer crowd since its return, as weekend hip-hop BEST OF PHOENIX 2021 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2021.C0M | SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 ni ghtlif e B E S T NEW H A NG O U T B B E S T R O OFT OP B A R E S T S ECR ET ENT R A NC E B E S T CIG A R B A R B E S T G A ME B A R B E S T L AIR B ES T S P EA K EA S Y B E S T DIV E B A R
