nights and DJ events happen on the regular, allowing patrons the chance to show off both their dance moves and mad gaming skills. EEEEE McKenzie’s Midtown Tavern 4531 North Seventh Street 602-368-5493 mckenziesmidtown.com We’re not sure exactly what to call the neighborhood where McKenzie’s is lo- cated, on a busy stretch of Seventh Street between Indian School and Camelback roads. In some ways, it’s not much of a neighborhood. Which makes it all the more impressive that the proprietors of the place have cultivated a homey vibe more reminiscent of a corner bar in Milwaukee than a McBar in central Phoenix. You’ll no- tice McKenzie’s from the street by the thousands of colorful lights dangling down off the gutters. It has some dive-like quali- ties — street signs, license plates, and yet more Christmas lights provide a good chunk of the decoration — but it’s neither filthy nor too-cool-for-school. They serve cheese curds and there’s a dartboard. You’ll usually see the same bartenders, and even- tually, they’ll remember your name. It’s lo- cated just off the Grand Canal, making it a good place to stop for a cold beer while out on a bike ride. The kitchen is open late, till 12:30 a.m. every night. McKenzie’s is just a solid, reliable, well-run place where you can come as you are — really, all we ask of a neighborhood bar. EEEEE Superstition Downtown 1110 East Washington Street 602-368-3257 superstitionmeadery.com/superstition- downtown-phoenix In fall 2020, Prescott’s Superstition Mead- ery opened a downtown Phoenix epicen- ter, bringing some of the world’s most lauded and creative meads within easy reach. Co-owners Jeff and Jen Herbert pour their creations from 24 taps, some of which flow with Superstition’s own ciders and orange wines. In the craft beverage world, the Herberts are known for their outlandishly creative libations: spiced meads aged in old whiskey barrels, sultry $80 bottles made with berries and white chocolate (Berry White). All said, they’ve brewed hundreds of meads — and folks sip great flights of them downtown in what feels like a luxe Viking hall. Platform 18 at Century Grand 3626 East Indian School Road centurygrandphx.com/platform18/ The Platform 18 experience at Century Grand is so aggressively new that stepping onto the train car is like slipping through a wormhole into a new dimension. The inte- rior is designed to look like a presidential train car from the 1920s. Every design ele- ment fits this theme: bartender garb, stools, tables, “windows” that are actually TVs showing a “passing landscape.” A deep book of cocktails ranges from riffs on cen- turies-old classics to absolutely batshit, ex- cellent concoctions like a libation that mimics peanut butter and jelly, with a sleeve of Campari cotton candy on the side for good measure. Drinks contain kumquat marmalade, guinea pepper, and sparkling green coffee tea, often in a single drink. The amazing thing is that just about all of them are bangers. Westside Blues & Jazz 17045 North 59th Avenue, #104, Glendale 602-761-6816 westsideblues.com The west Valley isn’t exactly known for be- ing a blues hotbed. A few scattered places in the area have hosted jam sessions or oc- casional one-offs by musicians, sure. But a venue dedicated to showcasing the genre and its artists on that side of town hadn’t been tried until Cindi Jackson and Paul 211 SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2021.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2021 B E S T BL UE S B A R B E S A DRINK G C T P L A E TEEK ni O T AK ghtlif E e B E S T NEIGHB ORH O OD B A R B E S LIK T P L A C E IT’S 999 E T O P A R TY
