206 FOOD & DRINK SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2025.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2025 e e e B E S T B A R F O O D THE DIRTY DRUMMER 2303 N. 44TH ST. 602-840-2726 THEDIRTYDRUMMER.COM The Dirty Drummer is one of those spots that just drips with coolness. It has a history, first opening in 1975, then more recently reopened by the original owner’s daughter and her friends in 2019. It’s a destination for country and roots music, and the concert environment couldn’t be cozier. And we’re gonna top off that goodness with the fact that the eats here are reason enough to swing by. If you get down with wings, you’ve got plenty of choices. We like the kicky habanero and the garlic Parmesan. There are plenty of great shareables: fries, spicy fries and a particularly tasty choice, the jalapeno poppers with a strawberry chipotle dip. They’re sweet, smoky and all-around satis- fying. But the Dirty Drummer’s menu doesn’t stop with starters. Plump burgers touched by wine, hot dogs, a French dip and a tuna melt are among other handhelds. And if you want lighter fare, order a salad to enjoy with the gloriously twangy sounds filling up the place. e e e B E S T D A I L Y S P E C I A L S THE VIG 4041 N. 40TH ST. 602-553-7227 606 N. FOURTH AVE. 602-254-2242 AND OTHER VALLEY LOCATIONS THEVIG.US Before the summer heat descended on Phoenix like a kaiju, the Vig was low-key the best place to eat dinner at least two nights a week. On Mondays, you could get a cheese- burger with a side salad or fries for $10, roughly half price, and at an outdoor bar full of the sorts of working people for whom a $20 dinner for two serves as a bona fide mood-booster. On Tuesdays, there were discount tacos. On Wednesdays, $6 espresso martinis. Then, inevitably, summer attacked. Belts tightened a bit. And still, the Vig came through. The revised Monday special was a cheeseburger, with fries or side salad, plus a draft beer, for the still-civilized total of $15. They’re also offering $6 martinis and house margs any time you darken the door. And from Monday to Friday, they sling their Adult Happy Meal (a Caesar salad, truffle fries and a martini) for $19. This is how you know a great daily special: when it can’t help but become a weekly habit. e e e B E S T H I G H - E N D T A K E O U T YUZU OMAKASE 4727 E. BELL ROAD, #59 602-291-5610 YUZU-OMAKASE.COM Yuzu Omakase has an exceptionally intimate six-seat bar where guests can savor at least a dozen pieces of nigiri and temaki for one of the most reasonable prices in town. But if you’re on the go or planning a night in, Yuzu brings the same attention to detail to its takeout. No haphazardly packaged styro- foam or plastic containers will be found when ordering the to-go omakase, called Tasting The Yuzu at Home. Customers can select two specialty rolls, which are paired with salmon sashimi and edamame. This feast is artfully arranged in a bento box that neatly holds each element of the meal, along with condiments and utensils. Facts about fish, types of sushi and how to eat it are printed on the lid of the box. This to-go omakase has the same thoughtful presenta- tion as if you were dining out. Whether you enjoy this to-go meal in your own dining room with a glass of sake or laid out on the couch in sweatpants is your choice. e e e B E S T H A P PY H O U R THE SALT CELLAR 550 N. HAYDEN ROAD, SCOTTSDALE 480-947-1963 SALTCELLARRESTAURANT.COM Stepping into the Salt Cellar is like stepping into another world, and we aren’t just refer- ring to the fact that the south Scottsdale seafood restaurant is underground. Acces- sible by a small top-side room that leads down a wood-paneled stairway to the dining and drinking areas, Salt Cellar has retro East Coast charm in spades; it’s easy to forget you’re a couple of stories below the Sonoran Desert. It’s a great spot for a special-occasion meal, but we most often find ourselves stop- ping there for happy hour. Happy hour specials are only available in the bar and include $3 oysters, an impressive shrimp
