17 May 22nd-May 28th, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Lost in the Woods New Tempe hot spot Filthy Animal leaves us confused. BY TIRION BOAN A recent visit to the new Tempe hot spot Filthy Animal started with some of the best cocktails we’ve had in a long time. It ended with an inedible dessert. The disjointed experience goes beyond the food and drinks. The new concept is the latest from Pretty Decent Concepts. That’s the team behind the vibey downtown Phoenix restaurant Wren & Wolf and its highly praised and hidden cocktail bars, Carry On and Trophy Room, among others. The Tempe addition fits with what we’ve come to expect from the hospitality group. It’s a beautiful space decked out with large pieces of art, luxurious fabrics, moody lighting and a taxidermied jaguar. The vibe is dark, sexy and a little dangerous, with a roaring fire crackling in the center of the open kitchen. The restaurant is one you’d expect to find in downtown Phoenix or Scottsdale. But Filthy Animal is located on the corner of Mill Avenue and University Drive in Tempe, a stone’s throw from the Arizona State University campus. Its neighbors are college bars. Customers heading for an upscale dinner at Filthy Animal are dressed to the nines. To get there, they wade through crowds of students wearing shorts, baseball caps and backpacks. On Thursday through Sunday, the restaurant offers a complimentary valet service. An attendant waits at a podium set up outside the AMC Centerpoint 11 movie theater, parks your car in the Chase garage on Ash Avenue, and points you down the back walkway to the restaurant. Walking through, we stepped aside for students whirring by on electric scooters and dodged skateboarders doing tricks on the steps. The choice of location is confusing. But thankfully, as you step inside, that all washes away. A strong start in a beautiful space The gorgeous space envelops you. The windows are intentionally draped in curtains that blur the outside noise, and the restaurant transports you far from Tempe. Servers dressed in vintage-inspired tan dresses twirl around the room. Sparks from the central fire rise toward the tall ceiling as the flames pop and crackle. With dinner and a show, this spot would be right at home in a high-end Las Vegas resort. The decor sets the tone for an excep- tional experience. The first few items we tried were outstanding, raising a high bar for the rest of the meal. The cocktails are well-balanced, unusual and easy to drink. We adored the tropical A Shore Thing, made with gin, passion fruit, coconut Campari, Dubonnet, bitters, amaro and Tonka. Another favorite was the Passion or Cinn, which also makes use of passion fruit but creates a very different blend with Jamaican and Puerto Rican rums, grapefruit, lime, cinnamon and amaro. The Vintage Culture, described on the menu as “a pretty decent Old Fashioned,” puts a unique and delicious spin on the classic with black cardamom. The standout drinks are thanks The Campfire Branzino perhaps takes its name a little too seriously. (Tirion Boan) >> p19 ▼ Food & Drink
