Phoenix Dive Bar Guide

A Fresh City With Pleasantly Dusty Dives

As American cities go, Phoenix is new, the beneficiary of nearly constant growth over a period of decades that continues to push the boundaries of the city. In that context, finding an ancient dive bar is a little more tricky here than in other locations, but there are dive bar gems throughout the city that provide a glimpse into a past that may not be as lengthy as an East Coast original, but is no less rich.

Maybe the city’s best example of hidden history is Bikini Lounge, a dive bar crossed with a tiki bar that is very much in the running for one of the oldest tiki bars in the world. Opened in 1947, tiki bars weren’t really a thing at the time, though the growing need for escapism would spark an explosion of Polynesian-themed establishments over the coming years. The dive bar’s past has been embraced more fully by current owner Matt Tomb, the space becoming more a true tiki bar than a tiki-themed dive.

As the city’s borders have expanded, dive bars once considered outposts on the fringe slowly coming into the core of the city, including a place like East Phoenix’s Wanderin. The vintage here is a little older (1972) but any bar that opens at 6 AM and closes at 2 AM will no doubt catch its share of diverse regulars. The fact that a package liquor store is attached to Wanderin only adds to the round-the-clock appeal.

And then there are the countless corner neighborhood dive bars like Swizzle Inn, in this case the resident of a back corner of a strip mall that looks a bit foreboding at first glance. Inside, Christmas tinsel and string lights rival the friendly communal dive bar atmosphere of any city. New or not, Phoenix’s dive bar scene is alive and well, the vintage mixed with more recent entries. Just like any city, finding a great one is a matter of experimentation and a few curated suggestions have been compiled below.

Dive Bar Map

Phoenix Dive Bars Not Yet Reviewed

Must Visit Recommendations

Unfortunately, we have not yet been to every single dive bar in the city, but there probably a few more punch cards on our livers, so we’ll make it there soon. In the meantime, the curated list of dives below comes highly recommended by a variety of friends, online sources and drunks.

Ashby

Rips Bar

3045 N 16th St
Phoenix, AZ 85016
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Biltmore

Swizzle Inn

5835 N 16th St # A
Phoenix, AZ 85016
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Camelback East

The Dirty Drummer

2303 N 44th St
Phoenix, AZ 85008
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Camelback East

Wanderin

4140 E McDowell Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85008
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Coronado

Royale Lounge

2310 N 16th St
Phoenix, AZ 85006
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Downtown

Bikini Lounge

1502 NW Grand Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85007
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Scottsdale

Coach House Tavern

7011 E Indian School Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
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Scottsdale

Pattie's First Avenue Lounge

7220 E 1st Ave
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
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Scottsdale

Rusty Spur Saloon

7245 E Main St
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
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Scottsdale

T T Roadhouse

2915 N 68th St
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
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Sunnyslope

Rum Runners Bar

8355 N 7th St
Phoenix, AZ 85020
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Tempe

Palo Verde Lounge

1015 W Broadway Rd
Tempe, AZ 85282
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Other Dive Bar Options

Break Room Bar & Grill

4729 E McDowell Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85008
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Brigett's Last Laugh

17222 Cave Creek Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85032
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Chantilly's Bar

717 W Union Hills Dr
Phoenix, AZ 85027
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Chopper John's

2547 E Indian School Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85016
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Dilly Dally Lounge

3639 E Indian School Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85018
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Do Drop In

9501 N 7th St
Phoenix, AZ 85020
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Dodey's

7051 N 7th St
Phoenix, AZ 85020
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Dune's Lounge

3611 W Dunlap Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85051
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Gracie's Tax Bar

711 N 7th Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85007
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Gypsy's Roadhouse

5122 E McDowell Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85008
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Harvey's Wineburger

4812 N 16th St
Phoenix, AZ 85016
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HB Hanratty's Pub

537 E Camelback Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85012
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Hideaway Lounge

3215 E Thomas Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85018
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Jay's Cocktail Lounge

3208 W Indian School Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85017
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JT's Bar & Grill

4829 E Indian School Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85018
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Jupe's

2655 W Guadalupe Rd UNIT 32
Mesa, AZ 85202
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Kat's Bar

2309 E Indian School Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85016
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Kay's Place

315 S Alma School Rd
Mesa, AZ 85210
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Kitty's Cocktails

2836 N 36th St #1
Phoenix, AZ 85008
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Larry's Cocktails

20027 N Cave Creek Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85024
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Lucie's Sage & Sand Bar

13831 W Glendale Ave
Glendale, AZ 85307
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Mesa Drummer

1211 N Country Club Dr #8
Mesa, AZ 85201
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Monkey Pants

3223 S Mill Ave
Tempe, AZ 85282
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North Central Sports Bar

1170 E Northern Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85020
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Paradise Lounge

4541 E Cactus Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85032
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Pomeroy's

5555 N 7th St Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85014
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Pub Rock

8005 E Roosevelt St
Scottsdale, AZ 85257
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Q & Brew

3400 S Mill Ave UNIT 348
Tempe, AZ 85282
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Roman's Oasis

16825 W Yuma Rd
Goodyear, AZ 85338
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Silver Pony Bar & Grill

620 W Dobbins Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85041
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Starlite Lounge

4346 W Olive Ave
Glendale, AZ 85302
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The Woodshed II

430 N Dobson Rd
Mesa, AZ 85201
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Time Out Lounge

3129 S Mill Ave
Tempe, AZ 85282
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Westwood Tap & Grill

1818 W Glendale Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85021
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Yucca Tap Room

29 W Southern Ave
Tempe, AZ 85282
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What did we miss? Send us the dive bars and neighborhood pubs we should visit on our next trip.