SideBar

The SideBar is a trendy, aesthetically pleasing lounge hidden in plain sight above a Starbucks and across from Chipotle. I went late on a Friday night and both the bar area and dance floor were packed! The crowd was diverse, full of energy, and LGBTQ friendly.
This place is hip– but it is not a «hipster» bar as many other reviews have claimed. The DJ blasted house music all night and the atmosphere was more club than lounge. Again, the space is incredible but not as enjoyable when filled to capacity. The bartenders were slammed, no doubt, and as a result it took over 10 minutes just to be acknowledged.
I would like to come back for happy hour or during a different DJ set next time.

A really cool space that feels exclusive but lacks the snobbery.
The drink menu has options for a wide variety of clientele.
–Eve is AMAZING! She knows her craft, is skilled in the art of conversation without sacrificing prompt service, has suggestions galore for both this establishment and others, and is quite easy on the eyes.

First off, the bartenders Eve and Craig are two of the best people I’ve met and my favorite bartenders. They actually remember your names and their drink service is spectacular. Sidebar has a really fun and unique cocktail list. If you don’t know what to get, try the White Rabbit. It won some award but is yummy, it’s basically a white Russian with Rum Chata but better.
SideBar is a cool lounge type of bar in Downtown Phoenix and is a great place if you just wanted to grab a drink before an event downtown or to spend some quality time at after dinner. My boyfriend and I went here on New Year’s Eve, I couldn’t decide what I wanted so I told eve I was thinking grapefruit but also was feeling for some champagne. Bam, like a liquor wizard she made the perfect fruity holiday drink good enough for a celebration. That night all of the bartenders were wearing metallic tattoos, I complimented on it and Eve offered to give me one too. So right at the bar she dabbed on a metallic tattoo, just show how awesome SideBar and its employees are.

Great bar with great vibes! Lighting is low and sultry, seating is cozy, the whole vibe is very modern. Craig the bartender is the man! He knows his stuff and is an expert at his craft. Their spinach artichoke dip is perfect with a beer. Come here for dates or to hang with friends

This is a swanky little joint! It is literally on the side of the building. The lighting and the atmosphere is fantastic. The people are from all over young old and all in between. My friend and I had mojitos and it was very tasty. A cool joint to check out. Great vibe!

This was my second visit to SideBar and I really enjoy this place — great atmosphere, great service and great drinks! We’ll continue to come back when we’re looking for a well mixed drink close to home.

Great ratio, excellent flow, fabulous bartenders (especially if you are with a regular), and they knock whiskey/​bourbon specialty drinks out the park. Very impressed with SideBar on my last few trips and will continue to go here to kick the night off on Fridays and Saturdays. If I lived here, this would definitely be my Thursday night spot for guys night. no question.

This is the best bar in Phoenix hands down. The bartenders, Eve and Craig are the best in town. They’re friendly, creative, knowledgeable, charismatic, and enthusiastic! You can tell they love working here and they make you feel right at home! They have a full bar, so whatever u want — they got! they have a full list of delicious drinks. My boyfriends favorite is the Moscow Mule, mines the whiskey berry sour (extra berries haha) cool vibe, cool music– everything about this place is AMAZING!!!

Best lounge in Phoenix! I now come here weekly because they have good scotch, a great selection of bottled beer, friendly bartenders, awesome music, a chill hipster/​burner themed setting, and cool people hanging out there. Try the specialty cocktails. I’ll admit that I haven’t had one yet, but my friends swear by them.

Great bar! It’s small and can get crowded so I would go earlier to secure a good spot. Drinks are out of this world. Very stylish and hip décor. Good place to take a date after dinner or meet friends.

This has become my favorite lounge. The atmosphere is great, the music is always on point especially when DJ Nube is on the 2’s and the bartender (Eve) nails every drink you ask for.
Want a cool crowd that enjoys good music and a great time, then come here!

Love the location & the atmosphere. We always have a great time at Side Bar. Every visit is an adventure & you never know just who you’ll run into. Great for a late night out any day of the week & perfect for a rendezvous in an out of the way spot.

Side Bar is great!
You might want to get there a little bit early to be established in a spot and with the bartender otherwise you may go unnoticed when the place gets packed. But on most nights it’s easily maneuvered and service is quick.
The place also gets loud as the night goes on due to the space being smaller than usual. But it isn’t all that bad. I would t recommend having a meeting or first date there!
Go to enjoy the music, drinks, atmosphere and black/​white movies they play!
I loved my Moscow Mule, the music they play and the bathrooms. .they always have mints for you!
Check them out!

Found this place after a friend dragged me out on a Sunday night.
Love Love Love this place now, had NO clue what to expect. Swank to the tenth power. Super tasty and very well prepared cocktails (a bit spendy for downtown). (Moscow Mule is my personal fave) The Dj’s are always incredible and keep could keeping me dancing until the sun comes up. So many sexy people are simply busting from the seems of this place. Highly recommended when visiting downtown phoenix, second floor gem.

Downtown Hipsters
I spend quite a bit of time in the downtown Phoenix area and have passed by the Side Bar many times in my travels. I had always been curious about this little downtown establishment but never stopped by to check it out. However, that was all about to change.
Recently, I had out of town guests who wanted to visit the downtown area and I thought the Side Bar might be a good place to relax, and have some fun, I was absolutely correct.
The Side Bar has a relaxed hip vibe with their hardwood floors, brick walls, and plush seating. Displayed on the walls are works by local artists, and old silent movies playing on the big screen.
The Side Bar has a extensive selection of different types of beers, wines and hand-​crafted cocktails. The Side Bar even squeezes its own fresh juices daily. All I have to say is, fresh squeezed juice makes for amazing tasting drinks.
We had a fantastic time at the Side Bar and meet very diverse and interesting groups of people sitting at the bar and the clientele gets more interesting as the night goes on.
SideBar is the perfect place to stop for a drink, relax, and chat with friends. If you haven’t been to the Side Bar stop by, you won’t be disappointed.

I’m from Florida. These people make a mint Julip that is to die for. I was immediatly taken back to a front porch in the dirty south minus the seersucker suit.
Understanding how Craig made that tasty beverage at the speed of light is unknown, but appreciated. The location of this joint is close enough to the light rail where a buzzed person can make it to the light rail with a few stumbled steps. (The drinks are what you pay for in alcohol content… and that is not a bad thing)
People in this place are not judgey… so you can come here, post up by the bar or plop down on a couch and just kick it with out feeling like you are on stage at ANTM. So all in all, you can just kick it here.
Side bar gets a 4 star… it would be 5… but it needs to be a little larger. Other than that… love this spot
Bring your *** and buy a drink.

Love this place! The parking sucks but if you park on the street it’s much easier. It’s swanky and there’s great seating and the seating is open to all. You don’t have to spend $ 500 on bottle service to have a place to sit.
They have really yummy specialty martinis like BUTTERSCOTCH!

I went here on a date last night, he picked the place. I had a little trouble finding it until he called to tell me it was above Pei Wei. This is kinda funny because my coworkers and I go there for lunch once a week and I never noticed it!!!
Anyway, it’s a cozy space, low lighting and intimate sectional seating. There are no servers so if you want a drink you have to go to the bar to order it. We didn’t know this at first so felt kinda silly sitting there and waiting for 10 minutes or so.
They have a great cocktail menu with a specialty drink to suit any palate. I had the Sidebar Collins which was a little too sweet but the Whiskeyberry Sour was sooo delicious.
I will definitely be back to try the other drinks (but probably not with that guy lol)!

The bartenders Craig and Eve are awesome. Just AWESOME!!! Ok now that I have that out of the way. let’s move on.
Excellent beer selection and they stock some of my fav Belgian brews. Happy happy joy joy. They have my fav gin and that makes me grin. Good selection of other drinks too but having said that they could use a greater variety of single malts but it’s not bad either
The mix drinks are always the bomb and I love me some Moscow mule esp in this damn weather. Craig makes you a solid stiff drink and doesn’t down it under ice. More happiness
The food selection is lacking and rather abysmal but it’s not like the place markets itself as a restaurant. Even so, it would be nice to have more on the menu than their pizza offerings which are all pretty darn good.
The place is clean the restrooms are spotless and for a bar that’s pretty darn impressive.
The atmosphere is very laid back the patrons are just as friendly as the staff and honestly for a local bar that is just unbeatable.
I go here more than I want to admit and it’s primarily for the friendly courteous service and stiff drinks. Highly recommend

(Lyrics — Far East Movement — Like A G6)
Popping bottles P-​H-​X, in the desert
When we drink we go Bo Bites gettin slizzard
Sippin sizzurp in the Side, on 7^th Ave.
Now I’m feeling so fly like the SideBar
Like the SideBar, Like the SideBar
Now I’m feeling so fly like the SideBar
Like the SideBar, Likethe SideBar
Now I’m feeling so fly like the SideBar
SideBar is an awesome hidden lounge right up stairs from the Pei Wei. Might as well stop by for some eats before you make your way up. There’s something about a bar up the stairs that make it worth while. I guess it’s that allure of what’s hidden? Then again the way down might suck.
Needless to say, SideBar is a very chill place for a nice drink with a date or friends. Live DJ during the weekends and local artist paintings decorated throughout the bar. Nice comfortable couches on one side while high top tables and the full bar on the other. Cool drink menu and a diverse crowd from all ranges of life and ages. — Enjoy!