Canteen Modern Tequila Bar

Decided to take a walk on Mill on this beautiful Friday, was craving chips and salsa and wanted to sit outside to enjoy the weather so the roommate and I decided to try something new and came here.
First impressions are a big deal, right?! Well tell that to the hostess Danielle, actually don’t just tell her, retrain her. Upon entering we asked for a «front» patio seat and she tried to talk us out of it. From a customer service perspective that’s not GREAT customer service. I don’t even think that’s good customer service. You’re supposed to accommodate and cater to the customer. After asking the SERVER if it was «okay» she then said «yeah, I can» & took us to a different table then we asked for. Disappointing. Then the 2 gentlemen behind us asked her for the same thing! And through the window we could see by her hand movement and body language she was telling them the same thing she told us! They just wanted what we wanted both us and the gentlemen did not care we JUST wanted to sit outside and enjoy the weather, food, & ppl watch. We were both very low maintenance. If I based my experience on first impression I would NOT be back.
However, lucky it was a nice day and the server was cool, very relaxed yet friendly. Menu was simple. Prices were great.
*i would have rated this 3.5 but didn’t have that option.

Hate how the happy hour ends at 7! But If your a tequila person it is on point! I’m sad to see this place close down just a tad bir! It’s going to be El Hefe! Which is a cool kick back bar tequila place replacing it. There’s also one in Scottsdale! I usually get the chicken tacos and the must get is the chips and salsa comes with 3 salsas all very good and different on how you like it! The place is very modern indoor and outdoor is nice! Mill avenue feel. The décor and lighting Is also Interesting and the work crew I rate alright it really depends on who serves you to be a good time

Horrible. I have been to this place several times and every time it gets worse.
My friend and I walked up to the hostess and instead of her greeting us, we had to greet her! She gave us a dirty look because we must have interrupted her and then led us outside past several «clean» tables to a dirty table.
She gave us our menus which I could barely even read! All the ink was faded and the menus were dirty! Why even keep menus like that?
I ordered the Sonoran margarita which was extremely sugary.
For food, I ordered the carne Asada street tacos. They would have been fine but the flour tortillas were hard. I couldn’t even eat them!
As we were eating the employees were throwing, yes throwing, couches behind the five guys restaurant next door. If I was the owner, I’d be pissed.
I guess this place doesn’t pride themselves on food, customer service, and atmosphere anymore.

Stopped in for a quick drink. I wanted tequila, but not a margarita and late-​night, there was no drink menu around so I stuck with vodka soda, which ended up being a vodka water sans lime I sucked down before we got out of there! The mixed drinks were served in small plastic cups and the vinyl banquette we sat on was peeling like an old school bus seat! It has potential to be such a beautiful lounge with the dark spaces and open bar, but those details just made it seem cheap and uncared for. This has been on my check it out list for a while, but turns out I wasn’t missing much!

Went to the Canteen for a Meetup and I had a good time. It’s a nice hangout and the atmosphere does contribute to mingle due to open areas and smaller seating arrangements. Our poor waitress had to bob and weave between the group members everytime to check or deliver — she did it with a subtle smile.
I found the service to be very good, and the happy hour menu well populated. I didn’t dive too deep into the menu, but I had a few drinks and that went off without a hitch. I don’t recommend the guacamole — not that there is anything wrong with it, but it’s not like a place where the guacamole is. you know, just that good.
The wait staff is cute and attentive, I have no complains here at all. The place is clean and well laid out. If I have a complaint, then it has to be that it was a little loud for people to mingle. This can be a pro and a con, because that means that smaller groups naturally develop and that is good.
As I haven’t been here at night, but I must say that for a Happy Hour event — this place is to recommend. Absolutely! Now we just have to see how long this place stays open, before it turns into something hipper and obnoxious.
. und das ist meiner bescheidenen meinung nach.

We all need to be honest with ourselves: Canteen is just not very good. We have been lying to ourselves about its quality for far too long and we all need an intervention or something.
We all want Canteen to be good, because it has helped usher in a slightly more upscale version of Mill with fare that is not your usual college bar. We can agree to give it points for that, but little else. Nothing about Canteen justifies its absurdly-​priced margaritas, as 9 bucks for tequila-​tinged kool-​aid is a farce. We all have had better margaritas and we all know that Canteen’s margs spend all day marinating in a pre-​mixed jug. The beer selection is hardly impressive (even for Mill) and the staff is a synapse or two above catatonic.
We don’t really like Canteen’s happy hour anyways, because Z Tejas’ is better. We’ve all had better tacos just about anywhere, because we live in Arizona, a place where tacos rain down on us like a rap video. We don’t like Canteen’s dance floor or its patio, because both are poorly designed, overcrowded, and noisy to the point of making Nine Inch Nails seem timid. We want to like Canteen, because its better than Zuma, but everything is better than Zuma. I once drank a forty at a bus stop and it was better than Zuma. We have to be willing to accept Canteen as a gateway to a better Mill Ave, but not a truly good bar.
I know we can do this together, Tempe. We have to stop pretending that Canteen is a quality establishment and we have to do the right thing: drink tequila at real tequila bars.

Canteen is a pretty good bar, and one of my favorites on Mill. The house shots and margaritas are reasonably priced and reasonably tasty, and if you want to spend a little more money, the selection of tequila is quite vast. Last time I was there I used my check-​in offer of a free house margarita which I found to feel a little more potent than it tasted.
The downside for me is the club scene that inevitably comes with the late hour. College students swarm in, the middle seating gets cleared out for a dance floor, and the music gets louder. I feel like an old lady complaining about it, but hey, I like to hear the conversations with my friends! If I wanted a club and dancing, I probably wouldn’t have come to Mill.
The décor is modern and interesting, and I always like the drunk people staring at the light fixtures hanging over the tables. There’s seating on the back patio and a small area that runs behind the bar, open to the outside. Easy access to a bartender, fresh air, and a good view of the Mill Avenue people and their antics always makes for a good time.
Unfortunately, I have not tried any food yet. I’ve heard nothing but good things though, so I’m still hoping to catch a Happy Hour for some tacos soon!

The place caught my attention from the outside. A modern looking tequila bar? On Mill Ave? I’m in!!!
Saw the patio seating and grabed one right on the corner. Excellent spot. The place had a great selection of drinks to choose from. Food choices looked pretty solid too (but I didn’t eat). Pretty much down hill from there. The prices were a bit steep. I saw a great sounding margarita…$ 9! To be fair it was one of the more expensive drinks on the menu. But for that I was expecting something reeeeeeeaally good. It was reeeeeeeeally average. Had a drink and then waited for probably 40 minutes for the check. Not a waiter or waitress in sight. This was even after the waitress said she’d bring the check…
Too many choices in this town to go back. Sorry.

I miss their free house margaritas for checking in. I like this place.
Negative is that on the weekends the dance floor is ridiculously packed to the point that nobody is dancing at all… more like a mosh pit with douchebags carrying 3 drinks through the middle of the crowd.

The food at Canteen was so-​so; steak tostadas and a chipotle relleno were interesting. The onion rings and chicken skewers were fine. And, the fried fish tacos were pretty light (not in a good way).
But I liked the bartenders, I liked the sex appeal, I liked the music, and I LOVED $ 2 16-​oz. drafts of light beer during happy hour. In fact, the prices for everything during happy hour were great, and then you add in good-​looking people and 82-​degree temperatures… maybe it’s the $ 2.50 domestic bottles talking, but I enjoyed myself, to say the least. I probably won’t go back… oh, wait a minute, last night we turned down the apparent sausage-​fest at World of Beer to get a second round of drinks at the bar last night after an ASU game nearby!

When they shy away from shots, I always tell my friends that it doesn’t matter how they feel about tequila. It’s just something you have to learn how to do as part of a successful, complete life. But with Canteen in the mix, even the wussiest drinkers can find something that works for them.
Step your game up and get some MEZCAL. It’s not sold at many bars, and my Del Maguey Crema had a sweet, smoky burn on the way down. Yum. I’ll be back for the margaritas, and maybe even lunch some time. If Canteen were any more legit, you’d find a worm at the bottom of your glass.

Canteen isn’t a glowing review type of place. One doesn’t gush about Canteen, but one is always grateful for its existence: good food, good happy hour, nice staff. It’s no-​fuss and easy … easily found, easy to get to (walkable from Light Rail) straightforward menu. It’s all sort of under-​the-​radar, in a good way.
By way of Mill Ave. offerings, it’s my happy hour of choice for food, drinks and atmosphere (I like La Bocca too but this is a bit more lively and bar-​like). And kudos for surviving in what should be a prime location when several others could not (which is odd … how hard is it to follow Duck Soup??)
In any case, here’s my pat on the back and «Nice work» for Canteen.

Came here for happy hour the other day with family before the asu basketball game. Yes I said asu even though I hate the devils.lol.
The happy hour menu was really good with $ 4 house margaritas which were really strong. We unlocked a penny shot upon checking in which was good as well. Ordered a variety of items including chicken skewers, steak tostadas, chips and salsa and pork tacos and carne asada tacos. All came out great and was more than enough food for the 4 of us. The service was a little slow at first but I think that was because the server was tied up with another group. After he came around he was great though.
The scene was chill for happy hour with good music playing in the background. It was during the art festival so seating was slammed outside which would have been nice. We sat inside and had a good time though.
I would come back here, especially for the pork tacos! They were my personal favorite. I’ve walked past here on a weekend night and saw that it gets packed! So if you go on a weekend night come early!

This was my second stop on my first tour of Tempe. I came here after I had visited Fat Tuesday around 10 p. m on a Friday night.
I really liked the setup of this place. Plenty of space to move around despite the large crowd, and there’s a nice seating area in the back and on the side. All of the tables were taken unfortunately, but that was expected since there was a lot of people that night (this past Friday).
The music wasn’t too loud so you could have a decent conversation. I showed up here a bit early, so there wasn’t a whole lot of dancing (interesting that the dance floor was semi-​roped off in the middle of the bar) but the music was putting me in the mood to get on the floor.
I didn’t stay too long because when I asked what drink the bartender recommended she made me a margarita which was way too strong for me to down, and the cost made me think I needed to come back here during happy hour and not afterwards ($ 7.50). I drank about half and called it quits. Almost tasted like straight up tequila.
I’ll definitely come back again during happy hour to see what else they have on the menu, both food an alcohol wise. Hopefully they won’t make it as strong as the first time around.

I went on a Saturday around 3:30PM being drawn in by the allure of shade and outdoor misters. All of the front outdoor seats in the shade were already taken so I sat out back, near the bar. The inside décor is very hip and much more urban than I’d expected.
I ordered a trio of mini tacos which were divine and a house margarita. (Ok, make that two margaritas.) I almost fell of the chair when the bill came for a whopping $ 16. Happy hour specials apply even to table seating — not just for those seated at the bar.
My server was chipper as was the manager on duty who went out of their way to point out travel suggestions. Highly recommend!

Street tacos galore here! I’ve been here twice so far. Both times were after a run event down in Tempe, because I live way far way in the NW valley. When I do make it to make it this side of town, I think about this place, because I love street tacos.
Guacamole! You must order this, because it is soooooo– good!
My friend had the Sonoran Margarita with prickly pear juice and I had the Hibiscus Float Margarita. Both are worth trying since they are a bit more unique.
Atmosphere is on the modern side. You have the choice of sitting either high on bar top type tables or very low, on couches with a low center coffee table. I recommend getting a bar top on the patio or even inside if you plan on eating, because you will make a mess of yourself if you try eating on coffee tables! I’ve only been here right when they open at 11am both times I’ve been here, so crowding hasn’t been issue. It’s like having the place to yourself if you come when they open on the weekend, and it’s great, because it’s laid back and you get great service when there’s no people there yet. Even the manager stopped in and checked on us too just to make sure we were happy both visits.
I discovered this place via Phoenix Magazine’s Best. I can’t remember if it was Best Resturants or Bars, but regardless, get guacamole, street tacos, and margaritas here all together at the same time!

I don’t do happy hour anymore so it was nice to just kinda stumble upon this place.
Decent drink specials along with a menu of tasty appetizers.
A few bites of various items on the menu and we were happy campers.
The décor is fabulous. I was wishing they were a little closer to where I live because I would go there more often.
The restrooms were, interesting. I got a chuckle out of passing through the shared washroom but thought it was rather ingenious –less space needed and thus more room to seat more customers. ;-)
Saw even more to appreciate as we were leaving through the patio.
We decided then we would be back.

Oh mill street, you have so many bars to hop but I think this one is the most interesting one. One, because you have a patio and two, there is an awesome firewall outside the patio. Must check it out. And some securities there are pretty funny. That is only if they are cool with you. Hey, remember to check in! They currently have a check in for a free margarita :)

I went for lunch with a large group and the place was pleasantly empty. The décor is very modern and has a comfortable lounge style.
The chips and salsa are a great starter. You get three tasty kinds of salsa: brown, red, and pico de gallo. The tortilla chips are fried perfectly. They are extremely light and crispy.
I tried the steak tostadas. The meat had a food flavor and the tortillas were nice and crunchy. The red jalapeño and fresh cilantro on top brought excitement to each bite.
The dishes are small, but they are are also inexpensive at $ 6 – 10 each. Along with the chips and salsa, I got plenty of food, so portion sizes are only an issue for big eaters. It seems like a great place to share several dishes between everyone.
I would definately go back for the food, but I wonder if this place becomes a standing-​room only drunk fest when it gets busier and later in the evening (if so, no thanks).

I remember back in the day when Mill Avenue was the place to go to eat, party and have a good time. There were movies theaters, plenty of places to grab a drink a bite and do some quick shopping. Well with the development of Tempe Marketplace and the crash of the economy both took their toll on the once beloved street. However some might disagree saying that Mill had lost its college town feel in lieu of a corporate take over. These days most of the corporations are gone and the empty commercial space is being slowly back filled with locally owned businesses, like the new stylish eatery, Canteen Modern Tequila Bar.
Opened by the same owner as my favorite La Bocca Urban Pizzeria, Canteen is located along Mill Avenue across the street from the pizzeria. Inside you’ll find a hip contemporary space tinged with a Mexican rusticity like crushed vintage velvet booths and space age lighting elements. If you love tequila this will probably be your new drinking shrine, Canteen has more than 100 different tequilas to choose from. If you prefer your tequila mixed go for one of their expertly mixed cocktails including the blue agave and orange infused desert prickly pear ($ 6.50), I love a tangy buzz.
In the kitchen pretty much everything is made from scratch on sight, this was apparent after the first bite Mexico City Style Quesadilla ($ 9). Feathery hand formed masa is formed around roasted chicken then crowned with avocado, radish and a spicy tomato coulis. The quesadilla was so light it was like eating corn flavored air. Simple salads like the Grilled Steak with Romaine ($ 10) was adorned with cherry tomatoes, avocado and had just enough chipotle vinaigrette dressing to enhance the fresh produce not mask it.
If you want something with more heft order the Carne Asada Torta ($ 10). At first taste the beefy grilled flavors came bursting through only to meld with the gooey Oaxacan cheese. Pickled red and poblano peppers did an excellent job of cutting though the richness of the sandwich.
Flaky flour tortillas are also made in house and are one of the key components in the varied taco offerings. Fish Tacos ($ 9) were filled with beer battered fillet and fried until crispy and golden; a layer of spicy slaw completes the ensemble. Oh so light and oh so good but the real show stopper was yet to come. You know how much I love pork, so when I was so blown away by the Slow Roasted Achiote Pork Tacos ($ 9) that I actually ordered another plate full of three. The melt on your tongue pork was insanely additive and moist that for just a moment, nothing else existed.
Sweets were limited to only a few options but even then I was hard pressed not to order them all. Rum spiked Raisin and Cinnamon Rice Pudding ($ 6) was warm creamy and made me feel good all over. However the pudding was upstaged but the accompanied sopapillas. These were so warm and puffy; I filled each one with pudding for my own version of a hot pocket. I loved the delightful Trio of ice cream ($ 6) which included Horchata, Avocado Jalapeño and Chile Mango Sorbet. Though what’s not to love, these were all made by our very own Sweet Republic.
I have a feeling if places like Canteen keep opening, the good old days of Mill are just starting to begin.