Last Minute Travel Advice

December 6, 2006 9:17 PM

LastMinuteVacationFilter: Denver/Phoenix/Scottsdale/Tucson

We leave tomorrow night for Denver (staying downtown) and then from Denver on Tuesday for Arizona (staying in Scottsdale). I need recommendations on: pool halls or bars with pool tables, bars with steel tip dart boards, karaoke, public transportation, availability of taxis in downtown areas, good steak houses, good restaurants that are not mexican or tex-mex, and other things worth mentioning.

I have read other threads on Denver and, even though the food may not be good, we're going to Casa Bonita. That's where my 9th birthday party (last one while living in Denver) was. That, and my SO saw it in South Park. We also may be visiting Elway's in Denver.

posted by youngergirl44 to travel & transportation (5 answers total)

In the Phoenix area, I'd recommend two steak houses:

Durant's in downtown Phoenix is a classic Rat Pack-style place, expensive but worth the price. Great martinis, terrific lobster, and the steaks, it should go without saying, are phenomenal.

In Tempe, Monti's La Casa Vieja is somewhat less pricey and less ritzy than Durant's, but has ambience up the yin-yang: the building includes one of the oldest dwellings in Tempe, an adobe house once occupied by the Hayden family (early AZ power players). The food's good, the drinks are strong, and I sometimes dream of the rosemary bread at night. We had our wedding dinner here.
posted by padraigin at 10:00 PM on December 6, 2006

Casa Bonita is a trip. You're absolutely right to go. As far as steak's concerned, check out The Buckhorn Exchange. It will compliment Casa Bonita nicely.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 10:46 PM on December 6, 2006

This ask thread of mine about Tempe was quite helpful
posted by saraswati at 11:01 PM on December 6, 2006

Err. More specifically to your question, this comment
posted by saraswati at 11:03 PM on December 6, 2006

Mastro's in North Scottsdale is the best steakhouse I've ever been too. And I really like steak.

Drinkwater's City Hall Steakhouse near downtown Scottsdale is owned by the same people and I hear it's good too. But I'd still go to the original.
posted by mullacc at 12:24 AM on December 7, 2006