Home for the Holidays... and In Need of Help!

December 24, 2011 10:00 AM

In Phoenix, Arizona (and surrounding areas) for the holidays and have two questions for locals re late-night drinking and karaoke...

(a) I'm picking a friend up at Sky Harbor airport on Monday around 11:30 p.m. - anywhere in downtown Phoenix/Tempe/Scottsdale/west Mesa where we could get a drink on midnight on Monday? Bonus points for cool environment/cocktails/etc.

(b) I'd like to do karaoke with some friends on Wednesday or Thursday night. My preference is private room karaoke, but I'm also up for open mic karaoke. Any suggestions for places in downtown Phoenix/Tempe/Scottsdale/west Mesa? Does private room karaoke exist in AZ?

Thanks and happy holidays!

posted by slide to Travel & Transportation around Phoenix, AZ (6 answers total)

Best answer: Friends recently raved about the brand new speakeasy Citizen R+D.
posted by kathryn at 11:12 AM on December 24, 2011

Best answer: I once attended a bachelorette party at a cocktail/sushi place in Scottsdale called Geisha-a-Go-Go, which offered private-room karaoke. I recall one of the more popular rooms featured a stripper pole.
posted by turbomellow at 11:37 AM on December 24, 2011

Best answer: A few places in downtown Phoenix for Monday:

Bikini Lounge (tiki/dive bar)
Rips and Hidden House (dive bars)
The Lost Leaf (beer and wine, but has an art gallery)
Sidebar (I've heard good things, but have never been)
Kobalt (gay bar, laid back, has a nice patio)
George & Dragon (Irish pub)
posted by lemonwheel at 3:39 PM on December 24, 2011

Best answer: George and Dragon is definitely more English-inspired than Irish-inspired, if you're the sort of person that makes a difference to. If you want decently Irish, try Robbie Fox's in Tempe (usually filled with drunk undergrads, but they're all gone for the season, your gain). Also seconding Lost Leaf, or, if you're in a slightly more hipster-y mood or want some good food to go with your booze, Carly's (2nd St and Roosevelt, nearish Lost Leaf).
posted by Alterscape at 6:19 AM on December 25, 2011

You're right, Alterscape, thanks for the correction.
posted by lemonwheel at 10:35 AM on December 25, 2011

Response by poster: All wonderful suggestions, Citizen R&D is exactly my sort of place (though not open on Mondays so missed that aspect of the question), Sidebar is where we went late Monday night, and I tried several of the other places over the next week. And bravo re the Geisha-a-Go-Go recommendation - was great to discover private room karaoke in AZ and with stripper poles too (though we used a smaller room). Looking forward to trying the remaining places next year.
posted by slide at 4:45 PM on January 7, 2012