I love Wicked Rain so much, makes me want to return quickly to sample their fine fare, especially…read morethe clam chowder bread bowl. Self-Service seems like a good fit for the place, in spite of wait staff picking up the slack after the initial order he's placed at the cashier. I also enjoy the open air and semi-closed environment Wicked Rain offers.

Excellent experience at Wicked Rain! My husband is from the PNW and has lived in AZ for a few…read moredecades so this was such a nice place to hang. Nice mix of PNW and local AZ brews. Lots of ciders, too! Place is casual, chill and nice service. We ordered some beers and marionberry BBQ wings on happy hour-- these were SO GOOD. Nicely glazed, huge, with great flavor. Absolutely recommend! We also got an order of chicken teriyaki-- this was also excellent! Nicely charred with a tasty, spicy sauce. The rice was also super high quality. I was very impressed by both our food orders and the beer itself. Would absolutely return! I have my eyes on the mac and cheese next time.

Yo this place was fire! It was a pretty small indoor place but really enjoyed the vibes in there. I…read moretold the bartender it was my first time there let him know what kinda beers i enjoy and he let me taste some recommendations before i set on a drink! the whole experience felt super great! nothing worse than getting a beer you don't even like so i super appreciated it!! would definitely come back for some delicious brews ! ps THEY HAVE A WATER STATION!! and the bathroom looks cool lol

With a name like Chupacabra Taproom, I couldn't say no. I attended a concert at the Mesa Arts…read moreCenter on a Tuesday evening. I was looking for a bar that was open late close to the venue. Chupacabra was open, was a three-minute drive, and had excellent reviews. So my decision was made. I parked on the street for free a minute away on foot. Ambiance (3.5/5): Pretty much your typical beer bar. Relatively small inside, but they also have a patio out front with picnic style seating. Casual. My type of bar. My only complaint? I hate picnic style seating because it doesn't give you back support. Which made me want to avoid the patio. Service (5/5): Super friendly service. The guy working the bar did a great job. I ordered one beer and called it a night. A seamless experience from beginning to end. They also have complimentary water in a water cooler, which is always a nice ou Food (N/A): I read they have food trucks, but I didn't see any when I visited. I had dinner prior anyway. Drinks (4.5/5): I love trying new beers and Chupacabra has an excellent selection. They have a rotating screen above the bar. Some interesting brews, ranging from local craft brews to quality European beers. This is not the type of place that has your typical assortment of mediocre beers. You'll find a lot better here. Overall, a cool spot in downtown Mesa. I'd definitely return the next time I'm in the neighborhood!

I am a big fan of Level 1 Arcade in Mesa. Alchemy 48 is a speakeasy that is located in the basement…read morebehind Level 1 Arcade Bar in Downtown Mesa. In order to enter you will need to see the staff at the back patio and descend down the staircase behind Level 1. You must solve a brief riddle to reveal the entrance. A group of us hung out at Level 1 recently and had a fun time checking out Alchemy 48 afterwards. The bar offers a unique experience with decor that transports visitors back to 1920s Prohibition era. Alchemy 48 has purple velvet walls, unique lighting, creepy wall pictures and a fireplace at the center. The staff is dressed in authentic speakeasy-era attire. There is live music on occasions. There are several cocktail drinks like the Alchemy R N' R, The Peacock, Old Fashioned, Dark Arts Black Manhattan and the Rittenhouse Rye, For food, patrons can sample a charcuterie boards and other light snacks. I love the vibe here and enjoyed a fun evening out with friends for my first visit here.

We're big fans of speakeasies, so we were excited to try this one out--especially since it's just a…read morefew blocks from home. Unfortunately, it ended up being a letdown. The place was less than half full when we walked in. The hostess was friendly, and we were seated at the bar. That's where the experience started going downhill. Several bartenders were working, yet not one acknowledged us not a greeting, not eye contact for an uncomfortably long time. I get it if you're busy, but common courtesy like "we'll be right with you" takes two seconds. Basic hospitality shouldn't be optional in a service job, especially at a place trying to position itself as "upscale." When we were finally able to place our drink order, we waited even longer. It got to the point where we were about to cancel altogether. The only reason our drinks even got made is because a customer of one of the bartenders sat down next to us and suddenly, all of our drinks were made at the same time. So if you know the staff, apparently you won't be waiting. My Old Fashioned was mediocre at best. Unbalanced and not worth the time or price. After last call, the bartenders vanished to close out tables, leaving us stranded and still waiting to pay. We had no intention of camping out for over an hour for a single round. I eventually had to get up and track someone down just to close out the tab. This place has potential, but the service was indifferent at best, borderline neglectful at worst. If you're going to charge premium prices and sell a curated experience, you actually have to deliver one.

Amazing visit from start to finish. My husband and I taste…read moretested multiple items. From the moment we sat down, the vibe was right, relaxed ambience, comfortable setting, and the kind of place where you can actually unwind and enjoy your meal without being rushed. The environment just feels good. Our waitress was awesome, attentive, friendly, and kept everything flowing without hovering. That kind of service makes all the difference and she nailed it. Now the food. Let me start with the real star of the show, the Cheesy Mashed Potato Balls. Golden, perfectly crispy panko crust on the outside, and when you bite in? Creamy mashed potato loaded with gooey melted cheese that literally stretches. Paired with that smooth cheese dipping sauce, these are dangerously addictive. I'd order a double next time without hesitation. The wings were incredible, and yes, I taste tested both the Garlic Parmesan AND the BBQ. The Garlic Parm had that rich, savory coating with a beautiful caramelized char. The BBQ brought a sweet, smoky glaze that had me licking my fingers. Both were meaty, juicy, and fall-off-the-bone tender. Honestly couldn't pick a favorite, you need both. I also grabbed a burger on a pretzel bun with bacon and sweet potato fries, stacked high, messy in the best way, and the pretzel bun held up like a champ. The Hub has that classic neighborhood grill vibe with quality that punches above its weight. Delicious food, generous portions, great service, and a relaxing spot to kick back. Will absolutely be back. Pro tip: Don't sleep on those mashed potato balls. Order them first. And get both wing flavors, thank me later.

Met with friends here yesterday. I have been here before but never ate. Today was a surprise as we…read moredecided to order two lbs of smoked chicken wings. They were absolutely out of this world and I highly recommend them. The service was excellent but the ambiance was that of a typical new age bar with little character.

What can I say about this place that hasn't already been said time and time again? Everything from…read morethe service to the ambiance is top-notch. Of course, this place is known for its cocktails, so naturally they should be great--but trust me, I've been to several cocktail-only establishments that were lackluster. Absolutely NOT the case here. You could literally put all the pages of the menu on a wall, throw a dart, and whatever you hit would be delicious and interesting in its own right. The place is a little small, but honestly, that's what I love about it. It feels cozy in all the right ways. It's also very relaxing, floating along the sea with some delightful surprises here and there. We ordered several drinks, but one that's not on the menu (and they do make it) is the Pearl Diver, which is magnificent here. The mixologists and servers are all amazing and should be proud of themselves for bringing such an experience to Gilbert.

We've been trying to get into Undertow for a year now and I've never quite been able to get in…read moreuntil last night. We were waiting for dinner at Buck and Rider and went next-door to see if we could get a drink while waiting. The host greeted us nicely and said that as long as we could be gone within 45 minutes that they would love to welcome us in since they had other reservations, but that worked out perfect because like I said we were waiting for our table next-door anyway. It is small but decorated beautifully thankfully there are no steps because it is dark and you kind of feel a little lost as you're walking through but the ambience is very cool. It feels like just tropical and lush all around you. We were seated at a two top along the wall, which seemed like a small space however, it had a really cool cut out window with a moving landscape of water and an island that through the course of the time as we were sitting there, changed to a storm and then cleared it up again it was just really beautiful visually and didn't feel so closed in. The menu was a large variety of cocktails obviously you need to like rum and bourbon and all of the things that pirates and island feels give. Our server made some suggestions. We ordered two different drink drinks. The first was the macadamia nut piña colada I think we are expecting a little more coconut flavor to this drink however, it was very delicious. Definitely strong. The other was actually our server suggestion that had peaked my interest because it had guava in it and that was called off the grid. It was delicious. It was perfectly balanced with sweet and sour lemon, pineapple guava with bourbon and other flavors. On our way out, I did hit the restroom. They have two neutral bathrooms. It was large. It was very clean, decorated beautifully like the rest of the restaurant. All in all a great way to start the night.

So glad I stopped by! It wasn't on my list of speakeasies as this was a bit far from where I was…read morestaying. But a friend wanted to meet for food around the area and this spit popped up on Yelp. It didn't disappoint! I was skeptical at first as having a sign posted at the sidewalk and a bouncer outside the stairs going down, was a sheer sign that this isn't such a secret and speakeasy-like spot. But I was proven wrong very quickly. Dre who was the bouncer and I'd much rather call Drayden, is young but friendly. The hall leading down to the entrance was well decorated. It's hard to miss the door when you can hear people on the other side :). Hostess was nice. Alex immediately introduced himself from behind the bar as I sat down, and Meagan was the main bartender this night. They were both a wealth of knowledge when it came to cocktails. I really wasn't expecting too much but the two drinks I ordered were a solid 5/5. I had the silk bandit and the untold legacy. I like sweet drinks this way. It wasn't too sweet. All the flavors were well balanced and well thought out. They also had a girl singing tonight and she was amazing!!! Thanks for a nice relaxing night. Service was a 5/5 and I'd definitely come back if I'm in the area.

As the self appointed king of speakeasies, I'm back at it with another one. This time was checking…read moreout a speakeasy located in the heart of downtown Gilbert on a Friday evening at 9 p.m. I parked for free on the street before making my way to The White Rabbit. There are some things I really love about The White Rabbit and some that I didn't. Ambiance (3/5): When I think of a speakeasy, I think intimate. The White Rabbit is not that. It's pretty large for a speakeasy with a large bar and a good number of tables/booths. They weren't at capacity while I was there, but there were a good number of people there. Which made it pretty loud. To the point where you have to yell at your bartender when ordering your drink so they can hear you. Perhaps a much different experience on a week day. Getting in the speakeasy was both a hit and a miss. If you're subscribed to their email list, as I am, you get a different password every month. I was excited about this. Upon approaching The White Rabbit, I saw a sign naming the establishment and pointing me in the right direction. This takes away from the spirit of speakeasies which are supposed to be truly hidden without any signage identifying the restaurant. You'll see a velvet rope blocking a stairwell where you tell one of the bouncers the password. I had a reservation. If you don't know the password, as another party there didn't, they ask you to access a QR code to find out or ask others who are waiting. I appreciated the dedication to the cause. Once you get in, you walk down the stairwell, and then enter a cool hallway decked out with Prohibition-style decor. That leads you into the main room. The main room is also Prohibition-style though a bit unremarkable. The bathrooms are clean and also feature some cool paintings (and they also hide that they are actual bathrooms). With that being said, when I liked the hallway and the bathrooms better than the bar itself, that's a bit of an issue. Seats at the bar are bar stools without back support. Never fun for my old man back. I did, on the other hand, appreciate that they have free WiFi. Service (3.5/5): The service was generally pretty good, though a bit slow. They start you off with some water without asking you which is always a nice touch. It was just one of those situations where you have to put some effort into getting a bartender's attention on several occasions. Food (N/A): I had dinner prior so no food for me. I did check out the menu. They have a small selection of appetizers, flatbreads, and desserts. Drinks (3/5): When I'm at a speakeasy, I'm looking for creativity and an interesting blend of ingredients and flavors. While The White Rabbit has a good number of cocktails, many of them didn't attract me. Part of it is a matter of personal preference. There were only two drinks out of about 20 that I was interested in. Overall, I wanted a little more, but with that being said, the drinks were reasonably priced for a speakeasy. Not a bad speakeasy by any means, I have super high standards when it comes to these watering holes. Just not in my top five when it comes to speakeasies in Phoenix and surrounding areas.

Great little whole in the wall good craft beer service is awesome and the ambiance is clean and openread more

I was out running errands on a Wednesday night and was in the mood for a good cheesesteak. Decided…read moreto pull out my phone. and instead of using Yelp, I actually just punched cheesesteak into Waze, and what do you know?! I ended up finding the cheesesteak joint. This is actually a food truck, which is parked on the side of the Tipsy Catcus, which is a really cool brewery I also checked out while I was waiting for my order. This is a really chill brewery, and not a huge spot. Maybe 8 to 10 high top tables with bar seating, and a mostly open floor plan. They have a small patio too, with what looks like about another tables but because I visited at night, nobody was outside. They also seem to be extremely dog friendly as they had one table with a really chill cocker spaniel completely laid out on his side in the middle of the floor. I'm not sure how many taps they had in total, but definitely more than 40 I would say. I'm not a big beer drinker, so I ordered a cider. The cider I was served was on tap and really tasty. And it definitely hit the spot of terms of price point. One thing to note, while I was talking to the owner/manager of the tipsy cactus (shout to him because he was really cool), he told me that Friday night and Saturday nights are usually popping so I wouldn't expect to be first in line on any of those nights. It also looks like they rotate food trucks on different nights, so don't assume that the cheesesteak truck is going to be here every night. I would check the tipsy cactus website, or Instagram page to be sure. I'll definitely be looking forward to checking this place out again in the future, especially if I'm hitting one of the food trucks parked outside.

The best bar in Mesa. Staff is TOP TIER. very friendly open welcoming environment. 10/10 highly…read morerecommend. Also shoutout to Kristel for being the GOAT bar tender.

Ashley and Chrystal are the freaking best along with Shawn the show!!! The best crew on a Friday…read moreand Saturday night.

Great food,great service ! Our server carry is so professional and made our dinner experience…read moreawesome.We will definitely be back !.

Great lunch. Like the atmosphere, menu and service. Our waitress, Dominque, was outstanding. Food…read morewas very tasty. Highly recommend Bobby-Qs

So much drugs gets dealt out of this place. It's terrible and the staff don't care. Would not…read morerecommend going there unless you are trying to score drugs.

It's a true all American dive bar. I don't think it gets much more divey than this. No actual food…read morewhich is to be expected unless you want toaster oven food. The staff is pretty friendly and attentive. Love that they have pull tabs. Tends to stay a bit dead most days I feel. I think having some sort of "special" or happy hour would draw in a better crowd. Even as simple as having a rotation of preset mixed shot list at a set price that changes weekly would be nice. The bar just really doesn't do anything like a traditional dive bar. It's missing its "touch" like most have. More on the boring side. Costume days and potlucks aren't really for a bar scene those are for Halloween and Corporate America.