While I'm a planner, I recognize the joy of a good dose of spontaneity every now and then. I…read morestopped by Unicorn Zebra on a Tuesday evening. Located downtown, this unique bar is inside a boutique hotel. Since it's downtown, street parking is your best bet (free at night). Ambiance (4.5/5): This is part of where Unicorn Zebra shines. Definite animal theme going with some cool status and decor. It's modern, trendy, and a little out there. Which makes for a cool experience. The main bar is relatively small. 10 seats or so at the bar and a couple of tables. What you won't immediately realize is that if you go up the stairs in the lobby of the hotel, you'll get to a second level of the bar. This is more of a lounge with comfortable seating and board games. I got to enjoy both. Service (4/5): Two bartenders were working, even though it's a small bar, which is always appreciated. I ordered one cocktail. I was greeted promptly, my order was taken quickly, prepared, and she ended up closing me out without me asking since they were closing soon. Solid overall. Food (N/A): I had dinner prior to stopping by. I didn't notice whether they offer food or not. Drinks (5/5): I have a lot of cocktails in my day (typing this with my chest puffed out). After many years of visiting countless watering holes, I will say that Unicorn Zebra has one of the most unique cocktails I've tried in my life. It was so out there that I was unsure whether or not I should try it. I even asked the bartender about it. I'm happy I took the plunge. Let me paint a picture for you. Vodka infused with basil, buffalo mozzarella, and tomatoes. Served with two cherry tomatoes as garnishes... yup! If it sounds disgusting to you, just trust me. It tastes like a Margherita pizza in liquid form. So glad I tried it as it was hands down not only unique, but one of the best cocktails I've ever sipped on. Thank you Unicorn Zebra for a memorable experience!

The decor, overall vibe, and drink menu are really fun, but the bartender we had kind of killed the…read moreexperience. We'd heard good things about this place and have been trying to support local downtown bars this summer, so we stopped in around 11 on a Friday night before heading home. As we sat down, we watched the bartender be pretty dismissive toward another group at the bar, so we were already a little unsure. We started talking about the decor because we liked the eclectic vibe. We jokingly pointed out that one of the pictures had a joint instead of a cigarette because someone in our group hadn't noticed. One of the bartender's first comments back, completely seriously, was, "I'm from San Diego. Have you never seen art before?" Honestly... what? It was such a weird, unnecessarily condescending response. I brushed it off at first as awkward banter, but it was a really strange first impression. The drinks were decent. The Loverlist was really good, and the Unicorn Fluff and Old Fashioned were fine. The bartender was quick to talk up their whiskey selection, but when we asked for a recommendation, she mostly gave reasons why she couldn't recommend anything and just kept saying they had "over 90 different options." Without a whiskey menu to look through, that wasn't especially helpful. We also asked for a shooter and were offered half of a cocktail instead. That would've been totally fine on its own, but combined with everything else, the service just never felt welcoming. We ended up leaving pretty quickly. I'd give the place another shot because the atmosphere is fun and has a lot of potential, but hopefully with a different bartender behind the bar.

Always a fun place with good drinks. The drinks are not crazy expensive but the service here is…read moretypically very poor and the bathroom line is always at least 20 minutes. Other than that it's super fun and a great place to dance to crappy pop music

I don't understand why there's a cover charge just to get into a bar where you're then expected to…read morepay extremely high prices for beer and mixed drinks. The bar itself feels a bit run-down and not very clean, and the employees didn't seem very friendly--or at least didn't appear to be enjoying their jobs. The one standout is the unique statue out front, which was procured from Magic Carpet on Speedway, a once super-cool putt-putt golf course. Unfortunately, that novelty alone isn't enough to make up for the overall experience.

Such a cool concept and so well executed! Tucked away downstairs and guarded with its own garage…read moredoor, prihibicion has a fun and modern speakeasy vibe. Our group had a blast with custom drinks that suit our tastes! Only disappointments were with slower service after our first round of drinks and music slightly too loud. Would have loved more of a sit and chat vibe vs the club atmosphere, but won't keep me from coming back!

Celebrated my birthday at this speakeasy and what a vibe! Authentic, vintage and really intimate…read more We were greeted with a citrusy welcome shot that was delicious. The cocktails take a little time because they're created based on your mood. I told our server I wanted warm winter vibes with earthy tones, and the drink they made was incredible, exotic and exactly what I described. Ordering with our server was honestly the highlight of the evening. Happy birthday to me! Perfect spot for a special night or date night if you want something unique. One note, the bathroom could use a little attention.

Always finding a great spot to enjoy a great cocktail that someone with the right mindset and…read morekindness make it worth paying the cost if the cocktail.Enjoy the chill of this establishment.

This is one of the best places I've been in a while here. The vibe is chill chic. This is a place…read morefor grown ups who just want to be out with some friends to have a cocktail or mocktail and be able to have conversations on a comfy couch or chair. There were too many cocktails that sounded delicious so I opted for wine. The bartender asked if I was going to have a cocktail what kind would I get. He then made a very good cocktail and was correct that I'd like it more than the wine.

Amazing bar! Great food options with friendly staff. Plenty of seating and good people watching!read more

The Boxyard is a favorite hub for friends near and far to convene when we find ourselves back in…read moreTucson. We love the variety of food options and quick service bar. However, this weekend was the last time we will be patrons. We were sitting on a patio table and night with a giant umbrella blocking half the table. We took the umbrella and rested it against the wall. An employee came and silently started putting it back on the table. We asked if there was something that could be done so we could see each other. He gave us a nasty look and said "I'm going to put it back right where it belongs". He then proceeded to open the umbrella with no warning. The umbrella hit two of the women in our party and left marks. He then stopped, looked at us, and said "are you happy now?" We left soon after. This individual was a male wearing a black hat and had a black beard. If you do find yourself back at the boxyard, I would be aware of this individual. I would like to add that the majority of our party was sober, and nobody was drunk. We are not hopeful justice will be served. We are, however, glad to have had some delicious cocktails despite the circumstances.

When you think of Tucson, you think great Sonoran food and spicy margaritas, but Revel is a…read moredelightful surprise tucked just off 4th Avenue right near the University. With a cool vibe and a refreshing mix of domestic and European pours - there is something for everyone. Not normally a fan of Rose, I was enticed (rightly so) to try a wine made locally in Patagonia AZ - delish! They also have a lovely selection of cheeses, meats and other nibbles to build your own charcuterie board - so fun! This is a great place for a post-work meetup with girlfriends or as a date night before visiting the Tucson Improv Movement next door!

I've been a regular here, so tonight especially disappointed me. The wine and ambiance are solid,…read morebut the service was inexcusable. We ordered four simple items (cheese, pickles, olives, bread) and waited over an hour without a word. When we finally asked where our food was, the bartender admitted he hadn't even started it and asked if we still wanted it. We took just the cheese to cut our losses. He comped the cheese. We paid full price for the wine we'd been sitting with the whole time. This place has goodwill to burn through. They're burning it. Won't be back.

Cool speakeasy with reasonable cocktail prices!…read more The vibe is cool and easy to find a seat for groups. I definitely want to come back to try more of the drinks. The hours is very confusing for this place though. I've tried multiple times to come and found out they were closed. So maybe try calling to make sure they're open before coming?

The self-appointed king of speakeasies is back at it with another one. On a trip to Tucson, I…read morestopped by Tough Luck Club for a drink or two on a Tuesday evening. Located downtown, your best bet is finding some street parking (which is free after a certain hour). Ambiance (3.5/5): Hint hint: Tough Luck Club is located in the basement of Reilly's Craft Pizza. Since Reilly is so large, it's not easy to find. Go through the restaurant, get on the patio, and look for a stairwell. Once you get down there, you'll see several seats at the bar and some booths. I sat at one of the booths. Service (4/5): You order at the bar. Since it was a Tuesday, I was alone for part of my visit and there with a handful of people for the rest. I had to grab the bartender's attention several times, but when I was able to get ahold of him, he was friendly and efficient. Food (N/A): I had dinner prior and I don't believe they have food anyways. You can order food at Reilly's though and bring it down yourself. Drinks (4/5): When I'm at a speakeasy, I look for a creative list of craft cocktails that have interesting flavor profiles and ingredients. Tough Luck Club has a nice menu which gives a solid description of each one. The sophistication isn't quite there but they're fun. One is Game of Thrones-themed. One is kind of like a snow cone with flavored ice on top. Fun for sure. There are a good number of speakeasies in downtown Tucson. Glad I was able to cross this one off the list!

I'd give The Owls Club 10 stars if I could…read more This is a true gem in Tucson. Historic, moody, sophisticated vibes with live music and a setting that feels like you stepped into another era. Fun fact, it used to be a mortuary which honestly adds to the whole slightly eerie, beautifully atmospheric charm in the best way. Why did it take me so long to get here?! Drinks aren't cheap but they are absolutely worth it. I had a non alcoholic drink that was divine and honestly didn't feel like an afterthought at all. So many little nooks to explore, but the courtyard under the palm trees was my favorite. On this visit, with moonlight, vintage architecture, and soft ambient lighting, it just felt unreal. All I could think was this is the perfect place for events, gatherings, or just lingering a little too long because you don't want the night to end.

*Visiting the Owls Club is an experience... for one it's in a former funeral home. Equally…read moreimportant, stellar drink menu. * Expect a intimate and macabre-ish vibe indoors- pews for seats, long corridors and party vibes outdoors with live music at times *Excellently curated drink menu and even more impressive bartenders who not only makes these drinks from memory but also are able to keep the orders and drinks flowing * Order at the bar and seat yourself indoors or outdoors... it gets busy and so you will need to speak up to get the attention of the very busy bartenders... also speaking up doesn't mean being rude to others also patiently waiting for their drinks *Gets super busy as the night progresses * Tip well and return... too many cool cocktails to not try

Went to a cute little festival and wanted to sit and have a nice cold drink with family. This place…read moreis nice and spacious and very clean. They have a happy hour menu and looks like they occasionally have trivia nights! I got the cactus Paloma and it was delicious!

Tap & Bottle reminded me so much of our own Bottlecraft back home in San Diego. In fact, the people…read morethere knew Bottlecraft and loved it too, which immediately made us feel right at home. They have great happy hour deals, a solid selection of snacks to enjoy with your drinks, and plenty of bar seating with TVs if you want to catch a game. The beer selection is impressive, with lots of local Arizona beers, beers from around the country, and even some familiar favorites from the San Diego craft beer scene. The bartender was incredibly friendly and gave us some great recommendations for local breweries to check out during our trip. Parking was easy, the atmosphere was relaxed, and it felt like the perfect spot for happy hour, catching up with friends, or any casual hang. A great Tucson stop for craft beer lovers and a place we'd definitely come back to.

Nice hangout spot with a cute lounge downstairs, but more notably, an eventful rooftop club space…read more What I love: Catching entertainment upstairs, especially during the day. When it's not too hot out (and lets be honest, I persevere even in the summer) I've really enjoyed watching drag shows, or even stumbling onto daytime dance parties. You can try coming here late at night, but it's a totally difference scene and a really long line. Still fun! What I like: I like the idea of having an actual brunch here, even though I haven't tried the food yet. I'm just glad it's an option here. What needs work: Don't bother getting cocktails, just keep it simple.

Horrible experience Kevin at the door claimed myself and my friend were intoxicated when we were…read morenot after asking him which line we needed to enter the other guy bald tall was disrespectful I felt like I was being harassed don't come here it's nasty the windows are dirty and so are the security