I went here for karaoke a couple of times. The mics don't really work and the DJ likes to hog the show by getting on stage for almost everyone's song (no matter how well they're doing), but the singing is intensely good, the bar has a good vibe, and the prices are good. I think they fog I'd definitely recommend it but would warn people that the singing is way better than at other karaoke bars and they won't really get their chance to shine (or sink, haha) because nine times out of 10 they'll be sharing the stage with the DJ. read more

I love this venue/bar is so cute and the staff is so friendly! Plan on going back soon for Follies!

There is no place like Kobalt. Since the day it opened, I've always felt at home here. From the staff to just the all around feel of this place is what makes it. Don't let it's location in Park Central Mall fool you. I know it seems like a strange place to have a bar, but it just seems to work. Plus you never have to worry about parking. The staff here are what make this place special. Friendly, engaging and they make a great drink. That's for the great times! read more

Kobalt - Great time with friends. - Karaoke Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I'm visiting the area so I don't know what this bar is typically like, but on a late Sunday evening it was fairly quiet -- no more than a dozen or so people here. They all seemed to know one another and they all seemed to be regulars for their karaoke night. The first person I heard was, shall we say, not a particularly good singer. After that, though, was surprised at the vocal talent on display here. Not everyone was rave worthy, but several of these people had voices as good as any I've heard at other bars with karaoke nights or piano bars where people can sing along with the pianist. I don't know whether we just arrived too late for the place to be busy (we got here around midnight) or whether it's just a quiet bar, at least on Sunday nights. If one is looking to mingle with a large number of people, this wouldn't be the place if my visit was typical. But the crowd obviously is friendly with one another so I imagine that if one became a regular one could fall into the group of these patrons quite easily as even the not-so-good vocalists were obviously well known and appreciated by the very good singers. read more

Bartenders are fantastic....guaranteed with the opening of the apartments parking will become more of a nightmare than it already is. Karaoke on saturdays NEVER start on time courtesy of the inconsiderate drag show that occurs immediately beforehand and despite their wide advertisement that it starts at 9 pm. Too many straight people (yall have your own bars....these are places for us to actually be safe being who we are) read more

Great atmosphere, great bartenders. Walked in new and was welcomed . Drink were spectacular! Definitely recommend!

went back to Kobalt last Thursday for Trivia night and I'm telling you this place is a blast. Trivia cost $5 per team. Bring 5 people on your team you guys only put in $1 each. You can win over $100 The questions were hard, I didn't know the answers to any of them, haha good thing I didn't get on a team. Had a $3 mojito though, so good. love this place read more

My post is mostly for visitors to PHX who need help to find it. I looked at all sort of maps online but still could not figure out where to find it. Glad I persisted because I had a nice time when there. First thing you need to know is that Park Central is the big area where it is located. It is not a parking garage. Next, once you arrive parking is bountiful and just outside the patio and door. Another thing is that the entrance does not face onto Central. The light rail is in the center of Central as well. The bar is located on the side of Central that basically heads toward downtown PHX. If you take Osborn, make a right onto Central and it is about halfway between Osborn and Thomas on your right. Turn into the lot and you are there! Now comes the fun. Great drink prices and bartenders Jesus and Ricki make you feel right at home. There is a big patio out front with tables and the bar and seating inside. Seems karaoke is the game 5 nts a week. From the looks of the people coming in to sing, there must be great talent. Well worth a stop and so easy once you find it you will go again! read more

If you're looking for hospitality this is not the place. Half ass cocktails and cold environment.

I'm not really into the bar scene, but my friend Sage was in town so we went there last night. They have good drink specials and free pop corn. I was also able to surf the net because they have free wi-fi. The staff was nice and the crowd was was laid back. Great bar for hanging out. We met his friend Billy here and he bought us drinks. Wasn't that nice? read more

Love love love this place!! Such a great atmosphere, great drinks at a very reasonable price, and friendly bartenders!

It's a great safe atmosphere for fun. Aaron was a great MC. While not everyone needs to sing, grab a beverage, find the courage and sing. Great place for people watching too and a relaxed environment. read more

I went with friends to a Saturday show and not only was it phenomenal but the service was amazing! 100% recommend!!

I WAS going to give this place 4 stars, but the crazy bartender demoted Kobalt to 1. I came for the Drag Bingo and encouraged all my friends to come too and join me next time. Nevermind. Ok... Guess nevermind that. We came in, got ids checked, bartender said it was all good, got my drink, played bingo and was laughing. Bartender asked if we wanted more drinks and I said I'll think of something. Everything was fine. Not 5 minutes later I say ok I know what I want and he's like no can't serve you. I ask why, he replies you're not sober. I inform him I've only had half a drink and he's like yea but I can tell with your eyes I don't know what you did before this. Ok so... What happened in 5 minutes? And what about the first drink? I wasn't on drugs and I was not drunk. Not in the slightest. I walked a straight line touching my nose, touched my toes and walked out and everything. I don't know if it's because I'm female, attractive lipstick female... Black or what. Mind you we're the only 2 people there - and I'm trying to give them my money. 2 guys came in and got the friendliest greeting. Is that Kobalts way of saying lipsticks are not allowed? Or is this bartender lazy or what? Eff him. Eff Kobalt. I was President of My own GSA and I do NOT feel safe here. Discrimination at it's finest. Good job on being hypocritical guys! read more

Just just over a week ago I attended a service for Del Frolich who passed away. This bar would've normally been extremely dead on a Saturday until well into the evening. However, there must've been over 200 friends of Del in attendance. Del enjoyed many bars, and this could've been held at any other bar and the owners would have been supportive and not price gouged those in attendance for the celebration of life The owner Jeff was not doing anything out of the ordinary in hosting and was taking advantage financially of a captive group. Our first round of beers domestic beers were four dollars each at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Then they went up to five dollars each less than an hour later. This place is an utter rip off, and it was a disgrace that the owner could've not given happy hour prices for this type of occasion. So sad that greed got in the way. This review will not impact Jeff at all as you can see he doesn't respond to any of the reviews good or bad. We won't be supporting this place again. Funny thing is that he goes to bar 1 for their 2-4-1 #BoycottKobalt read more

Waited 15 minutes to order, only ordered a single beer which took another 20 minutes to get. Was I formed there was only 1 person working at the moment which was a surprising to hear. My friend was given the wrong credit card and immediately made it known and ultimately had to find the rightful owner himself who I turn got the wrong card back. Incorrect drinks, I ordered a beer and received a vodka soda. So much disorganization at a place that had so much potential. I never tried to correct my drink order and my group was trying to understand but the service was rude and not a pleasant experience. Going to consider this an off day and revisit in the future. read more

A friend and I went for brunch. We had margaritas, a mango drink, and a Bloody Mary. The first round of the mango drink and Bloody Mary were amazing! When we got a second round of the Bloody Mary and mango drink, they were nothing like the first round. They tasted awful. The Bloody Mary was two-toned. The Bloody Mary mix was at the bottom and the top was clear. The mango drink just was just boozy. We brought the stark contrast in quality to the waitress's attention. She told us it was because the bar was busy. I just am concerned with a bar if the quality of its drinks tanks when they get busy. There needs to be consistency. If you want good drinks, please go when they're slow. Otherwise the staff was friendly and we had fun. read more

So far this an Sazerac are the only bars worth going more than once. Crowd totally different than the unkept crowds we've seen on our first year here in phoenix. read more

Ended up here last weekend with a bunch of friends and my hsuband. I been here before when we were just dating. Its divey but you always know what your going to get here. I just wish there were closer gay bars nearby to have a bar hop night and just walk to 2-4 bars nearby spendin money. I miss that in San Francisco, how close all the thins were. read more

A chill spot to hangout and have a few drinks while enjoying AZ. Was kinda hard to find the spot, but the atmosphere was super relax. Drinks were good. read more

Pro: Labor Day drag show--fun! First, the bartender was fast and really nice to answer questions--he gives good service. This would be a fun place to drink in for gay or straight people as it isn't super crowded I'm guessing normally--and the service is really great. No food here, but they do have popcorn if you wish to partake. This is a nice, little bar. Drink prices were pretty average, too. Con: None of us attending are gay that I know of, but when we walked out some guy commented, "just some blue hairs." That was disappointing as a decidedly gay friendly person. Also, I had about $12 in my purse, get home and no cash. So, where did the money go? I NEVER pay with cash, I did not watch my purse at the bar...so, did someone at the bar take it? Would have to be a dancer taking it from my hand and me not paying attention...my bad but his greed....but disappointing anyway. Only other con was the lack of food, but there are 3 fast food places just around the corner which you can bring in the bar and eat. read more

Been almost 10 years since I've been here, classy lil place snuck way in the back of a strip mall (noise ordinance I presume). Brought a friend here for the 1st time visiting for his bday and he seemed to like it except for the noisy karaoke going on. Not many customers on a Sat night though. No specials but drink prices were not bad at all for being regular prices (9.50 for 2 drinks) which is happy hour pricing at some places. read more

Let's go!! Awesome bartender ;). I can write reviews now and this is my first one and I am so excited to be able to share this place. Primarily a gay bar but as a lesbian you'll still have a lot of fun. If this gets Unrecommended I will be very upset but it is what is is... this bar rocks!!! read more

We go to Kobalt for karaoke on Wednesdays. YoYo does a great job keeping the lineup in order so everyone gets to sing. Abel's bartending skills are incredible. He is truly the best in Arizona,and possibly the entire West!! read more

Great bar one of our local favorites, always friendly and clean. It was recently redone last year and has been a great place to go to for a cocktail or two. read more

The drag revue was so fun I gave it 4 originally but looking back, I think it's more of a 3 star establishment.

So this place is designed for people who are ready to just chill. Stay within the lines and not get rowdy. I like to have a good time. Not get out of line and disrespect anyone. Having fun with friends and being the only black male in the bar proved to be to my detriment. Not only did the bartender ignore me and turn his back to me as I tried to speak to him. He also told me not to talk to him. I'm sorry, you are a bartender, people need to give you a order. This guy got upset once I told him I will not tolerate disrespect and told me to stop shitting on his bar. I'm sorry y'all I'm not the one. I'm not a piece of shit. I am highly educated and by no means a ignorant fool. This is not the type of establishment I would return to. I would not recommend it to anyone of color. If I could give it negative stars I would. read more

Perhaps the best part of accepting my promotion at work 2 weeks ago was it brought me that much closer to Kobalt and their wicked martinis. If I wasn't expected to focus on auditing CIP for new accounts, this would be my lunch destination every day. But, alas, I must be responsible and keep a clear mind so the other bankers will hate me for being a bitch about silly bank policies and regulations instead of thinking I'm just a sloppy drunk, so I refrain from visiting Kobalt during business hours. After those hours expire, however, I'm fair game. Kobalt is a great location for the after-work wind down that makes us all pleasant people once we walk through the front door at home, and I'm not ashamed to admit that it's a result of Kobalt that I've been excessively receptive at home when I would otherwise be skulking from a tedious day in the office. So far, I've not been disappointed in the drinks. The fact I can seriously walk there from my office is just icing on the cake. If I thought G&D was going to tilt the scales in favor of being a lush, it has nothing on the grasp of Kobalt. I give myself willingly to your libations. read more

What can I say about Kobalt... you come to enjoy your night, have great laughs, sing your heart out 5 nights a week and also enjoy a couple of drag shows. The staff is always on great terms with everyone. They really do give a since of care for their patrons. Thanks for being there Kobalt on those times that I just needed to get out of the house for a while. read more

I'm visiting Arizona for work and decided to come here after searching for lgbtq friendly bars. I noticed bingo night was taking place and decided to wait hours for it to start as it is a game I enjoy. I left to grab food and came back since they weren't or don't serve food. As I opened my food and began eating, the bartender (Abel) decided it was okay to reach into my food and eat a fry. This completely took me off guard and I had to leave due to me getting pretty frustrated. I'm sure I probably would have enjoyed otherwise, but I won't be back due to this incident. read more

First let me say, that as a straight guy, I'm always a little apprehensive about going to gay bars for karaoke. I know! I know! But my wife and I enjoy singing and have found it difficult to find places with decent sound systems that also have a decent catalogue of music, so I deal with it. I've been to Kobalt twice now, the first time with my wife, and last night with a group of friends. We had a lot of fun both times. The music selection is one of the best we've found, although the sound system can be a little "off". Sometimes the feedback can get a little strong on the wireless microphones. I guess we're just spoiled by our regular karaoke haunt, and our hostess who mixes the music so you sound really good. Here, it's just you and music baby! I have to say, the crowd at Kobalt is really different (in a good way) than some of the other bars in town. The patrons are very friendly, and very respectful (well, everyone except for the guy that told our friend she was built like a "Brick Sh!thouse!" I'm pretty sure he was just trying to tell her in his own way that she looked very lovely, which she did). But seriously, that was a one-off and you get those in every crowd. The bartender is really nice, very attentive, and remembered what we ordered from last week. Huge props and huge tips! The Karaoke host is great. Works in new singers in a timely fashion and makes sure everyone has a good time. There's been a lot of talk about the smell of popcorn in previous reviews. It's true; they have a popcorn machine by the patio door. I've never tried it, but there's only been crumbs left when we got there both times so I guess it goes good with beer, apple martini's or whatever your choice of drink may be. I didn't find the smell overwhelming though, as some have said. As for the catalogue, they have plenty to choose from. You'll find a nice selection of country, rock, and of course...Showtunes! You're almost guaranteed to hear Rent, Phantom, All that Jazz and plenty of old standards by Sinatra and the rest of the Pack. FTW! It was a little difficult to find at first, but if you drive around to the North side of the building, you can park under the structure and you'll see the sign in the breezeway. I give Kobalt 4 out of 5 stars only because they don't have karaoke on a night when I don't have to get up early for work the next morning. If you're ever in the neighborhood, check it out! read more

I think the piano and the older crowd give this gay bar a bad rap. My friend Jeff and I like it a lot nevertheless -- probably because it makes us feel 21. It's become a Sunday day drinking outpost for us. It's a great space in Park Central Mall featuring: * a granite "J" shaped bar * a living area with black leather sofas, * a bright and vibrant paint scheme, * a large smoking patio, * plasma TVs playing music videos, * a huge 100 foot long diagonally sloped skylight - for lots of natural light, and * a nice piano ringed by tables and cushy bar stools. What's not to like, right? Every day features some kind of daily drink special and they do a Sunday night and Tuesday night karaoke thing. The bartenders pour them strong, and the customers are pretty nice too. I think the older crowd rap and the Central Ave. location have kept people away, but that's just fine by me. read more

First, I must say....freaking great martinis. Now for the review. Not that I'm ancient, but it seems that the crowd was much younger than I remember. I always preferred the older crowds but it really isn't that important to me. What I look for is friendly people who just want to have fun. There is plenty of that here. I was there on Friday after work. It was about 8 pm and there was barely room to move. I could only stay for one drink but found I had to force myself to leave....early flight ;-( Anyway, this place has something for everyone. Everyone was pretty friendly. A few creepers around - just staring at people - but that is to be expected at any gay bar as far as I'm concerned. The music wasn't really my style but could tune it out. I'm just not a fan of the wailing diva trash but I have yet to find that gay bar that plays Phish, Gogol Bordello, or Galactic - LOL. Ah, but that is my burden to bear..... read more

Came here for a birthday ... karaoke right? But we were told we were being too loud. Too loud? On a Saturday night? At a bar? On karaoke night??? Um ok bye! I will take myself and my 20 friends and never return. read more

Kobalt - karaoke right? But we were told we were being too loud. Too loud? On a Saturday night? - Karaoke Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Yes it smells like popcorn. But do you expect a gay bar to smell like popcorn? Not really. Vomit? Possibly. Bad cologne? Definitely. Sin? Almost certainly. But not popcorn. That being said, it's kinda cool. Who doesn't like popcorn? Popcorn and beer is a real winner, though I'd think twice before garnishing my appletini with it. And I know that many of the patrons want to maintain their girlish figure. I went on karaoke night. And apparently, gay karaoke isn't like regular karaoke. Everyone sings like they're on American Idol. And they do it well. I don't think I've ever heard "Rent" sung at a karaoke bar before, but here it was great. I almost felt like I was on Broadway. And they had started selling popcorn. But even with the unsettling karaoke experience, I really liked this place. It had a neighborhood bar feel to it. Like everyone there knew each other. The patio was nice, even if it is crammed into the back end of a strip mall and the only view is a jamba juice. It's hard to find, but that just weeds out the scenester queens who only come to see and be seen. Bottom line: want to hang out with some friends and have a good time? This is the place. Want to cruise for a 19 year old twinkie? Find someplace else. read more

Gay bar or not, this place is awesome! It pretty much fits all of my criteria for a perfect bar: Clean, good/affordable drinks, private patio, friendly staff, respectful patrons, has karaoke, makes it easy to get a cab home. We went on a Tuesday night first and foremost to sing karaoke (we had been at Durant's for dinner and found this to be a pretty doable walk from there) but ended up having an even better time than expected. There was a whole list of specialty martinis that are only $5 (all the time!) - we tried the Espresso Martini, Lemon Drop, Black Cherry Cosmo, and all of them were delicious! They were also featuring $2.50 well drinks during karaoke. The bartender was so nice; after pouring our specialty martinis, she even gave us the shakers so we could refill! I *love* when places do that! The karaoke crowd did feature some serious singers, which was nice for us, because karaoke is pretty much the only time we sing these days (we sang together in college), but there were also people just looking to entertain the crowd and have a great time. A really good mix, all told (not too die-hard serious or too sloppy). The KJ himself was also good and kept things moving along nicely. The only negative was that the sound system wasn't great - what Nadia C thought was them fading her out was probably just the sound system being funky because it did that for most of the night. When we finally decided to head out and asked the bartender to call us a cab, she was super nice about it, and the cab was there within 5 minutes. Bonus points for Kobalt for making it easy for people to get home safely - a lot of karaoke bars we've been to in the past made us wait so long for a cab that we were exhausted and a little bit irritable by the time we left. All in all, this is a great spot and definitely worth checking out if you love karaoke and want to sing in a really clean, brightly decorated, and friendly environment. read more

My girlfriend and I recently moved to the downtown Phoenix area. We were taking a walk to explore our new home when we ran across Kobalt. It didn't take long to figure out that it was a gay bar. We had no problem with that and walked in. We then decided to sit on the patio because it was a beautiful day, and they have a nice patio. But that's all we did, sit. It was not busy. The waitress came out several times to wait on a table of guys near us, but didn't give us the time of day. There was a DJ outside that did not acknowledge us either. After we sat for about 15 minutes, we joked that we were obviously the blatant victims of Hetero-phobia (I see therapy sessions in our future). So we got up and left. We went to another bar that didn't have a problem with straight people, spent a lot of money and had a great time. We will not be going back to Kobalt. read more

Since this place is hit or miss, I encourage you to go on a Friday night even as early as 6pm. A group of decent looking guys of all types and ages gather here to start off their weekend. Try and get Drewbie as your bartender, he's cute and friendly. read more

My favorite gay bar of all times. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 Stars is because,... if they served pizza then it would truly be a celestial experience. Please start serving pizza! read more

(3 1/2 stars.) As previous posters have stated, Kobalt smells like a movie theater. The smell of popcorn is the first thing I noticed when I walked in the door. There are cute little bowls every few feet on the bar as well. You REALLY want me to have some popcorn with my gin and tonic, don't you, Kobalt? Well, alright. Don't mind if I do. This place is alright. It's near the light rail, although it's still really hard to find if you're not sure where you're going. You'll have to walk across a parking lot and into a office (I think?) plaza to get to the bar. But hey, think of it as an adventure. The ambiance of the place is kind of goofy, in my opinion. Lots of neon blue lighting against steel surfacing. This mixed with the delectable aroma of Orville Redenbacher's Butter Lovers was sort of an odd overall vibe. But hey, I'm not complaining. The drinks were good, service was good, and the crowd was good. I may not go out of my way to hang out at Kobalt but I'd certainly go back if presented the opportunity. read more