I agree with many of the reviews, the bartenders are not the most friendly. They do have an annoyed demeanor when you order a drink. And the drinks are way overpriced and not that great. The only good thing about this place is that it has an awesome ambience. Other than that, I'll pass. Seating is very limited here also. read more

This is a great hidden gem. It's the perfect just want to chill, have a delicious beverage, and chat with your friends type place.

Absolutely loved this bar. Love the decor. The metal wall is amazing. All of the sights in Tucson on this beautiful wall. The staff is so friendly. A cozy little place to grab a drink. The rialtor was my favorite of all their very unique drinks. You can also order food from gio taco while there. Our food came so fast. You must stop in and see this place for yourself! read more

R Bar - The rialtor - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Two words. Hip lounge. The Old Pueblo mural/sculpture/light show is worth the visit. Another cool spot for the Tucson hipster crowd and feels less like a college student hang out vs some of the other local spots. Thanks to Andre N. for putting me on another cool Tucson spot! read more

I love r bar there staff is so friendly and accommodating. My wife doesn't drink but she doesn't want to be left out , they made her an amazing mocktail. Plus my wife and I dj there and they have always done what they can to make our night a success read more

I like this place - good location, interesting cocktails and beautiful decor. Seriously, that giant mural is amazing! I love that it is connected to the Rialto! The prices are... well.. pricey, but that seems to be the way of new restaurants in Tucson. As far as craft cocktails go, Tucson has a lot of competition these days, and I do feel like some restaurants have a better handle on it than others - R Bar has some good cocktails and others that aren't so well-balanced. I'd say, stick with beer or get the sangria. The layout is such that you can actually fit a group, or have an intimate evening! As it cools off, sitting outside becomes a more viable and more fun option (people-watching!). To sum it up - I like this place for one drink, it's pricey beyond that, and there's too much else out there on Congress to try! read more

Great place with a cool ambiance! The place is completely red and dark inside. We had fun just hanging out on the second floor. Prices are cheap! I had a $2 beer! The mural is very interesting on the back wall, depicting all of Tucson! Bathrooms were clean! Great spot. I look forward to going back. read more

R Bar - Awesome metal mural - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Funny I thought as I was walking in to this spot. Great name for a bar R bar,like my bar your bar so I went in crowd was older but so am I and the other night I tried r bar and it was very young so the crowd changes nightly again I was very pleased . The bar tender a cute guy with great knowledge of his tools . I ordered my signature gin martini and the rest was pure magic he asked all the question the drink pure perfection.ya know a great gin martini when it taste like chilled water till you get the hit of gin and bang your buzzed. Well he did it to me I'm hooked and yes the R is for the theater and it made perfect sense . Crowd changes with the venue and your allowed in and out side entrance drinks are excellently crafted so thank you for R bar my bar your bar day read more

Came here with a friend mid-week before a concert at the Rialto (7-ish). I was a bit surprised it was so dead; maybe it picks up a bit later (?). It certainly doesn't make the silent visual on the wall of a train weaving through the mountains of Europe any more appealing. Sitting at the bar, surround by red decor and relative emptiness, reminded me of a shameful last call at a dying dance club... the one you don't want to see in the daytime. Our first bartender DID whip us up some good first-round cocktails. But our hopes were soon dashed when another bartender took over. He looked relatively inexperienced, and didn't acknowledge us for several minutes while our drinks were empty. I guess we didn't deserve another round... we finally had to make obvious eye-contact Oddly, our Gio Taco order came and we paid, but the waitress promptly took the bag and disappeared. Initially we assumed she was going to plate our food... who knows. About 10 minutes later, someone (the manager?) came out again with our food and apologized, but didn't give a reason. It remained a humorous mystery to us! I won't be drawn here for a repeat visit... perhaps for a pre-show drink, but with renewed expectations. They DO have potential to improve... read more

Make sure you count your change carefully when ordering from the R Bar prior to a show during "happy hour." The bartender tonight insisted I gave her $2 when In fact I gave her a $20 bill for a $4 tab. She proceeded to demand more money, which unfortunately I gave her as others were waiting. I checked later and in fact I was short. If you're wondering, the drink ordered at R Bar was the only one I had and it was not consumed prior to this fiasco. No, I was not intoxicated. I did call the manager after the show but am skeptical anything will come from it. I'd avoid this dive if I were you! There are better bars/lounges to go to in the vicinity. read more

I really enjoy R Bar, I find the environment to be intimate, romantic, as well as friendly and approachable. This place is perfect for dates and for a gathering with friends. The drinks are also moderately priced, and I really enjoy their centerpiece of Tucson that hits you front and center when you walk through the main entrance read more

R Bar makes the most of its tight space. Tucked in behind the Rialto and World of Beers, R Bar is head-to-toe red. The enormous back-lit steel installation on the back wall is a virtual Where's Waldo? covering life in Tucson, complete with a border fence and a saguaro fruit harvester. A projection screen plays Anime and kitsch classics on one glass wall which does double duty as the ladies' restroom wall, livening up the stalls with backwards cinema. In the little upstairs loft, round adjustable chairs provide an interesting diversion. The indoor/outdoor bar opens onto an intimate patio where hipsters pose in sailor shirts and smoke cloves. The cocktails are creative and pack a punch. R Bar is a much-needed infusion of high art and fashion in an area that used to be known for shabby deshabille. I think I heard someone whisper "redrum" as I walked down the back hallway. read more

I liked the bar itself. Atmosphere was fun and trendy and the decor was modern, clean, and added a fun red glow to everything. As much as I liked the bar itself I was not impressed with the bartender, Rory, sportin his bow tie and apron. He was a jerk from the start. It was not super busy in the place, and he made a decent Moscow Mule (finally with a copper mug). However, his vodka and soda left much to be desired and when we said the second one was really just not up to par, tasted like a glass of club soda, he copped an attitude. He was happy to make another drink, tossed the vodka and soda, and then had the audacity to charge us for both the bad drink and the one we actually drank; this was after he tossed the vodka drink. He wasn't even polite about it. He was confrontational, snobbish, and elitist. If he was having a bad day, then he should find another way to talk to people. We're not obnoxious college students and don't need to be talked to like we are drunk idiots. Bottom line: bar itself 4.5 stars. Bartender: 3. Meh. read more

New snaz R-bar turns the tables on bars in Downtown Tucson. It's rad but ritzy, and at the same time has that good old easy attitude of Tucson. (Though definitely not for the KTS crowd - translation: Keep Tucson Shitty.) Tucked in the Rialto Alley, next to world of Beer, Geo Taco, and across the street from Hi Fi, Hotel Congress, it's got all the trappings of a secret find that you stumble onto in New York, situated square in the big action. Interiors in bordello red new style will knock you out, as will the red metal cactus-shape lights, honest! Pretty much a bar-bar, not much or any, food. but it reeled me in...I'm going back, and back. Handy for shows at Rialto and Congress. read more

My favorite new discovery in Tucson! The atmosphere and decor are amazing. Great staff and it was to fun to watch a large screen Charlie Chaplin movie. I will be a regular! read more

LOVED Rialto's new little side bar!!!! We went in this past weekend for their grand opening and while our biggest complaint was it was HOT, we got over it and settled in for a some tacos and very tasty cocktails. Gio Taco sends a server over every now and then to do a lap of the place and take orders for tacos and snacks. Then when the food is done they bring it in to-go bags. Very creative and a great way for both businesses to make some money. When we arrived the place was almost full so we ventured upstairs and got a seat by the window. We had a couple beers, enjoyed our tacos and then hoping the downstairs would be cooler we moved to a booth. Unfortunately it wasn't but we stayed and switched to some of their craft cocktails. They have a peach julep that's delicious and a great variety of unique beers on tap and in bottles and cans. To top it off service was fantastic!! All the servers/bartenders were running around doing everything and helping each other out as much as they could. We never waited long for anything and had a great time. Finally I absolutely loved their metal mural that takes up the whole north (?) wall, beautiful! Great job Rialto! read more

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Absolutely great place...love the all red decor, great music and amazing cocktails. I enjoyed the summer pimm's #4 and loved it! This was our favorite bar in Tucson this visit - great atmosphere, great music, great service and great drinks - a winning combination! read more

I absolutely LOVE the metal mural on the back wall of R Bar. It's so eye catching and is a perfect way to display all the best parts of Tucson. If you haven't been to R Bar yet, you have to go just for this mural. But, stay for the drinks, and the relaxing atmosphere. The key to my heart is a drink with ginger beer, and R Bar won me over with the Rialtor - Ginger-infused vodka, cardamom, lime, and ginger beer. Their drink menu even has a chart at the bottom which plots all of their cocktails based on "spirits forward"on one axis and "refreshing" on the other. What a great way to explain each drink! read more

It's ok. Nothing about this bar was exceeding my expectations. The prices were reasonable and the staff were helpful. My friends and I went upstairs to chill out, but ended up leaving. The music was kind of loud so I had to project my voice to converse with my buds. Highly recommend coming to this bar to check out their metal mural, it's awesome! It adds some local flavor to the scene. If loud music and red decor is your thing, this is your place. read more

I came here and I was like whaaaaa? And my friend said dayummmm! My brother was like oh shit son! Went to this bar on a Saturday night. Hot girls and guys no homo. I honestly can't say anything bad about it. If I were to own a bar, it would look and operate like R bar. Hell yeah son. read more

When they first opened really enjoyed this bar. Went last night and the customer service was terrible. They were rude and very disrespectful, they did not answer drink questions. The bartenders looked like they did not want to be there and they were irritated. Worst service read more

8/26/16 - Had a weak Tito's and soda. Bartender poured a SMALL shot into a highball prior to over packing it with ice. Felt like I was in Utah with the Mormon liquor laws in place. Female b'tender was rude and didn't acknowledge customers when she was clearing the glasses off tables upstairs. Common courtesy would have been, "Hi, someone will be right with you...". Otherwise, music was great though--played Neil Young and sounded awesome and atmosphere is cool. Lose the bad attitudes, or the bar will be history. read more

The huge desert mural inside of this place makes it very well worth the visit. The cocktails are a little pricy, but not anymore than most places in downtown Tucson. I like the small seating section upstairs and there's always something interesting playing on the big screen (Bob Ross was painting last time I was there). Be warned it is next to the Rialto theatre so it can be quite loud and noisy. It's worth a visit if you are looking for a different place to have a drink downtown. read more

The drinks were pretty good. They had a large selection of spirits, so if you wanted to do something off the menu, I'm sure they'd be willing and able to. Being that they weren't too busy last night, they actually took our order at the table instead of making us go to the bar, which I thought was pretty cool of them. read more

Very good drinks the bartenders were cool the place is small and intimate looking but maybe i went in on a wrong day because it was packed with people from a country concert at the rialto and changed the atmosphere from a cocktail bar to a divey bar with everyone walking around with cans of beer instead of the awesome drinks they have. Good spot i might appreciate more on different night, but its good non the less read more

Very disappointed last Friday with the service. I tried to get a drink upstairs - the waitress wouldn't acknowledge me even when asked for assistance. We finally left and went next door to World of Beers where they were very friendly with good service. read more

Okay I don't know what they were thinking......the inside is "kind of cool" but nothing to write home about and it is very small. If you enjoy sitting in an alley on a warm night then it might not be so bad as they have tables etc outside. To top it off it is warm inside not sure if their A/C is broken or what but the big fan in the corner wasn't helping much. Lastly the Men's Restroom single user one toilet......in a bar?! Don't know about drinks or anything like that as I couldn't stand to stay. read more

Rude staff and security, overpriced drinks. Plain and simple.

I am loving this place! They make the BEST old fashioned in town. Seriously amazing. Catherine, one of the bartenders, is incredibly sweet, professional and again, makes great cocktails. I love the decor as it captures Tucson's essence with it's red walls and silhouettes ...My new favorite spot :) read more

My hubby and I were so excited to adventure in Tucson and we stumbled upon R Bar on our way back to the hotel. At 8:30 PM we purchased $20+ worth of alcohol and finished our drinks served in glasses. There was a water cooler with plastic cups for self serve. It was 110+ degrees outside and we wanted to stay hydrated. We've been to many establishments that serve free water and have not been approached that we were not allowed to take water to go or chased down. We were chased down for trying to take our plastic water cups with us as we were leaving. We mentioned to "security" it's water from inside...There was no mention of their rules or a courtesy explanation. A simple "you can finish your water here etc.." would have sufficed. The security guard abruptly/rudely snatched our cups and threw them away. As paying customers, we were approached aggressively for wanting to take a cup of water during the heat of summer and after a few alcoholic beverages. Again, NEVER has any other establishment made taking a clear plastic cup of water outside an issue. read more

Ok R Bar there's a reason you're missing a star. It's your hours dude! You used to open at 4, and now it's 7. Do you realize you've already missed out on a few hundred bucks from some of my friends alone? They drink when they get out of work, and R bar was the cool new place to do that. Great drinks, drinks that make Congress look sheisty and sad, style to the max, and a comfortable patio. The best new place to open downtown in the past few years, I'd say. Please go back to your old hours. Thanks red town read more

I Googled "upscale bars Tucson" and this was what came up. My opinion only. What a dump. Nothing upscale about this place. Don't be confused if drink or food is mentioned. Classy is "people" and "decor". Neither is worth showing up for. This precious clientele comes dressed in clothes to mow the back yard in. Add to that the dorm room decor, and well, we won't be returning anytime soon. But people there seem to be enjoying themselves. read more

Amazing atmosphere! I liked this place, it's so cool and relaxing and romantic. Even the bathrooms here are really nicely decorated. There are some really funny/cool chairs up on the top level. Not many choices for beers on draft, but we were satisfied. Great for a date/before or after dinner, or a concert. read more

Definitely a place with a cool atmosphere. One time I came here and space jam was being projected on one of their walls! The art and design are pretty cool and a good conversation starter. The drinks are decently priced. read more

One of the things I miss most about Tucson is R Bar. It only opened a little less than a year before I moved but it was consistently one of my favorite spots. The drinks were always creative, inventive, and tasty. The mixologists were always more than willing to offer suggestions or create something outside the box. I loved the graph showing how adventuring/strong their offerings were. Yes, it was a little more expensive than other places but I will gladly pay for quality and less college-y feel. I never got to experience their reservation system and am not sure how I feel about it but it is definitely a must stop for when I am back and should be a must stop if you are out downtown. read more

Super cool little alley bar. Definitely a fun place to take somewhere for the first time!

Great before or after a show at Rialto. It is a little pricey, but the space is intimate and I love the design. Worth having one drink there, just to check it out. read more

Great Moscow Mules at this bar. The atmosphere is really nice with a beautiful mural made out of metal. The music is very unpredictable here. Sometimes it's Indy and sometimes it's Rap... Nice little bar to slid into before or after a show at the Rialto. read more

Cool vibe but the worst mixed drinks ever! We tried 5 different ones that were all terrible. Stick to beer and hang out.

Awesome place to relax. Nice staff and awesome iron artwork depicting all of Tucson in a nutshell. Perfect little intimate hideaway!