My review is specifically for the upstairs event space. My wife and I attended **The Upsidedown Rave**, inspired by *Stranger Things*. We even dressed up a bit to match the vibe, and I have to give credit where it's due--the DJ was bringing nothing but heaters all night. The music was easily the highlight. The bar, on the other hand, was pretty underwhelming. My wife ordered a Tequila Sunrise that was unfortunately awful, while I played it safe with a bottled Coors. The drink selection felt limited, and the bartenders seemed fairly inexperienced. The turnout was respectable, and there was good energy throughout the night. That said, something about the overall atmosphere felt...off. Maybe Hollywood has completely skewed my expectations of what a rave is supposed to feel like, or maybe it was simply the smaller venue. Either way, I walked away expecting just a little more. Even so, the night accomplished one important thing: it convinced my wife that she'd like to go to more raves. I'd call that a win. read more

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I'm giving Sunbar 5 stars because its overall rating of 3 stars is far too low. Sunbar is one of the few remaining places in DT Tempe where you can go to enjoy some great EDM DJs, have drinks, and dance!! If you understand that Sunbar shines for those reasons, you get it. I don't want to lose this place too -- after Shady Park had to close for BS reasons and most recently DarkStar has shut down. When the weather is nice, I personally prefer the outdoor patio stage over the larger indoor club area upstairs. The smaller patio just has a real cool vibe. I've been there for Sunday daytime brunch parties and the late night shows ending at 2am. Both are fun. Service is generally just okay, the bartenders aren't overly friendly but they aren't mean either. The security people can be a little rude depending on which ones you're interacting with. Again, not bad, I just know there are other places in the valley with friendlier staff. For a real treat, go when they have Sunday brunch bottles & beats-- catch Nathan Reeser & Andrew Hoffman making it dance-y. read more

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I went to Sunbar Tempe on a whim on Valentines Day night, not expecting much of a crowd since I figured most people would be out at dinners or staying in. I was SO wrong and so happily surprised. The place was absolutely bumping. There was a show that night, and Celine Fatale was the first DJ to come out and she completely set the tone for the entire night. From the start, the energy was perfect and just kept building. I honestly have not had that much fun dancing on a random night out in a long time. The bartenders were so sweet, the bouncers were fun and welcoming, and the whole staff contributed to such a positive, safe vibe. But Celine really made it special. Her remixes were so good, and she was incredibly engaging with the crowd. She was dancing with us, feeding off the energy, and you could tell she genuinely loves what she does. At one point, some people in the crowd had this random toy they were obsessed with, and she actually grabbed it and started dancing with it. It was such a funny, spontaneous moment that made the night feel even more connected. I would absolutely go back again, especially if Celine Fatale is DJing. It turned into one of the most unexpectedly fun Valentines nights ever. read more

Sunbar Tempe - I am officially a big fan of Celine, fatale and Sunbar - Music Venues Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

I came here Saturday for DJ Lex. Had to order food since it was during dinner time. I got the pretzel bites and the loaded waffles fries. It came out pretty fast. Our server initially told us he wasn't sure if the kitchen was still open but was so glad they took our order. He brought the food to our table and we devoured it. It was tasty and arrived hot. It was the perfect appetizer to hold us over until the concert was over. read more

Sunbar Tempe - Loaded Waffle Fries - Music Venues Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Sunbar Tempe never disappoints. The food is always consistently good, and the live DJ on the weekends really sets the vibe. Great spot to grab a bite, hang out, and enjoy good music in a fun atmosphere. Always a solid choice. Oh and 1 cent champagne. I think yessss read more

Plating is absolutely GORGEOUS. Really nice ambiance, music, seating, area. The food was pretty bland. 1 cent champagne for ordering an entree, very very enticing!!!! What a great addition to the menu. Service was excellent, our server Kendall went above and beyond and made our experience there amazing. read more

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I've been here a few times now and every visit has been really enjoyable. The food is delicious, and one of my favorite things is their Sunday breakfast deal where you order a breakfast entrée and it comes with a penny champagne bottle and your choice of juice. That is honestly hard to beat and feels pretty unique. And even though I don't remember what I ordered, I do remember finishing my breakfast so I know it was delicious. This is a great place to catch up with friends. The ambiance is really nice, it's outdoors, there's plenty of seating, and they're good at accommodating larger groups. I know a lot of people who host birthday brunches here, even with bigger parties, and it always seems to work out. There's also a bartender, which is a plus. I also really like that it's not overwhelmingly loud. Some places lean heavy into that vibe, but here you can actually talk and enjoy your time together. At the same time, they do host special DJ nights, and I've been to a few of their Bad Bunny nights on weekends, which are a lot of fun and a totally different energy. Overall, it's a fun spot that works for both relaxed brunches and livelier nights out. Definitely a place I'll keep coming back to. read more

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Visiting from out of town and this place was a great way to start off a morning with some friends with food and mimosas! Walked in around noon on a Saturday with no wait and seated ourselves at a booth. Our waitress was friendly, attentive, and kind! The place had a live dj in the front so it wasn't loud and it added a good vibe to our brunch. I I ordered their burger which came with potatoes and fruit and it was the perfect meal that filled me up and left me satisfied. The price was affordable and you can order a bottle of champagne for 1 cent with it! What an amazing concept. Can't get anything like that in California. Definitely would come back to this place the next time i visit AZ. read more

I went to Sunbar in Tempe for their daytime "disco club" event. The concept is great -- I love the idea of an 80s/90s/2000s daytime party, and the overall vibe and music selection were good. However, I was disappointed by a few things. The flyer listed the event from 3-10 PM, but it seemed to end much earlier, which felt a bit misleading. The biggest letdown was when I requested Erasure -- a staple of 80s/90s dance music -- and the DJ said he didn't know who they were. If you're branding an event around those decades, knowing iconic artists from that era is essential. And if not, at least look them up. That's part of creating an authentic experience. For $35 plus fees and $30 for parking, I expected more attention to detail. As someone with a marketing background, I'd suggest adding a feature during ticket purchase where attendees can submit their favorite artists from the event's theme years. DJs could then incorporate the most requested songs into the playlist. That kind of engagement would elevate the experience and keep people coming back. The idea is strong -- it just needs a little more execution. read more

Even though there was a misunderstanding with my group Grant and Matt, especially Matt, were very understanding and very sweet, great guys, I can tell they know how to run their stuff. Kudos to those two. read more

I'm new to town but I have started to check out the EDM festivals in town. Sunbar Tempe is one of them and I stopped by late on a Friday night to see DJ Habibeats. Located in the heart of the action in downtown Tempe, where Arizona State students go out, parking doesn't come easy. At least if you're looking for free parking. Even a lot of the residential areas are permit only. I found an area where I could park late night but it was a 15 minute walk. No worries though, I love to get my steps in! While it's a little confusing, the entrance to Sunbar Tempe for concerts isn't at the front of the club. It's behind in the parking lot. After going to the wrong place, the bouncer directed me to where I had to go. Upon getting through, I saw that they have a nice patio. While it would have been nice to check it out, I was there for the music so I made my way downstairs. At one end, you have a long bar. I went with a seltzer. Despite being super busy, the service was friendly and efficient. From there, I made my way to the other end where the DJ is set up. There are some VIP areas that surround the dance floor and the stage. I'm a man of the people so I was general admission. There's a good size dance floor and even with that, it was packed on a Friday night (around 12:30 p.m.). Despite it being in a basement, it's a nice underground club. The stage is well made, giving the DJ the ability to add light effects and video. And the A/C was running well which is important when you're in a big crowd. Out of the EDM venues I've been to so far in Phoenix, Sunbar Tempe is my favorite. They are a brunch spot too but I was there late night so I can't comment on that. I'll be back! read more

Sunbar's an ideal place for brunch, especially since each entree comes with a bottle of champagne for mimosas. The brunch menu is small but full of promising dishes. Not a single person at my table complained about their meal, and I was really happy with the brunch special I got! -- smoked salmon bagel. I don't believe this is part of Sunbar's menu all the time, but I really wish it were because I enjoyed it :) The vibes here are cool. There are live DJ's here during brunch, making for a nice outing with friends. read more

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I've been coming to shows for years now. I always have such great times! The people and atmosphere is always on point! The bartenders and servers are always so nice! My experience this past Thursday (5/7) was amazing. Thought it was completely packed I danced the night away! I would like to give a shout out to the security that was working the door, I never have asked his name, he is the buffer guy who checks IDs. He always so kind and respectful. I witnessed him dealing with someone in line who was being weird about giving his ID. The guy was rude and started cussing him out in Spanish. Security stayed calm and handled himself in a professional manner. Asked him to step aside and the line continued. It made me feel safe that I didn't have to walk in after that guy. We all go to have a great time and don't need that energy in the building with us! read more

Pretty disappointed, we were not let in because our form of ID was not "Valid" we used our tourist visa (and have a valid permit) :c We came from a long way to see Tinzo and Jojo and were not able to go in, even if we had bought tickets! :c read more

I think this is a fun indoor/outdoor venue. My friends and I met here for brunch and sat at the bar on their patio to watch some football together. I had the tacos and the mimosas and both were good. Also they have a great deal for mimosas--a bottle of "champagne" with juice for $0.01 with the purchase of an entree! read more

Overcharged and no receipt!!! I participated in the 1cent champagne with one entree and they charged me $25 in total When my meal was only $17. I didn't ask to see a receipt which was my bad. (I paid in cash)I should've been asked if I wanted one regardless. Food was good it just took a long time because the ticket was "lost" vibe was good! Music is amazing as always. Just gotta make sure you're being charged for what you order when you come here read more

I've been here for both Sunday brunch and the concert (which is a bit further, in the corner of the street). EDM focused bar. Brunch is a nice value as you get a full bottle of champagne with your meal. The meal quality depends on who is cooking that day, it's either ok or Amazing. For concerts I found that there was great ventilation. There is a bar in the back, and clean bathrooms to the sides of the bar. Would recommend earplugs (for any concert really) as the speakers are really loud. Music is always good here. read more

Walked over to Sunbar after having sushi next door. After passing by this place earlier and hearing the music, my friends and I all wanted to check it out. The dj was playing some really good music! We grabbed a round of drinks at the bar and sat at one of the bigger tables. We were outdoors but the misting system was on so it helped a bit. We got a second round and as we were close to being done, the power went out in the area! We had to wait a bit so staff could figure out how to close everyone out. They were eventually able to find a way and we headed to the next spot indoors with ac lol. Each round was $51 for 5 drinks. Not bad! This would be a nice patio bar when it's cooler for sure. Especially, if it's the same dj playing the same type of music! read more

Sunbar Tempe - Grapefruit mule, regular mule, vodka soda lime x2, tequila soda lime - Music Venues Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Awesome tables great brunch. waffles were fabulous The seats were a little sticky, but we loved the food in the ambience and the one penny champagne bottles with an entrée on the weekends read more

Sunbar Tempe - Music Venues Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Came here for a Saturday brunch and it was great. We were quickly seated and the service was quick and very friendly. Shoutout to our lovely waitress I'm so sorry I forgot your name. Chicken and waffles were very yummy. All the entrees come with a $0.01 bottle of champagne which is awesome but if you want juice it's like $4 for a tiny little vile of juice lol. Great music and great vibes. Would love to come back. read more

Sunbar Tempe - Outdoor seating at brunch - Music Venues Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Fun spot for the cheap mimosa brunch weekend special. Definitely more of the college crowd given the area (I was with a bunch of 30 somethings). But super fun and one of the highlights of my trip to AZ over the Thanksgiving long weekend. I was told Sunbar would be POPPIN' but it was lowkey when we went (probably because of the holiday). Either way, had a great time. Food was decent, there moreso for drinks and the hang. Some of the reviews complain about the paper plates but I thought they at least looked nice since they had the wood look. Our server was amazing and attentive. Would go again. read more

So my wife and I have been coming here for different DJ shows since before COVID. Have had dinner downstairs a few times, and always found the food to be pretty good (perhaps a touch expensive, but nothing overly unreasonable). Kitchen often is closed by 9 PM though which is weird considering the show venue upstairs is open till 2 AM (and this is part of why we stopped eating here after having to go find food elsewhere in Tempe before a few shows where we got there a bit later than desired). We've seen a lot of big names here as they occasionally do get pretty decent headliners. Acraze, Gareth Emery, Layton Giordano, Sander Van Doorn (for example), and last night HOL!. We like a wide range of electronic music and the the diveristy of artists they bring through has always been part of the appeal. Been here when it was relatively empty and also for sold out shows. Anyway, acoustics are okay and the venue is a reasonably fun place to go and dance. Drinks are reasonable, generally around $10 to $11 each (which these days is not bad at all). Crowd is very diverse depending on a specific show and you're never sure what you're going to get on a given night. Our experience last night though prompted me to write this review and may honestly push us away from Sunbar except for very specific shows moving forward. We got into the club at about 10:30 PM. Usually the venue starts filling up more between 10 and 11, but it was already packed. Checked Tixr out of curiosity and realized the show was sold out and was not overly surprised. Long story short, the crowd and lack of crowd control completley ruined the night. I knew with how heavy HOL! is that the show was going to likely be on the wilder side, but it ended up way past what I was worried about. First up, you could barely move in a lot of the venue. Things definitely felt oversold by 50 to 100 people at least. Combined with it being 105 out, temperatures went absolutely nuclear. I don't think I've ever seen it as warm as it was in there last night, probably 90+ degrees easily. There was a lot of issues with "crowd pushers" first of all. I'm so sick and tired of entitled people (often 200+ pound men) who think they can just put their whole body into everyone around them and try to force their way up to the front of the room. This is terrible behavior and I'm seeing it more and more these days. Be patient, tap people on the shoulder to ask them if you can get by and don't just try to muscle your way through people with utter disregard for your fellow man. We were having a decent time until about 15 minutes into HOL!'s set when a bunch of inconsiderate a-holes decided it was time to start moshing. Multiple people including my wife got knocked down. Security was no where to be seen. We ended up getting security over who did calm some of it down, but quite frankly all of these morons should have been ejected and I've seen people thrown out for WAY less. And one other thing to mention. They had sound failures twice during the night. First a deck went down during Desert Hydra's set requiring complete replacement (and an awkward 10+ minute break in the show). Then several minutes into HOL!'s set, everything shut down and had to be started back up. Seriously? Operationally this place has desecended into amateur hour. Maybe my expectations are too high, but I've definitely seen the quality of experience slide. People are potentially getting injured due to over selling shows and incompetent security practices. This shouldn't happen, especially at a venue focused on dance music which is supposed to just be about having fun. You've been warned. read more

Leaving a review once again because my review was removed? Let me once again leave a review for anyone who is coming to sunbar and the experience we had with the customer service and security. Judging from other 1 star reviews on the security and "manager" it seems to be an ongoing problem... I was a customer here along with 2 of my girlfriends. We came for a concert they were hosting. We did grab quite a few drinks. While the performers and the concert was amazing and we had a wonderful time, we needed to sober up before driving home, so we went downstairs in their patio area to sober up. It was empty and we were the only ones in the corner we were sitting as we were drinking water to sober up. I was sober enough but, my friend was not feeling well at all. a young male security guard came up to us with no empathy in his tone and told us we needed to get out. I said okay and that we will, but expressed my concern for my friend as she needed to throw up and asked that i wanted to let her sober up a little bit more as I didn't want her throwing up all over the bar. He said he did not care and that we needed to leave. my friend was slowly throwing up in the trash. He insisted on asking us to leave while my friend was actively throwing up in the trash. I said, "if you could just let her finish and we will be on our way. She's clearly not okay, if you have a problem with this can you grab your manager and they can tell us to leave." He presumes to bluntly say that he is the manager and that he didn't want us throwing up all over the bar, but wouldn't let her finish throwing up in the trash? He was also wearing a security shirt so unsure on the claim of him being the manager was. As she finishes up they remove us. We had a wonderful time at the concert until the end. If you come to sun bar just be prepared they have zero tolerance on the safety of the consumers that drink the alcohol at their bar. We did not feel like they cared for our safety at all even though we were not rowdy or causing a ruckus at all until they rudely asked us to get out. To all my ladies out there be safe! Safety and Customer service is super important and sunbar is definitely lacking and will not be back. read more

The security guards here are absolutely trash. Came here for Sunday Funday, all was good. We had a few drinks, some mimosas and a guy in our party walked to the restroom and came Back to our table while a security guard was literally walking right behind him. Comes up to our table and is all "I gotta kick him out" we're like why???!! He literally wasn't drunk AT ALL and he says "i watched him walking from the bathroom and he isn't walking in a straight line". Honestly the security guard has literally lost his mind cuz he was fineeeeee. It's like security here gets off on kicking ppl out for literally no apparent reason. I'll never be back. read more

Sunbar Tempe - Music Venues Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Wow. Talk about awful service. The group I saw was awesome. They played for almost 3 hours. I danced the entire time. Towards the end I was so dehydrated I when to the bar for 2 club sodas for me and my friends. When I ordered the em the bar tender rolled her eyes at me and said in a very nasty way that'll be $4 a piece. For a club soda. I was parched. I was like ummmm I don't drink and I've never in my 13 years of drinking club soda in a bar been charged $4 for one. I paid it and left a tip because I have a conscious but that was very disrespectful of her. Absolute bs and I called for. read more

False advertisement. Picture below. Brunch stops being served at 4pm. Sometimes dinner will be served before 5pm but the standard is that dinner isn't served until 5pm. I tried to order something from the brunch menu at 4:10pm and was told that I couldn't do so and that food from the brunch menu stops at 4pm. Not a happy customer. read more

Sunbar Tempe - Music Venues Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Came here for Dj Habibeats the venue was very spacious and clean. As for the bar downstairs it was nice and big and it was very busy but looked like fun. They have a dj as well and a good menu for food. Cute for a date night if you like the outdoors. read more

Sunbar was amazing!! Me and some friends went to see Kream and had a blast! We didn't know exactly when they were going to actually be starting but the bouncers in the front helped us right away and let us know they wouldn't be on till around midnight so we had plenty of time to hang out and get drinks and chill. There was plenty of space and the room was well ventilated and the bartenders were super chill. Definitely can't wait to go back to see another show!! read more

Wuki & RemK was a vibe. Good night. Not too packed, crowd was feeling the music, bartenders fast.

I love Sunbar. I've gone to shows and brunch consistently for the last 4 years and I'm going to continue to go! For breakfast, brunch burger, chicken & waffles, breakfast nachos, the weekly special 10/10 For shows, love that you can hangout upstairs or downstairs, bathrooms on both floors, and a water jug downstairs (rare at other venues)!!! read more

Came to Mill Ave to people watch and grab a drink. Vibe looked pretty cool here. We ended up stopping in for a drink. I had Mai Tai and it was fantastic. My husband had koffee kolsch, which is his go to craft beer. They had an excellent selection of beer. Craft, Tap and Can. Big shout out to having MD 20/20 and Boones Farm. Food smelled so delicious. We ended up getting classic double cheese burger. So damn good. Our fries were a little cold so manager, brought us a fresh hot plate. Waffle fries bang!. Anyway we enjoyed our meal. Next time we won't share. I was saving space for ice cream nearby and my husband was content on having a 3rd beer. He ended up getting the Kasputin (stout), he enjoyed it a lot. Food was good, plenty to choose from to drink. Will be back. Happy Hour looks legit, especially if I can try that Mai Tai again for $5. read more

Sunbar Tempe - Mai Tai - Music Venues Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

GREAT BARTENDER! All I see when I sort by "new" is 1 star reviews, but I personally had a nice time! I came on Saturday, October 30th and the bartender that night was awesome! She was dressed as Asuka from Evangelion, but I didn't catch her name. I wasn't here for very long, only had one drink, but she was super friendly and talkative with my group! She made us some Green Tea shots that tasted so good. I enjoyed the vibe and would love to come back sometime and try this place for more drinks! Give this place a shot. read more

IF you go, DO NOT leave your tab open. The bartender let a stranger close my tab and leave with my card. He even said it was a male when the name on the card was Caitlin. Definitely a female name. THEN they promised to comp my tab but the next night when I called back they refused. read more

SICK VENUE!! Staff was cool, lights were insane, acoustics weren't bad. However the ginger beer is mid. Will definitely be back.

Came to visit this place with family and I was shocked that the bouncer couldn't accept a Mexican ID. Not only is she obviously of age but the ID is accepted everywhere else in AZ that we have visited except apparently Sunbar. It's giving racist read more

For a place with the word bar in it, it surprises me that they wouldn't have don Julio blanco. The bartender on Friday night was an absolute jerk. Definitely not coming back after getting treated poorly. read more

Bottom line: flamey vibez, great staff, solid location pre ASU game, slightly above average food, standard drinks. Appreciated welcoming bathrooms. Vibez: located just off Mill Ave on 5th street, it's a Newley remodeled spot that spits good times vibez. Mostly open aired space keeps things fresh, music is pumping but at a volume that assures that you can hear your friends talk next to you, plenty of common space to meet and mingle, with a few more secluded nooks for those keeping it low key. Food: I realized I only tried a variety of fires chicken in a few forms. Two sandos (honey hot, and original) both with a small kick of heat, and on top of salad. The chicken was freshly fried and hot, not too greasy, not bad for bar food. Waffle fries were clutch for scooping up the decent spinach artichoke dip. Drinks: nothing was special but it is very important to note we got each round fairly quickly. Bathroom: you could tell it was recently remodeled. Lighting was sufficient but not overly aggressive. I guesstimate two urinals two stalls. Didn't smell like dookie or cleaning products - a happy medium that is hard to achieve. Bar was decently full but never had to wait in line. read more

The security is so bad here. They will go on a power trip over the smallest things. Worst venue I've ever been to it's so dark and small and gets so hot. Then you have SECURITY that have no idea how to treat people. read more

This place is definitely a place to hangout with friends for brunch and enjoy the penny champagne. The avocado toast looked appealing but did not hit taste expectations with their thin avocado spread. The chicken and waffles however were a hit to me and the price on the food is good. Your first champagne is a penny and then the next one would be $12. My first time at sun bar was so fun, I recommend having a reservation tho. Service 10/10 but they are a busy place. I just wasn't satisfied with my food at all and the avocado toast was much more expensive than the other brunch options. Everything else is why I would come back here read more

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Yesterday, I went alone to Reinier Zonneveld's show, which I was really excited about because he's one of my favorite DJs. After going to the restroom and returning to my spot, a security guard chased me and said I had to follow him. He then threatened to call the police, claiming I was intoxicated, although I was not. He intimidated me and made me feel very scared, and despite my requests for an explanation, he only kept telling me to leave immediately. This situation ruined what had been a much-anticipated night. read more