Best After Work Bars in Phoenix

Sprawling patio bar and restaurant. The city's best post-work patio, excellent draft selection, reliably busy after 5pm on Fridays.

Bruschetta boards, affordable wine, relaxed atmosphere. Our recommended spot for the first drink of the evening.

Fort Lowell Road beer garden with cornhole and craft cocktails. Sprawling outdoor space, perfect for unwinding after a long day in the desert heat.

Outdoor social bar with food trucks, games, and multiple bars in one complex. Young professional crowd, relaxed rules, plenty of seating.

Wine bar from the team behind Pizzeria Bianco. Small, sophisticated, outdoor courtyard. Reserve or arrive before 5pm.

Beloved neighborhood coffeehouse that becomes a cocktail bar by evening. Counter-culture institution, cash or card, genuinely good drinks.

Victorian house turned bar, massive patio, 30+ beers on tap. Tempe institution. Every after-work Thursday is essentially a party.

60 draft beers, simple menu, no-nonsense. Downtown Phoenix's best beer bar. Regulars know every bartender by name.

Country-themed bar and restaurant with a serious whiskey list. 100+ whiskeys, live music most nights, rowdy by 7pm.

Vintage arcade machines and craft cocktails. Perfect for groups. Happy hour until 7pm, pinball and air hockey included.

Classic cocktail bar with 1950s diner aesthetic. Excellent food, strong cocktails, no rush to turn the table over.

Neighborhood bar and pizza restaurant. Unassuming, good value, strong natural wine list, friendly bar staff.

An award-winning cocktail bar on the fourth floor of a downtown tower on Central Avenue, with floor-to-ceiling skyline views. Little Rituals runs an inventive seasonal menu built on house syrups and a deep backbar, with a full kitchen alongside. Reservations are strongly recommended, and the room is closed Mondays. One of the best drinks in the Southwest.

Phoenix's most walkable neighbourhood for post-work drinks. The Vig Uptown's sprawling patio dominates the area, but Postino WineCafe offers excellent value with their signature bruschetta boards. The Yard is where young professionals gather for casual fun with cornhole, food trucks, and a relaxed vibe that makes it perfect for letting loose after 5pm.

Upscale and scenic, Scottsdale's bar culture reflects the desert's affluence. Culinary Dropout stands out as a sprawling beer garden where you can escape the heat and enjoy craft cocktails with cornhole in the background. Perfect for groups and ideal for unwinding after battling Arizona's summer temperatures.

Home to Arizona State University, Tempe's bar scene thrives on Thursday evenings and weekends. Casey Moore's Oyster House is an institution — a Victorian house converted into a massive bar with 30+ beers on tap. After-work Thursdays here are essentially parties, with a diverse crowd and endless energy.

The emerging cool kid on the Phoenix map. Federal Pizza is perfectly unassuming — good value, friendly staff, and an impressive natural wine list. Highball brings classic 1950s diner aesthetics with strong cocktails and excellent food. Both bars treat customers like locals, never rushing the experience.

How Phoenix transformed from a quiet office town to a thriving after-work destination.