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Food|Bars & Nightlife

Step Back Into The 1970s At Thunderbird Lounge, An Adult Arcade In Phoenix, Arizona

Published Mar 11, 2024

Written by 

Melissa Mahoney

There are so many cool places around Phoenix, and I have so much fun exploring this city! Numerous places around town have a retro vibe, too, including the place I'm going to tell you about today. Welcome to the Thunderbird Lounge, a retro adult arcade in Phoenix, Arizona that everyone should visit at least once. Between the old-school video games and cocktails, this may become your favorite go-to spot in town if it isn't already!

Located in the historic Wagon Wheel Building in the iconic Melrose District, Thunderbird Lounge is a popular and beloved watering hole that offers a whole lotta fun!

A dimly lit outdoor area of a venue with a neon sign, palm trees, and a rustic entrance.
Thunderbird Lounge/Google Reviews

Open 7 days a week, Thunderbird Lounge is a throwback destination that's like a time machine back to the 1970s. Its bar and lighting fixtures alone point to a bygone era.

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A stylish bar with a wooden interior, colorful lighting, and a plant, featuring a TV and shelves of liquor.
Thunderbird Lounge/Google Reviews

And then there's the linoleum flooring, vintage furniture, and walls that are both wood-paneled and wallpapered just to add to the ambiance.

Retro-style lounge with orange couch, patterned wallpaper, and arcade machines in a cozy corner.
Thunderbird Lounge/Google Reviews

You'll learn quickly how cool a place this is to hang out. Just grab a drink at the bar and head on over to the video games to play throwbacks from your childhood. You'll feel like a kid again!

A row of vintage arcade machines in a retro-style room with colorful decor and a cozy seating area.
Jessie De Leon/Google Reviews

There's also a jukebox. Remember those?

A row of vintage arcade machines, including a jukebox and Neo Geo, set against a retro-patterned wall.
G M/Google Reviews

Thunderbird Lounge is well-known for its creative cocktail menu. Try the Palo Verde made with jalepeño cucumber tequila, kiwi lime juice, and soda water, all garnished with a sprig of rosemary.

Two cocktails on a table with food in the background, surrounded by colorful coasters and dim lighting.
Teresa Fabre/Google Reviews

If you want a souvenir to remember your time here, order The Thunderbird. This $20 cocktail is made with Four Roses Bourbon, Montenegro Amaro, orange bitters, and Luxardo Cherry, and served in a Thunderbird Lounge rocks glass you can take home!

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A cocktail with an orange twist sits on a bar top next to a vintage arcade game.
Thunderbird Lounge/Facebook

Ready for a fun night out at this retro arcade in Phoenix, Arizona? If you've been to Thunderbird Lounge, tell us all about your experience in the comments. For location and drink menu information, head to the Thunderbird Lounge website. You can also give the Thunderbird Lounge Facebook page a follow for updates.

Need a getaway idea? Check out our guide to the best hotels and vacation rentals in Arizona!

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Food|Bars & Nightlife

Sip & Stroll Your Way Through Two Different Shopping Centers In Arizona

Published Jul 19, 2024

Written by 

Melissa Mahoney

If you love to go shopping and you also love a good cocktail, well, there are now two places where you can legally do them simultaneously! It is now legal at Desert Ridge in Phoenix and Tempe Marketplace in Tempe to order an adult beverage at a participating restaurant and walk around the shopping centers. This is the new Sip & Stroll in Arizona, so check it out!

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1. Tempe Marketplace

Sign for Tempe Marketplace surrounded by palm trees and colorful flowers on a sunny day.
Tempe Marketplace/Facebook
Two women walk together, smiling, carrying shopping bags in an outdoor shopping area with palm trees.
Tempe Marketplace/Facebook

Located in Tempe, the Tempe Marketplace has a wide selection of shops, a Dave & Busters, and a Harkins Theater. And what it now offers is a Sip & Stroll during select hours of the week.

A group of four people walking outdoors, one woman in a pink shirt raises a drink, while others carry shopping bags.
Tempe Marketplace/Facebook

From Monday-Thursday between noon and 9 p.m., with last call at 8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon until 10 p.m with last call at 9:30 p.m., and Sunday between noon and 8 p.m. with last call at 7:30 p.m., you can order an adult beverage (yes, that's a beverage with alcohol) from a participating restaurant.

Three women walk out of a Smashburger restaurant, each holding drinks and smiling, with outdoor seating visible.
Tempe Marketplace/Facebook

Sip & Stroll Stops at Tempe Marketplace include Smashburger, Kabuki Japanese Restaurant, Gen Korean BBQ House, LumberJaxes Axe Throwing Bar, Genghis Grill, and Harkins Theaters. You can check the Tempe Marketplace website and the Tempe Marketplace Facebook page for updates on Sip & Stroll.

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2. Desert Ridge Marketplace

A vibrant outdoor scene featuring palm trees, colorful chairs, and a large advertisement for "Madness in the District."
Desert Ridge Marketplace/Facebook

The second Sip & Stroll location is Desert Ridge off the 101 and Tatum in Phoenix. This vast shopping center also include a movie theater and a Dave & Buster's along with many other dining establishments and stores.

Two women walk towards the entrance of Dave & Buster's, each holding a drink and wearing casual outfits.
Desert Ridge Marketplace/Facebook

Sip & Stroll times at Desert Ridge include Sunday through Thursday between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. with the last call at 8:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. with last call at 9:30 p.m.

A woman in a pink sweater holds a drink, smiling in front of a rustic venue sign that reads "Live CB."
Desert Ridge Marketplace/Facebook

Among the participating Sip & Stroll locations where you can grab a frosty adult beverage are Dave & Buster's, Fat Tuesday, Copper Blues, Marino's Italian Kitchen & Bar, Whining Pig Beer & Wine Bar, Yard House, Spitz Mediterranean, and Islands Restaurant.

Whichever location you choose, it's sure to be a good time! Have you participated in a Sip & Stroll in Arizona at either Tempe Marketplace or Desert Ridge? Let us know if it was fun! Also, please be responsible and make sure you use a rideshare or take a designated driver with you.

Want to embark on a fun adventure? Take a look at the 3 Cities & Nature Tour. Shop, Art, History, Food. Scottsdale, Phoenix, & Tempe that you can book on Viator!

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Food|Bars & Nightlife

Step Into The 1960s At The Shelter, A Fallout Shelter-Themed Cocktail Lounge In Arizona

Published Jun 7, 2024

Written by 

Melissa Mahoney

In 1961, a fallout shelter-themed cocktail lounge in Arizona opened. Oddly enough, it was during the time of the Cold War which started in 1945 and ended in 1991. The Shelter Bar is a step back into the 1960s as it hasn't changed much at all since then. It's the only one of its kind in Tucson, and if you live there or you're a tourist, I urge you to check it out.

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The Shelter Bar is a local favorite watering hole that first opened in the '60s...and it still looks like it's from that era when you enter its doors. It is located at 4155 E Grant Rd. in Tucson.

A colorful sign for "The Shelter Bar" with a blue background, green accents, and a nearby American flag.
The Shelter Cocktail Lounge/Facebook

With its funky decor that includes lava lamps, retro light fixtures, and JFK memorabilia, this place is an absolute time warp.

A retro bar interior with pink lighting, featuring vintage photos, arcade games, and cozy seating.
Chad Hunley/Google Reviews

The bar's interior looks like a Cold War-era fallout shelter, and that is certainly a large part of its appeal. Furthermore the space is small and intimate and ideal for a unique date night or grabbing drinks with friends.

A vibrant bar scene with colorful lights, seating, and patrons enjoying the atmosphere through a decorative window.
Jonelle Winkler/Google Reviews

The Shelter's friendly and expert mixologists can make a wide range of both classic and modern cocktails. The also have a list of signature martinis, if that's something you're interested in.

A close-up of a martini glass with an olive, set against a colorful, blurred bar background.
Philip Pederson/Google Reviews

You can also order a pint of beer from a local microbrew if you're not feeling like a cocktail.

A glass of beer sits on a bar counter, surrounded by colorful lights and festive decorations in a lively pub.
CYPRESS “Cypress” F./Google Reviews

You don't have to just sit and talk and have cocktails with those you came here with. There's also a pool table and live music on certain nights. If you've never been here before, it may become your favorite place to go for drinks!

A retro-style bar with red walls, a vintage painting, and a pool table, featuring black and red seating.
The Shelter Cocktail Lounge/Facebook

Have you ever been to The Shelter Bar, a fallout shelter-themed cocktail lounge in Arizona? Let us know! For up-to-date information, head to The Shelter Bar's Facebook page.

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If you happen to be visiting the Tucson area, you must check out the Titan Missile Museum. I've been to this Cold War-era museum before and it is absolutely fascinating!

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/arizona/cold-war-missile-museum-az/

Looking for a place to stay in Tucson? Check out the ultra-hip Hotel McCoy.

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