1. Casey Moore’S Oyster House
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 968-9935
Address: 850 S. Ash Ave.
Insider Pick:
Description: The name is a bit deceptive, though this popular Arizona State University hangout does serve some decent oysters. Try the baked oysters Rockefeller as an appetizer with a cold beer. Casey’s is known for its no-frills atmosphere, huge outdoor patio with tons of dark nooks to hide in, and reputation for being haunted by the spirit of a young woman some believe was killed while the place served as a boarding house after the turn of the 20th century, though stories vary. Dining on the upper floor is worth the trip for the goose bumps. Casey’s hosts huge St. Patrick’s Day parties, and weekends get busy, but weeknights are very mellow. Beer, cocktails, and bar food are served nightly.
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Address: 420 S. Mill Ave.
3. Sleepy Dog Saloon & Brewery
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 967-5476
Address: 1920 E. University Dr.
Description: The names of the brews are almost as great as the taste of the brews at Sleepy Dog. The Dog Pound pale ale, intensely strong St. Bernard barley wine, and Leg Humper hefeweizen are among those that locals love to drink at the brewery or take home. Half-barrel brews and half-barrel kegs are available for purchase of beers like Belgian Agave blonde or chocolate stout. There’s enough seating to enjoy a few hand-crafted brews, but the food is limited to appetizers. Sleepy Dog is close enough to other downtown Tempe hangouts that you can spend an hour or two here before heading out to get a bite to eat elsewhere.
4. Tempe Improv
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 921-9877
Address: 930 E. University Dr.
Insider Pick:
Description: Photos of Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Breuer, Dave Chappelle, and other top comedians hang on the walls. Guys with local ties like David Spade and Jay Mohr have performed on the stage. The experience is intimate and engaging in spite of its unassuming presence at the back of a strip mall just blocks from Arizona State University. The Improv, with a capacity of 400, books comedians Thursday to Sunday. Dinner shows are at 8 p.m., and Fri and Sat feature a non-dinner show at 10 p.m. The Improv serves dinner and offers a full bar.
5. Big Bang
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 557-5595
Address: 501 S. Mill Ave.
Description: Live dueling rock ’n’ roll pianos get the crowd jumping here. It’s cool fun as the pianists play your favorite songs. You’ll get music and comedy and dancing all rolled into one. But plan on participating in the mob of party animals in the dark basement bar beneath Mill Avenue. This is the place to go if you don’t mind grinding alongside strange singles. The Tempe Big Bang is one of four nationwide, though the Arizona State University hangout might be considered the rowdiest. Events like Trailer Trash Tuesday draw well, and there’s an occasional talent show to draw local musicians.
6. Gammage Auditorium
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 965-3434
Address: 1200 S. Forest Ave.
Description: This is the stage at Arizona State University. Frank Lloyd Wright designed this circular building to be built in Iraq, but plans changed, and he ended up unveiling it near Mill Avenue and Apache Boulevard. At roughly 3,000 seats, Gammage Auditorium feels intimate even in the balconies. It’s not particularly welcoming to louder acts, but Bruce Springsteen’s “acoustic” tour and Laurie Anderson’s controlled technological avant-pop proved that this venue is just as good for live pop music as it is for the arts. You can catch touring theater performances like Wicked or Jersey Boys, as well as performances by opera divas, classical virtuosos, and pop artists like Beck. Gammage also hosts lectures like the post-9/11 presentation by the late David Halberstam.
7. Marquee Theater
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 829-0707
Address: 730 N. Mill Ave.
Insider Pick:
Description: With 1,000 seats, the venue doesn’t really have a bad seat in the house (since everyone is standing so close to the stage), and the sound system is among the best in the Valley. If one of your favorite bands is scheduled here, do yourself a favor and buy a ticket immediately. You may never get closer. The theater opened originally for country shows, though it now hosts funk, punk, and other varieties of rock. Marquee is close to Arizona State University and the Mill Avenue nightlife hangouts, so expect a fun crowd.
8. Casey Moore’S Oyster House
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 968-9935
Address: 850 S. Ash Ave.
Insider Pick:
Description: The name is a bit deceptive, though this popular Arizona State University hangout does serve some decent oysters. Try the baked oysters Rockefeller as an appetizer with a cold beer. Casey’s is known for its no-frills atmosphere, huge outdoor patio with tons of dark nooks to hide in, and reputation for being haunted by the spirit of a young woman some believe was killed while the place served as a boarding house after the turn of the 20th century, though stories vary. Dining on the upper floor is worth the trip for the goose bumps. Casey’s hosts huge St. Patrick’s Day parties, and weekends get busy, but weeknights are very mellow. Beer, cocktails, and bar food are served nightly.
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Address: 420 S. Mill Ave.
10. Sleepy Dog Saloon & Brewery
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 967-5476
Address: 1920 E. University Dr.
Description: The names of the brews are almost as great as the taste of the brews at Sleepy Dog. The Dog Pound pale ale, intensely strong St. Bernard barley wine, and Leg Humper hefeweizen are among those that locals love to drink at the brewery or take home. Half-barrel brews and half-barrel kegs are available for purchase of beers like Belgian Agave blonde or chocolate stout. There’s enough seating to enjoy a few hand-crafted brews, but the food is limited to appetizers. Sleepy Dog is close enough to other downtown Tempe hangouts that you can spend an hour or two here before heading out to get a bite to eat elsewhere.
11. Tempe Improv
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 921-9877
Address: 930 E. University Dr.
Insider Pick:
Description: Photos of Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Breuer, Dave Chappelle, and other top comedians hang on the walls. Guys with local ties like David Spade and Jay Mohr have performed on the stage. The experience is intimate and engaging in spite of its unassuming presence at the back of a strip mall just blocks from Arizona State University. The Improv, with a capacity of 400, books comedians Thursday to Sunday. Dinner shows are at 8 p.m., and Fri and Sat feature a non-dinner show at 10 p.m. The Improv serves dinner and offers a full bar.
12. Big Bang
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 557-5595
Address: 501 S. Mill Ave.
Description: Live dueling rock ’n’ roll pianos get the crowd jumping here. It’s cool fun as the pianists play your favorite songs. You’ll get music and comedy and dancing all rolled into one. But plan on participating in the mob of party animals in the dark basement bar beneath Mill Avenue. This is the place to go if you don’t mind grinding alongside strange singles. The Tempe Big Bang is one of four nationwide, though the Arizona State University hangout might be considered the rowdiest. Events like Trailer Trash Tuesday draw well, and there’s an occasional talent show to draw local musicians.
13. Gammage Auditorium
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 965-3434
Address: 1200 S. Forest Ave.
Description: This is the stage at Arizona State University. Frank Lloyd Wright designed this circular building to be built in Iraq, but plans changed, and he ended up unveiling it near Mill Avenue and Apache Boulevard. At roughly 3,000 seats, Gammage Auditorium feels intimate even in the balconies. It’s not particularly welcoming to louder acts, but Bruce Springsteen’s “acoustic” tour and Laurie Anderson’s controlled technological avant-pop proved that this venue is just as good for live pop music as it is for the arts. You can catch touring theater performances like Wicked or Jersey Boys, as well as performances by opera divas, classical virtuosos, and pop artists like Beck. Gammage also hosts lectures like the post-9/11 presentation by the late David Halberstam.
14. Marquee Theater
City: Tempe, AZ
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (480) 829-0707
Address: 730 N. Mill Ave.
Insider Pick:
Description: With 1,000 seats, the venue doesn’t really have a bad seat in the house (since everyone is standing so close to the stage), and the sound system is among the best in the Valley. If one of your favorite bands is scheduled here, do yourself a favor and buy a ticket immediately. You may never get closer. The theater opened originally for country shows, though it now hosts funk, punk, and other varieties of rock. Marquee is close to Arizona State University and the Mill Avenue nightlife hangouts, so expect a fun crowd.