#1047 - Jade Bar, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/24/2010

After talking to a number of bartenders in the area -- and doing some fairly extensive personal research -- I feel pretty comfortable saying that if you want the best cocktails in the Phoenix area, you should head to the Jade Bar at the Sanctuary Resort.  This is off the beaten path a bit, and after a few miles down streets with no street lights, it felt a bit like driving to a ski lodge up in the mountains.  It's worth the drive though.  I had two excellent cocktails ("The Last Word" and a "Pendemums Club"), and one enjoyable and informative conversation with Jillian the bartender.  Wish I could have made some of their mixology classes.

5700 E McDonald Dr., Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 - (480) 948-2100
sanctuaryoncamelback.com - scottsdale cvb - yelp

#1046 - Stone Rose Lounge, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/23/2010

The Scottsdale area has a lot of posh resorts and hotels, and just because you don't want to pay $600 a night to stay there doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy their bars, with their expansive desert views and opulent fire and water features. 

One of the better ones to visit is the Gerber Group's Stone Rose Lounge in the Scottsdale Fairmont, a "modernist take on a classic 1950s beach club." 

The Stone Rose has a woody indoor bar that opens to a large patio area with fire pits and fountains.  A central fountain contains a large flame in a globe, while blue lit water and river rock surround an elevated bar across the way.  The cocktails are significantly better than average -- and significantly more expensive.  But it's worth it to go once in a while and take in the surroundings, especially around sunset.
7575 East Princess Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85255 - (480) 585-4848
fairmont.com - facebook - gerber group - azcentral - yelp

#1045 - Mac's Broiler and Tap, Tempe, AZ - 3/23/2010

6430 S McClintock Dr., Tempe, AZ 85283 - (480) 755-3050
yelp