12 ideas for experiencing Tempe's famous nightlife scene.

Tempe is home to 330 days of sunshine each year ... and 365 reasons to check out the nightlife this city is widely known for.

Before you call yourself an Uber and make your way to Tempe for a night out, check out all the entertainment and flavor options — from local brews to touring concerts — we have you covered with this guide to coolest scenes and hottest tickets for after the sun starts to set.

ARTS, CULTURE & LIVE MUSIC

You’ll discover the arts at every turn in Tempe. From Broadway and local productions at ASU Gammage or Tempe Center for the Arts to lit rock and reggae concerts at Marquee Theatre and Tempe Marketplace, or Electronic Dance Music and Live DJs at Sunbar, you will find something to suit your artistic bent. 

Music Venues

Yucca Tap Room
29 W. Southern Ave., Tempe, AZ 85282 | (480) 967-4777
Looking for an intimate music venue with tons of history? Yucca Tap Room is for you! Since the 1970s, this Tempe landmark has delivered incredible musical talent from local and national touring acts of all genres. Concertgoers will enjoy the venue's windowless and wood-paneled ambiance equipped with an extensive craft beer collection. For a true musical experience, visit Yucca Tap Room every Monday night for Open Mic Night, or visit their calendar for all upcoming performances. Bonus: Hop next door to Electric Bat Arcade for endless pinball play.

Tempe Marketplace - District Stage
2000 E. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe, AZ 85281 | (480) 966-9338
There’s nothing like listening to live music while enjoying the beautiful Arizona weather year-round. Every Friday and Saturday night, head to Tempe’s premier outdoor shopping destination, Tempe Marketplace, for FREE concerts at the District Stage, located in the heart of the shopping complex. Before or after the show, stick around for shopping galore or enjoy one of the many nearby restaurants. For a complete list of upcoming performances, visit the Tempe Marketplace event website.

Sunbar Tempe
24 W. 5th St., Tempe, AZ 85281 | (480) 687-8409
There is no party like a Sunbar party! Situated off 5th Street and Mill Avenue in Downtown Tempe, Sunbar is not your average outdoor bar and eatery. At first glance, you would never guess this location also has the best hidden indoor music venue in Tempe. From live bands to electronic music, Sunbar brings the latest and greatest to Downtown Tempe. You will likely catch a show here on any given weekend, but feel free to visit the Sunbar event calendar to plan ahead.

Low Key Piano Bar
501 S. Mill Ave., Suite B101, Tempe, AZ 85281 | (480) 355-1705
Low Key Piano Bar is a one-of-a-kind underground piano bar featuring dueling piano players playing familiar tunes that we all know and love. Located in Downtown Tempe, Low Key Piano Bar is a real crowd-pleaser on the ever-so-popular Mill Avenue. Don’t just sit and enjoy the show; get involved, as the musicians will lead the audience in singing along. Pro tip: come prepared with musical requests of your own - this will add to the fun and festive ambiance!

NIGHTLIFE HOTSPOTS

SIGNATURE & SEASONAL EVENTS

Looking for a little more to add to you after-dark itinerary? Tempe hosts a wide variety of signature events and annual festivities all year long. Depending on the season, you'll find festivals, concerts, performing arts, sporting events, pop-ups among our nightlife offerings. Visit our Events Calendar to start exploring.

For the best views of Tempe's city lights after dusk, head to Canopy Tempe Downtown, The Westin Tempe or Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU for exquisite ambiance and even some of their own signature event programming. Arrive early and stay late to allow for ample time for dinner reservations (ground floor restaurants) and sunset cocktailing (rooftops). Bask in the panoramic views from their rooftop pools and enjoy live music, cocktails, movie nights and more!

Halloween is the perfect time of year to explore Tempe's spookiest locations

If you’re looking for a spooky experience this Halloween, add a visit to Tempe's top spine-tingling Halloween haunts to your fall to-do list. Settled in the second half of the 1800s, Tempe is home to a variety of old buildings with stories to tell. If you're looking for a heads up on haunted lore, you've come to the right place.

Are these accounts of inexplicable happenings and ghostly apparitions true? That's for you to decide. Welcome to spooky season in Tempe.

Arizona State University Tempe Campus
Various locations

Arizona State University has a number of places that have experienced paranormal activity. One is the Virginia G. Piper Writers House, a cozy little place, that years ago, was the home of the university’s presidents. Rumor has it that the ghost of Dixie Gammage, wife of former ASU President Grady Gammage, has stayed around. She has been seen on occasion walking past second-story windows dressed in a bathrobe and wearing a hat. As skeptics, we wonder if these sightings are legit or the fruits of some of the Piper Center’s writers’ imaginations. Ghost stories do make for good reading.

The A. J. Matthews Center, built in 1930, is also reportedly haunted. This stately looking brick building with columns was ASU’s first library. Supposedly, the specter of a librarian who perished in a fire there has given more than one person a good scare. And then there are accounts of the ghost of another woman lurking around the basement late at night. If you ask us, basement ghosts are especially scary.

It's also rumored that Palo Verde East, one of ASU’s dormitory buildings, has had unnerving paranormal activity. As reports have it, a young woman took her own life in room 605 on the sixth floor. Subsequently, there have been sightings reported throughout the entire building.

Casey Moore's Oyster House
850 S. Ash Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281

Tempe’s most famous haunted place is Casey Moore's Oyster House, located at the corner of Ninth Street and Ash Avenue. Originally built as a private residence in 1910, Casey Moore’s is one of Tempe’s most popular restaurants and pubs. It’s known for great seafood, beer selection and inviting outdoor patio. It’s also known for its ghost, a young woman named Sarah, who was strangled by a jealous lover in the restaurant’s Blue Room. Staff and guests claim to have caught glimpses of Sarah, describing her as having fair skin and dark hair. Throw back a few of those fantastic beers and you might see Sarah, too.

Eisendrath House
1400 N. College Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281

While we could not confirm any haunts at this location, the Eisendrath House has one of the most interesting backstories in Tempe. During the Roaring Twenties, Chicago native Rose Eisendrath was among some of the first of what we now consider “snowbirds.” During one of her visits down to the Valley, she was refused entry at a resort because of her Jewish heritage. In response, Rose purchased 40 acres of land just north of the Salt River in Tempe and commissioned Robert T. Evans to build her an adobe villa resort home of her own overlooking the Superstition Mountains. The house, which she named Lomaki (Hopi for “pretty home”), was completed in late 1930, and Rose came to visit for the first time soon after.

Rose visited and hosted guests at the house every winter for six years until her death on Christmas Eve in 1937. After her death, the house was passed along from owner to owner until it was eventually abandoned. In recent years, the City of Tempe purchased the land and restored the home, turning it into the Eisendrath Center for Water Conservation. It now serves the public by offering free water conservation classes for local residents and as a historical place people can visit.

While there are no confirmations of a haunting, the house has an interesting past and represents a fascinating time in the Valley. Josh Roffler, the senior curator for the Tempe History Museum, says, "I like to imagine that Rose is watching over the cocktail parties happening today." It is possible Rose's presence still lingers in her Sonoran retreat.

Four Peaks Brewing Company
1340 E. 8th St. #104, Tempe, AZ 85281

Located in a historic building at 8th Street and Dorsey Lane, Four Peaks Brewing Company, was featured on Discovery channel’s “Ghost Adventures” — season 28, episode 13, entitled “Terror in Tempe” aired Aug. 16. 2023 — due to an undeniable presence within.

Strange and mysterious happenings include reports of weird noises echoing from the rafters and missing equipment to employee encounters that include at least one conversation with a ghostly apparition. After doing research of their own, the folks at Four Peaks discovered that their building has seen its share of tragedy, from train wrecks just outside the building to actual deaths within it.

No spoilers here. Find out for yourself on the Haunted Brewery Tour, which takes place Sunday to Wednesday every week through Nov. 1. And check out our visit on TikTok.

Hayden Flour Mill
119 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281

Hayden Flour Mill is probably the most eye-catching and recognizable building in Tempe. Constructed in 1918, Hayden Flour Mill is the oldest cast in place in Tempe. The Flour Mill that you see today is not the original, as there have been two former mills that have burned before it. Since 1998, milling has ceased at Hayden Flour Mill, and now lies as a vacant and creepy shell of a place. Although we didn’t find any stories of ghostly encounters, the remains of what used to be our agricultural past are definitely peculiar and a little eerie after sunset.

La Casa Vieja
1 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ 85281

Situated in the shadows of Hayden Flour Mill is La Casa Vieja (The Old House). The space is now leased to Downtown Tempe Authority and is commonly referred to as Hayden House. Built in 1871 by Tempe's founder, Charles Trumbull Hayden, it has a rich history. From 1956 until closing in 2014, it was Monti’s La Casa Vieja, a popular steak house. Restaurant staff reported strange happenings, such as flickering lights and cabinets opening on their own for no reason. Patrons and staff claimed to have seen an apparition of a man dressed in old-fashioned cowboy clothing. Carl Hayden’s granddaughter, Sally, died at age 4 and was buried next to the fountain in the courtyard. There were reports of hearing children's voices around the fountain (an expansion of the building now occupies this exact location). Once upon a time, The West Coast Ghost and Paranormal Society even sent a team to investigate and found evidence of paranormal activity.

It’s not surprising that Tempe has a few ghostly hangers on. Tempe is a great city and it’s perfectly understandable that some people love it here so much that they refuse to leave under any circumstances. May your Halloween be safe and fun — and any encounters with the spirit world be marginally frightening, but mostly friendly.

For more information on things to do in Tempe, visit our Tempe calendar of events.

10 must-try burger joints in Tempe.

We all know that burgers are a staple of the American diet — people in the U.S. eat an average of 50 billion burgers each year. We're still awaiting a breakdown of how many of those burgers were consumed by a visitor, because burgers are also a traveler's trusty go-to while getting to know a new city.

As a burgeoning culinary hotspot Tempe has more than its fair share of restaurants specializing in above average burgers. With so many worthy contenders — each with their own signature twist — this burger scene requires a guide.

From historic time capsules and nightlife spots to breweries and brunch venues, here's where you can find the best, most unique and even unexpected burgers in Tempe.  

Fast-Causal Burgers

The Chuckbox
202 E. University Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-968-4712 

A Tempe mainstay with more than half a century of history, The Chuckbox is still serving up some of the best burgers in town. Here, mesquite broiled burgers are indicated by size: The Big One is made with a third of a pound of beef and The Great Big One features a half-pound patty. Kick it up a notch with the Guacamole and Bacon Burger. Either way, orders come out open-faced and ready for a visit to the fixins' bar, where you can accessorize them however you palate pleases. Vegetarian Garden Burgers are also available here.

*Please note that The Chuckbox is a cash-only establishment.

Brews & Burgers

Four Peaks Brewing Company
1340 E. 8th St., Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-303-9967 

As the oldest brewery in the Greater Phoenix area, Four Peaks is definitely known for its great beer. For one, Kilt Lifter — a Scottish-style amber ale — is the award-winning flagship brew. Peruse the menu beyond the signature beers and the 8th Street Innovation Series and you'll find a lineup of equally impressive burgers. Regional enthusiasts will delight in the Southwest Burger, decked out with Anaheim chile, pepper jack cheese and sweet jalapeño sauce. Pub enthusiasts rally around the Bretzelburger, starring cheddar, bacon, Hop Knot whole grain mustard and between an 8th Street Pale Ale pretzel bun. Vegetarians are instant fans of the To Infinity and Beyond Burger, complete with roasted tomato, spinach and hummus on a WOW Wheat focaccia bun.

Hundred Mile Brewing Co.
690 N. Scottsdale Road, Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-256-1623

At Hundred Mile Brewing Co., owner Sue Rigler is combining her passion for Tempe and love of community with craft beer and delicious menu offerings. This bright and modern brewhouse, restaurant and craft-beer-and-cocktail bar is quickly became as known for its burgers as its brews. The handheld roster here includes the Brewer's Burger, brisket and short rib patty, onion straws, white cheddar cheese; the Hatch Green Chile Burger, double smash burger patties, roasted Hatch green chiles and American cheese; and the Hundred Mile Burger; double smash burger patties, American cheese, pickles and applewood bacon. Pair your selection with a pint of Coyote West Coast IPA, Pinetop Pils, Desert Neon Hazy IPA, Crowd Surfer Mexican Lager (with lime and salt) or The Natural Blonde Ale and on bon appétit!

Pedal Haus Brewery
730 S. Mill Ave., #102, Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-314-2337

A haven for lovers of bikes, award-winning beers and dog-friendly patios, Pedal Haus is a triple threat. In 2023, this brewery was named Brewery of the Year by the Arizona Craft Brewer's Guild, was named "Best Brewery in America" at the 2019 Copa Cervezas de América and has brought 17 gold medals from national and international competitions back to Tempe. It takes a pretty amazing burger to hold its own on a menu alongside this much. The Green Chile Smashburger punches up with double patties, hatch chiles, jalapeño American cheese, shredded lettuce and smoked paprika aioli. The BBQ Bacon Smashburger is another heavy hitter, with double patties, sharp cheddar, fried onion strings, applewood-smoked bacon, pickles and whiskey barbecue sauce. All burgers come on a fresh, locally made sesame bun ... unless, of course, you're checking out the gluten-free menu items. For the KO: Vegan options are also available. Pow.

Burgers & Vibes

The Lodge Sasquatch Kitchen
26 S. Farmer Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-967-0578

Enter The Lodge and you're transported to a woodsy cabin, complete with beamed ceilings, antler chandeliers, a stone fireplace, two pine-top bars and all the ambiance. Also, be prepared to indulge. While there are several juicy burger options to choose from, it's the larger-than-life Sasquatch Burger this spot is best known for. It starts with double beef, double cheese and double bacon. Then fried onion strings, lettuce, tomato and onion. Bookended by two Texas toast grilled cheese sandwiches. In other words, it's massive. Equally delicious and slightly less daunting, The Pork Belly Burger — pork belly, short rib and sirloin patty — comes with a fried egg, American cheese, fried onion strings and is served on a salted pretzel bun. Bonus: Veggie patties can be swapped out on all burgers here.

The Porch
1128 E. Baseline Road, Tempe, AZ 85283 | 602-777-1757

Located in South Tempe, The Porch is a funky, retro-inspired hangout that offering creative pub food, cocktails and neighborhood vibes. Not only is the weekend brunch (complete with live DJs) an absolute must, the burgers here are brunch approved, so you can give them a try no matter what time you visit. If we're going for most unique, it's the French Dip Burger, angus beef patty, Swiss cheese, horseradish cream, caramelized onions, au jus, on a brioche bun (feel free to add a fried egg or applewood smoked bacon). The Arcadia Meat Market Burger stacks grass fed beef patty, roasted garlic and thyme aioli, arugula, portobello mushrooms, havarti cheese, buttermilk bleu cheese and truffle salt on brioche bun. For the plant-based brunchers, the Beyond Beef Burger features a 100% vegan patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, avocado and vegan sriracha aioli on vegan bun. All burgers are available on lettuce wraps.

Thirsty Lion Gastropub
2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, #1041, Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-968-2920

This modern gastropub, located at Tempe Marketplace, features a full bar with a large selection of beers on tap and a spacious patio that overlooks the entire shopping area. Here, it's a choose-you-own-adventure burger situation. For starters, the Grilled Burger Sliders are a perfect preview of what's to come. The BBQ White Cheddar Burger pack in flavor with the Black Butte BBQ Sauce, white cheddar cheese, crispy onion strings and garlic aioli on a toasted brioche bun. The Gastropub Burger is a gorgonzola-infused patty that's is topped with grilled sweet onion, maple pepper bacon, white cheddar, arugula and horseradish cream on a grilled ciabatta bun. The Beyond Burger, is a grilled plant-based protein patty with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, dill pickles and 1000 Island served on a toasted brioche bun.

Burgers & Entertainment

Snakes & Lattes
20 W. 6th St., Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-361-6644

Canadian-based restaurant Snakes & Lattes in Downtown Tempe is a game haven with more than 1,000 board games from cards to strategy (a one-time game fee per day gets you unlimited access to all games). With everything from espresso to cocktails and food served all day, it should come as no surprise that you can also find a great burger here. A nod to this location, the 6th Street Burger is anchored by chuck brisket with melted brie, caramelized onions, arugula and smoked barbecue sauce. Not far behind are the Classic Burger and the Impossible Burger (vegan) — all best enjoyed while playing a round of Hungry Hungry Hippos or Connect 4.

Sunbar Tempe
1340 E. 8th St., Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-303-9967 

Not only has Sunbar made a name for itself as a venue for live music and DJs, a vibey patio and an irresistible weekend brunch (with bottles of champagne for $0.01), but they have a way of infusing everything they set out to do with an effortless cool. And this includes the burgers. For example, wagyu. The Blackened-Spiced Wagyu Beef Burger comes stacked with wagyu beef with buttermilk bleu cheese, spring mix lettuce, sliced tomatoes and crispy tobacco onions on a Telera bun. The Blank Slate Burger also features wagyu beef, but with spring mix lettuce, tomatoes, and red onions on a Telera bun. Additional (optional) toppings include American cheese, cheddar, provolone, Pepper Jack, bacon, avocado, green chiles, caramelized onions and crispy tobacco onions. Time your dinner just right and you may be inspired to stay for a show, or grab a bite after. Check out the latest lineup by visiting the Sunbar website. 

Vegan & Vegetarian

Green New American Vegetarian 
2240 N. Scottsdale Road, Tempe, AZ 85281 | 480-941-9003

For the vegetarians and vegans still in search of the perfect burger, we present Green. This 100% vegan restaurant specializes in delicious comfort foods — both American classics as well as dishes with an international twist. In addition to the po-boys, crisp salads and noodle bowls, you'll find a variety of delicious handhelds that include 100% vegan cheeses and plant-based meats. You’ll also find a variety of sweet treats to choose from. This fast-casual spot has an approachable, trendy vibe and affordable prices. We recommend the Big Wac. For additional meat-free dining recommendations, check out our guide to vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Tempe.