Best Bars in Tucson, According to Wine Enthusiast

"Coffeehouse by day and a mezcal-focused bar by night, Bar Crisol has the experts gushing. The 1885 adobe home is classic Tucson, with an interior courtyard and curiously homey, vintage touches like maps, typewriters, and low-slung couches."

"Experts highlight Barbata’s use of native ingredients in their rotating cocktail list, which also includes playful experiments like the Dagroni Sour, a daiquiri that combines flavors of a Negroni and classic sour. "Barbata’s decor is intentionally sparse, dominated by the clean lines and blonde maple and oak floors for a European wine den feel. Spanish and Italian-influenced small plates complement the mood."

"The competition is fierce in this foodie town, but industry insiders are won over by this 1860 compound. Options include the dark wood and brass bar in the Coronet restaurant, the neighboring shotgun-style bar at Nightjar or the white-walled courtyard oasis filled with trees, flowers and herbs."

"La Esquina has gripped the local industry’s excitement because while the bar is new, the talent is not. The expertly curated wine list focuses on the Mediterranean, mainly Spanish and Portuguese, but also Greek and Moroccan selections. A rehabbed event space is both intimate and open, with compelling photojournalistic pieces and touches of emerald tile. Even the Sunday DJ spins a relaxed set that compliments the vibe."

"Tucson’s recommended wine bars are conveniently just four blocks apart. The established REVEL is the pros’ go-to with a robust Old World selection and build-your-own cheese boards. Yet, there’s no stuffiness here. The knowledgeable staff is laid-back and a mesmerizing black and white portrait mural filling the side wall gives the sophisticated vibe an edgier twist."

"Sex and Candy (Like Disco Lemonade) — a pop-rocks-rimmed fever dream of tequila, Aperol, guava purée, lime cordial, brut Champagne, and a Fernet float — was a fleeting bartender special. Yet it captures the range of SideCar, a sophisticated craft cocktail bar with soft lighting, leather imitating bricks, apple green banquettes, and a coveted Midtown patio."

"The brewery stretches from the front bar, with what seems like the best nostalgic estate sale picks, to a spacious back patio hemmed by desert willows, mesquite trees, and cacti. It’s all casual; patrons laugh, read, play chess, and nosh on the food-truck-of-the-night fare. "Lagers and light session beers allow drinkers to camp out and enjoy. Their lightly flavored prickly pear hard seltzer is superior to any standard RTD."

"Batch has more than 1,300 unique labels, the state’s largest whiskey collection, arranged along a wall of red-backlit bottles that climbs seven levels high. You can get the Kentucky kingpins at this nationally acclaimed whiskey and bourbon stronghold, but the bar also slings local whiskey with prickly pear and bitters in the 'Keep It Local.'"

"Open since 1934, barely a surface remains untouched by everything from mandala graffiti to chicken-scratch scrawlings. A bespectacled buffalo head watches over drinkers taking on Rainbow Shots and the Trash Can, a smorgasbord of liquor topped with Red Bull."

"After 250 years, Tucson high rises remain limited, making The Moonstone, perched 15 floors atop the hip Graduate Hotel an easy win for the highest bar. It’s also Hoffman’s pick for the best bar with a view. "Chic retro prints, woven leather chair backs, and a riot of dream catchers lend the indoor bar a Summer of Love feel that stops short of kitsch. The namesake glittery purple Espolon Blanco cocktail adds to the whimsy. Outside, panoramic mountain views steal attention on the wrap-around terrace. Deep loungers and firepits are perfect for sunset, but come early: this is walk-in only."

"Tucked off the historic and haunted Hotel Congress lobby, narrow Tiger’s Tap Room evokes a mirrored saloon and 1950s diner with checkerboard tile and glass brick windows. A $6 Pabst Blue Ribbon-and-shot special fuels 'Cheers'-like camaraderie as leisurely afternoons accelerate into the evening."

"Westbound covers libations for The MSA Annex, a market spread throughout modified shipping containers. You can buy a bottle and open on-site if you choose. Locals also love the bar’s killer view of the looming ‘A’ Mountain, where archeologists found evidence of ancient agricultural practices."