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    Kawana Kava Bar

    5.0 (8 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

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    1 month ago

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    16 days ago

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    6 months ago

    So happy to finally see this place open ! Absolutely gorgeous, coffee is so yum can't wait to come back

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    The Starving Artist

    The Starving Artist

    4.5
    (218 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    First time here and loved it! We were looking for a chill spot to grab a drink before our dinner…read morereservation. Upon walking in, the place was packed and we stood in line at the bar for standing room only. The bartenders were friendly and the cocktail list was pretty interesting. Both of the drinks we got off the menu were bitter and NOT sweet, which is bad news for me cause I love a sweet drink! lol The bartender was able to make me a lychee mojito after I asked specifically for any flavored syrups they had. She was very sweet to check what flavors they have and gave me several different options. My boyfriend got some whiskey and they gave a hefty pour. We ended up snagging some seats at the bar and ordered two slices of pepperoni pizza. Love that you can buy slices individually here, including cheese pep and dill pickle - how fun, will definitely try this next time! Overall, nice chill dive bar with good food and drinks. Ambiance is very moody but fun. They also have old school darts! We'll be back :)

    I love this bar !!! It's so cute and the vibe is always a good time !!…read more I've been here several times and the wait staff is amazing !! Very cozy vibe ! Only thing I'd say is the pretzel bites with cheese dip is wayyyy too spicy and should say on the menu it's more of a nacho cheese not beer cheese. Other then that love this place :)))

    Photos
    Sandwiches, NY stlye pizzas, salads, and shareables
    Sandwiches, NY stlye pizzas, salads, and shareables
    Champagne of Beers were super cold
    Champagne of Beers were super cold
    Seems like a cool vibe....let's check it out :)

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    Seems like a cool vibe....let's check it out :)
    Idle Hands

    Idle Hands

    4.2
    (49 reviews)
    4.8 mi

    The service was incredible. The bartender was extremely helpful and obviously very passionate about…read moremaking something or recommending something I'd enjoy. The ambiance was really pretty and it was a great contrast to Devils Hideaway.

    I've been to Idle Hands twice, about a year apart, and there's a lot to like. The most recent was…read moreon a Thursday night around 10:30 p.m. This speakeasy is located on Mill Ave., the center of Tempe's party scene. Because of its location, parking isn't easy. If you're looking for free parking, you're going to have a long walk. Outside of that, you'll have to pay for parking in a garage or metered street parking. Ambiance (4/5): Hint hint. Idle Hands is located inside Devil's Hideaway. A true speakeasy shouldn't have signage outside indicating its location. Unfortunately, there's a sign for Idle Hands outside of Devil's Hideaway which takes away the sense of mystery and intrigue that a true speakeasy provides. Outside of this hiccup, it's a cool speakeasy. It's intimate, with 10 or so seats at the bar and about 10 seats in booths facing the bar. There's a projector screen behind the bar that had mystical motion graphics the first time I stopped by (thinking wizards) and Halloween motion graphics the second time (with it being a day before the holiday). There were some other Halloween decorations up. The only area of improvement? The music often doesn't match the vibe. A lot of the music they were playing on my last visit was Irish music that would be fitting for a pub. Service (4/5): I had the same bartender each time. He knows how to make a good drink and is pretty efficient. When you close out, he only gives you the merchant copy. Which is a pet peeve of mine. Let me get that customer copy too. But overall, a good experience. Especially at a college bar. Food (N/A): I've only had drinks both times. Idle Hands actually doesn't have food, but Devil's Hideaway does. And you're allowed to bring food from there into the speakeasy. Drinks (4.5/5): It's pretty surprising to see a speakeasy on a college campus. I was impressed with the creativity of the menu, both in terms of the ingredients used and the fusion of flavors. I've had a different cocktail each time, and they've all been great. My favorite was one served in a box filled with smoke. Talk about a cool presentation! The hallmarks of a solid speakeasy are elevated cocktails, nice ambiance (dimly lit), an intimate space, and mystery/intrigue. While the intrigue is lacking at Idle Hands, and the music can be improved, they hit it out of the park in the other areas. One of my favorite speakeasies I've been to in Phoenix (and surrounding areas). I am, after all, the self-appointed king of speakeasies. The king gives his stamp of approval.

    Photos
    This was a strong rum drink. Sweet, but strong.  Really good though, very interesting flavors.
    This was a strong rum drink. Sweet, but strong. Really good though, very interesting flavors.
    Love the low light vibe!
    Love the low light vibe!
    Background

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    Background
    Pretty Penny

    Pretty Penny

    4.8
    (95 reviews)
    4.5 mi

    Say hello to your new favorite downtown restaurant! Wow, where to begin?…read more Service was amazing - they even printed out a small card with our reservation name on it which was presented on our table. Such a cute touch and very thoughtful. Our waitress was super knowledgeable and gave great recommendations. The spot is small and chic. It's very intimate dining so you'll be sitting close to the table next to you. Luckily, it's a quiet and calm space, so no need to worry about noise. The food was incredible. The salmon crudo was possibly the best crudo I have ever had in my entire life. So fresh and the flavors were balanced to perfection. The risotto changed my life... it was so delicious I couldn't even believe it. The only thing I would recommend skipping was the octopus tostada - not my favorite and a little fishy for my liking. Personal preference of course! The duck tasted great and was beautifully presented, but it wasn't my favorite. Again, I'm not a huge meat eater so take my advice on this one with a grain of salt. Overall an extremely romantic and special meal.

    It was pretty good but certainly not worth the titular pretty penny price--and we didn't even get…read morethe recommended 8 dishes, which is, like, the entire menu. To start, the menu is a bit puzzling. It's kind of like a handful of Asian-inspired dishes, a handful of Mexican/South American, and a handful of French or New American. But there's not enough of each to chart a course through one type of cuisine. So, basically you're gonna have a cultural melange meal. Hamachi crudo was really good and fairly unique. The halibut was excellently prepared but not particularly innovative in any way I could tell. Zucchini had goat cheese, which wasn't immediately clear from the description, so I didn't enjoy the rude surprise I got when I took my first bite, and didn't eat anymore, as I really despise the stuff. So that was a waste. Not a dig on the dish, just a personal thing I wish I had more notice of. There were other issues though. The wine list was exceptionally small, They were out of the bread, which is supposedly a must-try. And then we were going to get the steak but the folks next to us advised against it, showing their cut that had zero fat. They said it was leather. On that point, the tables are SUPER CLOSE. Like, a couple inches apart. You hear everything and almost can't avoid getting entwined into others' conversation. We liked the people we were next to, but be aware that it's an unintentionally awkward communal experience that's not well-suited to a date night. The service was pretty good, they put out a nice printed greeting with the reservation name, and give you a sparkling wine toast. But considering the price and overall experience we had, I'd pass and not come back.

    Photos
    Pretty Penny
    2nd pasta dish with carmelized onions
    2nd pasta dish with carmelized onions
    Roasted beet app

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    Roasted beet app
    Filthy Animal

    Filthy Animal

    4.2
    (437 reviews)
    5.0 mi
    $$$

    Loved this place!…read more First, we had to change our reservation, and the host could not have been nicer. On a busy Saturday night, he graciously allowed us to push it back by an hour, which we really appreciated. When we arrived, we were immediately impressed. The jungle theme, leopard prints, intimate booths, and dramatic overhead lighting created a fun, unique atmosphere. The service was excellent, the cocktails were delicious, and every dish we ordered was a hit. My son said it may have been the best steak tartare he's ever had (although neither of us was a fan of the plantain chips). It was certainly the best tartare I've had in a very long time, with generous chunks of high-quality steak instead of being overly minced. The baked brie dip was outstanding, the grilled oysters were excellent, and my New York strip was cooked perfectly. My only small criticism is that the oyster appetizer came with just three oysters. For a $19 appetizer, I'd love to see at least four. An even number also makes sharing much easier, although my son generously let me have the extra one! Overall, this is a fantastic concept with great food, great service, and a memorable atmosphere. We can't wait to come back.

    My friend and I came in for Taste in Tempe, where they do a prix-fixe menu and had a delicious…read moredinner! We shared the pibil dumplings and the cheddar & kimchi croquettes for the appetizer. Both were really good but had a bit of a kick. For my entree I got the steak and it was cooked perfectly and the chimichurri sauce was so good. Lastly, I got the miso cheesecake for dessert and the flavors were incredible! I love the animal and jungle themed decor in this upscale restaurant. We were seated right next to the big stuffed leopard which was fun. Our waitress was super personable but there were a few service mistakes. My entree was missing the potatoes it was supposed to come with. And when they boxed my meal, they didn't include everything like the salad and chimichurri sauce. Luckily I checked and was able to get everything added, but staff shouldn't be neglecting or throwing away part of my meal. I would definitely come back here though as the ambience and food were top notch!

    Photos
    Private Dining Room
    Private Dining Room
    Pibil Dumplings
    Pibil Dumplings
    Milk bread

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    Milk bread
    Drop Dead Gorgeous

    Drop Dead Gorgeous

    4.3
    (89 reviews)
    5.0 mi

    I had been waiting what felt like an eternity to try out this disco-themed speakeasy! Disco balls,…read morelots of moving lights, swanky vibes, groovy music, and attentive and intelligent servers! Love it! I started out with a cocktail - the Mega Viral! Once you try it, you will understand the name. One of the more innovative cocktails I have ever had... and I ended up having two! So delicious and an experience in itself!! We enjoyed some light bites as well - the Edamame Hummus and Shishito Peppers. Both were fantastic! I love that their menu points out which items are gluten-free... and our server even warned me that the plantain chips in the Edamame Hummus could have cross-contamination... so I very much appreciate that heads up! I opted to order them anyway and I am so glad I did - so good! And I experienced no gluten issues. Awesome! I'm already looking forward to a return trip! Overall rating: *****FIVE STARS***** Gluten-free rating: *****FIVE STARS*****

    I really wanted to love this place. Let me set off with the positives. The decor, the DJ, the…read moreseating ambience, and overall just vibes are 100%, 5/5 out of five stars. The chicken tenders were fire!!! What is lacking on this occasion was service. The server that we had was so unattentative. I have never been in a cocktail lounge in my life and had to beg for drinks. Our server would wait until every drinks was made for all of her tables before bringing out drinks. It was ridiculous. She was nice but seemed high. I ended up only having 2 drinks. We would have ordered more but they have 90min max seating and we didn't event get drinks for the first 30min. No exaggeration. Also one of my drinks I had to send back. My apple martini tasted like soap. It was like they did clean the glass after giving a soap bath. No bueno. So they need to get their service to match the vibe of a true cocktails lounge. Yes it is a 70s vibe but doesn't mean the lackadaisical style service. I would come back and try again. The music, the atmosphere and the food was good. They gotta get these cocktails together and service. We ended up walking to nearby competitors and that was money lost for DDG.

    Photos
    Disco Ball Entrance on the left.  DJ booth behind.
    Disco Ball Entrance on the left. DJ booth behind.
    Interior
    Interior
    Table seating

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    Table seating

    Kawana Kava Bar - coffee - Updated July 2026

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