Phoenix has a great bar scene, with a lot of fun concepts. Here are the best places to catch deals during happy hour downtown, no reservations required.

5. The Whining Pig

This has the virtue of being the longest-running happy hour – ending at 8pm. It’s a great place to go before a baseball or basketball game.

They don’t serve any cocktails – for that, check out their new sister concept, Pigtails. They do have unique options as the only downtown bar serving mead. The local mead flight is my go-to order.

My guy friends like going here for their massive variety of beer, but I’m a fan of their $5 sangria deals. They also run an ongoing deal with a Yelp check in. It would rank higher as a bar in general but their happy hour isn’t exceptional because they’re always decently priced.

4. The Vig Fillmore

This spot has some of the best food options, but the deals here aren’t always worth making it there before 6pm. I love their small but mighty cocktail menu, the great service, and their outdoor seating, but I usually don’t rush from work to arrive early. The best game plan here is to try to sneak in one happy hour drink before dinner.

This tends to be known as the best happy hour in Phoenix, and I can see why. I recommend the Bennett & Bubbles or the Vig Manhattan.

3. Chico Malo

Of every spot on this list, this has my favorite outdoor seating. The staff is fantastic and they’re always cooking or mixing up something new and delicious. The go-to happy hour drink here is a Paloma or one of their many margarita flavors. Go for the classic or the prickly pear.

They also have a limited selection of great deals on food. Their happy hour is from 4-6pm, so it can be a nice early dinner. The location in CityScape is easy to find and near a lot of things to do.

2. Copper Blues

Also located in CityScape, just upstairs from Chico Malo. Two things push this happy hour higher in the ranking: it extends til 7pm, and they have a bigger menu. My favorite move is to double up, hit Chico Malo first, and then walk up to Copper Blues for dinner and another round.

They usually have live music once happy hour ends, but they also host karaoke and trivia on different nights. Music is the theme running through it all, even dictating their specialty cocktail names. Try the Dreaming Tree (a kiwi mojito) or Strawberry Fields.

1. Pomo

The downtown location of this pizzeria is a actually a trendy bar with the best happy hour in town. It’s a hidden gem, tucked just steps away from RoRo.

It ends at 6pm, but they make up for the shorter time by also having a reverse happy hour the last two hours before they close. All their appetizers and cocktails are half off, and I love getting a few things to split with the table.

Their arancini in a rosé cream sauce are ridiculously addictive if you need a snack. When it comes to cocktails, I can never resist their blackberry-infused lemon drop, but they have plenty of crowd pleasers: the peach Bellini, a fruity Moscow mule, or the classic Aperol spritz.