Waitress/bartender was a complete $#%ch. Â Copped an attitude early and treated my wife and i like we were lepers. Â Beer is all in bottles/cans - nothing on tap. Â I thought the 80s and crappy beer selections were a thing of the past. Â No food of any kind ... and no help from the wench behind the bar on finding local places that deliver. Â Top it off with a voyeur owner that sits at home and watches the bar through remote cameras ... kind of creepy. Â Too many good bars and eateries in this town to waste a dime on this ship wreck and its wenchy staff.
Review Source:Very disappointing evening. Â Went to celebrate with friends the end of the school year. Â Our kids were having a wonderful time playing together on the Civic Center public lawn while we were enjoying the company of the other parents and having a drink. All were happy - but the miserable bartender. Â She did not want us there - even though there were only 5 other people in the entire place. Â She was rude and unwelcoming. Â She lost our business that evening and I will not go back. Â There are plenty of other places that appreciate our business - we don't need to go to one that does not.
Review Source:Never again. Â We went this evening along with with a dozen or more friends to have a drink after our 9-11 year old kids completed their last performance of the school year. Â They played on the grass out front in the Civic Center Mall. Â We hadn't been there for more than 5 minutes before this nasty wench of a bartender starts telling us how she doesn't like seeing children playing in front of the bar. Â Mind you, this is not on a road... it's a public walk way with water features, much like a park. Â It's also not their property, and certainly none of her business where the kids are playing. After one round of drinks, she gives us more chin music and tells ls us she's cutting us off. Â Are you kidding me?? Â That's the last dollar they'll ever seen from us.
Review Source:we decided we wanted to do some drinking on st. patty's day but weren't in the mood for tempe. we rode over to old town and the first place we pass is RnR and it was IN-FREAKING-SANE! i started to get the jitters thinking "is every bar in scottsdale going to be that packed with that way too loud ass music?". luckily, we biked on and noticed Old Town Tavern was lively but not chaotic.
we parked our bikes along with a thousand others and sauntered inside. it was full, but not so packed as to bump into everyone. we were immediately served by joseph, perhaps one of the friendliest bartenders i have ever met. after musing outside the bar, we went upstairs to people watch below. the vibe was excellent. everyone there was in a good mood....friendly...out to have a great time in our fabulous scottsdale weather.
great service and location. thanks for an excellent day out.
Patty, my Shepard mix, likes the place okay because she can bark at the passers by. This place has an okay seating arrangement. Patty can't go upstairs even though it's an open balcony. There is a fully stocked bar with nice bartenders, and the beers are not always the same lame ol thing. I like this place bc it makes us feel like family in an uptight home. =)
Review Source:Came to this place solely because I read some reviews that they were dog friendly.
My girlfriend works nearby so I decided to surprise her by buying her a few drinks after work with our puppy. When I got there, there was a couple with a weimaraner on the top outdoor level who were incredibly friendly. They invited me up (never met them before) and told me that this place was really friendly about dogs and they recommended a few places nearby that also allow dogs. The drinks were kinda expensive, but the place was pretty cool. So we went on and on chatting about how great this place was since they allow dogs to drink with you.
Almost right at that second, their weimaraner was getting really excited that my Boston Terrier was friendly. He let off a few barks (the weimaraner) and all of a sudden we hear "KEEP IT DOWN". We didn't even know who it was at first! Couple minutes later, the weimaraner barked a bit more, very very softly, and we hear again "KEEP IT DOWN, BE QUIET". We all look at eachother and then someone comes walking up the stairs. It was the owner, and he said "You gotta keep that dog quiet". We know that he is well within his right as a business owner to do this, but damn--his voice is scary and it was pretty funny since we were just talking about how dog friendly this place usually is. So the couple with the weimaraner left and my girlfriend and I finished up our drinks. When we decided to leave, the owner again told us about their dog policy, even though it wasn't even our dog who did the deed. Fine, we understand that rules are rules however your biggest selling point for us is now not as strong due to you harassing us during our drinking experience.
Dog stuff aside, this place has great drinks but I cannot speak for the food. Very nice area, not along any major roads in Old Town and not quite near the main, drunken drag.
My kind of bar! I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, but it's kind of like a classy dive bar. Eclectic crowd with a very casual but not gross feel to it. They have a wide selection of beers (always a plus) and also have live music quite often. Their patio area is very nice and I love any bar that has a rooftop portion to enjoy a beverage with a friend and look around the beauty of Scottsdale. It's a nice gem in the desert.
Review Source:We were on the Yelp Holiday Scavenger Hunt and stopped in here to have a drink. It's a cute little place, has a few outdoor tables, and good selection of liquor. The bartender seemed bothered that we stopped in to ask if they were participating in the scavenger hunt, and when we sat down to actually give her some business, she seemed more interested in the guys in the band setting up their equipment.
We ordered a couple drinks, that were ok, but the diet soda was on the flat side. When she brought back my debit card & receipt for me to sign, she never even looked at me or thanked me, she actually set MY card on the corner of the bar where she was talking to the guys in the band and walked away. I cocktailed and worked with female bartenders for over 6 yrs. You would be wise to treat your lady customers just as well as your male. We understand the business and tip well to those who deserve it.
Finally we tried this place! Each time we've walked by it we always comment "oh we need to try that place!".
Located in Old Town Scottsdale on the brink of the civic center mall, it sits below sidewalk level. Inside and outside seating make for great people watching and although it was small inside, it had a cozy feel. They have a decent beer list and even when I ordered a house red wine the bartender gave me a choice of three! The staff had a good attitude, welcoming, by no means stand-offish. The way you sometimes get from small bars when you're there for the first time.
I enjoyed myself, and my wine thank you very much.
This bar is one that you do not want miss. Â It is charming with its outside seating, small area by the bar and then an upstairs seating area. Â Drinks were nicely priced and the people working here made it a great experience. Â Nice, friendly people in the bar made this a top notch choice
Review Source:Located at the North End of the Civic Center Mall near the horse carriages, Old Town Tavern has a great mix of local bands, performers, sports, ambiance, and movie nights (yes movie nights!). There is always something fun going on at OTT and you can guarantee it's on our agenda every weekend! Starting with live music almost every night of the week and a great crowd of locals, you really can't go wrong here. OTT features some of our very favorite local musicians and a patio large enough to dance on but cozy enough to hang out on. If you are in the area Saturday or Sunday afternoon, make sure to stop by and listen to Boston Joey on the patio starting at 2pm.
Review Source:This has always been one of my favorite places to end the evening for one last drink. Â I loved when it was J Chew Co. and the piano player.... they still have live music and the duo were not bad. Â The bartender was great, very nice guy. Â We came in for a martini and a vodka concoction. Â Asked us specific on our preferred vodka made sure our drinks were to our liking. He did not disappoint. Â Great place to come when it is nice weather then you can sit out on the patio or the upstairs open area. Â Don't pass this place up.
Review Source:Very cool, small place.
We came here at the end of the night so it was dead. Good selection of spirits and beers. The bartender was very nice as well.
This place is now on my husbands very short list of "Scottsdale bars that dont feel like Scottsdale bars therefore he'll go out in Scottsdale w/ me if we go there" bars.
I'd go here again.
$3 Miller Light bottles? Â Yes please! Â This place is almost entirely patio, and has a cute little upstairs patio area. Â Kind of divey, but really, one of the more casual spots right in the middle of old town that I will always stop in and enjoy on my way to or from somewhere. Â They almost always have live music of various quality whenever I stop in.
Review Source:This place is spotless, has a great bottled beer selection, and has outdoor and rooftop patio space. Â
I enjoyed a pre-spring training game Anchor Steam here on St Patrick's Day and was pleasantly surprised to find a place to stand outdoors, a friendly dog running around, a lack of douchey customers, friendly service, and a cleaner than clean bathroom. Â SCORE.
What can be better than sitting in an open air bar on a beautiful Spring afternoon, sipping on a freezing cold Moscow Mule while listening to live music?
Answer: not much.
I had a really great time at this bar. It was packed with Spring Training out of towners, locals both young and old and just all around good people. The vibe is super chill and down-to-earth. The bartenders are busy, but friendly.
They always have live music here, but it's never too loud to down out your conversation.
I loved the Moscow Mule and the cool copper mug it comes in ($15 if you don't return it!), but the margarita on the rocks was not too good. Stick to what a dive is good at: beer and the occasional house cocktail.
Will definitely return.
This place is not the average Old Town Scottsdale drinking establishment... I could actually get a drink.
This was more of a bar than a nightclub. I didn't drink much, but just the fact that I could get a drink made me pretty happy. The staff was really friendly and the place was really clean. There was a nice, quiet outdoor area too! Some of my friends liked the rock music in the background, a far cry from the blastin' hip hop at some other Scottsdale places.
One place in Old Town that I never get sick of due to their phenomenal service. Every bartender/barback/security employee there are top notch, friendly, generous, and in control.
I used to live in old town and frequent many places, I now live in North Scottsdale and frequent only one: the OTT. It lacks the strong scent of douchebaggery that plagues old town so severly.
Even the dbags that come here (believe me you, they do) seem to take it down a notch due to the friendly, comfortable, and welcoming atmosphere this place radiates...
Also, I love how the place is laid out, you're always a few steps away from being inside or outside or upstairs at the mini-patio thing.
One of the best locations in Old Town.. tucked away on the park overlooking grass, flowers and fountains! Â Its very quaint and lovely for being smack dab in the middle of Old Town. Â
Outdoor seating is perfect... lots of tables on the patio and even an upstairs patio with cute little lights!
Saying the bartenders are 'generous pourers' is an understatement. Â I basically got two dirty martinis for the price of one... I watched her pour the vodka... and keep pouring... and not stop pouring. Â I truly assumed she was making one for another patron as well... but nope... ALL FOR ME! Not to mention she gave me the remainder of the shaker to take outside as well! Â I had a strong buzz after my 'one' happy hour drink. Â My friend's glass of wine was almost poured full to the top of her wine glass! Â Easily almost two 'regular' glasses of wine full! Â
Definitely worth checking out and I'll be going back again soon!
This bar has gone through a number of name changes, so when I tried finding it, no one seemed to know where it was at. Â After wandering around Old Town, I finally found it, and it has become one of my favorites. Â It is very comfortable, very laid back, a nice way to spend an evening.
It is small, but has two outside areas with fireplaces - one upstairs and one downstairs. Â To get a spot upstairs, you need to get there early, since it is pretty small. The owner and staff are very friendly. Depending on the time of day, the service can be kind of slow. But that is the charm of the place - everything is very easy going, not loud, not crazy, just very casual.
I have been coming here for over 7 years now and it just gets better. Once called J Chew & Co, then Brackin's Bar, and now for a few years Old Town Tavern. This is a very friendly and relaxing place to hang out and listen to live local music. They have lots of outdoor patio space which is dog and smoker friendly.
Even on weekends with a full band playing there is no cover charge. The crowd tends to get younger as it gets later especially on the weekends. This is also know as a great day drinking hangout when the weather is nice.
This is the perfect pre or post dinner spot to chat over a cocktail. Try the Moscow Mule!
I'm not quite as enamored of this joint as everybody else here seems to be but it's fine for what it is, which is a normal friendly bar. Â I'd go ahead and give it five stars if they had a waitress or draft beer, but they don't have either which means I have to drink canned Guinness and get it myself.
It's cheap - at least compared to the $14 martinis at AZ88 - but not Coach House cheap, if you know what I mean. Â Still, a pretty obvious choice if you're in the neighborhood.
Was good as Bracken's, still great as OTT. Â Josh is on the spot, keeping drinks full and patrons happy. Â Friendly atmosphere, good prices, usually a very relaxed crowd, and usually decent live music. Â Great start to a night out. Â Doesn't hurt that it is only a couple easily bike-able miles from my place.
Note: no food, but there are a plethora of dining options within walking distance.
Each and every single memory I have of OTT is fuzzy. If there is ever a plan to come here, I know im leaving completely hammered, along with everyone else.. And what better place in Old Town to do so? Aside from Patty's, this place is my second choice.
Its small, and cozy.. nice little patio too where they have bands play on the weekends, and occasionally you'll find some funky indie folk artist playing inside, which I dig. There's even a fireplace outside for those chilly desert nights. The bar inside is cool and the bartenders there definitely know how to pour a drink.. The bathrooms are clean, but watch out, the locks on the doors are selective.. I was once poppin' a squat and this drunk cougar walked in and started washing her hands and staring at me.. mind you this is a single bathroom.. It was bizarre, and I'm pretty modest, but I realized she was tanked so I let it slide.
They have an roof-deck type thing upstairs, also with a fireplace, but its wicked small, and usually packed. Ive maybe spent a total of 2 minutes up there, but if you get there in time, its a pretty sweet spot for people watching.
All in all this place is pretty chill. I love coming here, especially during the day, so if anyone is in the mood for a little day drinking in Old Town, call a bitch.
Life is short and very unpredictable...that point was brought home with devastating suddenness this morning when I got a text that one of my squash buddies had a heart attack and passed away while playing the sport he truly enjoyed...with people that he liked...at a time of his life when things were getting a little easier...you know...my time of life.
As several of my friends opined...there are worse ways to go than keeling over while you're in the middle of playing a sport that you get a kick out of...there are also better ways to go...I personally anticipate an orgasm that will end my life at the ripe old age of 149...Carin said she'd better be there.
At any rate, a bunch of us needed to get together and celebrate Don's life and commiserate with each other over his passing...we couldn't think of better place to do that than Old Town Tavern.
When this place was called Brackin's, it set the bar pretty high for what a "neighborhood hangout bar" should be...the delightful people that run OTT haven't fallen back an inch...in fact, they have managed to improve on something that I thought was nearly perfect (I mean, what else could have inspired me to write a haiku about a bar?).
OTT is a wonderful little spot to sit, have a cocktail or six and watch the world go by, whether you sit inside and solve problems with the bartenders or view the world from below (on the lower deck) or gaze down over your empire from the upper deck...you will not go wrong by bringing your joys and sorrows, your victories and defeats, your highs and your lows to Old Town Tavern.
And though the reason for getting together to hang out at OTT was sad, our good friends Whiskey, Vodka, Gin and Tequila helped us all to tell our stories about Don...funny ones, happy ones, interesting ones...and let us celebrate the life of our friend in the best way we know how.
Thanks for being there for us Old Town Tavern...Requiscat in Pace, Don
This is the sort of bar every neighborhood should have. My experience here was during the day, having a couple of margaritas, while watching blue hairs and Tommy Bahama-clad 40-somethings enjoying a few cold ones. Spring Training was in full effect.
The patio has an outdoor fireplace downstairs and there's another fireplace upstairs. I didn't really know it got cold in Scottsdale, but then again I'm from San Francisco by way of Rochester, NY. They also have live music as the week gets towards its end.
But for my money, I'd hang out near the bar, mingle with other patrons, maybe consider even buying a round for some new friends. It's that sort of place. Oh, and if you're lucky, Janet will be behind the bar, and that's worth a few drinks alone.
I might live here this summer. Definitely a place you can grab a beer after spending the day poolside.
I loved seeing some of the old school Scottsdale guys here having a beer on a Saturday.
Next time - up top! Hopefully I can maneuver the stairs after a beverage or two....
Thanks to Julia T for introducing us to a great new (to us) spot!
This is what a neighborhood bar should be. New owners have made this great little place even better. I met both of the owners in my two visits here this weekend. They are super nice, happy to talk to you, and seem to genuinely like their customers.
Great mix of people of all ages here. The bar is open air so you can enjoy our beautiful weather & great people watching all while having your cocktails. It is a very laid back atmosphere so if you are looking for a club, do not stop your Hummer limo here.
They had an amazing guy singing there Friday night, & I hear he'll be back on Tuesdays for a while. I have no clue what his name was, but this guy was talented. There is nothing worse than being stuck in a small bar with a horrible singer, so I was loving him.
I will be biking up here often to booze it up, & enjoy some great music. Apparently a soup & sandwich shop is open next door now too, so if you get the munchies you can order there & bring it to the bar. Awesome.
I don't do bars. Â My Yelp friends seem to think I should change my habits as I think I've been in more bars of different types in the last 6 months than I have in my entire life. Â I also don't do Scottsdale often as I usually find it out of my price range, especially after dark. Â This place is an exception to that.
I recently met up with a bunch of folks here for an evening of drinking and conversation. Â The beer was reasonably priced, the service was great. Â It's not "Scottsdale" at all, just a friendly neighborhood bar. Â It is sort of hard to find so I imagine most of the customers are local and regular. Â The owner was himself there that evening and passing out drink samples. Â Inside was sort of tight, it isn't a real big place, but the patio area offers a couple of types of seating and the covered part is misted. Â I did not go upstairs but one of the folks I was seated with did and said it was not very large. Â At one point the sprinklers in the flower bed went on and gave a couple of folks a bath. :-)
OK, for a bar it isn't bad. Â I know a lot of folks are used to going one place to eat and then another for drinks afterward but it wasn't the norm for me. Â However, I survived with the help of Fez en route. Â Looking at the physical layout I don't think food can ever happen here. Â The owner seems very open to bringing food in if you are buying drinks. Â For those folks that are familiar with the area I bet there are a lot of take out food places within walking distance. Â I was surprised to not have any beer on tap but given the lack of square footage maybe it allows him to have a wider variety?
I have loved this place for over 20 years. Â I have always loved the atmosphere and the way it opens up to the civic center sidewalks. Â Very Cool. Â The only thing that I didn't care for so much was that it was mostly an older crowd and pretty sedate and low key. (Not that being old is bad, remember I have been going to this bar for 20 years) But something happened when the new owners came in and changed the name. The crowd is much more fun then it used to be. Â Not rowdy or obnoxious but just fun, nice people. Â You can say all you want about this bar has cool drinks, or this bar has nice furniture, or this bar is inexpensive or whatever. Here is the bottom line on Brackin's. Â When I am there, I feel comfortable. PERIOD. Â
It's like listening to an old record that feels like you have heard it for the first time all over again. Â Oh and I love the new little meatballs they serve there.
Brackin's is exactly what Scottsdale so sorely needs. Â A nice, friendly neighborhood joint to grab a drink for less than $10.00 (way less) that is unpretentious, warm, and inviting. Â You don't even need fake boobies or cougar attire to get in, although I doubt you would be turned away! Â
I came with my husband for the first time for a Yelp event organized by Donald S. Â Our own Michael C was not behind the bar that night but enjoyed the evening with all us Yelpers and made sure Brackin's knew to expect us. Â This place is small! Â But with the two patios, we were set. Â The owner, Doug, treated us like family. Â Our server, Renee, ran her little butt off and we were never without a drink in hand. Â And the best part, clean bathroom!!
Love this little bar! Â Have to confess th at my wonderful wife was the designated driver tonight and just rolled my oput of the car!
Great time & great little event organizized by Donald and/or MIchael.  Always great fun to spend  time with other yelpers and loosen up1.
I can tel thAat my review is not up to teh usual standards but durnk reviewing is a new take on  a review too right?
So greaty service and strong drinks here and I am frankly surprised at the low cost of getting snockerd at B rackin's !
In the morning I will read this and sdecide if I should post it.
Michael what was that last drink I had with the grape flavor!;?
*morning* Â Good times.
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