Downhill! Â It depends... I've been going to The Shelter for years. The location and atmosphere is always great!
But the staff isn't. Â For YEARS the staff was the same, and I trusted them and it was always so much fun. Â But now, it's a bit more trendy, and it's a gamble what by tab ends up at the end of the night.
The atmosphere is always the same, a cool anti-culture "lounge" feel that you have to love.
I've lived near The Shelter for over 5 years, and have went there for near 10 years. Â They had great drinks for years, good pours. Â And the usually have specials that are worth going.
Mid 2012 or so, and now, they just aren't the same. Â They have the cool feel and culture, but the bar tab seems to always be insanely high, and none of my friend will trust putting their credit card behind the bar since early 2012.... It's lost the feel. Â My friends think the shelter will rip them off unless they pay cash, and I don't even know how to argue they won't because suddenly the prices are so high every time I cash out..
Bad pours, over priced, don't trust the staff, how do you say that your favorite place is now a bit scary? Â It's just sad.
This place is an absolute gem. I'm sad I did not know about this place sooner and even more sad that I moved away and can't come as often.
Jeremy and Paris are like "the perfect wife" : greet you, stick a martini in your hand and indulge you in good conversation. I remember coming in once and telling them I want to expand out of my typical drinks and try something new and that I was interested in learning to like Gin. They poured me 4-5 small samples of different types and lead me through basically a tasting of all of them to help me learn and find my favorite. (It's No. 209 Gin) Â You wouldn't find many bartenders willing to do that.
I spent quite a few nights here hanging out with my friends and boyfriend turned fiance, so it only seemed fitting to come in and write my wedding vows when we were back in town to get married. There is no drama and people running around screaming. Just a relaxing atmosphere and good memories!
One of the things that makes me love Tucson is the abundance of true dives. After a night of bar-hopping, I either end up at the Shelter or the Buffet- two totally different dive vibes and dependent on how the night has gone. The Shelter has this great  60s-70s vibe with colored lights, old movies on the older TV, and just something uniquely FUNK. The crowd ranges from old dudes with odd fetishes to the wanna-be hipsters in Tucson (sorry, not too many real ones here- go to Austin to be overrun with plaid and chunky glasses). The thing I love the most is that the building and therefore the bar are ROUND!! Sweet- you canNOT run into the wall!! Just try it.
Review Source:A Tucson Classic All The Way. Many say they make the best martini in town, but it's all about the White Russians here. The dim lighting and 60-70s memorabilia instantly transport you back in time. Sparkly booth seating and a lava lamp behind the bar are only really minor details that contribute to the awesomeness that is The Shelter. The staff is always ready to show you a good time with their friendliness and badass cocktail making skills. How about their happy hour that lasts until 8pm? Plus, you can catch a food truck round here at least once a month.
Review Source:The Shelter is my favorite bar in town and its not only because they have Hoegaarden on tap, though that helps. The first time I mentioned going there my mother's jaw dropped and she exclaimed, "I used to go there when I was 19!" I am a fan of dive bars and this is as divey as it gets. Â Argyle walls, the largest JFK memorabilia collection West of the Mississippi (I wish I remembered who fed me that little tidbit), crazy movies, a pool table usually doesn't steal your quarters and of course the toy machines in the bathrooms which were particularly hilarious as a college student when the Shelter was our last stop.
If I want to meet up with a group of friends for a great night, this is always on the list.
Lets face it this the only place like it in the city. Â Every time I go in it feels like an occasion, from the lighting to the decor. Â The service is decent and it is clean as well.
I don't drink and they did not make me feel like a second class citizen. Â This sixties vibe should be experienced by all love swank and kitch.
O the shelter. What a wonderful place for such the croud that gathers there. Ha. Just kidding love everybody and love the Shelter. Such good drinks and just a great atmosphere. The east/central part of tucson lacks more bars like this one. Gotta love it when you can order a PBR for a buck fifty. O and for the smokers out there. Its pretty much the best smoking lounge in tucson. Especially in the winter time, indoor smoking!!! Anyways im not in Tucson anymore but i sure do miss that bar. Check it out!
Review Source:So I get a lot of messages from people telling me that they like my reviews and they would like me to review more things. My stock reply is usually something like: "I will be happy to review your handjob skills behind a Dairy Queen dumpster of your choosing during the next winter solstice" and then I never hear back and return to whatever it is I do.
The other day I got a message from someone who didn't fawn over my reviews but just flat out asked to go on a date with me because she liked my reviews so much. She made allusions to classical mythology and her epistles really had an air of mystery about them. I was pretty sure she was either a witch, Natalie Portman, or an FBI cyber agent trawling for social network perverts.
She initially wanted to meet at the Buffet but after I deferred selected the Shelter. At this point I was approaching rigors of curiosity. I had to see her. I sat at the U-shaped bar, in the electric darkness, watching 'Trading Places' and drinking a Dewar's on the rocks. At the other end of the bar a woman furiously typed an email and tried to establish eye contact with every singleton male in the room, which amounted to myself and a moon-faced man who appeared to be suffering from a cluster A personality disorder.
I methodically glanced around the bar and saw that everyone looked wan, broken, incomplete in the electric darkness. 100 years of stale tobacco smoke has been entrapped in the upholstery of the place and slowly leaks out probably staining the inside of your lungs benzene yellow with every breath. I stared into a mirror and saw the same look of bored desperation tattooed on my face. The slatternly bartender came over and told me that I looked familiar and asked my name. I told her that I had never been there before and walked out.
Also, the White Russians prepared with homemade vanilla infused vodka should really be tried at least once.
Ohhh the beautiful, almighty, wonderful Shelter. Â My favorite dive bar in the whole entire world. Â They have the same bartenders that they did when I was sneaking in with a fake id at 19, really awesome people. Â Since that time, the Shelter has added an area off the bar where you can smoke and play shuffle board. Â I can spend all day here, and I have.
Review Source:Make it happen, Cap'n! Coke and spiced rum that is. Black gold, Tucson tea. And it's served up yummily at the Shelter, amidst a happy-go-lucky crowd all talking casually in this very easy going lounge. (I guess that's what Lounge means, silly Dan.)
So it was that I found myself driving down Speedway this past Friday night/Saturday morning. I wanted some music, I wanted to sip something yummy, and I wanted to relax. Oh look, The Shelter, I thought. I've heard of that place. The Rage O' Machine started popping in my head as I pulled into the parking lot. But ho - there BE shelter here! And as the lyrics go, what I need they be sellin. And that be happy stuff good times in the form of beverages and a place to drink them.
The quick and low down: there are a few smaller TVs (Army of Darkness playing when I walked in - Good Ash, Bad Ash, etc.), a nice bar area with comfy stools, three bartenders that worked quickly with big smiles, lots of perimeter seating, and even a dedicated smoking room. The tables were covered in a red and black leopard swirl of sorts, with red leathery chairs and benches. Definitely a "sit here and be casual and don't be afraid to feel sexy - it's ok" vibe. I ordered a Spiced Morgan and Coke and a cherry coke (yeah yeah, complain to someone who's drinking something less tasty). You can't really make a bad Coke'n'Cap'n and this one was spot on. The bar was busy yet there were a few seats available. I didn't wait long at all to get a drink. In fact, observing folks for a bit after I noticed everyone getting served quickly. No on stuck waiting with money in their hand, no one shoving to get their turn - just quick service so that patrons could their drink on. And on.
The atmosphere was very laid back - very loungey. Paintings on the walls, lots of doodads and knick-knacks, and even some doohickeys. The music was audible and loud enough to hear, but not so loud that'd have to yell to the person next to you and confuse "Do you want another drink" with "I think your mother stinks." I've never had that happen but I would totally defend my mom if it did. The patrons were mid 20s to mid/late 30's - typical lounge crowd. Dress was very casual with many wearing shorts and hipstery t-shirts to show off their cool arm tats and sideburns. Some were more dressed up in nice pants and button shirt or a nice dress and heels (depending on your sex or your love of Eddie Izzard). There was no dancing area unless you count people digging the music and grooving side to side in their chairs. I did see the occasional double arms up, white girl sway with a loud "woo hoo!" but that's more about that specific patron and less a common The Shelter thing to do. Although by all means, I'm fully of the opinion that you do what you feel. Be free, woo hoo'ing white girl! You owned that group of friends you were with! And The Shelter protected and possibly encouraged you. Because that's the kind of fun place The Shelter is.
Very cool place. When I showed up it was nearly empty. Got a chance to check out the amazing memorabilia! This place has the 50s-60s ambience but its not slick or commercial, its authentic. Drinks are well priced. i had the white russian (good) and the key lime pie (great). Can't wait to try some of the others! So -- I also expected the bartender to be snobby or remote, but he was a very cool, relaxed, friendly guy and made the visit even better. It's gonna be fun -- Hope the place is rocking on my next visit!!
Recently discovered that the Shelter was designed by a noted Arizona architect. Spent NYE here and had a blast!!! As Christy said, I love everything about this place.
Best of Tucson (as it used it be, as I wish it still was...)
The Shelter, as many other posters have noted, is a great bar. Â I won't call it "retro" or "a dive" or, god forbid, a hipster joint (more on that in a bit) but rather a bar that found its era and just stopped time. Â It found its vibe, its zeitgeist and has wisely decided that if it isn't broken, don't fix it.
Happy hours are great. Â I'm a little upset about the infusion proliferation, but as they still make a fairly decent (and cheap) martini, I will not hold that against them. Â However, infusions and posters using the word "hipster." Â It is my fear the place will be ruined by an infestation of hipsters. Â
Shelter management, please do not let another interesting venue get Borg'ed by the hipster crowd. Â Thanks.
Have you ever gone out of town and come across that weird, quirky bar that quickly defines your trip by serving up good, cheap drinks and draws you in with interesting locals, good music and funky decor? Â The Shelter was that bar for me for my trip to Tucson!!!
It could not have been further from where I was staying but all of the reviews and recommendations from locals made this a MUST for me. I was not disappointed and as an amateur-professional barfly, it has been a LONG time since I've come across a bar that I've loved this much.
The inside is over-the-top retro, 60's kitsch. They keep it dark but lit with red lights so it's really a cool relaxed atmosphere. The walls are adorned with Beatles posters, portraits of the Kennedy's and a whole other plethora of 60s memorabilia. The smoking patio is fully enclosed and they have a cool, huge vase/fountain thing going on at the back. And they have an old 80s video game....I THINK it was Centipide.
The two bar tenders were so sweet and attentive and they made a vodka soda that almost knocked me on my ass. I sadly could only say for a few drinks because the way the pour 'em here, I would have wound up dead, in jail or stuck with a $60 cab fare.
I wouldn't go so far as to say that I would take another trip to Tucson to come to this bar, but when I feel like getting out of Phoenix again and I know that there will be drinking involved, Tucson and The Shelter will be at the top of my list.
This bar should be on any seasoned drinkers "Must" list. It is one-of-a-kind, reasonably priced with good service, and good times.
My first time at the Shelter was last Friday. I loved the hipster dive bar feel. I had the Poma Lama, which is a pomegranate martini that is to die for. I wish I was not driving that night because the martini list looked amazing and they make them incredibly strong, but fantastically delicious.This place is really chill and I had no idea that it would actually get loud and crowded later in the night.
Service was great. The bartender was nice and fun to chat with. They had Rocky Horror Picture Show playing on the TVs. It was just a lot of fun!
I love everything about this place! Â You step inside and it is dimly lit (which is the way a bar should be) and once your eyes adjust you think to yourself, I have been time warped, or Dr. Who has brought me along to explore the time space continuum, or you look around for Marty McFly, who must have kidnapped you in his time traveling Delorean, perhaps my fiance's vehicle has a flux capacitor that I am not aware of? Â
"A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on" Â spoke John F. Kennedy....and so true, the idea, feeling and vibe of the 60's is alive inside of the Shelter! Â The walls are decked out in Kennedy memorabilia, including a particular gem, the illuminated Kennedy. Â
Velvet paintings adorn the girl's and boy's wash rooms. Â A sign is hung that karaoke is not allowed. Â Funky lamps abound and the quintessential lava lamp is behind the bar.
Outside of the sheer coolness of the retro-dive bar of my dreams, the second coolest thing is there are three infusions!  I had the Thai chili, hornitos lemonade (bartender's  fav)...it had a nice spicy heat to it...quite lovely!  And the Amsterdam chocolate vanilla infused skyy made a stellar white Russian.  And yes, like others, I wanted to bottle it, bathe in it, swim in it, perfume myself in it.....  I am imagining the multi-peppered infused skyy, that I did not try, would be perfect in a bloody.
Fear not hipsters, they have your beloved PBR, in a can. Â Yet, yeah for me, they also have Ace Pear cider on draft...really, they have something for everyone, including old movies being played on the TV.
If you are like Drew Berrymore, who has smoked since she was 9, you are in luck...they have a well ventilated smoking room, with tables and seats, drinks are welcome.
I cannot wait for a repeat visit. Â They had 5 dollar stoli martinis on special that day...plus a food truck round up...and they did not seem to mind if you noshed inside. Â Happy hour until 8!
The Shelter just did not hit all the right notes with me. Although a martini is a simple drink, it can be made too simple. They prepare their gin martinis the modern way - which is to say they don't actually put vermouth in the drink, rather simply swirling it around the glass to get  the scent and then discarding the vermouth. I prefer my martinis dry, so a splash of dry vermouth is just what it needs, IMHO. What can I say? I know what I like.
My wife had a pomegranate cosmo, which she said was not as good as others she has had.
I do have one thing I want to complain about (as if whining about my martini is not complaining - OK I'm picky). When you first order, they ask you if you want to run a tab. To do this, you need to provide them with a card. When you ask for your bill they run your card and give you the total, sans itemization. Please don't run my card until I have seen an itemized bill to approve, especially in a bar setting. Don't get me wrong; I don't think they are trying to be dishonest but I would like to know what  and how much each drink was I just paid for.
The dimly lit place has happy hour from 3-8 and daily specials. It's rife with memorabilia: JFK pictures, lava lamps, car seats serving as couches... stuff like that. It's a cool place, but maybe just not my scene anymore. Damn, I'm gettin' old.
My friends and I tend to make it here for Happy Hour, and what's not to LOVE about the Shelter's Happy Hour. Â Can you say $5.00 Martini's? Â Oh, and a draft cider on tap that I've noticed is on the rise. Â The name, Ace Pear... try a pint.
(Disclaimer: Â I believe that the Happy Hour is different each day... and Martinis are possibly on a Wednesday.)
The Shelter is yes Dive-y but a step above the Dives. Â It far surpasses the likes of the Dives in Tucson, and I know many "ah" Dive Bar. Â They're my specialty, but I digress.
The Shelter's decor transports you back into time and is a mix of lava lamps, and JFK. Â I'm not quite sure if it was meant, but I believe this to be an homage to JFK's Fallout Shelter on Peanut Island. Â Also, what it may have looked like back in the 60's... with it's shag carpet and rotary dial phones. Â Enough of the history lesson though.
This bar has a nice low lit atmosphere. Â The bartenders are yes knowledgeable, but to a point. Â I'm going to come off as a Gin Snob in a moment, but so be it. Â I had a Hendrix and Tonic, and they garnished my bevery with a lime. Â Hendrix is meant to be garnished with a Cucumber... I know, I know, it shouldn't be a big deal, but it's the principle of the matter.
Anywho, for those that are social there's a fair mix of people from young to cougar. Â It's just a good time. Â Especially with friends.
For the occasional smoker they even have a chamber -- a separate indoor smoker's area for you and your habit.
All and all it's a bar that warrants visiting. Â So grab a few friends and take the trip to days of yesteryear. Â If not on a party night at least pop in post-work and catch a Happy Hour. Â It's worth the stop.
Went back a couple of times and I decided never to order wine there again. I'm not complaining about the wine itself (I know it's average grocery store stuff) but the way they serve it. Â
Ummm.. I know the bar cost of that cheap wine they serve and using a measuring glass (looked like a mini caraffe) is just not cool. Â If the bar doesn't want to waste their wine by over pouring into a glass, then they need to use smaller glasses or be a little more generous or rethink their charge matrix. Â
I have NEVER had such a cheap glass of wine and I was a bartender for over ten years - in more than one place, in more than one town. Â I really felt cheated! Â I didn't want to drink hard liquor but I switched over because I felt like I was getting ripped off. Â I won't order what looks like a half consumed beverage ever again.
I love the atmosphere there, but what's with them being so stingy?
This place is not typical. Â It is a blast from the past. Â Walking in it seems like you are from the 60s-70s era. Â JFK is all over the walls and it has that feeling of being in what I would assume the time would be like.
It is kind of dirty feeling, but it doesn't stop me from going. Â It is an awesome experience and I would recommend it to anyone.
I must preface by saying that I adore dive-y little lounges. Â
That being said, I la-la-la-la-love the Shelter!!
No really, it's divine!
Shelter is a casual, groovy, throwback of a bar that I may have never set foot in if it hadn't been for the fantastic reviews! Â We're still pretty new to Tucson and I'm sure I had driven by it quite a few times before we actually read the reviews and decided to check it out.
We were initially searching out places with shuffleboard tables. Â The Shelter does have one but it's a little small for my liking. Â (If anyone knows of places with standard sized tables in Tucson, please message me!) Â No matter, The Shelter was an awesome first experience and we've returned a few times since. Â Their infused vodkas are dangerously amazing. Â Hubs and I enjoy the Vanilla/Mocha the best. Everytime we are about to leave, I secretly want to beg the bartender to sell me one for the road. Â I want to put it in my coffee, pour it on my cereal, drizzle it over ice-cream...you get the picture. Â
Great drinks, great atmosphere and great bartenders. Â I'm in love!
First of all, I have to say that I kinda grew up in the Shelter. My parents best friends owned it when I was growing up and my mom worked there on Friday afternoons. Back then, it was a 'family bar' - you could bring your kids, everyone knew each other, there were events to raise money for needy families such as the prom, the 4th of July parade and pie eating contests, the Ten-Ducky Derby, to name just a few. At Christmas, the money raised throughout the year was used to help a needy families buy presents for their children, stock their kitchens with food, pay utility bills and always included a visit from 'Santa'. It was 'home away from home' for a lot of lonely souls and a social gathering spot for neighborhood friends.
Although a part of me misses it as it was, the Shelter is still a great place to go and have some cocktails, visit with friends, celebrate a 'milestone' birthday. The 60s, lounge-y vibe is pretty cool, the smoking room is a lot nicer than just hanging around outside a bar to smoke and the bartenders are always friendly and fun! (Shout out to you, Paris!)
I have so many memories of the Shelter as it was and as it is now! It's an institution in Tucson, a must for locals and visitors alike.
The Vintage PinBall Machine at the entrance really caught my attention when i walked in and then about 3 bucks before I left.
The bar Had a nice ambiance as the curvilinear alcohol trench, filled the room and made fore a somewhat smooth space.
An Indoor/Outdoor smoking area nestled inside was cool, until you sat on the high stools, not marketed for their particularly great lounging characteristics.
The place was a bit too dark, and no signature drink or particularly amazing specials to be had that Thursday, maybe just the wrong day to go.
Im going to agree with another review about the appreciation of the cocktail style and campiness, but will not say that this "adds" to the place. And certainly isn't retro enough to gain adoration or merit. IMO.
Parking limited.
Most of what needs to be said has been said, so I'll give a concise synopsis.
Personality, it has. Â A good list of "house specialty" drinks, made strong and tasty, it has. Â Dark, small, cozy, with great lighting, it is and has. Â Jukebox? Â Nope, but they do play great music. Â Plus there are great old movies always showing on tvs. Â Good beer on tap, check. Â Pool table, check-although it will leave your hands red! Â Smoking? Â Well, it actually has a separate room where you can smoke with your drink. Â Yes, you can sip your beverage while you puff away. Â Really really unbalanced (yet free) shuffle board and a cheesy waterfall included in the smoking lounge.
Go. Â Just don't tell anyone else--it's small and I'd hate to get crowded out if this place was truly discovered.
A real cocktail lounge the way it should be. Â This place rivals no other in Tucson for kitschy, campy feel and would be the only place to visit if you had one choice.
Nice and dark. Â Retro kitsch all over the place- Â a 60's blast from the past w/ garish lighting fixtures, Â free form ashtrays, oil on velvet paintings adorning the rest rooms (who can resist those big eyes)?, full on Kennedy memorabilia, and cocktails that will knock your socks off served up by REAL bartenders who are attentive and amusing. Â Campy flicks run the entire time w/ no sound just for the hell of it, and it somehow graces the overall ambiance of the best gin joint in Tucson, hands down!
Shelter is the bar that I compare all other bars too. Â By far this is my favorite bar of all time. Â It happens to be one of the first bars I've ever been to as well. Â It's also a bar that I coined the phrase "shelter it." Â Like the time my friend Romo and I ditched our own party to go shelter it.
Since turning 21, I spent many a-nights here. Â The bartenders are top notch. Â They are awesome for suggesting new cocktails or shot concoctions. Â One bartender I used to be madly in love with. Â Another bartender used to have Soul Coughing and the Pixies in CD rotations every Sunday and Monday night (yea yea). Â The doorman, T, is a super great guy who coincidently was from near my old stomping grounds in Indiana. Â
Everytime I'm in the old pueblo, you can be sure to find me sheltering it come night time. Â Between the great cocktails, the retro decor, classic 60's kung fu movies, what more could you ask for in a bar. Â
If you ever venture out west to Tucson, or if you are a Tu-lo (Tucson Local), you need to check this place out. Â It was seriously the toughest thing to leave behind when I moved away. Â I haven't found a bar that I love quite as much ever since. Â
PS. Â Since I do seem to make it back about 2x a year. Â I have noticed that it has caught on. Â Man, how times have changed !
Every visit to the Shelter is a pure, adult-flavoured pleasure.
In fact, I sometimes wish hot blond bouffant girls wearing feathered sequined bird outfits go-go danced in dangling cages while I sipped my flammeable gin and tiny bit of tonic w/lime.
I love the bartenders here, genial, professional, fast. It is incredibly easy to strike up a conversation (and watch guys strike out on ladys having a one-to-one lady friend talk). The donut shaped velvet seating always looks inviting, but I just love being at the bar and being insanely jealous of all their fixtures-from lamps to ceiling lamps to velvet paintings, I imagine Las Vegas had this space age luxe glamour in the '60s as well.
Despite lack of food and wanting jukebox and not enough seating, the ambiance and strong cheap drinks overrule even the possiblity of detracting a star.
This is the only bar in Tucson that has ever impressed me enough to want to go back. Â Its not a dive bar, but its certainly Tarantino-kitsch. Â If i were ever to film a movie, this is where i would shoot the first act. Â Their pours are strong, and the 3 times i've been here I nearly fell off my stool, but since everything is so plush, I'm sure i would have been dandy.
If I were to compare this bar to anything, it would be Shady's in Phoenix, Club DeVille in Austin, or the Red Room in San Francisco.
The only negative is that its a bit of a drive off the main bar district, but not so bad that it loses a star over it.
Until Jaz reminded me of this place with her review, I had forgotten about the Shelter - most likely the best bar in all of Arizonaland. Their Pyramid Apricot Ale on tap tasted amazing, their JFK memorabilia was hilarious and I always won on their pool table.
I miss the Shelter dearly.
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