Turning 21 opens a whole new realm to students: the ability to purchase liquor, visit a dispensary or gamble at a casino — in Tempe, it begins on Mill Avenue.
C.A.S.A.
Arguably the most iconic 21st birthday destination for ASU students, with occasional live music, including Open Mic Tuesdays and Reggae Thursdays, and the famous C.A.S.A. bucket.
Paige Madsen, a senior studying project management, followed the ASU tradition and visited C.A.S.A. on her 21st birthday.
"You have to go to C.A.S.A., it's a staple! You have to get your birthday bucket," Madsen said.
Neon Spur
A recent addition to the Mill scene is a pseudo-dive bar that combines a cowboy theme and a 1970s aesthetic. Madsen said this bar has become her go-to as it reminds her of her hometown in Idaho.
"It's like a little country bar-ish but they don't just play country music," Madsen said.
This bar has a chill vibe, good music and attracts a younger college crowd versus C.A.S.A. where you typically find older people, Caitlin Burns, a junior studying sports business, said.
Rodeo Ranch
Toria Tolley, a master's student studying mass communication, kicked off her 21st at Rodeo Ranch by riding the bar's mechanical bull — a rite of passage, she said, many ASU students follow.
"I wanted to hop on the tradition," Tolley said. "It was super fun."
Low Key Piano Bar
This bar is perfect for students looking for live music with a twist. Low Key Piano Bar offers the chance for two pianists to face off in a musical battle in front of a live audience. The competitors often take requests from the crowd to make the experience interactive.
Sunbar
If you are looking for a place to fit every vibe, this is it! It has a variety of live shows, food, drinks and even brunch. Sunbar also offers a deal where buying a brunch entree gets you a bottle of champagne for one cent.
There are often live DJs playing house music and the bar transforms into an electronic dance music venue at night.
414 Pub Pizza & Karaoke
If you are looking to sing the night away, this place is for you. 414 offers scratch-made pizza and nightly karaoke.
"It's so much fun, (if you) go with a group of people and their drinks are relatively cheap compared to other places," Burns said.
Devil's Hideaway
Another new addition to Mill is a slightly less chaotic bar with a vibey patio. It offers a variety of food and drink, pool and gives a classic speakeasy vibe. This location offers an upscale cocktail bar named Idle Hands. If big crowds and swaying bodies is not your vibe, give Devil’s Hideaway a chance.
If you are looking to escape the college bar scene, downtown Phoenix might be the best bet. Downtown Phoenix offers countless bars ranging from speakeasies to sweaty, squished clubs.
Gracie's Tax Bar
This location offers more than a place to party. With a variety of events — from vintage markets and Super Smash Bros. tournaments to drunk spelling bees — there's something for everyone.
"We are nice, have food and cheap booze, so you should come hang out," reads the website. This is perfect for students wishing to have a low-key 21st.
Ziggy's Magic Pizza & Pub
Part pizza place, part secret dance room, Ziggy's is perfect for students looking to party and grab a slice after. Walk through what looks like a regular pizza place and you'll find a hidden door leading to a disco dance floor with trippy lighting and a mix of music.
Be warned this DJ's tagline is "he needs some milk," so if you randomly hear that do not be concerned.
Cobra Arcade Bar
If you are looking for a grown-up version of Peter Piper Pizza, this is the spot! With drinks, neon lights and an array of classic arcade games, it blends nostalgia and nightlife.
There also are live DJs and food trucks creating a place where you can feel like a kid — while drinking like an adult.
Valley Bar
This place is more than a bar, it's part underground game room, part concert venue and part historic cocktail lounge. It offers a game room with billiard tables, shuffleboard, skee-ball games, darts, pinball and more.
Valley Bar has a music hall which holds up to 250 people to view varieties of music, film, spoken word and comedy.
It also has the Rose Room, a cocktail lounge named after Arizona's first female governor, Rose Mofford. There are eight beers on draft and over 50 wines and signature cocktails named after infamous local politicians.
Editor-in-Chief honorary recommendation - Pemberton
"What a blast!" said Alysa Horton, editor-in-chief of The State Press and a senior studying journalism and mass communication. "It's the perfect place to grab a drink and dodge your enemies. How huge it is!"
This bar offers multicultural exhibits from Día de los Muertos to Tokyo Alley. This location is the perfect place to be once you just can't stand upright. Grab a drink, eat some food and admire art that even sways with you.
Editor's note: The opinions presented in this section are the Editor-in-Chief's and do not imply any endorsement from the reporters of the story.
Regardless of where you go for your 21st, the most important part is to have a good time and make it home safe.
Go out with friends you trust, know where your drinks are coming from and listen to all the things your parents tell you, Tolley said.
Remember turning 21 is not about what bars you visit; it's about the stories you probably will not tell your parents.
Edited by Senna James, Sophia Ramirez and Alexis Heichman.
Reach the reporter at nrodri74@asu.edu.
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Natalia is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication with a minor in creative writing. This is her second semester at The State Press.
