Melindas Alley

Cute and small speakeasy that has one bar and a rotating cocktail menu. They offer different types of fun drinks and change them every so often so they may be different depending on when you go. You can find the entrance via the red light with the bouncer at the door and proceed to this “basement” and Victorian vibe hallway speakeasy with eclectic furniture. It’s a fun space to go for a drink or two on a date or night out. I have enjoyed the drinks I’ve tried here. The bartenders have also been very friendly.

Melinda's Alley is definitely the place to visit for a chill Unique vibe on the weekends. Each bartender takes turns on the drink list; they change 4 out of their 5 main drinks every week. The one that stays the same is their old fashion, I've been told it's great. They only make like 100 of each drink to keep the uniqueness going each weekend. The drinks are of high quality; check it out sometime!

I have gone here a handful of times. The first time it was new and exciting and kind of mysterious. Now, I like to bring people here who have never heard or been to give them that fun first time experience. The lighting is very dim. The temperature is always cold, but a comfortable cold. Seating is kind of limited and you can feel awkward if your stuck standing waiting for a seat or couch to open up. Only 5 or so drinks in total to choose from, drink menu is very straight forward with options and pricing. Old Fashions are one of the drinks available and the mixologist put fresh fruit in everyone they make. Very chill, low key, kind of quite atmosphere. I only stay for a drink or two and then Im ready to go. Great place to start your night off at before going to the other busy and bigger bars in the area. Worth checking out at least once if you have never been!!!

It was an okay place the way they have the bar/ drink line set up is weird tho and wish they can figure out a better system. Wish they stayed true to Google hours as well last call is basically around 12:30ish and we were told several times they close at 1:30am. First time going and for me was a try and done type of bar.

I came here for my last hoorah before moving out of the country! The bartender was so amazing and really gave us a good experience. The drinks were so cool and interesting! $16-$20 for a drink can be pricey but as you walk in, it does give ✨expensive✨. But the drinks are very personalized and change every week! I do suggest to go with a smaller group because seating can get crowded or you may might find an area big enough. Overall, I really really enjoy this place and do suggest people to go here!

Nice dimly-lit speakeasy in downtown Phoenix! The cocktails can get pricey $16-20. Entrance is the alleyway north side of the Renaissance hotel, off of Central Ave just south of Monroe St but before Adams St. LOOK FOR THE RED LANTERN for the entrance door! We went on a Saturday night around 11pm and there was no line but I've heard it can get busy. They checked ID but didn't do any pat-downs or have metal detector wands like they do at downtown spots such as Valley Bar. Recommend street parking meters; they are free after 10pm.

A nice speakeasy. Long lines for beverages, but the drink was worth the wait. There are seating and lounge areas throughout. Garage and street parking available.

The vibe and atmosphere here were phenomenal, exactly what you expect for speakeasy vibes. However, for $16 you can find much better cocktails and liquor in multiple places around. Fun spot to stop through, but wouldn’t spend time or money on more than one drink.

Melinda's Alley is a gem of a speakeasy in the downtown Phoenix area. It definitely has its own unique character, and I recommend you read the literature on Melinda herself and understand where you are and what it's named after, because it makes the experience that much better. I don't want to spoil it in the review, but I feel like the backstory gives the place all the more ambiance. The red tones given off throughout the bar set the stage for a very mid-century vibe, and it's definitely a unique place to sip on some drinks with your friends. A few things I noticed: if you're lucky enough to get there when there's not a line, you're probably there a little earlier in the evening--but the line can get pretty long. However, the way the bar works, the bartenders are very personable. They are talkative, informative, and nice, and that's part of the experience. You may end up waiting a little bit longer, but the time, effort, and quality of the service and drinks make it worth it, in my opinion. If you're going to Melinda's Alley, you're going for the experience. If you want a quick drink, go to a bigger bar with tons of bartenders--not a speakeasy. I enjoyed my time here. I felt lucky to have stopped in for the evening--it definitely gave my night a spark. I will definitely return.

A friend took me to this speakeasy and I was impressed with the service and quality of the beverages. The music was on point and the place was very lively! The bartenders know their stuff. There was a long line for drinks. No table service. Street and garage parking nearby.

Service | Ambiance is fabulous !! I love the atmosphere & drinks were amazing as well with the bartenders!! love how professional the security was yet respectful at the same time!!

This is such a unique and cool place to go to! My boyfriend and I came for the first time last week and we loved it. The vibe, the aesthetic, the people, and the music was perfect! Lots of seating with antique furniture. Highly recommend as a pit stop in Downtown to grab a drink and relax!

Cute and small speakeasy that has one bar and a rotating cocktail menu. They offer different types of fun drinks and change them every so often so they may be different depending on when you go. You can find the entrance via the red light with the bouncer at the door and proceed to this "basement" and Victorian vibe hallway speakeasy with eclectic furniture. It's a fun space to go for a drink or two on a date or night out. I have enjoyed the drinks I've tried here. The bartenders have also been very friendly.

The mixologists at Melinda's Alley are very friendly! They have a new speciality cocktail menu every week. I had a spongebob themed drink with tequila, but it wasn't the best drink I've ever had. They do make all of their drinks doubles, so that was helpful. The layout of the place is very aesthetically pleasing with crushed velvets and gold accent pieces. I didn't like the music/DJ. EDM and House music were playing, which felt very out of place for the venue.

This kind of place is just my kind of thing. "Hidden" with a door at the mural of Melinda Curtis (in her alley of course) and built into the foundation of the Renaissance Hotel (former Hotel Adam's), this has the whole speakeasy vibe going on. I personally loved the vibe with the historic furniture and the red lighting. Is it or isn't it haunted? The drinks really is where the shine is, though. The bartenders go through great lengths to create special drinks, being given just a spirit and the direction to create. On the night we went, I tried the "Adult Orange Julius," which sounded on the surface too sweet, but it ended up being a perfect mixture of soft chocolate and orange and vanilla, all clarified to a clear martini with a twist of orange peel. Truly remarkable. My friend did a "Smashing Pumpkin," which had a smoky autumn feel with a little tequila and mezcal involved. But don't get your heart set on these because only Melinda's Old Fashioner stays on the menu year round. Each visit is sure to have some new creation. And I love that.

A friend recommended we try this place so we popped over after dinner downtown one night. I like the vibe and location...fairly easy to find parking. Our drinks were good but there were a couple things to note. Regular ice in an old fashioned is a no-no. My friend was pretty disappointed and felt like she had to drink it fast to prevent it being water downed. Their 'menu' is extremely small. That being said, we just ordered our own drinks...they didn't have lime juice for my cosmo...strange. But it tasted good and honestly tasted like it had lime in it. So not sure what was up with that. I feel the prices were a little spendy. We'd come back with friends if we were in the area but wouldn't go out of our way.

Service and ambience, unmatched. If you like fun, Melindas Alley is a required stop for any Phoenician night out.

This has been on my list of bookmarks to try and o finally stopped by. On the backside of the renaissance and an alley, you find this speakeasy. Unbelievable bar with mounds of history. The vibe, drink, decor ooze history. There's a story behind Melinda and who she was. The decor is all vintage including original pieces from 1970s. When it opened, the line to get it grew quickly. The concrete walls are original to the hotel as well. It's a tight space but the right amount of space. They're known for their old fashioned cocktail which was good too. Definitely glad I got a chance to come and I encourage everyone to stop by.

Speakeasy - Solid amazing time. Kendall is super fun, talented, charismatic AF, and I know he's destined for great things. Hope you guys keep shining and serving up the best drinks in the coolest vibe.

Melinda's Ally is so very rad! I would have walked right by this place if it had not been for this really kind door person. I asked if there was a wait and he said 'we have been expecting you' in jest and like Valley Bar around the corner, this town has the coolest underground martini bars that make us excited to go out! This spot used to actually be a bordello and the history is reflected in the interior decor - so cool to descend into this world now! Once downstairs there is a great red vibe across the entire place - Kendall was our bartender and he manufactured the very best in Cosmos as he knows how to do them with the heritage yet complexity of something new - you must ask him for one! I love this place and cannot wait to return!

The ambiance was great, music playing was great, and the mixologist we amazing. The cocktails were different but good. I would recommend at least stopping and trying it out.

This place is really cool. Very small. Very narrow. Great mixologist. Cozy couches. Really cool experience going there. It is very chill. Not a club. Not a dance spot.

We came in for a late cocktail - arrived at 1:30 and placed a drink order for two signature cocktails ($17 each). The bartender, Jared, was very nice and gave us a breakdown of the story behind Melinda's Alley. As soon as we sat down (around 1:38am) we were approached by Ricardo, the security guard, and told to finish our drinks quickly. We acknowledged him, yet, he hovered over us and pressured us to finish our drinks. If we're going to be paying 17$ for signature cocktails, I felt like it was a very rushed and invasive experience. I would have preferred the bartender to tell me that they were no longer serving for the evening, as opposed to us getting drinks and being forced to chug them. Overall, this was a negative experience and unfortunately, I won't be returning.

Darian was hands down the best bartender we experienced tonight! She made us the Peppered with Kisses and it was phenomenal. We started at Bitter and Twisted and ended at Melinda's Alley! Such a great stop with fantastic drinks. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a great cocktail.

Our boi Harrison is amazing and handcrafted our drink for us. -3 cool girls from Friday night :)

This place gets pretty busy on the weekends. The entrance way is cool, due to the mural outside and the redlight that indicatesthe bar being opened. Seating is first come first serve, so def not a good place for a group bigger than 4 or 5. Unless you can snag the table in the back. The music is pretty loud as well, so it was a little hard to talk/hear. Drink menu rotates & I noticed that different bartenders make the drinks a little differently. So the drinks could be a little inconsistent. It gets hot and super muggy down there in the hot summer months.

Stop number two on the dirty 30 speakeasy night took us to the OG. Originally walked past and the red light being off we knew to come back. After showing the birthday boy a tour of the downtown area and meeting up with some friends we saw a line forming. With such a small space that we know of nerves instantly raced, heart beats a little fast, and thoughts wonder. Did we miss our chance to show the bday boy this iconic spot?! Hell no we got in and had a blast, and a blast was had by all even the one who gave up spirits for lent. On the spot the bartender made a mocktail that was catered to every question and answer between the two. The rest of us kept it simple but that's the kind of attention you might only get in the red light district

This is such a cool spot. I love it when a place is confident in their craft and back's it up. After going I understand the line to get in. Well done!

BUSY! One thing I didn't like is that there are security guard standing outside checking IDs, it kinda ruins the fun of finding the speakeasy. They even said "are you guys looking for Melinda's Alley?" Once inside, they have a line to order drinks from the bar, then you seat yourself. There are 4 drinks that rotate each week. Each one features a different type of alcohol. They always serve an old fashioned every week. It was really busy on a Saturday night at ~10pm. We barely found a spot sharing a table with another couple. I really liked that the music fit the vibe here. Obscure emo sounding music, I digged it. The bathrooms were part of the Renaissance hotel, and they were very nice. I'll definitely be returning when I'm out drinking downtown. I recommend it!

So 4 stars to the friendly staff and fun ambiance but it was no speakeasy. Looked the part but the thumping club music missed the mark completely. There were only 2 groups in the place, us and another too drunk and shouldn't have been served younger group. One of the kids ended up projectile vomiting all over the nook behind us and it ended up closing down the bar. Granted it was a Thursday night but it was early. Instead of comping our drinks they said we could go back during the weekend and they would comp us then. Each vodka soda was $20 so we did not go back since they didn't give us any sort of voucher nor did it seem worth our time to return. Hopefully other nights are better than Thursdays.

One of the coolest best kept secrets in downtown. We were downtown with friends after a concert and had heard about this. You wait outside for a bit... then, they check id and go downstairs which looks odd... but the end result. This is such a cool authentic speak easy. Small, cozy, just friends chilling, no dancing or overly loud music. Can't wait to go back.

Such a pretty and cool spot! We were visiting from california and randomly found this place. My boyfriend was talking to the bartender about different gins we like and later she randomly walked up to us and gave us a free sample of one they had!

One of our sorority sisters is a widow and has been dating a doctor just over a year. After leaving another establishment he took us down an alley. He said he had a surprise for us. In my head I am thinking this guy is not a doctor and my life is going to be over soon! There was a hidden bar. Melinda's Alley. Like Great White sings "Lady red light rock me tonight!" I fell in love right away as I was carded! I wanted to hug the bouncer. I do not look anything near 21 but I took it gladly. The lighting inside was dim and red. The bartenders were fun and friendly. It was fun learning about the history behind the bar. Small drink menu, but super creative and tasty! I enjoyed Cruising USA. The only familiar drink I saw was an Old Fashion. Very unique furniture seating and decore. Never experienced anything like it. Had a great time and I am thankful to be alive to tell about it!

The atmosphere is super cute but it is a tight space. I recommend getting there right at opening. The staff were super nice! It's not my kind of place as there aren't many drink options (I think there were 4 when I went). Cool experience though definitely go and see if it's your vibe.

So excited to visit honestly! it was girls weekend and we chose to come here because of the great ambiance and overall vibes. The space itself, awesome, very much a classic cool speakeasy. The bartender however up-charged us for over 50 dollars! It was very sneaky and we honestly thought he was just being nice while telling us about an alcohol we had never tried. Before we knew it he handed up three full pours of shots we didn't necessarily want and then promptly added it to our bill. Im all for getting your money, but this was honestly dishonest and disrespectful. I won't be back and I don't recommend going unless you know what your getting into.

This cute Speak Easy at the Radisson Downtown Phoenix Hotel was definitely an experience! You have to go the alley when the light is on to know it is open. The mixologist are amazing, especially Darian! They offer unique cocktails but I wasn't quite sure what I would like, so she offered me a surprise! I told her I liked gin and mojitos, so she crafted me a gin drink with lychee and other flavors that reminded me of Hawaii, which I am from! Loved her creativity for our whole group and the Grandma's Oatmeal Cookie tasted like it's name in a drink!!!

Such a cool vibe, drinks were amazing! Super relaxing. Would definitely recommend this place and will definitely go back! The people that worked there were great!

Such a fun lil place! The employees are super sweet and the vibe was perfect for a night out.

You will find the truest speakeasy experience when you come to Melindas Alley! It's hidden really well, you have to go down staircases that make you second guess whether you should go or not, and then the bar is really dark with red lighting. The atmosphere matches the energy perfectly! The only con is that you have limited drink options, there were 5 cocktails to choose from and none of them seemed appealing. I went with tonic deluxe which included gin, pear brandy, rhubarb, and tonic. I personally wasn't a fan. It's drinkable but not enjoyable. Other than that I really enjoyed my time here and it's definitely a bar you have to experience at least once!

Tourist trap, in my opinion. No service at the tables. We had two drinks for $38, pretty good. Other than that, nothing special. Go somewhere else.

Love love love this hidden gem. The drinks were stellar and the ambiance was like nothing I've been too. We loved that it's hidden and ironically part of the hotel we were staying at. We are sure to be back.

The ultimate speakeasy experience! After walking down an unassuming alley you'll stumble upon the entrance to Melinda's. Down a few flights of commercial staircases, the doors open to a long red room filled with music and libations. The only fatal flaw is Melinda's has a limited cocktail menu and won't let you order off menu. Tip: in November Melinda's will be offering live music so swing by!

Melinda's Alley is a great speakeasy, underground ambiance with great signature cocktails ($15). This particular night was featuring DJ's playing house music. It was a vibe!

This place is kind of in the cut. You gotta know about it or you just wouldn't know about it lol I mostly only gave it 3 stars before it was soooo dim and it bothered my eyes. I wear glasses and don't have the greatest eyesight with my glasses, so it was hard for me to see. So, depending on your eyesight and the lighting, you probably won't be able to stay here too long without your eyes starting to hurt. Also, it kind of has a creepy vibe to it, with the dimness and the decor. Definitely intentional, which is cool. But, it just wasn't my cup of tea. But, the bartenders were great and they played good music.

Bartenders where phenomenal at making drinks, but here's my problem with the location. You wait in line to get told to get a wristband, and then go back to the line. Then once you're let in, you go inside to pull up to a long line to get to the back and get a drink. Highly recommend ordering more than one drink on your first order, because you'll have to get back in that long line to wait for a drink.

Melinda's is always a good time. Riding with the. Since day ONE. I love the hidden tucked away nature. I don't like crowds so I was intrigued with the fact that if you knew where it was... you go. If you didn't know, then you don't know. It feels very exclusive and elite if I do say so myself. The music is ON POINT for sure. They play Nina, Billie, Aretha, Marvin, and all the classics in jazz/blues/R&B from the 1920's to the 1970's. The mesmerizing red lights are fun, romantic and aesthetically beautiful. Now the drinks. Depending on your tolerance you may only need one or two. They are very strong. The cocktails are all created by the bartenders each week. They have 4 new drinks each week, and so far I have not seen a repeat. The 5th drink is always an old fashion. It is such a delight to have seasonal flavors with a drink that is delicious, strong, and instagramable. Not to mention the reasonable price. And let me say fresh fruit soaking in your sip makes a nice treat at the end of the night. Every friend I have brought here has fallen in love with it too.

What happens when I, as a foreigner, lose myself in Downtown Phoenix at 10 p.m. on Saturday night? I walk down a seedy alley because I see a red light and walk straight under it. In a concrete storage alley in the basement of the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel is Melinda's Alley. The man at the front told me to walk down the curling steps and through the doors. I said to Salvador Dali on the wall and went through the rabbit hole. A narrow passageway makes for this hidden bar. Throughout, I encountered red lighting where only naughty things happen. A mish mash of faux antiques from all different time periods adorn the walls. Victorian, Renaissance, Art Deco, it's all tossed together like a salad. There are two bars. One at the entrance and one near the back. The bar serves five cocktails and five cocktails only. No variations. No special orders. Four of the cocktails are constantly changing with the fifth, an Old Fashioned, a permanent resident on the chalkboard. The night we went, there was a good base mix for everyone... A gin, a bourbon and scotch, a rum, a vodka, and then the Old Fashioned. The drinks were $12 and $13 each and are expertly made in front of you. Their drinks were amazing. Each drink was complex with many strong complimentary flavors shining through. 30 minutes later, my sip was as strong as it was in the first minute, the ice not even making a dent in the strength of the drink profile. These are true sipping cocktails. I tongue loved every last drop. The dress here is classy or hipster, but I did see one guy with basketball shorts and well worn sneakers. Music here is varied and the room has a max capacity of 69 people. I had a great time hanging out with friends for almost 2 hours here. It's good place to get lost in whatever you want to get lost in after your dinner in the city. When you're like me, only in the city for a day without any idea where to drink and find myself in a speakeasy, life is good. Now if only Uber could have picked me up from the basement...

A super stylish speakeasy tinted in red lighting made me feel like I was on a different planet. Melindas Alley gave me all the vibes of like a villain's lair in a CW television show. What makes it a Speakeasy? It's a speakeasy in every sense of the word--secluded bar, no official address, not even a website. I guess its Yelp page is close to a website as you can get. Location: Walk down into the basement of the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel on Central Avenue south of Monroe Street and north of Adams. Interior: As you go climb down the stairs and walk into the doors entering the speakeasy, immediately to the right you will find a bar serving craft cocktails with the menu on a wall behind you. Walking to the left there's a long ledge where people can stand and set down their drinks or cozy sofas and leather chairs to sit down at. The place is narrow, but long, and super cozy. Drinks: They have a menu of craft cocktails that are both generous in alcohol and volume. Each is delicious and refreshing, made with fresh ingredients. Prices range between $12-14. Highly suggest: I think this is a great spot to grab a drink before heading off to a concert, a bigger venue for a show, or a night-cap after dinner. Also perfect for a second/third date!

If you're ever visiting downtown Phoenix or you are a local and want to check out a new unique spot, Melinda's Alley is definitely a place you want to check out. The mural on the outside of the wall is already breath taking! Make sure you google the story on that, it's pretty interesting. When you walk in you go down a couple flights of industrial stairs and more paintings which was pretty sweet! Walking in took my break away with the ambiance being so different than any other bar I've been to in Phoenix. The lights were a dim red so the ambiance was romantic, unique and flirty. There was only one bar tender at the time and he was a bit rude but he did make some killer drinks! There are sofas and tables all over the place for people to sit at and the music was delightfully from decades ago! I enjoyed it. It really does feel like being in a different era!

Honestly I'm pretty burnt out on the whole speakeasy thing since every new bar back in LA wants to say it's a speakeasy but makes no effort to really seem like one it's just dark and charges $20 a cocktail. That said....THIS PLACE IS LEGIT!!! My friends and I saw a random line of people in the alley and HAD to know what the fuss was. No one in line knew what we were waiting for and the door person told us we just had to wait and see. After and down a few flights of stairs we were transported to what could have been a living room out of Gatsby. Dim red lighting and candle, chandeliers, lots of lounge space, in what's clearly just a random industrial hallway. Absolutely loved the makeshift vibe of it. The bartender was great, we tried Rimmy's Revenge (rum cocktail) and Mexicai Rose (mezcal cocktail) and both were super delicious. they have a list of about 5 cocktails and that's all they serve, no beer or wine. Currently there's no password required and they're only open Friday and Saturday.

Great place to check out. You have to find the entrance down the alley on central & once you do you go down these stairs & enter the room of great ambience. Music is a great vibe & the lights keeps the long narrow bar mysterious & enjoyable. Only serve limited cocktails which forces you to try something new which we liked. Two bartenders are working fast & efficient to get drinks out per order. Seating area fill up fast with groups but definitely a good little place to hang out & check out. Would come back again 10/10

Amazing vibe and definition of a speakeasy! You order your drinks before you sit down and there is a lot of seating options. They only have 4 drinks to choose from and an old fashioned. I think this is a cool concept so you don't get overwhelmed by all the options. I would come back

Cool place, but it sucks you have to wait in line for 45mins for one drink. It's a good place to try out once but that's it. There are too many other good cocktail bars in Downtown PHX to waste time here.

Our son, Kendall is a mixologist and bartender here at Melinda's Alley and we surprised him after the holidays while at work. For those of you who've never been, there's a combined 16 hours a week involved in planning out the drink menu each week. Kendall and Milton meet up and spend hours mixing and tasting and perfecting each and every cocktail for the week. Great care is taken to provide the most fabulous cocktail experience they possibly can. And what an AMAZING place it is !!!! Locating the red light over the back alley entrance and descending the stairs into the basement speak easy is definitely the coolest thing ever. The music is GREAT and adds to the experience with the red lighting, eclectic lounge seating and combined with an exotic drink mixed by bartenders Kendall and Milton??? . A PERFECT night out and one to definitely remember and want to repeat again and again !!!! You've GOT to go!!!

This is a gorgeous bar, the style is like if a gypsy and a vampire roomed together. It's supposed to be like a speakeasy, so there's no sign. There's a huge mural/graffiti piece at the front entrance which should catch your attention. It's actually a part of the Reinnassance Hotel, and it's only open Fridays and Saturdays. As for parking, I found a lot of opened spots around Monroe St and Third Ave and it's just a short walk to the bar. I was very happy it was a lounge type of bar with tons of nice leather armchairs and couches. It also had a beautiful and romantic ambiance. Candlelight and some red light thoughout. The drinks were on the high end from $10 to $15 for small cocktails. I didn't find them particularly special, I've had better ones at The Womack. Overall, it's the atmosphere that I'll definitely come back for, as well as the presentation. It makes whomever you bring feel particularly special because the place itself feels like a beautiful secret. If you're in need of charming someone, this is your place.

Great little underground spot! The cocktail list is small but we all found something to enjoy. The drinks were delicious. Fun vibe

LOVE THIS BAR. Hate the line you have to wait in to get a drink. Drinks were good and cute. But when you have to wait 20min to get a drink I start to get frustrated. But the atmosphere is cool and I love this type of bar.