Downtown Phoenix’s acclaimed underground cocktail lounge and restaurant, Rough Rider, has been named Best Speakeasy in Arizona by Chowhound, earning national recognition for its immersive atmosphere, historically inspired cocktails, and elevated, era-driven cuisine.

“Inside the Ten-O-One building in downtown Phoenix, take the middle elevator down and step back in time to the era of Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders. Rough Riders bar celebrates all things Teddy, with Victorian stylings, framed portraits, and an elegant but brooding vibe. The cocktails are the star of the show here, using modernized Victorian-era recipes, but the food is excellent as well.” —Chowhound

Discovery is part of the experience. In the heart of the Roosevelt Row Arts District, visitors step off the street, seek out the middle elevator, and descend into the basement. When the doors open, the 21^st century fades. What awaits is a transportive reveal into another time—a masculine, moody, and dimly lit bar and restaurant inspired by the late 1800s and the spirit of Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders.

Once inside, the building’s original mail room has been transformed into a richly layered interior. Mailboxes have been reimagined as display niches for vintage books, historic photographs, and a carefully curated collection of spirits. The room is defined by warm woodwork—paneled walls, a hand-carved built-in bar topped with a thick slab of white marble, and hand-carved bookshelves flanking a brick fireplace—all anchored by a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt. Exposed pipes and cement walls introduce a touch of edginess, while modern sofas and cozy nooks soften the historic detailing. An elegant raw bar completes the room, creating an intimate, speakeasy-style setting well-suited for dinner dates, celebrations, and late-night cocktails.

Rough Rider’s cocktail program serves as the heartbeat of the bar, drawing inspiration from Jerry Thomas, often regarded as ‘the father of mixology.’  By reinterpreting the classic ideas found in his 1862 work, The Bar-Tender’s Guide, the program offers a fresh, modern take on timeless cocktails.

The menu unfolds across four distinct sections, beginning with Punches: refreshing, tea-based cocktails crafted with locally sourced blends from Maya Tea Company. Cobblers follow, built on house-made jams offering bright, fruit-forward depth with balanced sweetness. Classics revisit time-honored 19th-century recipes with a modern twist, while Curiosities invite adventurous drinkers to explore bartender-driven creations that push flavor and technique.

Notably, Thomas’ original cocktail guide included a temperance section, a reminder that the bar experience has long extended beyond spirits alone — an idea Rough Rider carries forward with a thoughtful zero-proof program woven throughout the menu.

On the food side, Chef Danny Selgado brings the same sense of intention to the kitchen, shaping an adventurous American menu rooted in the kind of hearty fare a cowboy, or Theodore Roosevelt himself, might have enjoyed. Signature dishes include the crowd-favorite Duroc pork chop marinated in black garlic, and a New Zealand venison chop paired with celery root purée—both bold, satisfying plates that lean into big, nostalgic flavor. The lineup is anchored by a chicory-rubbed duck breast, Faroe Islands salmon, roasted chicken, a choice of prime steak cuts, and pappardelle pasta with braised pork ragù.

The raw bar is a natural extension of the menu’s late-19th-century roots when oysters and shellfish were staples of American dining and often enjoyed in underground rooms alongside strong drinks. At Rough Rider, the raw bar offers its own seating area beneath a striking black-and-white tiled mural of Theodore Roosevelt on horseback in his Rough Rider uniform, creating a dramatic backdrop for fresh oysters delivered daily, jumbo chilled shrimp, Alaskan king crab, and a showstopping seafood tower.

For lighter appetites and evenings built around conversation, the menu offers a selection of smaller plates designed to be shared and thoughtfully paired with the cocktail program. Options include Hamachi crudo, lamb lollipops with Fresno-cilantro chimichurri, Australian Wagyu carpaccio, a house-made smoked salmon dip and the signature fried cauliflower tossed in Old Bay seasoning. Desserts keep things classic and comforting, with cheesecake, s’mores cake, and rotating sorbet selections to close the night on a sweet note.

“This recognition from Chowhound is a huge honor for us,” said Rough Rider’s General Manager Kyle Wright. “From the moment guests step into the middle elevator, we want them to feel like they’ve been transported back in time. Being recognized for creating an experience that’s immersive, playful, and rooted in history is incredibly rewarding.”

Since opening in 2021, Rough Rider has quickly built a reputation as one of Phoenix’s most distinctive dining destinations. In addition to its national recognition from Chowhound, the restaurant has earned multiple honors from Phoenix New Times, including Best Underground Restaurant (2024), Best Place to Eat in a Basement (2023), and Best Lair (2021), and was included in its 2025 “Top 100 Restaurants” and “13 Best Restaurants in Downtown Phoenix” lists. PHOENIX Magazine also named Rough Rider among its Best New Restaurants in 2021.

Rough Rider is located at 1001 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85004, and is open for evening service with reservations strongly encouraged. For more information, menus, and booking, visit roughrideraz.com or follow @roughrideraz on social media.

– more at azbigmedia.com

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