Bitter & Twisted occupies the ground-floor space of the Luhrs Building that was once the home of the state liquor commission — the office that issued every liquor licence in Arizona after the end of Prohibition. The bar plays the historical irony for all it's worth: a long mahogany counter, low lighting, an enormous menu of cocktails organised into illustrated chapters, and a no-photos policy in the back room.
Bartender Ross Simon's drinks have repeatedly turned up on best-cocktail-in-America lists. The food menu, focused on bar snacks and Asian-influenced small plates, is genuinely good — try the kimchi corn dogs. It is packed on weekend nights; come early or expect to wait at the door.