Highball Cocktail Bar is an award-winning neighborhood cocktail lounge in Downtown Phoenix, recognized for its intimate ambiance, casual yet sophistocated design, and precision-crafted drinks. Seamlessly blending metropolitan sophistication with genuine neighborhood warmth, Highball presents a vibrant menu of classic and contemporary cocktails supported by an extensive, thoughtfully curated spirits library. Guests are welcomed into a richly styled space defined by a gleaming copper bar, deep leather seating, exposed historic brick, and accents of velvet and vintage wrought iron, an environment that attracts everyone from late-night revelers and cocktail enthusiasts to hospitality professionals and casual visitors alike.
Led by a seasoned team of bartenders and hospitality veterans, Highball’s beverage program merges avant-garde technique with playful ingredients and nostalgia-inspired flavors. Its guiding philosophy centers on inclusivity and approachability, ensuring that whether a guest is a dedicated cocktail connoisseur or simply seeking an exceptional night out, the menu always offers something inviting and memorable. Often referred to as “the bartender’s bar,” Highball has earned a reputation within the hospitality community as a trusted industry hangout, with word of mouth and peer recommendation serving as its most powerful form of marketing.
Founded by hospitality professionals Libby Lingua and Mitch Lyons, Highball is the culmination of years of collaboration within nationally recognized, high-volume craft cocktail programs. After working side by side since 2016, the duo brought their shared vision to life in a historic downtown Phoenix building, opening Highball in October 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Built from a blank slate in just two months, the lounge was intentionally designed to feel both cozy and refined, prioritizing comfort, quality, and a strong sense of community while delivering inventive, progressive programming.
Since its debut, Highball has earned widespread acclaim and consistently exceptional guest reviews across major dining and hospitality platforms. The bar has received numerous local and national honors, including Phoenix New Times “Best New Bar” (2021) and Phoenix Magazine “Best of the Valley, Best New Cocktail Bar” (2021). National recognition includes multiple Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Spirited Awards regional Top 10 honors, Best New Cocktail Bar, U.S. West (2022); Best U.S. Bar Team (2023); and continued nominations in Best U.S. Cocktail Bar and Best U.S. Bar Team through 2024 and 2025, totaling seven nominations in four years. Highball was also featured on the North America’s 50 Best Discovery List and ranked #97 on the inaugural extended Top 100 list in 2025, followed by a 2026 James Beard Foundation nomination for Outstanding Bar Program.
Built on a foundation of exceptional hospitality, sustained industry recognition, and a loyal community of glowing supporters, Highball Cocktail Bar continues to stand as one of Phoenix’s premier destinations for refined yet welcoming cocktail culture.
