Casey Moore’s; a nice little bartender, just like yours.

Her name is Peaches and she is my bartender and not yours. Sure she’ll still serve you, get you shit faced and maybe even remember your name; she is good at what she does. She’ll take your money, talk some shit with a mischievous smirk and you might even get a genuine laugh out of her from time to time; but she is my bartender and not yours.

You see dear reader; I know Peaches from a time long before she was a bartender and even before I fell in love with and was heading to Casey Moore’s on a regular basis. That is to say I know her from the “real world” that we one and all leave behind as soon as we stumble past Casey’s gates and on to its rustic yet ample and cozy patios. We’ve been friends longer than you’ve been trying to score her number or weasel a free drink from her; which are big No-No’s in the bar world. Peaches is fast, funny, friendly, fair and no, she won’t go out with you; so stop asking. If you get surly with her she’ll give it back twice as hard and even when Casey’s is packed to the gills on a Friday night, with her behind the bar you’ll never be waiting long for that next thirst quenching libation. Combined with how absolutely fucking awesome she is at her job, my pension for draining brews and the fact that Casey Moore’s is going to be around forever, my patronage to this place isn’t likely to waver anytime soon.

Of course Peaches is the reason I still go to the place. With the death of the Mill Ave of my youth, it is harder and harder for me to bring myself to make the freeway dash from my compound in Central Phoenix. But this is a bar review blog, so if she is my bartender and you are either new to the valley or have been living in a hole for the past decade here are some reasons non-bartender related to fork over your hard earned doe for a night of drinking delights.

First off and foremost, Casey Moore’s is one of the last holdovers from what Mill Ave and downtown Tempe once was, a living breathing, drunken time capsule if you will. It is an iconic relic of days past when Hayden’s Ferry still actually made flour, before the dried up Salt River bed was terraformed into a stinking, mosquito infested swamp and when the only tendrils of corporate Americas extension was Fat Tuesdays. Everywhere you ventured were dive bars, tiny music venues, independent stores and family owned eateries. And now a decade later Casey’s is the last bastion standing all alone as a reminder of the “good ole days”.

The bar itself is technically a restaurant, serving up very good if not slightly over price grub. It also one of only a handful of places in this desert oasis that I would recommend eating an oyster from; that’s right, ice cold and on the half shell honest to goodness oysters. It is a great place to grab a cool one on a beautiful October afternoon and the solace of the location (in a residential neighborhood and literally, off the beaten path) is broken up at random intervals by passing freight trains.

On the drinking side, Casey’s has a cramped interior where you can throw a few darts or pony up to the bar; and if you are feeling froggy you can even grab an honest to goodness meal in the interior dining area. But where the place truly separates itself from the pack is the patio. Running the entire length of the property it is an enormous “L” shape. There are tons of trees, tables, benches, heating lamps (for those chilly winter months) mister systems and hurricane fans (when it is hot), a Koi pond, full service outside bar and the infamous Blarney Stone all of which make the outside hospitable and desirable year round. There are a dozen or so beers on tap and most days and night there is some of drink special running for all you college kids on a budget. Even though Casey’s has a hardcore following of loyal customers, the medium age for patronage is roughly 21-26 and due to its proximity to collegetown a vast majority of these are college students and artistic types. During the summer months, when all that is left in this sun scorched hell on earth are the hard core locals and those too stupid to leave, you will find me there. And maybe if you are lucky enough you can join me and find your own bartender, just like mine.

Casey Moore’s has no cover charge and proper attire is never required. Depending on what is going on in the valley (or more specifically Tempe) it can be packed to near capacity or eerily dead. Food is moderately priced and actually pretty good. There is almost always something on special so ask your waitress/bartender.

850 S Ash Ave
Tempe AZ, 85281
Casey Moore's!

Vio Con Dios,
The Midnight Rider