Planning on dating in Phoenix, Arizona? Then you should be in for an interesting time. Dating in Phoenix—in the warm desert weather—is a unique experience you won’t soon forget.
So what makes the Phoenix dating scene so interesting? Diversity. There’s something for everyone. Are you looking to meet yuppies and college students? Go to Tempe. Want to experience the outdoors while playing the dating game? Scottsdale’s a good bet. The list goes on.
All that said, if you’re a guy, then you might be in for a challenge. There are slightly more single men in Phoenix than there are single women. The good news is that the locals treat dating like a welcome pastime, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble.
The Apps Dating Coaches Recommend Most For Dating in Phoenix
Just because you’re a “regular guy” doesn’t mean you won’t find a date online. So many dating apps help bring people together because of genuine chemistry and not just looks. If you want to try an app like that, here are the ones where even an average Joe can find success.
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Table of Contents
What Dating in Phoenix is Like Right Now
Dating in Phoenix is simple—different areas of the city have established unique reputations among the dating crowd. For instance, if you’re looking for cool, modern culinary experiences, downtown Phoenix is your bet. Meanwhile, if you’re after a “college party” atmosphere, Tempe’s probably better for you.
Want to meet new people while enjoying the outdoors? Scottsdale’s right up your alley. Or if a calmer, more traditional approach to dating is more your speed, spend more time in the suburbs. Out of a population of 1,679,243, about 562,546 (or more than a third) are single. Phoenix has 286,653 single men and 275,893 single women all looking to mingle.
New people are always moving into Phoenix—perhaps more now than ever. Many big national companies are moving their headquarters to Phoenix. Add that to established employers like Banner Health, Wells Fargo, Arizona State University, and Scottsdale Healthcare, and you won’t find any shortage of locals to meet in the Phoenix dating scene.
To top it all off, there’s always something fun to do in Phoenix outside of its usual tourist destinations. You can go hiking around Scottsdale, visit the Goldfield Ghost Town, or check out the Lost Dutchman State Park.
Why You Should Be Using at Least One App
With the Phoenix dating scene being so diverse, you’ll want to minimize the amount of trial-and-error you do. And a dating app will help you do that. For our recommended apps to help you find people with similar interests, values, and goals in life, read our guide to the best dating apps in Phoenix here.
That said, we recommend two particular apps, depending on what you want in the dating game. Are you playing the serious game, looking for your future life partner? Then we recommend eHarmony, which has a free trial. If you’re just looking for fun, casual hookups, then AFF (which has a great free trial) is the app for you.
Both apps offer free trials, so pick the one you need to help you navigate the Phoenix dating scene.
Where to Meet Someone to Date in Phoenix
As unique as the dating scene is in Phoenix, the dating game itself is pretty much the same wherever you go. Some of the people you meet will be lovely and wonderful. Others? Not so much. You know how it is.
We're going to share a variety of spots to find someone to date here. If you're just looking for something super casual check out our favorite options to find hookups in Phoenix.
Things become a lot easier when you know what you want in terms of partners and relationships. Then you go to places in Phoenix where your preferred crowd goes. You’ll want to go to places that:
- Are frequented by singles
- Have a fun atmosphere
- Make it easy to mix and mingle with new people
- Have enough going on to have a conversation
- Serve alcohol
- Are relatively inexpensive
What’s the kind of establishment that meets all those criteria? Yup—singles bars!
The Best Singles Bars in Phoenix
Phoenix’s bars are as diverse as the crowds they serve. Check them out, see what you like, and make it a habit to drop by and mingle often. Here are some of our recommendations for the best singles bars in Phoenix:
- Arizona Wilderness DTPHX - 201 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
- The Grand in Downtown Phoenix - 718 N Central Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85004
- Skydeck at the Clarendon Hotel rooftop - 401 W Clarendon Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013
- The Attic Ale House - 4247 E Indian School Rd #102, Phoenix, AZ 85018
- Bitter and Twisted in Luhrs City Center - 1 W Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85003
- Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails in CityScape - 2 E Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
- Sazerac Phoenix in the Art District - 821 N 2nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
- Twin Peaks - 2135 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85016
- Blue Martini Lounge (if you’re a guy who prefers older women, you can also check out our favorite places to meet cougars in Phoenix) - 5455 E High St Suite 101, Phoenix, AZ 85054
These should get you started. Visit them and see how they strike you.
Other Great Places to Find a Date in Phoenix
As lovely Phoenix’s bars are, they’re not your only options for meeting singles. Other destinations let you take in the distinct Phoenix culture through its music, food, and shopping options. Here are our recommendations:
- Crescent Ballroom in Downtown Phoenix - 308 N 2nd Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003
- Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row in Old Town Scottsdale - 4420 N Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
- Copper Blues Rock Pub & Kitchen in CityScape - 50 W Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85003
- Low Key Piano Bar in Tempe - 501 S Mill Ave b101, Tempe, AZ 85281
- Copper Star Coffee - 4220 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013
- Lola Coffee - 1001 N. 3rd Avenue #6, Phoenix, AZ 85003
- Trader Joe's – various locations
Again, to save time, money, and energy looking for people to date, get and try Meetup which is a great way to meet a lot of people with similar interests to you, especially other singles. Also, check our Phoenix dating app guide for our top recommendations.
The Apps Dating Coaches Recommend Most For Dating in Phoenix
Just because you’re a “regular guy” doesn’t mean you won’t find a date online. So many dating apps help bring people together because of genuine chemistry and not just looks. If you want to try an app like that, here are the ones where even an average Joe can find success.
Site Our Experience Our Rating Free Trial Link Experience Highlights Try eHarmony Experience Highlights Try AFF For Free Tinder Highlights Try Tinder
What About Speed Dating in Phoenix?
If you’ve ever gotten good results with speed dating, then you might wonder if it’s also the thing to do in Phoenix. If anything, it’s definitely worth a try!
Speed dating has certain advantages over dating apps and bar-hopping, such as:
- The people you meet are there for a reason: To meet people like you
- You can meet up to two dozen people (or even more) in an hour
- It’s a safe and controlled environment, so you (and your speed dates) can let your hair down
Naturally, you’ll want to work with agencies and services that make speed dating one of their specialties. In Phoenix, they happen to be:
Our Best Date Ideas in Phoenix and Why They're Great
Now, let’s look to the future and imagine you’ve found someone special in Phoenix. You’re switching gears from meeting singles in bars and clubs, and now you’re building a relationship with this one special person. What date night ideas in Phoenix will suit your needs now?
Dinner dates get boring quite quickly, so you’ll want to find other options that:
- Have a fun and upbeat energy
- Have things going on around you that you can talk about
- Don’t involve you sitting face-to-face for long periods of time
- Have you both moving around a bit
- Aren’t too expensive
- Don’t last for hours and hours so you can cut it short if there isn't any chemistry
- Allow both of you to feel comfortable
- Have a little friendly competition
With these criteria, the following wild ideas can come to mind:
- Ice skating
- Take a dance class together
- Shoot some arrows at an archery range
- Go to the driving range
- Check out a street fair (we have tons)
- Axe throwing
- Escape room
- Roller-skating
- Take a walk with your dog somewhere fun (if you have one)
- Painting class (preferably with booze)
- Museum
- Botanical garden
Phoenix is growing fast, and new date options are sprouting up almost every day. Keep your eyes and ears open for ideas to take your new beau to.
The First Date Idea That We Always Recommend
The ideas above can be great first dates but we have a better idea. When people ask our team what the best first date in Phoenix is we always tell them the same thing: meet up at a laid-back lounge or coffee shop and get to know each other a bit.
A full-blown date is a lot of pressure and isn't cheap. It takes time to plan and might involve you taking a bus around town to get there. Before you make that kind of investment you want to know that you and your interest have at least some level of compatibility. The last thing you want is to get stuck for hours on a date that you knew 10 minutes in wasn't going anywhere.
Instead, tell them that you're really busy but would love to meet up for a drink to get to know each other a bit. If things go well you can always extend the date into one of the activities above. If it doesn't, you haven't lost much. This also takes a lot of pressure off both of you so you can both relax and be yourselves.
Best Date Bars in Phoenix
All that said, does it mean you should take your date to a bar once in a while? The answer will change depending on how far along you are in your relationship with your date.
If you’re serious about them and you want to deepen the relationship and make it more permanent, then yes—bars are awesome. Apart from the food, alcohol, and music, some bars have gimmicks like games and shows to spice things up even further. There’s always something for everyone in Phoenix.
On the other hand, if you’re not serious about your date and just want to have casual, no-strings-attached fun, then bars are 50-50. Why? Because you have little to no control over the vibe a bar gives, which may or may not help your case with your date. (That said, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem if there are other bars nearby you can hop to.)
Here are some of the best date bars in Phoenix, in our opinion:
- Bonus Round - 24 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013
- Daily Dose Old Town Kitchen & Bar in Scottsdale - 4020 N Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85251
- Monkey Pants Bar and Grill in Huntington Square Shopping Center - 3223 S Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282
- Yucca Tap Room in Tempe - 29 W Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282
- Dilly Dally Lounge - 3639 E Indian School Rd Phoenix, AZ 85018
- Thunderbird Lounge - 710 W Montecito Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013
These should give you a pretty good idea of your options out there. Try them and more to find what you and your date really like.
Best Date Night Restaurants in Phoenix
Now, what about restaurants? Are they good ideas for dates, or bad? Once again, it depends on your relationship with your date. If you’re already exclusively dating, then yes—restaurants are awesome. Simply talking, eating, and spending time with each other is a great way to bond.
Meanwhile, if this is your first date with them, then we don’t recommend you take them to a restaurant. There’s too little to do on a date where you should be doing as many fun things as you can. Plus, it can get awkward real quick.
So that’s our recommendation—save the restaurants for the serious dates. If that’s what’s coming up for you, here are what we believe to be the best date night restaurants in Phoenix:
- Cibo Urban Pizzeria - 603 N 5th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003
- The Gladly in Anchor Centre - 2201 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85016
- Hash Kitchen Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale - 8777 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
- Cocina Madrigal - 4044 S 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85040
- Olive & Ivy in the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport - 3400 E Sky Harbor Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85034
- Diego Pops - 4338 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
- SumoMaya - 6560 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
- The Henry - 4455 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018
More Date Spots in Phoenix We Love
Naturally, a sunny city like Phoenix will have more to offer than just its evening spots. You got a wealth of options to go with your date to: Parks, museums, arcades, and more.
So mix things up by visiting these recommendations with your beau:
- Civic Space Park in Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus - 424 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004
- G.R. Herberger Park - 5802 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018
- Scottsdale Civic Center Park - 3939 N Drinkwater Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
- Desert Botanical Garden - 1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008
- Phoenix Art Museum - 1625 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004
- Musical Instrument Museum - 4725 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85050
- Cobra Arcade Bar - 801 N 2nd St UNIT 100, Phoenix, AZ 85004
- King's Beer & Wine - 2811 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004
- Electric Bat Arcade in Tempe - 25 W Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282
