The Valley's Highest Open-Air Bar
Eighteen stories is not a metaphor. Skysill Rooftop Lounge at The Westin Tempe sits at a height that renders downtown Tempe small and the Sonoran Desert enormously present. From this altitude, the city grid resolves into something comprehensible: Mill Avenue running south toward ASU, Tempe Town Lake gleaming to the west, the South Mountain preserve defining the horizon, and above it all, an Arizona sky that rewards the climb. Phoenix New Times named it the Best Rooftop Bar in the city two consecutive years — a verdict that requires no dispute from anyone who has stood at the railing at dusk.
The food menu is intelligently calibrated to the setting. Carne asada tacos, a well-executed chicken Caesar wrap, artichoke flatbread, and shareable plates that sustain a long evening without anchoring anyone to a table. The kitchen understands that at this altitude, the view is the main course — the food is supporting cast, and it plays its role without overreaching. The cocktail programme leads with the signature Skysill Iced Tea and the aptly named "It's A Dry Heat," a house specialty that draws on local botanical flavours and the citrus-forward profile that works so well in desert heat. Local craft beers and a wine list that skews toward lighter, occasion-appropriate pours round out the beverage offering.
The rooftop pool area transforms the space into something more than a bar. By day, the pool deck has the energy of a resort terrace; as the sun drops, it shifts into a lounge atmosphere that is simultaneously lively and sophisticated. The transition happens naturally, without the forced energy that plagues lesser rooftop venues. The lighting at night — warm, directional, and flattering — makes the space work after dark in a way that few outdoor venues manage.
For a birthday, this is the most efficient celebration backdrop in Tempe. The group photography practically writes itself, the shared cocktail format encourages toasting, and the price point leaves room in the budget for rounds that would strain the evening at pricier venues. For a first date, the shared plates and the view give the evening a natural conversational architecture. The rooftop pool area also makes this a strong solo dining choice — bar counter seating with a panoramic view is, by definition, a good place to spend an hour alone.
Skysill opens weekday afternoons from 4pm to 10pm, extending to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, with a weekend brunch running from 11am on Saturdays and Sundays. The Westin Tempe address at 11 E 7th St puts it squarely in central Tempe, walkable from the Mill Avenue corridor and accessible by light rail from the Tempe Transportation Center. No reservations required — the lounge format operates on a first-come basis, though private event booking is available for larger groups.
Best Occasion Fit: Birthday
There is a photograph that every Tempe birthday group takes, and it is taken from this rooftop. The combination of height, the desert panorama, the city lights emerging as the sun drops, and the genuine festivity that the Skysill atmosphere generates makes birthday celebrations here feel proportionate to the occasion without the stress of a formal reservation or a prix fixe commitment. Arrive at sunset, stake out a position at the railing, and let the view do what it invariably does. The cocktails are strong enough to make the view even better.