Finally legal: A guide of signature drinks to try on your 21st birthday

March 30, 2023

Gay Punch cocktail at IBT’s Bar.

Start off celebrating turning 21 right by making a pit stop at these five bars and trying their signature cocktails. Across Downtown Tucson, these bars are all within walking distance. If someone prefers sweet, sour, spicy or caffeinated cocktails, the bar scene in Downtown Tucson has something for everyone’s taste bud desires.

IBT’s Bar + Food

IBT’s most popular drink is its signature Gay Punch. The concoction is a mix of Malibu Rum, Midori, Blue Curacao, grenadine, orange and pineapple juice carefully poured into a glass creating the only LGBTQ+ flag that is possible to drink. The cocktail is $9.75 while the average cocktail is around $10. IBT’s is open every day from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m. and is located at 616 N. Fourth Avenue.

Sky Bar Tucson

This galactic themed bar offers some out of this world cocktails, like its signature Jack Apple Mule. The $9 cocktail is made with Apple Jack Daniels, freshly juiced ginger and lemon juice and topped with club soda. Sky Bar has several cocktail options including the Lunar Lemonade, Starry Night and Cosmic Mule that customers can enjoy under their cloud-lit tables.

Sky Bar manager Kali Jorgensen said the $1 Cosmic Jello Shots and $3 Galactic Jungle Juice are also popular with the younger crowds. Located on 536 N. Fourth Avenue, Sky Bar is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to midnight, and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Made with fresh ginger and lemon juice, the Jack Apple Mule is quite the refreshing drink.

The Boxyard

The Espresso Martini is a must, especially if there is a long night ahead. This latte inspired cocktail costs $9 and is the perfect mixture of caffeine and alcohol. Jacob Bruno, a bartender at Boxyard, explained that people prefer this martini because the regular ones can be bitter at times.

“It has a better mouth feel to it, much of the younger crowd like that,” Bruno said.

The Boxyard, located at 238 N. Fourth Avenue, is open Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

The Boxyard’s espresso infused martini is popular with the younger crowd for its sweet taste.

Cobra Arcade Bar

Cobra Arcade Bar offers a variety of video-game inspired cocktails. The sweet and sour Princess Peach cocktail is one of the most popular drinks at the bar and costs $9. The Baby Shark and Crash Bandicoot cocktails are also on the list for most-sold drinks at Cobra.

The two-floor bar has vintage and new arcade games scattered throughout the bar and a dance floor on the first floor. Located on 63 E. Congress St., Cobra is open Tuesday through Sunday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Pictured left to right, the Princess Peach, Crash Bandicoot and Baby Shark cocktails are Cobra Arcade’s top selling drinks.

HighWire Tucson

HighWire is the only bar in Tucson that serves a boba-like shot. HighWire’s $9 pearl shot is usually compared to boba because of its jelly-like texture. The pearl is made out of plant-based products and vodka topped with Chamoy and Tajin. The shot also comes in Pop Rock Berry flavor and the flavor of the month.

One of the bartenders at HighWire said that over 1,000 shots are sold over the weekends.

HighWire is located at 30 S. Arizona Avenue and is open all week.