Tempe’s new favorite cocktail hideaway is opening on Friday, June 22nd, with live music and happy hour prices all weekend. Rafter Room, the new concept located in the renovated loft at Social Hall, will focus on rum and tequila-forward cocktails, and is poised to be the perfect event space for everything from birthdays to corporate happy hours.
Photo Credit | AWE Collective
Rafter Room designer Camila Gibbs calls the new venue above Tempe’s hip hangout, Social Hall, a “moodier, edgier evolution” of the space downstairs. The fresh, 1,350 square-foot addition joins the existing restaurant below, which opened to considerable acclaim in January following six months and more than 6,000 hours of renovation by Gibbs and Co-Owner Mike Kenney. Social Hall now includes over 10,000 square-feet, making it one of Tempe’s largest entertainment destinations.
Photo Credit | AWE Collective
“Expect an elevated tequila and rum bar program, small-batch and barrel-aged spirits, among other offerings,” said Kenney, noting that the cocktail program was designed to complement the existing, Latin-inspired menu at Social Hall (think Pork Belly Street Tacos, Chicano Steak Frites, Huevos Rancheros and more), which is also available upstairs. “The space has an industrial, secret hideaway type of vibe that really sets it apart from the restaurant down below.”
Photo Credit | AWE Collective
In terms of décor, Gibbs delivered on that “darker, edgier” promise, keeping the converted barn architecture the focal point of the space while accenting it with triple-height vaulted ceilings and salvaged industrial elements, among them vintage voting booth lights and patina walls. A raised stage area also provides space for live performances, presentations and special events. For more on Social Hall, check out AZSocialHall.com.