Where Do Locals Actually Go for Craft Beer in Mesa, Arizona?

If you searched “best breweries in Mesa, Arizona,” you're probably looking for more than a list of places that happen to serve beer.

You want to know where you should actually go.

That's a different question.

I live in Mesa, I love a good local beer, and when we have friends visiting from out of town, taking them somewhere local is almost always part of the plan.

Sometimes I want a hazy IPA and a patio. Sometimes I want good food with my beer. Sometimes we're bringing the dogs. And sometimes I just want a quiet afternoon beer without turning it into an entire event.

The good news is that Mesa's craft beer scene has enough variety that those don't have to be the same place.

So this isn't a ranking of every brewery and taproom in Mesa. It's where I actually go, what I like about each place, and where I'd send you depending on what kind of afternoon or evening you're looking for.

And yes, several of my favorites are in Downtown Mesa because if you want to make a day of exploring Mesa breweries and taprooms, that's where I'd start.

Chupacabra Taproom: My Pick for the Best Overall Beer Selection

If you're the person in your group who walks into a taproom and immediately starts reading every tap handle, start at Chupacabra.

Chupacabra Taproom is in Downtown Mesa at 14 N. Robson, just off Main Street. It's small, relaxed and never feels like it's trying too hard.

That's part of why I like it.

The owners and beertenders have always been friendly when we're there, and the beer selection rotates through different styles rather than making you choose between 14 versions of essentially the same thing.

I'm usually drinking an IPA, so that's where my eyes go first.

But Chupacabra is also somewhere I'd take someone who actually likes exploring craft beer because there's usually enough variety for everyone to find something.

The patio is good when Arizona decides to give us patio weather again, and they regularly have events and weekend food trucks.

This is also one of the places my husband and I tend to take friends who are visiting from out of town.

It's local without feeling like we're dragging someone to a place they'll only appreciate if they're a beer nerd.

Best for: Trying different beer styles, a relaxed Downtown Mesa stop, out-of-town guests and hanging out on the patio.

Phantom Fox Beer Company + Goat and Ram: Best Beer and Food Combination

If I'm hungry, this decision gets considerably easier.

We're going to Phantom Fox.

Phantom Fox Beer Company and Goat and Ram share a space at 150 W. Main Street in Downtown Mesa, which means you get locally brewed beer and some seriously good pizza in the same place.

That's a pretty easy sell.

For me, this is also where I drink a little lighter because I need to leave room for pizza.

Two of my picks are Lost World Amber Ale and Chupacabra Mexican Lager.

Yes, there is a beer named Chupacabra. The connection makes sense because Phantom Fox comes from the creators of Chupacabra Taproom.

And then there's Goat and Ram.

The pizza is the reason Phantom Fox becomes more than just another brewery stop for me. Goat and Ram rotates specialty pizzas alongside the classics, so there's usually something different to try.

If someone asked me where we could get good local beer AND dinner in Downtown Mesa without having to make two separate plans, this is probably where I'd send them.

Best for: Dinner and beer, meeting pretty much anyone, Downtown Mesa nights and people who think food is just as important as what's in the glass.

Oro Brewing: My Favorite Downtown Mesa Hidden Gem

Oro is a little different.

And that's exactly why I like it.

Located at 210 W. Main Street in an early-1900s adobe building, Oro describes its current taproom as part dive bar and part neighborhood hangout.

That's pretty accurate.

It's a little divey. It's cool. And it doesn't feel polished within an inch of its life.

Oro pours local and regional beer and also has wine, cider and seltzers, so you're not completely out of luck if everyone in your group isn't drinking beer.

This tends to be one of my later stops if we're bouncing around Downtown Mesa.

You can play pool, hang out and finish the night somewhere that feels like it has its own personality.

Mesa has plenty of newer development, so I particularly like places that don't feel interchangeable with something you could find in any other city.

Oro doesn't.

Best for: A hidden-gem feel, later Downtown Mesa stops, people who like an unfussy local bar and anyone who thinks “a little divey” is a compliment.

Pedal Haus: My Pick for the Patio

There are times when the beer matters, but where you're drinking it matters almost as much.

That's Pedal Haus for me.

If we're talking specifically about patios, this is my pick.

It's also in Downtown Mesa, which makes it easy to work into a day or evening when you're bouncing between local spots rather than driving all over town.

This is the kind of place I'd pick when the weather is finally nice and nobody wants to sit inside.

And if you're moving to Mesa from somewhere that has actual patio weather all summer, here's your warning: our prime patio season is not July.

But when fall finally arrives?

We make up for lost time.

Best for: Patio weather, groups and adding an outdoor stop to a Downtown Mesa beer crawl.

Beer Research Institute: Another Downtown Stop Worth Adding

Beer Research Institute, or BRI, is another place I'd include if you're exploring the Downtown Mesa beer scene.

That's one of the things I like about drinking local in Downtown Mesa. You don't necessarily have to choose one brewery and call it a night.

You can make your own little route depending on who's coming with you, whether you're eating and what kind of beer everyone wants.

BRI gives you another local brewery option within that Downtown experience, and I'd rather have several smaller stops than sit in one place all afternoon anyway.

Best for: Adding another brewery to a Downtown Mesa beer crawl and trying more local beer without leaving the area.

12 West Brewing: One to Watch This Fall

12 West has been one of our go-to places when we're bringing out-of-town guests Downtown because it checks a lot of boxes.

Beer for the beer drinkers.

A full menu when everyone is hungry.

Craft cocktails for the person who doesn't want beer.

And live music on weekends has made it an easy group choice.

There is one important update if you're reading this in 2026.

The Downtown Mesa location closed for a summer break, and 12 West has announced that a new concept is expected in the space this fall.

So I'm not going to tell you to head over there tonight without checking first.

I am absolutely watching to see what comes next.

Their Gilbert taproom at Barnone remains open, and the Downtown Mesa space is one I'll be checking again as soon as the new concept launches.

Best for: Groups with different drink preferences and dinner, once the Downtown Mesa location's new fall concept is open.

Lochiel Brewing: Where I Go When I Want a Quiet Beer in East Mesa

Not everything good is Downtown.

Lochiel Brewing is much closer to home for me, and it serves a completely different purpose.

Lochiel specializes in traditional Scottish ales and lagers. It's been brewing in Mesa since 2015, and its Scotch Ale comes from a centuries-old Cameron family recipe.

I don't have to think about what I'm ordering here.

Scotch Ale.

Every time.

I'm usually an IPA, amber or red person, but Lochiel's Scotch Ale is exactly what I want when I'm there.

The vibe is mellow, which I mean in the best possible way. It's great for a quiet afternoon or early-evening beer when you want to sit, talk and actually hear the person you're with.

Lochiel has also expanded its space, and there are plans underway to add pizza and coffee, so this is one East Mesa spot I'm particularly interested in watching evolve.

Best for: Scottish-style beer, a quieter atmosphere, East Mesa locals and anyone who wants something different from another IPA-heavy tap list.

Goldwater Brewing at Longbow: A Good Northeast Mesa Option

Goldwater gives Northeast Mesa another good local option without requiring a trip Downtown.

Its Longbow taproom is near Recker Road and the Red Mountain 202, and it's an easy recommendation when someone wants a relaxed taproom on this side of Mesa.

Goldwater has a good range of beer, including lighter choices for someone who isn't ready to jump straight into a hazy double IPA.

You can also bring food in from nearby restaurants, and the Longbow location welcomes well-behaved dogs.

That makes it a good middle-ground option when you've got a group with different beer tastes or you just don't feel like turning a beer into an expedition across Mesa.

Best for: Northeast Mesa, lighter beer options, dogs and a casual neighborhood taproom.

Uncle Bear's: Where We Go When the Dogs Are Coming

Sometimes our decision about where to go is made by three furry members of the household.

If we're taking the dogs, Uncle Bear's is an easy choice.

It's also one of the closest options to home for us, so we end up grabbing dinner there fairly often.

Uncle Bear's has food, beer and a full bar, which makes it useful when not everyone in your group is looking for craft beer.

But the dog-friendly atmosphere is what gives it a specific place on my list.

Not every outing needs to be a carefully planned tour of Arizona brewing.

Sometimes you want dinner, a beer and your dog sitting next to you.

Best for: Dogs, casual dinners, groups with beer and cocktail drinkers and East Mesa.

Barrio Brewing at Mesa Gateway Airport: Go for the Beer, Stay for the Airplanes

Barrio is one of the more unusual beer stops in Mesa.

The original brewery is from Tucson, but the Mesa location is at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

And I mean AT the airport.

You're right by the runway.

That makes this one especially fun when military aircraft are using Gateway for training.

There aren't many places where you can sit with a beer and watch that happening right outside.

My pick here is the Ruby Red IPA.

Barrio also has a full bar, so this is another easy place to take a mixed group where not everyone is interested in beer.

Would I send someone here solely because they asked me for Mesa's most intimate neighborhood brewery?

No.

Would I send someone who likes planes, beer and experiences that are a little different?

Absolutely.

Best for: Aviation fans, out-of-town guests, East Valley outings and mixed groups of beer and cocktail drinkers.

So Where Should You Go If You Don't Really Like Beer?

First, I'm not going to make you drink an IPA because someone told you that's what craft beer people do.

If you want to try beer, start lighter.

Goldwater usually gives you approachable options, and Barrio is another place where you can find something lighter while still having a full bar as a backup.

Phantom Fox has lighter choices too. Their Chupacabra Mexican Lager is exactly the kind of thing I'd order when I want a beer without feeling like I just drank dinner.

If you simply don't like beer?

That's fine.

Places like Barrio, Uncle Bear's and, when its new Downtown concept opens, 12 West give you other drink options.

And if cider is more your thing, Downtown Mesa has Cider Corps.

You do not need to develop an appreciation for aggressively hopped beer to hang out with the rest of us.

If I Were Planning a Downtown Mesa Beer Crawl

This is where Mesa's beer scene gets fun.

Downtown has enough options close together that I'd park once and explore.

I wouldn't make the route too rigid because food changes everything.

My potential stops would include:

Chupacabra Taproom.

Pedal Haus.

Beer Research Institute.

Phantom Fox and Goat and Ram.

Oro.

And once the new 12 West concept is operating, I'd see where that fits into the night.

Cider Corps can also join the rotation if someone in your group would rather have cider.

If we're hungry, Phantom Fox moves up the list because Goat and Ram solves the food problem.

Oro is more likely to become one of my last stops.

Chupacabra is somewhere I can easily start because I like seeing what's currently on tap.

The point isn't to hit every place.

Pick a few. Walk around Downtown Mesa. Eat something. Try something local.

That's a much better introduction to Mesa than sitting in a chain restaurant next to the freeway.

What Kind of Beer Do I Actually Drink?

This seems relevant before you trust any of my recommendations.

I'm usually reaching for a hazy IPA.

I also really like reds and ambers, I'll drink a lager when I want something lighter, and I'll occasionally order a sour.

But my absolute favorite?

Oktoberfest beer.

When Oktoberfest season starts showing up on local tap lists, I'm happy.

So if your favorite beer is an imperial stout that drinks like motor oil, you and I may not order the same thing.

That's also why I like that Mesa has developed enough of a beer scene that we don't have to.

Does Mesa Actually Have a Good Craft Beer Scene?

Yes.

And this list isn't even all-inclusive.

That's what I like about it.

Mesa's beer scene isn't one giant entertainment district filled with copies of the same brewery. We've got tiny taprooms, local breweries, patios, Scottish ales, pizza and beer, dog-friendly spots, airport views and places that lean a little divey.

You can spend an afternoon walking around Downtown Mesa or find somewhere closer to home in East or Northeast Mesa.

And if you're thinking about moving to Mesa, this is the stuff I think matters.

You can look up property taxes and commute times online.

But eventually you're going to live here.

You're going to have a Friday night when you don't want to drive to Scottsdale.

Friends are going to visit and ask where you want to take them.

You're going to finally get one of those perfect Arizona fall afternoons and decide you're absolutely not sitting inside.

That's when the local places become part of your life.

For us, some of those places happen to serve really good beer.

If you're exploring Mesa because you're considering making it home, you can find more of my local Mesa guides and real estate resources at ArizonaRealEstateExpert.com.

And if you see me sitting somewhere with a hazy IPA, there's a pretty good chance you've found one of the places on this list.