Your Guide to an Affordable Date on Roosevelt Row

Roosevelt Row in Phoenix is an ever-changing art district street and hotspot for anyone searching for fun things to do in the city. Vibrant graffiti, painted murals, and deco art pop up all along the block filled with plenty of fun places and activities, making the area a prime place for date night. 

Searching for summer romance spots? With date nights racking up big bucks, here are some of the best low-price date night suggestions along Roosevelt Row. 

Taco Chelo 

501 E. Roosevelt St.

Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. | Friday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

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(Photo by Analisa Valdez)

Starting off along Fifth Street is the popular taqueria restaurant and bar, Taco Chelo. A hotspot known for its artistic deco, friendly vibes, imported draft beers, and delicious tacos, Taco Chelo is a highlighted stop along Roosevelt Row. 

Looking for a place to hangout in private or mingle around others? Taco Chelo has plenty of seating either in their comfy, cushioned booths, at their skull-painted bar counter, or outside beneath dangling lights and brisk misters. Not only is the setting optimal for the perfect date, but the menu selections are as well. 

With delectable tacos served on corn tortillas with lime and cucumber starting at $3.75, guests can choose from their carnitas, beef barbacoa, carne asada, al pastor on Wednesdays, and several other Taco Chelo signature tacos, all within a decent price range. Don’t miss out on a large cup of Taco Chelo’s housemade horchata, either, for $4. 

Jobot Coffee Bar/Melt Ice Cream

333 E. Roosevelt St.

Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. | Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. | Sunday, 9 a.m to 8 p.m. 

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(Photo by Analisa Valdez)

At the center of the popular street is the social hotspot at the Roosevelt Row apartments, Melt Ice Cream inside of Jobot Coffee. Jobot is a multi-genre, pop art deco bar and coffee shop. It has a long bar top beneath a beam of trophies and medals with a lovely Arizona desert sunset spray-painted as the backdrop to your next romantic evening. 

Featuring a giant robot made of speakers and a happy hour nearly every weekday, Jobot is a great place to mingle, socialize, eat, drink, meet new people, or be a part of whatever fun daily activities Jobot puts on, from pool tournaments to loteria night. There is plenty to stick around for at Jobot, starting with the Melt Ice Cream stand inside. 

For $7, guests can pick up a Chinese take-out cup filled with a few good scoops of vegan and non-vegan sorbet and ice cream. I got the delicious vegan green apple sorbet topped with a fortune cookie. For more savory food, I got Jobot’s $7 shareable elote plate topped with their house sauce, parmesan, and chili powder. 

Art District Street Murals 

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(Photo by Analisa Valdez)

Take a tour through the various “larger-than-life” downtown Phoenix murals. Available to view at any time on the sides of buildings, through alleyways, and against repurposed shipping containers, these murals paint the Art District in a coat of vibrant colors, images, and cultural symbolism.

In 2019, a handful of artists were brought in to create what’s known as Phoenix’s “Mural Alley,” an iconic array of Indigenous depictions of Arizona culture through floor-to-ceiling art pieces along a strip of road beside the Roosevelt Row Welcome Center. The portrait of a hummingbird beside a prickly pear cactus attributed to local artists Thomas “Breeze” Marcus and Lalo Cota takes up the rear of The Churchill. A half-sketched and half-painted rose mural that takes up a portion of a wall is attributed to known realistic muralist Giovanni Dixon, and the striking No More Stolen Sisters art piece of an Indigenous woman with a red handprint over her mouth is attributed to civil rights activist and Xicana artist La Morena. 

These are only a few of the beautifully curated cultural pieces and fixtures along Roosevelt Row. While it isn’t an art gallery, the exquisite quality and grade of the murals within the downtown Phoenix Art’s District makes it an outdoor gallery of its own. The art is a sight to behold for any walkers looking for a place to take a romantic stroll. 

The Churchill 

901 N. First St.

Hours: Tuesday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. | Thursday, 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. | Friday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. | Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

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(Photo by Analisa Valdez)

Near the end of the main Roosevelt Row walk-up is the popular artistic hub at The Churchill. Known for its energetic nightlife and delicious food options, The Churchill is a courtyard gathering space made entirely of refurbished shipping containers, complete with a twisted metal art piece made from one, featuring various shops, bars, and restaurants. According to their website, each tenant puts on social events, features pop-ups, and contributes to fundraising to upkeep what they call “social rent.” 

Here there are a selection of different activities or food and beverage options to choose from for a date. Have a mid-day date? Infruition has got you covered with affordable acai bowls starting at $11, shareable organic avocado and banana nut toasts starting at $6, and delicious smoothies, blends, shakes, and slushies starting at $8. Have an afternoon date? Try the freakishly good pies at Freak Brothers Pizza starting at just $12 for 12-inch pizzas. 

Planning a late night? Stop by the expansive “dive bar chic” Brill Line, a founding business within The Churchill that offers 24 rotating draft beers, expertly crafted cocktails, and nonalcoholic options. The Brill Line has a variety to offer ranging from $6 for beers and hard seltzers, $13 for featured cocktails, and $12 for classics like a paloma. 

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