A new sports tavern with a golf simulator, an LED video wall and prime rib dinners is set to open at High Street at City North in 2027, taking over more than 8,000 square feet near Deer Valley Road and 56th Street in North Phoenix. The Original Tavern will be the newest addition to the mixed-use district, moving into a space that previously housed the pizza chain Mellow Mushroom.
A Scratch Kitchen Built for Sports Viewing
The venue is planned at 5350 E. High Street in Phoenix, according to azbigmedia.com, which reports the tavern will offer more than 8,000 square feet of indoor dining along with a patio. The design calls for an indoor/outdoor bar, a scratch kitchen built around a menu for contemporary palates, multiple TV screens and an LED video wall for watching games, the outlet reports. A golf simulator will also be part of the layout, according to the same report, and the tavern is expected to run a happy hour aimed at lingering afternoons and early evenings. As KTAR News 92.3 FM notes, the project is the work of Square One Concepts, the Valley restaurant group behind Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers, Bourbon & Bones and Wasted Grain.
Square One Concepts CEO and founder S. Barrett Rinzler described the project as an upscale neighborhood tavern meant for lingering, not just eating. “The Original Tavern is an upscale neighborhood tavern designed to be the place where people come to eat, drink, gather and stay awhile,” Rinzler said, per AZ Big Media's report. KTAR's reporting adds that Rinzler framed the concept as a spot where scratch-made food, hospitality and sports viewing come together under one roof, with the tavern meant to function as a friendly neighborhood gathering place.
What's on the Menu
The planned menu leans into shareable plates and comfort food. Steak tips and grilled asparagus are expected shareable appetizers, the station's report notes, alongside a Midwest-style pizza and smash burgers. Southern fried chicken, grilled salmon, baby back ribs and filet entrees round out the dinner offerings, with prime rib dinners planned specifically for Friday through Sunday service.
Modeled on a Sister Tavern in Arcadia
Square One Concepts says the new restaurant draws its inspiration from The Original Arcadia Tavern, a sister concept that replaced a Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers location in Phoenix's Arcadia neighborhood. That tavern was reimagined in 2025 and now features its own patio, scratch kitchen, HD screens and a large LED wall, according to the same azbigmedia.com report. On its own site, Square One Concepts describes the Arcadia location as offering a comfortable space set in the heart of Phoenix where the community can gather, eat, drink and catch a game, with a focus on creating a spot that feels both local and approachable.
Part of a Growing North Phoenix Corridor
The new tavern will join a High Street at City North development that already includes restaurants, retail, residential, hospitality and entertainment uses, per KTAR's reporting. The addition comes as North Phoenix sees broader growth energizing the High Street corridor, with new restaurants, entertainment options and improvements arriving alongside the district's expansion, according to a separate azbigmedia.com report. No opening date beyond 2027 has been disclosed for The Original Tavern.
