Restaurants and bars set to open across Greater Phoenix in 2026, from downtown tiki to Gilbert steakhouse

A new wave of openings, plus a notable reopening, is reshaping where Phoenix-area diners will eat and drink

Greater Phoenix is entering 2026 with a slate of confirmed restaurant and bar openings that span downtown cocktail concepts, large-format destination dining in the East Valley, and travel-driven food retail in the West Valley. The developments arrive as operators target different slices of demand: neighborhood regulars, nightlife crowds, and highway traffic.

Downtown Phoenix: a new bar joins the Roosevelt Row orbit

In central Phoenix, a new tiki-leaning bar concept called Tropic Thunder is scheduled to open on January 21, 2026, at 1014 N. Second St., just north of Roosevelt Street. The project adds another nightlife option near a corridor already anchored by established bars and breweries, and its opening date places it early in the year’s calendar of hospitality launches.

The concept is positioned as a cocktail-forward bar built around classic tiki drinks while also offering familiar bar staples. The space’s design work is led by architect Wesley James, whose prior Valley projects include immersive bar interiors that have helped drive destination drinking in the market.

Arcadia: Eat Up Drive In returns after a 2025 fire

Not all of the movement is new construction. Eat Up Drive In, a fast-casual restaurant in Phoenix’s Arcadia area, is scheduled to reopen on Saturday, January 17, 2026, after closing following a fire in April 2025. The reopening includes updates to the space and an expanded menu that adds daily breakfast service from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The restaurant’s relaunch highlights a broader pattern in the metro area: operators are using reopenings and renovations to broaden daypart appeal, especially morning service, in neighborhoods where convenience and repeat visits often determine long-term performance.

East Valley: a major steakhouse enters Arizona

In Gilbert, Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille is preparing to open its first Arizona location at 1865 S. Santan Village Pkwy., within the Northside at SanTan Village development. The company is targeting a spring 2026 opening and has described the restaurant as a large-format operation designed to accommodate up to 350 guests, with an open-kitchen layout, dedicated bar area and multiple private dining rooms.

The arrival underscores ongoing interest in the Greater Phoenix market from multi-state dining brands that view the region’s population growth and expanding mixed-use districts as a platform for high-capacity, occasion-driven restaurants.

West Valley: Buc-ee’s begins construction on a food-and-retail destination

In Goodyear, construction is underway on Arizona’s first Buc-ee’s travel center at the southeast corner of Interstate 10 and Bullard Avenue. The project, announced as a 74,000-square-foot site with 120 fueling positions, is expected to open in summer 2026 and is projected to create more than 200 full-time jobs.

The Goodyear location is designed to capture freeway traffic while functioning as a standalone food stop, with a broad prepared-food lineup typical of the chain’s travel-center format.

• Jan. 17, 2026: Eat Up Drive In reopens in Arcadia with new breakfast service
• Jan. 21, 2026: Tropic Thunder bar scheduled to open in downtown Phoenix
• Spring 2026: Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille planned to open in Gilbert
• Summer 2026: Buc-ee’s Goodyear travel center expected to open

Across the metro, the 2026 pipeline blends neighborhood comebacks with destination-scale projects, reflecting how operators are diversifying concepts to match where and how residents spend.