Chandeliers made of bullets and 160 rifles decorate this Phoenix bar — no photos allowed
The owners of Wren & Wolf and Pretty Decent Concepts opened the Trophy Room in a space behind the restaurant, formerly occupied by a yogurt shop and chiropractor office. They hope to offer an immersive cocktail experience. And that means no phones.
After watching people spend the better part of dinner on their phones at Wren & Wolf, the owners decided to provide an experience that removed the need for devices.
"A lot of places now design exclusively for Instagram," co-owner Teddy Meyers said. The garnishes on drinks might stain your hands but they make it on the menu because they look good for the camera. Plus, when you are on a date with someone, they'd be on Instagram. We didn't want that here."
Upon check-in, the host will escort the guests behind a curtain, take their phones and lock them in a vintage card catalog cabinet. Each drawer is equipped with a charger so at least you get something back. Don't worry. You'll get a key to the cabinet to access your phone if you find yourself on the verge of a panic attack. But once you get your dopamine surge in the photogenic back hallway, you'll have to lock it up again before walking into the bar.
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What to expect at Trophy Room
Partner Peter Bowden whose design for Wren & Wolf was a top four finalist in the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2022, designed Trophy Room. "It's like Wren & Wolf on steroids," Myers said.
Whereas Wren & Wolf suggests a "masculine" décor with lots of taxidermy, the concept behind Trophy Room, according to Myers, is "what if the animals won?"
In place of taxidermy, there are relics from extinct trophy hunters. "There's over 7,000 bullets and bullet shells put together into chandeliers and archways," Myers said. "We procured over 160 decommissioned 1960 rifles from an arms dealer and put them into the fireplace mantle and over the bar top to create a custom light fixture." Another decorative rifle installment hangs over a trophy shelf that holds vintage trophies from teams from around the Valley. According to Myers, one of them belonged to Barry Goldwater's brother and was won in 1926.
Within the bar there's one piece of taxidermy. It's of a mama bear protecting her cubs from poachers. Projection mapping uses video projection on non-flat, non-white surfaces to make the object interactive. Here, projection mapping and giant canvases show scenes of the cubs stalking a hunter's campsite. The scenes change from night to day.
"We're gonna try to be so good that you don't have to take a picture of it and you'll actually tell your friends."
And the real experience is at the bar.
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What's on the menu at Trophy Room?
Mitch Lyons and Libby Lingua from Highball collaborated with the Wren & Wolf team to develop the cocktail menu.
The inspiration, Myers said, comes from the top 50 bars in the country. A team prepares cordials and infusions. Juices are squeezed in-house. "We have something for everybody. Every palate is addressed from light and refreshing to super geeky and non-alcoholic cocktails."
One example is a tequila and rye cocktail made with Chinese five spice and apple brandy.
Trophy Room does not offer food. Myers suggests that guests grab food or light bites at Wren & Wolf before or after their visit.
"We want you to spend an evening with us," he said. "So we hope you start or end your experience at Wren & Wolf."
How to visit the Trophy Room
The 40-person bar offers 90-minute experiences. Guests can reserve their seats with a $25 deposit. Cocktails range from $18 to mid-$20s.
The bar officially opens on Feb. 6. at 5 p.m.
Reservations are available on the website and Open Table.
Details: 2 N. Central Ave., Suite 101, Phoenix. 520-477-8847, bestcocktailbarphoenix.com.
Hours: Sunday to Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Downtown Phoenix restaurant owners open Trophy Room. Peek into the bar
