Batch Cafe & Bar

This is an update to a previous, somewhat disappointed review. I came back many weeks later and I’m so happy to say that this place has improved by so much.
The whiskey menu is much more extensive and is now organized by region, which makes it easier to sift through. I’m sure we’ll have to wait until autumn to start getting the crazy allocated stuff, but the core selection has become respectable. The «Reserve List» is not bad, could be more interesting. Prices are still on the high side for the more limited stuff (30 for EC18, for example), but it’s not as inflated as some other places in town.
As for the drink presentation, it’s a good experience. Water is now take-​as-​you-​want, which frees the bartenders up some. We were asked how we wanted our drinks, a welcome change from ice by default. Would still like some non-​chilled glasses and something a bit more conducive to nosing (glencairn, copita) available for us whiskey nerds.
Then comes the food. Man, I don’t know what they did, but the donuts are much better now. The base is flavorful (I’d actually eat the donuts plain now!) and the toppings are still unique. Nice job. And they’ve added new foods to the menu, like grilled cheeses. I see they also do coffee for the mornings, making this much more of an all-​day possibility.
All in all, I’m very impressed with how much this place has improved. Kudos. Genuinely looking forward to coming back.

Looking for a quick coffee and donut on the go? Or perhaps you wanna wind down with a glass of whiskey with some friends after work. You can do both of those and more at Batch! They have a nice selection of delicious and unique donuts. (My favorite, so far, is The Homer) They also have a pretty good selection of drinks. If you prefer non alcoholic beverages with your donuts, they have coffee and make a pretty good chai tea. They do have some craft beers, so maybe I’ll try one of those with a donut some time.
The venue, itself is a little small– a little crowded for my tastes, but some people like it. There’s also a few tables outside, which make for great people watching!
Anyway, I definitely want to come back and try more of their donuts! As far as donuts go, this is probably the best place in Tucson to get a unique donut. I can’t think of anywhere else in town that you can get a s’mores or fruity pebbles donut and there’s no better Homer donut in Tucson than here!

We got some Peanut Butter one with somoas on top. It was… ok. Disappointing to be honest. I thought the dough would have some sort of sweetness, but very bland. Donut Wheel is still the place to go for donuts. Wine beer and whiskey are good, but as for donuts, I’d pass. Good concept but I would recommend a bit more flavor and sweetness for your donuts.

So disappointing. Not only are there hardly any doughnut choices to choose from. (At least when I went there there were 5) none sounded the slight bit appetizing. My friend and I ended up splitting the rocky road doughnut and the guy working told us the water cups where self serve on the little cart. As my friend was paying I decided to get the water. As I pull a cup and start filling my glass I notice there is a lipstick Mark on the rim of the glass! Okay, gross so I pull another glass ANOTHER lip stick Mark! Okay this place is dirty. We left. Never again will I return and I will never recommend this place to ANYONE!

The idea is odd to be sure but personally having a donut before downing a bunch of liquor works blemish better than vice versa.
I love the atmosphere of the bar itself in that it is not much wider than two closets combined setting a more intimate stage as well as requiring you sit with strangers which leads to an open dialogue.
We ordered and split the Stud which was quite nice although I’d suggest crispier bacon so one can appreciate it more. Crisp tier would allow it to be distinguished more between the crème, donut, and frosting. The Bavarian crème is scrumptious and although as others said the donut is as fluffy as most, more dense, it is a delight.
As for the whiskey I’m not a connesuir so we went through the bartender which isn’t always the best idea. For two drink my total was over $ 20 however the whiskey was subtly sweet and smooth and the whiskey sour was nice as well.
The only detractor was the volume of the music. Because it is so small it’s not like people are going to bust out in dance so blasting the music is unnecessary especially since as it increased so did the people’s. The DJ was fun and so were the staff!
We will be back

Bummer. It seemed so cool, creative flavors and ideas mixed into a classic donut. Flavors were great but how hard is it to get a good raised donut texture? Almost any gas station, grocery store or coffee shop makes better donut base. I really hope you work on that. But the toppings and uniquely crafted flavors are cool. I just think the price is high and the set up was poorly thought out. It’s just a trend.. And a bar.

I went to Batch a few days after they opened and was extremely disappointed. The donuts were the worst donuts I’ve ever had! For one, the waitress knew nothing about all the Whiskeys and when we ordered our donut she brought it to us cold, not fresh and it wasn’t even the donut we ordered. I didn’t ask for a different donut because heck– I love donuts and I’ll actually eat any kind! It was thick bread that was dry and whipped icing on top with a few sprinkles. I was thinking that since it was specifically a donut place that they would for sure be awesome. When we inquired with our waitress she said the kitchen in back was too small to cook the donuts so they bring them from their east side restaurant «Saguaro Corners.» I couldn’t believe it!
Otherwise the ambiance was hip and cute, very tiny but cute. The whiskey of course was great but it was just poured out of the bottle so minimal work other than having them on stock! I will not be returning to this place which is unfortunate because I also own a small business downtown and was hoping it to be delicious!

Batch is a unique concept with great staff and a cool spot, though I think they are still improving. The whiskey list is good, but isn’t full of obscure gems. Bigger focus on American whiskeys, including Tucson’s Del Bac. If you’re looking for a variety of Scotches or Japanese single malts, you’ll have to head elsewhere. The service and staff was great, and the Butterfinger donut was tasty. Definitely worth a stop, and I am excited for them to grow!

My friend Lara and I stopped in after Meet Me at Maynards tonight to try this place. It was as good as I thought it would be! I had the special which was a prosciutto, swiss, grilled pepper sandwich. It was creamy and sweet, and the bread was divine! I had a beer to wash it down. My friend had glazed donut grilled cheese with prosciutto and raspberry jam! Also out of this world! A grilled cheese menu is right up my alley! I love the long skinny space. Kyle was very nice, he talked to us about the menu, was friendly to my dog, and when a homeless came and asked for food (we were sitting outside) he went in and brought him out something. Very nice! He made sure we were happy and liked our food. I can’t wait to see how the menu evolves

It is so good to know that Batch is right down the street with their doughnuts and sandwiches, not to mention drinks as well! I ordered a glazed doughnut grilled cheese with prosciutto and raspberry jam, it was very good. I guess I expected the doughnut to be softer, it was a little hard but still deliciously melty. I’ll be back for a doughnut soon!

Batch is one of the coolest places ever to open in Tucson, which is saying a lot given the downtown revival that’s currently going on.
If you’re craving either a delicious gourmet-​style donut with whiskey, or a delicious grilled cheese with whiskey, this place has got your back.
Just like all downtown places, it is a bit on the pricey side, so you don’t want to come here wanting too many donuts. However catch their $ 4 coffee + donut deal while they’re still doing it to enjoy your first donut.

I’ve been twice and had two different experiences with the donuts. The first was New Year’s Day — free donut day — I had the Bavarian Cream filled Donut with Fruity Pebbles — it was a raised glazed donut — light and the glaze was yummy — the bavarian cream was unnecessary but a rich custard. My only compliant about that one was directly in the middle of the bottom of the donut it was completely under cooked — maybe because of the filling? It was actually like raw dough — but hey the rest was great and WTH it was free — thank you Batch!
The second time, we went for dessert after dinner at Reilly — I was with three friends and so we ordered 4 different donuts so that we could try all the yummy sounding options — all of the the donuts were super grainy, heavy, slightly dry, cake-​like donuts. I asked the bartender if they had any raised donuts and he said they were all raised? If these are supposed to be raised — there is something wrong — they were super heavy. We also had irish coffees for which they did not have whipped cream — bummer.
On a positive note — they were super friendly which I love — made us feel welcome. From other reviews — it seems they are working on their donut recipe — keep working.

I was really excited to try this place and I’m glad I finally did. I had the homer donut and while it was tasty, I did find the donut a little too oily. I’ve seen others comment on the dense cakeiness of them but that wasn’t the problem here. I just don’t want to taste the oil from the deep fryer in the flavor of it. I do like that they freshly glaze/​top the donut of your choice instead of just serving you one from the case. They do also serve other food like grilled cheeses and bruschetta for those who don’t have a sweet tooth.
Overall, the best part was definitely the whiskey. There is an extensive list with a decent range in price and you can upgrade your pour to a cocktail for a small charge. The service was great and I do appreciate that. I sure hope the donuts improve and if so, I’ll definitely be coming here more often.

Service took quite a while, didn’t recognize that there was a line when asking for next person.
One beer was $ 10 the other was flat. Let the bartender know, he went ahead and dumped it out without offering a different beer or taking it off the tab.
Donuts were decent, shame the rest wasn’t.

Hmmmmm ummm so if you’re opening a concept restaurant specializing in something (donuts and whiskey, in this case), then make some really good freaking donuts.
Whiskey is good, and we all know that. Duh.
Moving along.
The donuts were kind of sad, really. They had a strangely dense texture, similar to a pound cake, yet very tough — they stubbornly refused to break apart with a fork and knife (after politely sawing away at these things to avoid spreading germs slobber whatever, my friends and I just said screw it and knawed at them). These are certainly not the more airy, fried donut pastry gloriousness one would (should) expect. The donut varieties sounded fun (bananas foster donut???), but the flavors were truly nondescript, save blueberry. Tried every damn donut, still didn’t taste bananas foster. Depressing.
The so-​called filled donuts… where’s the freaking filling?
Where did all the raspberry jam go?
Went to Dunkin Donuts the next morning and tried to forget the whole thing.

We stopped in after dinner to try their donuts. (This used to be the wine place downtown).
By the cash register, there’s a chalkboard with the days filled ($ 3.50), and regular ($ 2.50) donuts. I wasn’t really feeling the fruit loops/​fruity pebbles or lemon/​lime filled doughnuts so ordered a plain chocolate & white chocolate glazed donut. It came warm and fresh. I’ll say it was a bit to cakey for me, and I prefer lighter airy donuts, but the fiancée loved it!
The have a crazy long whiskey menu but also have about six beers on tap.
They also served grilled cheese.
Cool, chic vibe. The place is a narrow room so there are 2 large communal tables in the middle and otherwise small high top tables along the sides for 2 people.

Disappointing. Very heavy donuts that didn’t taste fresh. They only serve drip coffee with mini moo creamers. The donuts are better at Safeway.

There is something to be said about an original concept in Tucson. The moment you enter Batch you realize everything is different. The dark lit ambience soothes you and the music playing picks you right back up. All this catches your eye before you even think to order. Seating is limited so find a great place to sit or share a table with some new friends. There is a selection of over 80 Bourbons, Whiskey’s, and Scotches plus a full bar if Whiskey isn’t your cup of tea. The doughnuts were hot and fresh and full of flavor. The selection seems to change almost daily which is amazing for any day of the week. The best thing I can say about this was the fact that everyone who server me is so knowledgeable about the Bourbons. That impressed me. It’s a weird combo but trust me, you will enjoy it!

I wanted to love Batch. Like, I really wanted to love Batch. I was a huge fan of Unplugged and very disappointed to see it go, but I was hoping the «passing of the baton» between the previous owners discussed on local news outlets would have passed my love for it as well. And it didn’t.
Pros:
1) If you’re a whiskey lover, they have a huge selection. I’m not a well-​versed connoisseur of whiskey so I can’t gauge the price. But on the whiskey I’m used to, the price range was a bit high.
2) The service is great. Our server was amicable and very knowledgeable!
3) The atmosphere is awesome. It’s the same as Unplugged was set up and I’m still a fan. I just wish there were more seating for parties greater than 2 people.
Cons:
1) The donuts are simply not good. The Banana Foster crème filled donut was alright, however, all of the «hole» donuts were awful. They were amazingly hard to cut through, extremely dense, and reminded me of a scone that needs to be paired with coffee or tea to cut that dryness. I was so pumped to have a speciality «donut bar» in Tucson and I won’t be eating them again.
Uncertainties:
1) They do have a non-​donut menu I was interested in, as the ingredients sounded great, but did not try it.
Summary:
If I go back, I’ll give the regular menu a shot and see if that can raise my review. However, so far?
I’d rather swing by Dunkin Donuts on my commute downtown and pay less for equal quality liquor elsewhere.

When in tonight after dinner to get two donuts to go the cashier repeated our order and handed us the donuts when we got home we realized that we received the wrong donuts. I ordered a maple bacon donut and got a glazed donut instead. Very disappointing.

Attended the grand opening and the «free doughnuts till we run out.» Went Friday night at 7:30pm, only 3 ½ hours after the opening, and the free doughnuts were all gone… but they had some for sale… only 1 type… on opening night. Entice you with free doughnuts and they are all gone before you get there, really? The table next to us was getting service and we were not, so we asked the hostess if we could have service and she said we had to go to the counter to order. How does a doughnut place have 1 type of doughnut 3 ½ hours into their «grand» opening weekend. Total waste of a drive downtown.

So! We went their third night open. Things are a bit in flux. That’s alright; growing pains, it’s understandable. The interior is still in progress, as are the menus and whiskey inventory. I have great hopes for this place, but taking it as-​is, here’s the deal.
(As a preface, reviewing and collecting whiskeys is my hobby. This will color my review and won’t necessarily apply to everyone)
The interior and atmosphere are nice. There are larger community-​style tables, solid wood, running down the center of the small space with many small 2-​person tables flanking them on each side. This was a bit awkward for our group of three, as the center spaces were full at first (we moved into them as they became available). Still, the dimmed lighting and thin, tall profile of the space make it cozy and welcoming while remaining appropriately hip and aloof. Music selection was good, as was the volume. All good so far.
On to the booze list. Their selection, while somewhat wider than most, is so far not very deep. There’s a selection of low-​end offerings with a few mid-​end bottles sprinkled in; all are easy to find at most any liquor store, but nothing enticing, no high-​end bottles or interesting rarities for the whiskey nerds to splurge on. Even grabbing some overpriced Van Winkle 10 from the secondary and charging thirty bucks a pop will lend a certain gravitas to the whole thing. Looking forward to some allocated stuff, American craft distillers, and obscure Scotches next time around. Maybe some dusties, if I’m lucky? Fingers crossed. Who knows — in five years, this could become the Canon of the southwest. Hopefully with the prices in check.
The whiskey menu kind of mashes everything together, but I’d like to see a breakdown by region/​style as well as a flavor/​profile guide (and/​or having each and every bartender and waiter ready and able to make recommendations). ABV alongside each selection would also help. A glass of water should automatically served to everyone ordering whiskey (for one, need to stay hydrated drinking in AZ, and for two, good water is a must for diluting whiskey and cleansing the palate). Lastly, the whiskey nerd in me would love to see every drink being served neat by default in a Glencairn or copita glass. Also, curated flights would be cool, as would a selection of whiskey-​based cocktails.
(Feel free to shoot me a message if you’d like some input on the menu and selection, guys. I love doing this stuff)
The second feature, the donuts, were good. The toppings and frostings are innovative and sometimes weird. I was hoping for more of an integrated experience (e.g. R-​Bar has cocktail pairings for each of their grilled cheese sandwiches), but this will do as they get their bearings. Pretty interesting concept for a bar and I look forward to seeing where they take it. My thing about the donuts is, the toppings and choices are delicious and unique, but the donut base itself needs some tweaking. Take, by contrast, the cronuts at Prep & Pastry. I could eat them all day long, plain as can be, and the toppings are a bonus on top of the amazing dough. The base donuts here are adequate, but they need the toppings to carry them. Make sense?
I have really high hopes. I will certainly be back in couple weeks, and I’ll have my fingers crossed that most of my concerns will be allayed. Looking forward to having a new regular place once it’s fully armed and operational.

Imagine unplugged except with overpriced whiskey and stale Safeway doughnuts instead of wine and live music. Their whiskey list names everything they have (and what they have already run out of) and neglects to give you a price, so you can be surprised when it is time to close out. Unless you know your stuff you could be easily swindled with this sort of setup. I doubt it will last in the form I saw it– hopefully they will invest in real doughnuts because the concept is neat.

Long line around the block in anticipation of the opening on New Year’s Day && free doughnuts :-)
Will definitely have to come back and explore more of whiskeys and donut pairings when we are back in town