The Junxion Bar

Despite the super cheap drinks here, this was not a pleasant experience. You can’t really tell what this place is until you get inside and its very dark and unwelcoming. They didn’t even have cut lemon wedges I guess they were out. Its a cold and sterile environment with lots of steel and brick. A rougher element kept coming in and when we started to feel unsafe we left.

Saturday nights are the funnest nights. Its incredibly packed and crowded AFTER midnight, so if you get there between 10 – 11:30pm it will seem dead but it WILL be pick up. Getting a drink will be challenging after midnight and that is very frustrating! It can get so crowded that walking to the bathroom is a hassle.
They play hip hop, rap, reggaeton, among some cumbia. Its a good variety, there’s a live dj, and some pool tables. I enjoy this club a lot and is usually the first place I go to when I’m out. There’s a cover fee, they do have a dress code, and don’t really have any drink specials but it’s a fun place. I really enjoy it.

We got here around 11:30pm and it was empty. But the music was on point and the drink prices before 12 were AMAZING!!! Let me say this will be my go to place when I head back to Tucson. I recommend just trying it once I’m sure you will be hooked. The atmosphere was very fun and LIVE. Ladies free before 12 and the guys paid a small cover to get in. Oh and It did get really packed around 12am-​1230am.

Saturday is the best night to come to this place. My friends and I wanted a night out for drinks and dancing. Well this was the place to be! Make sure to get in by 10 – 10:30ish because that’s when the crowd starts pouring in.
That night, we got there early and there was no cover charge at the door either, nice! I admit the drinks were kind of pricey, but that’s why we kind of usually bar hop before we get here. Lol. 98.3 was in the house, so the music was all hip hop & old school stuff. Music that I like to dance to! The other times I’ve been here, I was disappointed in the music, but I came on different nights (Thursday or Friday), never on a Saturday. Now I know to come on a Saturday!
Besides dancing, there are also a couple of pool tables in the back. I also liked that they have a patio area, great to either cool off after dancing or just hang out and try to have a conversation.
P. S. Oh, and ladies, there are 3 bathroom stalls in the bathroom, so not too bad of a wait when it’s packed. =)

It was a Friday night, and the street’s energy was kinetic – vibrant with that steady, excited roar of conversation. Anxious to join in the crowd’s noise by joking like old times with Cassie («Hey Duncan, I bet you can’t name three of your single friends!»), I wait at the crosswalk across from the Junxion, and I wonder… «Are they even open?» The windows’ dark tint gave no indication that the business was alive. However, there was light shining on their sign that said «IPA Bar,» which gave me hope of a vast selection of hoppy microbrews.
Plus, I was gonna meet up with Cassie here so that we could sort things out between us. It wasn’t looking like it was going to happen because her phone broke and she wasn’t able to return any of my calls or texts — she didn’t even know about them! Luckily, I was able to reach her at her work number, though. She said she’d try to make it and even told a joke about how I should never, ever call her at work again. Lol!
I walk inside, and the unmitigated cacophony of conversion from outside fades to crickets. There were about as many people inside as times a night Cassie would roll her eyes at me (eleven, by my best guess). The décor is minimal, and the furniture is sparse – like my apartment since everything was Cassie’s — double lol!
Without even a greeting from the staff, I ask about their IPA selection, and the bartender rattles the names off quickly with no personality or care. Only about 10 IPAs for a place advertised as an IPA BAR? Really? «Any drink specials,» I ask. «No,» the bartender sighs as he goes back to doing anything other than giving me attention. Maybe he’s related to Cassie — LMAO!
All around, this night was a bust. Cassie never even showed up, and this «IPA bar» turned out to be a dive that had a relatively poor selection of IPAs. For the lack of atmosphere and ambivalence of the staff, prices were high. I did come back one more time, and even though there still weren’t drink specials or talkative bartenders, there was a band playing with only a small audience, so it was nice to have some space on a Friday night. I get it now. Sometimes some space is a good thing.

I’ve tried to go the the Junxion a couple times while bar hopping, but last night was the first time I actually went in since they weren’t trying to charge some extravagant cover. I wasn’t very impressed. The bar feels like it’s just trying too hard. The music was thumping and the lights were low at 6 in the evening on a Saturday. It was too dark to read the beer taps and it was too loud to hear the bartender explain what they had so we mostly made do with what we could make out. The one cocktail we got was wayyyy over sweet.
They do have outdoor bar seating that is great for sitting and chatting while listening to some Second Saturday live music across the street. That’s the only reason we stuck around for a second round last night. Perhaps it’s better later on in the evening, but with the covers they charge, I know I personally won’t be testing the theory.

The only reason that I’m not giving this place 5 stars is the vibe– it’s not a club, so why could I hear the music from down the block? I go to bars to chill and relax with friends. If I wanted to dance, I’d have hit up the club a couple doors down. My friend and I struggled to have a conversation over the music.
The décor is very cold and sterile– concrete walls and steel tables. There really isn’t a place for a group of people to hang out and relax. It is neither inviting nor comfortable at all. Though it was 8 p.m. on a Saturday night, there couldn’t have been more than 10 people in the whole place. I couldn’t imagine anyone spending more than an hour there.
So why three stars? Two things– 1. The service. I didn’t catch the bartender’s name, but he was extremely friendly. He was very engaging and attentive and definitely knew his way around the bar. Best dirty martini I’ve ever had! 2. The beer. They have a pretty large selection on tap, which I love. The drink prices are pretty decent as well.
Overall, if you’re looking for a place to relax for a few hours with friends, this isn’t it. It’s more of a pop in, grab a beer, and move on to the next place type of establishment.

I have been back here a few more times — once to hear a friends band play, and once just for drinks after dinner. I don’t know what it is about this place, but it does not invite people in… We came in around 8:30 to 9:00 on a Saturday night, and NO one was there. Literally the first people walking in the door. Not necessarily a bad thing — but it didn’t really pick up. They need something to set them apart, make it fun. The bartenders this time seemed more worried about restocking the redbull than serving customers. We had to raise our hand for five minutes before we got the attention of anyone.

With all the hip, funky bars opening up downtown, this one doesnt make the cut. Its got a great exterior and an eye catching sign that fits the look of Congress Street, but once you walk inside, you are treated to a cold interior with a lack of cohesive design and a long wait at the bar. Then if you happen to be here on a night with a DJ, prepare to dance to a favorite jam then go sit down, cuz the DJ apparently doesnt notice when the crowd likes a song or doesnt and switches the music styles every other song. I want this place to succeed, because I love downtown and want there to be life in the city but you just can’t throw things together and hope for the best. We are accustomed to beautiful design and good service these days. So my suggestion is to hire more bartenders and bring in an interior designer.

I love to go out for drinks just as much as the next guy/​girl and preferably a place with a good jams and atmosphere. On a Friday night, we found the place fairly deserted, and I can’t complain about that since we were able to grab some seats at the bar. However, the blaring music did made it difficult to even order a drink and hold a conversation. What you get here is your typical bar scene. My understanding is that they have live music and DJs, but on this particular night it was just us and their super loud sound system. Drink prices were par with other places in town. If you’re looking for craft cocktails this is probably not the place for you, but there’s plenty of beer and hard alcohol to choose from. I’d return to check out the live bands but other than that, there’s not much here that’s really calling my name.

It’s a bar, I’m a fan. Not sure what else to say.
The décor is cool. It’s sort of the trendy warehouse chic thing that everyone is into now but it works.
The service is great. Everyone there is very helpful and legitimately seems to enjoy their jobs. The servers drink there when on their off time, which I think always adds a good chemistry to the place.
Prices are very hit and miss. Their happy hour prices are solid and they have an amazing Monday night special but their regular prices are a bit high. Still, for downtown Tucson, they aren’t too far off and I’ve had fun every time I was there, so that’s really all that matters in the end.

Drinks were cheap, staff was friendly and the bar was spacious. Junxion was fairly quiet for 9:30 pm on a Friday but neither my friends nor I complained about this. When we left about an hour later, the bar was filling up a bit and a band (singing a great Chili Peppers cover) just started to jam. I’m a big fan upon first impression so I’ll definitely be back.

There’s absolutely nothing special going on here. The atmosphere is bland and lacking, with tons of concrete all over. Boring. I think it could be nicer with more decorations on the walls and such. The music is obnoxious. It’s not a club, so why the hell can I hear it from all the way down the block? I don’t mind loud music, but it shouldn’t be so loud that other businesses have to be burdened by it. They decided to be even more obnoxious and take up half of the sidewalk for their little outdoor area. I think it would be a tight squeeze for a wheelchair to get through, which goes to show you how these people think. They don’t care if you can walk on the sidewalk or not, just spend your money in their subpar establishments and go home. It’s also kind of gross to have to walk on that little strip of sidewalk while people are hanging over the railing smoking. So I have to be smoked on, or I have to walk in the road. Great.
Also, the drink prices are high, and they’re nothing special. They have a lot of beers on tap, though. All in all, there’s a reason why Junxion hardly ever has customers. It’s just not that good. Go down the road and you’ll find a couple of places with better drinks. Skip this place.

Okay, this is 3.5, but very close to being pushed to 4.
Well, decided to drop in for a drink on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Was meeting a friend who was coming from the street fair and this location worked. It was pretty dead, but that is kind of expected downtown on a Sunday afternoon.
Overall, I like the idea of this place. A bar for bar people with a downtown vibe. No club, no cover. Good live music and DJ’s on the weekends, tons of different vodka, and lots of beer on tap.
The bartender was very friendly and efficient. I totally dig him. But there is just something missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something isn’t there yet. I love the wallpaper by the way. But the long sterile metal tables are a little less inviting. They do not scream come on in and get cozy while you drink a lot. I understand the design idea, but I am not sure it works here.
I am definitely happy I have another option to add to my list for bar-​hopping downtown, I just hope it can only get better. But, they do serve Fireball whiskey and carry some Firefly vodka so that alone has the potential for me to up it 4 stars, but I will wait until my second visit.

Junxion is downtown’s tentative tentacle west of the in-​spots, but providing a few pieces of modern art and flat screen TVs isn’t enough of an attraction. A few long metal tables compliment the shotgun-​style interior, but it reminded me of the orphanage from Oliver Twist… I wanted more: a jukebox, dart board, or porridge (or even pickled eggs). I was here because I was heading to the Fox, but otherwise I wouldn’t have gone out of my way. The bar was cricket-​chirping quiet except for an animated downtown «character» who was gesticulating madly, and another patron who told me Junxion is like The Buffet with damask wallpaper. I hope lively bands grace their little stage deep in the nether regions of the dark interior soon to attract the music scenesters. Junxion takes bare bones to a new minimum so far…

The only reason I’m not giving this place the full five starts, is the feel that it was meant to be jam-​packed and on a Friday night, there were only about 15 people in there.
That said, the bartender was a hoot, service was super fast and friendly and they let us order pizza from empire to chow down on while hanging out. They had quite a few good beers on tap and one of the other girls could not stop talking about how much vodka they had (didn’t investigate for myself though, not my drink).
They also had two pool tables tucked away around the corner and those were busy most of the night. They do have live music too so I’d love to go back down to check out a show and hopefully see it more crowded– it’s an awesome space!

Went there last night to check it out. It was completely empty, which is a shame. The bartender is very personable, and they have 100+ vodkas in every flavor imaginable (froot loop, buttered popcorn, etc.)– and the bartender is happy to set you up with samples. Two pool tables, clean bathrooms, and it’s a great space. They don’t have food, BUT– they are happy to let you bring in food or have it delivered from one of the many local establishments that deliver. Happy hour is 4 – 9 (25% off drinks), but you’ll want to hit Monday night, when practically everything is $ 2 or something crazy like that. I’ll definitely be back. As the only customers on a Tuesday night, we were spoiled rotten.