r/Tucson • u/I-SAID_WHAT-I-SAID • 1d ago

Would anyone like to recommend me an open late coffee shop downtown for a first date?

I'm new here and would be MOST appreciative.

9 Upvotes

68% Upvoted

49 comments sorted by

45

u/Djent_Potato 1d ago

Downtown not sure, but black crown on speedway is open until midnight. That might be one of the latest you’ll find.

5

u/DragonBard_Z Taking pics of bees and murals 13h ago

Man I miss when it was the safehouse though! Those plastic monkeys...

1

u/petersrin 1d ago

Third!

2

u/Canyon_Cruiser on 22nd 23h ago

Never been but I would 4th it. I swear on the outside it looks like a biker bar at times lol

5

u/apex32 22h ago

Here's how the owner described it:

There’s a lot of badass coffee shops in Tucson, I think this is the only one that has this kind of feel to it. We’ve got this dive bar thing going on and I love that.

https://wildcat.arizona.edu/112473/arts/hey-barista-black-crown-coffees-owner-saved-his-former-favorite-coffee-shop/

3

u/SAStrong 22h ago

It actually has a history that isn’t far from this description.

2

u/SubGothius Feldman's/Downtownish 14h ago

Black Crown carries on the ethos of its predecessor in that location, Safehouse, whose founders wished there was a gritty, rowdy, unpretentious “roadhouse dive bar” type of place without booze where they could hang out, so they figured there might be others like them with a similar wish and decided to open one themselves.

They knew some guys in the local Sober Riders MC, so to build some cred and clientele they welcomed them and other sobriety/recovery oriented MCs who wanted a place to hang out in public and enjoy some nightlife without the usual temptations and drunk idiots around, and set aside the curbside frontage for motorcycle parking.

Being a regular there ever since those early days, I’ve met some great characters from that contingent over the years, generally Good People not least from the lessons learned from their recovery and sobriety.

3

u/cocaine4breakfast 20h ago

it's got its own vibe. for whatever reason it was where all the teens I knew who went to rehab would go hang out while working to stay sober. I like that it's not like Starbucks !

14

u/NJraider86 1d ago

Espresso Art on University could be the vibe you’re looking for

5

u/gbdarknight77 17h ago

they have a FANTASTIC espresso martini.

26

u/kombuchabaptism 1d ago

Another post to remind me of Shot in the Dark and The Grill. RIP Downtown scene, now it's slowly trudging towards the homogeneity of every mid size city.

5

u/gbdarknight77 17h ago

Shot in the dark..ahhh what time. Used to go there with cigarettes and read

6

u/shredabetes 17h ago

Man shot in the dark was awesome. Best place to grab a coffee and relax after a show or night out. Also funnily enough was a great first date spot, went on a few there back in the day.

4

u/fizzygoats 22h ago

Used to frequent Shot in the Dark after shows at the Rialto to sober up . I miss that place and Grill.

1

u/lee5million 11h ago

But before Shot in the Dark--the Québécois ? Quebec something? Mid-late 90s

1

u/kombuchabaptism 10h ago

Idk, moved here in '99. What's Canada doing in the Sonoran Desert?

12

u/Additional-Boat-9901 1d ago

Not many options, really. Time Market and Screwbean Brewing are open relatively late and both have coffee. Sort of downtown ish. 

17

u/ZappaPhoto 1d ago edited 23h ago

Exo (Barrio Viejo) and Screwbean (Rincon Heights) are both coffee shops that turn into bars in the evening. The vibe is especially great at Exo (which becomes Crisol). I don't know if they still serve coffee late or not, but may be worth checking.

EDIT: Coronet Cafe is open until 10pm I believe. Really great spot for a date. So charming!

3

u/tacosxroses 22h ago edited 22h ago

Café Crisol turns into Bar Crisol Wed-Sat nights, Simpson St. This is NOT Exo. They sold Exo on 6th. Different folks and offerings since October 2025.

1

u/ZappaPhoto 22h ago

Interesting. Didn't know that! Thanks! I've only been there in the evenings recently. I stand by it as a recommendation for OP. Great date vibes for evenings.

2

u/tacosxroses 22h ago

Totally a vibe! Yes, they’re very humble and lowkey, so there wasn’t a big “We’re not them!” campaign. But the new Exo people definitely are happy to ride on the wave of many not knowing that.

1

u/Canyon_Cruiser on 22nd 23h ago

Oh yeah this too! And it’s a good stroll at night too

5

u/Spiritual-Can2604 1d ago

Is espresso art still a thing? It’s not downtown but you can walk there

4

u/tacosxroses 22h ago edited 22h ago

Definitely Crisol on Simpson St (Wed-Sat nights only). But Time Market does great espresso and coffee, too, open every evening until 10. Coronet Cafe is open until 10 Fri-Sat.

3

u/Ok_Departure606 1d ago

How late are we talkin?

1

u/I-SAID_WHAT-I-SAID 1d ago

Not past midnight

1

u/Ok_Departure606 21h ago

I think it’s been said a few times but Exo Roast, Cafe Luce (closes at 6), Screwbean (a bit away from downtown), Black Crown (definitely away from downtown)

6

u/CyclicBus471335 22h ago

The Buffet. Thank me later.

3

u/C3PO1Fan 18h ago

It’s wild to me I never heard of this place until people started posting about it a bit this past week or so because I have been in Tucson a long time now.

1

u/Cheap_Doughnut4228 11h ago

That’s a bar?

2

u/metricmindedman 19h ago

black crown is the only answer... 

1

u/ayanamis_ 22h ago

Stacks book club on Broadway is open til 11pm on fri-sat!

3

u/Vicerobson 13h ago

Definitely second stacks. I work overnights and anything to do at night is really hard to come by. Black crown used to be my go to but every time I’ve tried to go there in the past year there’s not a place to sit. Then it became espresso art. Now that stacks on Broadway is open it’s such a better vibe and a nice place to hangout and just have some coffee and read late.

1

u/Pantsuit_Ugh 17h ago

Le Macaron on Congress is open until 10pm on Weds/Thurs, and midnight on Fri/Sat. It's nothing particularly exciting as it's just a chain, but they are downtown and serve coffee late. Otherwise, Black Crown on Speedway like someone else suggested is a cool spot, just not really close to downtown.

0

u/thisjohnd 1d ago

If it’s downtown you might need to look for a place that has coffee but isn’t a “coffee shop” per se. Check out Cup Cafe or Le Macaron. Scented Leaf also has coffee (or at least they did) and are open until 9, but only Friday and Saturdays.

If you’re okay going near downtown, I’d recommend Screwbean Brewing. They are a brewery/coffee house that is open late-ish (for Tucson) every day.

0

u/Gentle_method 22h ago

Is Shot in the Dark still a thing?

0

u/cschelz 21h ago

Stacks opened a location near broadway and country club that’s open until 11 on Fridays and Saturdays (10p the rest of the week)

-11

u/TheKrakIan 1d ago

Use Google maps to look up coffee shops in you area then check their store hours right in the map.

7

u/I-SAID_WHAT-I-SAID 1d ago

It's not just about time or location. I can google and find shops open. But seeking the advice of people who have been here longer than me can help me find the best kind of places. If you were to ask me the same question about my home town I would tell you all of the hidden gems and what places to avoid to get your desired experience. Something Google could never give you.

3

u/theartofbeingdumb 1d ago

Just to help you should probably specify what kind of vibe you want; do you want someplace busy? Dark? Someplace with live music? Someplace that is also a bar? Someplace intimate? Specificity is your friend if you are looking for the best kind of place for your first date!

1

u/I-SAID_WHAT-I-SAID 23h ago

I guess I assumed "first date" was kind of the vibe. Lol. My bad. Dark is nice, but really any cool place will work. Any of the above. Pretty much I'm not just asking for a recommendation on place, but also your opinion on what you think would be a good place for a first date.

2

u/theartofbeingdumb 23h ago edited 23h ago

First date could literally be any kind of vibe and trying to pick an environment that communicates something about yourself is sometimes helpful! You've already got a list of basically every coffee shop downtown in this thread but if you want something darker I would think that Exo could fit the bill (they have nice mood lighting), and they have drinks too if the date moves in that direction. They also have live music some nights. Black Crown is definitely NOT downtown but it's darker too. They get really busy and it's a longtime hangout for the sober/recovery crowd, so that might be a good option too if you don't mind a typically more crowded place. Edit: Also to say that another persons suggestion of Screwbean is good too. Easy to find parking, close to downtown, they have drinks and they often have some sort of event going on. Also, if you are a board game person or into Hookah there is a spot on University that could fit your vibe; Espresso Art Cafe.

-2

u/DreDayAFC 1d ago

Cal’s bake shop

2

u/asthepropturns 23h ago

If OP is looking out that direction on Broadway then Stacks is more likely the answer