When I'm casual but want to feel NYC I go to Christopher's. We go here for a special occasion dinner or on the fly happy hour...which is the best HH food in town! Let me repeat that - best in town!!!
Hamburger with truffle fries, brick oven pizza or a perfect salmon salad plus a beer or glass of wine for about $10/person. Can't beat it! Sitting at the open kitchen makes me appreciate the setup and organization required to run a restaurant as well as the chef's tats!? If you don't want the blaring heat of the brick oven, don't sit at the corner next to it...Phoenix is HOT enough in the summer, so cool off and let someone else do the cooking!