Prepare for takeoff, ladies and gentlemen. From Pretty Decent Concepts, the team behind Wren & Wolf and Trophy Room, Carry On has opened in Downtown Phoenix. The creative cocktail concept invites travelers to revel in a refined airplane setting that marries vintage luxury travel and mixology.
The Carry On experience begins before even stepping foot on the “plane.” After booking a reservation, guests will visit the Wren & Wolf host stand, where they will obtain a boarding pass, decked with the concept’s penguin logo. Guests then take a short walk around the exterior of the building, before lining up at Carry On, awaiting their boarding time.
Once inside, a flight attendant with gather the boarding pass, offer up a too-cute pin (just like when you were a kid!), and escort the travelers to their seat inside the airliner, which is comprised of cozy spots for pairs or bigger booths for groups. Rich leather, gleaming chrome accents, and soft ambient lighting come together in the cabin to give an exclusive, glamorous vibe that you’d find in early-70s air travel.
But the design isn’t the only thing that will transport guests; windows along the perimeter actually project the plane’s voyage (which is currently from San Francisco to Mexico City), complete with stormy, short-lived turbulence that actually vibrates the seats. To add to the air-travel vibe, a “pilot” welcomes guests over speakers and the bathroom even showcases lights to inform travelers if it is in use.

The cocktails aboard Carry On are not to be outdone by its setting. First, guests are poured a welcome cocktail upon sitting, alongside a bowl of spiced nuts. Then, they can order a selection of classics (think Harvey Wallbanger, Jungle Bird, and a top-notch Pink Squirrel) and, for this voyage, drinks influenced by San Francisco and Mexico City. A favorite San Francisco-inspired option is the Terroir Drink, with mezcal, amontillado, sherry, marionberry, douglas fir, amaro, lemon, and rosemary, while the Woody (mezcal, toasted coconut, scotch, gin, apertif, holy grass, palo santo, and lemon) is a lightly tropical Mexico City-themed tipple.
And martini fans will be delighted when the martini cart makes its rounds around the cabin about halfway through the flight. Travelers can choose their spirit, style, and garnish, and the tipple is whipped up in a flash by a flight attendant tableside. Before landing, shortbread cookies are delivered to the table for one final treat as the plane descends.
Ticket links are sent every Monday exclusively to Carry On email subscribers, giving the opportunity to book for the upcoming Friday through Thursday. Carry On has seatings every two hours, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. On weekends, there is an additional seating at 3:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.carryonphx.com.
2 N. Central Ave. Ste. 101
Phoenix, AZ 85004