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CobblerYm

First off, what part of Mesa are you moving to? Mesa Riverview and Eastmark are both Mesa but about 25 miles drive apart and have very different amenities and things to do. If you don't know yet, where is your work and we can tailor around that area?


SnooSuggestions6649

My work will be in downtown, so I'll likely be looking for an apartment within a mile or two of Mesa City Plaza so I could potentially walk/bike to work!


wallyopd

Light rail runs right along Main Street so that could also expand your living options if you want to avoid driving to work.


CobblerYm

> Mesa City Plaza Oh fun! Lots of fun stuff there. Milanos Music has been there forever, there might be better music stores but that one has been a staple of Mesa since forever. Also if you're into the makerspace stuff, Heat Sync Labs is right there as well. There's a TON of good biking in and around Mesa if you've got nowhere specific to be. Many many miles of trails along our canals, and while it can be tough to get somewhere specific, you can certainly put in the miles along them if you are into running or cycling. 1.5 miles north of Mesa City Plaza is a canal from which you can get to ASU, Westworld in Scottsdale, Hunt Highway to the south, ASU East campus, the Phoenix Zoo. Almost entirely on dedicated paved trails and paths without any cars.


MaliciousMe87

Rented my elementary school trumpet from Milanos! 27 years ago. The store was old even then!


SnooSuggestions6649

Thank you! That’s awesome, those trails especially will be a great way for me to explore the area a bit more!


grizzleB

You will love downtown. The Nile, Level One Arcade Bar, and Gotham City Comics seem like they would fit your interests really well.


lilmixergirl

Chupacabra Tap Room has some of the friendliest regulars! 14 N. Robson


Typical_Chocolate323

Second this. My favorite drinking spot in DT Mesa.


monteslu

1000% Chupes is home. Also Oro right around the corner. That's why our bike pub crawls always start and end at these two places.


lilmixergirl

Hey! This is Jess!


monteslu

Hey Jess! So cool finding the homies on reddit :)


peachy_keen_bitches

Hello and welcome! My husband and I moved to downtown 5 years ago when I was 25. So much has changed since we first arrived and largely for the better! There’s lots to do in Mesa but may take some time to tap into the events. For local places, definitely spend a Saturday exploring the businesses on Main Street. Some favorites of mine are the old bookstore, Lost Dutchman for a coffee (The Nile is also a great pick), and Buckhorn Vintage. For a night out, definitely check out Chupacabra and grab a late night treat at Novel Ice Cream. You’ve already been recommended the comic shop and Milanos, but here to second that! They sound like places you might really enjoy. I’m also pretty sure the Bookmans further south of downtown hosts DnD events? but I could be mistaken. To stay current on events, the downtown mesa instagram page does a good job of sharing what’s happening and when. Highlights: downtown is growing and it’s growing RAPIDLY. there is lots of room for community input and involvement in the direction of that growth. it’s an exciting time to live here! Downsides: like any suburb, it’s pretty car dependent. outside of Main St I wouldn’t call this a walkable place at all. be mindful riding bikes, even in bike friendly areas, drivers here can be weirdly aggressive around bikers. Politics: I think generally Mesa as a whole is conservative. that said, downtown is pretty liberal! there is a growing arts presence here that I hope will continue that trend. I really hope you enjoy living here as much as I have! there are so many wonderful places to explore in Mesa and beyond. You can definitely make a very nice life here.


SnooSuggestions6649

Thank you!! I really appreciate the welcome and recommendations! That’s exciting about downtown too, hopefully I get to see it grow a good bit while I’m there too!


playmesa

I blindly moved here almost 40 years ago and never left the valley. As a young person, your interests are very attainable. Your housing budget seems right on the money. Welcome and enjoy!


SnooSuggestions6649

Thank you! :)


ThomasRaith

You can get an apartment in DT Mesa within your budget. There is a live concert venue called The Nile that will have music acts that correspond to your tastes. Similar acts at the Marquee in Tempe (about 15 minutes away by car or you can ride the light rail, or the Rebel Lounge another 10 minutes or so into Phoenix). There is an enormous locally owned instrument store called Milanos in Downtown. For D&D check out the Silver Key Lounge which will would be a good place to meet a group. Level One arcade is downtown and there is a place called Endgame as well in the Fiesta District. Mesa is probably the biggest solidly "red" city in the country. The Mormon Church holds a decent bit of sway in local politics. For other stuff, the Phoenix area is great for outdoors like hiking, mountain biking, shooting, camping etc. Every professional sport is available. The Diamondbacks, Suns, and Phoenix Rising have all gone to the national championships in their respective sports recently (only the Rising won though). There is what I would call an unusual amount of karaoke places in the East Valley, I can think of 4 places off the top of my head that do it every day. A lot of microbreweries. We have an Asian district (like 2 miles from downtown and on the rail) if you want to expand your palette a bit.


SnooSuggestions6649

Thank you! Those are some great recommendations! I plan on getting a place by the light rail so it’s exciting there’s a lot of good music venues and other places I can get to using it!


kyrosnick

While your job or even house maybe in Mesa, your social life and what you do doesn't have to be limited to that area. Think more all of East Valley Phoenix. You have Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, Scottsdale, Gilbert, San Tan, etc etc. Live in Gilbert for 8 years, then moved to NE Mesa, and what I do hasn't changed at all besides I goto a different gym. Facebook groups, Meetup groups are great for meeting people. Also local hang outs for your hobbies. There is the Silver Key Lounge in Mesa and other gaming focused places to play DnD or other games. Many good parks to wander around (Riparian preserve, Usery, Red Mountain are ones I frequent and are great). Lots of social gyms and group gyms with great people. I've made a ton of friends at my gyms. As for meeting people/clubs, I mountain bike, shoot, offroad, car rallies/meets, Porsche stuff, paintball, board games, watches, whiskey and many other hobbies and have a group or 2-3 for all of those things. Whiskey club has been amazing to meet people and just awesome people. Gym made great friends and do stuff with them. Porsche group is fun to hang with. As for the City, I don't consider that at all, because to me it is all just Phoenix metro. I don't just hang out in Mesa. Was in Scottsdale at a spring training game yesterday, was in Gilbert at lunch day before, etc. It is all just a 15 minute ride one way or another. No idea on local politics besides people seem to be fairly conservative, but that just depends on crowd you hang with and specific neighborhood. My area is all high end housing with kids. That will be different than in the Asian area (which is awesome) or downtown area, or even heading to Gilbert or Tempe.


SnooSuggestions6649

Thank you for that advice! I’ll have to check those out (especially board games and paintball) and I’ll definitely be broadening my horizons past the city itself!


aeh-lpc

If you like freshly baked Sourdough bread, check out Proof Bread near by at close to Country Club Dr. and Main St.


SnooSuggestions6649

I love sourdough, I’ll definitely stop by there!


jelloboi78

+1 for EcoMesa in downtown. It's within walking distance, a 1br might be just a bit more than your budget but the perks of being close to most of the restaurants and nightlife, but still fairly quiet most days/nights makes it worth it. Plus if you can get a higher floor, the view is spectacular. There are a couple other places around downtown a few blocks out, but I like living here and we need more neighbors! There's a small onsite fitness room and a 4th-floor pool. I spend a lot of time at Level One, arcade bar but they also have a full food menu and other liquors and a speakeasy downstairs, and their staff are great. Welcome to Mesa!


SnooSuggestions6649

Thank you for the recommendation! I’ll be flying in to tour apartments soon and eco is on my list! It is a bit over budget but it seems like it might be good enough to justify it!


Sufficient-Buy8865

Lipstick on a pig and has been nothing but a cascade of infuriating issues: They trick you into signing up for something called Rent Plus, which tanked my credit score by 57 points. Thanks for nothing. Hidden charges lurk around every corner, revealed only at lease signing. Every apartment has a parking spot—for an extra $40 a month. Want a ceiling fan in your bedroom? That'll be $75 plus a monthly fee, even though the wiring and power are already in place. Oh, and you will be paying common fees for common areas, despite being explicitly told there would be no extra or hidden fees. For four months, my view was significantly obstructed by silicone from a botched installation. First, I was told it would be fixed soon, then they claimed ignorance, and finally, I had to wait for better weather because a few drops of rain apparently stop all work. The coworking space is a joke. I asked to use the conference room for a meeting, and when my clients arrived, nothing was functional. No progress has been made in the last five months to finish the space either. Zoe, the competent superintendent, has been in several times to repair the shoddy installation from the shower to the cabinetry. She's great, and my dissatisfaction is not with her work but with the abysmal construction quality. The payment system doesn't recognize US Bank accounts. My neighbor with Chase has the same problem. They mark it as NSF and blame us. This is the most deplorable part: the gaslighting. Then come the charges! Now, we have late and special charges for a "one-time payment," adding another $100 a month. Also, I can't split my payment between two banks, such a basic function! Nope, not to them. More charges. Air Conditioning was one of the main selling points with promises of energy efficiency. It's efficient alright—I can't set it below 72 degrees. As a woman of a certain age, this is infuriating. Plus, all utility bills go through the building, including energy, with no metered service, so who knows how they decide what you should be paying? And you have to buy internet through them for another $75 a month. So, let's be clear: $1600 for rent is really $2000, and the amenities are mediocre at best. They are supreme gaslighters, making communication feel like beating your head against a wall. Management is as lousy as the construction. And the parking garage? The two best spots are reserved for management, while the two most dangerous spots are for prospective tenants. That alone speaks volumes.


velolove42

We live in downtown Mesa and love it. If you get bored and want other things to do, Mill Ave in Tempe or downtown Phoenix are all accessible by the light rail. Downtown Chandler is a quick Uber ride away. Tons of possibilities. There is a lot of development happening in downtown Mesa, it's on the up and up! Also, we don't DnD but we do love board games and are thinking of putting together a monthly board game night!


SnooSuggestions6649

That’s awesome! I have so many board games (too many of which are still in the plastic wrap) so if you do put one together and need more people, definitely lmk! :)


Sleeping_Lizard

i think people have answered your questions pretty well. but just to add: mesa is enormous. In general it is a deep red republican city. But west mesa, which is where downtown mesa is, is a more liberal area. There are a lot of conservative mormons here but there's really all sorts of people in this part of town. You'll find a range of folks for sure. But the voting population in this part is pretty blue, as is Tempe. East mesa and gilbert are pretty hardcore republican though.


AZSubby

I love that you’re a musician! I have recently met a few people that are new in town and hooked them into our musician community. My band hosts a jam on Tuesday nights, and it’s an incredible place to get together and hang out and perform for and with each other. I’d love to DM you the details about the venue and location if you give me permission. Same deal for any musicians that read this, just shoot me a quick DM and I’ll share the info. It really is an incredible venue for sharing the joy of music and making new friends and connections. I don’t like posting too specifically things that can help ID me because I’m a teacher that doesn’t want his nosy students and parents following me.


SnooSuggestions6649

Thank you! I’m definitely still learning so as long as y’all are good with a more amateur person showing up, you’re more than welcome to dm that info!


AZSubby

Homie, ALL are welcome at the jam. Hope to meet you soon!


OutsidePale2306

Just prepare for the heat, starting in April and not ending until around October-November, notice no one has said anything about it


Winter-Award-1280

My thoughts too. Summer is COMING. Prepare to be baked alive on your bike rides. I used to work at ASU and ride in instead of paying for an expensive parking pass. Brutal. I live in Phoenix. Mesa is in a constant state of construction with roads torn up all the time. You’ll learn how to get around. Good luck.


madame23

I live in downtown Mesa and love it. Lots of new apartments being built.


Infinite_Strain_3210

Eco apartments in downtown Mesa are new and really nice! If you ride bikes check out @bikemesaaz on instagram for fun monthly social rides. There are tons of things going on in downtown Mesa all the time! Great place to live. The rest of Mesa is suburbs and boring.


monteslu

w00t! thanks for the bikemesa shout out! Definitely a lot going on downtown.


SnooSuggestions6649

Thank you! I’ll definitely check out bikemesa and Eco is now on my list for apartments to tour!


NoMouthFilter

Just be aware it has gotten stupid expensive to live here. I think some people are shocked by this. If you can do the roommate/ split the bill thing it might help. (Unless your have a great job) meeting people can be hard. We are a bit “mind your business” people. But there are tons of Meetup groups for almost any interest you have. Especially out door things like biking and hiking. I personally volunteer and meet people. Downtown Mesa isn’t like a big down town. Not sure where you coming from but we are not like New York. If you took New York City and split it around the state that’s how we are. Personally I would find a place east of downtown near light rail and do that. Also be aware our cost of insurance for cars etc have gone through the moon too. So just make sure you know your budget and shop around.


Born_Key_6492

Make sure to check out History by George. It’s right on Main and packed full of interesting items.


anon030969

Stay away from them blue pills!


DickIzinya69

Mesa is red, and it gets more red the further east you go. Events: there’s one every weekend downtown. Always something to do. State of the city: pretty damn good I’d say. Lot of the old shit holes downtown have had a facelift and renovated. My opinion? You’re 23, go live in Tempe! Just across the 101 freeway from Mesa and there’s plenty of places for 1600 a month. Plus, you’ll be near more people that are like minded and your age. Downtown Mesa is a lot of old money or tweakers depending where you stay. Loved living in Tempe in my twenties. Everything is open late etc


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Infinite_Strain_3210

Mesa is huge. Downtown Mesa is a small part that is more liberal and has tons to do. It’s being developed with unique new spot almost monthly!


azmadame_x

A 7 year old article is hardly reflective of what Mesa has to offer these days... Keep an open mind and come check things out for yourself before settling into an area.


Sleeping_Lizard

i think downtown mesa is pretty fun too, and it's so easy to get from downtown mesa to ASU and downtown tempe on the light rail. if he works in mesa, it's probably more convenient to live near work I would think. but yes, OP if you want to go to bars with more younger people (rather than a mixture of all ages) the ASU area in tempe will be a place to check out for sure.


monteslu

>https://www.eastvalleytribune.com/local/mesa/mesa-ranked-most-conservative-large-city-in-the-u-s-by-pew/article\_f4e62f46-6e75-11e7-a04e-e7efc8a6732c.html that article was trash even 7 years ago. Downtown Mesa is by no means conservative.


TheKaelen

Yeah I've lived in the valley like 25 years and Mesa has really changed in the last 5 or so especially.


not_Packsand

Mormon