Downtown Phoenix is about to gain two striking new destinations for diners who crave both spectacle and substance. Pretty Decent Concepts (the team behind Wren & Wolf, Carry On, Trophy Room and Filthy Animal) is introducing Cleaverman and Filthy Martini Bar, a dual opening set to shift the city’s culinary pulse.
Debuting November 21 at Arizona Center, the pair represents the group’s most ambitious project built on story-driven hospitality and a commitment to craft.
True to the company’s narrative-forward approach, Cleaverman begins with a character. Pretty Decent Concepts imagined its namesake as the leader of an elite guild of butchers, a figure forged through ritual, rigor, and apprenticeship. His domain is a sanctum of technique and tradition, an environment meant to feel as though it has stood for half a century and is sturdy enough to stand for fifty more.
The restaurant’s 10,000-square-foot footprint reflects that ambition, seating 300+ guests across a sweeping dining room, a dramatic bar, and private rooms ideal for celebrations or for sealing a deal with steak and a martini. Before shaping the menu, the team spent months on the road, venturing from major cities to cattle country, meeting ranchers, touring dry-age facilities, and studying the labor and lineage behind great beef.
They sought partners who echoed their standards – a process grounded in respect for the animal and the people who steward it long before it hits the kitchen. The result is a steakhouse that honors those origins, built on world-class product and an unrelenting dedication to quality.
At the helm is Chef Ivan Gonzalez, Culinary Director for Pretty Decent Concepts and Foodist Awards Top Chef winner, joined by Executive Chef Jared Porter. Gonzalez provides a guiding vision rooted in the grandeur of classic American steakhouses, while Porter brings a storied local résumé, having helped shape The Parlor and co-founded Clever Koi before taking on high-profile culinary leadership roles.
Most recently, he served as head chef at Tesota, where he returned to his passion for independent, culture-rich dining. Their menu showcases prized dry aged cuts including prime rib and a 32oz porterhouse, alongside Japanese and Australian wagyu. Shellfish offerings skew indulgent, from lobster Wellington to a monumental three pound thermidor.
The cocktail program is equally meticulous, developed with a roster of acclaimed mixologists including Jillian Vose, Zach O’Haire, and lead bartender Ruben Fernandez III, 2025 Last Slinger Standing champion. Together they’ve crafted a menu defined by harmony and technique.
Highlights include the Cleaverman Martini with celery-infused gin or vodka and lemongrass tincture, the Maple & Smoke featuring shiitake maple syrup and Irish whiskey, and the Artful Dodger, a blend of chai-infused cognac, sherry, and pineapple.
Through a back corridor lies Filthy Martini Bar, a moody lounge washed in golden light, wrapped in burlwood, and pulsing with live piano. Here, tuxedo jackets and cocktail dresses glide between tables, channeling mid-century glamour. It’s a room where conversations stretch late and martinis stay cold.
Designer Peter Bowden, a longtime collaborator with Pretty Decent Concepts, shaped both spaces with the rich materials and sculptural details that have earned him global recognition, including honors from the HD Awards, Golden Key Awards, and Top 50 Bars Design Awards. Cleaverman and Filthy Martini Bar open November 21 at Arizona Center. For more information, visit cleaverman.com.
