The Top List of Best Buy Restaurants - Phoenix, AZ
Just as the miners and land barons explored Phoenix in the 1800's you can explore a rich mixture of contemporary and traditional cuisines in Phoenix today. by Emily Bernard & Chris Faust
The days of dusting your chaps with a flick of your Stetson are gone. Now buried deep in the psyche of Arizonans are stories of the turn of the century cowtowns like Tombstone and Phoenix. But the pioneers spirit that spawned Tombstone and Phoenix are still alive in the folklore and traditions of Arizona cooking. A meld of the old and the new. The hardscrabble miners and cowboys with their style of vittles, has combined with the southwestern Indian and Mexican migrant cuisines. This melting of styles has produced a nationally recognized regional cuisine known as "Southwestern". Just as the miners and land barons explored Phoenix in the 1800's you can explore a rich mixture of contemporary and traditional cuisines in Phoenix today.
LOS DOS MOLINOS 8646 South Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona (602) 243-9113 Hours: 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. (Tues-Fri), 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. (Sat), 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Sun) A family owned restaurant and literal hot spot in Phoenix, Los Dos Molinos offers New Mexican style cuisine known for spicy hot salsa and sauces. The restaurant is renowned for the generations passed down recipes that simply cannot be made mildly. There are a few dishes for those who can’t handle the heat, but the vast majority of menu items push the limits of spiciness. Menu items include traditional Mexican favorites, such as burros and tacos with a selection of fillings, tostadas, enchiladas, taco salads, and cheese crisps. All tortillas are handmade and homemade guacamole is available as a chip dip or a side to any menu item. House margaritas are a great accompaniment to everything on the menu and a good way to put out the fires from the food. Phoenix locals, tourists and even celebrities frequent Los Dos, as it’s referred to by regulars. Reservations are not accepted, so waits can be a little long on weekends due to the popularity of the restaurant and food. The Los Dos experience is definitely worth the wait. Plan to take it slow at first with lots of liquids nearby!
Estimate price per person = $10 - $20
Holidays: Set at discretion of management.
RAWHIDE STEAKHOUSE AND SALOON 5700 West North Loop Road, Chandler, Arizona 85226 (480) 502-5600 Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (Fri-Sun) Dinner 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Mon – Thurs), 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Fri-Sun) *Note that hours change seasonally, contact the restaurant for details. Rawhide is an 1880’s Western Town complete with steakhouse, saloon and shops. After meandering the authentic old west streets and entertaining the kids with a petting ranch, gold panning, rock climbing and bull riding (mechanical, that is), you’re sure to work up an appetite. The charming western theme takes over the steakhouse, where showgirls and cowboys serve the best babyback ribs, mesquite grilled steaks and barbeque chicken west of the Mississippi. Rawhide Rattler and Rocky Mountain Oysters are house specialties for the courageous diners… they even come complete with a commemorative certificate of bravery. Work up an appetite for dessert by dancing to live country music offered every evening. If you time your trip right, you can catch the sundown cookout held every Saturday night from February through June and October through November. This brings the mouthwatering menu favorites of the steakhouse out under the stairs and features stunt shows, magic shows and a marshmallow roast. Rawhide Steakhouse and Saloon is not just a restaurant, it’s an experience back in time for kids and adults alike.
Estimated price per person = $20 - $30
Holidays: Open for most major holidays.
AUNT CHILADA'S Pointe Hilton Resort at Squaw Peak 7330 Dreamy Drive Draw, Phoenix Arizona, (602) 994-1286 Hours: (Moon-Sun) 11 a.m. to3 p.m. (Mon-Thur.) 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Fri-Sat) 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Bright, festive and ingratiating, Aunt Chilada's combines southwestern regional cuisine with a little Salsa, and I don't mean the sauce. Bright traditional Mexican colors, festive Mariachi music and traditional costumes accent the really fine food. Start with a Smoked Pork Chinalinga made from a crispy fried flour tortilla stuffed with Mesquite grilled smoked pork, quesa fresca and sour cream, your choice of salsa verde (green) or salsa roja (red) in mild, medium or hot, $5.75. The entrees include choices like Grilled Jumbo Shrimp Fajitas with gorditas, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. This dish is served sizzling in a cast iron skillet hot off the stove for just $13.50. Ice cold Mexican beers or a premium Margarita's made from you favorite Anejo gold tequila will quench the fire that comes with every meal at Aunt Chilada's.
Estimated cost for dinner, $15.00 to $20.00 per person
Holiday schedule: Closed Christmas Day
SOUTH CHINA BUFFET 8008 North 19th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85021 (602) 995-9661 Hours, (Mon-sun) 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. How do they do it? With over 40 foods to choose from this squeaky-clean Chinese buffet that is only $5.45 per person for dinner. And would you believe $4.45 for lunch. At this rate you could feed a family of 5 for around $30.00 and have a night out to boot. Pork Fried Rice, Chow Mien, Crispy Noodles, Kung POW Chicken. South China Buffet has all the meat choices too. Beef, Pork, Chicken, Duck, Fish and Squid to name a few. When you are getting toward the end of the month and want to take the family out to dinner, choose South China Buffet and everybody will leave full to the brim.
Estimated cost for dinner, $8.00 to $9.00 per person
Holiday schedule; open all holidays except 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
JERRY TUCCI'S 4602 E. Cactus Road, Phoenix, AZ 85032 (602) 996-1023 Hours; (Mon to Sat) 511 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Sun) 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Yes is the answer. What is the question? This is the beginning of Jerry Tucci's mission statement. And the answer is "yes" to great service, "yes" to great food and "yes" to a great bargain for the long list of loyal customers at Jerry Tucci's Brick Oven Pizzeria. The other favorite saying at Jerry Tucci's is "wood is good". Almost everything at Jerry's is prepared in a brick oven. The textures and smell that the wood lends to the food is what sets this restaurant apart. Tucci's is not just a restaurant but a marketplace as well. Need some fine imported olive oil or pasta? Jerry's marketplace has got it. Need some imported cooking oils, roasted peppers, or Italian dressings Jerry has those too. For those hot summer evenings in Phoenix Tucci's has a cool outdoor patio surrounded by redwood lattice and greenery. For starters the Bruchetta at $ 2.95 will wake up your taste buds and get them ready for entrees like Chicken Portabello Marsala. A tender chicken breast lightly battered and sautéed with Portabello and white mushrooms in a creamy Marsala sauce, delicious for only $12.95. Tucci's has 12" brick oven pizza's starting at $9.95. Pastas and Calzone from only $6.95. Don't miss the Volcano of a dessert called Chocolate Mount Vesuvius. A Giant mound of chocolate cake with a warm fudge center topped with a tower of chocolate covered vanilla ice cream surrounded by a cloud of whipped cream, then covered in streams of chocolate and raspberry sauce. Enough for two at only $6.95
Estimated cost for dinner, $15.00 to $18.00 per person.
Holiday Hours: Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open, New Years Day-Open
SESAME INN 3912 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix AZ, 85018 (619) 957-3993 Hours: (Mon -Sun) 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Upon entering the Sesame Inn you immediately notice yourself calming down. Then you see the interior of soft colors with little or no patterns, you hear the running water from the pond, you notice the weeping live trees and the palms and you hear a very soothing music from old China. This is the way the Sesame Inn greets you, with calm and serenity. Now you are ready to really enjoy the subtle flavors that Chinese Mandarin and Szechaun cuisine have to offer. The Apple Crab Puffs, $5.95 for 12 pieces, show off the tangy tartness of the apple mixed with the fresh smell and subtle flavor of the crab. Another calming experience. Duck, poultry, beef, pork and chow mein entrees are all priced around $8.95. The Sizzling Rice Shrimp sautéed with tender shrimp and bamboo shoots, snow peas, mushrooms and chestnuts over crispy rice is $9.95 and the sizzle is about as loud as any noise gets at Sesame Inn. Relax and enjoy some fine chow Mein at Sesame Inn.
Estimated cost dinner $12.00 to $15.00 per person
Holiday schedule: Open 365 days a year
TAYLOR'S CHOWDER HOUSE 3538 Calavar Road, Phoenix AZ, 85023 San Diego, CA 92107 (602) 978-1815 Hours; (Mon - Sun) 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. David Taylor originally opened 'The Shanty' in 1980. A seafood market and cook to order grill The Shanty had four benches for seating in the dirt parking lot. David eventually sold the Shanty and opened Taylor's Chowder House in 1985. The staffs are known by their fish names. David is the "Kingfish", the chef, Don Rizzolo is " Chowder Head" and Sam, the "Captain" Mckee-Dunn is the manager. Fish names aside the food here is as good as any you can get on the New England coast. Portions are grand and every entrée is served with 'Villa Deli' bread, a local favorite, and a choice of two sides, chips, rice, baked potato, vegies, or creamy cole slaw. Charbroiled Mahi-Mahi is marinated for 24 hours then chargrilled. Tender and flavorful everything on the menu here has a little of the Shanty still present.
Estimated cost for dinner, $18.00 to $20.00 per person
Holiday schedule: Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Closed, New Years Day-Closed
MY MOTHER'S RESTAURANT 4130 North 19th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85015 (602) 279-7225 Hours: (Mon-Fri) 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., (Mon-Thurs) 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Fri-Sat) 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Sunday
There is comfort food and then there is your mothers cooking. My Mothers Restaurant is definitely the latter. This food is stick to you ribs and while very good quality it is CHEAP. My Mothers Restaurant feeds more people per day on take-out than it does in the restaurant, and the restaurant is jam-packed. My Mothers specializes in picnic Paks. A 'by the box' one half a roast chicken with all the fixing's, mashed potato, corn, gravy and a dinner roll is $4.65. You can get a family picnic pack with 9 beef ribs or 10 pieces of BBQ chicken, 1 pint of your choice salad, 1 pint of baked beans or mashed potatoes and 4 dinner rolls for only $15.75. Want a 32-ounce drink, just add $0.99. Delivery in the local area is $1.60 per order. Having a Superbowl party? How about a 12" one topping pizza and 25 Buffalo wings $14.45. The food at My Mothers Restaurant like Mom used to make and the price is just slightly higher than free.
Estimated cost for dinner, $10.00 to $12.00 per person.
Holiday schedule: Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open, New Years Day-Closed, any of these holidays which may fall on a Sunday Mothers will be closed.
TEXAZ GRILL 6003 North 16th Street (602) 248-STAR Hours: (Mon -Sun) 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. This is quintessential Texaz How Y'all doin' friendly to the core. Texaz Grill, formerly known as the Lone Star Grill until some heavy handed corporation with 100 outlets trademarked the name and forced the friendly folks at Texaz Grill to drop it. Well the folks at Texaz Grill don't lose any sleep over that. They just want to serve good food to friendly folks in a fun and friendly place. With hundreds of hats, many donated by customers, adorning the walls and a license plate from just about every state in the nation, no one is left out here. This friendly little restaurant has won more awards than there are hats on the wall. Named Best Restaurant 8 times since 1987 by four different magazines it's no big deal to the folks at Texaz Grill, all in a day's work. There are some good grits here too. You can bite into a tender Rib Eye Steak cooked to mouthwatering perfection and served with salad, potatoes, bread and butter for just $12.95. Got room left, Texaz Grill has your choice of desserts for $2.50. Drop in and say hi and y'all come back, hear?
Estimated cost for dinner; $10.00 to $18.00
Holiday schedule; Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas-Closed, New Years Eve-Closed, New Years Day-Closed
RUSTLERS ROOSTE 8000 E. South Pointe Parkway Drive (at the Pointe Resort) Phoenix, AZ 85015 (602) 431-6474 Hours, (Mon-Sun) 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. With the most stunning sunset in Phoenix, as you enter Rustlers Rooste you will be greeted by a real life sized bull. Don't be shocked, not yet at least. When you order a Porterhouse Steak and it arrives then you can be shocked. Shocked at the sheer magnitude of the size of your steak. With a serious down home atmosphere, replete with wagon wheel chandeliers, huge wood beams and a cabin like interior Rustlers Rooste has great steaks and chops, great brew, great Indian Fry Bread, Cowboy Beans and foot tappin' country music.
Estimated cost for dinner, $18.00 to 24.00 per person
The Top List of Best Buy Restaurants - Phoenix, AZ