Food is high quality and excellently prepared. The menu changes regularly. There are certain standards (especially at lunch), but regular new and thoughtful plates. read more

My friend has the filet mignon and said it was the best she'd ever had; cooked perfectly, but to pair with fettucine? That part was disappointing; how about some nice steamed asparagus this time of year. I had the halibut which was cooked perfectly but would have preferred some seasonable vegetables instead of the broth. Yes, it is very expensive but I had been curious about it for some time. For that reason, I probably would not go back and break the bank, but the food and service is excellent. read more

Perfection. It is a rare thing to lick the plate from such delicious food! We stopped in for a light bite randomly after realizing that buffalo chip was way too crazy of a scene, seeing the unique menu. Foie gras was the best my mom has ever had and she's spent a lot of time in Europe! We also had filet mignon- excellent, and the yam sauce appetizer with truffle...I actually think it was listed as a desert, but so so good. The chef is talented! Service was excellent. The wine menu looked amazing and wish I could have indulged if I didn't have to drive so far after. Highly recommend this restaurant; you won't be disappointed! I will def be going back if I'm up that way again! read more

Confluence - Crispy Seared Foie Gras - New American Near Me - Carefree, Arizona

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Chef Brandon is a savant! Every dish is incredibly flavorful and creative. If are looking for a quaint and personable dining experience, Victoria and Brandon will take care of you! Unique, exotic, and thoroughly enjoyable! We had duck, veal, crab, steak tartare, and gazpacho... every dish was incredible. Victoria took great care of us with a great wine list and my Nigroni! Their menu changes often... we will be there next week.. without a dout! read more

Confluence - New American Near Me - Carefree, Arizona

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Consistently good food. Excellent service and a comfortable environment. We love the menu variety. It allows us to come here more often and to try new items. read more

Wow! What a unique and lovely experience! This place is a gem - the husband and wife team are passionate about food and service. Friendly and fun. Had dinner last evening with friends who had been there before and raved about it. I had the gazpacho, arugula salad and blackened calamari steak. Perfect portions, flavorful and beautiful presentation. My husband had the filet (perfectly prepared) and the corn & crab chowder. Our server (and owner) Tori made some wonderful wine selections to accompany our meals as well! If you haven't tried Confluence yet, I recommend doing so - make a reservation - it is a small and intimate setting. Thank you! read more

This compact restaurant in Carefree, Arizona with a relaxed, semi-casual atmosphere actually has some of the best food in the Phoenix metro area. We started with the chicken liver pate, which was awesome. Next, we both ordered the vegetable soup, which was fresh and perfectly seasoned, served at a great temperature. Finally, I ordered the beef short rib and my wife ordered the pork chop. The short rib was the best I have ever tasted, and the veggies were perfectly cooked. The pork chop was tender, tasty, and perfectly cooked, not easy to do. No room for dessert so we'll get it next time. It's not cheap, but quality seldom is. We both felt like we were dining at one of the better places in New York or New Orleans. It was that good. It was great! Best meal we have had in months. read more

DELICIOUS food and superior service. Will definitely return. Fillet mignon was perfect.

Confluence is a small, casual, but high quality restaurant and bar in Carefree that offers painstakingly made, seasonal, elevated modern masterfully prepared cuisine. Ala carte and tasting menus are offered. You can dine with mountain views at lunch or for dinner indoors or on the patio. Chef Brandon and his wife Victoria do most of the work in the restaurant themselves. They have many years of fine dining experience behind them (such as Binkley's for example) and it shows in what you receive. Confluence is also a great value for fine dining. Several other fine dining restaurants in the valley charge much more for similar quality food. You will pay far less here for the highest quality, detailed food that is complex and delicious with a multitude of flavors that can be paired with wine. Parking is also easy and close. Reservations are recommended . Your meal from Confluence will probably exceed your expectations! read more

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Well, we made it back to try the five course dinner, and it did not disappoint. Victoria and Brandon, husband, and wife, and also the owners of this establishment. I have to admit I haven't seen a better oiled machine, than the two of them at this restaurant. Super clean organized unbelievable, the whit mushroom soup was delicious. We honestly cannot wait to go back and partake in the chef experience again. I WOULD RECOMMEND read more

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Confluence is personally one of my favorite places. Amazing food & service! Unlike any other place.

This place is amazing. Started off with an old fashioned and it was the best I have ever had. Perfect recommendation! 3 of us had the flirt and my wife had the Black Cod. The black Cod was perfectly cooked and the veggies were amazing. The salad we had was so fresh and tasty and were on par with veggies from any Napa Valley restaurant!! The steak was cooked PERFECTLY, med rare and so tender. Pricey.... Yes, but worth every Penny. Wine selection was superb. Not a bad one on the list. We had a Chardonnay and a Cabernet. Great atmosphere, quiet and perfect service. Chef was friendly and amazing. Server was his wife and made us feel at home. She also knows her bourbons. Her favorite is ours and not many people know this small distillery. All in all one of the best meals and service we have had in the whole country!!! We will be back. Lunch is supposed to be great too. I can't believe the negative review!! This place I wish was in Nashville, where we live. read more

Confluence - Perfectly cooked Black Cod!!! - New American Near Me - Carefree, Arizona

We visited four times a year ago. First time, the best filet and best cheesecake we've ever had. Returning the second time, yearning for the same as the first visit. Ordered the same, not as good. Cheesecake, fabulous. Third time, had filet and another dish that was an odd mix of beans, lentils and fish. Not good. Not making cheesecake anymore, "he gets bored", not even by special order. Fourth visit. Filet was not very good. Same on another odd mix of beans and I believe fish. Nothing like the photos. The photos presented here are fabulous, we had nothing quite like that. Except the cheesecake. They need another person or two working. It was always just the owners, he cooks, she serves. And once they bickered a lot. He was angry it seemed over a bill. Very long wait times, very unattentive always. Unless there were known guests or "special". No desire to return. Very pricey, and was not fun after the first visit. I wish it were a better experience. read more

Not what we thought it should have been. Very dissatisfied. We were the only 4 people in the restaurant. We expected much more. read more

First impressions: We almost did not dine here. We had a reservation for 7:00 pm and when we came to the restaurant... it was totally empty. Nonetheless, we drove 35 minutes for this place and decided to give it a shot. We tried the 5 course tasting menu on our trip to Confluence. Overall, the food was very good. A bit of variance with the cooked temperature of the meat within our party, but everything tasted how you would expect at a tasting restaurant. Lots of vibrant flavors and an interesting combination of dishes. I would say its a nice restaurant to try. Not the best tasting menu I've had (Michelin), but it puts up a fight. 4.5/5 read more

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Great atmosphere and views. Victoria was very attentive. I had the shrimp dish$31 Forgot that the ocean is far from here. I would definitely go back. read more

Fantastic little spot serving what is probably the best food in the area. And just the friendliest neighborhood-spot kind of service. You can tell they put a lot of thought and work into all the dishes and really want everyone to leave happy. Even something simple like a roasted parsnip soup was super flavorful and creamy and filling. The wine options are also super cool and thoughtful: I've never even seen a sparkling Gruner Veltlinger for example, but I love the still versions, so was not disappointed! (And only $50 for the bottle too). Yes, the entrees may seem a little pricy -- but come on, it's a small little place using some really great local ingredients (the margins on that aren't great). read more

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Service was bad , food was average at best , had to ask for another round of drinks. Took plates away before we were finished. Food has gone way down hill ! read more

Pricing very high. Food portion and taste is very over rated. There are other restaurants in the Carefree area that are worth serious consideration. read more

Food was really pretty good. Especially for what seems to be a pretty small town almost 45 minutes from Scottsdale. Chicken liver pate was delicious. Cheesecake was actually pretty amazing as well. One thing I would say is that the servings for the tasting menu are much much smaller than the regular menu and I wish I had known that when ordering. The restaurant is run by two people only but they did an incredible job. Food came out fast and hot and it was generally just a very pleasant experience. read more

Food and waitress were no where near what we had experienced when it was Binks. Overpriced.

Incredible. Well worth it every time. The owners take such good care of the guests, and have a bright and inspiring menu and fantastic wines to pair alongside. Highly recommend for someone looking for an elevated dining experience in Cave Creek/N. Scottsdale area. Lovely patio, great bar, and a lovely team. read more

The duo (husband and wife I believe?) who run this eatery are rockstars. While it's on the expensive side, typical for the type of cuisine, it's always top notch and we love the seasonal menu changes. If you go expect to be there at least a few hours though if you opt for the multi courses! Also great wine and bourbon selection. read more

Best restaurant in the areas, including Civana's restaurant. It's a seamless two-person operation and we had a wonderful time. Amazing food, strong wine and cocktail options, and great service. read more

Came in on a Friday night the place was very quiet for a Friday evening:( We always heard good things about the old Cafe Bonk but never got to experience it...we were excited to try this spot since it's near our home and the reviews were all very positive! My husband had the ribeye and I have a ordered the halibut. Both were good...odd presentations for both. My husbands meat was all sliced up??? We sat at the bar and ordered a bottle of wine. Good wine selection with +100% markups. We started out with the foie gras appetizer and it was good a bit dry..seems weird because I have never had it on the dry side before? Prices were on he high side for the quality/quantity of food we received. read more

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Fantastic meal. Be sure to drive out in the daylight to enjoy the dramatic view. The restaurant is tucked in the corner of a small group of stores as u get into town. Super nice people that are very knowledgeable about the inspired dishes prepared by a single chef in the kitchen. Tasting menus portions were just right. Highly recommend. read more

This was an amazing, unexpected vegan delight!! I'm enjoying the leftovers now as I write this well deserved review! It's not on the menu but this IS a chef driven restaurant and he exceeded my expectations. My other friends chose from the menu and they all loved their selections as well. The Chef's wife mixed a ginger Mocktail which was as beautiful as it was quenchingly delicious. PLEASE support this amazing, rare quality restaurant. read more

Confluence - Vegan Bliss~ Thank you Chef! - New American Near Me - Carefree, Arizona

What an incredible gem of a restaurant. Wow. My husband and I had the four course tasting menu and were absolutely blown away. The foie gras mousse was OUT OF THIS WORLD! The aquaviche was refreshing and layered. The buttermilk fried chicken livers were rich and delicious. And we haven't even gotten to the 65 day dry aged American Wagyu ribeye. I mean cmon, this is like sitting down for a Michelin starred meal at a NYC restaurant - so finding this quality of food, creativity of flavors, and wonderful service tucked into a quiet corner of cave creek with views of the mountains is truly a find. Get in there now, this place is absolutely phenomenal. read more

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Stopped in for lunch on a Thursday. Place was dead. Sat at the bar and split a sandwich. Prices seemed high, even for Cave Creek. We had a side of fries that were supposed to come with truffle ketchup. It didn't taste right and I couldn't eat it. The sandwich was okay but couldn't get over the truffle ketchup. Wouldn't go back. read more

This is the best hidden gem around. husband/wife owned, he is the chef. The nicest people inside is small and cozy/intimate. Every single item is amazing. Flavors pop , presentation with every dish. lots of options with a seasonal menu. This is the BEST food I have ever eaten. read more

So Disappointed! We have been there once before and remembered it being very good but our meal this past Friday was absolutely not. We went to celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary and were really looking forward to it. Sat outside and got a very nice bottle of wine. Good wine good service great view - so far so good. Now the menu changes up regularly as most great restaurants do so I opted for the 4 course tasting and my husband went with the pork. The pate parfait was very tasty as was the beef cheek appetizer, but quite small portions ( think like tablespoon size portions, no joke). OK, it's appetizers, and I thought perhaps smaller portions because of the tasting menu option? I definitely hope you'd get better portions ordering Ala Carte at $18 a clip. Now the entrees come, both my fish (seabass) and my husband's pork were literally like 3 inches square each. Now remember my husband did not do the tasting menu so his was the Ala Carte portion. Both proteins were cooked very over and completely dry. Accompaniments to the pork were forgettable (seriously neither of us can remember anything about them). My fish came with some mussels which were gamey and clams which were OK. For dessert I went with the cheese plate that had again, like a tablespoon of a soft cheese that was good, half a small fig, like 4 almonds and a piece of apricot. Huh. So we walked out of there disappointed and $200 lighter. I really hope this was just an off night, but honestly after that experience at that price I'll be hard pressed to return. read more

Mom & Pop operation with innovative food choices made from the best ingredients. Victoria works the bar and tables and is super-friendly. Great dining experience. Have been there 4 times and look forward to many more visits. read more

Food can be sublime or not. Seems as if they are trying for a Michelin with some dishes which can be excellent or not. Inconsistent in quality. Service is good. Ambiance could use some help. read more

Came to the confluence for lunch and was more than extremely satisfied. I often do my happy food dance when I eat good food and I was dancing this whole meal. We had the Salmon Tartare, pork cheek, turkey and bacon sandwich, wagyu beef pastrami, and french fries. I am not normally a tartare fan, but paired with the other ingredients on the plate it was flavor explosion in my mouth. The turkey and bacon sandwich wasn't your normal turkey and bacon sandwich, it had a sweet jam on it to separate itself from a home sandwich. I love fries and these did not disappoint. The truffle ketchup was just the cherry on top, but these did not need to be dipped in anything. I wish I had gotten pictures of the plates, but was too excited when the food came out. read more

I was disappointed. I had a salad and entree. The service was lackadaisical even though only 2-3 tables were occupied. I had the veal tender loin. The veal was recommended at medium rare. It came well done and unseasoned. The dry meat was exacerbated by the ingredients which were supposed to enhance the flavor like gnocchi, anchovy, coarse grained mustard, Brussels sprouts, etc. the were placed on the accompaniments. Did not touch the meat or form a coherent sauce. I found the chunks of anchovy sprinkled around the gnocchi off-putting. read more

A friend of a friend recommended this place and we were glad we had dinner here. Must make reservations! Husband and wife team, big space but they have changed how many guest they will accommodate to ensure they provide great personal service and food. There were 4 of us and we ordered apps and three different entrees which were all shared and enjoyed by all. We will be back! read more

I had the hen breast and it was absolutely outstanding! My wife had scallops and they were equally good. For an appetizer we had pork belly...delicious. We also had a nice bottle of wine. We will definitely eat here again. It was a little more expensive than I would have expected, but I guess you get what you pay for. Food is 5 star price is 3 star? read more

What a gem! Stopped by for lunch with a client and it was fabulous! Great service great food. I had the turkey cranberry sandwich...delish. My client had the chopped chicken salad and loved it. Will definitely be back! read more

Best fine dining in Cave Creek/Carefree area! I added a few photos, but missed taking some because I forgot to photo before I ate too much. My wife's monkfish (big portion) was amazing and so was her salad. I greatly enjoyed the tasting menu - as a value based reviewer, it was easily worth the price for so many courses (see photo menu) plus some unlisted small bites in-between. As expected, I enjoyed the seared tuna, baked Epoisses(cheese), black bean soup, Nantucket bay Scallops, venison au poive (pepper), and key lime custard), but I also got to try several small bites prepared by the chef and a bison tartare which I would not have ordered but loved. This restaurant only recently opened (6 months ago or so). Shockingly, they seem focused on their food and have not done the normal feat of padding their reviews. Chef Brandon and his wife trained extensively under the famous Chef Binkley, took over this location, and offer quality dining at a fair price. read more

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I'd read this was a hidden gem and that is 100% true. I only wish I'd come in hungrier. Everything we tried was so delicious. It sounds like the menu rotates often but if the sunchoke soup is on the menu, don't skip it! All I can say is come and try it! read more