We had an awesome birthday celebration at Culinary Dropout. The facility is huge and incredibly lively, with a fun outdoor area that has games for all patrons to play. The long bar is impressive and the drinks were excellent. I had the Campfire Vibes, which I highly recommend. For food, we started with the pretzel bites, which Culinary is known for, but I also tried the crispy katsu chicken sandwich, which was out of this world. Great food, great service, and an all-around great vibe. Definitely a fun spot to visit in Tempe. read more

Culinary Dropout - Campfire Vibes - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Came here for lunch and it was really good. I got a salad with salmon and once again I forgot to ask for dressing on the side but it was still good. Salmon was perfectly cooked and tasty. Plenty of parking outside. This restaurant is huge and can accommodate large parties should you need a place to bring friends and coworkers. The staff was very nice and helpful. read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Great spot with a ton of beers on tap and plenty of bar seating. It fills up fast--especially during the brunch rush--so getting a table can be tough if you don't get there early. The wings looked amazing (presentation was a 5/5), but didn't quite fall off the bone, so I'd give them a 4. Prices are reasonable, and the servers were friendly, but the place gets pretty chaotic, so service isn't the fastest. Overall, a fun, lively spot--just be ready for a bit of a wait and some noise. read more

Culinary Dropout - Wings - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

It's been years since I've been back, and came here for lunch on a Thursday. It was quite busy! I recommend booking a reservation. They have complimentary valet which is nice. I ordered the Crispy Chicken Katsu sandwich ($19) with a side salad. it was delicious! Love that they used Japanese milk bread because it's so soft. My friend ordered the chopped chicken salad and it looked amazing. Would love to try that next time. read more

Culinary Dropout - Fried Chicken & Buttermilk Biscuit* - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Amazing food, amazing band, great ambience and even better service from Andrea. She was truly top tier. I had the shrimp Caesar salad, which was so flavorful and left me wanting more. Monkey bread, dessert, which I couldn't stop eating, and a chocolate birthday cake shot with the new sangria on the side. Kiss the chef & bartender and give Andrea a raise. The hostess were beautiful, warm and inviting and so was valet. Great Friday night. I will be back sooner than later. read more

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We very much enjoyed our dinner here. I had the pleasure of being able to see into the kitchen with all the cooking action and the eye-catching dishes coming out. My love was taking in all the action in the restaurant. We started with the deviled eggs. While tasty, I probably wouldn't order them again. We have had better at other places. Our entrees were both cooked perfectly and exceeded our expectations. My salmon dish was excellent. We shared the Mud Pie for dessert and it was ah-mazing! The servers were all friendly, helpful and efficient. They had plenty of staff to take care of the dinner rush crowd. We enjoy the vibe here and find it easier to converse than at some other dining establishments that can get quite noisy. Definitely worth the try if you are in the area! read more

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Yeah the place is cool. Good vibe, came on a Friday for spring training opening. It was hella busy so be prepared to wait, we waited about 45 min for a table. The food was great, everything was fresh. I got the fried chicken and it was definitely worth the wait as they say. Juicy, delicious and filling, even the sides were decadent. The drinks were also bomb. Definitely going to try the one by me back home in California now. read more

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Super fun, energizing experience with live music, good food, friendly service, and (thankfully) valet parking. Split the fried chicken with my daughter, loved their homemade "sweater weather" sangria. Shared soft pretzel with beer cheese dip with the table (and still had too much). Mother in law enjoyed meatloaf. Other members of our party chowed down salmon bowl and French dip sandwich. Dessert of banana pie a little disappointing after everything else was so good. read more

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Service was great. It's as loud as a sports stadium so not conducive to conversation. I ordered the fried chicken because the server said it was great but took some time. It arrived the same time as all of the other guests and it arrived fried to death. I was surprised they decided to send it out as it was clearly burned. I thought maybe it was just the coating but nope it was all overcooked with not a bit of juice left. But at least the bisket was good. read more

A nice concept - very large outdoor space w games etc . We had an event here and the food was pretty good - nothing too fancy but some nice fried appetizers, pasta and more. The cocktails were very good hence the 4 stars read more

To have waitresses watch me swat flies away continuously and say/do nothing is egregious. I finally gave up. 30.00 for an unseasoned cheeseburger that I gave up on because the flies wanted it more than I did. read more

Culinary Dropout - Flies. - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

This was the first recommendation I received after arriving into town, definitely a must visit. Service has been excellent! The waitress has been absolutely exceptional, has verified everything is coming out on time and as expected. The plates? Absolutely delicious! Can taste every bite, every ingredient. It's about lunch time, steady crowd not crowded plenty if space and sitting areas. read more

Culinary Dropout - Four Peaks - Joy Bus 'Wow' Wheat Ale - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Stopped in at Culinary Dropout in Tempe for an afternoon bite with some girlfriends, and it was the perfect spot to catch up over good food and drinks. We decided to share a few appetizers, BBQ pork belly nachos, pretzel bites with fondue, and Wagyu pigs in a blanket. Everything hit the spot (though the nachos definitely stole the show). My friends tried a couple of cocktails, a Mule and a Full Moon Party, and both got good reviews. Service was friendly and efficient without being rushed, which made the afternoon feel relaxed and easy. The atmosphere is casual but lively, the kind of place where you can snack, sip, and chat without feeling like you're taking up space. I'd definitely come back, maybe next time to dive into the entrees or try a few more drinks. Four stars for tasty food, good service, and a great hangout vibe. read more

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Culinary Dropout never disappoints! Every time I come back, it somehow gets even better. The food is always on point, and the service, don't even get me started. Truly some of the best service I get anywhere, every single visit. They absolutely deserve five stars. Of course I ordered their hot wings (my favorite!), and they were perfect as always. We'll definitely be back next month when we're in town for the Innings Festival at Tempe Beach Park. read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Came to the pop-up bar Blitzen for New Year's Eve for the limited cocktail menu, great service is always in an awesome ambience and seen. Definitely worth doing if it's still available during the holidays. read more

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First things first! I genuinely did not realize how huge this location was. It's massive, and service wise no complaints at all. The host and our waitress were both friendly, attentive, and kept things moving smoothly. That said, compared to other holiday pop ups around the Valley, the Blitzen pop up was a bit underwhelming. The décor felt minimal for a holiday experience, mostly string lights and fireplaces playing on the TVs. There was also a $6 upcharge per person to sit in the "holiday" section, which didn't really feel elevated enough to justify the extra cost. The drink menu was cute and on theme, but where this pop up really shined was the food. The Wagyu pigs in a blanket were absolutely the highlight! rich, savory, and worth ordering. The pretzels with provolone cheese dip were so good we ordered two servings at the bar and even took extra cheese to go. That alone saved the night. All in all, we'll definitely be back to Culinary Dropout. The food and service are solid, but we probably wouldn't return specifically for another holiday pop up. read more

Amazing!!!! Everything was so good! So glad we stopped here! Waiters were amazing & the vibe was awesome. It was a big place with lots of seating! read more

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Always a great place to go when in Phx. Flew in to see my Oldest, her husband and the grandkids and my father who moved back to AZ recently. Service was top notch food quality was really good Pricing was meh Ambiance was great - good place to bring the kids to be able to run around and not break stuff or be obnoxious to people since in the back they have lots of space read more

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We made reservation for Bar Blitzen at Culinary dropout. What a great and fun time we had the drinks and food was delicious the staff was totally into the Christmas spirit! The bartender made us a special Christmas shot. read more

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On a late weekday evening my friend and I came here and was seated in their super enclosed patio area. Seriously, I have no idea how else to describe an area that has four walls but an elevated roof deck to allow fresh air and misters to keep cool. We had a third person joining us late and so we ordered and ate without him. I ordered the chicken cacio e pepe which was absolutely perfect. I am grateful our third wasn't present because I gulped it down like a starving woman with little to no grace or decorum. It was just lovely - perfectly al dente noodles, tender chicken, a creamy sauce - what more could a lady want? The cocktails were also very good - light, bright, and perfectly balanced. The service was absolutely amazing. Our server (whose name was Marco if I wrote it down right) was an absolute gem of a human being. He was enthusiastic and genuine. His energy was contagious. And he was so thoughtful too! He knew how to read a room. With my friend and I he was vivacious and conversational. When our third showed up (who had just got off a flight) he kept the talk minimal to match the mood. I was super impressed. I would absolutely return! read more

Culinary Dropout - Delicious cocktail - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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One thing about this place is that the ambience is really something... lol I came here with my boyfriend as a first date and they sat us in a very awkward table for two people. It was a round table with 4 chairs when it was just two of us. The service was fine and the food was average, but one thing that bothered the both of us is that they sat us right next to the stage where there was live music and we could NOT hear each other Overall, it was probably the worst time I have ever gotten at culinary dropout but every other time was good! The pretzels and fondue are always bomb. read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Love this spot. They have one of my favorite drinks of all time (Tijuana spa water) and the food is consistent. We bring our dog with us every time and any time we see Bri she always bring a piece of bacon for him Thank you Bri! We always love to see you read more

Culinary Dropout - Happy puppy, post-bacon treat - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

We received notification from another restaurant that our reservation was cancelled so we were scrambling to find a new place. We stumbled upon Culinary Dropout. We wandered in just as they were opening for the day. It was perfect timing. It got crowded soon after we were seated. The food was delicious. The staff was mostly attentive. The restaurant was clean. The bathroom door was a little heavy and I had the thought that it would be difficult for a person in a wheelchair to open. It was definitely worth a trip. read more

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Very cute place and decor. I like the live music but it was so loud, our group had to yell at one another just to have a conversation. Waiter was nice but to food was really really bad and we tried many things to attest. The strawberry mocktail was way too sweet, the deviled eggs I found to be alright, nothing spectacular. I didn't like how the egg white was too cold and hard. The majority of us didn't like the Brussels sprouts, it had a spicy sauce that threw us off. The cheese sauce with the pretzels was slightly cold. I ordered a Turkey pastrami and it was excessively salty and the fries were stale and bland. The food was very disappointing but I'd come here for the ambiance and just get a fountain drink to chat. read more

I heard this place was a must try in Tempe but unfortunately I disagree. We came on a Sunday and the place wasn't too busy but the service was SO slow. Our waitress forgot about our drinks. We had to flag her down to remind her and order our food. I tried the butternut squash and kale salad with added salmon which was delicious however, it took a solid hour to get our food. Or waitress did drink us an extra round of drinks because of the wait but at that point I was just too hungry to think straight. read more

Culinary Dropout - Butternut Squash & Kale Salad - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Thank you to the Culinary Dropout team. We originally booked for 10, but our group jumped to 17 that morning. I called ahead, and they made it work. The servers were sharp and managed our chaotic crew with ease--some guests had to order fast to leave early, others shifted seats mid-meal. The food was good (I had the prime rib sandwich), but the real standout was the staff--the servers, expediters, and bussers--you made our Tempe visit memorable. read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Lively restaurant with a huge space for patrons. Private rooms for groups and plenty of seating in the main dining area. The service was super slow. They forgot to take orders from 2 people and we had to chase the server down to get the orders in. The food is alright. Hoping this was an off day for them. The bathrooms were clean and the valet is very proficient. read more

I ate alone and the staff checked on me frequently, the only thing that sucked was being brought the check before I asked. I was midway through my two food items and wanted to get another drink but I was too scared to ask because the server put the check down. :( But besides that the food and drink I got was delicious and I liked the overall vibe. I got Brussels sprouts, Wagyu hot dogs and an espresso martini. read more

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I love Culinary Dropout regardless of the state that I've visited in. The Vegan Curry is always amazing and I can't wait to be back. We also ordered the fondue pretzel and Brussels which were amazing. The service was fast and everything tasted fresh! read more

Super amazing dinner!! One of the best meals we've had in a long time. My husband had meatloaf which was amazing along with mashed potatoes and broccolini. I had the vegan curry dish with salmon. Was so delicious!! Sat at the bar and had fantastic service. Will be back. read more

Culinary Dropout - Vegan curry with salmon - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

A great fun and lively place to go when in Arizona! The Food and drink options are guaranteed to have something for everyone and I love the outdoor area read more

Haven't been to Culinary Dropout in years and I was so glad to see it is still open and thriving. The place was packed with people, so I am so glad that we were able to get a table pretty quickly. We ended up sitting at a table with a couple of chairs next to a long wrap around couch, which I quickly sat at. I loved that it was comfortable and high. Our waiter came to us quickly and gave us time to check out their menu. I love that they had large plates as well as small bites. My friends got a burger to share and as I ate before I got their Sweater Westher Sangria. As we waited for our food we checked out the restaurant which had a large bar in the center, tons of tables and wrap around couches, and an open air area with Foosball tables, tennis tables, corn hole, and other games. Behind this area was another bar that had a Christmas theme and was filled with decorations. I loved the vibe as everyone was having a good time, smiling, and so kind! The food and my drink came and everything was amazing. I took a few bites of the burger and fries and wow--so good! The burger had tons of flavor without being too overdone and the fries had a great crisp and were not overly salty. Overall we had an amazing time! Our waitress checked on us without doing it too much, positive vibes throughout, and a fun time overall. I am looking forward to going back soon! read more

Culinary Dropout - Enough said - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

The food came out fast and hot, my fries were a bit stall but they got me new ones asap, the bar staff was really fast honestly they were so fast they were fighting over who was going to get me what lol. The ambiance in here is very nice and def a nice place to come family or co workers or a date night read more

Culinary Dropout - I got the 36 hours 36-Hour Pork Ribs - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Came with coworkers and enjoyed a chicken Katsu Sandwich with a salad without cheese. The chicken was crispy and tender. Each bite was full of flavor and different textures! I will say this was a lil heavy for me for lunch. I think it's the bun or something.. but I enjoyed the sandwich a lot! Our food took a lil while during the lunch rush but we all enjoyed and that's what matters. I love the big space and vibes here. Definitely not my first and not my last time here ! Be back read more

Culinary Dropout - Crispy Chicken Katsu - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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This place is MASSIVE. It's a wonderful more open concept, and you can go outside (shaded) and play games. I came for happy hour (even though it was after 5pm when happy hour ends) with an organization with about 15 women. We had two long tables put together, very spacious. I had the watermelon spritz mocktail, it was delicious and refreshing with a nice balance of sweet and tangy. There were even two watermelon chunks in there! The other women got wine or cocktails and some got food, like the fish and chips or salad or Brussels sprouts. Everyone was happy with their choices. The service was pretty good - it's hard with so many people and knowing when we want to order but overall it was good. There was live music which was a great touch! Set the vibes. Complimentary valet. Very nice given there is otherwise no parking at all. It was pretty busy for a Thursday evening. Not as many gluten free options here overall but I do know the Brussel sprouts are yummy read more

I came here for the Bar Blitzen holiday pop up bar which is located inside Culinary Dropout. However, when I arrived, I was told I'd made the reservation for Culinary Dropout. Luckily , my awesome server Emma was able to add us to the Bar Blitzen reservation list. While we waited for that, we ended up having and awesome time at Culinary Dropout! Culinary Dropout is a huge space with indoor seating and an outdoor like area with fire places and games like shuffle board and corn hole. There was complementary valet parking available which is always nice! We ordered the 4 Polar Espresso-Oh martinis tree while we waited which was SO FUN and FESTIVE! The servers delivered it with bells and candles, which it made a fun For food, we ordered the whipped feta and tahini dip and the soft pretzels and provolone fondue. The pretzels were definitely some of the best I've ever had, soft and not overly salted. The cheese paired perfectly with the pretzels. The feta tahini dip was also delicious! The Bar Blitzen experience does cost about $5 per person. When we made it in, we tried these drinks: -Junior and Mrs. Mint: this was delicious and pepperminty -Fireside Pineapple Margarita: I love a good mezcal and this drink was balanced perfectly, not overly smokey or sweet. Would recommend this to anyone who enjoys mezcal -Spiced Pear Cosmopolitan: a few people at our table ordered this and thought it was good -Whiskey and Doughnuts: this drink comes with a small side of doughnut holes which I thought was fun -34th St Daiquiri: this drink looks similar to the cosmopolitan but tastes a lot better -**House Cider Rules: this was everyone's favorite drink! It was so delicious. The drink is served hot and will need to cool or you will burn your mouth. Our server inside Bar Blitzen was incredible and upbeat, making our experience very fun! We all had an awesome evening here and can't wait to come back. read more

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The service and the ambiance are amazing. Our server's recommendations were spot on. I had the guava mimosa, the pork hash, and our table split the fondue. It was delicious! read more

Culinary Dropout - Pork hash - New American Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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A group of 6 friends dined at the Tempe AZ and we all enjoyed the open air seating and the wait staff did a great job. The food was delicious and the beverages were unique. We will definitely return in the future! read more

Can I leave six stars?!?! Wonderful menu, ne of the most creative I've seen in a long time. The Wagyu Pigs in a blanket and the spicy shrimp sticky rice stole the show... Ceasar Salad was good too! read more

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Came here late on a Monday night and was surprised at how busy it was. I'm from out of town and didn't know the vibe, but thought it was cool that they have these cool hang out pits for large groups to sit comfortably. I was having dinner with a coworker so I only experienced that by proxy. I had the ribs, my coworker had the fried chicken. Ribs were great, fried chicken was a little soft on the skin - no crispiness. Fries were fine, nothing standout. Service was good. Pretty safe option. Wouldn't be mad about coming back. read more