I would give it a -10 if I could. Dreadful food, it was not very busy, food was served cold, not warm at all. You could not pay me to go back. They charged a very good price, for crappy food. Stay away ! read more

We visited on a Friday evening - wow, is it popular! We had a party of 16 but had phoned ahead. They had us seated pretty fast and the service was absolutely great! I had a Ruben Sandwich and it was very tasty, but I really loved the home made tasting Cole Slaw that came with it. I stole some of my wife's French Fries - very yummy! I didn't have a beer, but several others at our table had draft beers delivered in very large frosty mugs ... mmmmm. I had iced tea and it was weak - I like a stronger tea. I will definitely come back again soon. read more

Great food and real people. Being from the Midwest, I've been homesick for a restaurant that had a true blue fish fry and down to earth service. From the taxidermy on the walls to the amazing fried cod and waitress who called me "hun", I felt truly at home. Thanks! We will be back! read more

We were hesitant when we came by but reviews were good so went on. So glad we did! Starting with the chips and salsa the food was excellent. My husband had the chicken lime Burger and it was so unique and good. I had the pork tenderloin sandwich which was perfect. And dont forget those hand cut fries!!!! Superb place to eat. read more

This place really surprised me in a good way. The food was good and the service was fabulous (thanks Judy!). Good people at this place. We had the speciality fries which were yummy, especially with mayo. We all ate more than our stomachs good handle. I can't say I've ate anywhere else in Apache Junction, but if I'm in the area again, this is where I'll go. read more

We decided to try dirtwater springs because its snowbird season and of course the handlebar grill was packed to capacity with blue hairs! We took a nice seat at the bar and had a nice little chat with some seasonal folks after quickly ordering some beers and food. I decided to try the "uncle something or others sirloin and mushroom meal" with soup and salad as my side. The wife tried the Rueben sandwich and a side salad. We got our beers quickly and the salads came out right after the beers. Then the service turned to super slow. We ordered another beer and waited 40 minutes for our food. Seriously how long does it take to make a Rueben and sirloin burger with mashed potatoes, brown gravy and mushrooms? What I assume was the manager stopped by to ask how we where doing. We said fine and that we where just waiting for our food. She went to check on it and quickly returned with my sirloin meal with a side of coleslaw and then my wife's sandwich. I asked about the mashed potatoes and she said there on the way so I waited. Finally she shows up with a bake potato and says there all out of mashed potatoes! Really how do you have a bake potatoes but no mashed? Try mashing the baked one! Do you remember the above mentioned soup that came with the meal? Well I ordered clam chowder and apparently they are out of that as well. So instead I got vegetable blah soup!! If you look at my review history I love to take the time and review and share all the excellent places I've been and rarely write anything negative. Unfortunately this place sucks beyond belief. Please take my advice and skip this place if your in the apache junction area. We should've just waited at Handlebar grill. Oh well live and learn I guess. read more

Dirtwater has hands down the best food in town, the service at this place is top notch. Servers are really nice and the owner Dick has become a great friend read more

Very friendly service, even with the mistakes in the delivery. Nice covered patio and dog friendly. The food is just not good. I do not recommend. read more

As much as I hate to give this place a bad review I have no choice. 35 years ago I went here to celebrate my younger brothers high school graduation. Good food reasonable prices. We continued to go over over the yrs. Around 2009 the prices went up the quality went down. We stopped eating there. Tonight we decided to try it again. I guess the fact that there were about 4 cars in the parking lot and 3 tables with patrons should have been a hint. The prices are that of a fine dining establishment. 18 dollars for cod?? Really. I got the chimichanga for 12 dollars. No taste, no sauce, so average. Fast food quality. My husband got chicken tenders with fries. 12 dollars, said the fries were good but the tenders were frozen. Took them home to the dog. Service was ok. 46 dollars for 2 very below average meals and 2 watery drinks. So disappointing. Can't see how this lace will make it much longer. Should have kept up. read more

Great dinner. Prime rib was so soft you could cut it with a fork. The French onion soup was extra yummy. Staff helped us move seats since the guy behind us was bouncing his seat. No room for dessert, aye next time. We will definitely go back. read more

WHAT A RIP-OFF ! I came in for dinner 5/3/12. Robin the server told me the cook was Italian and recommended the "Shrimp" Fettuccine. I had not had an Italian dinner for some time and was looking forward to it. WHAT A RIP-OFF !!! I got a small bowl of spaghetti (not Fettuccine) and tiny bits of ?????? Upon exam for Shrimp I did not find any. I checked the small bits and they did not even resemble torn up cocktail shrimp. WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT WAS.....WHO WOULD HAVE WANTED THAT ANYWAY ? I ordered shrimp fettuccine. I was thinking to my self, what kind of Italian cook would ever serve such a fraud. At the bottom of the bowl was a bunch of water so the Alfredo spaghetti was now a soup. I payed $14.95 for this. Totally unacceptable ! I had pre-ordered a beer and a small pitcher and was still a little hungry ( did I mention I got a small bowl of soggy spaghetti and NO shrimp for $14.95 ? ). "dirtwater" was into me for $ 27.69 so I tabbed out and went next door. The locals informed me the owner preys on the out of towners and that is typical of the food served. There was a great joke that the Italian cook was born in mexico. TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE !! I'm glad I did not bring family or friends in ! I would advise everyone NOT to bring hungry kids/ family or friends in after a eventful day and expect anything close to acceptable food. "dirtwater" springs IS A RIP-OFF !! P.S. the reviews must be contrived from the employees to drum up business! $ 14.95 for a small bowl of soggy spaghetti and NO shrimp, unacceptable ! read more

Employees are awesome. Beer is always cold and they are quick to grab another. Everything I've had there is delicious, but I recommend any form of fried chicken. My hubby and I drive from Maricopa to AJ just to have lunch at Dirtwater Springs. We love this place! read more

Great Staff and and variety of food. Brenda the manager runs a tight ship. If something is not to your liking, tell her. She will make it right. read more

Yum! Went with a friend who raved about the salsa, and it was very good. I had a cheeseburger and fries and could only finish about half of my meal; the servings were huge! read more

We have been here a couple times. I had chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy. Everything was so salty I couldn't eat much. The next time, we had the all you can eat cod. When the waitress set down our plates, I could see the grease on the fries. They were dark and all soggy and limp. I told the waitress and she said she would bring more. It took quite a long time. We were already done eating the fish before the fries came out. The new fries were crisp and golden. She said they never should have sent them out like that. Later another woman came and apologized for the fries but said that's the way they are and you either love or hate them. Really? Which story was it? Anyway, I would go again for the cod and ask for the regular fries; not the "natural" ones. read more

It appears by these reviews that the Dirtwater Springs restaurant is only inches away from disaster. From reading these reviews I can see Why the owner is loosing customers one by one. The prices have gone up { way up } and the quality has gone way down. At one time 10 to15 years ago you had to wait almost and hour to even get a table. And another 20 to 30 minutes to get what you ordered which was mostly all you can eat Cod. But it was worth the wait. Back then that is. My wife and I lived 35 miles south of Dirtwater but it was worth the trip for that Cod platter. It's been about a year now that we haven't gone there because the quality has disappeared . At that time the price of the cod platter was $14 and some change, now it's $ 17.95 for the Cod platter. A pure rip off if you ask me. If you want some of that old fashioned Cod platter go to Culver's. A heaping Cod platter for $12.50. The platter comes with 3 big filets of Cod along with real Coleslaw, fries and a coke. There are two Culver's in Mesa and one in Casa Grande. It's worth the trip. read more

All during the pandemic we supported Dirtwater. Going at least 1 time a week for takeout to support them, give them business. We have for years referred to Dirtwater as our favorite place. Knew Dick, have the tshirts. Then a couple of months ago we go and after 45minutes and several inquiries we find out our order had not been put in. We left and went somewhere to get food. We chalked this experience up to a shortage of staff. No one wants to work anymore and they were very busy. Saturday we try again, going for breakfast, we were almost the only ones in the place. Ordered the grilled ham breakfast that was great. I ordered the Huevos rancheros, It was cold enough that the cheese had not even begun to melt at all, add the lettuce and tomatoes to the dish and it was cold. I didn't want the meal thrown out so ate it. My husband told the waitress about the cold food and she said she would let the kitchen know. No refund, no how can we make this better, Nothing. That was twice we have been disappointed and will not be back. read more

Service was good. Chips and salsa were welcome as we hadn't eaten all day and were quite hungry. The salsa was very bland (ala Pace picante sauce). The club sandwich was fresh and tasty. The burger was also very large and flavorful. My personal favorite was the coleslaw made with pineapple. Very refreshing on a hot day. I always enjoy reading/hearing stories of reportedly haunted sites. I wouldn't rush back but wouldn't hesitate to stop by if we were in the area. read more

Been to Dirtwater in the past and was satisfied. However, tonight (08/30/19) was a different story. Arrived and was seated by the hostess. Our waitress, Cammie, wasn't around so the hostess took our drink order. Waited and still no waitress. Hostess came back and took our order. Finally Cammie shows up and delivers chips/salsa. Our order comes out and my wife's grilled cheese had most of the cheese on one side of the bread. Waited for Cammie to come back for a refill on my drink. We never saw her again until she brought the check. Then she asks if I want a refill. Major disappointment. read more

Delicious Mexican food. Complimentary salsa dip kept coming. Well worth a visit

Great food! The service was great as well. Everything on the menu sounded so good. I ordered the pot roast and it was perfect. Super juicy and tender. I have a toddler, so finding family friendly places with good food isn't that easy. We will be back! read more

I really was looking forward to going here since it had a 4 star rating but ewwww!! The food was terrible, the water tasted like the name of the restaurant. The service is ok but the taste & quality of food really takes away from everything else. Highly NOT recommended. Bummer..... read more

Love it! A local bar/restaurant with lots of character. You know the kind - lots of interesting knick knacks on the walls, shelves, ceiling. Distinctive local western decor. Not fancy by any stretch of the imagination meaning you will not have to spend a lot of money for food. Speaking of food, the green chili is about as good as it gets. I would return again and again just for the green chili. Menu has variety ranging from Mexican food (fabulous!) to American (Burgers, steak, seafood - Cod). Complimentary chips and salsa - excellent . You'll find tourists and locals eating side-by-side (95% local, 5% tourists :-). A large bar area with a few TV's and a dozen or so bar stools and 5-6 dinner tables and a back room just for dining with a mix of tables and booths. Fine for families. read more

We have passed this place for years and said we need to try it someday. We finally did and now we regret waiting so long! The food is good and the service is fast and friendly. What more could you ask for? How about a ghostly encounter? Over the years restaurant employees and customers have reported many mysterious events that some believe are attributed to the ghost of a woman who was murdered here back in the late 1940s. Even if you don't spot a spirit, the food is darned good, especially the pork tenderloin sandwich. read more

All I am going to say about this restaurant is that their service is very friendly, good food and they have great cocktails.

We came over here after leaving restaurant across the street. As far as Dirt water is concerned love this place very clean great service & Food... read more

We've been eating here for over 20 years...usually come in once a year when my wife and I take my parents to dinner for their birthdays. Everything I have ever tried here is good. The steaks are execellent, the fish fry is out of this world. This last time I had a chimichange...what was I thinking??? However, I was not disappointed. Their chimi was fantastic and was better than a lot of the Mexican places in the valley. Definitely worth checking out! read more

Atmosphere and service were great. The haunted history was intriguing. Food was good with free chips and salsa

Four stars after one visit and now down to two stars after my 4th visit tonight. Crowded as always, even for a Tuesday night but tonight seemed different. I was alone and waited about 10 minutes before Brenda, the Manager, took me to a table. She took my drink order and introduced me to my waitress. Sorry but I forgot her name and it was only due to the lack of seeing her. I ordered the Country Fried Steak with mashed potatoes. It was one of the specials. I kept waiting for my dinner while I watched quite a few people who came in after me get served. Finally I asked another waitress if she could check on my order. It was then that my original waitress came over and asked if I had gotten my meal? What a question considering my table was empty of anything that looked like food. She made a big production of saying she was going to find out what happened. She came back a few minutes later to announce that they were getting it ready. She said it would be hot. Another 10 minutes and it finally came. Sorry people but it was terrible. The steak was heavy on the breading, a little soggy and overcooked. Would you believe my mashed potatoes was actually cold and the only think hot about them was the gravy on top. They must have been running out of gravy because between the steak and potatoes I figured I got a whole tablespoon of it. I noticed throughout my 90 minute meal there were quite a few other people complaining about their food. There is no doubt they have a very loyal following and that might be the problem. Too much chit chat, back slapping and glad handing. It was very apparent tonight that regulars are treated differently than the occasional eater. Too many other places to eat around AP than Dirtwater Springs and a better overall experience. Maybe if I was one of the regulars I would feel differently but I would still like an enjoyable dinning experience once in awhile. read more

Went for a couple of beers and an appetizer with my friend. Maybe 8 customers in the place. Both manager? and waitstaff bulls#*ting the whole time at the bar and a table. Service terrible, food even worse. Shrimp appetizer was 2 large greasy shrimp that could have been good if prepared correctly, and 10 little real greasy shrimp from someplace different. Wings were cold, tough, tiny, and you can bend the carrots into a U turn. Feet stick to the floors by the urinals, and I would rather touch my penis and go back to the table than touch that sink. Screwed up the bill too. Charged me for someone else's tab, then assured me I would be credited back. We'll see..... read more

Tuesday with family from out of town. Food was ok. Appetizer onion rings, burnt and very greasy. We sent them back. Chicken fried steaks were pretty good, as well as ribs. Our waitress, Lisa was great, but she was running her butt off! Definitely needed more help. Kitchen was slow, but it seems to me they always have been. read more

After we stopped at 2 other restaurants that we saw on yelp that were CLOSED. We came to Dirtwater Springs and the food was fabulous. Tasty, fresh. The unlimited hand cut French fries were crisp and not greasy. The fruit plate with the best chicken salad I've tasted in a while was fresh and light. Definitely recommend read more

Steaks and Prime Rib were tops and at a fair price. Desserts great too. Plan to return on our next trip to Canyon Lake.

Cod was good although I ate too much. The $1.50 Alaskan Ambers were good and cold, and when I had accidentally left my wallet all was in tact when I returned to get it:) people were friendly, place was visually enhancing ... But next time I'm ordering something off the menu... No all you can eat cod for me.. Once was enough. I'd go back because of the service and atmosphere. The Beef Barley soup was excellent even gave a roll w it, and key lime pie was primo! read more

Took the girls here for dinner. Contrary to recent reviews on this site the Alaskan cod is still the same wonderful flakey fish it's always been. The price seems a little high to some but is worth it for the quality. It comes with tasty hand cut fries. Yum. read more

We ate here last night with my grandparents. It was right at peak supper time and it was all you can eat Alaskan cod night, so I wasn't surprised there was a bit of a wait. Their waiting area was nice and spacious. We only had to wait approx 10-15 minutes which wasn't bad at all. We ended up having to wake up our 18 month old son to take him into the restaurant since he had fallen asleep on the way over. When we were seated, he was not a happy camper, but the staff brought him a plate of French fries, a coloring book and crayons, and a mini ice cream cone to try to make him happy. Unfortunately he was just tired (and sick), but I was extremely impressed with the attention and effort they made. As far as the staff's attention to the rest of us...it had its highs and lows. They were quick to get our drink orders, but then took quite a while to come back to get our order (10-15 minutes). We ran out of chips (complimentary chips and salsa) and never did get any more, but I'm honestly not sure if they were "bottomless" or not, and we didn't ask, so hard to get too critical on that. Grandpa ordered a taco with shredded beef but it came with ground. Again, nothing was said until we left, so they weren't given the opportunity to make it right, which I have no doubt they would've. Grandma and my hubby got the all-you-can-eat Alaskan cod dinner served with coleslaw and French fries. They brought an entire plate full of fish out without any prompting, which was probably more than we needed, but the plate was empty by the time we were done. ;) I don't eat a lot of fish, but the piece I tried I thought was good. The hubby didn't say much other than he ate too much, and Grandma said, "It wasn't anything special." The waitress was attentive enough to see Grandma only ate the two fish originally served to her and only charged her for the 2-piece meal instead of the buffet, which I thought was nice. As far as my meal, I had the Cobb Salad with honey mustard dressing on the side which I thought was very delicious, all the ingredients (lettuce, tomato, avocado, etc) were fresh and tasty. I would certainly go back. And I don't know if it's only a Wednesday night special, but I would definitely take advantage of the $4 Margarita next visit. read more

We've been here many times since I'm a local. We love to stop in for lunch. My daughter loves the burgers, my mom is a fan of the prime rib at dinner time. I'm pretty easy going and like just about everything on the menu. The service is good and the prices are just right! read more

Can't beat their happy hour (2-6pm every day) - $1.50 for a mug (draft only, but they got Alaskan Amber and Blue Moon). I recommend the vegetarian for vegetarians and the vegetarian minus cheese for vegans. Love this place. Great hangout place after a tough hike or a bike ride. read more

Not happy with the service at all. Waitress did not seem to be to concerned with our requests. We asked for silverware twice, receiving our salads. We Asked for steak sauce and we were brought an empty bottle. When we found her to ask for another one she walked away and started taking another tables order. So we asked someone else and it took them quite a while to bring one to our table. The place was not very busy and we still waited about an hour to receive our food. And about the food it was ok. Nothing to brag about . Service to me is very important and our waitress never even smiled.. read more

First visit. Started with ordering a Margarita, no salt. Came with salt. The waitress took it and came back with another one. But guess what? It was the original, poured into a different glass. So it was a salty-tasting Margarita, just what I was trying to avoid in the first place. How classless, passive-aggressive and tacky is that? On to ordering a taco salad with shredded beef one of the choices listed. It arrived (15 minutes later) with ground beef. After the Margarita experience, I just kept quiet on this one. Plenty of good restaurants around. Not going here again. read more