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Visited tonight and it was absolutely wonderful. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was quite toasty so me and my friend were the only ones outside, which was kind of nice to have the patio to ourselves!!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered the mushroom tacos and they were delicious and also the Brush Fire OF drink! Service was great!!
Before catching a flight, we saw Gertrude's that was in a beautiful area since it's inside the botanical gardens. We didn't go to the gardens but wanted a lunch at a nice place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is super nice. Definitely lots of beautiful plants all around and cactus. The restaurant itself was clean and the ambiance was nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food is where it all lacked. I ordered the hatch chile burger expecting packed flavor. My burger was dry and there was zero flavor. Even with the hatch chile. The fries were the only things that I actually enjoyed. My colleague ordered the Alfredo and she absolutely hated it. I tried it and I'm glad I didn't order it cause it sounded interesting but the flavor was just off. Maybe we got the wrong things; but just didn't enjoy what we had. Still probably worth stopping while at the gardens for a lunch or dinner but definitely wouldn't go out of the way to eat here.
If you have to be at the garden near dinner time it is a safe enough bet however not great and the food is never warm! The blood orange gin & tonic was fine, not very strong or overly botanical by any means. We had the kale and caramelized onion salad which they split in the kitchen for us - a nice touch. The two tacos were very tasty however they were not very warm and the jicama slaw tasted like - nothing at all. It seemed as if they forgot to dress it. The bean puree was smooth and flavorful - also not hot enough at all. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is a very nice ambiance sitting out on the patio although a few bees tried to join us for dinner which is always annoying! Think it was the lemon slices in the water that attracted them.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was pleasant although the food did not come out at the same time.
[[HIGHLIGHT]]The setting is beautiful and the patio is a great place to enjoy a meal.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was ok. I enjoyed the kale and caramelized onion salad the most, but it didn't seem aligned with the price of $17 where there's no protein or even avocado. I liked the balance the raisins gave to salad overall though. My salmon was ok. I didn't realize it also came with basically a salad underneath or I could have skipped the kale salad. I liked the flavor of the date bread pudding mug it was a little dry for my taste for a bread pudding.
Had low expectations for this place since it's within the Desert Botanical Garden, but my fish tacos were spectacular! The pineapple salsa was absolutely delicious, as was everything else on the plate. My daughter's grilled cheese was also delicious and came with a large bowl of fresh fruit and milk. The service was attentive, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]patio was spacious and I appreciated that they had large fans to make it more comfortable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall a really lovely lunch!
My friends and I were in town for a business meeting and wanted to grab dinner together before we all parted ways, so we decided on Gertrude's. The ambience was top notch. The restaurant itself is beautiful and the layout is really well done. I also enjoyed browsing through the gift shop while waiting for my food to arrive. On my way back to the patio I stopped to use the ladies room and was pleased to see that it was clean, fully stocked, and had plenty of space--always a nice bonus. Our server was kind, prompt, and knowledgeable when we had questions about a few dishes on the menu, which made the experience feel welcoming and easy. I ordered the Gertrude's burger and the Prickly Path mocktail. Both were fine, but neither really blew my hair back. I kind of wish the Prickly Path had a little less sparkling water flavor and leaned more into the prickly pear with more fruit-forward notes. The burger itself was good, but nothing particularly memorable. The patty seemed a little under-seasoned to me, which made the flavor fall a bit flat. I also didn't love the texture of the roasted pepper, though that's likely more of a personal preference. There was absolutely nothing wrong with our visit--everything was perfectly fine overall. That said, I'm not sure it's somewhere I would go out of my way to return to. If I were visiting the gardens again and wanted something convenient to eat, I'd certainly consider stopping in.
Food was delicious. Fairly unique menu with lots of southwestern dishes, such as tacos. We loved it. Ambiance was lovely. We dined on the patio and the weather was great. It was busy so lots of people were there enjoying and the Desert Pulse program. The service was fine but before all of us were finished the busboy kept asking if we were finished and if he could take our plates. It was annoying.
The restaurant is nice enough, but the entry was packed with people and felt a little stuffy. Luckily we had a reservation and were seated right away. It appears you have to wait awhile if you don't have a reservation. They have a nice patio that was perfect to sit and dine in with the beautiful sunny weather. The tables we're a little close together, so people on the sides with other diners behind them had difficulty getting out. I had the prickly pear lemonade. It was crisp and cold with a subtle prickly pear flavor. I wish it was slightly sweeter, but a tasty drink nonetheless. I had two appetizers as an entree: The Tempura Battered Nopales with Mole and the Corn Esquites. The nopales were very crispy; the texture of the nopales was similar to eggplant. It has a very distinct flavor. Some bites were super salty, it could have been the nopales in batter, the cotija cheese, or the mole sauce. The mole sauce is more tomato based than I was used to, and not as smooth. While it tasted nice, it wasn't my favorite mole I've had. I wish the sauce was drizzled around the plate or put in a separate dish. The battered nopales on the bottom were soggy, but the portion was SO big that the number of soggy pieces wasn't that many. The corn esquites were FANTASTIC! Everyone in my family raved about it. The combination of fresh corn, green peppers, creamy chile sauce, cotija cheese, and pickled onions was delicious! Another big portion best for sharing. The rest of my family had taco plates. The mushroom tacos were tasty, but I thought the texture of the mushrooms was a bit too chewy. My mom commented that the jicama slaw was "interesting." Overall, this was a convenient option for lunch while at the botanical gardens. I appreciated their regional Arizona food and drink options (prickly pear, nopales, etc.). Everything came out quickly and our server was kind and did a good job. If you're at the botanical gardens and need a bite to eat or a drink to sip, this is a good option!
Some of the best vegetarian food we had during our trip to AZ! I always love visiting the local botanical gardens wherever I travel because the culinary experiences are always impressive, and Gertrude's definitely did not disappoint. The service it amazing, quick and helpful with any questions or available modifications. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The outdoor seating is unbeatable, most people opted to sit at an outside table where the rest of the mountains, trees, and flowers from the park were visible.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The drinks were tasty and not too strong, and the portion sizes for the food were great! Plenty of vegetarian options and leftovers for us to enjoy the next day.
Gertrude's was a fabulous way to cap the night after enjoying the Desert Botanical Garden on an early March evening with a girl friend. We wanted to have a light bite to eat, and ended up both picking the Al Pastor Mushroom Sope. We both thought we were getting soup, but it turns out sope is a thick patty made from corn masa. It was filled with delicious mushrooms. We both loved it, and it was perfect for my friend who is vegan. As for a libation, I had the Botanical Bee- a sweet vodka drink beautifully assembled. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We spent the evening here on a Sunday night, so it was calm and not too packed.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our server was a very friendly and charismatic gentleman in his 40s. I forget his name, but he was lovely and added to the overall good vibes at this spot.
Reservations for party of four at five pm to start our evening viewing of the Desert Pulse art exhibit in the Garden. There was some hassle at the gate and a snippy Garden employee didn't want to allow us entry to the restaurant without scanning our tickets which were for 90 minutes later. How is this OK? The restaurant is located inside the gate and serves patrons who are not all garden ticket holders. Anyway, we got to the restaurant and were seated on the patio immediately by a pleasant young woman. It was not busy inside or outside, maybe half full or less as community free day patrons don't usually flock to the venue restaurant. There is not a fine dining air to the place, with plastic chairs and mostly unadorned tables. But the menu prices reflect tourist destination dining, it felt a bit like theme park or airport value. Waters were brought immediately but there was a long wait for a server to appear to take drink orders. And an even longer delay before those drinks arrived, frankly inexcusable in a profit driven business. I really thought we were going to enjoy our cocktails for dessert, but they did manage to show up shortly before the entrees. My $8 mocktail was lovely, a tart concoction looking like a frosty martini. Others at our table had an aperol spritz and a Modelo. Drink prices were pretty standard. As we didn't order appetizers (nor were any suggested by our server) we plunged right into our dinner entrees. Taco plates are $24, entrees start at around $30. Two of our group ordered the fish tacos on corn tortillas, which came with a white bean side and slaw. They were nice little tacos, not a huge portion but nicely prepared. The white beans were WAY TOO SALTY. Another dining companion ordered the green chili pork, which was a large unadorned pile of meat on a plate but also WAY TOO SALTY. I ordered the shrimp with polenta. Six very large shrimp with excellent seasoning were perfectly cooked and arranged on the plate around a puddle of polenta, then covered completely with about 2 full cups of cut sweet corn and green chilis. This was not a sprinkle of corn, a garnish, or even a side dish. It was literally an inch deep covering all the polenta with so much corn I did not find a creamy smooth bite anywhere. And unfortunately the polenta also was WAY TOO SALTY. This dish would be vastly improved by simply putting the corn salsa off to one side and laying the shrimp on the polenta artistically. There was a fresh herb garnish, to give them credit. One of my dining companions is celiac and I have a gluten sensitivity so we were very pleased at the large number of choices on the menu that met our restrictions. However, meal preparation and presentation is lacking, with the food just piled on the plate with little concern or garnish. Drink refills not offered. Desserts not suggested. Servers seemed a bit amateur. And SALTY! But again, this is a tourist destination and we need to make allowances. Or do we? For our $150, our party of four will likely take our business elsewhere next time. After dinner, we proceeded to the entry booths again to scan our tickets and tour the garden at night. The Garden employee this time was super friendly, helpful and pleasant. Maybe the first gal was at the end of a long free community day and an anomaly. The exhibits were fascinating and we really recommend Desert Pulse.
I had the chance to eat her for an early lunch today. The patio area is beautiful. It's a relaxing environment to dine in. I did make a reservation through opentable. They are under new management and have a new menu. They do not have a brunch menu anymore but I hope that they add it back down the line. The items on the menu seemed a bit heavy for lunch. I did get the tacos which came with your choice of two tacos, beans, and a citrus jicama slaw. The taste of the food was great. I had a fish taco and Barbacoa short rib taco. Portion size was good. My server, Neida, was very pleasant and staff were attentive and nice.
Under new management, been open for a little over a week, out of a lot items but Nick our Server was very knowledgeable about communicating this info. Nick is very nice, kind and very helpful. Avacado Fries were good but need a little seasoning, Burger is fantastic Polenta was excellent, hope they continue to improve, out of a lot of entree's??
Review Insights
Another delicious meal at Gertrude's! Mark Tarbell and team have done a fantastic job on both food and service. Our server Jaden (sp?) was lovely and welcoming and the whole team kept our waters full after a hot tour of the gardens. We sat out on the patio and though it was 100° out, it was really nice thanks to the giant fans! We tried the avocado fries this time and wow, the sauce that comes with these is delicious! Then had the fantastic barbacoa tacos and date cake again. My only suggestions would be to make a house hot sauce rather than bringing Tabasco, and it would be great to see more light and cold options as the weather gets hotter! read more
We arrived four minutes early for our 7:45 p.m. Restaurant Week reservation and were told there would be a brief wait while tables were cleaned. Two parties who arrived after us -- a group of three and a couple -- were seated on the patio before us, despite several open tables already set inside. Around 7:55, the hostess acknowledged the oversight and offered us the option of waiting another 20 minutes for patio seating or dining indoors instead. We chose to sit inside. The Restaurant Week menu was never presented to us; we had to request it ourselves. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Throughout the evening, the dining room felt strangely chaotic -- multiple dishes or glasses shattered in the kitchen while we waited, creating a distracted atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our drinks arrived promptly, though our server encouraged us to "take our time" before ordering, which in retrospect seemed more logistical than hospitable, as it took another 25 minutes before he returned. To his credit, he was warm and pleasant, if somewhat inattentive. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Small details throughout the meal reinforced the inconsistency of the experience. Our appetizer plates were removed immediately after the starters arrived, and the only lighting fixtures not functioning in the restaurant happened to be directly above our table, leaving us dining in near-darkness until a small table lamp was finally provided.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food itself was uneven. I appreciated the menu correctly distinguishing between elote and esquites -- a detail many restaurants overlook. The sangria was enjoyable and balanced. The kale salad, however, was overdressed and overly salty. The esquites arrived cold and underseasoned, with very little cotija. The short rib entrée was serviceable but slightly dry, though at least served hot; the avocado risotto alongside it was forgettable. By the end of the meal, we were boxing our own leftovers while taking dessert to go, hopeful it might redeem the evening. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Unfortunately, the experience felt more committed to atmosphere and branding than to hospitality or execution.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The botanical setting may be the main attraction here; the restaurant itself still seems to be finding its footing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more
[[HIGHLIGHT]]Wow, what a beautiful restaurant![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I love how colorful my dish is as well. The freshness of the ingredients came through every bite. I also haven't had any duck in a while, so I was so impressed with this option available on the menu! I was skeptical about how it would taste on my tacos and how "dry" they would be as shredded meat. To my surprise, the meat is still juicy! The pricing is reasonable as well in my opinion. For a restaurant at the Desert Botanical Garden, I know some would think it's a tourist trap though. I wish I remembered the name of our server. She is so attentive with my friends and I throughout our meal. You know how sometimes you feel like the server came to your table at the wrong time? This didn't happen to us. It was a memorable meal and I hope to visit soon for the next special occasion! read more
2 months ago
Visited tonight and it was absolutely wonderful. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was quite toasty so me and my friend were the only ones outside, which was kind of nice to have the patio to ourselves!!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered the mushroom tacos and they were delicious and also the Brush Fire OF drink! Service was great!! read more
Before catching a flight, we saw Gertrude's that was in a beautiful area since it's inside the botanical gardens. We didn't go to the gardens but wanted a lunch at a nice place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is super nice. Definitely lots of beautiful plants all around and cactus. The restaurant itself was clean and the ambiance was nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food is where it all lacked. I ordered the hatch chile burger expecting packed flavor. My burger was dry and there was zero flavor. Even with the hatch chile. The fries were the only things that I actually enjoyed. My colleague ordered the Alfredo and she absolutely hated it. I tried it and I'm glad I didn't order it cause it sounded interesting but the flavor was just off. Maybe we got the wrong things; but just didn't enjoy what we had. Still probably worth stopping while at the gardens for a lunch or dinner but definitely wouldn't go out of the way to eat here. read more
If you have to be at the garden near dinner time it is a safe enough bet however not great and the food is never warm! The blood orange gin & tonic was fine, not very strong or overly botanical by any means. We had the kale and caramelized onion salad which they split in the kitchen for us - a nice touch. The two tacos were very tasty however they were not very warm and the jicama slaw tasted like - nothing at all. It seemed as if they forgot to dress it. The bean puree was smooth and flavorful - also not hot enough at all. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is a very nice ambiance sitting out on the patio although a few bees tried to join us for dinner which is always annoying! Think it was the lemon slices in the water that attracted them.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was pleasant although the food did not come out at the same time. read more
[[HIGHLIGHT]]The setting is beautiful and the patio is a great place to enjoy a meal.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was ok. I enjoyed the kale and caramelized onion salad the most, but it didn't seem aligned with the price of $17 where there's no protein or even avocado. I liked the balance the raisins gave to salad overall though. My salmon was ok. I didn't realize it also came with basically a salad underneath or I could have skipped the kale salad. I liked the flavor of the date bread pudding mug it was a little dry for my taste for a bread pudding. read more
Had low expectations for this place since it's within the Desert Botanical Garden, but my fish tacos were spectacular! The pineapple salsa was absolutely delicious, as was everything else on the plate. My daughter's grilled cheese was also delicious and came with a large bowl of fresh fruit and milk. The service was attentive, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]patio was spacious and I appreciated that they had large fans to make it more comfortable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall a really lovely lunch! read more
My friends and I were in town for a business meeting and wanted to grab dinner together before we all parted ways, so we decided on Gertrude's. The ambience was top notch. The restaurant itself is beautiful and the layout is really well done. I also enjoyed browsing through the gift shop while waiting for my food to arrive. On my way back to the patio I stopped to use the ladies room and was pleased to see that it was clean, fully stocked, and had plenty of space--always a nice bonus. Our server was kind, prompt, and knowledgeable when we had questions about a few dishes on the menu, which made the experience feel welcoming and easy. I ordered the Gertrude's burger and the Prickly Path mocktail. Both were fine, but neither really blew my hair back. I kind of wish the Prickly Path had a little less sparkling water flavor and leaned more into the prickly pear with more fruit-forward notes. The burger itself was good, but nothing particularly memorable. The patty seemed a little under-seasoned to me, which made the flavor fall a bit flat. I also didn't love the texture of the roasted pepper, though that's likely more of a personal preference. There was absolutely nothing wrong with our visit--everything was perfectly fine overall. That said, I'm not sure it's somewhere I would go out of my way to return to. If I were visiting the gardens again and wanted something convenient to eat, I'd certainly consider stopping in. read more
Food was delicious. Fairly unique menu with lots of southwestern dishes, such as tacos. We loved it. Ambiance was lovely. We dined on the patio and the weather was great. It was busy so lots of people were there enjoying and the Desert Pulse program. The service was fine but before all of us were finished the busboy kept asking if we were finished and if he could take our plates. It was annoying. read more
6 months ago
The restaurant is nice enough, but the entry was packed with people and felt a little stuffy. Luckily we had a reservation and were seated right away. It appears you have to wait awhile if you don't have a reservation. They have a nice patio that was perfect to sit and dine in with the beautiful sunny weather. The tables we're a little close together, so people on the sides with other diners behind them had difficulty getting out. I had the prickly pear lemonade. It was crisp and cold with a subtle prickly pear flavor. I wish it was slightly sweeter, but a tasty drink nonetheless. I had two appetizers as an entree: The Tempura Battered Nopales with Mole and the Corn Esquites. The nopales were very crispy; the texture of the nopales was similar to eggplant. It has a very distinct flavor. Some bites were super salty, it could have been the nopales in batter, the cotija cheese, or the mole sauce. The mole sauce is more tomato based than I was used to, and not as smooth. While it tasted nice, it wasn't my favorite mole I've had. I wish the sauce was drizzled around the plate or put in a separate dish. The battered nopales on the bottom were soggy, but the portion was SO big that the number of soggy pieces wasn't that many. The corn esquites were FANTASTIC! Everyone in my family raved about it. The combination of fresh corn, green peppers, creamy chile sauce, cotija cheese, and pickled onions was delicious! Another big portion best for sharing. The rest of my family had taco plates. The mushroom tacos were tasty, but I thought the texture of the mushrooms was a bit too chewy. My mom commented that the jicama slaw was "interesting." Overall, this was a convenient option for lunch while at the botanical gardens. I appreciated their regional Arizona food and drink options (prickly pear, nopales, etc.). Everything came out quickly and our server was kind and did a good job. If you're at the botanical gardens and need a bite to eat or a drink to sip, this is a good option! read more
Some of the best vegetarian food we had during our trip to AZ! I always love visiting the local botanical gardens wherever I travel because the culinary experiences are always impressive, and Gertrude's definitely did not disappoint. The service it amazing, quick and helpful with any questions or available modifications. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The outdoor seating is unbeatable, most people opted to sit at an outside table where the rest of the mountains, trees, and flowers from the park were visible.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The drinks were tasty and not too strong, and the portion sizes for the food were great! Plenty of vegetarian options and leftovers for us to enjoy the next day. read more
4 months ago
Gertrude's was a fabulous way to cap the night after enjoying the Desert Botanical Garden on an early March evening with a girl friend. We wanted to have a light bite to eat, and ended up both picking the Al Pastor Mushroom Sope. We both thought we were getting soup, but it turns out sope is a thick patty made from corn masa. It was filled with delicious mushrooms. We both loved it, and it was perfect for my friend who is vegan. As for a libation, I had the Botanical Bee- a sweet vodka drink beautifully assembled. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We spent the evening here on a Sunday night, so it was calm and not too packed.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our server was a very friendly and charismatic gentleman in his 40s. I forget his name, but he was lovely and added to the overall good vibes at this spot. read more
Reservations for party of four at five pm to start our evening viewing of the Desert Pulse art exhibit in the Garden. There was some hassle at the gate and a snippy Garden employee didn't want to allow us entry to the restaurant without scanning our tickets which were for 90 minutes later. How is this OK? The restaurant is located inside the gate and serves patrons who are not all garden ticket holders. Anyway, we got to the restaurant and were seated on the patio immediately by a pleasant young woman. It was not busy inside or outside, maybe half full or less as community free day patrons don't usually flock to the venue restaurant. There is not a fine dining air to the place, with plastic chairs and mostly unadorned tables. But the menu prices reflect tourist destination dining, it felt a bit like theme park or airport value. Waters were brought immediately but there was a long wait for a server to appear to take drink orders. And an even longer delay before those drinks arrived, frankly inexcusable in a profit driven business. I really thought we were going to enjoy our cocktails for dessert, but they did manage to show up shortly before the entrees. My $8 mocktail was lovely, a tart concoction looking like a frosty martini. Others at our table had an aperol spritz and a Modelo. Drink prices were pretty standard. As we didn't order appetizers (nor were any suggested by our server) we plunged right into our dinner entrees. Taco plates are $24, entrees start at around $30. Two of our group ordered the fish tacos on corn tortillas, which came with a white bean side and slaw. They were nice little tacos, not a huge portion but nicely prepared. The white beans were WAY TOO SALTY. Another dining companion ordered the green chili pork, which was a large unadorned pile of meat on a plate but also WAY TOO SALTY. I ordered the shrimp with polenta. Six very large shrimp with excellent seasoning were perfectly cooked and arranged on the plate around a puddle of polenta, then covered completely with about 2 full cups of cut sweet corn and green chilis. This was not a sprinkle of corn, a garnish, or even a side dish. It was literally an inch deep covering all the polenta with so much corn I did not find a creamy smooth bite anywhere. And unfortunately the polenta also was WAY TOO SALTY. This dish would be vastly improved by simply putting the corn salsa off to one side and laying the shrimp on the polenta artistically. There was a fresh herb garnish, to give them credit. One of my dining companions is celiac and I have a gluten sensitivity so we were very pleased at the large number of choices on the menu that met our restrictions. However, meal preparation and presentation is lacking, with the food just piled on the plate with little concern or garnish. Drink refills not offered. Desserts not suggested. Servers seemed a bit amateur. And SALTY! But again, this is a tourist destination and we need to make allowances. Or do we? For our $150, our party of four will likely take our business elsewhere next time. After dinner, we proceeded to the entry booths again to scan our tickets and tour the garden at night. The Garden employee this time was super friendly, helpful and pleasant. Maybe the first gal was at the end of a long free community day and an anomaly. The exhibits were fascinating and we really recommend Desert Pulse. read more
9 months ago
I had the chance to eat her for an early lunch today. The patio area is beautiful. It's a relaxing environment to dine in. I did make a reservation through opentable. They are under new management and have a new menu. They do not have a brunch menu anymore but I hope that they add it back down the line. The items on the menu seemed a bit heavy for lunch. I did get the tacos which came with your choice of two tacos, beans, and a citrus jicama slaw. The taste of the food was great. I had a fish taco and Barbacoa short rib taco. Portion size was good. My server, Neida, was very pleasant and staff were attentive and nice. read more
10 months ago
Under new management, been open for a little over a week, out of a lot items but Nick our Server was very knowledgeable about communicating this info. Nick is very nice, kind and very helpful. Avacado Fries were good but need a little seasoning, Burger is fantastic Polenta was excellent, hope they continue to improve, out of a lot of entree's?? read more
Reservations and modification process were at ease. Outdoor dining was very nice, great weather and nice ambiance. It was a little nosier than I would like to have (from the surrounding tables). It was very busy, our desert was a bit delayed but we got it. I believed that it was due to under staff. For party of six, we got seated in a table for 4, and added 2 chairs -- a little cramped. The menu is simple but good. The wine list fell short as one would expected from Tarbell's name. I asked for a wine list, the staff said that is all on the menu. As the second bottle was poured, she didn't ask to taste first... just to make sure it was not corked. Perhaps, this was not important to the service. I would enjoy this dining more if it was for lunch. For more serious menu and service would be better at Tarbell's and Tavern, with many great wine options. The guests from out of town did enjoy the food and ambiance. I would definitely recommend to try it out -- I always enjoy a nice patio for dining. read more
6 months ago
We were driving in from Sedona so knew we'd be hungry and want to have a bite and slowly acclimate to the nice warmer weather! The restaurant is located when you first get into the botanical gardens. It is nothing amazing I was expecting something more magical since it was inside a botanical garden. We had a nice table for two on the covered outside patio. I'd recommend getting the burger. The tacos were just okay. Service was good! read more
I hadn't been to Gertrude's in about two or three years so I was so excited to try the new offerings that came with the management change. I had loved the original menu but the new offerings were even better than I could've imagined. The service was incredible and everyone was so attentive and caring, along with being so excited to offer suggestions. I tried the Crispy Corn Polenta Cake with Salsa Verde, the 12-Hour Short Rib & Avocado Risotto, and the Flora Sonora Sangria. The polenta was perfectly cheesy and the salsa verde provided a great contrast in flavors. The 12-Hour Short Rib & Avocado Risotto was beyond delicious and was incredibly filling. I ordered this based off of the recommendation from our server and though I am not always the biggest fan of avocado, the flavors went together so well. I would definitely order this as my entree again. The Flora Sonora Sangria was perfect for anyone who enjoys a classic, well balanced Sangria with a summery flavor. Gertrude's was also kind enough to provide us with a complementary Arizona Date Bread Pudding since I was celebrating my graduation and it was perfectly sweet without being too over the top. [[HIGHLIGHT]]With great food and the incredible scenery of the Desert Botanical Garden, this is the perfect place to celebrate special occasions and is also a great spot to bring anyone visiting from out of town.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I so look forward to my next visit! read more
Wow...I love this new menu and new chef! The food is super tasty (a big improvement). We got fried nopales cactus tempura. The nopales were a little sour which went really well with the mole sauce. The crisp duck confit Gillette is so delicious. The duck is super juicy and tender. I love the salsa in this dish. It is a perfect sauce to keep all ingredients together in this dish. read more
Desert Botanical Garden's relaxed bar/restaurant serves sustainable, refined American meals. Focusing on ingredients directly from growers in Arizona and unique to the region. I honestly thought they had brunch, but it is a lunch/dinner menu. We got the Avocado Fries with Clintro Verde Aioli and Classic Tarbell's Burger with fries. The burger was on the salty side, but the Avocado fries were very good. The service was very slow for having only 5 tables. read more
1 year ago
Gertrude's Garden, Gertrude's, and Goodies the atmosphere was very open and airy. They have indoor and outdoor seating. After forcing my love to walk around the desert botanical garden in the heat, I knew indoor was the way to go. Calming music at a low level. Calm and relaxing vibes. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. We stopped in after a couple hours of walking the Desert Botanical gardens. We ordered the Korean corn cheese. Not what we expected. I think in my head I was thinking cheese curds situation lol It was very flavorful and very tasty. A bit difficult for my husband to eat since he only has use of his non dominate hand, so we decided to get another appetizer. Would I order it again? Honestly, I would have ordered another appetizer if it weren't for my picky husband lol so I guess the question would be more when I eat it again? Yes, but if I came back, I would definitely give other appetizers a chance to satisfy my taste buds first. I did convince him to try the elote fritters. This was husband approved. Good mix of flavor and textures. I did cut them in half and let them cool a little bit first. For drinks my husband got the Phoenix brewing monsoon West Coast IPA and I got the Cactus Cosmo. Top 3 cosmos I've ever had!! It was light and refreshing. The flavors went well together, nothing overpowered itself. Easy to navigate my husband in a wheelchair through the space. The staff held the door open for us and they shifted a table and removed a chair for us to be able to sit easy. We used the restrooms by the Garden entrance. There was a wheelchair friendly stall which is great for persons with walkers or who can transfer themselves. A little tight for me to work with my husband but we just left the door open. IYKYK read more
6 months ago
Our experience was spectacular. My sister and I were visiting Phoenix for the weekend. Went to Gertrude's after touring the gardens. Can't say enough good things. The food was spectacular - has the kale salad with short rib which was to die for. Also had the gin and tonic with blood orange which I would Highly recommend. Our waitress Caeli was incredibly knowledgeable, helpful in drink and food selections and just all around made our experience incredibly enjoyable. We went to several higher-end restaurants over the weekend and my sister and I both said our experience and the food at Gertrude's was the best by far over the entire weekend. read more
Had some family in town and we decided to try Gertrude's before walking thru the "After Dark" lights at the botanical gardens. I had requested inside seating but they told us it would be a 15 minute wait so we were immediately seated out on the patio. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's was at 6 pm so still a little warm and unfortunately their overhead fans were not working.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Soon our waitress took our drink orders and as soon as our drinks arrived we ordered some appetizers. We tried the "Crispy Nopales w/mole Sauce," and the "Avocado Fries." The crispy nopales were ok and we didn't care for the mole sauce, but the avocado fries were crispy on the outside and soft in the middle and the verde aioli sauce was very tasty and both appetizers were large portions. For our main course we split the "Short Ribs and Avocado Risotto." The short ribs were very tender and flavorful but the avocado risotto was a bit under seasoned but a large portion. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall a nice patio setting with really good service, Gertrude's was a good restaurant to grab a drink and have dinner at before walking the gardens.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more
1 year ago
This looked lovely on the website. We were going to the botanical gardens and needed to grab lunch so we decided to try it out. We had to wait because we did not have reservations, but it wasn't a long wait. It seems people eat early lunch at this place. Service was just okay. The waiter was new so he didn't know very much. I'm always surprised that waiters don't try and learn more about the menu that they're serving. I ordered the blue cheese with bread appetizer. The waiter knew it was to be my lunch. There's no way one person should eat that much blue cheese. It was quite good, but it is definitely an appetizer to share. My friend got the noodles. He didn't realize till the end that they hadn't mixed it and the sauce was all at the bottom. He did not enjoy his meal. If you like hamburgers, that seems to be the thing to order. The salads looked small, but the hamburgers looked impressive. Maybe we just ordered the wrong things. read more
4 months ago
Waa really looking forward to this place mostly because of the Tarbell name but was disappointed. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Service was spot on and ambuance is welcoming and clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Drinks were great great. We got the crab cake app which has amazing flavor with a well seasoned aioli. Issue was it was cold and theres so much aioli it lost its crispness. The red pepper Alfredo lacked flavor, pasta was over cooked and it was oily. See photo. read more
5 months ago
Located in the Desert Botanical Gardens, this restaurant has a good selection of things to dine on, and great drinks to choose from! [[HIGHLIGHT]]What a great date to come here and the walk the gardens after once the sun goes down.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had tempura nopales (first timer eating nopales- cactus)! The crunch on the batter was great, anything fried is good right? Nopales is different- tastes almost like okra, same consistency. The sauce that came with was good as well. I had a really good burger for my main dish. It was great as a burger can get. I'd say the shoestring fries were a tad overdone and salty though, husband enjoyed them. Service was good- he explained some items well, funny enough we couldn't tell if he was annoyed with us or just in a rush. One time around after asking for something, it was dropped off forcefully with no extra words, but next go around, server chatted a bit about wine. Everyone has off days so that was no big deal, just worth the mention. read more
21 days ago
We had reserved this restaurant as we had tickets to see the luminary lights at the botanical garden and this was pretty convenient. My sister set up the reservation and the only spot that was left was 3:30 PM, which is fine since this event is so popular. The space itself is actually beautiful. Includes both an indoor and an outdoor Seating set up. If it is a nice day really try to get an outdoor seating. My sister ordered a rice noodle bowl and it was suggested that she had a shrimp protein, my husband had the Gertie burger with fingerling potatoes, and I went with the farmer soup, which happened to be a chicken pozole tonight. My sister said her rice noodle bowl was very good, husband said his burger was just OK and I had to send my chicken soup back as it was cold when it arrived. They did let me know that somehow the steamer was shut off on the soup so they appreciated the fact that I avoided issues with other patrons tonight and eventually my soup came back to the table and it was hot. I will say that it is missing radish, which is what I put on my Pozole at home. I did not sense any spiciness to the dish, but she did tell me it is medium spicy so there is a very good chance that it is and I just didn't sense it. This is a very busy time of year for this restaurant so service was a little slow, but we can definitely tell this place is super popular If you have leftovers, they are willing to store it until after you stroll the luminary lights and you can pick it up on your way out read more
After about three hours of walking around the botanical garden, my husband and I were very hungry and decided to try Gertrude's. The staff are nice and they were able to seat us promptly, even though we had no reservation. We ordered the fried cauliflower and shishito peppers. The portion was quite large--more than enough for two. However, the agave sambal drizzle was a bit overwhelming and too spicy for my taste. For drinks, we ordered two cosmopolitans, but they weren't chilled and were far too sweet, which was a disappointment. As for entrées, I ordered the burger with a GF bun, while my husband got the rice noodles. The burger was pretty good, but the potatoes were dry and flavorless. The rice noodles, on the other hand, were unappetizing--they tasted as though they had been soaked in vinegar, which didn't pair well with the sweetness of the dish. We ate the grilled chicken but couldn't finish the meal. Overall, this place is overpriced for the quality of the food. We paid around $90, and I'm sad to say it wasn't worth it. read more
10 months ago
Very beautiful dinner spot in the botanical garden! We spent 2.5 hours in the garden working up an appetite and then stayed after dinner for a hour to see desert pulse at night. Appreciate the drink prices/food prices were reasonable. Gin & tonic was massive! Husband greatly enjoyed the short rib. read more
We tried Gertrude's for the first time before heading into the botanical gardens for a fun evening. We learned it had recently been taken over by Tarbell's last October. The patio ambiance is great and service was very good thanks to our waiter Nick. All food tasted fresh, clean, and flavorful. Definitely order the charred corn and you can skip the avocado fries. Recommend making this a part of your botanical gardens experience! read more
2 years ago
Went to DBG to have an evening walk and admire the Light Bloom show. We decided we were hungry and wanted to have dinner: made it just in time for the last seating of the night. It was a nice, pleasant evening, so we sat outside, had cocktails as usual then ordered the food; mine was - you guessed it - the wild boar that fell off the bone, so tender and good, although for me it lacked in salt overall. The boar isn't as 'gamey' as other wild-caught meat, so I would have liked more condiment in the cook of the cabbage and potatoes. The few leftovers were brought home, so I made soup by adding borlotti beans and onions. As much as desserts were so very tempting this time we didn't order any. Our server Elisa ( Eliza?) was fun and helpful so she made the dinner even nicer! Thanks for another nice evening:) read more
I love coming to Gertrude's, I also love it in part since I really love the botanical gardens. I've been for brunch, lunch, and dinner and I enjoy the food and drinks on both menus, they offer a nice twist on food like breakfast fried rice, breakfast pizza, breakfast enchiladas, lamb mole enchiladas, etc. The atmosphere is great in the middle of the gardens and the glassware is even special. read more
Spent a lovely evening walking through the botanical garden with the lights and had to top off the night with a great meal. To say we were starving is an understatement and the burger and braised boar did not disappoint! I had the boar and it was so tender, didn't need a knife and the root vegetables were cooked perfectly, and the brown gravy was delicious. The service was excellent, she was thoughtful and gave us great suggestions. They do change their menu depending on the season. That being said I would love to go back and try more of their items! read more
3 months ago
Every year we have come to Gertrude's for Mother's Day. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The patio was wonderful, the drinks were refreshing, and the menu was botanical garden to a tee.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Since they were taken over last October the menu is now a huge disappointment. Forbidden rice, gone. Huervos Rancheros, gone. Benedict, gone. Now it is the weirdest "trying too hard" menu on the planet. Nobody wants corn in a weird white mash or tacos with a slab of fish or shredded beef under the guise of a short rib. Fried avocado sticks, Really? Or a weird plant with ranch? So instead of finding something appealing you spend $24 for a cheeseburger and fries, (which to be honest the person at our table who ordered that had the best meal.) [[HIGHLIGHT]]You know the menu is not working when this place is dead on Mother's Day compared to how it usually is.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It also went from 4.5-4.7 stars down to 3. Listen to your customers and bring back favorites or start over with a menu that appeals to the people, pretty much anyone who wants to enjoy a good meal on a patio. This. Menu. Is. Not. Sustainable. There are too many other patio restaurants with menus that suit customers that I will gladly bypass this one. Based on the reviews, it's not just me who feels this way. read more
4 months ago
Food, drinks and service was a 9 here! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambience was decent for a botanical garden restaurant which is why I gave 4 stars.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had the egg salad wraps and the avocado fries- so fresh and delicious. We didn't expect the food to shine but it did. Cocktails were tasty and made to spec. We loved Chris and Caitlin. read more
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1201 N Galvin Pkwy
Phoenix, AZ 85008
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(480) 719-8600
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https://dbg.org/visit/dining/
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Ask the Community - Gertrude's
Are you open in December? Do you accommodate for groups?
Hello Friend! Yes, we are open in December. In December, we can accommodate groups up to 12 people.…
Do you have to purchase a ticket to the botanical gardens to eat here or can you just dine at the restaraunt without a ticket?
Great question! While we are located inside the Desert Botanical Garden, paying admission is not required to access Gertrude's. Approach the admission booth, let them know you have a reservation with us, and come on in. We are located immediately…
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Gertrude's - newamerican - Updated August 2026
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