The hospitality is unlike anywhere you will go in Phoenix. Be prepared to relax and enjoy being a guest at a place where a friend has invited you to dine. The food is provocative and tasty. Make sure you find out what is seasonal on the menu and won't be there...the next time you're going to go after tonight. Live jazz on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday await upstairs if you dare. The house band rotates and provides a curated show each night. Thank you all. See you soon. read more

We come to Phoenix just about every year for Fan Fusion and while here we like to try and grab a nice dinner with some local friends. A few years ago we were introduced to Pa'La by one such friend and, as of writing, we have now introduced 5 different friends to this location as well. As far as this specific dinner I think Pa'La does a really good job of having inventive food combinations usually in small plate form. I always really enjoy the ability to order 4 or 5 different things just to try something new. On this evening we started with the Beef Tartar, the Asian BBQ pork belly, and the Japanese sweet potato. All 3 were delicious and easily able to be shared between 3 people. We transitioned into ordering the prime New York Strip and the Maitake mushroom to share. The steak had a very nice pungent but sweet glaze on it that went very well with the marbling of the cut. Finally, we had the strawberry chamomile tart which was a great way to cap off the evening! All in all a very nice meal, in a nice setting where we could all catch up for a few hours. Never once did we feel rushed or similar and our server was always very attentive. All in all, this was a great experience and highlighted the reasons we keep coming back. read more

We stopped in to Pa'la after a game because I heard they served basque cheesecake. I did learn my lesson on not calling because it is currently not on the menu. However, the gentleman at the door who held himself with the pride of an owner talked us into staying for a glass of wine and flan. Well, I then talked myself into some Japanese sweet potatoes. Ok. So, I'm going to tell you these are some of the best little snacks you can try. They had a good amount of salt with a chili oil crunch on top. That chili crunch is the things dreams are made of! The flan, as one of the bar tenders, Taylor, described, was more pot de creme than flan. With a honey ice cream and dehydrated milk crunch on top. Now, here's where pa'la shinned in a way many places have lost; service. Taylor was conversational and well versed on the menu. She then stepped away and Jeff came over to check on us. When I ordered the flan he immediately said, you have a gluten allergy, I'll make sure to flag your order. I didn't have to repeat myself because someone else checked on us. Which is amazing!!! As I stood up I almost tripped another server. He was so cordial and polite to me when really it was me not being observant. His response was genuine and not forced. Which made me feel like once again, I was interacting with someone who wanted to be at work. This was an all around great experience! We were delighted! read more

Pa’La Downtown - Japanese sweet potatoes - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Great experience at Pa'La! The staff was incredibly warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable about both the dishes and drinks. I had the mezcal cocktail, which was perfectly balanced--smoky, slightly sour, and just a little sweet. The portions are tapas-style, so you'll definitely want to order a few dishes to share. My boyfriend and I started with the pork belly and burrata. The pork belly was the standout--we've never had it so tender. The flank steak was just as impressive, easily one of the most tender steaks I've had, especially for that cut, which can sometimes be hit or miss. We also tried what I believe was cod (a white fish), and it was delicious as well. The dish brought together flavors I wouldn't normally think to pair, but everything worked beautifully. read more

We celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary at Pa'La downtown, and it was lovely! We enjoyed their 3-course wine dinner that they offer on Wednesdays for $65 per person. We started with the Brie off the HH menu for our appetizer, and then for the 3-course dinner, the first course was the burrata salad, the second course was the cod, and the third course was the matcha cheesecake. Everything was absolutely delicious, and the service was phenomenal! The only thing I was a little sad about is when I booked my reservation online, I had requested to sit "outside", which I assumed was the patio area upstairs so that we could enjoy the sunset, but when we arrived, we were told it was already booked for a private party. Still a very nice evening. read more

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I foolishly did not get photos of my food. I went for Arizona restaurant week and it was fantastic. each course was amazing and the perfect amount of food. i felt full at the end but not overly stuffed. the burrata, new york strip and cheesecake were delicious. my friend had a wine pairing with her dinner which she loved, as she is a beginner wine drinker and appreciated the 3oz pour they chose, with each course. For 2 people during restaurant week with wine pairing and bottled still water came to 200, including too. nice upscale place. service was great and informative but also very overwhelming. i like how dark it was in there but music was quite loud for the atmosphere, but i didn't totally mind since tables were slightly close and it provided some noise so everyone isn't all up in everyone's conversations. great experience. read more

Pa’La Downtown - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

My fiancé and I have been wanting to try this place since it has opened but we could never find the time. Today we found a babysitter and was in and ready. This place was amazing from the greeting until we checked out. For drinks we had the dragon, good drink anytime I get the opportunity to drink mezcal I do it. The steak I had was amazing!!!! read more

I visited Pa'La Downtown on a Friday night for my friend's birthday dinner. Overall, my experience was underwhelming, and I'm not sure if I'll return to this specific location, though I might try their 24th Street location in the future. For tapas, we tried the Kurobuta Pork Belly ($18). The dish came with four pieces of sliced pork belly (two per skewer) and root vegetables. Unfortunately, the saltiness was way too strong. The seasoning was only on the surface, and it overwhelmed the bite. By the second and last piece, there was nothing left on the plate to balance the extreme saltiness. Perhaps a slightly larger portion of root vegetables or a side to complement it would have helped, but as served, it was difficult to enjoy. Next, I tried the Bucatini Carbonara pasta ($28). I have to be honest. It was extremely disappointing. Before visiting, I had seen photos and reviews online and was excited when I saw it was on the daily menu board, but the pasta was BLAND. Even after mixing in the Parmesan cheese and taking a bite with the guanciale, the dish tasted bland. We had to chase down someone for salt to finish the dish. The guanciale pieces were very small and didn't add enough flavor, and overall, the dish felt underwhelming. On the special menu that night, the Wood-Fired Branzino ($48) with shiso chimichurri, Romano beans, and einkorn was sold out by the time we tried to order. Instead, we went with the Miso Black Cod ($42), recommended by our waiter. This dish was exceptional. The cod was cooked perfectly, the miso flavor was fantastic, and I really enjoyed the ancient grains it was served on. The portion was on the smaller side, about 5 ounces, but it was excellent. The service was amazing. I cannot remember the server's name, but he was tall, dark-haired, very knowledgeable about the wines, and incredibly friendly. The wine list and drink menu were decent. The ambience is nice, but the inside was extremely loud, so if you're looking for a quiet dinner, I'd recommend visiting during a less busy time. Parking was convenient, with two garages nearby, and Pa'La validates for two hours, though you'll want to be mindful of charges beyond that. Overall, while the Miso Black Cod was a highlight, the pork belly and carbonara were disappointing, leaving me unsure if I'd return to this location. I may give the other location a try in the future. read more

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Only giving this 5 stars because they don't allow more...EVERY bit of food was excellence. Bare with the wait staff as they may be over the top hospitable in explaining and maybe over explaining everything but the entire team is super attentive! The grilled octopus was the first course star, specially prepared it was the most tender octopus I've ever had the kampachi crisp was close second both filled with great taste. The bream whole fish was great and the shared sirloin the star of the second course with the black garlic "sauce" proving amazing taste. The affogato and flan were both satisfying and finish with Hungarian Chablis was a treat. The wine list is vast...and unique...go past US, French and Italian and camp on page 25, Austrian, Lebanese, Slovenian and Israeli wines...we did 2 bottles of Slovenian and what value!! ~$65/bottle a real discount for the taste and quality!! The team is just great and I wish I ate here all 3 nights in PHX! read more

Pa'La is definitely a must try in downtown Phoenix! On Tuesdays they offer the chef's tasting menu, which includes an eight course meal paired with wine for a fairly decent price. The style of food is wood fired, Japanese/South American flavors; portions are small tapas plates that are meant to be shared. Every course they brought out was delicious but my ultimate favorite was the Branzino! During the chef's tasting menu, you will share a "community table of about 6-8 people. It is a fun and great opportunity to interact and potentially make new friends while sharing a delicious meal. Check this place out! read more

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I recently came across this place decided to give it a try. Upon making a reservation I saw they offer different experiences. Tuesday's they have a "table" experience which consists of 8 courses with wine. If you can, I HIGHLY recommend you do it. Every dish was delicious and the service was amazing. I had accidentally booked for the wrong date but they still accommodated and allowed me to enjoy the experience. Definitely recommend! read more

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Update: came back again for a second try and it was a lot better when it wasn't super busy and food was super good. Ribeye was very yummy and cooked very well, favorite was also the crudo Kampachi. I was also super surprised how much I liked the sweet potato as the chili oil gave it a good kick. The waiter was super nice too and gave good advice for food. read more

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This was our first dinner in Phoenix and it was perfectly picked! Our server, Ana, was truly the highlight of the experience, her recommendations, charisma, and warm energy made the night even better. The drinks were phenomenal, and we loved the specials they offered. We also tried the pork belly appetizer, which was so good we ended up ordering it twice. For our main course, the ribeye was cooked to a perfect medium rare over the fire ....absolutely delicious. To top it all off, there was live jazz music, and we even got front row seats! The ambiance was unbeatable, matching the quality of the food and service. A memorable night all around! read more

I can't stop thinking about this place! In early October, I reserved a spot at Pa'la Downtown for my partner's birthday. Knowing how much he and I both love unique, multicultural food, I knew Pa'la would be a great place to visit. It serves tapa-style meals, with a blend of Mediterranean and Japanese style dishes, so you can try a variety of cuisine in one sitting. This is a spot for the most adventurous of eaters; I would not recommend coming here if you're not prepared to expand your palette. I am not a picky eater, yet I was even a little intimidated by some of the items on the menu. Each dish tasted heavenly. My favorites included the pork lettuce wraps, beef tartare, and branzino filet. My partner was a big fan of the bone marrow, but by the time that arrived, I was so stuffed I could only have a little bite. The service was incredible, with a kind woman leading us upstairs and not having us wait long to be seated. We had a proper introduction to the menu, along with a special birthday cheesecake. The ambiance was lovely; even with the live jazz band, it didn't feel as overwhelmingly loud as I expected. There were mostly couples around us, and one huge group taking photos of what seemed to be another birthday celebration. I highly recommend Pa'la Downtown! The staff gave my partner and I a night we'd never forget, and I'm already thinking of excuses to drive over an hour back to Phoenix so I experience it all over again. read more

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This is my third time here and each time has been an amazing dining experience. Date night, night out with family, and family from out of state. It's the consistency for me! From the moment we entered the service was notable and quite impressive. The music set a great vibe to the night too. The team paid attention to detail from eloquently describing the food, to recommending tasty cocktails, keeping a clean table, and everyone was Genuinely personable. IMO this alone separates them from the rest. Food? Please be prepared because there isn't anything that will disappoint! As a table of 4 we shared the Pork belly, Burrata, Brussels sprouts. Then for entrees the Branzino, Miso Black Cod & the Ribeye with the sweet potatoes & Piquillo Peppers. Every dish had its own unique flavor that left us wanting more of everything. Of course we didn't leave without dessert! How could we?! We shared the Matcha Cheesecake and the Milk Honey Flan. It was an immediate decision - the Milk Honey Flan topped the night. It left us speechless at how light and subtly sweet it is. So good, be bad, be selfish, don't share - get your own! read more

My friend made us dinner reservation with our husbands for restaurant week. We had a great experience, food was excellent and the service was top notch. We sat upstairs in the lounge near the jazz players. It was a very cozy and romantic atmosphere. Their restaurant week menu was $55 per person for appetizer, entree and dessert. For my appetizer I ordered their burrata. There was way too much bread for the amount of burrata and I felt like the bread was way too thick. This dish was ok. For my entree, I ordered their bucatini mushroom pasta, this was fantastic. Bucatini pasta is a thick, spaghetti-like pasta with a hollow center. This is not a pasta I see often at a restaurant. I loved it and highly recommend this dish! For my dessert, I picked their yuzu mouse cake. It was light and fluffy. It tasted a little like key lime pie. I enjoyed it! Our service was great, our waiter was very detailed and he did have a lot of information to share about the restaurant and menus. read more

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I'd been wanting to check out Pa'La for a while so I was excited to see they were participating in restaurant week. Pa'La means "for the people." The food is a combination of Mediterranean, South American, and Japanese flavors. Their menu changes daily because they use fresh ingredients at their peak. Their normal menu is set up like tapas and smaller bites, meant to be shared to experience a variety of flavors. They recommend about 4-5 plates per person. The restaurant week menu is a different style, with the starter, entree, and dessert for one person. Pa'La's chef does a lot of open wood-fire grilling and we also learned they do a Japanese style 'fireside' cooking called 'robatayaki.' The restaurant has a down stairs, along with a small bar and patio seating. Then upstairs is a lounge with a larger bar. The Upstairs Lounge is a vibe! They have live jazz music Thursday - Saturday nights. It's dimly lit, swanky, and a total mood. The rectangle bar has a red octopus mural on the ceiling, very unique. We had a reservation for upstairs. The hostess who sat us was great. We saw two open tables closer to the jazz band as she walked us to our table in the back. We asked if we could make a switch. She ended up moving us, which was fantastic. She also gave us the drink menu, food menu, showed us where to scan the QR code for specials, and told us about restaurant week, giving us that menu as well. That was great considering other places we've been for restaurant week haven't offered that menu and some even act annoyed you want to order from that menu, which is wild! If that's the case the restaurant shouldn't be participating in restaurant week! We went with another couple. 3 of us did the restaurant week menu and then my husband ordered a few different items off the regular menu. Our server was intense about the menu. He was super knowledgeable and excited about the ingredients, methods, and cuisine. We are all foodies so it was great, but for other people it could be a bit overwhelming since it was a lot of information. We started with some fun cocktails and they brought us the most delicious complimentary focaccia bread with olive oil. We ordered Olives with Smoked Chili Almonds and 1/2 Dozen Oysters off their regular menu to share at the table. I had the Ocean Trout Tartare, the Wood-Fired Branzino, and the Yuzu Mousse Cake. The Trout Tartare was delicious and served with Tallow chips. I loved it was Trout and not the typical Tuna. The Branzino was flaky and smoky. It was served with grains and a gremolata. I really enjoyed it. The Yuzu Mousse Cake was just okay. I like lemon and grapefruit tart flavors but I didn't love the mousse. My friend had the Burrata and enjoy it, but it did come with a lot of bread for the amount of burrata served. She had the Bucatini with Maitake Mushrooms and it was delicious. Her husband had the Iberico Pork Ribs in a Miso Maple Glaze and loved it. My husband had the Kurobuta Pork Belly with Sour Plum BBQ Sauce and Pickled Root Vegetables. He loved the flavor combination. He had the Mussels with Chorizo and more of that yummy focaccia bread to dip in the sauce. He also tried the Japanese Sweet Potato with Cilantro and Chili Crunch, so good! We had wine with dinner and then decided to try a bottle of their saki after dinner. Kind of random but we all loved the little light on the table. It was perfect for the ambiance and also came in handy when we wanted to read the menu better or for pictures. We will definitely be back. I want to try their octopus and also want to do their "Table," 8 course communal dinner with wine on Tuesdays. They offer this at both the downtown location and their 24th street location. The idea of a cozy long table sharing amazing food, wine, and conversation sounds so interesting and fun! Pa'La is a hybrid of flavors, a must try!!! read more

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This place has an intimate, sultry vibe to it - great for first dates. It's dimly lit but I can still read the menu. The staff is attentive yet almost forcefully friendly; they're being really nice but it's like someone told them they have to be. If you're looking for something good to eat, this isn't the place. The menu is derivative, and wholly uninspired. Came in with a party of 4 and all of us asked "is this the whole menu?" I don't think this menu was well thought out. I'll give you some examples: - Sea Bream : the fish was cooked well and was tasty, but who was the genius that though of putting the fish ON TOP of the grains( which didn't go well with the protein fyi)? You want me to eat the fish then lift the skin/bones off the plate to be able to scoop some of the grains that were hidden UNDER the fish? I had to keep doing that the whole time. Just put the grains on the side! - The beef tartare: Squid. Ink. Japanese. Milk. Bread...??? Not a great fusion of flavors. The bread was so overpowering and just did not work well with the delicate tartare. - Anchovies: Whose idea was it to serve the anchovies with taralli? Do I put the fish on the taralli? Eat one before the other? What do I do with this? Steak entree was great. Tender and well-seasoned. But it's just the steak by itself. The only safe thing on the menu was the pasta, and they were out of that. Cocktails were fantastic. They make a mean Vesper. I can't say I'd recommend this place to anyone. 2 stars for the ambiance and the attentive staff. read more

OMG the food here is so good! You can't ask for better service, everyone is super attentive and Light. It's very romantic classy. They have an upstairs where they play jazz certain days of the week. We will definitely be coming back lots of options. We got out rec course meal with a wine pairing. And the Seabass, excellent service and food. read more

I would say 3.7 stars, service was great! I felt like I was famous haha also the flan was really good and I never like flan haha but also my boyfriend said the black cod was really good and soft. I thought the chicken Piccata was hard and on the dryer side. The potatoes were good though. read more

Pa’La Downtown - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I give this place a 4.5 stars The only reason is, it did take a a while for them to provide me with my food. Other than that, the people were friendly, helpful, and very attentive. We came to check on me and see how my food was and I was like well. I don't have any food. If you're looking for a delicious fancy restaurant, this is a place to go. The menu changes often, so probably what I won't be available in a couple of weeks or days. Overall, but I enjoyed my favorite part. Was the mussels. I had never tried them, but the sauce it came, and was delicious. The ribeye was also good The meat was cooked. Perfection melted in your mouth. The only thing I didn't really like is all the garnish that was on top. It was in big fan of that. The other two items that I really enjoyed was the pork Valley and the sweet potato. I don't know what they put on it, but it worked really well. There was much more. I wanted to try, but it is pretty pricey. So, hopefully in my next visit. I'll stop by again and see what else they have on the menu. read more

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Overall wonderful experience. We were seated at a table right by the door and asked about a booth but they were all filled up so the hostess asked if we wanted a high top instead by the kitchen, which was very nice and cool! We had two servers take care of us and they explained the menu very well, very knowledgeable about all the elements of each dish and their allergens. There is a lot gluten free.. except there is no gluten free grain at all?? For instance, the cod has ancient grains with gluten but they have no rice that's gluten free at all. There's foccacia but no gf bread. So that was disappointing because a carb helps with a balanced meal. A lot of the gluten free was red meat which I don't eat so overall I was more limited hence the four stars - the grain got me... I wasn't going to pay $42 for a meal with no grain. And no chicken dishes? Odd. I ended up getting the wild u10 shrimp and Japanese sweet potato. The shrimp came with only four pieces - they were large but for $29... just expect to spend more money here if you want to be full. The shrimp was very tasty though! It had great flavor from the ginger and garlic and it was fresh and light yet packed a slight heat. Very juicy. The sweet potato also only came with three slices for $13. It was once again however, pretty outstanding flavor wise. The skin had a nice crunch while the flesh was pillow-y and delicate but still packed heat with the chili crunch. They are very good about providing adequate sauce. Also the sweet potato came out over 5 minutes before my shrimp, not sure if that's normal or something happened in the kitchen. My boyfriend got the special which was an egg pasta with pesto, cherry tomatoes, and shrimp. He said the pasta was outstanding - you could tell it was homemade - and he even liked the pesto and he's not a big pesto fan. He said the shrimp was nice And tender. He agreed the portion was small for the price but we both recognize we pay for high quality. read more

Pa’La Downtown - Wild U10 shrimp - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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We arrived just as they opened and sat on the upstairs terrace. Thursday night is jazz night and the trio that was playing hit just the right groove. Mellow, chill, an enhancement rather than a focal point. Much like the dècor. It's very low-key chic. Great design. The restaurant filled up quickly and when our food arrived, we could see why. The plates are meant to be shared. Meze with a Japanese flair. Healthy food with a healthy amount of umami. The wood-grilled octopus was superb, as was the bone marrow. And be sure not to miss the sourdough focaccia! The service was very friendly, if a mite overly intrusive. But it was much better than being ignored. Definitely worth a try if you're in Phoenix at night. read more

We decided to pop into Pa'la while downtown. We didn't have any reservations but the bar was the only open section. My friend has definitely recommended Pa'la and I have seen it talked about online. We tried the murmurs pork belly, fresh burrata, Japanese sweet potato, and wild u10 shrimp. My absolute favorites were the Japanese sweet potato and fresh burrata. The Japan sweet potato was completely different than expected. It was a sweet and chilli taste to it, not really sweet like a regular sweet potato. All the drinks were delicious as well. Definitely will be back. read more

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It's a al carte and the food comes out as it's done due to it having more then one kitchen. So most of the food can be eaten family style. The staff was pleasant and we arrived for an early dinner so it was just opening. Lots of great drinks and the live jazz band was just setting up. The NY steak was one of the better ones I have had. Wife loved the appetizer of sardines and nuts she got. Looting forward to returning and trying more of the menu. read more

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Delicous food pretentious service. Upstairs has live jazz music. I'd do it again in a pinch : )

I'm not sure I would go here again the food was ok, they had a limited menu and the parking was difficult and the small plates I wasn't a fan of, service was great but overall experience was a 5/10 just not up to my taste standards. read more

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We came here for the live music and supposedly amazing and fresh food. It's okay. The service was decent and seated us at the bar without reservations. The food tasted good but it is very pricey and is tapa style so it's hard to justify the cost. The bucatini carbonara was just okay probably would skip. My favorite were the sweet potatoes but 3 slices was about $13-14. Overall a fun time just to hang out but we did go out for tacos after just cause it felt short. read more

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My fiancé and I came to Pa'La for an early dinner prior to a show downtown. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess and everyone who we spoke with was very kind and helpful. We were highly impressed by everything we had!!! Would highly recommend the tartar with squid ink bread and the sweet potato dish. We also had a carbonara special and ribs. Everything was delicious and bursting with flavor! read more

Pa’La Downtown - Tartar and squid ink bread - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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The food was incredible, service outstanding and staff extremely friendly and helpful.

Best Mediterranean fine dining experiemce. Great service. Exceptional food. Live music. It's such a fun and delightful time here. The food is refreshing to eat. Very clean eating and simple ingredients. Temperature of the food was perfect and presentation was appealing. Friendly staff really makes it that much more a great time. The atmosphere is intimate yet lively with the live music. Friday's and Saturday's is the time to dine and catch the entertainment. read more

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Took my aunt out to celebrate her birthday at Pa'la and it did not disappoint! We both could not get over how great of an evening it was! We made reservations for the upstairs area on a Friday night so we could enjoy the live jazz music. Immediately upon entering the restaurant, everyone was soooo friendly and although I did tell them ahead of time that we were celebrating a birthday, almost every staff member told her Happy Birthday. The fact they socialized that with the team was so special! The overall vibes of the restaurant were upscale but comfortable, which made it all that much easier to just relax and enjoy the evening! Now on to food, because this is easily the best part! I started with Talia's Colada to drink, delightfully tart, bubbly, and not too sweet, it was super refreshing! We went with several small plates to share and ended up with the Brussels sprouts, pork belly, Japanese sweet potato and the wood fired octopus. Everything was delicious! The sprouts had a tangy mustard like dressing and were so soft in the center but perfectly crisp on the outside. The pork belly was incredibly tender and the plum sauce was the perfect sweet and sour combo. The sweet potato was like candy, so perfectly caramelized and the aleppo chili crisp was a nice touch. Finally the octopus was interesting. I've only ever had octopus one other time and this one seemed a little chewy but had such great flavor and the artichoke, potato, and frisée salad was a nice accompaniment. We ended dinner with an espresso and the flan, which was heavenly! The flan had a burnt sugar ice cream and some crunchy bits, it was just perfect! We'll definitely be back to Pa'la in the future! read more

Easily one of my favorite restaurants in Phoenix. My friend and I ordered the beef tartare, Japanese sweet potato, and miso cod. Everything was delicious and perfectly portioned. We left full but not uncomfortable. Ambience was also great. I love that you can watch the light rail go by if you're facing the doors. We didn't get a chance to go upstairs because we had to meet a friend at a different location, but we will definitely be back to check it out. And will just be back in general. read more

Pa’La Downtown - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Pa'La was excellent. After getting stranded due to a missed connection at PHX, i booked a hotel downtown and found this gem. I started with a glass of wine and then decided to order off their daily specials listed on the chalk board. This place is serious about their steaks. They even have an Iberico pork steak, which I expect to be quite good. But, I ordered the crudo, which was comprised of trout. And a 5 oz branzino. These fish dishes were tasty. I had an excellent server (sorry, forgot good name). So it was a great way to spend an unexpected evening in Phoenix. read more

My wife had a conference downtown so we were looking for a place to grab dinner. We happened upon Pa'La and were so thankful that we did. The food and service were amazing. The owner came by to refill our waters and while chatting with him, we discovered that they are opening a new concept in Goodyear, which is where we live. New spot is called Magdalena and is supposed to open in August -- we can't wait! read more

Great place at downtown Phoenix to enjoy dinner with friends. The tapas menu are really affordable and tasty. Love the Fire-grilled octopus, pork belly, and Japanese sweet tomatoes with chilly oil. The house red Cabernet from Chile was really good. It is kind of pricy for dinner entrees. read more

We were in downtown Phoenix for the TSO Christmas show and tried Pa'La for tapas and wine before the show. Wood-fire cooking of many unique ingredients provides an adventurous culinary delight. They offer daily happy hour everyday, including event days and all day Sundays with $8 glasses of wine, tapas ranging from $6 to $18. Four or five tapas shared between two is ample. We started with Olives, Brei cheese and Sweet Potatoes. The olives were a mix of green and Kalamata olives, flavorful. The Brei cheese came with pita bread and granola. Delicious with the Malbec wine, although the granola seemed an odd guest at the party. The Sweet Potato was topped with Aleppo chorizo, sweet and spicy and is a must try! We continue by trying the beef tartare and wood-fired octopus. The beef tartare was served with a squid ink bread. Neither one of us had ever tried beef tartare previously and love it! The bold, salty and briny flavors were complemented well by the Malbec wine, although any red wine would probably work. The Wood-fire Octopus dish included artichoke, finger link potatoes and smoked sweet peppers. Tasty and fine with the Malbec due to the bold and wood-fire flavors. The service was attentive and on point. She did a wonderful job of explaining all the unique dishes. Definitely a classy vibe and decor, jazzy background music provided a great atmosphere. They have live jazz music several times a week. Pa'La is a new downtown favorite. Looking forward to returning and experiencing another culinary adventure. Highly recommended! read more

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A friend recommended this spot, so I had to come check it out--and I'm glad I did! I ordered the beef tartare, the wood-fired octopus, the Japanese sweet potato, and one of their desserts. The tartare was fresh and flavorful, the octopus had a great char with just the right amount of smokiness, and the sweet potato was such a unique and comforting dish. Dessert tied it all together and was the perfect finish to the meal. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was attentive without being overbearing. Overall, it was a great experience, and I'd definitely come back to try more dishes! read more

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I have been wanting to come here for years & finally made it. Host and hostesses were 5 star as well as all of our servers. Never skipped a beat with superb fine dining service. Jazz trio entertains upstairs, with an impressive wine cellar and intimate dining room. Ambiance is classy but not stuffy. The chef here spent a decade at one of my other faves, Roka Akor. So I knew it would be great but THIS great?! This amazing restaurant has such delectable food, it had me dreaming about it. Unique sourced ingredients are used & their menu is always changing. Everything I ate was literally a party in my mouth. So much so, we ordered most of the appetizers twice. The complimentary focaccia bread, the tenderly soft kurobuta pork belly was sinfully delicious, as was the woodfired octopus & fresh burrata. Saying I cannot wait to return is an understatement. read more

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What a disappointment. Our expectations were for a great experience. We were immediately put on the back foot when after ordering a draft beer, we were told that there were no draft beers available due to a mechanical issue. And there were only two bottle choices. We had a nice chat with the bartender and then ordered a couple of starters, the olives and pickled anchovies. Both came quickly. The olive app was laughable. The kitchen opened the fridge and dropped 15 cold green olives in a bowl. There was no attempt to warm or season them. No presentation whatsoever. Just 15 cold olives for $6. Just embarrassing for Pa'la. The anchovies were adequate, served with tiny tasteless pastry rings. Their website menu showed anchovies and almonds for $8 but they had removed that offering and we had $13 anchovies without almonds instead. This was an underwhelming experience from start to finish. Just awful. read more

Pa’La Downtown - A bowl of cold olives with no seasoning or presentation and anchovies - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona