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    Renee's Tucson

    4.4 (958 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Renee's Tucson Reservations

    Order Renee's Tucson Takeout or Delivery

    Renee's Tucson Photos

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    RENEE'S TUCSON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Renee's Tucson

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    Rey F.

    Checked out Renee's a few weeks ago and it's honestly my new favorite Italian spot in Tucson. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The food was amazing, the vibes were great and it's such a great place for date night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The murals on the walls are super cool too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I loved how they had hand sanitizer at the table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Seating is pretty limited, so I'd definitely make a reservation.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was great and everything tasted super fresh. We ordered the Meatballs & Jalapeño Cream, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Garlic Knots, Papas con Queso Pizza, Penne Arrabbiata, and Tiramisu. Everything was amazing but my favorites had to be the meatballs and the pizza. Only downside was that they were out of lemonade, which I really wanted to try. But the food was so good that I'lol for sure be back, so I'll just grab it next time.

    Homemade LASAGNA
    Tom M.

    We went to this long time family establishment after seeing 009' at the Gaslight Theater....what a great find! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a very small place and reservations are recommended.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere is quaint and quiet with nice private booths for a very relaxing dining experience![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We also 'LOVE' the fact that kids under 12 years of age are not allowed in the dining room but can be seated outside on the patio.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our waitress for the event was no other than 'Renee' the long time owner and she was AMAZING! So thoughtful and funny to chat with about her amazing food selection. Guy Fieri with 'DDD', also know as 'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives visited her restaurant in 2018 with great reviews......he kinda knows Great Italian! We loved all the dishes as the 'Renee Sauce' is so tasty and delicious. The pizza was awesome as was the lasagna.....but the 'Flowerless Cake' was OMG total 'FLAVORTOWN' as Guy would say! We look forward to seeing Renee again soon on our next trip up to Tucson! Cheers!

    Chilies and Cream PIzza
    David R.

    This was our second time going to Renee's and again had a great experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is a small restaurant, and so for larger parties, like our party of 9 this time, they don't have tables inside that can accommodate that but they have a nice, shaded area right in front that can fit up to 15 outside I believe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have two large fans above the shaded outdoor area which kept things at a comfortable temp even though it was in the high 90s at the time.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As usual, their food was delicious. We ordered 4 pizzas and all were good. We particularly liked the Chiles and Cream Pizza, Everything Pizza, and the Pesto Pizza. Some in our group had the Penne Pesto Pasta with chicken and my wife and I shared the Penne Arrabbiate with meatballs, and both were fantastic, and the server automatically split the dishes for us. The dessert, Lemon Posset, I still remember from last time and have longed to try it again, and it was a hit. We were sad though that they only had 3 left since our group of 9 would have had more if they had it. Delicious!

    Ice mint tea
    Trevor C.

    Ending our special day at one of my favorite restaurants in Tucson was the perfect choice! Every bite somehow got better and better -- from the fresh and flavorful apple walnut poppyseed salad to the rich and satisfying papas con queso pizza, and finishing with a delicious tiramisu that was the perfect sweet ending. Thank you, Renee, for making our evening so enjoyable with your wonderful service and warm hospitality. You helped make a perfect night even more special!

    Ashley C.

    I went here for lunch with a friend on Friday and was nervous since the website suggests making reservations. Fortunately it was pretty empty when we came around 2:30pm. My friend ordered the Caprese board and I ordered the meatballs in jalepeno sauce appetizer. Both were disappointing to me.. I mean the caprese board there wasn't much to be done but I've definitely had better. But the meatballs were a 0/5.. just bland and the sauce was not much better, with no detection of jalepeno. We both got Detroit style pizzas which were the saving grace. Good presentation, portion, and tasted good. Nothing here blew my mind but happy to have finally made it here to try.

    Coney dog
    Jessica P.

    Renee's is a small restaurant on tanque verde and sabino canyon. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The indoor seating is limited, but they also have patio seating available.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Their pizza is awesome, but what I really loved was their coney dog. You can tell the chili is freshly made. Our server was also very attentive and accommodating to my special request to have pesto on only half my pizza. I'll be back to enjoy other pizzas and coneys in the future!

    Chris K.

    I ordered from their takeout restaurant. Not sure if they let you order these things at the main restaurant but thats where you pick the food up and where Grubhub gets it. Is any case I heard they had authentic coney island dogs and Detroit style pizza. The coney islands was what had ne order, I reluctantly ordered a pizza. My experience in Tucson with Detroit style pizza is overpriced poor quality pizza. First the coney islands, they're nit as good as Apollos or other top places in Michigan but thise places aren't in Tucson. So these hit the spot and scratched that itch. The pizza I loved all high quality ingredients, still smallish but we'll worth it. My wife did not like it but shes not a fan of browned cheese. Id order again. Oh remember to place your orders early because they run out. This was my second attempt at getting food from here.

    Cocktail - Chopin Vodka with Prickly Pear Lemonade
    James M.

    Always a great experience. Fantastic food - Meatballs & Marinara Sauce, Garlic Knots, Cheese Ravioli, and a BYO Calzone - on this visit and great service.

    Renee's Restaurant Sign
    Melissa S.

    Renee's requires an advance reservation to get an indoor booth and you have to put a card down to hold the reservation. They also have a $10 per person cancellation fee for any reservation cancelled under 24 hours. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is not the place to go with children under 12 as they do not allow them for indoor dine-in seating, nor for large group events as they do not have the seating space.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]However, they do allow children in the outdoor patio seating area.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] While the customer service and Italian food is good, and the portions are decent sized. The menu is also pretty limited and they do not have a full bar. [[HIGHLIGHT]]If you are going for the intimate/date night atmosphere it falls a bit short without a full bar or music to support that sort of ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Coney dog with hot chips
    Joy S.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is a tiny restaurant that seems to be a well-loved place to go.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had made a reservation for lunch using Open Table. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Our booth felt very private.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]There are only a few tables indoors and a few more on the patio out front.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our server was attentive. I appreciated that they offer zoodles as a low carb option to pasta noodles. I ordered the seared chicken breast low carb meal. While it was good, the portion wasn't very large. For as much as it cost, I would've thought it'd come with a salad or something. Also, they don't offer soup, which sounded good on a chilly day. They now offer Coney dogs for a pretty reasonable price. My friend ordered that with the hot potato chips, which were the only available chips. She enjoyed it. It looks like they have one menu, with no less expensive lunch options.

    Small patio in the strip center

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    Review Insights

    2 months ago

    Interesting selections, great personal service, impressed that all food is home made. A very special dinner at a surprisingly good price.

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    3 months ago

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    15 days ago

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    6 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    21 days ago

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    1 month ago

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    8 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

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    Thanks for checking us out! Carry on enjoying your favorite places

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    24 days ago

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    4 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    2 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Good food whether eating in or taking out. Tried the Detroit pizza for the first time and will order again. Pasta choices are great.

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    Page 1 of 24

    Renee's Tucson Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Renee's Tucson

    What time is Happy Hour?

    Hi! We have a takeout happy hour. $10 meals to go check out our menu online and click away. This is available any day that we are open from the time we open that day until the time we close.… 

    What's the birthday deal? Ty

    Hi! Our lunch birthday special is $50 for two ice teas or glasses of Prosecco. 2 lunch salads… 

    Are dogs allowed on the patio?

    We do not allow pets on the patio. We hope that you can make your way to us when your fur babies can be at home snug and waiting for you. We do offer take out and there is a park just across the street. There is also a dog friendly restaurant in… 

    Are you still not open for dine in?

    We are now seating! Reservations are required for the dining room as seating is very limited, please do not call the restaurant for bookings. Policy and availability are provided when booking online on our website or through opentable. 1-4 guests… 

    My husband is allergic to soy, does Renee's Organics menu offer soy free meals?

    It absolutely does! :)

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Locale Neighborhood Italian

    Locale Neighborhood Italian

    4.1
    (737 reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    Came here on a date! Service was cool but the ambiance was ruined bc we were seated with a VERY…read moreLOUD GROUP. Idk what the hostess was thinking seeing a couple that has come in for a nice dinner and seats them next to a large party. It really killed the atmosphere. I opted for a glass of Chardonnay which was fantastic! I really enjoyed it. Really everything you want in an American Chardonnay. It was fruity, complex, oaky just perfect. For the app the bruschetta was messy to eat, and was underwhelming. Way too much tomatoes and it was just not a sexy thing to eat. I got the chicken and that was delicious. The broccolini and the polenta made for a perfect place of food. My date got the lasagna which was just ok. It was very very tomato forward and acidic. I prefer my sauce to be milder and not so sour. Dessert was mind altering. That pistachio ice cream was sooo good. Amazing. No notes. The tiramisu was classic. It was light, fluffy, airy, good coffee and liquor flavor. I was impressed.

    I've been coming back to locale because of my Resy credits and I've finally found my favorite dish…read morehere. My husband keeps trying different things most recently the burger - he liked it but they didn't ask how he wanted his burger done which was odd. We always get the bread! It's so good and they have amazing butters to go with my favorite is the prosciutto butter. My favorite dish here is the chicken dish, the polenta in the drippings is phenomenal and they have big pieces of garlic in it with the baby broccoli. The service here can be a hit or miss I've never had consistency with it. The mocktail options are nice but most recently very watered down so now I just opt for sparkling water. I wish they had a reservation system for smaller groups but worth the wait, show up early and on weekends expect at least 15-20 min wait at minimum.

    Photos
    Interior Seating
    Interior Seating
    Carpaccio
    Carpaccio
    Check the website, but this is the entrance to the bakery side of Locale. It's not open every day.

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    Check the website, but this is the entrance to the bakery side of Locale. It's not open every day.
    Penelope

    Penelope

    4.5
    (300 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Need to come back to try every other pizza! lol…read more A friend suggested this place for a get-together. They don't take reservations, and we knew to expect a wait, so a friend volunteered to stop in early to get our name on the list (this was around 5:30 PM, right before happy hour ended)! The restaurant is a cozy space. It was the middle of summer, so we opted for an indoor table, meaning a wait was certain. They do have a nice patio section, so I'm sure wait times will be much shorter or nil once we return in the fall or winter, or as soon as the temperatures drop! As soon as we were seated, we ordered drinks in time to catch the happy hour specials. We each got a drink and the meatball entree to share. We opted for the entree over the small plate because it came with 3 meatballs rather than just one. For entrees, I got the Figgy Piggy pizza. OMG, this pizza was sooo good! Sweet and savory! It features a fig jam base, mozzarella, prosciutto, lemon parmesan, balsamic drizzle, and arugula. One friend got the classic pepperoni and the other got the meatball lasagna. I got to taste the lasagna, and it was rich and flavorful. That lasagna serving was massive. One slice is easily enough for at least two people! I am already planning to come back since I was only able to try one of the pizzas! LOL. Who's coming with?"

    My wife and I went here for the first time for Dinner. We ordered the bread with marinara sauce and…read morethe little miss pizza. Both tasted fantastic, however, I wish they would crispy up the bottom dough of the pizza a little bit. It was just a teeny bit oily. Fantastic service and food, tasted so fresh. We'll definitely go back and try it again.

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    House-made Meatballs Appetizer
    House-made Meatballs Appetizer
    Burrata and (yellow) tomatoes ($14) 6/2026

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    Burrata and (yellow) tomatoes ($14) 6/2026
    Falora

    Falora

    4.2
    (411 reviews)
    5.5 mi
    $$

    Great spot for date night or if you're looking for an upscale pizza place! The pizzas are made…read moreNapoli-style with a thin, chewy crust with a nice char. The menu also features salads and pastas and a nice wine list. We've ordered the Margherita pizza several times, and it consistently is delicious. Though the pizza is definitely the main event, the salads and pasta are solid as well. We've had the Caesar salad which is pretty good, but recently tried the Piastra (chilled zucchini noodles in housemade pesto) which was a light and refreshing start to the meal. We also shared the hazelnut gnocchi which was unique, umami and creamy in flavor. For dessert, we shared the panna cotta which is served in a mason jar - great way to end the meal.

    I am a big fan of this plaza and the surrounding businesses…read more My husband and I have made it a mission to try all pizza spots in town so this was next on our list. We made reservations and I'm glad we did as this is an extremely small space. We were seated at the bar where they have their kitchen. Generally we don't like sitting at the bar but it was nice to watch the crew make food. It's impressive what they can do with this small space. Very small menu- My husband and I are sober so we are always looking for spots with good NA/ mocktail options but it fell short here so we just got a bottle of sparkling water. We ordered the butter pecan salad which was amazing. Loved everything about it, I was hesitant that they only had butter lettuce but I think I appreciated the soft lettuce with the crunch of the apple and pecans in it. The dressing was phenomenal. For a pizza we got just the pepperoni, I saw a lot of margarita pizzas with pepperoni being made and I think we would've liked that option better with the fresh chunks of mozzarella. The cheese they use for the regular pizza is a very strong flavor, probably a nice aged parm so that really came through. We are sauce people so it was hard to appreciate the sauce with the strong profile of the cheese which is why I think we would've liked the margarita pizza better We had the panna cotta for desert and my husband LOVED it. They prep it in advance in cute little mason jars. Overall not a bad spot. Service was great, salad was phenomenal. I think if we would've had a table and maybe tried a different pizza this would've made our top 5 spots for pizza.

    Photos
    Falora
    Giardino
    Giardino
    Outside

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    Outside
    Tavolino Ristorante Italiano

    Tavolino Ristorante Italiano

    3.7
    (549 reviews)
    7.1 mi
    $$

    For whatever reason, I haven't been here in nearly ten years, and my dining companion had never…read morebeen. So we journeyed out on Memorial Day for a grill-free dinner. The space is lovely of course, with tons of courtyard view windows. We did run into a broken chair when we sat down, but that was easily remedied (hopefully it was permanently removed from the floor). Our server was also tending bar, so he was stretched a bit thin, but overall the service was solid. He happily went back to the kitchen in a couple of questions he couldn't answer, but was overall very knowledgeable. He recommended a white wine made by a relative of the restaurant owner and it was lovely. We started with the octopus. I didn't expect this starter to be cold, but the tender octopus, fingerling potatoes and olives were a great combo in the acidic sauce. Would most certainly order it again. My main was the short rib. Short rib is always a heavy dish, but the vegetable risotto and asparagus helped lighten it a bit and it was tender and delicious. I probably ate 1/3, but I'm not sad to have generous leftovers. My dining companion had the veal, which was also excellent. I finished my meal with the crème caramel, which was very traditional and exactly as expected (which is what I want in a dessert like that). I'm very happy to dine here more often than every ten years.

    Great experience here today. I stopped in for a quick meal before I hit near by art galleries…read more Tavolino is located in a beautiful plaza with a lot of parking. The restaurant is clean and beautifully decorated. Today I ordered their caprese burrata. It was unbelievable, creamy and fresh. Service was a little slow but super friendly.

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    Tavolino Ristorante Italiano
    Veal Saltimbocca with semolina cakes ($36) 6/2026
    Veal Saltimbocca with semolina cakes ($36) 6/2026
    Pita bread starter (warmed/free)

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    Pita bread starter (warmed/free)
    Vero Amore - Swan

    Vero Amore - Swan

    3.8
    (662 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    Food was fresh and made to order. First time, so we tried a lot and packed up most of it to go…read morehome. Here's the misses and hits: Misses: Wasabi ranch dipping sauce for toasted ravioli? Uh, no. It tastes like tartar sauce and is extremely unappetizing mixed with warm cheese rav's . 0/10 do not recommend, would not ever taste it again. Caesar salad dressing. Listen, I love me some anchovy paste in my homemade Caesar salad dressing but this was way too much. And where is the lemon to brighten it up? 5/10 would order again if they brought out a small cup of their Caesar dressing to taste beforehand. Calamari. Husband got the calamari and said it was just ok, but definitely not worth the price. Too much $$$. Salsiccia pizza. Fresh, delicious, just severely lacking in cheese. A little more generous portion of that divine homemade mozz would be nice. 7/10, would definitely ask for extra cheese when ordering. Hits: Toasted rav's appetizer. 10/10 would get again, however when I look at the price ($18) and you only get 6 ravs plus dipping sauce (marinara and that horrendous wasabi ranch), it really doesn't feel like a good deal. Yes delicious, but $3 per 1"x1" square rav?? Too much money in my book. Tomato bisque. While not quite fresh, it was divine. The toast piece that came with it was rubbed with garlic and oil and grilled to the perfect texture and then partially dipped in the soup for playing, amazing 100/10 would get again, but this time request just a little more fresh basil. Highly recommend. Caesar salad. Though the dressing leaning too far into fishy tasting (too much anchovy paste), the overall salad was fresh, albeit extremely small for the price you are paying. Checca pizza. Warm, garlic olive oil as the base, homemade mozz and basil and tomatoes, all wonderful EXCEPT what monster in the kitchen is using chopped salad tomatoes as a pizza topping? Hideous. Looked like a circle k pizza, at best. Tasted great, except for those tomatoes - were they San marzano?? Overall, we would go back, but try different dishes. Ambiance was warm and friendly, service was not great. Hoping it was just a one off, but by the looks of the other reviews, it's hit or miss with the wait staff, which is unfortunate. Edited to add: We also ordered the tiramisu and the siciliani cannoli - very generous portion of tiramisu, cannoli are only three small 3" pieces. Tiramisu good, would order again, cannoli is quite delicious - hubs said for sure would order again. 10/10 recommend and would re-order.

    Well, not really sure where to start on this review? It was a very sad experience from previous…read morevisits.I will start with me calling all day (2) weeks prior trying to make a dinner reservation for a party of six for dinner on Sunday night. Even though the restaurant was open for business they did not answer the phone! Warning! I finally had my call answered in the evening and made our reservation and informed them that we were interested in the 'Cheese Wheel Linguine' as you are required. We were then informed while ordering that they would not be doing the 'wheel' due to 'callouts' that night. OK, so I tried to order (4) different bottles of Chardonnay and they were out of three of them. We started with an appetizer of 'calamari' and it came 'burnt' and like rubber. We also ordered their famous Caesar Salad and were never served. We then decided to order a pizza which was served to us cold, uncooked and doughy. The poor wait staff and cooks are not managed correctly and were well over whelmed with no help. I was informed that the restaurant has 'new ownership' as they were purchased by 'Flying Leap Vineyards' and have been recently having staffing issues, inventory issue's and the new owners have cut back on everything. They did credit us on our bill for the cold uncooked pizza and the burnt calamari that was not edible. Our waiter felt so bad but, as we told him it was not his fault we were leaving without eating dinner 90 minutes later. Flying Leap Vineyards needs to somehow overcome this type of quality and improve things in a hurry otherwise ' just shut the doors' and sell Wine!

    Photos
    Vero Amore - Swan
    Wood fired sausage and mozzarella cheese with red sauce
    Wood fired sausage and mozzarella cheese with red sauce
    Outside picture.

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    Outside picture.
    Vivace

    Vivace

    4.2
    (880 reviews)
    7.0 mi
    $$$

    My son chose Vivace for his birthday dinner, and once again, this restaurant reminded us why it's…read moreone of our absolute favorites in Tucson. We like to switch up our appetizers every visit, so this time I tried something new, the escargot with artichokes. If you've never had escargot before, this is the perfect beginner dish. The escargot was buttery, tender, and packed with flavor. Paired with the artichokes and toasted bread, it was absolutely incredible. I almost ate the entire order by myself because I simply couldn't stop! We also ordered the shrimp and crab cakes, and wow, these were phenomenal. The outside had the perfect crispy crust while the inside was tender, flavorful, and full of seafood. The accompanying sauce tied everything together beautifully. For our entrées, we had the seared tenderloin over creamy polenta, cooked medium rare. It was perfection. The tenderloin was incredibly tender and flavorful, the wine sauce was rich without being overpowering, and the polenta was creamy and comforting. The portion was also very generous. We also shared the rigatoni with braised short rib, and I honestly can't stop thinking about it. The short rib was melt in your mouth tender, juicy, and so flavorful that I'd happily order a plate of just that! Combined with the perfectly cooked rigatoni, rich sauce, and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan, it was one of those dishes where every bite was better than the last. Our server was fantastic, attentive, friendly, and full of great recommendations without ever making us feel rushed. The restaurant itself is always beautiful and has such an elegant atmosphere. Since we were celebrating my son's birthday, I was hoping we'd get one of the tables with the city view, but honestly, the outstanding food and exceptional service more than made up for it. Vivace continues to be one of Tucson's best dining experiences. Every meal here reminds us why we keep coming back. Highly recommend!

    When a dining experience is SO excellent in SO many ways, where every little thing goes well, it's…read morea rarity. Let alone a birthday dining experience where you go in with high expectations and can easily be let down when something goes wrong. This was one of the most memorable birthday dinners I've ever had.Vivace did so many things well. Let's start with the fact that not only did they seat us at noon when I'd made a 12:30 reservation (and the place was pretty busy, particularly for a routine Monday afternoon), but pleasantly and at a quiet, roomy 4 person table. And they acknowledged my birthday (not only at the host/hostess station but by the server AND with a delicious dessert)!Our server, Jemeella (I hope I spelled it correctly) was just phenomenal! Such a pleasant disposition, and she was so helpful with the menu, and she made sure to check on us to see how we were doing through the experience, and she was funny and just elevated the whole experience for us. I mean, the food alone stands on its own as among the finest, to me. And I'm not the easiest person in the world to please, either. The delicious bread with pesto (not long ago I thought "nobody serves pesto anymore!") and the mixed green salad alone had me hooked before we even got to the entrees! That salad is something we're still thinking about. How does a simple salad leave such a remarkably pleasant impression? The greens were just very fresh and tasty? The dressing was so citrusy vinegary delicious? The little fried potato sticks gave it a crunch (we initially assumed they were not gluten-free, but they were, just potato, so BONUS!). I don't know what it was about that salad but it was delicious!I usually go with chicken piccata generally as my first dish at an Italian restaurant I haven't tried yet (no, NOT parmesan, although in fairness, boy the chicken parmesan looked good too!). But the chicken Marsala looked pretty appetizing and it did not disappoint! In fact, it exceeded my expectations! The sauce was just perfect in both flavor and consistency, and the chicken itself was delicious - plump, tender, just the right thickness (I think it's redbird?) and the pieces of mushroom were great (not overwhelming but subtle). Admittedly, II didn't really know what the "vegetable pasta" that accompanies it is, I could guess it's some version of primavera. That pasta side was ALSO outstanding! I don't remember if they make their pasta in house, but it was like a fettuccine type of noodle, with small pieces of vegetables (squash, I think crunch green bean maybe, thinly sliced red pepper? Not sure) and the pasta soaks up that delicious sauce, so it was perfect. Jemeella said "you good with the vegetable pasta that comes with it" and I said "sure as if I knew what I was talking about. Just figured if that's what they do, let's go with it. Silky, delicious, fresh pasta side. Right on. My wife got the steak. Sunken gently in a mashed potato. With a delicious sauce again. With fresh spinach. Another total winner. It's so easy when the other person orders steak and it's not done to the desired temperature for that to ruin the timing of the meal if it has to be adjusted. But this was a perfect medium well, straight up. AND they didn't deliver the dish and run away so if you DID have an issue with doneness, it just sits there getting cold. NOPE. Perfectly done and delicious as delivered!Now, with service, you usually only pay attention to the server. But I have to say, the bus staff was also really great. They refilled water glasses, removed plates, and boxed up our leftovers for us (I know that doesn't seem like a big deal, but there are plenty of restaurants, even high end, that just give you a container and have you do it yourself. And get this - I felt a little sheepish about wanting to take the couple of remaining pieces of fresh bread home, and not only did the bus guy box it up, he gave me EXTRA pieces of bread! You think that's lost on me? I'm gonna remember that. Also it should be noted that the service was outstanding on a day that - despite being a routine Monday roughly noon - was pretty darn busy at this place! Which says a lot. They even comped my birthday dessert (crème brûlée) and it was yet another winner! Perfect consistency, smooth, not pasty, sweet but not too sweet, and the perfect thin caramelized sugar topping (without making a fuss with the blow torch at the table, which is fine by me, just serve it as it will be eaten). Wow. Wine list was REALLY reasonably priced. And my wife and I both ordered after dinner drinks, both of which were great. Not only was the wine just reasonably priced, but overall, when the bill arrived, I thought it was a great value. High quality food, superior service, great view, easy parking.I'm just upset it took us so long to get to Vivace. Don't wait for a special occasion to try this place. I know we're not gonna wait. We're going back soon!

    Photos
    Beautiful restaurant
    Beautiful restaurant
    Ramen
    Ramen
    Shrimp and Crab Cakes

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    Shrimp and Crab Cakes
    Giuseppe's

    Giuseppe's

    3.7
    (498 reviews)
    9.0 mi
    $$

    Came here for happy hour and dinner with a friend, and we were seated right away. It's a total…read morehidden gem right behind Putney's, and honestly might be my new go-to happy hour spot! The restaurant has a beautiful interior and offers outdoor seating, but since it's the middle of summer in Tucson, sitting inside was a must! We arrived just in time for happy hour. Most of the appetizers on the regular menu were marked down to $9.75, and the happy hour drinks were the same price. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms, steamed mussels, a dirty martini, and a grapefruit cosmo. Everything was delicious, but the mussels were our absolute favorite. The broth they came with was delightful, and we used the complimentary bread to soak up every last drop! Even though the appetizers filled us up, we still ordered dinner. I got the Pesto Penne Pasta and my friend got the Chicken Marsala. My pasta was incredibly flavorful with just the right amount of chicken in every bite. My friend really enjoyed the Marsala too. The portions were great, and we both had enough leftovers for another meal. I definitely plan on coming back when it's cooler to enjoy the patio, which sits nicely between the restaurant and the boutique across the way. The view looks great, and I heard they sometimes have live music. Highly recommend!

    I was really looking forward to dining at Giuseppe's on Oracle Rd. Great reviews, loved the photos…read moreI saw online, good happy hour, and gluten-free options. I even called ahead of time and spoke with someone about the gluten-free options (David, who turned out to be our server) and he was very helpful and pleasant on the phone. But the dining experience was sorely disappointing and I'm not sure whether we would return or not based on that experience. David's service was attentive and pleasant, the wine was really good, and my pork carbonara dish was pretty good - the pork chop itself was delicious and perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked; the pasta was creamy and pretty good, but just lacking a bit in flavor (cheese?). I'm not a fan of cherry tomatoes in carbonara but no big deal, still overall, it was a very good dish. But here is where it went wrong. My wife ordered the grilled pork, which according to the menu is slices of pork topped with spinach and mozzarella served over linguine with red sauce. She asked if they could switch the red sauce out for another (non-red) sauce. David suggested either Alfredo or a white wine sauce, and my wife asked for the white wine sauce. And gluten-free pasta.Since I had called earlier to ask about gluten-free or gluten-sensitive options, and they said they have GF pasta and GF pizza crust, David let the kitchen know to start the pasta water (which is a nice accommodation) as soon as we arrived - although my wife wasn't sure yet, having not looked at the menu, whether she really did intend to have a dish accompanied by pasta. But that's fine if they want to start it early. We sat there for a good 25-30 minutes after ordering, wondering what was going on with the food, since we were one of only two tables at the time. We tracked David down and he apologetically told us there had been some kind of issue with the chef "getting the dishes switched around" (??) and that they had to start the order over again, and that he appreciated our patience. After a while, the entrees arrived. My pork carbonara looked good. My wife's pork dish, even after waiting that long and having them re-do the entrees, had a few issues - 1) it was served with pasta with red sauce, not the white wine sauce she'd asked for; 2) uncertainty over whether the pasta is indeed gluten-free because it's possible that they have GF spaghetti, but in our experience, it's very unusual for a restaurant to offer GF spaghetti. Usually it's penne or a similar shape. But David did double check and said it really is GF spaghetti. I was suspect myself when I tasted the dish, because GF pasta has a tendency to fall apart or dry out and I couldn't really tell that this was GF pasta. So maybe it was just really good GF pasta; and 3) the pork wasn't sliced, it was whole. And possibly breaded. When we noted the dish was supposed to be white wine sauce over GF pasta, David again apologized and said the chef was "flustered" (his word, not mine). Not sure how a whole 2 tables flusters a chef, but okay. At this point, after all this time, and my dish being served correctly and hot, we were not about to send the dish back AGAIN while I sit there eating mine while it's still hot. We had originally thought, when first seated, that we might order dessert or at least the good looking after dinner drinks. But we just wanted to get the heck out of there as fast as we could. And to their / David's credit, they did comp the pork dish, which is nice. Not sure we'd return.

    Photos
    Seating area
    Seating area
    Pesto Salad.
    Pesto Salad.
    Outdoor seating

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    Outdoor seating
    Bacio Italiano

    Bacio Italiano

    3.9
    (299 reviews)
    6.9 mi
    $$

    Can't believe I'm just now trying this place out. Location…read morelocation location . This spot nails it , very walkable area and full of great boutiques, restaurants, cafes , etc. Everything was great and service was solid . We stayed chatting it up until nearly closing . I shared the vegan Margherita & would absolutely come back to try more ! Yum.

    Stopped in here before going to an event at Centennial Hall. We made reservations for a patio…read moretable; we were seated right on time and the hostess was friendly and pleasant. The server stopped by the table relatively quickly and took our drink order. Drinks were delivered in a timely fashion, we ordered appetizers and the entrees. The server was also friendly and pleasant. The appetizers (meatballs and stuffed mushrooms) were brought to the table by a runner. We had no silverware, napkins, or plates, so we asked the runner for these things when they asked, "do you need anything?". The runner said they'd be right back, but it was about five minutes and no joy. The server stopped by when they noticed we were staring at the appetizers with no way to eat them and brought over the plates, silverware, and napkins. As we were finishing up the appetizers, the same runner brought our entrees. I had the eggplant parm and added a side of spinach, which was very good. My date ordered a pasta dish which was served luke warm at best. The flavors were good, but the pasta dish wasn't nearly as hot as the spaghetti that was served with my eggplant parm. The server never stopped by to check on us, so we ate it and was happy for our water as we didn't get an opportunity to order another round of drinks. To be fair, it started getting a little busier by this time, so maybe the server had other responsibilities. The space is enjoyable. The patio can be hit or miss if there happens to be rain, as there was when we were there, but we were perfectly dry out there. We did see the hostess try to seat another party at a table that was getting wet in the rain and they kindly asked for another table that wasn't so moist. The food was good. The portion sizes were decent and aside from the temperature of the pasta dish, presented well. It would have been nice to have been able to order another round of drinks, but the server stopped by to ask if we had a dessert after we had completed our entrees. We just asked for the bill, paid, and called it an evening. Overall it was a good experience not one I would seek out specifically to go to this particular restaurant again.

    Photos
    Love the flowers on our table
    Love the flowers on our table
    Garlic Toast
    Garlic Toast
    Craving for some pizza!

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    Craving for some pizza!

    Renee's Tucson - pizza - Updated August 2026

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