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Roaring Fork

4.2 (1.8k reviews)
Closed • 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated 2 months ago

Roaring Fork Photos

Business Info

ROARING FORK ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Classy
Good for kids
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Roaring Fork

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Reviews With Photos

Duroc pork chop on top of sweet potato mash.....PERFECT!
Mike R.

Right to the point! Food....10 Service......10+ Ambiance....10 I live in Goodyear Az. This is a bit of a drive for us and well worth it. This is our go to place for any celebration. We have been coming here for years, never disappoints! Appetizers...Stuffed Jalapeños, I'm 62, avoid spicy food, first time ever having these, loved them! just the right heat, flavors wake up your taste buds. Add the green chili pork stew, and you have hit a home run. First time having these Duroc pork chop.....how can a pork chop be this good? This isn't your grocery store pork chop. This is the elite pork chop, with apple chutney and sits on sweet potato mash, amazing! The atmosphere is so nice, dark with soft lighting , relaxing no hurry. Service is what you would hope it to be! You will pay more here, just like any high end steakhouse, and you won't mind!

Cooked to Medium temperature
Christa R.

Met another couple for dinner and I made a reservation using the restaurant's reservation site Open Table. I received an email to confirm my reservation and we were good to go! We were running a little late so I had our friends check-in at the hostess stand and they gave my name for our reservation which was confirmed and they were sat at a table. We then arrive a short while later and I approached the hostess and stated that we had a reservation and our friends already arrived, checked-in for our reservation and were seated. The hostess asks what name the reservation was under and I tell her my complete name and she said she doesn't have it. I explained that I have a confirmation email and she waves her tablet at me about 4 feet away so I can't see the details and says "See! I don't have it." I replied, my friends are already here under the reservation so can I just go find them? She replied yes. I don't understand the interaction when my friends clearly checked in already using my name for the reservation. It was a discussion that wasn't necessary and did not give our first visit to the Roaring Fork a good impression. Once we found our friends after searching through the entire restaurant, we found them and sat down. We were immediately approached my our server who was very attentative and gave great service. We were told about a 3-course menu with multiple selections and I decided to get the New York Strip. I enjoyed my cesar salad and then the New York Strip was delivered. It was prepared according to my request, medium, and I checked by cutting right down the middle. I noticed it was a little tough to cut even with the steak knife I provided but the inside looked as expected so I continued on. What I was surprised to find was the amount of gristle on the New York Strip. There is nothing like having to pull food out of your mouth (several times) at a public place because you can't possible chew or consume it. For $80 (salad, New York Strip, sides and desert) I expected better. Unfortunately, my experience leads me to leave a 3 star review.

Lamb Chop Fondue
Jenna T.

My first time here after living in Arizona for 10 years! It is so warm and cozy inside. Has a rustic western chic vibe with wood fired ovens and a huge outdoor patio. For apps we got the lamb fondue which was super tender and unique. Dipping meet in cheese? Literally nothing better. Then we also got the green chili pork stew which is a MUST try! Not too spicy and full of flavor. Also, great for sharing as you fill it in the buttery tortillas. The filet was seriously one of the best I've ever had in Arizona. It has a nice shallot butter crust and it was cooked PERFECTLY medium rare. This was a highlight. The pork chop is huge and has a nice sweetness to it. The meat wasn't dry either...it pretty much tasted like the best bacon I've ever had LOL Everyone must get the green chili Mac n cheese. Not spicy at all just Smokey and tangy and full of cheese but shockingly not that heavy. The pecan pie was unreal. Gooey and sweet but the crust was still super flakey. The brownie skillet was soft in the middle which is how it always should be. Their known for their frozen huckleberry margarita which is a treat in its own but it's not too icey they definitely don't skip out on the tequila. Rachel was our server. She's been there for awhile so you know that they treat their staff well. She was super knowledgeable and honest about certain menu items. I also spoke with the manager, Matt, who was very welcoming and seemed very proud of his restaurant (as he should be). Overall highly reccomend it here. Everything exceeded my expectations. I will absolutely be returning!

Cornbread & espresso martini
Nick S.

Roaring Fork in Oldtown is a must try! It fully embraces American Western Cuisine utilizing an open flame grill, and it's amazing! This place is great for a date night, celebration, business meal or start to the night out. The service is professional and gets every detail right! The steak is incredible! They cook it to absolute perfection & the seasoning they use is a game changer! I'm a huge chimichurri fan and they get it right; the chipotle Demi is a great accompaniment! No surprise, the salmon is also cooked perfectly try and the Asian flare makes this dish fantastic! You can never go wrong with getting cornbread on the side; be sure to try this spot out!

Chicken wings
David R.

My girlfriend and I ended up coming to Roaring Fork two nights in a row because it was that good. The first night, I had the ribeye and she ordered the fried chicken with gravy and mashed potatoes -- both were outstanding. The steak was perfectly cooked and flavorful, and her chicken was crispy, rich, and pure comfort food. We shared the Brussels sprouts and the truffle fries, which were both incredible sides and easily big enough to split. I also had an Old Fashioned that was well-balanced and paired perfectly with the meal. We couldn't stop talking about it, so we came back the next night. This time we shared the "Big Ass Burger" and the wings, and somehow still saved room for dessert -- the skillet chocolate pecan brownie, which was absolutely decadent and the perfect way to finish the meal. Beyond the food, the ambience here really makes it special. Inside feels warm, cozy, and romantic, while the outdoor views are beautiful and add to the whole experience. Definitely one of those places that feels both elevated and comfortable at the same time. Two nights in a row says it all -- we'll absolutely be back.

Spicy Wings and seasoned fries!
John I.

One of my wife's favorites . We always get a table . They do have a great happy hour but I equate that to a geriatric running of the bulls. I've never seen so many older people (I'm 67) fighting and squeezing to get in the bar to save a few bucks on a burger. I love a deal but I can afford dinner at a nice table rather than fighting for a spot. My wife and I took our daughter and son in law for a nice leisurely Christmas Eve dinner. Great food, service and ambiance. Perfect night!

O'Zandra F.

Nice, casual ambiance during happy hour. I feel like the bar staff does not have time to educate newbies. For a first timer, I didn't know where the restrooms were. And when I asked the bartender, he started laughing like it was a joke. So I would recommend giving a little grace to those that are new to the facility. The food (a burger)arrived trainable and it was delicious. There is accessible parking as well as entrance.

Roasted Duck
Jonas C.

We celebrated my wife's birthday with her mom list last Friday and had a great server and lovely time. I enjoyed the roasted duck, my wife got the 8oz. filet and her mom the halibut with generally good feedback all around. For the duck, the the 'sauce' included felt more like a relish or jam, i thought it needed to be more viscous in order to coat the duck a bit better. The filet is cooked over wood fire and you can really taste it, delicious! I thought the bill at the end was a bit shocking considering we were only 3 people, it felt a bit pricey. However, i'd come back for special occasions!

Crispy chicken bites
Vern G.

Kaileigh was our server and did an amazing job, we sat on the patio Category 6 Lemonade Smirnoff Citron, raspberry and orange vodka, chambord, lime, Huckleberry lemonade Delicious, refreshing, good blend of liquors Peach Palmer Ketel One peach and Orange blossom, lemonade, iced tea I don't know if it's just the vodka, but I don't taste peach, I don't taste orange, I just taste water Queso con Puerco Green chili pork, red pepper relish, corn chips I could eat a vat of this, really delicious, an amazing amount of pork, good heat Big ass burger Poblano, cheddar, bacon, lettuce, (no tomato for us), onion, pickles, Chipotle mayo, we ordered it cooked medium, comes with fries The burger patty doesn't taste like there was any seasoning used, we asked for medium and got closer to rare, the burger patty to bun ratio was so far off the patty immediately slid out the back side of the bun with the first bite, The bacon was there but in name only, I didn't detect even a hint of poblano, we even tried to salvage it by putting the queso puerco on it, but it was not going to help We sent it back and decided to get the crispy chicken bites appetizer The fries were amazing, seasoned well, crispy on the outside, the Chipotle mayo was delicious Crispy chicken bites appetizer Right off the bat the presentation was okay, but it was very obvious that some of the pieces had been fried much longer than others based on the color of the breading, after taking the first bite it was immediately obvious these were not seasoned chicken bites that were fried, these were basic Sysco chicken bites that had been fried, and then tossed with seasoning salt, likely some food service Nashville hot seasoning, and the ranch just tasted like something from a jar These went back as well, after speaking to the manager I've been considering coming here for years, and I was really looking forward to it To say that the food missed the mark is an understatement, sadly, this has been my experience several times in the Scottsdale road corridor Obviously not recommending, not returning

Huckleberry cheesecake
Kemlyn B.

Roaring Fork 2-4-1 holiday special! Wow! Sign up for their email to enjoy this amazing deal! Two for the Price of one meal. Even without that special, the food here is amazing. The slow roasted chicken was melt in your mouth lovely and so flavorful. The cornbread stuffing was light and not overdone. Huckleberry syrup is dangerously addictive. Ask for a splash in your tea, lemonade, margarita. I had it in my Arnold Palmer and the the delicious decadent cheesecake. I will be back for the lamb fondue appetizer and the cheesecake on non 2-4-1 days!

Dessert
Misti L.

Birthday dinner for one of my besties and it was fantastic! Great table and menu selections are thoughtful. The Envious OF was good but somewhat ordinary compared to the rest of the choices. My pork tenderloin was immaculate. Often anything bacon wrapped is hit or miss if both are cooked correctly. Crispy bacon and tender medium pork loin was on point! The cornbread appetizer was enjoyed by all. Pecan pie was served with Butter pecan ice cream-a very nice surprise. Travis was our server. He wrangled us pretty well.

Jalapeño margarita

Came here for date night and left pretty underwhelmed. We had reservations but were first seated right next to the kitchen super hot from the lamps and way too much traffic to be enjoyable not exactly the vibe we want for a night out. We did move tables, thankfully. I started with a bartenders specialty jalapeño margarita no presentation flavor was ok! Just disappointing. My husband's Shrimp and jalapeño grits were tasty but the shrimp were small and the portion didn't quite match the 28.00 price tag. I ordered the Cedar plank salmon looked great, tasted like nothing zero cedar flavor bland soybutter just overall forgettable, green beans were cooked well but came with ends still on, small thing but annoying. Service was good our waitress was nice so no complaints there. Honestly so many great restaurants in Scottsdale this one just doesn't stand out we won't be going back.. The 2 stars are 1 for our waitress and 1 for the ambience..

Fried Chicken
Nik H.

It was the last place my family and I visited during our trip. A couple of friends joined us for dinner. It was a beautiful interior, very rustic but hip. It was cool and dark, and the tables and seating were very comfortable. It heightened the experience. Our server was excellent. She was very patient and let us catch up with our friends over some outstanding cocktails. I had the Old Fashioned. It was so good, I had two. We ordered 3 amazing appetizers - The chicken wings, the queso, and the Jalapeño poppers wrapped in bacon. Everything was outstanding. Dinner entrees were equally fantastic. Two of my kids had the "big ass burger", and the third had the fried chicken. One of our guests and my wife had the shrimp and grits and were very happy. I ordered the 22 oz., bone-in rib-eye steak cooked medium rare to rare. It was perfectly prepared and so amazingly juicy. It was one of the best steaks that I have had anywhere. I ate every bite and gnawed on the bone. We also ordered the street corn and the truffled fries as sides, and we were VERY happy with all of them. The food was simply the best we had in Scottsdale. I do not know what the final cost was, as our guests picked up the bill. I do not believe the prices I remember from the menu were out of line for the quantity and quality of the food. If you want an elegant night out and have amazing food, service, and drinks, then go here.

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Wonderful food. Best steak I've had in some time. Great service and refreshing to see, at 5:30, a huge dinner crowd.

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Best burger in town. Big ass burger, and reasonable during happy hour 4-6pm. You have to get there early, otherwise you wont get a seat.

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Julia T.

Brande we are so pleased you chose to celebrate with us! Come again!

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Page 5 of 45

Ask the Community - Roaring Fork

Is this a quieter place to be able to have a conversation?

Yes, you can have a conversation. During the game, however, in the bar area, I noticed it was a little louder.

The website has images of pizza but pizza isn't on the menu online. Do they offer pizza?

They have Flatbread which looks like pizza but really is not pizza.

And what days of the week is HH too? Thanks!

4-6p in BAR ONLY, but think it's everyday. Suggest a call to confirm.

When does HH start and end?

4-6pm. It's in the bar area ONLY so people usually line up outside before 4pm.

I have been trying to reach them for days to confirm my reservation for my daughters 21st?Can someone confirm they are still in business.

They don't bother answering the phone or return voicemail messages. It's a crappy way to do business but it seems to work for them. They'll contact you the day before your reservation.

What time is happy hour?

Happy Hour starts at 4:00 pm - they ring a bell then allow you to find a seat in the bar area - first come/first served. I am not sure with Covid-19 and social distancing if they allow everyone to pack in the lobby to wait for the bell.

Does roaring fork take apple pay?

sorry I do not know.

Where was Roaring Fork before it moved to Scottsdale Rd?

I believe it has always been on Scottsdale road. At least since 2002...

Is there any vegan meat on the menu?

I was just there last night and did not see anything of this kind.

Do you have happy hour every day?

Yes! 4-6pm

Is it true you have specials on non-major holidays such as today, the Presidents Da?

Today we are offering our regular Happy Hour and dinner menu.

Yelp says the restaurant is byob is that true?

Businesses with liquor license do not permit any kind of outside alcoholic beverage

View All 16 Questions

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Jack was an amazing server. Food was perfect. We brought an…read moreout of town guest and they loved it!

Oliver's starts with a small test of your commitment. You walk up to the street-side entrance like…read morea normal person trying to enter a restaurant, only to find instructions telling you to go around the corner to another entrance. It feels suspiciously like a trick. Like maybe you round that corner and three guys steal your wallet. But trust the process... because apparently this little side quest unlocks some fantastic food. Everything we had was delicious. Even the freaking carrots were good. CARROTS. Crunchy, flavorful, properly cooked carrots that somehow had me voluntarily reaching for more vegetables instead of just tolerating them until the meat arrived. Speaking of meat... I got the bison meatloaf, and it was fantastic. Eating it made me feel like I'd wandered into a scene from Dances with Wolves. One minute I'm majestically riding across the plains alongside the buffalo, feeling connected to nature and contemplating man's relationship with the wilderness... the next minute I'm putting the buffalo in my mouth. Circle of life. My wife's salmon was excellent. My kid's steak was cooked perfectly. My sister got the chicken and liked it enough to take the leftovers home, which is really the ultimate restaurant compliment. Plenty of food tastes good at the table. Food that earns valuable refrigerator real estate has accomplished something. But the absolute star for me was the Old Fashioned. Perfectly made... and sitting there with a proper giant ROUND scube. Immediate bonus points. If you're serving an Old Fashioned over a bunch of sad little refrigerator cubes, we've already started our relationship on shaky ground. Oliver's understood the assignment. I ordered another. Then perhaps another. History gets slightly fuzzy, which is generally a sign that the Old Fashioneds were doing excellent work. The staff was also fantastic and happily made a few adjustments to menu items for our group without making it feel like we'd requested amendments to the Constitution. Great food, excellent drinks, accommodating staff, and vegetables somehow worth mentioning in a Yelp review. Highly recommend. Just remember... when the front door sends you around the corner, don't panic. You've been chosen for the quest.

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We've given this spot a few tries now and it just has not hit for us. The first time we went was…read moreactually great. We loved Mora so we decided to try its sister restaurant, the Americano. This was years ago, before the speakeasy existed. I remember we were greeted at the table with glasses of champagne. Service was impeccable, food was delicious. We had one of the best desserts of our lives. 10/10 first impression. We went back maybe a year later after the speakeasy was built in, and it seemed like all their attention went to that instead. They were out of a bunch of dishes on the menu. I remember we all got our food except for my husband and we finally had to ask the server what was going on with his dish and that's when they told us they were out of that dish he had ordered too. They offered to make something else on the house, but at this point we were all almost done with our food so he ended up with nothing. They did try to make it right, I'll give them that, but it was a weird experience. We decided to give the restaurant one last try for my mom's birthday over the weekend and it solidified our opinions on this place. First of all, it's EXPENSIVE. I get it's Scottsdale but they are trying way too hard with $80 ribeyes and $1500 bottles of wine, but not giving you anything for it. Don't get me wrong, I'll enjoy an expensive meal when I feel it's warranted. The food, service, details need to go above and beyond to justify my $500+ tab. That's just not the case here. The server didn't do anything out of the ordinary. Didn't even offer a birthday dessert? We ordered salads before our meals and our entrees showed up two minutes later. My sister had her leftover pasta boxed up and they never brought it back. She asked about it and they said they could fire her a new one, but we were ready to go at this point. These are not issues you should be having at an upscale restaurant at this price point. After all this, we won't be returning. There are much better restaurants at lesser price points that offer amazing food with above and beyond experience. Everyone try Restaurant Progress instead!

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Karsen's Grill - The Standard burger with onion rings

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A HIDDEN GEM IN A SEA OF OVERPRICED MEDIOCRITY…read more I genuinely do not understand why more people aren't talking about Karsen's Grill. Everything I've eaten here has been fantastic. The salt and pepper wings are TO DIE FOR. The burgers are excellent, the fries are awesome, the onion rings are phenomenal, and the cocktails never disappoint. Seriously, I have yet to order something here that hasn't made me think, Why isn't everyone eating here? And then there's the service. I've had the same servers every time I've visited, and they're consistently wonderful: friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and genuinely good at what they do. They know the menu, they can make recommendations, and they make you want to come back. Imagine that! This is a small, unassuming place with about six tables and a bar. It's not trying to be the hottest reservation in Scottsdale. There's no pretentious bullshit, no need to drop $200 on a steak just to tell people you ate somewhere expensive, and no relying on trendy vibes to distract you from mediocre food. And THAT is what I love about this place. Scottsdale has no shortage of restaurants where the prices are astronomical, the atmosphere is carefully curated for Instagram, and somehow the actual food ends up being the least memorable part of the experience. People will wait forever for an overhyped restaurant, pay a fortune for a meal that's just okay, and convince themselves it was amazing because the place was popular. Meanwhile, Karsen's Grill is over here serving food that is genuinely, legitimately GOOD. Give me great food, a well-made cocktail, and staff who actually care about the experience over another overpriced, overhyped dining destination any day of the week. Karsen's is the kind of place you stumble across and immediately want to keep coming back to. If you actually care about what's on your plate more than how much it costs or how impressive the restaurant looks on social media, go to Karsen's Grill. Your wallet will thank you, your taste buds will thank you, and you'll wonder why the hell you ever bothered with some of the other places in Scottsdale. Just please don't let the secret out too much. I still want to get a table.

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Romantic vibe

We came into the society Swan for a birthday celebration and we sat in the bar and our server was…read moreabsolutely incredible. Do I remember his name absolutely not. However, he was working in the bar and serving us in a bar booth. And he was so great and accommodating and even joked around with us about online dating, and we gave him all kinds of feedback. The food and cocktails were absolutely delicious but really sets a good restaurant apart is having great service

I really wanted to love this restaurant -- I had been excited about it and was genuinely looking…read moreforward to the experience -- so I was disappointed that there were a few things that missed the mark. Our server, who was also the bartender, was great. He was attentive, friendly, and made the experience better. I had specifically made a reservation for the main dining room, but we were seated in the booth right next to the bar, which didn't feel like the main dining room I had reserved. Not a huge deal on its own, but it was the first of several little disappointments. The appetizers were actually excellent. We had the wagyu pigs in a blanket and tempura green beans, and both were really good. Our four guests had mixed opinions on the entrees, but the biggest disappointment was the portion sizes of some of the dishes that are heavily promoted on the restaurant's social media. The chicken Francese and fish & chips, in particular, were comically smaller than they appear in the restaurant's photos. The difference was significant enough that it felt misleading, and honestly left me feeling differently about the restaurant as a whole. Maybe we caught it on an off night, but when a restaurant creates such a strong expectation through its food and presentation online, the actual experience needs to live up to it. I really wanted to love this place, which is probably why the letdowns stood out so much.

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Society Swan
Society Swan
Society Swan

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Roaring Fork - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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