My wife and I stop here for drinks every time we see a concert at the Fox or at the Rialto. Last night was the first time we had dinner here. It was during happy hour and I had four street tacos (one of each variety). While I did not favor the halibut, I thought the mole chicken and braised pork were very good. My wife had the Airliner Chicken which had a distinct smokey taste. I also had the Concrete Jungle (Rye, Vanilla simple syrup, lemon, egg white, and red wine) which looked nicer than it tasted. My wife also liked the cheesecake. It amazes me how much staff can make a difference to the experience. Sadly, Emma is no longer there. Their new manager was personable and attentive. read more

St Cruz - 4 street tacos - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Diner beware! We had reservations for 4 people and when I arrived and went to the host he seemed surprised and confused a bit but sat us immediately at these small and uncomfortable table and chairs (chairs are oversized for the small table) Staff took our drink order and things seemed fine until the food order was taken. The waiter asked me for my selection and I asked to have the tamale dish which she said they were out of, so I lmade my next choice of the enchiladas which she now said they were out of, quite stunned, I reviewed the menu again and ordered the chicken dish since I was pretty much out of choices other than the 60.00 steak which I was not comfortable with ordering considering what was going on this far. It gets better, after 10 minutes the host comes back to the table to inform me they are out of the chicken too! I was shocked and told him there is really not much left for me to order and he suggested the tamales which the waiter had just said they were out of? You can't make this stuff up! lol So I ended up getting the tamales, not great as well as everything else we ordered especially at the price point! *The good news is the staff was friendly and gracious. Sorry but can't return to that kinda operation:( read more

I took my friend here for her birthday because we kept seeing the Leo Kent hotel on TikTok and a lot of the draw was the lobby and the restaurant. When we went, it was a bit of a slower night so we experienced a very reserved ambience, but the food was delicious. The cocktails were definitely the best part of the night. They even offered us a dessert for her birthday. Very cute. Would love to come back during a more popular time or to stay the night. read more

St Cruz - A Perfect Pairing Cocktail - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Excellent service. I had the Airline Chicken. It was tender and juicy with a very smoky flavor. My husband had the Braised Pork Tamales. The food was comforting, with homemade goodness, and beautifully plated. We arrived in the 7pm hour, and it was not busy except for some happy patrons at the bar. The staff were very hospitable. It was a relaxing Friday evening meal. We plan to return and have some cocktails on our next visit. read more

Friends and I went there on the first day of Sonoran Restaurant week and ordered their special menu. We were all disappointed with the food. It could be because it was the first day and they didn't have it all put together but flavors were just off. Their drinks and desserts were AMAZING though!! And the ambience is nice and romantic. read more

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Who knew downtown had this ambient rich dining experience all tucked away in the Leo Kent Hotel ? Perfect with lunch with a friend . Guacamole was by far the best I've had ! Great service . read more

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We came in before a show at the Fox Theater which is directly across the street. Park in the underground garage and the elevator drops you off right outside the entrance. We had the grilled halibut tacos and they were really tasty! Drinks are expertly made by Sergio and Kelsi. This is a nice quiet bar/restaurant and we will be coming here the next time we are going to the Fox for a show. read more

I was staying for one night at the Leo Kent (hotel reviewed separately), and pleased to find that the St. Cruz restaurant right downstairs is very good! I was there the night after Christmas so it was pretty slow--and also really really dark inside, even with late-afternoon sun technically coming through the windows. From what I could tell it looks nice (you can at least see the green seats around the bar, where I sat). But no matter. I soon had a martini from a friendly bartender, and then started with an appetizer of blistered shishitos that was drizzled with a combo of a spicy barbecue (hoisin, I think?) and also a peanut sauce--delicious! I ordered a steak for my main that was cooked to a perfect medium rare, and that came with a side salad (I had the Caesar option). I was able to get a good glass of red wine with it as well. The menu isn't large, as others have noted, but I was happy with what I had and it was definitely more than I'd expected from a corporate-owned hotel restaurant. If you're staying overnight, take advantage of it! read more

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This is the restaurant at the Leo Kent Hotel, ambiance is fantastic and again the chair at the dinner tables were very comfortable. The food was cooked to perfection, I tried the St. Cruz Ahi my first night and was surprised at the pairing of seared ahi with cream, it worked. On the 2nd night I tried the jalapeno relleno which was deep fried to perfection and ended the night with a rib eye steak. The staff were incredibly nice but seemed to be understaffed for the night of the gem show and our food took quite a long time to come out. That hiccup aside I wold return in the future. read more

St Cruz - St. Cruz Ahi with Lime Crema and Honey - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Delicious food and we had the kindest server. We had complimentary breakfast with our hotel stay and usually we don't have high expectations with that... but this was SO GOOD. I had the breakfast burrito and immediately our server said I could chose the meat (bacon or sausage) and then it was so tasty. Perfectly mixed up (like each bite had al the ingredients) and flavorful. Such a big portion I left some of it!! My bf had the basic breakfast with egg, bacon and potatoes and the potatoes were perfectly crispy and seasoned. All in all a really delicious and filling breakfast. The staff were all really nice and the restaurant itself is luxurious. read more

St Cruz - Breakfast burrito with sausage - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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The hotel is beautiful and the staff is very accommodating. However, the food was inedible. Everyone at our table was very unhappy with our meals. We will not return read more

Six couples from my dining group joined me for dinner at St. Cruz at the Leo Kent, downtown Tucson, on Saturday March 28th. Leo Kent is a very pleasant boutique hotel across from the Fox Theater. It's restaurant St. Cruz has a very modern take on American food with a splash of the southwest. The restaurant has a very contemporary and open feel, with clean lines and many soft furnishings. It is also very spotless and fresh. Although this restaurant has an open space type concept there is enough soft furnishings to keep it from sounding like a cafeteria. We were all pleasantly surprised. There is a well-stocked bar in the middle of the restaurant making it easily accessible. My husband really enjoyed the Prickly Pear Margarita that he ordered -which is just about his favorite drink. Many of the diners ordered different drinks which were all enjoyed. The menu is noted to use local ingredients that change regularly. Seafood, chicken and Steak are included on the menu, with additional vegetable accompaniments on offer. I choose the Chile Scampi, as did several diners. The scampi was cooked to perfection and was delicious and flawless in its preparation. My husband chose the airline chicken which he enjoyed and came with braised carrots. I love carrots and he shared them with me. They were wonderful and expertly prepared. There was a bit of a concern when one of the diners who ordered the filet mignon had a bit too much spice for his taste. However, he was able to remove the additional spice and was extremely happy with his meal. He mentioned that the steak was cooked as he requested. The staff were friendly and professional and took very good care of all of us. It really was an enjoyable dining experience. All of us would definitely recommend St Cruz and will certainly be returning. There are some minor drawbacks and not necessarily to the restaurant, but it certainly affects the restaurant and its potential diners. There is no main phone line to restaurant directly. You must call the hotel and then be transferred to the restaurant. It was also difficult to reach someone once transferred. However, I was able to leave a message and David Belcher, the restaurant manager, was kind enough to return my call since our reservation size was not standard and needed further organizing. David was wonderful, making sure we had a table large enough for all of us and that we were well taken care of and enjoyed our food. It really was an excellent experience. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

This place should be embarrassed re the food. My oysters were served on salt, smelled fishy, and were below room temp. I'm still here eating and I imagine I'll have food poisoning later this evening. The $40 scallops lack any finesse (see pic). My only evening in Tucson and I made the very wrong decision. The service is great. read more

St Cruz - $callops. - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I came here for drinks last night and thought the hotel restaurant/bar was beautiful. The spinach artichoke dip was good. The bartender was very friendly. The Honeysuckle Highball cocktail had a very strong flavor to it that started to make me feel nauseous. My friend also agreed it didn't taste good. The Betsy cocktail was just ok. It tasted flat. read more

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We had a delicious dinner and drinks with excellent service in the beautiful setting with large windows and modern furnishings at St. Cruz. We shared the ahi tuna and Cesear salad followed by my chicken entree. My husband had the shrimp. All of the food was very well-prepared and tasty. The restaurant servers and bar staff were outstanding. read more

This restaurant is located inside the Leo Kent hotel in downtown Tucson, Arizona. I'm going to give this restaurant four stars. The roasted salmon I ordered was OK. I'd give it three stars. It was a little on the cold side, especially the potatoes, and the salmon had a large area that had dryness to it. On the other hand, the items we ordered off the happy hour menu were very good. My daughter said that she would give the southwestern chopped salad with added protein of chicken five stars. She is a harsher critic than I so this is an amazing judgment coming from her. We also ordered the nachos for a starter and they were simple, fresh and delicious. The girls were joking we should order more to-go to take up to our room, for after the concert we were attending. My other daughter ordered the BLT, and requested that a beef patty be subbed in for the bacon and added American cheese. She also asked for some mayonnaise on the side. Her burger looked absolutely delicious with a juicy thick, medium rare cooked patty on toasted sourdough with fresh avocado slices, and all the fixings, she got a side of french fries with this. We all love the ambience of the restaurant. It had a nice golden glow to it with subtle lighting from the walls and the tables. There was not an overhead fluorescent light in sight, thank goodness. Bright overhead lighting directly over me instantly makes me angry lol. This was a casual restaurant and I showed up in flip-flops yet the feel of it was classy with linen napkins and real silverware. There is a full bar area for seating, high chair area, tables, and booths. We were able to walk in and seat ourselves. They recommended making a reservation if you are dining later in the evening. The service was wonderful here. The weight staff continuously filled our water glasses, got our orders right with all of our substitutions, and were very friendly. I have the feeling that if I would've ordered off the happy hour menu, I probably would've given this restaurant five stars. I think most of the crowd here was ordering off of the happy hour menu so the items were coming out hot and fresh. Overall, this was a great dining experience and a wonderful way for me to celebrate my 50th birthday. read more

St Cruz - ROASTED SALMON , COUNTRY POTATOES, BROWN BUTTER CORN, SEASONAL VEGETABLES - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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This is a beautiful bar/restaurant but the menu is a very bad attempt at being trendy-artsy-southwestern with poblano added to ALL salads and most of entrees. The Southwest Caesar has nothing to do with a Caesar other than romaine lettuce and the green dressing tastes like soapy cilantro with a squeeze of lime. It's a lovely place to go before or after downtown events. Please create a menu with appetizing food - and appetizers! read more

We've enjoyed breakfast here each morning the five or six times we've stayed at the Leo Kent hotel. The restaurant is always clean, comfortable, and relaxing; and the staff is great. read more

St Cruz - Açaí Bowl - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Located inside The Leo Kent Hotel, there were plenty of seating at the bar, couches, or tables. The service was extremely slow and they looked understaffed to handle the customers, likely hotel guests. They do serve food, but we only had a quick drink. read more

St Cruz - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

It's a 3 star through and through. However, the bartender, Connor, is exceptional. Connor gets a 5 star. The food gets 3

This was our breakfast at the Leo Kent St Cruz. Everything here was incredible from the service to the food. There was a bit of a weight, but that's expected with any good place. We will absolutely be back anytime We're in Tucson. Also, the vibe in here is 10 out of 10 classy and clean. read more

St Cruz - French Toast - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Had breakfast after hotel stay. Food and service was very good. Typical of downtown hotel, a bit pricey.

Velvet and I came in for date night kick off happy hour. The restaurant is in the Kent hotel, a Marriott property. The venue is warm and intimate. The menu is sparse. Just three entre's. We arrive a little before 4. Our server Devante is excellent. Wow great right. So why the 2 stars. Just as we are begin to plot and scheme our next travel adventure, bam a DJ starts playing tecnopop very loud. What, where did he come from and who thought that would fit in this picture? We finished our drinks and the shishito peppers, which were good and left. read more

AVOID for at least 6 Months! This new 3 week old restaurant, LOOKS FABULOUS and very UPSCALE. Nice seating area with full glass wall and central bar with several craft on tap, and sports TV's. Excellent settings with high and low chairs. Centrally located Downtown. About $20-40 per person meals. I should add this is located in a new upscale hotel lobby. Happy Hour starts 4pm. THE STORY: Arrived after scoping out with several coworkers with high expectations. On arrival we were asked if any reservations, which when we said 'no' should have been followed by a warm greeting indicating no problem as the place was nearly empty, but instead we received an apathetic and tolerant attitude. No issues really. Waiter was quick and initially pleasant. When we declined appetizers and indicated ready to order (This is our 1 hr lunch break), there seemed to be a touch of offense. No worries, order taken. Half hour later, we send a coworker to check on food, last contact with waiter was about 15-20 minutes prior. With attitude, and questioning if there was even a delay (in the empty restaurant), he did verify on the computer that we had ordered half hour prior. No apologies or attempt to smooth over. About 5-10 minutes later Chef comes out to waiter, angry and crumbling paper order about not getting informed on order. We are very uncomfortable as we can hear all in empty room. Manager comes out about 5-8 minutes later to state our food was being plated with a very poor apology, and no attempt to engage in a positive manner. We inform that we want food to go as we have about 10 minutes left in our lunch. No apology, Manger back to kitchen. There is no way we could even try to eat with the attitudes going on and we are second guessing even having the food. Manager comes out with our food and provides bill and offering 50 percent off, again no attempt to smooth over and only superficial apology. When we state we told the waiter it was separate bills, she gave a very inconvenienced face and went to change the bill. Everyone was now wanting to leave, so I jumped up and told the manager I would pay for all (JUST WANT TO LEAVE). Final note: We asked for a pickle to be placed on side, wasn't. No dressing or utensils or napkins provided. Food was all good, but I cannot recommend the Grilled Cheese. It was more of a thinly spread Hatch Cheese Sauce. Not tasty at all. Fries were okay, pickle was good. Tomato Soup was ok. NOT WORTH THE COST, so MANY BETTER OPTIONS are available nearby. Only benefit of doubt I will give is, they were working with Chef on pictures of food and it is new. But we have many business people who only have short lunch times and the place was empty, and NONE of the staff were welcoming. SKIP THIS LOCATION UNTIL THEY GET THINGS UNDER CONTROL. read more

St Cruz - Bar in Restaurant - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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The ambiance is fun, like walking onto a Mad Men set: retro, upscale steak house. However, our server was wearing jeans when all of the customers were dressed from business casual to dressy. The server also explained that their bucatini dish was replaced with angel hair pasta that night. When the server came back and took our drink orders, even commenting on my choice, she also took our appetizer and entree orders, and when I chose the lemon chicken, she apologized that she was sorry she didn't mention earlier that the kitchen was out of the chicken. So I ordered scallops. The server then asked again if we wanted anything to drink. I replied that we already gave it to her, but my husband repeated his order. My husband's drink (singular) was served and when the server walked away, we assumed she was going to get my order. She wasn't. We had to flag her down, and she asked me to repeat my order. Apparently, commenting on my drink was not the same as writing it down and submitting it. I then got my drink. When what we thought was our appetizers arriving, it was actually my husband's appetizer AND entree, and neither my appetizer nor entree. A runner had brought the food, so we thought it was a runner mistake. Nope, the server had never submitted my appetizer or entree to the kitchen, and I didn't believe it was a "computer error" when that's was the explanation for what happened. When I got my appetizer, which listed as a side option but I wanted it as my appetizer, the succotash was in a small ramekin but cost $12. (I know steak houses serve sides separately from entrees, but for $12 I expected a bit more of a serving as well as succotash that didn't have zucchini as a substitute for lima beans!) Our entrees came; my husband's angel hair dish miraculously was made with bucatini, and my scallops were over a bed of their fake succotash. My husband's dish was really, really good, though. My scallops were properly cooked, but their spicy coating overpowered the delicate seafood. Additionally, the server should have known the menu enough to forewarn me that my dish came with the same thing I was ordering for my appetizer. She voluntarily took 15% off of our bill and apologized for all of the errors. If I go back there, I'm getting the bucatini dish, and it had better be bucatini and not angel hair. And I'd like a different server, too. read more

Swanky ambiance, great photo ops! Service from Shelby was top notch! We had grilled asparagus, wedge salad and halibut with ancho polenta and all was very tasty!! Celebrating a birthday we got a free churro donut with ice cream and fresh strawberry complete with enthusiastic singing! Very yummy and nice! read more

The calamari was delicious with the sauce. It had some kinda sweetness too that I wasn't use to and it was worth mentioning. The ambiance was very intimate with low lights. Perfect for a date night. I was here with my older aunt visiting from out of town. The service was good the lady was patient and attentive. read more

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I have tried going to Sunday brunch at St. Cruz a couple of different times, months apart but same experience. A disaster. This last time, we made a reservation for 11 people for a birthday celebration, when we arrived they put us all at different tables of 4. They said they could not seat us all together because they didn't have the space (they should say this when a reservation is being made if that's truly the case). Note that this was 10 AM and the restaurant was nearly empty except for a couple of other tables. After about 20 minutes of back and forth and me trying to find a solution, they magically found a few tables that they could put together to fit us. After we sat down, we sat there for at least 15 minutes with servers walking around us but not one even acknowledged our presence. We eventually just got up and left. I've sat at the bar for happy hour and that's a pleasant experience, but I will not be back if I have to sit at a table, particularly during brunch. read more

The 2023 reviews for the St. Cruz restaurant were very poor so I'm writing to encourage people to give it another try in 2024+. I went there for a party (of 12 people), and we all had a very fun positive experience. Our server was probably one of the best in town. She was incredibly polite and professional - making sure we didn't touch hot plates and kept the tables clean, etc. Most impressive was that after she collected the credit cards from everyone up front and was able to split everything up accurately, she continued to address us all by name throughout the evening (which even I couldn't quite do)! The unique Mango Margarita with tajin was tasty and the Brussels sprouts appetizer was outstanding and is not just a seasonal item (warning though - the tomato garnishes are actually HOT peppers). I will definitely be back for that. My wife and I split a delicious salmon (which they plated beautifully) - not sure if I would spend $34 on it again though (I can make delicious salmon like that at home). The churros and berries platter with chocolate dipping sauce were tasty, and a very generous portion (make sure you have plenty of people to share with). I suspect they rotate their menu since it's not published anywhere, and we had to share 1-2 menus per table. The décor is elegant, and the vibes are comfortable. If you go at night, it will be DARK (which makes your food photos fuzzy). Park at La Placita Garage 3 minutes south if you don't have luggage. read more

We found this gem on Instagram as an underrated Tucson food spot. And let me tell you it did not disappoint!! We stopped in here after a hockey game and gave it a go. Initially they were very overwhelmed with customers all at once but acknowledged our presence at the bar and got our drinks to us in reasonable time. Asked the bartender for food recommendations and was not disappointed. We got the grilled shrimp tacos and brussel sprouts. Both were great. Brussel sprouts could have used a few more peppers which gave a great freshness and acidity to the dish. Tacos were hands down some of the best shrimp tacos we've ever had! Cocktails were phenomenal!! We tried the perfect pair, darling it's too early for her, and the honeysuckle highball. Definitely a good stop in! 10/10 recommend. 4 not 5 stars given due to Brussels needing more peppers and I honestly feel like they needed to change the fryer oil soon. We will be back!!! read more

St Cruz - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

St Cruz restaurant is a great place to have a quiet dinner when staying at the Leo Kent hotel. The food is excellent. Check sizes before ordering. Great desserts as well. read more

Great new spot in downtown. Came here for lunch on a Friday and ordered the Southwest bowl with chicken. Wait staff was super attentive and nice. Food was great. Also love the interiors. Great place to host meetings or grab a drink read more

St Cruz - Photo of the bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Food was phenomenal! Had the arugula watermelon salad with shrimp and a mezcal cocktail. Bartender very knowledgeable and had great recommendations. Thank you St Cruz! read more

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Went there for a couple of drinks the drinks we're good. The p bartenders were super nice and helpful and I l liked the look of the place a great place to put a Bar. But there was a weird smell might have been some plumbing issues. Hopefully when I go back, that will be solved.. read more

St Cruz - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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The only reason I am giving this a 2 star review is because our waiter was very nice if inexperienced. Otherwise it would be a 1 star review. Hate restaurants like this where you just wander in with no host(ess) or acknowledgment and just hope someone sees you and will wait on you eventually. Uncomplicated drinks took forever to arrive even when almost no one else was in the restaurant. How long does it take to pour a glass of wine?! Bar menu looked yummy, but food was meh. Food was served much faster than the drinks but was still cold when it got to the table. Overall a huge disappointment especially given the inflated prices. read more

The food was excellent! Unfortunately, the appetizers and entrees came out piecemeal. One appetizer came out quickly while the other followed about ten minutes later. One of our main courses came out at least 15 minutes after the first was served. Hopefully management will get the kinks worked out. Ambiance was terrific! read more

Veryyyy disappointing:( I had very high hopes about this place I had been talking about how much I've been wanting to come here !! Welp came here with some friends, the server off the bat was extremely rude to all of us I'd like to think she might just be having a off night but it definitely R the whole experience. Then I ordered what I thought was gonna be a great bourbon espresso martini which is my favorite drink and was very disappointed the rest of the drinks were okay points for presentation (definitely excluding that espresso drink) :( my friends "shrimp cocktail " was 4 extremely over salted shrimps on a splat of marinara sauce? Lacking vegan options my other friend just went with french fries, I just went w the over priced salad which obviously no complaints on that, none the less not the best experience but the place was very cute and intimate:) definitely not my best idea to get dinner here. Oops read more

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I made a reservation for the Sunday brunch that they do. Took a long time to get seated (about 15 minutes) and it seemed like they were understaffed despite it not being very busy. Ambience and decor were amazing. Once seated the service was really great. However, some of the guests at my table asked for certain things to be removed or put on the side which wasn't done. The food really wasn't that great. Very mediocre. We got the pancakes to share and it said it came with a berry compote. There was no compote, it was just plain fresh fruit. I got the Benedict without chorizo. The guacamole they put was too salty. Overall very mediocre. Bottomless mimosas were great though and they were a good deal. We would probably come back for those but not for the food. read more

Bait and Switch happy hour. After the wait staff told us all about happy hour prices (conveniently left out info about size of drinks) we got a 9 ounce glass of wine and then a 6 ounce glass. We were charged $20 for the 9 ounce and $6 for the 6 ounce glass. Do the math, an extra $14 for the 3 more ounces! We asked the wait staff about it and they adamantly said we should have noticed the price difference on the drink menu. No, you should have told me about the difference. Bait and switch, not going back there! read more

The St. Cruz is a new restaurant in town. Located in the Leo Kent, the place is elegantly decorated. The food and service was outstanding. What a pleasant surprise! Highly recommended! read more

St Cruz - Shrimp Tacos - Wine Bars Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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