Ambiance is so-so, but the service and food have been excellent both times we have gone

Love this amazing East Side spot. The staff is always friendly and the food is so good. I have been here a few times now and can't believe this is my first review of them. I am slacking. I have had the shrimp and lobster roll and the amazing truffle fires. We also love the burgers the Black and Blue burger is always super yummy, I have ordered this to-go and they leave it off the bun so that it is not soggy, so smart. LOL The Wings if you get a chance are large and have amazing flavors. I need to make it for brunch soon, because that is the best meal of the day. read more

We came here on a whim- wanted to try somewhere we'd never been. When we got there there were probably 5 groups ahead of us (a little unusual in Tucson, but it was Friday night after all). They told us a 15-20 minute wait and it was pretty accurate. First, let me tell you about our server Jules. She was delightful. She had an open friendly manner but was also efficient and got her job done. She even promised to revive me if the walnuts weren't on the side as requested. My companion started with a triple berry cream soda. It was very pretty and not too sweet. We split the baked brie which comes with a variety of tasties on the plate- walnuts (served on the side as requested), artfully sliced applesauce, a balsamic reduction and then off course the beautiful baked brie (two of the little ones cut in half). My companion then had the barbecue bacon burger and said the bacon was the most tender she'd ever eaten. She also complemented the chipd because often house-made chips are very very hard and these were crisp without being hard to bite. I had the short rib philly. I have learned over the years that if short rib is on the menu and I don't get it, I am disappointed. This would have been one of those times. Now to be fair, I am a Philly girl and this was not really a Philly steak, but it was delicious- they should just name it something else. We were excited about dessert, but we were so pleasantly full afterwards that we decided to save their parfait style desserts for next time, because as Donkey says in Shrek " Know what else everybody likes? Parfaits!" Thanks Jules and Tandem for ushering in the weekend in a lovely way! read more

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We've eaten and Tandem American Eatery twice in the last few months now and really enjoy it! Lots of restaurants claim to have "elevated" American food or comfort food, or some variation. But Tandem actually delivers on that premise. I'm the type of diner who doesn't order a wide variety of dishes once I find something I like in a given restaurant, but there are quite a few great looking dishes here, and while I love and tend to order the crispy chicken sandwich whenever I'm here, I finally had the burger on the last visit. And it really WAS all that it's cracked up to be. I don't know if it's the blend of meats, the seasoning, the bacon (yes, the bacon is not to be missed), or all of it together, but it was hugely satisfying. Lots of people say "don't order a burger here, you can get a burger anywhere; order one of the specialty dishes," but you gotta try the burger at least once. Lots of variations / preparations too, but I stuck with the classic American with the bacon added. My wife usually orders the lobster roll, which she loves. Not only is the lobster itself really good - not too mayonnaisey or sloppy, not over seasoned, just perfect - but they also have a gluten-free hoagie roll, and the roll itself is pretty good! You usually end sentences like that with "for a gluten-free roll," but in this case, it's just a good roll. The chicken wings are excellent as well. Really crispy, but moist and tender on the inside. The skin is just great. And you can get the sauce on the side (we like to control the amount). The natural fries are also just about perfect too. Salt and pepper is our preparation of choice and you can actually taste the pepper!! Like the wings, they're crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. You can actually taste the potato, not just feel the crunchiness. And the service can't be beat either. Adrian is an outstanding server - personable, knowledgeable, attentive, warm and welcoming, all over the service experience. Trace is also a great server. Friendly, approachable, pleasant, he put up with our shenanigans (just that we're a little high maintenance), helpful (he recommended a configuration of the burger he thought I'd like and I DID), he just did a great job. Really enjoy this place and look forward to the next time! read more

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We came on Easter Sunday, it was not easy finding a restaurant with availability at 2:00pm. My son ordered the Shrimp and Lobster roll, it was excellent. My wife ordered the BBQ Bacon Burger, she like it. I ordered the Breakfast Rueben, it was steaming when it arrived, i had to wait 5 minutes for it to cool down. It was good, although the corned beef was pretty salty. The Service was very good and the restaurant had sort of a sports bar vibe at the bar side to resaraunt. read more

Tandem American Eatery - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Last night we visited Tandem to watch the UA slaughter NAU and have dinner. (Tandem has ESPN+ and we don't .) There was nice-sized crowd, still both table and bar seating were available. One room has a giant TV and smaller televisions circle the bar and additional seating area. Service is always great. The hostess warmly welcomed us. Ayana, the owner made sure we were seated where we could see the game. The volume and closed captioning were great. But the food! The hub ordered the gourmet burger and beer special for $20. He enjoys Barrio Blonde and Tandem has it. The burgers are huge and deliciously seasoned. I've enjoyed many meals there but hadn't tried the Rueben, and that was what I was in the mood for. The Rueben is so good it needs its own paragraph. The marbled pumpernickel rye was stuffed with the best corned beef I've had in years. Tandem makes their own corned beef and it is so tender and so flavorful. The melted cheese, sauerkraut, and sauce were plentiful and the sandwich was perfectly grilled. It could not have been more delicious. Tandem's sandwiches and burgers are accompanied by a generous serving of house-made potato chips. Talk about gilding the lily! I took half of my Rueben home and had it for lunch today. It reheated beautifully in the oven and I was a happy girl. read more

Tandem American Eatery - Rueben on marbled rye - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

On a Sunday morning the service was ok there seemed to be 2 servers for the whole place which was fine it wasn't too busy. The short rib fries were good but the meat was a little too mushy and they got soggy quick. I burger was a very decent size and had good flavor. We had the breakfast orange martini which was good but will probably pass next time. My kids enjoyed the kids burgers read more

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We stopped into Tandem for Sonoran Restaurant Week and to try their brunch! $35 got us a stack of 3 pancakes (3 delicious options to pick from- we went with the berry and lemon curd which was incredible) and two omelets. We opted for the Southwestern (so much meat and the housemate salsa is so good) and the Florentine which is a mushroom lovers dream! The perfect option for sharing and sampling a couple options! They have dinner/lunch menus for SRW plus their regular menus as well! Definitely worth the drive from OV. And we will absolutely be back to check out the picnic baskets they offer for a trip up Mount Lemmon! The service was fantastic- the gal was on her own up front but handling it all great. The spot itself is unassuming but comfortable in that local way. read more

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First time here after hearing about them since they opened. The menu was more extensive then I expected, with burgers, sandwiches and of course toast. You can pick two toasts with toppings for right around $17. I picked the short ribs toast , with pickled onions, bbq sauce, cheddar cheese and the diced home bacon toast with roasted tomato, scallions and aioli. The daughter got the ribs as well, and the chicken salad toast with apples, walnuts and cranberries. You get two slices of each choice, so four slices total. The bread is fantastic. Perfectly toasted and nice flavor to it. The toppings were generous, especially the cranberries on the chicken salad. I was a little surprised the walnuts were just large chunks of walnut on top, versus them being chopped and maybe incorporated into the chicken salad, but I guess it makes it easy to keep off for those with allergies? Huge bar area, if just want to sit at a bar. read more

Tandem American Eatery - Short rib toast and bacon toast. - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Visited twice for dinner and have left satisfied and full after both meals! Staff is friendly, and the food is tasty. We've primary tried their burgers and appetizers, but they have an extensive menu including sandwiches, salads, toasts, and pastas. The wild mushroom burger was really good - the mushrooms and onions added a nice umami and sweet flavor. My husband had the black and blue burger which he enjoyed as well. Both burgers came with a side of housemade chips - not too oily and a nice crunch. We shared the truffle fries which were a huge serving. I've also had the southwest chicken (an appetizer) as an entree - not too heavily breaded and the chicken wasn't dried out. It came with a side of ranch fries which were standard, but the cilantro lime dressing was like a citrusy creamy dip. The fresh made lemonades are delicious and refreshing - I've gotten the strawberry twice and left with a refill to go to save for later. read more

Tandem American Eatery - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

A person in a FB group recommended I come here when I was looking for Beef Wellington. I'm so happy I took that person's advice. I love how the bar area is separated with a pony wall as it allowed my friend and I to enjoy quiet conversation while we ate. The place was clean and our server was attentive and friendly. I got the Wellington appetizer and a huge portion of fries. There is an option of a smaller portion and we should have gone with that. The Wellingtons were delicious and the fries didn't disappoint although they looked a bit better than they tasted. I can't explain why. That said, I would get them again. My friend loved her sweet potato ravioli. She said it was very rich and filling. I'm only in town for a week but I'm making plans to go back before I leave. read more

Tandem American Eatery - Wellington - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Big open restaurant with plenty of seating. The bar is huge and has plenty of TVs. The server was new and so sweet and did a great job as she was learning! I ordered a burger cooked medium and it was great! I wish you could sub the house chips for fries, but they do offer a side of fries for $3.00 so it worked out. Worth swinging by if you're in the area! read more

Tandem American Eatery - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I like the variety and the creativity, I wish they would use more seasoning, however. Overall, it was a good experience.

We visited recently for dinner. At the time we arrived there were more servers than customers. So, we were quickly seated. We both got Reubens, and they lived up to their billing. Well prepared and generous in size. The homemade chips were ok, not awesome. Our server was great and very helpful. read more

We have been several times. Today it was breakfast. The short rib hash is out of this world. Tender and flavorful. Being from the south, I would've preferred a little more gravy, but it was delicious nonetheless. My son had the breakfast burger. He ate the meat off of it but didn't read carefully and missed the apple butter on it. He isn't a fan of sweet and savory mixed together. He also tried the Carmel crunch coffee drink and slurped it right down. This is a new favorite. Especially since it hasn't been all that crowded when we have gone. read more

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I'm from New England, and I have missed the seafood... The middle of the desert is not exactly the best place to get fresh fish! This is the best seafood I've had in Tucson so far. I had a really decent lobster roll, my partner had an open sandwich. We were both really happy with everything, flavors, portion sizes, Service. I will definitely be back. read more

Tandem American Eatery - Lobster roll - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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We stopped by Tandem for our first visit, and it definitely won't be our last! This is a neighborhood gem we've missed out on. The restaurant is spacious, and the sound level is just right to hear your party and not everyone else's conversations. I really, really, really appreciated not all the TVs were set to sports. Nice touch for couples who aren't 100% sporty. Our waiter was warm with just the right amount of attentiveness so we didn't feel bothered or abandoned. He brought his kind personality to us immediately, which is more rare lately. Now, the food! I got the brunch hash with short ribs, wild mushrooms, fried diced potatoes, two fried eggs, and a demi-glace. The short rib hash was so rich, and the texture was melt in your mouth on the short ribs themselves, complimented by perfectly crunchy potatoes. While it was a tiny salty to me, I must also say I'm a bit sensitive to salt compared to the rest of my family. My partner had a breakfast with their house bacon, which is miles apart from what you can get at the grocery store. It was thick, smoky, and rendered just right! We also had a couple of pints of 805, and I loved that they used frosty pint glasses that felt sturdy and tall. The glasses were a nice touch reminding this isn't another beer at home. I really look forward to our next visit and hope that they'll add more taps and bottles and cans. Wish I would've had room for dessert! read more

Tandem American Eatery - Brunch hash with short ribs, wild mushrooms, fried diced potatoes, two fried eggs, and a demi-glace - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This is a surprisingly good restaurant for the Tanque Verde area. They have fish-and-chips on Friday, and mine was easily 4/5 stars. My friend said that his pasta was also easily 4/5. Our server, Wyatt, was delightfully professional and attentive. Lots of cold beers on tap. The place looks great. One recommendation to the owners - advertise more! I drive by here every day, and I had never heard of you! If you are at the intersection of Bear Canyon and Tanque Verde, this is as good as you can get. read more

We enjoyed takeout from them and appreciated them honoring the discount we had as we paid for our order. We always love the cheese and tort, and found the spinach salad refreshing and large with soft green apples, goat cheese and candied walnuts and a great house vinaigrette. read more

We went in on a Friday evening and it wasn't too busy so we were seated right away. I had the short rib Philly and while it was good, I could of used a tab bit more meat. The house made chips were great! The wife and shared a large order of garlic truffle fries and they were delicious and abundant! Washed it down with a cold Kilt Lifter and I was good for the night! The scene was good and will come back again to try something else. read more

Tandem American Eatery - Garlic truffle fries - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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The restaurant has simple decor, but plenty of seating and parking. The service was friendly and fast. There were a variety of basic and eclectic food options. The food came out quick and my family enjoyed the house made chips. My daughter really loves the Reuben sandwich special and wishes it was on the permanent menu. My lobster toast was not my fave, but I did like the mushroom and cheese toast and it was a good choice for a lighter option. I'm really surprised the restaurant wasn't busier on a Saturday night, so come check it out! read more

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I came here for the Prixe Fixe menu for Sonoran Food Week's three course meal. I started off with tandem toast Lobster & Shrimp, Avocado, Aioli, Scallion as the starter dish. Main dish was a Butternut Squash Ravioli - Sweet Potato, Spiced walnuts, spinach, parmesan cream sauce with braised short rib. For dessert I had Salted Caramel Apple Pie - Pie Crust, Baked Apples, House Caramel, Ice Cream. The wait staff did a decent job and it was an overall decent experience. My only shortcomings was the ambiance. The place reminds me of a sports bar with tables around it. Maybe it was the cost and how elagant dishes where that just clashed with the ambiance. It was fine dining but in a bar. I think it could just be the Prixe. I will go back and try a burger and fries since that jives with the ambience and the food was delicious. read more

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Excellent service and really good food, I had a great Rueben on rye. Quiet at lunch time so we could talk with our friends

Nice neighborhood bistro with a small town feel. Typical comfort classics plus some additional items for our epicurean friends. We went during Tucson restaurant week and there was a special prix fixe menu offering for the occasion. To start, one had their choice of "toasts" as a starter. They didn't offer avocado toast ( thankfully) but instead offered a much more inspired selection including shrimp, lobster AND avocado, wild mushroom, roasted tomato & balsamic vinegar, sweet potato and feta and many more. Super cool! The shrimp/lobster was delicious and a very ample portion. For mains there was a choice from 4 pasta offerings that included spaghetti, tortellini, ravioli and more. One could also augment their dish with a protein at an additional cost. I went for the 4 cheese tortellini in a creamy Brie sauce and I added short rib as additional protein. This dish was so rich! It was literally death by cheese and the pot roast was a perfect accompaniment. Again, an ample portion. Then one had a choice of 5 different parfait dessert selections that included carrot cake, mocha torte and even bananas foster! All 3 courses for the unbelievable price of $25. Add a couple of beers and a couple could enjoy a complete feast for $75, all-in including tax and tip. All of the items on the special menu are available a la carte on the normal menu and the variety shows that the chef and management are running something far beyond a comfort food diner. Service was prompt, engaged and genuine. I'll definitely be back! read more

Tandem American Eatery - Four cheese tortellini in a Brie cream sauce accompanied by braised short ribs- great combo! - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Went for Valentine's Day. They had a special menu. Both my chicken and the short ribs were excellent! Our server was funny, friendly and attentive. Can't wait to go back!! read more

We love coming to Tandem. We are always teated well and welcoming. The food, and drinks are delicious, and desserts made with superb ingredients and with great care. The also help me with my food sensitives and alert me to what ingredients are in a dish, and help me to choose another delicious item. We were able to order from the holiday take home food items. the quiche and Scalloped potatoes and kale salad was perfect. Well made, clear instructions for reheating. Made our holiday entertaining so easy and yummy. We love to bring brings and they are pleased. thanks Tandem, Fred n Vickii read more

Very very good! Staff is really friendly too! Bathrooms are clean, which, if you know me, is make or break it! read more

Tandem American Eatery - Southwestern omelette - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Great service, beer selection and menu items. The specials are excellent, we had the prime rib, scalloped potatoes and asparagus and took home Carmel apple pie and ice cream, it was delicious! There are several sections of the restaurant, we were in the bar area so we could watch a basketball game. It is reasonably quiet and servers are all friendly and personable. In addition they keep your beverages full. read more

Burger was good, fries were ok, service was fair- ambiance is nothing to mention- Bar seems to be the main attraction- Too pricey for a burger. read more

We are visiting Tucson and stopped in here for lunch after a hike. It was great! The food hit the spot perfectly and it was nice to see a beer menu that wasn't filled with just IPAs. If our hotel wasn't almost an hour away, we'd be back for dinner. read more

Returned to Tandem again for lunch. Still absolutely the best burger in Tucson. Had the BBQ Bacon Burger with no BBQ sauce. Cooked perfectly, great taste, super fresh bun, tomato, lettuce and pickled onions. Excellent. Burger is perfectly delicious without adding catchup or anything. Service is also excellent here. Highly recommend. read more

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Surprised at how good our food turned out. For apps, the baked brie was really yummy. It had apple three different ways and it just the spot. The other app we ordered was the beef wellington, it was okay but it felt more like a beef fritter and nothing like a proper wellington...for entrees, I really enjoyed the lobster and shrimp toast with the avocado, it was just the right amount and the seafood tasted fresh even though we're in the dessert. The lobster roll was pretty good too, it's not heavy and masked in mayo like some other places serve it. The ambiance of this place is nice and clean. It seems a great place for like lunch, mid-afternoon snack or happy hour. Though when we went in mid-afternoon, our server was talking so fast, seemed rushed but it was because it was shift-change and she needed to leave. Definitely coming back here to try more of their stuff. read more

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Like to try new places when I travel for work so I decided to give this place a go. Boy was I surprised. I ordered the chicken fingers because I was kind of in a rush to get back to class. Some of the best chicken strips I've ever had. Super juicy and fresh out the fryer. The home made hot sauce that came with it was so good. I also orders a blood orange lemonade which was super refreshing and came with unlimited refills.Service was fast, I was in and out within 30 min. The decor was what to be expected for a place like this but that is the last thing I really care about. read more

Tandem American Eatery - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The food is excellent. Much locally sourced. The menu items are creative and delicious. I mean, short ribs benedict with truffle hollindaise??? OMG. And great wait staff, too. read more

Tandem American Eatery - Brunch menu - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Do yourself a favor, and get the fries!! We came here for lunch on a Wednesday, it was busy, but the service was great. We got the truffle fries which were amazing, but they have many different types of loaded fries which I am so excited to try. I also had the mimosa flight, which included a green tea mimosa. IT WAS SPECTACULAR, I was pleasantly surprised and would love to get it again if they offered it! read more

Tandem American Eatery - Truffle Fries - Beer Bar Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Great food and service. Everything we've had there has been good. Burgers are especially good. Bruce

The food was excellent What went poorly was it was way two loud. Three extremely loud women sat at three different tables, and kept yelling to each other Ata high pitch and volume. It was 6:30 pm, well into the dinner hour. They should have been asked to SHUT UP! read more

Tandem offers tasty eats and excellent service. I've been there for both lunch and dinner, and it's great to see a restaurant like this thriving on the far east side of town. The savory toasts are distinct (fave = sweet potato, goat cheese, and walnuts), the pasta was well cooked (love the porcini), and a friend declared the short rib the best she's ever had. On top of that, the servers have been cheery and patient with every question. Excellent place to order a quick bite or sit with friends and enjoy several courses. read more

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This is a sweet little cafe that can be easily missed if you're not looking. The food is delicious and the prices are competitive.

Holy eats, Tucson loves! I took another one of my favorite people here for a surprise lunch and what do you know? They made some pretty snazzy changes! Service was even better from the last time I came, and the ambiance was real mellow because of after-Christmas food coma. Here are some pics- they show and tell the best! Enjoy, peace and love! New rating: 4.58 read more

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