Second visit to Tia. On a Marriott junket which included dinner at the JW. Went early so didn't see much action but really enjoyed our meals. Wifey started with the strawberry salad which was very large and had a wonderful dressing. Easily could have feed two. Went with the lamb entree which was cooked to perfection. Three chops presented on cauliflower mash and mint herbs. Superb choice. I took a step of faith and tried the Wagu beef appetizer. It was terrific. Chunks of beet on short skewers and wrapped with a large basal leaf. The beef itself was exceptionally good. For an entree, I went with the New York strip with a side of asparagus and off the cobb corn elote. The strip was slightly overcooked, I ordered medium and it came well done. Bummer! Asparagus was very grilled and tender. We wrapped up the meal with two pieces of Flan topped with coconut. Delightful ! Restaurant is a little unusual with respect to layout but very functional. Service, by Mel, was friendly and attentive. We enjoyed our experience. Bring your wallet. High recommend without any reservations. read more

Staying at the hotel for our anniversary and heard good things. At first glance it seems like a very nice place and it is, just have to understand it's a hotel restaurant so there's a mix of fancy and people coming off a day at the pool. Service was good, food took a little while but it was beautiful on the patio so we didn't mind enjoying our time together. Food was okay. The tri tip kabob was a 10/10. Guac was good, their specialty chicken dish was not my favorite and my wife got the chicken tacos which she thought were decent. Overall it was fine, wasn't bad but wasn't worth the price. read more

Great vibe and very pretty aesthetics. Inside the jw Marriott at desert ridge. Service was good, our server was nice and knowledgeable. The food was good but nothing to write home about. We had two of the tacos (tuna and beef), the fried bread, whole trout, the lamb ragu and the yucca. Everything was just okay. The yucca was a different texture than I was expecting, almost like a melted cheese. Overall it was fine but I probably wouldn't be dying to come back. read more

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We had the most perfect anniversary dinner at Tia Carmen! Our server Mel was perfect, she checked in often and was very helpful with recommendations. We got some delicious cocktails, oysters, tuna tostada, birria empanadas, roasted purple yam (definitely order the queso on the side, it was delicious with and without), roasted cod and cocoa pod dessert... and every single thing was outstanding! We would return in a heartbeat and order it all over again. Even our toddler was VERY happy with her grilled cheese, and a banana split for dessert. read more

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My mom's middle name is "Carmen" so it's no surprise that I enjoyed Tia Carmen. Located inside the JW Marriott Desert Ridge, this Mexican/Southwestern upscale restaurant has impressive root. The chef performed on Top Chef. I've stopped by for both brunch, dinner, and drinks. Since I live in Desert Ridge, I walked over all three times (so I can't comment on the parking situation). Ambiance (4.5/5): I've sat both outside on the patio, inside in the bar area, and inside at a booth. All three experiences are awesome. Outside, there is some cabana style seating. This makes for some enjoyable al fresco dining when the weather is nice. The bar area has a relatively short bar seating area and some comfortable seating on the other side of the bar. This is where I sat. And lastly, a booth is always nice. The restaurant is trendy, which makes for good vibes whether you're outside or inside. Service (3.5/5): The service, overall, has been good. Friendly, although a little slow at times. They don't have free WiFi unless you're staying at the hotel (you need a passcode). On the other hand, they bring you a traditional bill which I appreciate. I hate the electronic handheld devices which have become the new rage. Drinks (4/5): At brunch, they have four varieties of agua frescas. I was very excited to see this. When I was in the bar area, I had one of their cocktails. The cocktail menu is inventive, and as you would expect, is heavy on tequila. A little pricey ($8 for an agua fresca at dinner, for example), but well done. Food (4/5): Now to the good stuff. When I came for brunch on a Sunday afternoon, I definitely got my fill. It's a brunch buffet consisting of both classic American dishes (think an omelet station, breakfast sausage, eggs, fresh fruit, breads, pastries, and more) and Southwestern dishes (tostadas, various meat dishes, and more). It's not cheap again, but quality. For dinner, I had the birria pasta and a side of the bruleed yucca. I love birria tacos, but I had never had birria pasta. Served with some burrata, even though it's listed in the small plates section of the menu, it's a hearty dish. And while I've had yucca fries before, this was my first time having yucca in mush form. It tasted a lot better than it sounds. The burnt flavor on top (where the brûlée comes in was a little off-putting), but once you get deeper into the dish, it was delicious. While the prices are a little high for my taste, the quality is there. One of the best restaurants I've checked out in Desert Ridge. read more

Tia Carmen - Brunch buffet - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Truly an excellent Arizona experience. Bartenders Ben and Damon helped me choose items from the Sunset Hour menu (ceviche, quesadilla, margarita) and it was delicious. Damon took great care of me at the bar and suggested a cimarron reposado decaf espresso martini that was divine! Definitely order one for dessert. read more

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How do I describe Tia Carmen? Well, let's start here-a bird flew into the restaurant during dining hours and made itself at home atop an unoccupied seat. It was not shooed, the restaurant kept moving in the same choreographed fashion as before. I didn't bat an eye, that bird felt equally as qualified to occupy the space, and as a lover of most things nature, I knew I was in for an adventure. Nestled in a resort hotel, you'll find Tia Carmen. I didn't stay in the hotel, I wasn't there for an event, or conference, I just couldn't resist visiting Tia Carmen on my annual Phoenix/Scottsdale trip. The Tulum vibes brought me in, but the corn broth in the tuna crudo earned the restaurant a return visit. Seriously, I could bathe in their corn broth. The rest of my meal was just a meal, but experiencing this spot is a must. While Tia Carmen is expensive, imo it's worth trying for anyone who enjoys experience mesls read more

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You HAVE to come here for sunset hour! It is sooo nice and worth it. The food was incredible, and the vibes were perfect. Whether you're sitting outside or inside, you feel like you've been transported on a vacation. We sat at the bar and made conversation with others there. The bartender was also so nice and attentive. We ordered the house made salsas and chips... HUGE. Enough to share for 4-6 people. I got the tostada for as my main. I thought the tuna would be my favorite, but wow the beef cheek and corn tostadas were incredible! My friend loved her birria quesadilla and pan frito. If you've been wanting to come try this place out, their sunset hour is the way to go! I will definitely be back to try more of their menu! read more

Tia Carmen - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

We stayed at the resort and as a result of being Bonvoy members, we got a breakfast included each day. It was the Mercado breakfast, which is similar to a continental breakfast, but with many more options. Both days we were there, the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. On one day, we both got the base breakfast and the other day one of us got the upgraded breakfast that included things that you would normally see on a buffet like bacon, omelettes and sausage. The restaurant opens at 6:30 and on one day we went there just after opening and found that some of the items had yet to be put out. The staff apologized, and when the food came out, we both got free upgrades. We recommend the breakfast, but would advise going there a bit later than when it opens. read more

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Had a wonderful Valentine's Day meal here. The 4 courses were all amazing. Service was great, Connor was always attentive. read more

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This is a very nice spot. That decor is very very nice. I love the vibe of this restaurant. They have an awesome breakfast buffet which on Saturdays and Sundays goes all the way till 1 PM and they do a slight change over at 11 for some lunch items for the brunch buffet, which is very nice. The staff and management was very friendly and helpful. I also went for dinner and the dinner even better than the brunch. I had trout, which was very delicious and we also had a chicken dish and mussels and the mussels were amazing. The staff was very attentive and wonderful as well. I will definitely go back for the trout. It was seasoned and cooked. Excellent lots of natural herbs exactly how I like it. Food 5/5 Location 5/5 Parking 5/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 5/5 Staff 5/5 Return Factor 5/5 read more

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We had great buffet breakfast here today! Excellent variety of cold and hot foods, all delicious and beautiful presentation. Service was outstanding - courteous, professional and friendly. The space is light, bright and beautiful, patio is wonderful & clean! read more

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I've heard great things about this place. Wasn't going to have a chance for a full meal yet had to get an order of pan frito and I'm so glad I did! Delicious little balls of heaven. Service snobby at the bar which is annoying. Especially when not busy and too many of them standing there. Ambiance gorgeous as is the hotel. Would have loved a chance to try some other items Maybe next time read more

Tia Carmen - Pan frito - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

We have to Tia Carmen multiple times and it is consistently notable for such amazing service and amazing food. Our waiter Tim was really amazing at being so attentive. The drinks were just strong enough but so refreshing (I got the 5 citrus spritz). Our favorite dish was the Ember purple potatoes, but you can't go wrong with the Taco Night Tostada and the Tuna Tostada. The strawberry salad, birria pasta and the striped bass were also delicious. We were overall very happy with our experience and can't wait to return! read more

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I met my friend at Tia Carmen for brunch. What a pretty restaurant. All the bohemian decor is lovely. We sat on the patio under the palm trees. We decided on the "Mercado Experience" for brunch. They offer three options, the mercado experience, the petite mercado, and the kids mercado. Each offers different parts of the buffet. The buffet has a large assortment of pasties, yogurts, fruits, as well a variety of southwestern dishes. They had an omelette station and a great charcuterie section plus lots of flavors of aqua fresca. We each had a glass of champagne, food was delicious, and our service was great. The only issue I ran into was on their native grain fried rice. It's labeled as having shellfish due to the oyster sauce in it. On the label it lists other ingredients, but doesn't say it contains pork. It wasn't until I was at our table that I realized there was pork in it. I brought it to our servers attention to make a note on the label for future. read more

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Incredible experience at Tia Carmen. Our server, Connor, was attentive, helpful, and kind. Same with the front host station staff :) We ordered the street corn, asparagus, purple yam, and lamb chops. Everything was exquisitely prepared and seasoned-- with just the right portions. The cocktails were great as well-- especially the cucumber margarita. Beautiful restaurant inside and out :) read more

Tia Carmen - Lamb chops, asparagus, purple yam, and street corn :) - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I honestly think my review would be better and overall experience if the hostess who sat my family didn't have some sort of attitude? It was just not very welcoming. Our server on the other hand was personable and helpful. I enjoyed the elote and crudo, those had great flavor. My entree however was lacking some depth and salt meanwhile my husbands was too salty!! It was a nice vibe and gorgeous restaurant, but personally would be a "once to try out" thing for me. Was nice as it was for my mom's birthday, but no true wow-factor probably wouldn't return. read more

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Fabulous experience, amazing service and really good food. It was different and not what you would expect but every dish had a special touch. The design and architecture were stunning and I loved the vibe. read more

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What a beautiful gem! Located inside JW Marriot, this restaurant is so beautiful, loved the decor, and I was so thrilled with the staff friendliness and just fun to be around. They made us feel so welcomed and made us laugh also! Just absolutely loved it from the start. I also can honestly said I had a fabulous brunch. Everything was great & they have birria tacos also in the branch menu! Yum! read more

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Tia Carmen has been on my list to try forever and I finally got to try it last weekend. This was the perfect spot for our double date with friends. The ambience alone is absolutely to die for. Located inside of the JW Marriott at Desert Ridge you get to walk through the beautiful resort which makes it feel like you're on a vacation. Tia Carmen is one of the restaurants on property and the aesthetic is so elevated, as if you've just been transported to Tulum. The service was great and attentive. We were educated on the menu and they had so many delicious drinks, including an array of mocktails! We started out with the tri-tip kebabs that are not only served on a cool, edible leaf but also have a wonderful flavor. For my entrée, I ordered lamb chops and my husband had the rib eye. My lamb chops won and they were so tender and flavorful we were eating them off the bone! We shared the street corn and spiced fingerling potatoes as sides. Everything was so delicious. The ambiance here truly stole my heart and I will definitely return! read more

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We enjoyed this restaurant so much when we were in Phoenix last year that we went back on this year's trip. We ordered the fish sandwich again but this time we split it. Again, the ambiance of both the inside and outside dining areas were delightful and again, we chose outside. The only thing we didn't like was the bread and butter appetizer. It was little bread balls in a bowl lined with softened butter. Again, the service was spectacular. I love it when restaurants I enjoy on vacation maintain their high quality so I can enjoy them again on the next vacation. Thank you Tia Carmen. See you next year. read more

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Booked Tia Carmen for our team dinner, party of 12, because we were at a conference at the resort We were excited because this was chef Angelo's restaurant. We were looking forward to the food, ambience, and the convenience. The atmosphere was great and we were glad to have the ability to make reservations in advance. One word to summarize the experience is slow. It took over 20 minutes to get our drink order, followed by another 20 minutes to have our order taken for dinner and receive our drinks. We ordered appetizers and the staff was very quick to clear the plates, even though we were not through our appetizers, and the dinner was not even close to being prepared. Waitress never asked if there were any additional appetizers. We want to discuss the status of the dinner order, etc. The food was very good however we waited over 2 1/2 hours to get our food. The waitress was underwhelming to say the least, she did not discuss the menu nor any specials or recommendations. The waitress frowned the whole time and seemed b like working was a chore for her. The length of time it took to place our order, be served and the staff in the restaurant being very withdrawn. I would not recommend this restaurant for anyone staying at the resort whether on vacation or business travel. I also would not recommend for special occasions for anyone local like myself who are taking their colleagues at our conference in the resort. Three stars is actually a stretch for this review but the food, ambiance, and convenience is weighed in the rating. read more

Stunning restaurant and delicious food! The service was amazing. I do not eat meat on certain days of the year and the waitress walked me through the menu kindly. They have a lot of great options with tons of flavor! read more

Tia Carmen - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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My husband and I were staying at the resort on site and decided to dine here for the evening. This restaurant is absolutely stunning and the staff were exceptional. Our waiter was very nice and went out of his way to serve us. That being said, the food here was not our favorite. The fried plantains were absolutely delicious and my husband enjoyed his bass. I got the roasted purple yam and did not enjoy it. I wish the menu had been more upfront about the dish. The dish is described as having a queso sauce and a mole negro. The dish was absolutely covered in a cheese foam substance that depleted the flavors of the dish and I had more cheese sauce than I did potato. It also did not look very appetizing. My husband's menu item also did not say it would have a foam on top. Our meal with tip came out to 97$, which was a little pricey for what we ate. read more

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Food - This is my favorite go-to place for breakfast when I can't decide where to eat. The buffet is an experience you can't beat, offering a very well-prepared spread of Southwest-themed warm breakfast foods, along with a creatively curated selection of cold foods and pastries. The fried rice is a must-try, and all their salsas are very well made. They even have a station where a cook will prepare eggs to order, and they've mastered the soft-scrambled egg--a feat for a buffet. You can even create your own lox bagel. It's a truly luxurious breakfast buffet, and as a self-proclaimed foodie, I appreciate the creative and high-quality options. Service - The service is fantastic. Everyone is very friendly and attentive. You have several choices of drinks that are prepared for you to pour yourself, or you can order a classic option from a member of the waitstaff. The cooks at the made-to-order stations are ready to take your order and are very accommodating. The staff's strong sense of hospitality adds to the feeling of being on vacation, even if you're a local just coming in for breakfast. Ambiance - The moment you walk into Tia Carmen, you are greeted with a very refreshing, light, and airy feel. It's a terrible description, but I couldn't help thinking it felt like a breakfast spot fit for royalty from the Dune movies. The whole resort has a strong sense of a holiday feel (in the sense of a vacation spot), and this restaurant carries that theme perfectly. It's an upscale but comfortable atmosphere, making it a place where you can feel good about indulging in the joy of a well-prepared buffet. read more

One of my favorite restaurants . The decor is unbelievable I was in awe of the beauty in every detail. The food was superb and creative . I just love the whole vibe . Cannot wait to go again . The staff were attentive and very pleasant . The restaurant is an experience of beauty with incredible food filled with flare gorgeous presentation and tastes beyond amazing . I just love this place. read more

We are at Tia Carmen during a conference at the hotel resort. The ambiance was nice and area was clean and well lit. Our server was very attentive until the very end -- we waited ~15 minutes for the check. The food was pretty good for hotel restaurant food. The beef birria pasta was exactly what I expected. The yucca brûlée was very rich and starchy. The omakase dessert I would not recommend to anyone. read more

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Ambiance: 4/5; very chic yet organic vibes, minus a star for noise level and the three of us were seated at a round 6 top, while a four top table with a bench was available. We had a reservation but it took the host a few minutes to figure out where to seat us. Service: 3/5, friendly enough, but minus a couple stars for not being very prompt at all, and did not come by once to check on us, only to bring items. We ordered two drinks to start and they came at different times. Never asked if we cared for another drink after we finished the first. Brought the wrong item for a food order, which was fixed quickly enough, but still a misstep. For this price point, I would just expect a bit more attentiveness and attention to detail. Food: 6/5 stars!!! Everything was beautiful to look at and eat! The food really rescued this back up to four stars, almost five. Would I eat here again if not staying at the resort? Probably not, but I would certainly consider it! Would I, if I was at the resort? Most definitely, especially if they had a new menu to try some new things from this talented kitchen crew. read more

The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated and the outdoor seating was very cozy. That is, unfortunately, the nicest thing I can say about the restaurant. The drinks, while containing plenty of alcohol, failed to have any real flavor beyond that. The guacamole and chips order failed to arrive (when this was pointed out, it was brought out gratis but neither the chips nor the guacamole were worthy of a restaurant that claims to specialize in southwestern cuisine). The real disappointment was the elote which was microwaved frozen corn that had a few crumbles of cotija and some cilantro on top. There was no charring of the corn and literally no flavor. The chef should be embarrassed to even have this on the menu. The service was non-existent with the server being nowhere around and completely oblivious to the lack of food delivery. I will note this was a Monday evening and the restaurant was not very busy and there appeared to be plenty of waitstaff available. I would definitely not recommend eating (or drinking) here. read more

Wasn't sure what to expect. Our family walked in, not crowded at all, I wanted to treat my niece, nephew to a nice Sunday dinner. Tia Carmen exceeded our expectations! The steaks, the pasta, appetizer, drinks were all superb! And my nephew truly Loved the flan dessert! Made for a wonderful, memorable family dinner. read more

Since we staying here it was a easy decision to make to dine here and lucky we did. Came here around 7pm not too busy. We ended up sitting outside which was perfect. We ordered the crispy plantains to start. We shared the smoked chicken and ribeye and that was more then enough food for us four. Service here was awesome. Server always came by to check up on us and refill waters. Food was delicious. This a must eat spot if you are in phoenix read more

Recently I visited Tia Carmen for breakfast buffet , and like always I never get disappointed about their quality of food, variety and warm service. The buffet offered an impressive variety of options catering to diverse tastes. The selection of fresh pastries and bread was outstanding -- flaky croissants, buttery danishes, and perfectly baked muffins were irresistible. For those seeking healthier choices, the fruit station featured vibrant, freshly cut options alongside yogurt, granola, and assorted nuts. Another impressive part is if you have small appetite then you can opt for petite mercado , where as my husband opted for mercado experience. I absolutely loved the ambience, specially outside cabana seating.. I would love to go for dinner next time . read more

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Pretty good but inconsistent food. Lovely setting and servers. Flan was really really good read more

Tia Carmen - Cesar - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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The place was great. The decor was bright and fun! We had drinks here and then brunch the following day! The pineapple and ginger tahona was great. For brunch we did the mercado experience and all of the food was delicious. Everyone was very polite. read more

Tia Carmen - Pineapple ginger tahona - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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We celebrated our 10 year anniversary here back in July. The ambiance was nice and clean. I'm a bit disappointed with foods. We did their chef tasting menu, every course was very sweet. My least favorite was the steak. The steak itself was decent. I couldn't eat the bone marrow sauce on top. It was very grainy and had a weird texture to it. Overall, it was ok. read more

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Just as good as last year. Had the good sense to share the fish torta. It's the size of a football for Pete's sake. Lovely outdoor environment. Delightful service. See ya next trip. read more

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This restaurant is located inside the JW Marriott resort. Such a nice spot to dine in for lunch or dinner. They offer weekend brunches, have a lunch menu, a sunset hour (I assume it's happy hour), and an evening hour menu. We made reservations for dinner hour. Upon arriving we were already in awe of the whole ambiance. The decor and vibes really made it feel like we were at a resort somewhere out of country. Very elegant yet casual and comfortable. So you'll find both dressed casual and semi formal. Some dined in for a simple dinner with the family, whereas others like us, dined in for a girls night out. We even saw a group there for a bachelorette dinner. Nicely catered for any crowd. Plenty of workers all working together to make the service experience very enjoyable. They have great service etiquette. Continuously assuring our needs were met. I like how their menu isn't way too wide of options, rather just enough so it didn't feel overwhelming to look over. Menu caters a little bit of everything. We were very satisfied with everything we opt for. We ordered to eat family style because we were told how our portion of dishes ordered would be. We started with a beautifully dressed romaine salad. We ordered their whole mesquite smoked chicken. 10/10 packed with a mouth full of bursting flavors. The aroma of all the herbs was so delicious. Not dry at all! Huge portion. Also got the steam mussels that came with a concha. It was delicious, however a tad bit salty when you eat the chorizo that comes inside the dish. It's a southwestern style so different from the traditional steamed mussels. The concha that comes with it was heavenly. It was sweet and savory so enjoyable by itself, one of the friends said she'll be back just for that itself lol. We ordered a side of brussels sprouts as well and it comes cooked with pieces of pear with it. At first I was skeptical but it goes so well. A well balanced mix. Overall we enjoyed our meal and we couldn't stop talking about how we picked the right dishes. We wanted the seafood platter, but tbh it was more for the presentation and aesthetics to ordered haha. Girls being girls but it did look massive and beautiful as we seen others order it. Would love to go back to this resort and dine at Tia Carmen again whenever I go back to Arizona. I definitely recommend. FYI if you're there just to dine, you have to pay for parking. The restaurant will validate your ticket so that was nice. read more

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Extremely beautiful, service was amazing from the moment you walk in, the way they greet you. Food was ok love the options wish they had a more authentic flavors as far as the mexican food goes. Overall I would definitely be back for the service and ambiance. read more

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Super cute and bougie brunch spot! Great service too. My group of 6 came for weekend brunch and got the mercado experience, which is the breakfast buffet for $42/pp. For the cost, it would be nice to have some more premium items, but if you don't mind spending for the ambiance there is still some great food options between Mexican and Western. The salad bar is really nice. Omelette station good. Horchata was the best horchata I ever had! Tres leches french toast was also quite good. Pozole on weekends only. If you have any big eaters then you could get decent value out of this. read more

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