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    Venues Cafe

    3.4 (323 reviews)
    ModerateNew American, Cafes
    Open 11:30 am - 8:00 pm

    Venues Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    VENUES CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Venues Cafe

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    Seafood enchiladas. Look great but NOT SO GOOD!
    Liz D.

    My husband had wonderful stuffed pork chops this evening and thoroughly enjoyed them. Me? I chose seafood enchiladas! What a disaster!! The menu described them as stuffed with shrimp , crab and mushroom and served with green enchilada sauce. Hmmmmmmm ! I was served something, stuffed with gritty spinach and a few tiny pieces of shrimp with a couple of pieces of mushroom. The entire thing was covered in melted cheese. No green enchilada sauce in sight! Along with it came risotto. Yes RISOTTO. ( usually delicious with their shrimp plate) but tonight crunchy uncooked rice and hardly the thing to serve with enchiladas. Next to that pico de gillo and a slice of avocado. What a strange and unlikely mixture. So hardly any shrimp,no crab, unwashed spinach and no green enchilada sauce. Definitely an extremely poor offering for $26.00 I have no idea what all that spinach was stuffed inside. So sad because we have had some really good food in this restaurant. Their French onion soup is the very best in town and I have enjoyed the bacon wrapped shrimp more than once. So this disappointing meal will have to be written off to a one time bad experience. You might want to avoid ordering the seafood enchiladas though!

    Shrimp taco & short rib taco
    Sherita E.

    Truly enjoyed this quaint find. The food was great, had the chicken tortilla soup, the short rib & shrimp tacos. Also the salad was impeccable. The server was really nice and gave great recommendations. It's near a lot of cute shops, so afterwards we had a chance to look around. It was even live music across the street. Overall if you ever find yourself in Carefree, stop by and check out Venues it's a great place

    Menu
    HoyMay P.

    We were hangry and needed a late lunch. There was also the Carefree Art and Wine Festival happening so we weren't sure if we would have to wait for a table. Luckily we went to lunch late enough where most diners had left. The guys had cheeseburgers and fries and we gals ordered the turkey panini with green salad. The burgers looked amazingly huge. The guys were happy and ate every last bite. The paninis were grilled, buttery and good. The salad was fresh and crisp. A good meal! Lots of patrons so a bit loud in here. There is also outdoor seating. Free street parking and WiFi.

    Roxanne C.

    I ordered the street tacos and they were delicious. The short rib taco was juicy, tender and personally my favorite. The carne asada was also tasty with its unique salsa. Great location in the middle of downtown. Local flutist was performing in the park across from the restaurant as we sat on the patio. I will go back again.

    Dining area looking to the front door
    Tim S.

    This place is special to us as it is where I proposed to my now wife in 2013. So for Valentine's Day brunch we decided to drive 30 miles to Venues for brunch. Worth the drive up here. If you are staying in the are get over to this place. If you are down in Phoenix, the drive up will take you through some beautiful areas before you arrive here.

    Turkey Panini with sweet potato fries

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    5 months ago

    Great efficient service, delicious burger, crispy, perfect fries. Amazing lunch spot!

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    11 months ago

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    Catherine M.

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    6 months ago

    Great food, friendly servers and warm atmosphere!! This is our go to restaurant in Care Free!!!

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    1 year ago

    Delicious apps, entrees were on point and the service was excellent! It was our first time in so we will surely be back.

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    1 year ago

    Great service. Shrimp tacos were awesome!! I would recommend Happy hour, as it is a bit cheaper and the food on the menu is great!

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Food was tasty and service was reasonable but overall this place is over priced. We would not eat here again.

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    1 year ago

    Wonderful meal there. Ate outside. Tuna melt and the so cal burrito. Two meals out of the burrito. Attentive staff. Highly recommended

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    3 years ago

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    Catherine M.

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    2 years ago

    It's got a great meatloaf sandwich and the ambience and location is fairly nice. The prices can be outrageous if you're not careful.

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Venues Cafe

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    Confluence

    Confluence

    4.2
    (140 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    My husband and I decided to take a chance on a new restaurant while vacationing in Arizona…read more Normally, we stick with restaurants we've visited before or well-known brands, but this time we stumbled upon a charming husband-and-wife-owned restaurant called Confluence, located in the Sundial Plaza in Carefree, Arizona. We're certainly glad we did. Confluence offers a beautiful outdoor patio for dining, while the interior is intimate, with only six to eight tables and a small bar. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with warmth and character--you can definitely tell there's a thoughtful touch behind every detail. We were greeted by our bartender and server, Victoria, who also happens to be the co-owner. She was absolutely wonderful. Even though the restaurant was busy, she made us feel like we were her only guests. As we talked with her, we learned how she and her husband, Chef Brandon, are the entire operation and work seamlessly together to create an exceptional dining experience. The menu is intentionally small, but that's because every dish is prepared fresh to order. Chef Brandon's attention to detail is evident in every plate. The presentation is beautiful, and the complex, well-balanced flavor profiles showcase his culinary talent. We highly recommend the Gazpacho--it was outstanding. As former restaurant owners ourselves, we were especially impressed by how this husband-and-wife team consistently delivers such an exceptional level of food quality, hospitality, atmosphere, and overall uniqueness with such a small operation. Their teamwork and dedication are truly something to admire. If you're visiting the Carefree or Cave Creek area, make it a point to dine at Confluence. We don't think you'll be disappointed. One final tip: To ensure they can maintain the highest standards of food and service, they intentionally limit the number of guests they serve each evening. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially during the busy season.

    this is my go to. It's the most enjoyable meals ever fresh delicious not complicated just amazing…read morebetween husband and wife. They are the best of the best I live in the neighborhood. It's my go to.

    Photos
    Confluence
    Venison loin
    Venison loin
    Halibut - great northern beans, leek, spinach, sweet pepper, olive, Calabrian chili

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    Halibut - great northern beans, leek, spinach, sweet pepper, olive, Calabrian chili
    Terras

    Terras

    3.7
    (61 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    Hit or miss. For the price and it being a spa resort restaurant, I'd expect better. The type of…read morefood where you could make it at home or even make something better. Vegan mac was great! Tuna tartar was fantastic! I asked for my steak to be medium and it came out well done. To me, if a restaurant can't cook your steak to the right temperature that's a red flag. Isn't that a restaurant basic?

    I was staying at the resort and ended ip eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner here. The restaurant…read morehad a good variety of healthy and tasty options at each meal and overall I think it deserves a good rating! For breakfast, I had the chocolate buckwheat porridge and a cappuccino. I wanted to try something new since I had never had buckwheat porridge before. I wouldn't recommend the porridge because it had a strong flavor from the buckwheat. I ended up asking for some extra coconut cream to put on it to enhance the flavor. My husband ordered the smoked salmon toast, which was excellent. I felt like the porridge and the cappuccino were both overpriced and could have been better. For lunch, I had the Buddha bowl, which was tasty, well balanced, and super healthy. For dinner, I had the salmon, which was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. I also appreciated the variety of non-alcoholic drink options. The service was excellent at each meal - the servers were knowledgeable and friendly. The ambiance was nice too. I ended up eating outside at each meal to enjoy the view of the mountains in the distance. The inside of the restaurant looks nice, but seemed a little dark.

    Photos
    Dining Area
    Dining Area
    Beet Carpaccio
    Beet Carpaccio
    Paloma

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    Paloma
    Harold's Corral

    Harold's Corral

    3.6
    (878 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    **July 2026: Wednesday Night**…read more During our Arizona road trip, my friend and I made a spontaneous stop in Cave Creek and were instantly drawn to the town's western charm. We were looking for an authentic saloon experience, and Harold's Corral seemed like the perfect fit. We came on a Wednesday evening and were seated in a booth. The place was already bustling, and there was live music that night, which made the whole atmosphere feel really lively and fun. We each enjoyed a bottle of sarsaparilla and a prime rib dinner, which was the special of the night. The food was decent, but honestly, the vibe was the real highlight for me. They have live bull riding on Wednesday and Friday evenings, which sounded really cool. We were pretty wiped out and still had an hour of driving ahead of us, so we didn't stay for that part, but it definitely made me want to come back another time. If I'm ever in the area again, I'd love to return on a Friday night to check out the children's and mutton riding, which I heard is especially cute.

    We have been here numerous times. This is definitely an old school bar but a solid pet-friendly…read moreplace to hang out and grab a drink and enjoy a laid back atmosphere. Patio is comfortable and cool even in summer. Far superior to Buffalo Chip in my opinion. The beer is cold and the service is generally always very good (special shoutout to River who we had today and was absolutely excellent). The food is bar food (not my favorite) but some good options are the burger and the wings. My husband likes the fried chicken. Breakfast is pretty good and the build your own Bloody Mary is nice with lots of toppings.

    Photos
    Dining, stage and dance floor
    Dining, stage and dance floor
    Fried Shrimp and Baked Potato- One of my favorite meals at Harold's! Yummmm!
    Fried Shrimp and Baked Potato- One of my favorite meals at Harold's! Yummmm!
    Exterior on Cave Creek Rd with minimal paved parking and lots of gravel parking

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    Exterior on Cave Creek Rd with minimal paved parking and lots of gravel parking
    Buffalo Chip Saloon & Steakhouse

    Buffalo Chip Saloon & Steakhouse

    3.3
    (909 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    First time here! A friend celebrated her birthday, quite the drive but the next I go I would love…read moreto spend the day In Cave Creek! I only tried the drinks and paid to watch the show! Service was nice, especially at the outside bars. Worth checking out if in the area!

    As a local, avoid this place. Bad management and service. Not friendly, nor welcoming…read more 1.) The ANIMALS are not treated well for rodeo. The owners do not care. 2.) I brought a date here and the person running the animals made several rude and racist remarks to her about "teaching her to ride the bull". 3.) this is not a safe place for families or children. 4.) It has only gotten worse since. They don't know a real ID from a 90s man. Some of us don't carry all the plastic anymore. No digital ID. No nothing. They turn away business unless you have an AZ ID. Passport or ID card card? They will let you in. Then, they will ask you to leave. The security is rude, misinformed, and physically aggressive. They don't know what they are doing and that makes this place UNSAFE. Dangerous. Nobody is at the wheel. Harold's, Roadrunner, Roadhouse, or any of the other establishments are a better choice. This place has lost its way. Take your HARD EARNED money, elsewhere. They can do better but refuse to do so. It has declined for years, now it is worse than ever. Sad to see it. Hard PASS. Roadrunner has animals treated well and nice service. Avoid this place, for your own safety and your family. This kind of establishment is supposed to be fun and inviting. And it's not that here. It's a very dark atmosphere. I feel very badly for all the mistreated animals here. Speak with your money and take it elsewhere.

    Photos
    The bar inside the bull-riding area
    The bar inside the bull-riding area
    Bbq buffet
    Bbq buffet
    Bill pen area

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    Bill pen area
    Indian Village

    Indian Village

    4.3
    (187 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $

    Love this place. Always greeted with a smile and maybe a…read morejoke or two. You'd never know they have a little kitchen in the back of this souvenir shop. Family owned and operated. The best tacos and Indian fry bread in AZ. Hubby loves sweet he gets his fry bread with powdered sugar. I love the Navajo Taco fry bread. Smothered in chilli, cheese, lettuce & tomatoes sooo good. Sometimes I get the Taco plate made with shredded beef. They do have many other things on their menu all very good. Prices are fantastic. Small place in the back to eat also seating out front or tables under the trees out back. Don't drive to fast you'll miss it! Its clean rustic atmosphere is fun. The store has all kinds of rocks, T shirts, blankets even a scorpion rocks. We live about 45 min from here and it's so worth the drive. Great place to bring out of town guest to see the desert town of Cave Creek and enjoy some great food.

    Came back for a second time to enjoy the beef enchiladas, but this time the rice was hard and cold…read more Also tried the beef taco, which lacked flavor and was not tender. The beef enchilada luckily was still a hit. It comes with green sauce, but make sure to ask for their red hot sauce. It's one of the best red hot sauces I've had, with just the right amount of spice. The service was a bit better this time as the owner himself pleasantly greeted us and took our order. The inside of the restaurant could use a deep cleaning, especially their floors, window sills, and bathroom.

    Photos
    Patio
    Patio
    Native taco
    Native taco
    Indian Village

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    Venues Cafe - newamerican - Updated July 2026

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