Reviews Ocotillo Restaurant

Second visit to this beautiful space, and it was a definite hit. Reserved for two and since we were a bit early had a drink at the bar. Wine list is very cool, with an unusual "symbolic" profile for each selection. Really pretty cool so you know exactly what you're getting when you order. Excellent BTG selection. Interesting list of house special cocktails. Highly recommend if you're in the mood for something different. After our libation we were seated at a very comfy booth near the bar, in sight of the kitchen - which was sparkling clean btw with the cooks laser focused on their stations. The menu had changed somewhat since our first visit so we were interested to try new things. First course, we split a salad. All are large enough to share. We chose the Watermelon, mango, avocado, arugula with toasted coconut. Superb. Very refreshing with an excellent range of textures and nice balance of the sweeter mango and melon with the peppery arugula. Perfectly dressed as well. Next was a halibut ceviche. Great portion as well. Halibut succulent, not chewy as some can be when the acid is applied too early. Ripe tomatoes added a nice color and offset the tomatillo purée nicely. The surprise addition of corn nuts really made the dish as it added a great bit of crunch and saltiness. Well done. Third came a pita and spicy Dahl dish with blistered shishito peppers, olives and a bit of salad. The Dahl was outstanding, not really hot spicy, but very flavorful with just enough kick. A good meatless choice and enough to share...most definitely. For entrees, the lady had the scallops from the small plates section. Perfectly seared with nice crust outside and buttery smooth inside. Sauce had just enough acid to make the buttery scallops pop! I chose the Crispy Duck Confit. Again, a great portion. Duck fall off the bone tender, yet crispy crunchy skin intact. Accompanied by some stone ground grits and a sweet cherry based relish that was a great counterpoint to the richness of the duck. By this time we were too full and dessert was not in the cards for us...next time. Can't wait until summer heat subsides and the patio opens up. Will be a great place to hit for lunch or dinner...or drinks! Oh, BTW...service was outstanding. When you go, consider yourself fortunate if Eli is your guy. He's great...so we're the bartenders! We'll be back soon with friends. Go...soon!

One of the best meals I have had at a restaurant in years, everything was spectacular. The four of us shared 4 appetizers, 3 small plates and 2 large plates and 2 deserts so we had a great cross selection of the menu. Can't wait to go again.

This is fast becoming one of my favorite restaurants! The food is fresh and procured locally, the flavor profiles are amazing, and the staff is knowledgeable and helpful. Can't wait for cooler weather to check out the beer garden!

This kiwi is in love with this place. By far the best place I have been to in Phoenix! And Dave is the best.

Update after 7 or 8 more visits: Absolutely nothing has changed my mind about this restaurant! I have actually challenged myself to order dishes that I normally wouldn't like/order and have not been let down in any way! Each visit tends to be a three course meal due to their diverse menu! The focus on ingredients and creative flavor profiles shows in each dish. The quality is simply indescribable in my mind, I'm often left speechless. The food, service, and atmosphere combined make me feel as if I'm a judge on Top Chef or something! I actually find myself grateful for each visit and look forward to many more in the future! Original review: I was really impressed by the amount of flavor our meals had on our Saturday visit. Cooked well, well seasoned, and immensely savory! I tend to order more simple dishes to see how restaurants grasp the basics, and they nailed it! I did have the opportunity to also taste their Brisket with au jus, I would go as far to say it was majestic! As for pricing, even with some drinks, our meal was reasonably priced but the quality added so much more value. The service was quick, thorough, and accommodating! I really look forward to my next visit!!

David and team were spectacular as always. we tasted several dishes from each section of the menu. As for cocktails, they were outstanding. I can't wait for it to cool down so we can sit on the patio.

Wow, I was blown away by this great restaurant in Phoenix. It is a very nice place w a lot of indoor & outdoor seating. There were 5 of us & we were seated quickly on a Sat AM. We ordered a bottle of champagne orange juice for mimosas. We had a great avocado toast dish, an awesome arugula salad, a smoked salmon plate, and a great chicken and pancake (not waffles) breakfast. My salmon plate was so tasty w a nice spread that included capers, pickles, onions, peppers, a boiled egg & a very tasty bread. Every plate was beautifully presented & very tasty. This is one of my top 5 places to return to on the regular.

This is a great brunch spot. I like that they take reservations and have such a large dining area. They can always fit me in. I hate waiting at restaurants for a table, so I always look for a place that will take reservations. They were even able to fit in our large group on Monther's Day. The food is always amazing. I love the beets, burrata salad, and balsamic strawberries. The drinks are pretty good too, but they take a long time to come out. They should hire a second bartender for busy shifts or expect the manager to help out to get the drinks out faster. The outside seating area is lovely, but they have the misters on WAY too high. I sat there once, and it was like a shower. I also wish the bathrooms were attended to better. The food is amazing, but they've had the same menu for over 3 years. I like the old reliables, but I'd appreciate some more variety. A specials menu would really push this place over the top.

Elegant atmosphere. Good place to chill out with your peeps! The place has open seating and roofed seating! You can enjoy any! It’s beautifully decorated. Food was also delicious! We had paccheri pasta. The service was also quick and good! Our server was quite prompt in taking our requests. It’s a good place to go for a date too! Overall it’s a decent place to go and have that quality time.

If your looking for atmosphere then this is the place. Super nice out doors for pictures. We surprised our family with a pricey dinner here to let everyone know we got married. The food wasn't the best tasting the chicken wasn't cooked all the way. The salmon lacked taste. The jerk chicken wings I was told was good but that's it. Everyone else didn't enjoy the food and that's a bummer since the total bill came out to be almost $500.00! Go for the drinks service was on point and the atmosphere very nice pictures.

Went for restaurant week. A relaxed atmosphere with upscale food. Everything was delicious and well presented. The patios are nice with misters and the indoors more refined. There are large tables for big groups. The sidecar is a nice bar to wait at for a table. Highly recommend.