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Tarbell's
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
3213 E Camelback RdPhoenix, AZ 85018
(602) 955-8100
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
81 reviews for Tarbell's
Review Highlights
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"Scotch Beef I continue to dream about." In 13 reviews -
"It had an unusual rosemary-caramel sauce that really put it..." In 6 reviews -
"What do you say to the owner/Iron Chef." In 12 reviews
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81 reviews in English
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Review from Ebony K.
5/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
I had the pleasure of dining with two lovely ladies this past Tuesday evening. We were coming here for Restaurant week, but ended up ordering straight off the menu. From start to finish, the service was outstanding. Our hostess greeted us with the biggest smile ever, our waitress was so very knowledgeable and I took her recommendation from my glass of wine ( Ancient Peaks Cab) to dinner (Grilled Organic Salmon on Crispy Potato Cake molasses, lime, McClendon's honey) to dessert (The "Beloved" Chocolate Mousse Featuring Guittard Chocolate) OMG! everything was amazing. The table even shared the Mac and Cheese made with Vermont Cheddar. I am telling you, if I was at home by myself, I would have licked the bowl. Same for the Chocolate Mousse. (still shaking my head it was so good)
Will I be back, absolutely! It really was a great experience from start to finish! -
Review from Andrea H.
5/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Bah. I expected so much more. Noca (one of my top 3 in AZ) is less than a mile away and I expected Tarbell's to be at least near the level of quality. Now, I must say, the service was 5 stars (great server and charming Mr. Tarbell came by and chatted with us) However, the quality of what was on our table just simply wasn't there.
Two people in our party of three ordered off the restaurant week menu. The fresh mozzarella appetizer was described as "delicious, but lacking pesto". I ordered the Grilled Organic Salmon on Crispy Potato Cake molasses, lime, McClendon's honey. The salmon was cooked to perfection and I thoroughly enjoyed the tangy glaze. But OMG!!-- the crispy potato cake confused the hell out of me-- it tasted like burnt shoestring potato pieces. Seriously. I expected crisp fritter or hash...something edible and not over-deep-fried. Onto dessert.....I opted out, but the other 2 were given dessert with the restaurant week deal. The mousse was terrific! (props to that) The doughnut holes were a letdown. Like my potatoes, they where very overcooked. In fact, one was ridiculously dark brown-- visibly over-fried. We were kind of surprised it was even brought to our table like that. For the price that we paid for average food, I really wished we would have gone across the street to Noca :(
Highlights: service, atmosphere, mozzarella, mousse -
Review from May L.
4/9/2012 1 photo
I liked the fact that this was a smaller place, so thus a more intimate dining room, although the tables seemed a bit close. The wait staff was very friendly and mostly attentive although I do feel like other tables got a bit more attention (I think it's because I tend to be a younger diner at these types of establishments, which means I won't order as expensive items or won't tip as much - so wrong, but I digress). The house bread that was served was especially good and served warm - mmm.
Our table ordered mac and cheese and onion strings to share. Both were super delicious, the onion strings came with a phenomenal dipping sauce that I loved. For my entree, I ordered one of the homemade pasta dishes which was very rustic and delicious, although the chicken sausage was a bit heavy handed with the fennel seeds. The others at my table ordered the special of the night that was some sort of fish and polenta that looked great. My fiance ordered the scotch beef which he loved as well.
We also all ordered dessert, carrot cake (meh, I've definitely had better), chocolate mousse (pretty good, but standard), bread pudding with a bourbon sauce (super rich, pretty good), and homemade sorbets (the lemon being the best and very refreshing).
I would say definitely check this place out, especially for special occasions. -
Review from Santiago G.
Scottsdale, AZ
5/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
Don't come here for restaurant week, overpriced menu for the food you get. Tried all 3 main dishes and they were all bland, needed to add lots of salt. Service was excellent on the plus side.
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Review from Jana G.
Chandler, AZ
4/5/2012
Ok, to be fair, I am that rarest of breeds: a vegetarian foodie.
I realize that gives me a lot more challenges at many restaurants, but I have to say I was really disappointed with the food at Tarbell's. I had read all the reviews about how he was an Iron Chef competitor, etc, so perhaps I was expecting too much.
We dined very early, so there was no issue with parking or crowding in the restaurant as many other reviewers had mentioned. We were seated immediately. Server was pleasant and informative as well as prompt. I have no issue at all with the service. In fact it was quite exceptional. It was the food which disappointed.
I asked the server about vegetarian options. There was a seasonal vegetable mixture on the menu and the server convinced me that was the way to go. We discussed a few other options, but I went with his recommendation. When it came to the table the presentation was "interesting" but not especially appetizing.
The flavor wasn't disgusting but certainly not great. I ate about a quarter of it. The server asked if I disliked it. I told him it was edible but not great. He instantly offered to replace it with something else. Points to him. I declined a replacement because there really wasn't anything else vegetarian-without-alteration on the menu that evening. I declined having him take the item off the bill as I did eat part of it. Without being asked the server informed me later that he had taken my entree off the bill.
I forget what we had for dessert. That's a bad thing. Dessert should be memorable.
All in all the bread was really good, the rest of the food was only ok, the service was great, ambiance was ok and the price was WAY too high for what we received, even with my $22 veggie-pile entree removed from the bill. I'm not a cheapskate and I am no stranger to a $200 dinner, but it better be a darn good experience for that. Sadly it wasn't. Dinner companion and I will not be returning. -
Review from Tom A.
Paradise Valley, AZ
4/1/2012
Nice bar and bartender. Had a drink and waited for the rest of our party to arrive. Had a Palma Fizz- like a vodka tonic w/ ginger which added a unique flavor. Wife had a Mai-Tai.
Calamari for appetizer and Kale salad. Both were excellent.
Our table got the Pepper Steak, House ribbon pasta, scallops and the Scotch Beef. All were excellent/ very good. I ate a combo of the scallops and steak. Both were cooked perfectly.
Dessert we got 4 to sample. Caramel Cheesecake, Creme Brulee, Choc cake, and Bread pudding- all good. So many great desert choices. I will have to go back to try the Choc Mousse.
Overall a very enjoyable evening. Server was great. Wait staff attentive. Will be back. -
Review from Jen D.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2012
I love how many great restaurants in the Phoenix area are in strip malls. It always makes me giggle. Atmosphere is nice - it's contemporary and has good energy.
We shared the calamari appetizer, it was great. Nothing highly unusual, just good calamari.
I had the chicken sausage pasta dish. It was yummy, but not as good as the scotch beef my parents ordered. GIven the chef won "Iron Chef America" (only challenger that season to beat an Iron Chef) - I expected the food to be a bit more adventurous. It's pretty straightforward - almost comfort food.
Our service was great - the server had been there a long time. She was friendly and attentive. -
Review from Paula F.
Phoenix, AZ
4/21/2012
After reading all the fantastic reviews on yelp, my husband and I to go to Tarbells to celebrate our first anniversary. We had made reservations, and were seated right away. The service was as good as it gets. And the food, was amazing. My husband ordered salmon, and I had the pan roasted chicken. Both were amazing. I never knew chicken could taste so good. For dessert, we split a piece of warm chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream. When the dessert arrived, "Happy Anniversay" had been written across the rim of the plate, in chocolate. It was such a nice touch. Overall it was a fantastic dinner at a reasonable price. We will definitely go back to Tarbells.
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Review from Don I.
Phoenix, AZ
3/29/2012
Excellent birthday dinner! Spot on service and the food was delicious! You can't go wrong with the Scotch Beef - met in your mouth good!
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Review from Kris C.
10/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yeah... I did it. I was in the Phoenix area and could not resist checking out the Iron Chef competitor and toppled Cat Cora. So with taste buds set for battle and stomach ready to receive I ventured in.
The restaurant is quaint. The waitress was incredibly helpful. I am one of those "tapas" eaters...yup I enjoy a little bite of everything and especially if it comes in the form of outside my comfort zone. Granted, the items on the menue here are fairly standard fair, but done exceptionally well.
I had the swordfish and beef carpaccio. Both were absolutely excellent. The service was top notch, it did get a bit noises (but the noise was fun energetic chatter...which was nice). Visually the food was average...but probably better than most restaurants. What I apprecaited was visually it was still manageable and you didn't feel as you didn't know what your next step was...take a picture, poke it, smell it...stare at it.
Anyways, good stuff, I will be back! -
Review from John B.
Goodyear, AZ
2/17/2012 Seated via OpenTable
We have been to Tarbell's numerous times and it is always an excellent dining experience. Most recently we went for dinner on Valentines Day, 2012.
We were promptly seated then water and bread with EVOO we served moments after we arrived. Our server was very informative, extremely pleasant and non-intrusive. Chef Tarbell came by our table and chatted for a few minutes then each course came out as the previous plate was lifted.
The food is always fresh and delicious. My wife had the beet salad and I started with the potato and celery soup. We both chose the fish of the day which was red snapper flown in from Maine. The bean medley that accompanied the fish was just as good as the entree itself. Chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream polished of a wonderful Valentine's dining experience.
Bravo Chef Tarbell
PS
We love this place so much because it is a place for foodies that is not pretentious. It is a business casual affair and the decor and layout are very appealing. The windows always catch our attention because they remain impecibally clean. You'll SEE what I mean. -
Review from Kris E.
Phoenix, AZ
1/13/2012
Everything that I have ever ordered (or eaten off of my partner's plate) has been superb. We usually can't resist getting appetizers and dessert along with our meal because everything is delicious.
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Review from Brent R.
Philadelphia, PA
1/18/2012
I found Tarbell's when doing my usual restaurant research before a business trip, and I have been back every time I'm in town, even twice in one trip in December. Service, atmosphere, and of course the food are all excellent. I made sure to sit in Josh's section when I ate here two consecutive nights, and he brought out my colleagues favorite NA beer from the previous evening - truly a great experience! The seasonal Veggie Plate was delicious along with their house staple of Ribbon Pasta with Chicken-Fennel Sausage. I make kale chips for myself every week, and I was curious to try a salad of raw, purple kale. So glad I got it. Fantastic!
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Review from Page G.
5/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
In my business I'm fortunate that insurance company people come out every quarter to wine and dine me, and I always get to pick the restaurant!
I've been hearing fabulous things about Tarbell's for years, and have been making my way to dine there for awhile. Last night was THE night!
As I walked in the door, the hostess was smiling and the owner/chef Mark Tarbell was standing right there to welcome the guests - and since I'm a huge fan of Iron Chef America, I was incredibly excited to meet him.
The waiter was soft spoken and really pleasant, and the bread they bring to your table was delicious. Upon perusing the menu, there were several things that caught my eye - the Crispy Chickpeas, the Calamari and the House-Pulled Mozzarella. I'm a huge fan of the last two (and they were really good), but the first one had me a little skeptical. The Crispy Chickpeas were DELICIOUS! Crispy, a little cheesy, and just perfect.
The Tuscan Kale also had all of us a little skeptical, since kale is generally bitter. Not so with this delightful salad, I could eat it every day!
For the main course we ordered the Mr. Fish of the Moment (halibut), Pan-Seared Ahi Tuna and the Cast Iron-Seared Pepper Steak - ALL of these were absolutely perfect in temperature and flavor!
Dessert is a must, especially here! We split several desserts -
Mascarpone Cheesecake with Rosemary Caramel Sauce (TO DIE FOR)
Profiteroles with Vanilla Bean Gelato & Chocolate Sauce (AMAZING)
Southern Bread Pudding with Kentucky Bourbon Sauce
The "Beloved" Chocolate Mousse Featuring Guittard Chocolate (MY FAVORITE)
I tried and loved them all!
Bottom line - this is now at the top of my favorites list. I would eat here every day if I could afford it! -
Review from Joe S.
Phoenix, AZ
Updated - 12/31/2011
I try to eat here once a month. It continues to be exceptional in regard to service and high quality. One of Arizona's best restaurants.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/7/2011
I have eaten here several times over the years, but it had been about two years. I have always had… Read more »
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Review from John G.
1/31/2011 Seated via OpenTable
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Excellent restaurant. Had a great meal at Tarbell's. Ambiance and service were very nice.
Food was truly wonderful.
We had the famous spaghetti (trust me-its a main course) and the special ravioli. Both were very tasty, cooked to perfection and the ingredients and spices just exploded on the palate. Also, prior to that had the beefsteak/'tomato salad, and the house salad. All greens, fresh, crispy and tasty.
Nice wine list.
Split the bourbon chocolate bread pudding to finish the evening.
Highly recommended for fine dining in Phoenix. -
Review from Howard M.
Sedalia, NC
11/17/2011
I decided to try this Tarbell's after reading all the great reviews and it didn't hurt to hear about the owner winning on Iron Chef. I have to say this was a wonderful meal.
I had the Scotch beef and my wife had the salmon, great flavor and quality. The service was very good, our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and made great recommendations on what to order. Very glad that we chose this place while in Phoenix. -
Review from Doug D.
Phoenix, AZ
12/6/2011
One of my favorite restaurants in Phoenix and certainly worthy of the Iron Chef. The decor is kool, without trying too hard - and the food is absolutely fabulous.
If you're looking for a full-flavored dish, try the spaghetti and meatballs - they are to die for good. Made with organic tomatoes and hefty, beefy orbs...delicious. -
Review from John W.
Phoenix, AZ
3/26/2011
Tarbell's is top notch in all areas! Food quality, service, ambience, amazing! I recently took ten business associates there for a meeting, and I got nothing but compliments the next day on such an excellent choice of restaurant!
Definitely try the Spaghetti & Meatballs as well as the Mac N Cheese, and even the Pizzas are to die for. And the burger too! You really cant go wrong here. Warning the deserts here are HUGE (yet amazing). One desert is enough for 2-3 people! -
Review from First N.
Phoenix, AZ
1/13/2011
If you want to impress anyone with great food and perfect service then take them to Tarbell's.
Tarbell's is how all places should be run with the ultimate care for their customers and food.
Upon arrival, the parking is horrible since there are other popular places on this corner but the valet is easily used after a short wait in the car line.
Once we entered we were greeted by none other than Mark Tarbell. We had reservations which were ready for us in an already packed restaurant.
Atmosphere: Fancy without being pretentious, warm and comfortable. A great bar area that you can come to anytime just to chill with some drinks.
Food: It's all good, fresh and local. A friend from New York (famous musician) had a small list of places in the country that stayed local, Tarbell's was the only place listed in AZ. Seasonal menu, which a few staples.
Service: Beyond excellent! Our waitress was fun and upon questions of the menu, she was honest and even steered us away from an item that she was not fond of. Our busser kept our water full without being obtrusive.
Price: Is appropriate for the quality atmosphere and service.
Room for improvement: None
The place is usually full with people having great conversation, so it's not very quiet, but fun and energetic. -
Review from Jarrett R.
Tempe, AZ
6/23/2011
I had a great birthday dinner at Tarbell's yesterday evening. It was a quaint restaurant with SUPERB service. The hostesses were very friendly and seated us promptly when we walked in (although we did make reservations ahead of time). The server was very genuine and attentive. She knew the menu and offered to split my guests meal in half because he could not choose on just one entree. Talk about service!
I ordered the special halibut (Mr. Catch of the Day) and it was exactly how it was described.
Although I would not recommend taking many children to Tarbell's, we did take our 10 mo old son and the wait staff was very gracious to him. They even thanked us for feeling comfortable enough for bringing the entire family to dine with them.
GREAT EXPERIENCE. I will return! -
Review from Ruthie C.
Phoenix, AZ
10/9/2011
The first time we went to Tarbell's was fantastic. This most recent time was a disappointment. The wine was good, and so was my meatball pizza. Mom's seafood chowder sounded like it would be full of mussels and there were hardly any. Dad got the spaghetti and meatballs and he compared it to Chef Boyardee. The chocolate mousse was outstanding but the ice cream in the profiteroles was gelatinous. Also, in our reservation, I left a note to the maître d' that obviously wasn't passed along to our server. She did a great job, but it was disappointing that we had to fill her in.
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Review from Ray D.
Phoenix, AZ
8/13/2010
My favorite Restaurant in Phoenix by far, I keep searching for better, but who knows why!
Dishes that separate Tarbell's from others:
Soups to die for
Caesar the way it was meant to taste
Pommes Frites as heavenly as any in Paris or
Brussels
Sliders to crave many days after
Scotch Beef I continue to dream about
Pan Roasted chicken - I NEVER order chicken in a
Restaurant, except here
Mac & Cheese good enough for dessert
If this isn't FIVE STAR in Phoenix, I can't imagine what is, but I want to go there! -
Review from chris c.
Atlanta, GA
6/16/2008
I don't know, I feel like throwing 5 stars on something is sorta silly, I mean what is perfection, hmmmm just kidding this place is perfect, if you love food (and ain't that what its all about) then tarbells is the cats meow for you. Its a tad pricey but your taste buds will be thanking you for days to come. Mark really cares about his product and pushes his dishes to new levels. Try the cheese cake with the rosemary caramel sauce, its not of this earth and it will ruin any other dessert exp you'll ever have.
If you take a date there and don't get laid then you officially have no game and need to find cheaper places to go sucker. -
Review from Michael K.
Scottsdale, AZ
4/18/2009
Every time I come to Phoenix, I like to try a new upscale restaurant , this time Tarbell's looked really appealing, I wasn't overly impressed, but I did get a decent meal.
First of all, the parking situation here is terrible, the strip mall it's in has another restaurant and a bar, so save some time and sanity, opt for the valet.
The hostess was nice, we had reservations but still had to wait a bit for our table. This place was busy and loud, a lot louder than I would have expected. The tables were way too close together. If you were lucky enough to get one of the stand alone tables, it might be ok, but we were sitting along the wall and it was way too cramped.
We had a couple of appetizers, both good. The caprese salad tasted good, but was not remarkable. The calamari was cooked perfectly and came with two really nice dipping sauces.
We ended up getting the appetizers before we even ordered dinner so we had to hang on to our unwieldy menus while trying to eat our appetizers since there was no room to place them on the table.
Dinner was good, not great. 2 in our group got the pepper steak, (Steak au poivre) it was tasty. The creamed spinach was more of a sautéed than creamed. I had the double cut pork chop. This was really good. It came with a couple of pierogi filled with bacon and cabbage. The last person in the group got the special, which was a NY strip roast. She asked for it medium rare, was told it might be closer to medium, to which she replied, "nothing well done". Wouldn't you know it, that piece of meat had no pink what so ever, she sent it back and we shared since we didn't want to wait for an entree to be cooked.
Desert was Creme Brulee and chocolate mousse. The Creme Brulee was huge and the sugar crust was perfect. The chocolate mousse was good, but served in a wine glass, so it was a pain to eat. I'm all for presentation, but functionality needs to be there too.
After seeing this guy on Iron Chef I was expecting a epic meal I would talk about for years to come. I guess I shouldn't have gotten my expectations up.Listed in: Where I like to eat when I…
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Review from Justin D.
Chandler, AZ
4/22/2009
Pretty damn good. I'd say that going on a weeknight you'd see more of the Geriatric crowd there, but who gives a rats ass? This is the guy that smashed Kat Cora's face in on Iron Chef! His cuisine reigned supreme! :D Anyway I went with my girl, she had the chicken I had the linguine with clams. Fan-fucking-tastic. Her chicken was cooked PERFECTLY - they even got the skin ontop nice and crispy. My pasta was obviosly fresh and the broth/sauce it was served in with clams was soo god damn delish I had to soak it all up with bread before I let the bus boy have my plate.
Desert - very good, I had something made of chocolate, but my dates desert - the strawberry short cake, on a sweet biscuit was a bit sour and not as sweet as we hoped. NOT bad by any stretch, but not what we were thinking it'd be. The waitress promptly took it off the bill when we told her we didn't like it, saying she wants us to love our experience and to come back! RAWK ON! Tarbell's FTW!! -
Review from hilary c.
9/23/2010
I have been here a half dozen times but realized I hadn't written a review after my last visit. I love Tarbell's, plain and simple. The food here is always spot-on and they have some of the best comfort food selections. The spaghetti and meatballs are so good I have had day dreams about them! Their mac and cheese is smashing as well, we usually get an order of it for the table to share. I recently got the scottish salmon and it was top-notch. For dessert, their creme brulee is amazing- wow!
It is definitely a treat to eat here!! -
Review from J.D. B.
Raleigh, NC
12/4/2008
Very good food. Had the pasta with bolognese sauce; very tasty. Bread pudding was divine. Service fair to partly cloudy. Table space is a bit tight. And, jaysus, does anyone put on decent garb to go out to dine anymore? "Let's see: just finished mowing the lawn. Shit, shower and shave? Nah, blow it off honey, I'll go with what I got on..."
MadMen on AMC should be required viewing where men actually put on a necktie when going to someone else's home for dinner. Not that a tie is mandatory, but put on a collared shirt and a jacket in the winter time. Might actually lead an onlooker to believe you're doing well...hell, you'll believe it yourself after a while; funny how that works. -
Review from Formicas ..
New York, NY
3/9/2010
This restaurant was a treat. Having just moved from NYC, we are having a hard time finding restaurants that meet our standards. This place was a delight to our taste buds!
I enjoyed their home made pasta with sausage- the red sauce and peppers were a nice touch and the dish was perfectly spiced.
Matt had their scotch beef and it was tender and perfectly cooked- he described it at succulent with a flavorful burgundy sauce.
The real winner was their marscapone cheesecake- OMG! It was so amazing that we ordered one to go - to treat our babysitter/friend!
A great date spot and the service was tasteful and impeccable. -
Review from Natali M.
South Orange, NJ
3/9/2008
I have to whole heartedly disagree with the other diners here. I think this place is fantastic! We had reservations and did not have to wait at all. The service was prompt and our waiter was attentive, although he could have been a bit friendlier.
We had the spaghetti and meatballs, the pork chop, and the scotch beef. The meatballs were some of the best I've ever tasted and the pork chop was definitely in the top three pork chops I've ever had. The scotch beef was very good too, although it could have been seasoned a bit more. We had the bourbon bread pudding for dessert. Heaven! Absolute heaven!
We will definitely be back every time we are in the Phoenix area! -
Review from Leanne S.
10/1/2009
I've been hearing the buzz about Tarbell's for the past six years. I finally tried it out. It was restaurant week - fixed menu. The soup course was borscht, followed by Cornish game hen with root veggies and for desert a lemon tart with raspberry sorbet.
Alright, I have to vent...I come from a family of skilled borscht chiefs!!! ;) While the dish Tarbell's called borscht was pretty good it was by no means borscht. Does that make sense? Well, if you're Ukrainian, Russian, Polish or some sort of Slavic it will. The Cornish game hen was really delicious, seemed like the perfect meal for a cool fall day. Crap, this is Phoenix and it doesn't cool off until December!! Sorry, got a little carried away with my fantasy. Back to the meal - the desert was amazing! Lemony goodness + a flavorful scoop of raspberry sorbet = happiness!!!
All in all Tarbell's scores 4 stars by me but don't take my word for it just eat it. -
Review from Natalie D.
Scottsdale, AZ
4/30/2008
Its really sad to hear John S. factor parking while rating the food at Tarbell's. Perhaps he should have spent an additional couple dollars to valet; and olive oil served w/ bread instead of butter isn't really as "fashionable" as it is traditional, esp at Italian restaurants.
One of my all-time favorites there are the spaghetti and meatballs. One of their signature dishes and probably some of the best I've had in town! Our service last night was outstanding....as usual! The place is indeed small. Reservations on the weekend are necessary well in advance. So its easy to imagine that they try to turn tables quickly. No excuse, however, for a customer feeling rushed.
Otherwise, the pasta dishes are especially fantastic and worth a small inconvenience.
Bon appetite! -
Review from Khanh L.
Gilbert, AZ
5/11/2010
Be still my beating heart!
When I moved here almost four years ago...I was looking for a restaurant to host a very special occasion for 7 guests. I went around and checked out several highly recommended establishments and Tarbell's was my last stop of the day. It was actually closed on the day that I arrived to check it out so I just looked through the windows into the restaurant and when I saw their semi-private partial glass enclosed dining room, I knew this was the place.
On the day of the event, we had two vegetarians in our party and that was not a problem at all (I think their food was actually the best). Instead of getting an entree, my son ordered three sides and he was completely happy w/his meal. I recall having the raspberry mojitos and chocolate martini and both were sensational. Dessert was also top notched and to make the experience even sweeter, Mark Tarbell came by to congratulate us and thanked us for choosing his restaurant to host our special event.
From beginning to end, our meals felt like it was taking us on a culinary adventure. Service was also excellent and everyone in the party agreed that we'd come to a very special place indeed.
I've been back to Tarbell's on a couple more occasions since then (always w/guests in tow) and the experience has always been the same...everyone leaves completely happy. This is a very memorable place and I would come here more frequently if it wasn't so far from my house. -
Review from Rachel T.
Phoenix, AZ
1/20/2009 1 Check-in Here
A chef that can do great things with brussels sprouts always get major points with me, second only to one that can make creamy soups not laden with cream. Mark Tarbell does both exceptionally.
On our last visit, I broke tradition of ordering the special of the night and opted for the chicken. Yes, big deal one thinks ... think again. There is something magical in that bird, a perfect balance of salt and crispiness. When available, I go ga-ga for the lamb with brussels sprouts and french lentils. Another must is the duck confit appetizer. Heaven.
I typically don't bother with the pizza -- it is good, but not really an attraction. The by-the-glass list has several good selections, including a very well priced sparkling. The waitstaff is efficient, professional and friendly, something of a rarity even among many "upper echelon" establishments in the Valley. Yes, parking can be a bitch at that plaza, and yes, parts of the menu are a tad bit weather worn ... but sometimes there is nothing wrong with a little comfort food. -
Review from Voltaire O.
Phoenix, AZ
11/22/2008
I have to be honest. I wasn't really all that impressed.
I mean, it was good, but I have heard people ranting and raving about this place for a long time so perhaps the expectations were a lot higher than they should have been.
I got the scotch beef and it was delicious for the first few bites, and then I realized it tasted like the barbacoa from Chipotle.
Service was good, but not anything outstanding. -
Review from Fred M.
Phoenix, AZ
1/29/2010
So Tarbell's is a nice place to eat, with friendly people, and a good neighborhood crowd. The servers, the bussers, the hostesses, everyone is nice. I can't stress that enough.
We were ridiculously excited to try the food, after hearing so much about it for so long. It was like the excitement you get when someone tells you they are taking you on vacation to the most beautiful place on earth but you don't know where. You know, when you just are awaiting something spectacular but you don't really know how spectacular?
The mussel appetizer was outrageous. There was a bowl of probably 50 of the biggest meatiest suckers I'd ever seen. Served with a garlic butter broth that I ordered more and more bread just to sop up... it was amazing. We went straight to the main courses afterward, which were much less appetizing to look at, and even more so to eat. I ordered the Ahi Tuna, which was served in three cubes, very similar to a tuna tartare appetizer. Served dusted in smokey paprika, it was almost as if I were eating paprika rather than fish. Needless to say, it was a huge disappointment. The girlfriend's spaghetti and meatballs, something Tarbell's is known for we hear, were nothing more really than spaghetti and meatballs. Then again, what all can you do with spaghetti and meatballs that nobody else has done? The side of mac n' cheese was well, mac n' cheese.
Desserts were somewhat a saving grace, but only moderately. I had the bread pudding and enjoyed it well enough. It was sitting in a very bourbony sauce and carried a great aroma and texture.
All in all, I'd say Tarbell's is serving two things... standard fare with higher quality ingredients (mac n' cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, bread pudding) along with experimental dishes that are hit or miss (ahi tuna, mussels) to overall garner a good but not great review from me. I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. If I order a piece of fish, I want it to taste like fish, not a paprika lick. -
Review from Michelle S.
San Diego, CA
9/5/2011
After reading yelp reviews for over an hour, I found this restaurant whose chef happened to beat Cat Cora in Iron Chef, I had to try it. We passed by it earlier when driving and the strip mall is nothing to write home about. In fact, it looks very 1970's. I never thought there would be such a good restaurant in this mall.
The service is absolutely OUTSTANDING! The water glasses never were more than half empty, food came out quickly (not pushy quickly), and the waitress did an AWESOME job describing the dishes. She clearly is a foodie. Being a foodie myself, I like hearing people describe food very expressively.
Wine - fantastic wine list! We were looking at wines and the waitress recommended one which was fantastic.- Carpaccio - good and alot of it. (it was a bit heavy on the salt and I love salt). Mussels - you get a ton of them but the flavor wasn't as flavorful as I would have expected. The chicken sausage w/tomatoes, fresh pasta ribbons in a parmesean broth - EXCELLENT! Bread - excellent.
My expectations were that of a 5 star restaurant, the experience was 5 stars, food 4 (only because of being an Iron Chef winner).
Menu is well rounded and offers many differen options - all farm fresh. -
Review from Lisa G.
Scottsdale, AZ
7/13/2009
I'm yelping out Tarbells a few months late beause I forgot to do it right after my first visit!
Hubby took me for Valentine's Day this year. Great little romantic spot. He tried the spaghetti and meatballs-didn't like it at all. Felt that the sauce was a little bland and watered down. I ordered the filet-which came out perfect and melted in my mouth-so good. The manager came by and asked how our food was-I encouraged hubby to be honest. He was. They apologized profusely. He then ordered the pan roasted chicken-loved it. They also offered to make me a new meal since it was Valentine's Day and "i shouldn't have to eat alone." Hubby didn't mind so I kept eating. Mark Tarbell came by after the chicken came out to make sure it was to hubby's liking. What do you say to the owner/Iron Chef? Hell yeah he liked it!
In the end the wonderful manager at Tarbells comp'd our ENTIRE meal-4 glasses of wine, salads, appetizer and meals! He said he did this since it was Valentines Day and they wanted the night to be perfect for us. You don't come across such great service everyday. -
Review from Charles S.
Scottsdale, AZ
7/26/2011
Food was GREAT, but service could have been better. I waited tables in NYC and I know EXCELLENT service when I get it...this place fell way short. My wine glass was empty for a long period of time because she forgot about our bottle and refilling my glass. The bus boy removed my plate before we were BOTH finished with our meals. I was never presented the wine cork. I could have rejected the bottle of wine from the cork itself, if I was ever given the cork. The service needs to be brought up to speed and they need to learn the "proper" way to give excellent service. The food is great, but the owner needs to train the staff.
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Review from Janell H.
Phoenix, AZ
4/18/2010
Like many of the reviewers here have noted, I had pretty high expectations before we ever sat down at our table on Friday night. I had heard of this place as a foodie-favorite and I love supporting a local celeb-worthy chef.
After a great cocktail at the bar (LOVE the atmosphere including the open kitchen -- very warm space with high energy), we sat and enjoyed the mussel app. The size of this appetizer was disarmingly huge! When the server brought out two large bowls, I was so confused that I asked if he had put in an order for each of us; the server kindly explained that it was just one order that he split for us (WOW). I did not finish the app, partially because it was so huge and partially because it wasn't life-altering and I wanted to hold out for better flavors to come.
I ordered the fish special (can't remember the fish name now, but it was a sea-bass like white fish) and my date ordered the peppersteak. We did some splitting and switching on our entrees, and honestly...they were good -- totally solid. ....but I felt bad for having such high expectations. Solid wasn't what I was expecting...I was expecting impressive, surprising, can't-get-enough.
Overall I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the food was good; I wouldn't hesitate to go here for a business dinner or accept an invitation to go, but I won't be picking it in the near future. Because I wanted to like it so much, I hope that I do go again in the future to explore the menu a bit more and perhaps better understand the hype -- the potential seems like it should be there.
