Macayos - Phoenix AZ

March 12, 2012

This was our last night in Phoenix and I still hadn't had my chimichanga. And I knew this place was supposed to be famous for their chimichangas and said they were the home of the chimichanga. When we went in which was early we were seated right away. The first thing I noticed was all the bright colors red orange yellow blues greens and a couple of fake parrots sitting around.

They brought our drinks and a bowl of chips and with two bowls of salsa (both the same). This wasn't all that great but it was all right and definitely the worst of the trip. All three of us decided to get the chimichanga dinner special for $8.99 which came with choice of beef or chicken and one side.   For a higher price you can get two sides. I had the chicken chimichanga and I think my parents have the beef. My mom and I both got rice and my dad had both rice and beans.

We all thought the chimichanga was good but not the best chimichanga ever but was a pretty solid one. This was also topped with what they called relleno sauce. I don't know if I really liked this sauce it was kind of like a tomatoey sauce that was a little different than I've ever had on a chimichanga. The chimichanga was nice and crispy even with the sauce.

This was a good chimichanga not the best, but good.  I also liked how you didn’t have to have rice and beans, unless you want both.

1909 West Thunderbird Road Phoenix, AZ 85023

Grimaldis Pizza - Peoria AZ

March 11, 2012

After spring training game in surprise Arizona we thought we would stop at Grimaldi's pizza. Last year we went to the location in Gilbert which was really good. We got there at the time when the fire is stoked, so we could be seated and order salads and put in our pizza order, but they weren’t actually cooking the pizzas. So we were seated right next to the kitchen where you can see in. This I thought was really interesting to just watch them make the pizzas and how fast they were doing it. We decided to get two large pizzas a sausage and mushroom and a pepperoni. We did have to wait a little bit before they started making the pizzas, but it wasn’t too bad.  When the pizzas came they  were both really good.  Even though I normally don't like sausage on my pizza I still thought it it was good.

I thought the pepperoni pizza was really great simple but great. 

With a good thin crust that was a little charred, tomato sauce and mozzarella along with really good pepperoni.

9788 West Northern Avenue #1440  Peoria, AZ 85345

Nicks Diner - Surprise AZ

March 11, 2012

We were headed out to a spring training game in surprise Arizona and breakfast sounded good, so I did a quick Internet search before we headed out.   This place was kind of crowded when we got there all the tables were full and there were a handful of people waiting. They said it would be about 10 to 15 minute wait, but I think we got in before that long. I decided to get the breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs and bacon with cheddar on sourdough. I can't quite remember what my parents got but I think it was kind of a basic breakfast which they really liked.

My sandwich also came with breakfast potatoes which I didn't think they were all that good but not terrible. My sandwich was rather basic and not too exciting. I did think the bacon was pretty good. I thought this place was not very exciting, but was an all right breakfast and it was cheap and was a very good value as well.

15693 North Reems Road  Surprise, AZ 85374

El bravo - Phoenix, AZ

March 10, 2012

We walked in and were told to sit wherever we wanted, so we picked a table and in a little bit a waiter came with menus and asked if we wanted chips and salsa which they charge for. Which we did.  He brought the chips and salsa back and took our drink orders which were all cokes.

The chips I thought were kind of small but did taste good. There was one salsa in a bowl which was okay but there was something I couldn't figure out what it was.  It was something I tasted before could figure out what was for a while.  I finally figured out it was cucumber which I thought was kind of weird in a salsa but it tasted alright, not my favorite salsa.  There was also a squeeze bottle of hot sauce which I thought was pretty good and my favorite of the two.  I read that they had good tamales and I wanted to try place that makes good tamales to see if I actually like them.  The combos that included the green chile tamale had a salad cream enchilada with it which I didn't really want.   

So I got the beef tamale with the cheese enchilada. And my mom thought she would try the green chile tamale with the sour cream enchilada. My dad continued his search for the best chimichanga and got the beef chimichanga. All these came with rice and beans.   My mom right away gave me a piece of her green chile tamale, but dropped it on my plate before I took the picture.  I tasted it and thought right away I should've got that it was really good chicken and green chilies in the masa with a green sauce on it. It was delicious.

My beef tamale I thought was probably a good tamale but I think I'm not too big of a fan tamales, but it was pretty good for a tamale. My cheese enchilada I thought was fairly average or maybe a little better. We all thought the rice and beans were good too.  

My dad also really enjoyed his chimichanga which he said was one of the best ones he's had.  Here you pay up at the counter, so we paid and headed out after enjoying our meals.

El Bravo had pretty good food, and it seemed like a family run place.  I also thought their menu was nice how you could get combos or you could just get individual items.

 

8338 North 7th Street Phoenix AZ

Butterfields pancake house -Scottsdale AZ

March 9, 2012

We were headed out to salt River field see another Rockies spring training game and we were hungry for breakfast and this place was close to the stadium. When we got there were people in front of the building waiting and people inside waiting. It was packed; they said it would be about 20 minute wait. Which I thought how is that going to work, but everyone was in and out very quickly. I decided to get a small orange juice to drink and my parents both had coffee. The orange juice was really good it was fresh squeezed and you could even see them do it every so often. I wish I would've gotten the large size.

We all three had the French toast my mom had hers with strawberries on top. The French bread was brioche bread which I didn't know what that would do for me, but it was great and with a little bit of powdered sugar and the syrup it was exceptional. One of the best French toasts I’ve had. 

The strawberries on my moms were very good they were fresh and tasted like strawberries should. One thing about this place was I thought it was a little expensive and nothing came with the French toast.  You could add extras but it would make for an even more expensive breakfast.

7388 East Shea Boulevard  Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Chino Bandido - Phoenix AZ

March 8, 2012.

If you watch drive-ins and dives you may remember this place because of how different it is. We walked in and found forms right inside the door to fill out with choices of Mexican, Cuban, and Chinese that you can have by themselves or in burritos or Quesadillas. After you fill out your form you take it to the counter and order there. I decided to get a combo which came with two items of the 14 on the list and a type of rice and a type of beans. I had the chile relleno by itself and jade red chicken in a quesadilla with chicken fried rice and Cuban black beans. 

My dad had another combo I can't really remember what it was. My mom had just the chicken teriyaki bowl. After a few minutes they brought out the food in little tin plate type things along with three snicker doodles.  I thought the food was okay but not really that great. It was not the best of any food item; the chile relleno, the quesadilla or Chinese food I've ever had but the combination of all the food I had was interesting and quite different. This made it a fun place to go because where else can you get Mexican food and Chinese food together with a snickerdoodle for dessert.

The snickerdoodle was delicious I took only one bite of it there because I was full and couldn’t eat anymore, so I took it with me and ate it little later but it was still soft and was probably the best snickerdoodle I have had besides my moms. I also liked the Cuban black beans; the fried rice I thought was good but was a little different than what I would think of fried rice.  The chile relleno was kind of different, it was like a crispy wonton around the pepper and cheese that was splitting up and falling apart.  The jade red chicken quesadilla was similar to what you would get if you had sesame chicken in a quesadilla.

I don’t think I would come here specifically for any item except maybe the snikerdoodle, but I would come back to see what other crazy combinations I could come up with.

15414 North 19th Avenue   Phoenix, AZ 85023

Feeney's Restaurant and Bar - Phoenix, AZ

 update

March 6, 2013

We had to return here after our prime rib from our previous trip. I was super excited. When we arrived somewhat early for dinner the place was empty so when they seated us they basically let us sit wherever would work best for us. Our waitress was actually who seated us and was also our waitress a year ago.

 

Right away we got our drink orders to Cokes and a iced tea ($2.00) and a basket of Rye bread. We all ordered the prime rib again which came with a side dish and the salad bar.

 

The salad bar was still very good salad bar. So at this point everything was just as good as it was a year ago, but we still haven't had the prime rib.

 

After a while of eating our salads and bread they brought out the prime ribs. This time it just wasn't the same.  this time I thought it was just okay and not like the previous visit where I thought it was one of the best. It was kind of dry not very juicy, dipping in the au jus helped a little bit. But not enough and it was also kind of hard to chew. Even though the prime rib wasn’t all that good everything else was pretty good and our service was excellent just like it was a previous time.

 

 

6314 North 12th Street Phoenix, AZ 85014


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March 7, 2012

I think that prime rib might be the best food ever but don't get to have it very often. So we were on vacation anywhere I always make sure to look for a good prime rib place that is reasonably priced. I read some decent reviews of Feeney's and after checking out their website they listed their prime rib for $17 with a coupon on the page for 10% off of all food items.

We had a day in Phoenix that we were not going to a baseball game so we went on a little bit of a hike during the day, so I was really hungry for dinner.  We got there a little early so it wouldn’t be so crowded. They seated us quickly and the waitress came right away and took our drink order. When she brought the drinks back we already knew one what we wanted since we all were already thinking prime rib. All three of us ordered the 8 oz. Prime Rib which came with one side and the salad bar. My dad had steak fries; I had mashed potatoes and gravy. ($19 which was up from their website) After I ordered I thought I could just make a quick trip to the bathroom and be back quickly to eat my salad before the prime rib came but I couldn’t get my wheelchair in the bathroom door. You can Read about this on my other blog in the near future. After I solved my problem, I got back to the food the salad bar was a pretty good salad bar there was nothing fancy or too exciting about the salad bar, but just all the basics you would expect on a salad bar and it was all fresh which is not always the case. The waitress had also brought a basket of rye breads both dark and light rye bread. They were both warm and tasted good with the butter on the table.  they were both good but I think I preferred the dark. Our waitress did a good job after she noticed that I was unable to eat my salad at the normal time, she delayed bringing out the prime ribs until I was done with my salad.  

When the prime rib did come it was just great and one of the two best prime ribs I've ever had (the other Jericos in Omaha) and dipping it in the au jus made it even better. My mashed potatoes and gravy with it was really delicious and tasted like they actually made it. The service was also very good not just the waitress but there was also another staff member that was on top of the drinks.

Not only did I keep thinking about this place the rest of the day, but all the way home and I have to keep telling people about how good it was which everyone is probably tired of me talking about but it was that great.

6314 North 12th Street  Phoenix, AZ 85014