Solid food, a great option for a date or birthday dinner. Unique interior design. Live music on some nights.

Gabby was awesome Highly recommend the place Great pretzel and fondue was great Fried chicken was a great touch with the mashed and gravy definitely worth the wait My son is 11 and he ordered the cheese burger rare it came so we'll done he couldn't eat it so be careful on tempature Gabby was a great host and server she took the time with my child even though it was very busy...wish I had her at my place read more

Delilah would love this place. I'm not sure where to start. I wanted breakfast at 1pm and, well I didn't expect this delight. I picked the spot for the name. Oh, I'm not from here, I drive in later last night. This was a really good experience. The building and atmosphere was great. The hostess was so super beautiful and my waiter c.j. Was so in point. The food was really really good. Wow. The coffee was great. Can this to the point but I have nothing bad to say. The antipastos was perfect. The salmon blackened was spectacular. The scotch was delicious. This is well worth the try. Delicious. Again. Gorgeous hostes and the waiter c.j was a gentleman and an artist. Best place I've been to in a while. I wish I could give more stars. Delilah would've loved this place. read more

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The service was great ! CJ was attentive and suggestions were on point ! The ambience was great as well ! The food was really good and flavorful ! Definitely will return again ! read more

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We recently visited this restaurant on our first night in Scottsdale. We had a large group and the service was fantastic. The vibes are super fun and the food was amazing. Everything we tried we loved. We will definitely be back. read more

Service was a 5 star -- great server. Food was a 4.5. Katsu chicken sandwich was very good (but thick and hard to eat and bread just a little too crunchy on edges), house salad amazing. Pretzel fondue excellent. Prices skew high. Parking is not great- 3 stars--I parked in the free Nordstrom's parking lot around the corner-- a little walk, but probably about as fast as waiting on valet. Atmosphere was just. so. loud.- 1 star--Really hard to talk to people in a larger group. But-- if you like loud (I know many do), you will enjoy it! read more

Culinary Dropout - Dessert and kids menu - New American Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Great food! Lives up to the hype! Pretty decent atmosphere too, but be prepared to pay a pretty penny for it all.

Service: CJ amazing, friendly, good pacing even though he got a little busy at the end Food: decent, mains were most impressive Beverages: evil jungle princess - yes Ambience: loud but cozy interior (weird but true) There were a ton of large parties which was weird to me, it seems more like a place for younger ppl to go with a date? But maybe they get priced out?? If I go back I'd probably go on a mid-afternoon for a tipple and a treat to avoid the crowds and actually enjoy the space... read more

We were there on Valentines night and with our party of 6, we were worried we would have a long wait--but they were able to squeeze us in after only a few minutes. Sat on the patio which was really nice with the heaters going. Definitely try the sweater weather sangria--I'm going to have to figure out this recipe! So good! Our other favorite of the meal was dessert--the mud pie and banana bar were worth every calorie. Service was great, the manager even stopped by to say hello (one of our dishes was running slow). Everyone was really friendly and attentive. Definitely deserves all its good ratings. read more

Divine deliciousness! The fried chicken is so well seasoned and special that I didn't even need hot sauce!!! And the mashed potatoes are substantial - filling - rich and delish! Also, the biscuit is like a cross between a fluffy biscuit and sweet bread with a crunchy top. The coleslaw. I'm not normally a fan, but their's is tangy, and sweet, crisp and fresh. Next to my mama's that fried chicken is the best I've ever had in my life. So delicious chicken breast which was tender and juicy with a well- seasoned, crunchy coating. read more

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Food is beyond excellent! You want CJ as your server! He provides superior service making the dining experience even more enjoyable. Thank you Culinary Dropout for your delicious meals and thank you to CJ for being you. read more

Just left Culinary Dropout and had to write about our service. Our waiter, CJ, made our experience phenomenal. He was extremely friendly, had great recommendations and was very attentive to our needs. We are very appreciative of the attention that we received. read more

Wow! This place is located right in the heart of Scottsdale. This place is easily accessible to the mall, parking lots and more. Located close to the Scottsdale waterfront, it's hard to miss. We had a girls holiday party at this location and it was beyond perfect. The service was impeccable, the waiter who was there for us, went above and beyond in terms of suggesting food, getting the order placed and the overall personality. For appetizers I would highly recommend the shrimp rice, it was so good, we couldn't stop at one bite. For the main course I wasn't a fan of fried chicken but loved the salad, it was fresh authentic and delicious. Their mud cake is to die for! Overall good food and service, I would definitely suggest this place to all the family & friends! read more

Culinary Dropout - Soft Pretzels & Provolone Fondue - New American Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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So much fun at Culinary Dropout! In addition to the Saturday night"scene", the food and service were quite good and our table was very pleased. read more

This location is huge and has incredible lighting at night. The atmosphere is so inviting. The waitstaff were great, attentive & friendly as well as knowledgeable about the menu. Our party (4) viewed the varied menu. Because they were busy, meals took a bit to arrive. However, fresh and delicious. We had amongst us: Chicken Cacio e Pepe & the Pasta Bolognese. Both exceptional. However, for the price felt the portions could have been a little better (bigger). With our experience, this is definitely a restaurant to return! It's a "must spot" next time we're in the area for their Happy Hour. $5 Hour wines & many other great deals on drinks including brews. Food- $5 House Salad, Fries. Specials on their Spicy Korean Pork Ribs & Crispy Brussels Sprouts. Plus, fair price point on the Antipasti Plate, BBQ Pork Belly Nachos, Wagyu Pigs in a Blanket too! Also, check out their other locations in Gilbert, Tempe and Phoenix. read more

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I recently chose Culinary Dropout for a 50th birthday celebration and unfortunately left disappointed. What should have been a special evening felt rushed from the start. Our waitress was not particularly courteous, and the pace of the service made it seem like our table was an inconvenience rather than welcomed guests celebrating an important milestone. The food came out quickly even before starters were finished as well as a late arriving drink order, but the overall experience felt hurried rather than enjoyable. Something as simple as asking for more water felt like a burden, which added to the sense that we were being pushed through the meal rather than taken care of. I understand that Culinary Dropout has a reputation for being a trendy, high-energy spot, but good hospitality should still be part of the experience--especially when customers choose your restaurant for special occasions. Based on this visit, I would suggest saving your money and considering one of the many locally owned, smaller restaurants that take pride in attentive service and making guests feel appreciated. read more

Favorite restaurant where my husband and I can always have delicious food and drinks. Culinary dropout is always our go to restaurant for date night but this time we decided to try this location for the first time and it was amazing. Cj went above and beyond to make our night special. We felt a little guilty about going an hour before closing we told ourselves we'd make it quick but regardless of the time CJ made sure everything came out perfect. Our same usual go to dishes and drinks were made so extra special this night. read more

Our server CJ is the man!! Greatest service! We watched the World Cup got drinks and good food!

This was our first time here for our 12 noon lunch which we reserved on Open Table. We parked our vehicle in the free nearby underground parking garage. My family of 8 with three preschoolers arrived at 12 noon. We were seated at a nice table in the middle of the restaurant. The restaurant was not busy at that time. We started with and enjoyed the soft pretzels with sea salt & provolone fondue for $17. The soft pretzel with provolone fondue was one of the best parts of our lunch. I enjoyed my two peaches & rye with redemption rye, combier pêche liqueur, puréed peach and wild mint for $15.50 each. I also had my crispy chicken katsu for $19, which tasted slightly dry to my taste. I prefer a more moist and tender chicken katsu. My total bill was $249 excluding gratuity. Drew served us very well despite our three preschoolers. read more

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First off, I'd suggest going to their website and signing up for their Ebites mailing letter. A simple sign up gets you $10 off an order that is $20+. I suggest making a reservation on the weekends. When I got there on a Sat evening, it was an hour long wait to eat inside and no wait to eat outside. I got the steak frites which comes with sliced steak, a small side of greens and French fries. Overall, the meal was great even if a bit pricey at $37. The service was on point. The only foible was they sat me on an uneven table. There's a lot to like here. read more

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Culinary Dropout serves New American dishes.  I ordered the chicken katsu sandwich, and it was delicious.  It was served on milk bread which is fluffy and light.  I think the chicken katsu may have been too heavy for this type of bread because my sandwich fell apart and I had to finish eating with a fork, this would be my only negative comment.  Their pretzel bites were huge, it was very light and fluffy as well, I loved it.  I think o9ne order was plenty for a party of 7, I think it came with about 10 bites. We had 7 in our party and there still leftovers.  It is also nice that this place closes late.  The restaurant is big, they have a nice outdoor seating patio area, their bar is situated that people can access the same bar whether seating indoors or outdoors.  The restaurant can definitely accommodate large parties.  This place is also a great setting for brunches!   Our server was very pleasant, despite being a large party, she was able to give us great customer service.  Their iced tea was so good, it was infused with some tropical fruit, I could have drank a whole pitcher. read more

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Top 3 salads of all time! Butternut squash and kale salad is incredible!!! Didn't get cheese or the ancient grains on it but added shrimp. The staff were great and super knowledgeable. The manager even came to check on our table as well. I saw someone said dedicated fryer but asked and they said no. They also recent changed their fryer oil to soybean oil (if you wanted to know). Highly recommend this spot read more

My food experience in Arizona had been disappointing and mediocre, so thank goodness Culinary Dropout was my last and best food experience here. I visited after walking around all day looking like a mad woman with a large backpack because I had a late flight out of Phoenix that kept getting delayed. It turned out they were participating in the Restaurant Week. I asked in advance if I'd be able to partake in this menu as a solo diner, and the staff graciously welcomed me in. I found myself resting comfortably in their very chic and comfortable hall. For the starter, I had the Antipasti Plate, which knocked me off my feet. All the pieces of the board were perfection, the grilled asparagus cooked so nicely, the sopressata flavorful and delightly thin... this was basically a meal by itself. After much deliberation, I chose the fish and chips for my entree. The fish was crisp and flaky. While it wasn't the best fish and chips I had, it was darn good and well-cooked with a crunch. The slaw helped lighten the whole dish. While I was pretty stuffed, I had to finish with the caramelized banana bar, which was decadent and richer than I had expected. It was a nice sweet finish to the meal. The house white wine is skippable, and I'd expect their beers on tap to be the better choice, except beer just doesn't sit with me well sometimes and I didn't want to take the risk before a plane ride. I am aware that this place is like a local chain, but I had an excellent time at Culinary Dropout with a well paced service and good meal. It seems like a place that would practice good hospitality, even if you're a hot sweaty tourist mess. The charcuterie was especially impressive and well-balanced. I would visit again. read more

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We've been coming to this culinary dropout since they've opened mostly because of the great food and fun, family-friendly atmosphere, but for the first time, Christian, our server today, told us about the specials. This was the first time we've heard of specials here and he was very knowledgeable about them. He went on to tell us about the homemade soft serve that they make and we had our minds blown. This was the first time we've heard of specials or dessert options here and like I said, Christian was really knowledgeable about all of them. He was an amazing server, and is exactly the kind of person you want at the front of house. Hopefully, more of the servers mention the specials and soft serves, but nonetheless great experience and will be coming back again soon. Thanks again to Christian for the amazing service!!! read more

I came her with my girlfriend and her family for a graduation dinner and I'm so glad we tried it. Upon walking in, I was a little bit skeptical with how crowded it was and the high noise level. However, the food and service made up for it! We tried a couple drinks, I thought the airplane shot and mystery beer was a fun concept. For the main, we shared the Korean ribeye cap. It wasn't as tender as most ribeye caps I've had, but it had amazing flavor! read more

Culinary Dropout - Korean Style Ribeye Cap - New American Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

We walked in without a reservation and was sat immediately, with the only stipulation that we wrapped up at a certain time. That was okay with me! The inside was tastefully decorated, which I enjoyed. Our waitress was very friendly with several suggestions. My group ordered several different things and we were all satisfied. The food came out hot and fresh. One person got the fried chicken, which was tender and delicious. They said that'd 100% get that again. I ordered the chicken katsu sandwich, which was also perfectly cooked. I loved the spicy miso aioli on top. We all left full and happy. We'd definitely return to order more. read more

Food was great per usual however the hostess was not the best. Very disappointing I understand making people wait until their reservation just makes no sense that after checking in 15 mins early and we still waited 10 mins past our time. read more

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Friend and I swung by here for some appetizers in the middle of the day. I had it on my list of a place to try and the fondue was calling my name. Most tables were already taken so we had no problem grabbing a seat at the bar. They had some Sicilian lemonades (puréed strawberry, fever-tree sparkling lemonade) that we tried and were tasty. So many things on this menu that I wanted to try but we had a packed day full of eating so we had to limit ourselves. So of course, we got the Fondue with soft pretzel bites, and a board of Manchego with Prosciutto. Loved, loved, loved all of this. Definitely put this on your list if you haven't been or like us visiting town. read more

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Loved the atmosphere here and all of the employees we encountered were pleasant! The main reason we like to come here are the deviled eggs! We love being able to build our own charcuterie board of sorts but especially love that deviled eggs are a part of that. If you're like us and love deviled eggs but don't love making them this is a good quick place to get some. Onto other things, the crispy Brussels sprouts make for a great starter as well. For entrees, we usually get the short ribs and the fried chicken. The fried chicken does take a little longer but, as the menu says, it's worth it! As for dessert, you can't go wrong with the banana bar or the classic monkey bread (almost better than my mom's)! read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Katie was an amazing server. She suggested a delicious cocktail and the crispy tacos with salsa, black beans, and the best coleslaw. I was really impressed. We enjoyed the patio seating and live music as well. read more

Amazing! My fiance and I came here right after we landed to have their happy hour as it starts earlier compared to other restaurants nearby. We had their happy hour nachos, manhattan, and Caesar salad with steak. The food was delicious and their portion size was pretty good. I loved their nachos and I learned they use actual cheese fondue which was why I was obsessed! Every bite had a great amount of cheese. Service was amazing! Unfortunately, I forgot her name but she was great and gave us an entire list of recommendations for nearby bars/nightlife as we came from out of town. I'll definitely be back for the food and service, 10/10! read more

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Kieana was the best! Great cocktails and conversation! Well will be back in hopes to get her again! read more

Culinary Dropout - Perfect Margarita and BBQ Pork Belly Nachosnachos - New American Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

This place was the bomb! Our waiter Isabelle was very attentive and caring. The food came out quick and delicious. Our surroundings were very exquisite. The seats were nice, the AC was cool, and there decorations were on point. They got our order wrong twice though. We asked for no mustard on the turkey pastrami sandwich with no mustard. But they did put mustard. We asked for hot wings-and for the hot sauce on the side but they misunderstood and put it on the wings. But for compensation they gave us a complimentary soft serve ice cream; chefs choice btw. The ice cream that came out was so goooooooood! It was pineapple and peach soft serve with whipped cream on top. Other than the mishaps, the food was on point! I would gladly go again. PS, there was never a wait for bathrooms, they had at least 10 rooms available at a time. read more

I love coming here! The vibe is on point, the food and drinks are amazing and the service is fantastic! Ava our server was such a delight and had great recommendations! They had some bomb seasonal options like the summer sangria and the strawberry lemon tort that were incredible! Whether it's date night, happy hour with friends, or a celebratory dinner, this is the place to be! read more

Went with my husband and wow! I heard good things about this place so we had to try it and I'm glad we did. I got the fish and chips and it was great. The server we had wasn't too great but it was a busy night and he still got the job done. The hostess was so friendly and quick to seat us. We will be back. read more

Ceased salad + steak was bomb CJ gave us some great advice on options and was a greater waiter 10/10 Cj deserves a raise!! read more

I came upon this restaurant while visiting from out of town. It seemed to be a popular spot, very busy, lots of families and friends getting together. Surprisingly we didn't have to wait long for a table which was great. The restaurant is pretty spacious with both indoor and outdoor seating directly across from a shopping mall. Our server was very friendly and helpful with the menu and checked on us often but not overbearing My friend ordered the ham and cheese grilled sandwich which she said was very tasty. She especially loved the home fried potatoes. I ordered the turkey pastrami. Though the sandwich itself was fine I didn't realize turkey pastrami is so dry I'm not sure if it was a one off or that's the way it is. So I wouldn't order it again or recommend it. The homemade chips were really good (a little greasy though) and make sure to ask for ranch or other fun sauce to dip chips in. Overall it was a pretty good spot. As a visitor it didn't wow me enough to seek it out if I were to return. But it seems like a popular local spot so I imagine the rest of the menu must be good and consistent. read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Culinary Dropout is an American restaurant in Scottsdale near the mall. There's indoor and outdoor seating, and it's great for a medium sized group. We went on a Wednesday night in a group of 6 around 7pm, and there was about a 15 minute wait. The ambiance is pretty nice. It can be described as kinda fancy, but also casual enough for it to be comfortable. Our table outside was perfect, and our waiter was super nice and accommodating. We ended up sharing a bunch of appetizers and got them split up so it was easier. The drinks and food came out quick too. Overall, the food was delicious. The portions were nice, all the meat was cooked properly and seasoned well, and the dishes came with flavorful sauces. It was kind of expensive, but the quality and service definitely made it worth it. I'd definitely recommend coming here if you're stopping by in Scottsdale! read more

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On a busy Saturday night in Scottsdale, I found myself searching out a place where I could grab one solo seat. I was also starving because I had be very active all day. After being out of luck at a few nearby places, I found one seat available here. A group had walked in just ahead of me needing a table for six and were two told hours, yikes! They left. Glad I was solo. The name had peaked my interest earlier in the day, so I thought it would be something a little different like more culinary-based, but it's a sports restaurant. I got the usual, "*Just* one?" question from the bartender (it happens when you travel solo), and got my menu to browse. I ordered a glass of wine which took a hot minute to come out (again, very busy, so I didn't care.) Looking at the menu, nothing really stood out to me as being anything different or special. And while i should have looked ahead of time, I guess I didn't realize I was eating at a national chain owned by Cheesecake Factory, so I guess that explained a lot. (I was trying to eat local and try authentic food, but I was starving so I stayed.) Nothing truly appealed to me, so i got the basic burger, I think it was called a Mac Burger. It was good and hit the spot, so it did the job. It took a while to close out, but that was fine. Another thing is that I was watching a specific game on the tv near me, but I guess someone decided putting a Western on in the middle of the game was more important that the customer watching. After several minutes, it was changed but to another game and not the one I had been watching. I know the channels are handled by someone else so I was not going to bother the bar staff, but that had been another reason I'd chosen to sit at the bar. Overall , the food was fine but nothing crazy different, the wine was good enough, the service was friendly and working hard. Okay enough experience, I just should have done my research ahead of time. read more

went here for a valentine's day brunch and split the whipped feta, prosciutto deviled eggs, banana french toast, and had the southwest bowl. the whipped feta was probably the best part, it had pomegranate and apricot jam in it and was whipped to perfection. phenomenal flavor combination and a must have. the prosciutto devil eggs were good but nothing noteworthy, and the southwest bowl was also great flavor combination but nothing out of this world. the banana french toast was delicious. the creme and almond pieces were great additions to the toast flavor profile. nice and fluffy. also would recommend. our service was incredible, our server was kind and very attentive. he had great suggestions and was funny. the atmosphere was amazing. unique ambiance of up scale and also edgy with the live music, chandeliers, and famous musicians like bob marley on the walls. read more

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