The food & bar service was receptive and delicious. We sat on the Patio and it was a beautiful day. read more

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First experience here for our group. Nice ambiance but the food has much for improvement. The chicken parm was decent but the pasta and white sauce was overflowing with pepper. So much that it was crunchy to eat and overpowering. Our friend had the grilled wedge salad which was fairly small and had rotting lettuce within. The Spanish chorizo which is advertised as a stew was extremely salty and 4 out of the 12 mussels were closed tight. Those should have never been plated before leaving the kitchen. The table across from us had a tasty looking burger which looked appetizing. Maybe just stick with burgers here... read more

Needle Rock Kitchen and Tap - Old lettuce - New American Near Me - Rio Verde, Arizona

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First ate here 8 years ago and it was delicious then. Returned recently and pizza was inedible, dessert was awful and the service, though friendly, was very slow. Short staffed. Chopped wedge salad was good. Shane the host on a Friday night deserves a call out for his friendly can-do attitude and smile. Otherwise, not worth the $ or time, unfortunately! read more

Maybe it just wasn't our day. But it certainly feels like the quality has slipped. We had a turkey Panini and fish and chips. The Panini was OK but the onion rings were soggy. The fish and chips were both well below average, undercooked and soggy as well. That doesn't mean we won't come again, but it won't be anytime soon. read more

Our service is always good, food is ok, Butter cake desert is the bomb, but I'm a sweets guy. Great views, lovely environment for a drink, its nice to go and unwind with a beverage. read more

Service was slow. Husband had chicken Parmesan which had no flavor at all. Pasta was boring. Everything looked good but had no flavor at all. Nice views and it was very busy but food was not worth the price read more

Visited July 6, 2025 Cue the slow clap... because Needle Rock just showed up. After nearly 5 years years of cheering this place on and always hoping it would hit its stride...I'm thrilled to say: we finally had the meal we've been dreaming about. Let's be honest. The setting? Always been a winner. Gorgeous views, chill atmosphere, and a staff that genuinely tries to make you feel welcome. But the food and drinks? Oof. It's been like rolling the dice every visit. Some nights were solid. Others... left us wondering who hijacked the kitchen and swapped out our cocktail. But something clicked this time. And it clicked in the best way. We grabbed seats in the bar (a spot we usually love for the energy), and right out of the gate, the service was sharp. Kat behind the bar? Total rockstar. She served up a mojito that actually made me pause and say "Wait, THIS is from Needle Rock?" Bright, minty, refreshing, and made the right way. Not a sad little sprig of mint floating on top...nope. And yes that has actually happened more than once here at Needle Rock! Ugh!! But, Kat, oh she actually muddled the mint releasing that vibrant flavor and then added the lovely mint garnish. I could've hugged her. Happy sighing ensued! I followed her suggestion and ordered the wings with sauces on the side. Three options: BBQ, buffalo, and a sweet chili that I'm still thinking about. Wings were crispy and seasoned beautifully...no weird rubbery skin or blandness. Just finger-licking goodness and the perfect happy hour snack. Raven, our waitress, was holding it down across the whole bar floor. She had that perfect combo of speed, sass, and a "don't worry, I got you" vibe that instantly makes you feel taken care of. Meanwhile, the hubs was living his best life with a cheeseburger piled with crispy bacon and a plate full of golden tots. No complaints. I don't know what shifted recently at Needle Rock Kitchen...new chef? Bartender magic? Moon in retrograde finally reversing course? Whatever it is... YES. More of this, please. For the first time in a long time, I didn't leave making excuses for the food. I left thinking, "When are we coming back?" read more

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Things are getting better here. I guess improvement takes time ... a lot of time. There has been lots of turnover at this restaurant and it seemed to be constant chaos for over a year. With new management came new change so it seemed things were always in a state of flux. But I will say things have finally calmed down a bit and become more consistent. Unfortunately, while going through a tough management period, they lost several good servers in the process. I really have no complaints about the staff although only two of the three hostesses are consistently friendly and accommodating. The menu is good but they have eliminated some delicious items and they do not offer many vegetarian or low fat options. Over half of the Chef's Corner entrees are pasta dishes and they have only two handheld options, having eliminated the chicken sandwich which was delicious. So now it's either a burger or pastrami. Other than a small garden, even the salads are all prepared with meat: Asian Chicken, Chopped Salumi, Chicken Caesar, Wedge with bacon. Of course you can ask for no protein but you're still paying the premium ($18 Salumi) price. Aside from the salads and Hummus Board there aren't a lot of healthy options for active people here. read more

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Amazing Mother's Day Brunch! We started with a complimentary Mimosa on the patio with an amazing view of the mountains and golf course! The food was outstanding! Beautiful salad bar with Shrimp and cocktail sauce. On the same table was a beautiful tray of fresh fruit. The filet roast beef was delicious. Bacon, sausage, delicious potatoes, grilled salmon, vegetables, rice, Belgium waffles , omelet station, and lovely desserts and breads. The coffee was also very good. It's a good thing I live here in Trilogy. I'll be back for the next holiday brunch! read more

We are lucky that Needle Rock is so close to home. My family and I had an amazing meal here last night! We ordered the cheesy pizza, Mahi Mahi wrap, burger and chicken sandwich. All were excellent. We had drinks too of course. Our neighbor raved about the butter cake so we had to take one home - it was by far the best we have ever had!!! We were able to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful view. Amazing since it was still August! Bring on Fall! We made a special connection with our waitress as my husband and her grew up in the same area. Be sure to ask for Renee next time you head to Needle Rock! And in case you didn't know - they are open to the public! read more

They changed their menu so no more beer mussels and no more eggplant hummus. Their spicy pizza is super cheesy and the shrimp rigatoni was really flavorful! Unfortunately my husbands steak was over cooked and it took time to make another one why by that time we all finished eating so had to take it to go.. which was a bit disappointing . Service is really good here. read more

Needle Rock Kitchen and Tap - Rib eye steak - New American Near Me - Rio Verde, Arizona

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We are members of the Verde River Golf and Social Club and LOVE the restaurant and bar, Needle Rock Kitchen. The food and service is really good, and the views are the best in the valley! read more

Food was not good. I ordered a hamburger. The Brussels sprouts were drenched in dressing. There were hardly any customers. It was New Years. There was one waitress for the entire restaurant and hosting. The chefs were extremely loud and belligerent and singing. Many customers left. The kitchen staff were all yelling, not just one employee. It was extremely unprofessional and uncomfortable. The bill was 200$ for 4 entrees. Ridiculous do better. read more

Very welcoming host who seated us outdoors. We realized the cool breeze was picking up and the graciously moved us inside. The menu has amazing flexibility from a great burger to meatballs, steak and health salads. We rarely order dessert but went for the crème brûlée. Excellent wine selection. Could not have been happier. Our expectations were truly exceeded. read more

Service was good, but food for the price was sub-par, unless of course, you're looking for an over abundance of salt in one's food. If that's the case, then this is the place. I wish they would back off the salt content and offer more than fried foods (fries, tots or onion rings) and one side salad as a side dish. Prices have increased too but the quality of the food has not. read more

Had dinner here on a Sunday evening. When entering, tell the gate security you have a reservation for Needle Rock. Great atmosphere (I mean it is a country club) - they had their patio doors wide open with plenty of spaced out tables and a plethora of space heaters. We were told a few things were unavailable on the menu, which was quite understandable since we were there at the end of the day (for future reference, will try the shishito peppers and millionaire burger). We had the short rib queso fondue, gluten free Picasso pizza, wood-grilled salmon, and a bottle of wine. There was a generous serving of the fondue alongside tortilla chips + pork cracklings, the latter of which was an interesting but yummy dipping choice. The pizza was tasty, plenty of toppings, and the gluten-free crust was truly divine!! The salmon was good, a tad dry and felt like needed more seasoning, but the bed of lentils it sat on were nicely seasoned. I missed the name of our waitress, but she was so friendly and patient with us - our glasses were never empty. Unfortunately, we had late reservations so the sun had already set and we could not see the beautiful scenery. Hope to be back with an earlier reservation. read more

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I only recommend dining outside. Love the view and it's very noisy indoors. Service was good but all 4 of our dinn8were mediocre at best.

Went for the pizza and wine on the patio! Would recommend to anyone! Been coming for years and have great memories every time! Thanks!

When I can't decide what to order, I go for the Chinese chicken salad. It is a winner. read more

Needle Rock Kitchen and Tap - New American Near Me - Rio Verde, Arizona

A patio looking out at the snow covered top of Four Peaks and points north, the food (walleye and French Dip sammy), and the service... all top tier!! Special thx to Renee, our server! Don't miss this one! read more

I cannot say enough about my dining experience here it was hands down a strong 5 and even more if that was an option. From the hostess Debbie to our server Christian and Kim to the chef and the bartender A++ service. Now let's get into the meals-I opted for the Mushroom & Garlic pizza, others in my party had the short rib, blueberry salad and the burger-Everything was fresh and delicious!! Guys don't take my word for it make a reservation and check this gem out! read more

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We have a home here in trilogy! The millionaire burger use to be excellent. I had one a couple weeks ago and didn't even eat half of it. The flavor was not as it use to be and very disappointed in the size. They basically cut the the size of the pattie in half. Only half as thick as it use to be and the price went up. I would much rather pay more for something and get what it use to be than to shrink the size it. Will not have again or would I recommend it to anyone. Always would recommend this before. read more

Needle Rock has always been an amazing restaurant for me. The food has never disappointed, the staff very friendly. The location is over the top, a true getaway spot for that special occasion. read more

We went to Needle Rock Kitchen and Tap for lunch and returned for dinner the next night. The resturant's food was great and very reasonable. The staff were very knowledgeable. The view from the resturant is probably the best of all the restaurants in the Phoenix area. Next time I'm in Phoenix I'm going again! read more

Needle Rock Kitchen and Tap - Patio - New American Near Me - Rio Verde, Arizona

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One star is for the incredible view out of the back of the restaurant. The second star is for the food and drinks - which are very good IF prepared accurately....but you're lucky if that happens. Food is absolutely overpriced. Someone explain to me why I just paid $40 for two basic salads? Seven bucks to add chicken and it's not even a full chicken breast? No thanks, that's not happening again. Salad & Go has proven that there's no need to charge that much for a salad anywhere. And my grievance isn't just with the salad prices, that's just my example. The service is so so terrible if you're not a member or regular. There is absolutely not basic standard of service for any other patron. It's really disappointing to watch servers stand and talk to a table for 20 minutes while you get ignored. Yes, this happens every time I've gone here; it's certainly not a one-time occurrence. Unfortunately, you've got a better chance at getting an accurate order if you go in and get a table, but ordering to go? Not a chance. It's wrong literally every time. Every. Time. I've provided polite feedback to management and they apologized but clearly didn't care enough to put any changes in place. It's truly unfortunate for those whole live nearby that this is the only place to eat in the area, but fortunately for Needle Rock, it's the only reason they stay in business. read more

As I mentioned it's on my top 5 best restaurant views in AZ. The menu has amazing options from breakfast to dinner. Fantastic food with a great beer and wine selection. If I lived closer I would be there at least once a week ! And after your stuffed you can tour the beautiful patio if it not too hot, even a great stop for a glass of wine and chat. Nice lounging space if you don't want to be in the dining area. See you soon read more

Great atmosphere and service. The menu is pretty diverse with limited vegetarian and vegan options. We got the hummus appetizer which was very good. The garden salad as a wrap was delicious. Our server was fantastic. The prices are what you would expect these days. read more

The servers were very nice, but the kitchen was very slow. Plan on spending a couple of hours there. We had a Caesar salad, which was fantastic, and the ribeye steak was great. Everything else was a little underwhelming. read more

We had the pizza and it was great! Patio views are hard to beat with the mountains in the background.

Had confirmed reservation via OpenTable for Sunday 6:45 pm. Arrived at gate at 6:40 pm. Gate closed, gate house locked, unmanned, lights turned off. No way to enter. We called restaurant and received recording. Needless to say we turned around and will not return. read more

Folks, if you want to celebrate a Sunday - or any day, really, indulge in eats at Needle Rock. Reservations are easily made and service is stellar. Their dishes have never disappointed and it takes restraint to not order the million dollar burger at every visit. Today I enjoyed the spinach blueberry salad with salmon. The salad was perfectly dressed with a lemon avocado dressing. The table also enjoyed the chef's omelet specials, which included a rustic toast and set of jams to choose from. Aside from the professional service and consistent dish quality, the large patio is a relaxing and spectacular view of the Four Peaks Wilderness Area. It should be on your short list of dinner locations in the Scottsdale/ Fountain Hills area. read more

My family who has dinned here before took me on my last visit. We were there early enough to sit outside and enjoy our lunch, and then watched the sun set as we sat around the fire in the evening. Hirwin was our server and helped us the entire time with professionalism, but warmth- we felt like we made a friend when we left. He helped us make decisions on our meal choices and they were all amazing. The "short rib poutine" was to die for!!! It's not your regular poutine, but a step above. The best thing I have had in a while. We also had the "Oh my cod" which was perfect along with the parmesan potatoes that came with it. Later in the evening we had the " Diver scallops" which if you watch any cooking show featuring Gordon Ramsay , they can be cooked wrong easily , but these were impeccable! Gordon would approve! We had the BEST margaritas in our life- "The Cadillac margarita". I didn't get the bartender's name, but a shout out to him! We ended the evening with TWO butter cakes that I am still thinking about as I write this. Don't leave without ordering one, no matter how full you may be. From the hostess greeting us, to the terrific Hirwin our waiter, the food, the margarita's, and the gorgeous outside seating and views, it was a grand experience. Cannot wait to get back there again. read more

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Our reservation was for 7:30, by 9 our entrees weren't even ready. We watched one of our burgers sit under a heat lamp for 15 minutes while the cooks had no sense of urgency. This experience was nothing short of a disappointment especially since we came to celebrate a birthday. When we asked to speak to the manager it was met with anger. If I could give it zero stars I would, the one star can be for the beautiful views. That's the only thing going for them. read more

The food was good. The view was outstanding. The size of the servings: enormous. Enough for another large meal the next day or 2 people could easily share and be totally satisfied. Personally I would rather see a smaller portion at less cost or the option for a large or normal size portion. The location is beautiful and the ride through the desert from Scottsdale, although long, has nice views of our mountains and desert. Nice place to bring first time visitors to Arizona. read more

I still like this restaurant but I don't care for their new menu. The Ahi Tuna is no longer on the menu. On this visit, I tried the Millionaire Burger. A little disappointed. I asked for medium and it was served to me well done. For my wine, I ordered a 6 oz. glass of Chardonnay. When it was served, it looked more like a 9 oz. Yes, they did pour it on.! Service is still excellent and of course, the ambiance is impeccable!!! Will keep going back. I wish they bring the ahi tuna back on the menu. read more

This review is to add to Allysa H's well written and insightful review written on 3/28/2024...I am a member (albeit a new one) and have paid a lot of money to be one...the service at the bar here on weekend evenings is abysmal...The 3 stars is meant to be comprehensive and to include the restaurant where the service is great. It's unfortunate for us however that we have decided not to have drinks at the bar anymore (and lose that perk that we have and are paying for) and have yet another bad service experience at the bar whereby we place an order then to have the server walk away in within 5 minutes forget that we are here....I think this could be a lack of training issue however in any event is unacceptable to both members and non members... read more

After you get by the guy at the gate , it is wonderful. Great food and service , the atmosphere and attitude of staff is terrific!

Love this so Restaurant and so happy they're open to the "public" that don't live in the trilogy. Views are amazing, food is even better, and prices are wayyyyy less than most of Scottsdale or Paradise Valley. Servers are great but clearly understaffed as many times as we've been there. read more

Food is good! Menu changes I believe seasonally. The waiters and waitresses are good. The food server assistants are awesome, and the view is stunning. read more

Long story short, Needle Rock was PHENOMENAL! We live on 174th, directly across the from community that the restaurant is settled in. Anytime we want to go out to eat, it's at least a half hour drive, so to have somewhere so close was nothing short of a miracle. Our host, Emily, was very prompt and courteous, and our server, Jessica, was absolutely superb. She went above and beyond to not only deliver outstanding service, but made sure our visit was up to par with every course of the meal, and went out of her way to make sure my difficult drink was made to perfection. Not to mention that the prices were more than fair, and I'm excited to come back many more times without fear of breaking the bank. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR A WONDERFUL VISIT! read more

Needle Rock Kitchen and Tap - Pot Roast, Millionaire Burger - New American Near Me - Rio Verde, Arizona