Sunday at The Grotto which can be found in the Red Truck Plaza. I had been thinking about their…read moremuffins and decided to stop. As I entered the café, I saw a regular who hangs out there all the time. After I ordered, I joined him. I ordered a blueberry smoothie and a blueberry muffin. I do enjoy the taste of blueberries. Both orders were very good. Their homemade muffins have a strudel top. Yum! They also make a nice moist scone. Very relaxing to sit in there. They have regular tables and chairs or high tops. There is also a couch if you prefer that. Of course they have their outdoor seating and many people were doing that as well. Even for a Sunday it was fairly crowded. Free refills on their regular drinks. Shared parking lot.

Just moved to Arizona on Valentine's Day and already found a little gem I know I'll keep coming…read moreback to I've been to Grotto Cafe twice now. The first time I stopped in for a glass of wine just to check it out -- they were about to close, but the staff was so kind and welcoming. I even saw a roadrunner on the patio, which honestly felt like the perfect Arizona welcome moment I went back yesterday after a 4-mile hike at Jewel of Cave Creek and had a turkey, avocado, and bacon sandwich with chips -- simple but absolutely delicious. Fresh, satisfying, and exactly what I needed after being out on the trails. Prices are very reasonable too. The vibe here is what makes it special. It's busy but relaxed, cozy but open, and you order at the counter which keeps everything easy and casual. They offer coffee, wine, pastries, sandwiches, salads, and more -- perfect for a quick bite or a chill afternoon. I especially love the setting surrounded by the little Cave Creek shops. It has such a peaceful, welcoming energy and is a great spot to sit outside, enjoy lunch, and soak in the Arizona sunshine. Whether you're hiking nearby or just exploring the area, this is a wonderful place to stop. I'll definitely be back

I truly left this spot with mixed feelings…read more On the one hand, our servers were fabulous! They were dealing with a very large party (with a lot of confusion) behind us, so it was clear both the servers and kitchen staff were stretched thin. I'm not sure if it's a newer addition based on the reviews, but the spot is decorated beautifully. With decor, games, a solid color scheme and a variety of menu options, it's truly an inviting standout in Carefree! Our food was just fine (I think they're aiming for elevated bar food), and our drinks were alright. I'm not sure my smoked old fashioned was prepared correctly but it happens. However, for the experience I left feeling I'd severely overpaid. Additionally, the company was questionable. A gentleman walked around the venue with a dog and a frown, a man came in barefoot to pick up an order, and I witnessed a non employee (or off shift employee?) sneak behind the bar several times. There seems to be a speakeasy medspa behind a painting, but we didn't get the details. This spot has the potential to be a total standout! A mixologist with a solid craft cocktail menu and execution, a menu rethink, and maybe some event programming and this spot could certainly be a home run! If I revisit, I'd be beyond delighted to see they've grown into their potential! Best of luck to these folks!

A Shoutout to Cindy & a New Neighborhood Favorite!…read more We just got back from lunch at Tox Bar/Speedy Burger in Carefree, and what a treat it was! To our delight, Cindy--yes, the Cindy many of us have known and loved for years--was there bartending and serving with the same warm smile and stellar service she's always been known for. This time, though, she's doing it at a place that offers great food, a fun and cozy ambience, and a dog-friendly patio--a rare combo that's hard to beat. Let's face it: dining out isn't as affordable as it once was. But as I told Cindy, I don't mind paying for quality food and excellent service--and that's exactly what you'll get at Tox Bar/Speedy Burger. For years, we were loyal regulars at Brisam's, visiting twice a week. But over time, prices soared, food quality declined, and the atmosphere never improved. The space started to feel tired and neglected. Sadly, the lack of connection from ownership didn't help--unless you were a former mayor or someone "important," you likely didn't get a second glance. Let's be honest: Cindy carried Brisam's for 18 years. Her genuine care for customers was the reason many of us kept going back. Now that she's moved on, it's no surprise to see the shift. So here's my suggestion: support a place that supports its people and customers. Tox Bar/Speedy Burger is that place. Stop by on Sundays or Tuesdays this summer to see Cindy in action. Come fall, I predict it'll be wall-to-wall locals enjoying everything this gem has to offer. Let's spread the word and give our support where it's truly deserved.

Best pizza in the Carefree Highway area from Lake Pleasant to Scottsdale Road/Tom Darling!!…read more Went Friday night, not much of a crowd. Great pizza 18" Pepperoni, sausage and mushroom. Light, flaky crust, delicate sauce, great ingredients!!! Seriously, best in the area (and I LOVE pizza). Garden salad was fresh and had a good mix of ingredients. Happy Hour Domestic Drafts $5 until 6pm (other specials too, but that is what we had). Top notch!!! Support this place!!

Great pizza but plllllllease put the baked potato pizza back on the menu. It was such a great…read morepizza and so disappointing to hear of the choice to take it off.

Black Mountain Café and lounge can be found in the Historic Spanish Village. You can chill with a…read morecup of coffee or tea and a snack or main meal here. Locals really love this place. There is inside seating and outdoor patio that is shaded. I got one of their muffins today. I think I like their muffins the best. Staff are nice. Street parking available

I genuinely hate to write bad reviews. But as I am sitting here paying a $400 hospital bill, I feel…read morethe review is necessary. My family and I were visiting from out of town. My son has a severe gluten allergy and we came here as I saw they had gluten free pancakes. I informed the waitress of my son's allergy when we placed our order, and confirmed that his pancakes were gluten free when they were brought to our table. Being a normal 5 year old who loves pancakes, my baby enjoyed his breakfast... only to begin coughing intensely and then breaking out into severe hives (and panicking) shortly thereafter. By God's grace, we had his epi Pen nearby. We still ended up in the ER as his breathing was impacted in addition to the hives (thankfully the epi pen helped but he still had to receive treatment and be monitored). All of this was due to pancakes that we were told were gluten free. While my husband and I rushed our son to the hospital, my father who is a local resident, spoke with management. They comped our meal, which was kind. But this truly could have been a life or death situation.

What a great place for a yummy breakfast. We were seated immediately and our service was…read moreexcellent. My Blueberry/Lemon pancakes were so good. This is one of our favorite breakfast places that we love to share with our friends when they come to visit.

the hot italian is one of the best sandwiches in the world!!!…read more great service too. we love it here!!

Always a great bar with great people! Food is good, atmosphere is great! Love this bar and will…read morealways be one of my favorite places!!!

The Hideaway Grill is the premier biker friendly bar and grill. It's an outdoor bar with shaded…read morecover. This place is home to thousands of riders during Bikers Week. It can feel intimidating when there are several bikers there. They are all there to socialize, meet other enthusiasts and have a can of beer. There is no tap available. The car was across the street since we were headed in that direction. The car had just pulled out when a host of bikers got ready to depart. One person stopped traffic in both directions. One by one, the bikers headed out with noisy mufflers and their live music on their cycles. At least 50 bikes pulled out. Most impressive and quite the show. Note: parking is typically easier if you use a lot across the street. The bikes tend to take up the parking.

Grilled Addiction came out to my business complex for the food truck rotation and they definitely…read moredelivered. I ordered their Blackberry glazed pulled pork and coleslaw sandwich and fries. My sandwich was quite large and messy to eat but very tasty. I could very faintly taste the hint of berries in the glaze and I was glad I was able to try this out. It was a very good pulled pork sandwich. The fries were cooked to a crispy texture and delicately salted. My co-worker opted to do the build-your-own burger and has remarked that his was pretty tasty. I will need to try this out next time their out!

I was happy to see this food truck at the Diamondbacks game. I'm from California, and I love the…read moreopportunity to get tri tip! There was no line at the truck and service was fast. The guy was super friendly. The sandwich was smaller than we expected, but the meat...! They nailed it. The tri tip was succulent and amazing. Seriously good. The bread it was on was so-so--the bottom bun was immediately soaked through so it made it kinda awkward to eat. But hey, the meat was the most important. We could have had a pile of that and dug in with forks and been quite content.

My husband and I decided to take a chance on a new restaurant while vacationing in Arizona…read more Normally, we stick with restaurants we've visited before or well-known brands, but this time we stumbled upon a charming husband-and-wife-owned restaurant called Confluence, located in the Sundial Plaza in Carefree, Arizona. We're certainly glad we did. Confluence offers a beautiful outdoor patio for dining, while the interior is intimate, with only six to eight tables and a small bar. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with warmth and character--you can definitely tell there's a thoughtful touch behind every detail. We were greeted by our bartender and server, Victoria, who also happens to be the co-owner. She was absolutely wonderful. Even though the restaurant was busy, she made us feel like we were her only guests. As we talked with her, we learned how she and her husband, Chef Brandon, are the entire operation and work seamlessly together to create an exceptional dining experience. The menu is intentionally small, but that's because every dish is prepared fresh to order. Chef Brandon's attention to detail is evident in every plate. The presentation is beautiful, and the complex, well-balanced flavor profiles showcase his culinary talent. We highly recommend the Gazpacho--it was outstanding. As former restaurant owners ourselves, we were especially impressed by how this husband-and-wife team consistently delivers such an exceptional level of food quality, hospitality, atmosphere, and overall uniqueness with such a small operation. Their teamwork and dedication are truly something to admire. If you're visiting the Carefree or Cave Creek area, make it a point to dine at Confluence. We don't think you'll be disappointed. One final tip: To ensure they can maintain the highest standards of food and service, they intentionally limit the number of guests they serve each evening. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially during the busy season.

this is my go to. It's the most enjoyable meals ever fresh delicious not complicated just amazing…read morebetween husband and wife. They are the best of the best I live in the neighborhood. It's my go to.

Hidden gem, totally worth it and we will be back. Old world style with French classics that are…read moreabsolutely delicious. The staff and service is outstanding. Friendly, warm and knowledgeable. Our waitress has been there for over 10 years and knew the menu so well, wine and food and made wonderful recommendations. She made us feel like we were at home eating there. We started with the classic French 75 cocktail and scallops , delicious. French onion soup top notch, ate every drop :). We ordered the 1/2 lamb (phenomenal ) and filet with peppercorn and bordelaise sauce. Finished with the vanilla soufflé ... which is a must and totally worth it, shareable and the soufflé I've ever had. All was delicious and totally recommend. Each cooked to perfection in temp and served perfectly to enjoy.

TL;DR the manager on duty Oct 10th shrilly screamed at both us and at our waiter from the kitchen,…read morebut wouldn't come out to speak with us herself. (and no, she is not French - no one there is) When ordering my glass of wine, our waiter confirmed that it was dry. There were 2 options according to him, both the most expensive of their white glasses at $13.50. The wine I chose was not in fact dry. It was in front of me for a while so I drank half - but after a bit I flagged a different waiter to please clear it before I drank any more. Our waiter saw the glass gone about 10 mins later, asked if I wanted another. I said it was not dry, so no thanks, and he nicely brought out a different option for me to try before I then committed. The bill came and I was charged for both wines. Yes, I drank half the first glass, but again, I asked a waiter to clear it, and mentioned twice that I didn't think it matched the description I verified with our waiter before ordering. The waiter went to ask the manager if they could remove the 1st wine, and she started yelling at him. I heard, so I said "ok, I can hear you, I don't think that's cool but I'll pay for it". Then, she started yelling at me. She never came out, just yelled from the back. The good parts: our waiter was nice, and the homemade pate is delicious. But, the escargots were rubbery, and the steak tartare is a country-style chunky hash with differently-sized chunks of egg whites in it, rather than a minced tartare in a patty-form. Wish the menu had said that. Overall: aghast that the manager yelled at the top of her lungs at patrons during service - without even revealing herself or discussing with us in the flesh. Truly terrifying, beware! Not what you'd expect from a Cave Creek experience at all.

This was a nice easy access speakeasy feel establishment. I was hoping for a little more…read more"underground" with password, etc. That was not the case, however, walking in the front door. I definitely got the speakeasy feels. It also has large screen TVs where sports are playing. That does take away from the speakeasy field, but it's a good balance between casual eye out to watch a sporting event with friends and get a classy cocktail in a great atmosphere. Not my first choice go to for speakeasy, but definitely makes the list.

A fantastic, quiet, speakeasy-esque bar with a great staff, cool decor and delicious drinks in the…read moreCave Creek area! The staff greeted and seated me quickly in this cute, kind of quirky home office inspired bar and immediately poured me a glass of water to sip while I read through their beautiful leather-bound menu. The lights were dim with little electric tea light candles flickering against the books stacked on the huge bookshelf/entryway. Both bartenders were working diligently to assist me and the other patrons and suggested I try the Meltdown - it was FANTASTIC! It was like someone had made a super fresh pina colada and got squirrelly with some gin and guava purée but I absolutely LOVED it! The presentation was great too, it came in a large ornate glass filled with beveled ice and topped with, I believe, an orchid and some fresh mint! I really had to fight myself not to order a second one I was house sitting in the area that Saturday night and wanted to bring some dinner home with me after my drink and honestly, the food didn't disappoint either. I got the Smoked Chicken Wrap with coleslaw which came out maybe 10 mins after ordering and was thoroughly enjoyed when I got back home! Definitely a good bang for your buck at $15 compared to other bars like this with limited food options where you're typically overpaying for fried food fresh from the freezer. The vibe was there, the food was tasty and the drinks were great, I'll definitely be back with friends and family!