We had the absolute best time this weekend at Undertow! It was super easy to make reservations, we…read morewere warmly welcomed by the hostesses the moment we arrived, and the atmosphere was beyond immersive. And of course... the drinks were incredible! I kicked off our 90-minute experience with the Blackberry Yuzu Margarita, and it was the perfect balance of crisp, sweet, and tart. I wrapped things up with the Macadamia Nut Piña Colada which, fittingly for being "aboard" a pirate ship, was delightfully rum-forward without being overly sweet. In between cocktails, we shared a couple of snacks that were such a welcome addition -- something you sadly don't always find at local speakeasies! The service was top-notch thanks to our bartender Rocco, whose knowledge and attention to detail made the experience even more fun. Between the creative cocktails, immersive vibe, and fantastic hospitality, Undertow is easily one of the coolest spots around!

What can I say about this place that hasn't already been said time and time again? Everything from…read morethe service to the ambiance is top-notch. Of course, this place is known for its cocktails, so naturally they should be great--but trust me, I've been to several cocktail-only establishments that were lackluster. Absolutely NOT the case here. You could literally put all the pages of the menu on a wall, throw a dart, and whatever you hit would be delicious and interesting in its own right. The place is a little small, but honestly, that's what I love about it. It feels cozy in all the right ways. It's also very relaxing, floating along the sea with some delightful surprises here and there. We ordered several drinks, but one that's not on the menu (and they do make it) is the Pearl Diver, which is magnificent here. The mixologists and servers are all amazing and should be proud of themselves for bringing such an experience to Gilbert.

Beautiful little speakeasy behind a nondescript door that looks like a service entrance…read more We didn't eat, but my cocktails were amazing: - Espresso Martini - Last Mango in México My friend had three different cocktails and enjoyed hers as well. $13-17/drink Service was great and the bottle of water on the table was appreciated. They close a bit early for me (11pm on a Thursday) but I have to remember it's Gilbert so that's probably on the later side

Blue Heron has a really cool vibe. Great place to pop into for a drink or you can have the full…read moremenu from Crust which was a surprise! The servers were really friendly and we were able to be sat quickly even though we didn't have a reservation.

The food here is always amazing. The best restaurant around for fresh seafood and great service too.read more

Parking is a zoo at any location in the Agritopia shopping center area (Higley and Ray). Often…read moretimes, I avoid coming due to this parking lot if it's a known busy time like a Friday night. We had our heart set, so we braved the parking lot and the quoted 1-1.5hr wait (actual wait time: 53 minutes). Greatly appreciate the staff member who took drink orders while we waited as a martini eases the time waiting! Plus, they had a hydration station with water that is much needed in our Arizona heat - thank you! Our server Alex was phenomenal and provided great insights with recommendations. We greatly appreciate it as it was both of ours first time visiting this establishment to try the Arizona Restaurant Week specials. For my 1800th review on Yelp, I couldn't think of a more fitting review - Arizona Restaurant Week helping me venture out to try somewhere new (the Yelp way)! Lastly regarding the experience, it was quite loud due to it being busy, so appreciate Alex repeating somethings over. Thanks for the great service to make this a great night out! What We Ordered: ~ Onward and Upward (Non-alcoholic): my boyfriend enjoyed the flavor, but wild to think a NA drink is $15! He said likely not a do over. ~ Dirty Vodka Martini + Blue Cheese-stuffed Olives: the first outside was not as good as the one at the table. I'd definitely buy another when returning, especially dining in as the olives were delicious. ~ Fresh Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls: very delicious, and we enjoyed! Definitely a splurge as the price point was $12 for 5 rolls. I did find myself wishing they were served with a nice French butter or even a honey cinnamon butter, which would elevate these and help me justify the price point. ~ Arizona Restaurant Week which included a starter, entree, and the selected dessert (boyfriend: Oysters + Sushi selection and me: Caesar Salad + blackened Texas Redfish): Both my boyfriend and I throughly enjoyed and thought it was well worth the $55 per guest price point. Standouts for him were the oysters and sushi, stating they were very fresh. My standout was the delicious redfish, and the sushi as I tried some of his. Everything was fresh and flavorful! We left talking about when we can return for their actual menu versus restaurant week. Love finding great local places via Arizona Restaurant Week. If in the area, stop by this location!

Really like this place for what it is. Zero food options make it only 4 stars for me. Great…read moreselection of taps, but we were looking for a specific beer that we had tried before but when we went to order it they said they were out even though it was on the tap list (they changed it while we were there, but it was disappointing. The atmosphere is very casual and we ended up sitting with another group at a large table last time we went, which turned out to be great. When we went around Christmas we mentioned we had a designated driver and the bartender gave our DD a free drink from the nonalcoholic beverage selection. I thought that was a nice touch. All in all it is what it says it is. A beer barn. Nothing fancy but good selection of beers and enough seating to accommodate people. If I didn't have to bring my own food, I'd probably give it 5 stars.

I've been coming here for a few years now. Not only is the beer excellent and the selection…read morebrilliant, but the atmosphere is perfect. This is a fantastic place for whatever you want. Do you like to sit in a corner with a beer and read? You got it. Do you want to sit at the bar where the discussions are? You got it. Need a patio with great weather? Done deal. The best part is the staff. Chris and the gang are nice, knowledgeable, and just great people. This is my place. Love it. You'll love it too. Ohh almost forgot. Best g'damn beer in the east valley. Period. Cheers!

Smoke & Grain was a great find for lunch when we wanted something more substantial than a quick…read moreroadside stop. The menu had a strong variety, and we chose to sit at the bar. The service truly stood out--easily a 10/5. Our bartender was friendly, attentive, and made the experience feel welcoming from start to finish. As for the food: * The Posse Bowl was a 3/5--decent, but it lacked depth of flavor and could have been more seasoned. * The Amo Burger, on the other hand, was a hit. My husband finished it in no time and raved about both the burger and the fries. If you visit, I'd definitely recommend going the burger route. Overall, a good stop with standout service.

I've only been here twice, but I had to come back because I was seriously craving the amazing bowl…read moreI ordered the first time. When I first visited with friends, we also tried some cocktails made with fresh-squeezed juice, they were absolutely delicious. This time I ordered the Loaded Barrel bowl, which comes with rice, avocado, chicken, an over-medium (or over-easy) egg, teriyaki glaze, and green onions. It's such a hearty dish, fresh, flavorful, and surprisingly healthy. Everything tasted high-quality and well-prepared. The place itself looks great. I noticed a lot of people ordering the pizza, and it looked fantastic, so that's definitely on my list for next time. The ambiance is cool and open, they have a great selection of craft beers, and the bar area is really inviting. The staff is friendly and welcoming, and the environment is very clean. It's attached to a shooting range, which adds to the unique vibe. Parking is never an issue. Overall, it's just a cool spot to hang out, catch up with friends, and enjoy quality food with great service. I highly recommend it and can't wait to go back to try more of the menu!

So glad I stopped by! It wasn't on my list of speakeasies as this was a bit far from where I was…read morestaying. But a friend wanted to meet for food around the area and this spit popped up on Yelp. It didn't disappoint! I was skeptical at first as having a sign posted at the sidewalk and a bouncer outside the stairs going down, was a sheer sign that this isn't such a secret and speakeasy-like spot. But I was proven wrong very quickly. Dre who was the bouncer and I'd much rather call Drayden, is young but friendly. The hall leading down to the entrance was well decorated. It's hard to miss the door when you can hear people on the other side :). Hostess was nice. Alex immediately introduced himself from behind the bar as I sat down, and Meagan was the main bartender this night. They were both a wealth of knowledge when it came to cocktails. I really wasn't expecting too much but the two drinks I ordered were a solid 5/5. I had the silk bandit and the untold legacy. I like sweet drinks this way. It wasn't too sweet. All the flavors were well balanced and well thought out. They also had a girl singing tonight and she was amazing!!! Thanks for a nice relaxing night. Service was a 5/5 and I'd definitely come back if I'm in the area.

As the self appointed king of speakeasies, I'm back at it with another one. This time was checking…read moreout a speakeasy located in the heart of downtown Gilbert on a Friday evening at 9 p.m. I parked for free on the street before making my way to The White Rabbit. There are some things I really love about The White Rabbit and some that I didn't. Ambiance (3/5): When I think of a speakeasy, I think intimate. The White Rabbit is not that. It's pretty large for a speakeasy with a large bar and a good number of tables/booths. They weren't at capacity while I was there, but there were a good number of people there. Which made it pretty loud. To the point where you have to yell at your bartender when ordering your drink so they can hear you. Perhaps a much different experience on a week day. Getting in the speakeasy was both a hit and a miss. If you're subscribed to their email list, as I am, you get a different password every month. I was excited about this. Upon approaching The White Rabbit, I saw a sign naming the establishment and pointing me in the right direction. This takes away from the spirit of speakeasies which are supposed to be truly hidden without any signage identifying the restaurant. You'll see a velvet rope blocking a stairwell where you tell one of the bouncers the password. I had a reservation. If you don't know the password, as another party there didn't, they ask you to access a QR code to find out or ask others who are waiting. I appreciated the dedication to the cause. Once you get in, you walk down the stairwell, and then enter a cool hallway decked out with Prohibition-style decor. That leads you into the main room. The main room is also Prohibition-style though a bit unremarkable. The bathrooms are clean and also feature some cool paintings (and they also hide that they are actual bathrooms). With that being said, when I liked the hallway and the bathrooms better than the bar itself, that's a bit of an issue. Seats at the bar are bar stools without back support. Never fun for my old man back. I did, on the other hand, appreciate that they have free WiFi. Service (3.5/5): The service was generally pretty good, though a bit slow. They start you off with some water without asking you which is always a nice touch. It was just one of those situations where you have to put some effort into getting a bartender's attention on several occasions. Food (N/A): I had dinner prior so no food for me. I did check out the menu. They have a small selection of appetizers, flatbreads, and desserts. Drinks (3/5): When I'm at a speakeasy, I'm looking for creativity and an interesting blend of ingredients and flavors. While The White Rabbit has a good number of cocktails, many of them didn't attract me. Part of it is a matter of personal preference. There were only two drinks out of about 20 that I was interested in. Overall, I wanted a little more, but with that being said, the drinks were reasonably priced for a speakeasy. Not a bad speakeasy by any means, I have super high standards when it comes to these watering holes. Just not in my top five when it comes to speakeasies in Phoenix and surrounding areas.

YUM!!! Been on a real beer kick lately, and this really hit the spot for a quick happy hour…read morepick-me-up on a Wednesday evening. I got one of their sour beers and absolutely loved it! It was practically empty when me and my friend came in, so we sat at the bar and were offered samples if we wanted to try anything before buying a pint. The person working was so kind, and understanding of our chattiness hahaha! The value was good as well, reasonable pricing for good draft beer! It's definitely a pub, not a restaurant vibe, so that's something to keep in mind. There is plenty of parking, and the bathroom was very clean. I really enjoyed all the card/board games available for people to use and I'll definitely be trying that out next time I'm in the area!

Stopped in after work. Alex was very friendly and had great suggestions on beer. Customer service…read morewas top notch .

This place brings the VIBES! Really good atmosphere and…read moremusic, come here for a fun time! This place would be great for larger groups of people. Service is friendly and the carne asada fries were tasty to snack on! [this review was made in connection with a Toast promotion]

Pretty disappointed with our visit to Backyard in Gilbert. The food was just okay, but the service…read morewas honestly worse. Our booth was sticky when we sat down and after asking a few times for someone to wipe it off, they finally handed us a rag and had us do it ourselves. They also messed up our order and charged us for a full pizza instead of the kids pizza we ordered. The beer tower we got didn't work, and when they replaced it, it looked like they just poured the beer into another one while spilling a lot of it. Then one of the kids had a fly in their drink and nobody really seemed to care. They brought it out that way. Just wasn't a great experience overall and we probably won't be back.

My husband and I came here for our wedding night dinner since we eloped over by the Superstitions…read moreand live in the Gilbert area. We had a wonderful experience at this restaurant. Our server was attentive as were all the staff that helped around the restaurant. We both ordered a cocktail, filets, and split the creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. We ended the night with a butter cake, a gift from our server (thank you!!). The filet was cooked perfect, the sides were delicious, and how could you not love a butter cake? The cocktail wasn't too strong, and we were checked on an appropriate number of times. Because we got married on a Wednesday night, the restaurant was not busy! Loved the interior, it was the perfect mix of fun but elegant without being too fancy. We would highly recommend and look forward to another visit!

We came here for my birthday this past Friday and I was actually so impressed with the whole…read moreexperience. This is definitely a place you want to make a reservation for! It was our second time here the first was for happy hour which is amazing btw!!! There was no food that went to waste. Everything tasted so good! I also got a complimentary butter cake since it was my birthday and even that was delicious!

On a Saturday night after grabbing some ice cream at Topo, we stopped by Sotol Modern Cocktail…read moreKitchen for a nightcap. Located in downtown Gilbert, Sotol is a rooftop bar and restaurant. I love a good rooftop and the weather was perfect. While they don't have a parking lot, free parking is available on the street and in the various surface lots and garages in the area. Ambiance (4.5/5): It's tough to beat a rooftop. Here you'll have nice views of downtown Gilbert, including the historic Gilbert water tower (which lights up at night). It's not a huge restaurant/bar, probably 50 seats or so. A good number of tables and then 15 seats or so at the bar. We sat at the bar. There's a pretty nice mural on one end too. Service (4/5): A little slow to start out with and to close out, but overall, friendly. We found one of the last four remaining seats at the bar. If not for that, there would have been a wait. One drink and then we made our way. Overall, about average. Food (N/A): I was on a liquid diet for this visit but they do have a full menu. Drinks (4/5): Interesting craft cocktail list. The first one on the list is a Sotol cocktail. If you've never had Sotol, it's a Mexican spirit. Not tequila and not mezcal, but somewhat similar to mezcal and it does have a bit of a smoky flavor. The Sotol So Good has sotol, butterfly pea, coconut rum, pineapple, lime, and orgeat. It's purple so it makes an impression. It packs a punch too. If you're looking for a cool spot to grab some food and drinks in the heart of downtown Gilbert, when the weather is nice, Sotol is a great choice!

Visited Sotol Modern Cocktail Kitchen while in Gilbert. The atmosphere was modern and open, and the…read moreservice started off a bit off-putting, though it improved slightly as the visit went on. I've been wanting to check this place out for a while. Right from the start, the elevator was out of order, which wasn't ideal. When we got inside, the place was mostly empty -- only a couple of other guests -- yet we were told to sit anywhere except along a section of tables by the wall. I pointed out a table at the far end, well away from the entrance, but was directed instead to what felt like the least desirable table, with the reasoning being they might need the space for a large party. After a bit of back-and-forth, they eventually let us sit where we preferred, but it made for a poor first impression -- especially considering the restaurant never filled up. Tried a few cocktails -- they were well made and enjoyable, definitely the highlight of the visit. Overall, good drinks but the initial experience left a sour note -- may or may not return. Saluti.