I had an amazing dinner experience at Tia Carmen. Female owned and operated with a thoughtful, creative menu. We were greeted by the manager and regaled with stories of the cuisine, it's history and origin. We were educated and delighted to spend an evening here. Chef Sosa is a played in the culinary scene and it showed. The tri tip kebabs were flavor beyond flavor! There was striped bass, tomahawk steaks, mole and more. Every dish has a story and I felt like I could have been at my own aunts place. Honorable mention to the Brussels sprouts and the taco night tostada. Everything was delicate and creative; I can't wait to return. read more

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The best brunch in Phoenix. The Buffet is spectacular and everything is fresh and such original flavors. The atmosphere is like a Tulum cafe. The service is great and the food is incredible. read more

We came for dinner as I am a huge Top Chef fan and it did not disappoint. The decor is beautiful - right down to the dinnerware and plates. The oysters were so fresh. The Tia Carmen Chicken stew was so delicious and my friend said it reminded her of her own family's home cooking from Mexico, which is a huge compliment! There wasn't a single dish we tried that we didn't like. Or cocktail. Highly recommend it! read more

Amazing place! Very creative dishes that have unique presentation and taste. Great service and elegant ambiance. My favorites are tomato salad, tri-tip kebabs, lamb ragu, and smoked chicken (is good for 2 or 3 people to share). The bar offers skillfully prepared cocktails and offers good wine selection. read more

I get the hype. If you live in Arizona, and are a foodie or an influencer, everyone is flocking to Tia Carmen like it's Mecca. Known as the most aesthetic restaurant, ranked in the top 15 hottest restaurants, and one of the must go to place-- Tia Carmen doesn't disappoint. Not only do they locally source food, plates and design, they cuisine doesn't disappoint. Now, would I agree that it's elevated Tex Mex... probably not. Would I say it's elevated American inspired by Arizona... absolutely. As a party of three, we had to book about 3 weeks in advance because weekend dinner service sells out fast, but that's Scottsdale. Pulling up to the JW Marriott Desert Ridge isn't very special, but can be impressive. The high ceilings and long stair case down can be a photo op, but when you land, you are in sports bar filled with hotel guests, and conference goers. So, they look at you like you are overdressed. But, as you turn left , you see the alcove with the glowing Tia Camren sign. Unfortunately, bathrooms are also there, so being greeted by a guy zipping up his board shorts before dinner ... not the most aesthetic. Going in, it can be confusing as you find yourself in an aesthetically pleasing living/room lounge situation, a long bar encased in curved architecture, in a room full of neutrals. You have to walk passed the bar and open kitchen to get to the hostess, but then, you are greeted and sat quickly. The menu is quite large for a fine dining place, so if you aren't the strongest or most confident ordered-- or your are indecisive, it might be hard to build your dinner. We started with cocktails, which were kind of disappointing. They sounded very promising: the yuzu and bergamot Paloma and the pineapple ginger tequila , both fought in the mouth. Yuzu being delicate and bergamot being fragrant fought. However the second round of drinks: the Passion mezcal and the agua Fresca margarita were a home run. Both mock-tails were great as well. The food was outstanding: we had the plantains with pickled salsa, the agua Chile avocado (super instagramable), and the lamb kabobs to start. The lamb is on a white bean purée and green aioli which are probably the star of all of the appetizers. The avocado, as cool as it is for Instagram, how you eat it is difficult, and no clear direction. It should probably be served with a warm soft flat bread, or some sort of scooping vessel. For dinner course we had Tia Carmen's signature chicken (caldo de pollo) that was elevated and served with saffron rice, the ember purple sweet potato, and the Thai striped bass. We ordered the yucca brûlée and the street corn for sides. The chicken soup and saffron rice was like home. Memories were stirred up for each of us diners: childhood, your home culture, family. The ember sweet potato's plating is kind of rough and not rustic, however, the taste is strong and the texture is killer. It is savory, elevated and I could probably eat all day. The star of the dinner was the striped bass: crusted well, with Thai basil foam and a green dry mash is killer. Technically brilliant, seasoned well, and elevated fish makes this dish worth ordering. The yucca brûlée is killer, the texture and taste are rich yet fresh. The street corn was disappointing. It felt under cooked and lacked a fat. The cheese did not cut it's it was cold. Maybe throw it under the broiler? The menu descriptions do not do any of the dishes justice, which is why I writing this review. Finally, dessert course... we had to order the entire dessert menu-- and it did not disappoint, well the chocolate mousse and beet root purée did. However, the hibiscus sorbet was amazing!!!! It's like a smooth velvety frozen Jamaica. The banuela is crisp and contrasted. But the real innovation: the tequila flan covered in MANCHEGO. Don't knock it, it's killer! The sweet baked custard, the tequila caramel and the salty cheese is the perfect way to end your night. Best part: the price. Our entire meal was under $350, four courses and 3 rounds of cocktails for 3 people. read more

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This place is amazing. The food was excellent and the drinks were delicious with a great menu. This is an upscale place and you felt good to be here read more

Hosted a little baby sprinkle here for a good friend of mine on a Saturday morning. We all ate from the buffet and it was fantastic! A great selection of cold cuts, comfort food and fruits. The interior is very cute and aesthetic, would definitely recommend. read more

Tia Carmen - Inside of restaurant - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Like everything at the Desert ridge hotel, the ambience at Tia Carmen is unmatched. We had the Tuna Crudo, Ceviche, and Grande Seafood Platter. I didn't expect everything to be plated so beautifully! Everything was delicious. read more

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Outstanding food and service. Pleasantly surprised as Hotel/Resort restaurants can be hit and miss. Food was outstanding from appetizers to entrees to desserts. read more

This place is super cute for a date night or group gathering. I came here for a friends birthday and the decor is on point. The dish ware is gorgeous. Staff is welcoming and knowledgeable. The meals are well presented and delicious. Generous portions is a plus. My drink was also garnished and presented beautifully. The place is a bit pricy but I'd visit again. read more

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Service and the whole restaurant ambience was amazing. I love the calmness of the decor. I ordered fried plaintains and enjoyed those very much. My husband ordered the ceviche tostada and he said it was good. Skip the street corn, it's heated straight from the can. I had high hopes since it was a restaurant thinking I will be getting a fresh roasted corn but it was canned and slapped with mayo and cotija cheese. I ordered two drinks which both were not great but was told their fountain drink was having issues. They only charged me for the Pineapple Ginger Tahona. It was refreshing in a way but the ginger was too strong it's like taking ginger shots. The 5 citrus spritz was like water and vodka. Nothing citrusy. I can compare it close to Whiteclaw Peach. Skip that! read more

Such a great dining experience! The highlight of the night was the truly outstanding people at Tia Carmen. The GM, Maritza, was so helpful in answering our questions about how different dishes were made and the ingredients used. It's great to know that some of the produce is grown on property. All of the dishes were balanced and creative. The savory ones that stood out to me were the tomato salad and lamb kebabs. It was a little loud at times but it was still possible to have a conversation. We sat inside but would love to try the outdoor setting next time. read more

Tia Carmen - Cheers! - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

5 stars for food. 2.5 stars for service. The food was truly fantastic. Almost everything we had was a home run. You must get the pan frito if you visit. I would go back just for that. Unfortunately the chicken guisado which they are supposedly known for was just meh. The service was disengaged and frustrating. It was our first time dining and we had to nearly beg our waitress to explain the menu to us, explain certain dishes to us, when we asked for recommendations she literally said "everything" We also gave her our full order at the top of our meal as we were sharing g multiple items and we assumed she would course it out for us. No. We just got food coming out of the kitchen like a fire hose. Warm dishes got cold while we worked on eating what had already been delivered to our table. I'm hoping this was an off night. Because the food is so good it deserves a much better experience. read more

Let's start with the ambiance and seating. We sat outside and it's all aesthetically pleasing, with neutral colors, just very nice, 5/5. Service was more of a 3.5. Everyone was nice, but overall it was hit and miss. She would be very attentive and then be gone for a long time. It was odd. Food was also more of a 3.5. We had the avocado appetizer and I really liked it. It's small, just a half an avocado, but really fresh and tasty. I had the chicken guisado and I felt it was lacking in flavor, which I didn't expect. The olives were flavorless, again, so add. My husband got the fish torta and it was delicious, the best thing I tried. The sweet onion jam, the herbs, and the crust were spot on. We also opted for dessert and got the flan. Again, a bit underwhelming. I wouldn't personally come back, but may be worth a try for some. read more

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Tia Carmen should be on your "to-do" list of spots if you are in search of a new, elegant dinner venue. Located within the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort, this beautiful restaurant is a perfect destination for a romantic date night or dinner with good friends. On this occasion my lady and I were celebrating my birthday. The space inside is beautifully appointed with seating and tables of various size. Outside, where we chose to sit, features numerous fire pits, a variety of table options including some cozy-looking semi-enclosed wicker seats that look perfect for an intimate meal. The staff is very friendly and helpful with any questions you may have with the menu or the impressive wine list. Our server, Armando, made some insightful suggestions to pair with what we chose for our meal. The menu is nicely varied and, while not inexpensive, really quite reasonable given the setting and the service. For appetizers we selected the fried bread dumplings, consisting of cotija cheese, serrano and honey butter as well as the excellent "taco night" tostada which boasts delicious beef & bone marrow, guacamole, yuzu, pickled onion, tomato and cilantro. Quite literally THE best tostada either of us have ever tasted. For my entree I decided on the Baja Striped Bass, a delicious presentation consisting of a thai basil mole verde, dried shrimp, almond, pistachio, hoja santa, tomatillo ( quoting from the menu here ). The bass was perfectly prepared and delicious. Linda chose "Tía Carmen's chicken guisado", consisting of a really delicious blend of chicken thigh, castelvetrano olive, chimayo Chile and garlic served over turmeric rice. Recommended! For our wine selection we opted for a fine bottle of Matias Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa. All in all, a perfect dinner in a lovely setting. If you are in search of a new and elegant dinner spot, you won't go wrong with visiting Tia Carmen. I will definitely be back. read more

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My husband & I did a staycation & wanted to check out their brunch. It was amazing. So many things to choose from. They use fresh ingredients & you taste it with every bite. The service was great & ambiance inside & outside is something to see. We will definitely go back again for brunch. read more

Excellent food, service and ambience. Our dishes were perfectly timed! Will definitely go back!

We had a reservation last night . The server was very rude and short with us. It was as if we were an unexpected addition to her work load and she was pissed and took it out on us . I've had better interactions with servers at the Waffle House . This person was a total trip . We didn't get our food for 45 minutes after ordering. No apology or mention of the wait . We should have walked out but there aren't many options at this hotel . We gave the food a try and it was very good , probably because we were so hungry anything would have been good . We will never be back and would not recommend this to anyone. We eat out way too much and have a load of experience and this was a negative one . read more

I had high expectations for this restaurant. I ended up being disappointed to say the least. I had a piece of plastic in my food. Then I was even more disappointed in the service. Waiter took forever to return and retrieve payment and the restaurant was not even busy. I would not recommend this place to anymore. The food lacked flavor and the outside patio area where we were sitting was near a smoking section on the Marriott property. I don't normally give bad reviews unless I had a bad experience. I know below the management will reply I'm sorry for your bad experience but we know that's what they tell everyone. read more

We came here for a girls night out and so happy with we did. I want I go back to try more items. We started with the tostada and it was so flavorful. Every bite got better and better. Then we shared the bass, fried rice and tomato salad. Everything went so well together. We absolutely loved every choice we made. Our meal ended with the flan that is covered in cheese and tasted absolutely amazing! The servers and their assistants paid so much attention to detail making sure we had what we needed and promptly cleared the table once we were done. I will definitely be back soon for another great experience read more

Tia Carmen - Delicious drinks! - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Company dinner at this restaurant inside the JW Marriott. The atmosphere is beautiful, the food is blah. Most of the dishes had no or very bland tastes. The presentations were nice but dish after dish had no flavor. The next morning, 6 of the 9 of us had food poisoning. Avoid this restaurant! read more

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This place has an amazing vibe. Walking in you feel like you are on vacation. Love the atmosphere & vibe. The food was ok. Nothing to rave about. Drinks were great! So was the service. read more

Tia Carmen - grilled whole trout - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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What's up everyone!! So this place has been on the list for a minute, mostly because it looked like a dope ass spot and the food looked really good too!! And both it was. It offered up a semi-small mixture of an Asian-Mexican infusion, but more along the lines of Mexican food for me. But. I need to go back haha. Here's what was had. Taco Night Tostada - A bangin combo of Beef and Bone Marrow rested on a bed of Guacamole, then topped with Pickled Onions, Yuzu (Asian Lemon), Tomato and Cilantro. Really good but a little on the pricey side for one Tostada ($20). Tri Tip Kebobs - Exactly what it sounds like, sat up on a Sesame Leaf then garnished with some Pickled Onions, Serrano Chiles and Thai Basil. Good order. Lamb Ragu - Lamb's always a hit for me and another fav of mine. This was vamped up with Pork, Heirloom Carrots, Sichuan Peppercorns then tossed with Mesquite Noodles. Smackalicious!! My favorite dish of the night. Native Grain Fried Rice - Linguica (Portuguese) Sausage, Bacon, Serrano Chiles, Garlic and Ginger tossed with Fried Rice and topped with a Sunny Side Up Egg. It was okay for me. I'll skip this next time. Tia Carmen's Chicken Guisado - A Chicken Thigh sitting in a bed of delicious broth and Tumeric Rice, then topped with Castelvetrano (Italian) Olives, Chimayo (NMex) Chiles and Garlic. Again, it was okay for me but it's their most popular dish. Overall it was solid!! The ambience was amazing, but next time I need to pay more attention to the flavors. Thus, a re-run. Enjoy my friends. read more

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Another great restaurant that's on the JW Marriott property. First, LOVE the vibe of this place! Outdoor & indoor seating is great! We came for brunch and the food is amazing! Aguas frescas are fresh and they have the most amazing combos; I had a glass of guava canela (cinnamon). So refreshing! Also had a glass -filled honey yogurt parfait & that, too, was refreshing! They have salsas, salads, egg dishes, breakfast meats , pastries, etc. Service was friendly & attentive, too. My favorite was their thoughtful decor & pretty & private spaces to sit and enjoy your meal. This is a must for me anytime I'm in town! I'll be back for sure. read more

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Good for heavy on the salt, pricey, we had reservations, and they sat us by the bathrooms but overall good

The food was nothing short of excellent! We were a large party and ordered several different plates and drinks. The tostada was delicious and fresh and paired wonderfully with their in-house hot sauce, so creamy! The location is luxurious and has a perfect night life as they decorated the outside area with string lights. This place is perfect for any special occasion. The service was good and the waiters were nice and answered our questions about the menu. read more

Tia Carmen - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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We had a wonderful time at Tia Carmen today. We came here for the brunch and I was surprised at how good the food was. I am not a fan of buffets but this is put together so well. The decor is amazing! I love what they did here. It used to be stone grill, this is so much better in so many ways. The food is really good they have a great selection of breakfast and lunch. My husband and kids had mostly breakfast and I had the birria with a side salad topped it with queso fresco and guacamole. The service was great too. I wish I could remember our server's name he was great and was very friendly. I can't wait to come back for brunch again. read more

Unbelievable! We come here whenever we are in town and they never disappoint. Amazing food! Amazing Service! The staff here is so damn nice! Especially Aundra, shes so incredibly sweet! Always remembers us and remembers we come into town to visit our daughter. over the top what we would expect from such a large company like a Mariot. Can't wait to come back! read more

I wanted to love it - I really did. I loved the idea of such a beautiful restaurant being 10 mins from us, since some of our favorites are in central Phoenix. We walked in and the decor was beautiful, and service was great, so I had high hopes for the food, but unfortunately the food was meh. We ordered tuna crudo, mushroom menudo, chicken guisado, yucca brûlée, elote, and flan. The yucca brûlée and flan were AMAZING but not enough to bring me back. All the other dishes were just okay, nothing special but nothing bad. Drinks were good but reallyyyy wish the food was more unique and flavorful. read more

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I have mixed feelings about Tia Carmen. To start with, I was attending a conference held at JW Marriott where this restaurant is located, and I had dinner all three nights there. First off, the food was good. Over three dinners we tried probably half of the menu. Avocado, fried rice, soup, lamb, etc. were all good. Taco Tostada (don't remember the precise name) was just okay, too fatty, not to my liking. A few different teas and desserts, a flan was pretty good. Now to the bitter part of my review. I was all by myself the very last night of my stay, didn't have a company to go with and didn't want to go outside of the hotel. Went to opentable.com to reserve a table and it didn't let me book for one person (showed no availability). The picture changed when I updated to 2 people, I was able to get a table right away. Okay, fine. Went downstairs, gave my name to the hostesses. One of them was grabbing a menu and getting ready to walk me to my table. I mentioned that I was actually dining alone, but the website didn't give me that option. Here is THE moment. The face changed and the narrative went as follows: "I am so sorry, but we actually do not have tables available right now. The table that was booked by you is still occupied". It was such an obvious lie that I actually had to say "but it's not true!" The hostess went further with the same lie... Tired and not ready to fight, I turned around to leave when they probably noticed a frustration on my face. Long story short, I did have dinner there. But changing story on the fly and that obvious... sorry. Not best service. If I had a choice that night or was not alone, I would not go back. For reference, nothing was offered to compensate this issue, and I wasn't in a mood to ask for any favors. Do I recommend this place? Probably not. Hospitality is not the best. Lying to your customers is never good, and it left a bad aftertaste even when your food was actually good. If I stay at that hotel again, I will consider other options. And JW Marriott, for your information. read more

Tia Carmen - Avocado - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Place was so pretty the only problem was the food was warm + slightly over priced for what you got. Definitely an IG worthy place + cute place for a date night! read more

Tia Carmen - Flan and churro - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Always an fantastic experience! My wife and I come here often, Tim and Andra are incredible! We have never been disappointed with their menu suggestions and they are so friendly and welcoming along with the rest of their staff. We would be here every night if we could. Cant wait for our next visit! Pork chop and Crudo are a must!!! read more

I went during grand opening weekend and I have to say this was one of the most unique dining experiences as of recent. Everything lived up to the hype and was blown away with new flavors I haven't tried before. The service was really outstanding. Our server did a great job in explaining each dish and offering his best recommendations. There wasn't one thing I didn't like but I would say that the wagyu kebabs and the chicken Guisado is a must!!!!! The Tuna Crudo was also spectacular. Cocktails were refreshing and I applaud them for excellent presentation on the food/drinks. The restaurant is a vibe! I loved the setting inside and outside. However, I'd recommend getting reservations for inside dining if it's your first time visiting. In the end the chef gave us complimentary bottles of salsa that was made in-house. 10/10 experience read more

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Omakase flight. It was sooo good. I guess it can vary but I can genuinely say I loved it. We got this as a complimentary dessert from staying at the JW Marriott and it did not disappoint. I couldn't tell you which item is which. But it's something like a dusted powdered cookie- softer than shortbread and one of the best cookies of this type I've had. The second reminds me of a guava cream jello with pineapples. No idea how to actually describe that texture. It's not jello it's not pudding. Maybe flan is the closest description. The third, some type of dessert cheese with nuts and chewy dried berries. A great combo of textures. And the last- some type of chocolate mousse enrobed in..... something. I want to relate it to mochi but I know that's not it. This is so good. It's cocoa and has a hint of spice like chili powder. This dessert was the highlight of my food from this trip. You have to try it !! I'm sure whatever they rotate out in is good! read more

Tia Carmen - Omakase flight. - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I cannot get over how beautiful this restaurant is. I will say at first we were a bit skeptical of the menu but decided to try a few popular items. Please do yourself a favor and order the yucca brûlée, stripped bass, trout and the purple yam dish. The food was so rich in flavor and very well portioned. The flan was topped with a manchego cheese which was mouthwatering. Our service was excellent and the server took the time to go over the menu and make solid recommendations. We can't wait to go back!! read more

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Nice looking place, with comfortable seating and spaced out tables. Food, not so much. Salads were tasty, but the beef cheek tostadas were bad, and the fish torte was overly complicated - like the chefs were trying too hard. Service was good, but overall a little disappointing read more

The only thing that could have made this dinner experience any better was if we were able to meet Chef Angelo. The food was amazing. At first you're like, $17 for a corn tostada??? But it's the best tostada you'll ever have. Their signature dish, the chicken guisado had depth of flavor I've never experienced before. We loved everything we ate and drank. The service was wonderful. Also, the restaurant is absolutely beautiful! read more

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My guest and I indulged in perfectly prepared native grain fried rice infused with linguica sausage, bacon, Serrano chile and ginger. We opted not to have the sunny side egg on top. We also had tri tip kebobs wrapped in Sesame Leaf & onion with Serrano chile. Very unique & delicious! The decor in this place is very nice inside of the Marriott Desert Ridge. The only down side was another table of guests was extraordinarily loud. Fortunately we were just about finished dining by the time they were seated. Overall well worth the visit, especially if you're having a staycation. read more

I love the atmosphere. Very beautiful Great place to take pictures. Outdoors very relaxing, very clean and warm and great for meditation. Food was okay. I appreciate they use local farmers. Waitress was polite and attentive. read more

The food was great. I would definitely recommend this place. Service was very slow but I think that was because of a large event that evening. Overall a great experience. read more

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