Was invited as a judge through Yelp for the food festival and had high expectations from what was…read morelisted on their website and extensive list of food vendors they had advertised. We (Yelp Elite) met the coordinator in order to listen to information on directions on how to sample food vendors and vote. It was put simply that there were three lines per vendor and that we could get samples by simply letting the vendors know we were guest judges. We then would vote on our favorite vendors and submit our results after all the given tickets were used up. The event was simply put as horrible and highly unorganized. Most vendors were unprofessional in denying such line for samples or didn't participate in the "contest". Besides that, there was not as many vendors as advertised and seemed to be a bait for a higher turn out for the festival. Also, it's staff did not contain enough knowledge to direct us anywhere or about anything related to the event. It was a mess. I do have to mention that The Panini Guys and Longhorn Steakhouse were the only vendors who participated in the sampling as well as showing some form of respect towards us judges. As mentioned before, most vendors were unprofessional in their responses and condescending. Poorly coordinated, planned and lacked in many aspects. Probably the saddest excuse for something they call a Street Food Festival. Many other guests who had purchased VIP wristbands realized they paid more for nothing VIP and that it was overheard that many wanted refunds for their tickets. Let's just say, I will not be returning- even if offered as a guest judge.

As a yelp judge for this event, I had an okay experience because I was sampling for free and was…read moresometimes given the chance to cut the long lines to sample. Also, having not attended any yelp elite related events, I had minimal to zero expectations. However, if I was not a yelp elite and had decided to attend the event and purchase a food pass, I would have been so upset. First of all, the sizes of the food samples were extremely tiny - oftentimes the size of my two thumbs. The price of the food definitely did not justify the quantity that customers were given. For the "Foodie Pass" tasting option, $28 gives you 10 tickets - that's an average of $2.80 I could have paid and actually what others were paying for very small portions. An hour after the festival had begun, vendors were beginning to run out of samples and even dishes and cups to put the samples in. Furthermore, there was supposed to be three lines at each vendor, to differentiate between people getting samples, actual food, or express, but more often than not, there was just one long line. That was really silly. I think the lack of communication amongst the event organizers, volunteer staff, vendors, and festival goers was a big issue. So, with the judging, yelpers weren't informed about where to meet initially, that we would be taped, and that even though the event organizer told us to cut the line, some vendors wouldn't let us do so. The event website was definitely misleading. Overall, it was a bit of a mess.

I have to say I didn't realize how crazy busy this place would be. Of course I like my country…read moremusic so there was plenty of that a lot of different vendors and people just selling products. The wait is very long. I would say parking was difficult Due to how busy it it I lucked out and found one not too far away. I will say if you don't like a lot of crowds this is not for you because you're literally side-by-side with people.

The only reason this gets any stars is because of the kids section. The parking situation was a…read moredisaster. No one to direct traffic in the lots so people were parking TERRIBLY. Once inside the lines for tickets so you could get beer and bbq we're out of control and they kept running out of tickets entirely. Hubs and I ended up not eating or drinking anything. Luckily, we brought water for the kiddos. Got the unlimited rides wrist band for my 4 year old and let him run amuck. He had a blast. Which is good because nobody else did. We ended up leaving pretty early because we were starving and they had AGAIN run out of tickets and the lines weren't moving. Took a while to figure out how to get out of the place since it was set up like a maze. Got to my car which was boxed in along with 3 or 4 other cars in the lot we were in. Police were there to help some people out and after a 47 pt turn I was able to escape the lot, but it was truly nightmare inducing with the overly tired 4 year old and hungry 5 month old. Actually, hungry everyone. Thankfully, I had gotten free tickets so I wasn't out anything but the wrist band. Hopefully they can get some organization together before next year! It has the potential to be a really fun event, but they need to overhaul the drink/food ticket and parking lot situation.

Had a great time at Lather for our Yelp Elite event. The hostess gave us a quick tour and shared…read morethe owner's passion for creating clean, natural products. Everything they offer is plant-based and free from synthetic fragrances, parabens, or sulfates, so you know it's all about quality and care. The highlight for me was getting to try out the products at their beautiful trough sink before deciding what to buy. It's such a great way to experience everything firsthand. The shop has a really calm and peaceful atmosphere, though I think a little background music would make it even more inviting. I picked up a few items that would make perfect gifts. If you're looking for high-quality, thoughtful skincare or a special treat for someone, this is definitely the place to check out.

The best In entertainment...great location...great for people gathering and watching....the…read moreatmosphere is beyond...entertainment is beyond...food and drink - exceptional...this is a must for festival goers in the East Valley of Arizona

This was a ton of fun! Awesome venue! Beautiful location and views; very clean! There could have…read morebeen more port a pottys and some ran out of tissue. There was a ton of food and many options to delight any culinary palate. Lots of wine, beer and liquor set up in convenient places. We loved the music of Berlin and especially Huey Lewis. It was a beautiful, sunny AZ day topped with all the other things to make an event near perfect.

Please plan for the heat. Very few umbrellas not enough chairs. No water offered. Food offerings…read morevery mediocre. lines waaay too long for very small wine samples.

Fantastic event! This review is long overdue. This year was my second year attending Check Please…read moreAZ at Cityscape. The sample portions are huge at every station. The lines can be long, but they go fast since everything is just grab and go. All the best restaurants get together that were featured on the show and completely spoil us! My favorite this year was Amy's Baking Company. She featured sweet and savory options, but her sweet treats were my favorite! If you are a foodie and lover of local cuisine I highly recommend experiencing this event.

Highlights of the event:…read more Coconut Shrimp Flatbreads Meeting cool new Elites Learning the full first verse of the Kookaburra song and singing it 7-10 times during the evening (at one point, participating in a lovely duet with Teresa S.) Outback was a great setting to kick back and munch on happy hour bar food and drinks. The service was extraordinary. Every server was nice and attentive, sometimes offering extra samples. For being a u-shaped bar, it was easy to bounce around with a Bingo card, eliciting funny tasks or interesting facts from fellow Yelpers. I had a great time at my table, enjoying the food and company. I love going to Outback already, so knowing about the inexpensive and attractive happy hour menu is all the more reason to come back, and pull up to the bar! Thanks to Lindsey for hosting another wonderful occasion to imbibe and socialize. A "g'day" to Outback for allowing us rowdy kids into your place of business. And, thanks to Yelp for bringing together such great people!

Upon entering Outback Steakhouse, I was giving a little "bingo" game to be completed in order to…read morewin a really cool basket full of goodies - unfortunately, I didn't win, but that's okay! I was seated with a great group of people at one of the booths. We were able to sample many food items like flatbreads, onion blossoms, coconut shrimp, nachos, mushrooms and plenty others. I have to say, the coconut shrimp was probably my least favorite. My favorite were the 2 flatbreads that were brought out. They were tasty, crunchy and very flavorful. The service there was great - they were very prompt, friendly and attentive. We also were served 2 alcoholic beverages - I opted for 2 glasses of their moscato wine which I probably could have drank the whole bottle if given the option. It was delish! Thank you again for a great event, Lindsey!

Another fun Yelp event. It's all about the people and the food. Thanks Stephanie C, Carmik T.,…read moreDebbie D, and Kassie L for making the evening even better then eating Yummy Pad Thai alone.

My first Elite Event in Phoenix and couldn't have had a better experience, especially at such a…read morelovely venue and great quality tastings and service! The Sneak Peek was definitely informational and I loved how all the wines were from CA (represent!) I found a few whites that I fell in love with and I'm totally a red gal. The staff at TCG were amazing and truly talented for putting together a great pairings at the Generous Pour. White | Starter Pairing: -Liberated Riesling with Shrimp, Mango and a light glaze: the best pairing IMO, it was fruity, clean, fresh and the riseling complemented the bite perfectly. -Atalon Sav Blanc and Tomato Watermelon Salad on Arugula: the grassiness of the Sav complimented the minerality in the arugula and went well as it was crisp - Byron Chardonnay and Seared scallop on corn risotto: Great wine to cut through the richness of the marscapone in the risotto but warm enough to go with the buttery, sweetness of the scallop Red | Meat Pairing: -La Crema Pinot Noir and Waygu Beef Carpaccio: I was sold at Pinot and Waygu. Acidic wine and spiciness went well with the cumin flavors of the carpaccio that melted in your mouth. -Freemark Abbey Merlot and Dry Aged Sirloin: Good, deep, spicy Merlot that complimented the nuttiness of the sirloin topped with chimichurri sauce -Arrowood Bordeaux Blend and Filet Mignon: Such a smooth blend that went parallel with the tender Filet on top of Chipolini onions and Porcini mushrooms and garnished with fig essence and au jus. My favorite tasting! Spicy, savory, smooth and sweet. With an amazing tasting, incredible venue, swag bags, raffles, and meeting fellow Phoenix Yelpers it was truly an incredible event. Major round of applause for TCG and Lindsey for putting together an absolutely fantastic event!

Had a great time at this event. Met a few new people. We tried out 4 restaurants…read more Royal Coffee Bar California Pizza The Capital Grille Seasons 52 We were served drinks and appetizers. Enough for everyone. I had never tried California Pizza And I fell in love w the bbq pizza, delicious! Can't wait for next event! :)