Fork & Fire Catalina — Restaurant in Arizona

Nestled in Catalina, AZ, just north of Tucson, Wildfire Wings & Grill is a standout among casual eateries. What appears from the outside to be a modest local joint reveals itself as a kitchen with serious flavor and heart.

The cozy interior invites you to linger, while the heated patio offers a comfortable space to enjoy cooler desert evenings. Staff were cheerful and genuinely welcoming, a reflection of solid leadership and pride in their work. Our server today, Tina, was a true highlight. Warm, attentive, and effortlessly professional, she handled the dining room with grace and ease. Her timing, recommendations, and genuine care made us feel completely at home. If the owners haven’t recognized her yet, they absolutely should -- she’s the kind of team member every restaurant hopes for.

The menu is equally impressive. We started with the cheese curds, masterfully fried to a delicate golden crisp, each bite revealing a luscious, molten interior. It’s a textbook example of how to elevate a humble bar snack into something crave-worthy and refined.

The Firebomb followed: a brilliantly constructed fritter of creamy mac and cheese entwined with tender pulled pork, enrobed in a crisp panko shell. It struck a superb balance between richness and crunch, indulgent yet composed, a fusion of textures and flavors that delivers comfort and complexity in equal measure.

The Wildfire Fries carried on the theme, expertly executed, with a crisp exterior and pillowy center, dusted in seasoning that hit all the right savory notes. Unapologetically satisfying, woot woot!

But the Bacon Wings were the true crescendo of the meal. Juicy, meaty, and impeccably cooked, they arrive lacquered in smoky, umami-rich goodness, crowned with crispy bacon that adds both texture and a decadent flourish. Each bite is deeply savory, layered, and utterly memorable.

Pricing is on par with other venues in the area given the influence of neighboring affluent areas, with excellent value during happy hour. Add in live music, a relaxed vibe, and consistently stellar service, and really, what’s not to love?

In sum, Wildfire Wings & Grill is everything you want in a local favorite: flavorful, welcoming, and proudly independent. Skip the big chains and support this gem. Huge thanks again to Tina for the fabulous service, warmth, and attention to detail, we’ll...

My wife and I had dinner here around 4:30 on Sept 8 2024. We ordered a small sampling of wings as an appetizer and were pleased with what was given to us. The wings were tasty but milder than what was suggested by the menu. We had the Florida Bugaboo sauce which was rated as “bold” on their heat scale. I would describe the heat of that sauce as mild. Despite being milder than described, the wings were good and the blue cheese dressing that went with them was also good. For my main meal I chose the pulled pork sandwich on a pretzel bun with choice of fries or chips. The fries were very good but the pulled pork sandwich was very dry and lacking in flavor. There was no accompanying sauce to help make up for the dryness. The sandwich was also quite small compared to most other local places where they serve pulled pork. I would not have ordered it if I knew what I would be getting. My wife ordered the Crispy Shrimp Po Boy sandwich and fries. She was very disappointed in how dry and flavorless her sandwich was as well. The sandwich was supposed to have had a spicy ranch dressing on it but it was sadly lacking. Her fries were good, but she elected to take the sandwich home where it could be doctored up to make it more palatable. Also the shrimp in her sandwich was heavily breaded, further detracting from its appeal. The couple we were eating with ordered chicken and waffles. The woman had to request new waffles because the ones she was served were burnt black on the bottom. Her husband ordered pulled pork tacos and seemed okay with what he got. Our bill, including tip came to $80. The $80 included two sandwiches, two beers, and a small order of wings. After we got home, I noticed there was an extra charge for the French fries that were supposed to come with our sandwiches. My wife called the restaurant to ask about the addition charges for fries and she was told the charge was in error. She was told the manager would give her a call when available to discuss the oversight. She never got a call back. Given that three out of four entree’s we ordered were very sub par, and definitely not a good value, I couldn’t recommend this place to friends for dinner. Perhaps if you are just interested in wings you might...

My boyfriend and I shop & eat at small businesses 90% of the time. We greatly appreciate the work that goes into being a small business owner. That being said, I really appreciate honest reviews and I hope others do as well.

I'm giving this restaurant and their sister company fork and fire three out of five stars for a couple reasons.

Our first experience at this restaurant was great. We ordered takeout and the food was delicious and the staff at the register were very friendly. The restaurant had just opened so we really enjoyed them taking time to chat with us for a moment. The second time we came we waited quite a while before we were served. It was a little bit busy so we gave the benefit of the doubt given that we have restaurant experience and understand. The third time we came in service still wasn't great and there was not many people in the restaurant. We really enjoyed the live artist on the patio and the food has always been phenomenal. Tonight, we went in and were not served again. At first it was not a big deal because we saw the employees walking back and forth so we figured they were busy. But when employees are sitting and chatting and eating and you haven't been greeted.. That tends to be an issue. After a very long day it's disappointing to come in to a place you're trying to support and not be able to support them.

Unfortunately we have had a similar track record at the sister company fork and fire. Phenomenal first experience when the business opened. Brought back family for our second experience and had to walk out and go to a chain restaurant next door after not being served (and honestly ignored by The waitress next to us). The final time we went in there the food was good but the service again was disappointing, based on their attitude.

We understand that the service industry is a difficult one, especially in today's day and age. We want to support local but we can't when the experience is not a positive one. Hopefully this provides constructive feedback for improvement, because the food is amazing and we want to see small businesses in our...