Tina's Diner — Restaurant in Maricopa

This place is pure adventure perfect after venturing through the wilderness. LOL Probably the closest food to Carizzo Plains and it is worth a visit. Tina is a delightfully charming woman who does all of the work - she hosts, waits tables, cooks, busses tables, cashiers, all of it. It would be very easy to run away aghast at the state of the run-down restaurant, but if you just give it a chance, you'll realize that's what makes it perfect. From the grainy splotched paper ink-jet printed menus consisting of mobile-phone photos of an old physical menu held by a disembodied hand, to a very thrilling trip to the restroom through dark caves and indiana-jones-esque temples of restuarant supplies and refuse, the experience is going to be the cherry on the cake of your Carizzo plains adventure. After Tina takes your order you'll need patience because again, this is a one-woman show - and show it is - The sound of Tina's charming soprano singing voice wafts out of the kitchen as she serenades the food she is cooking for you. We were there after our adventurous trip through the flowers and it seamed the 9 other people there were also there because it was all they could find nearby after their trip through Carizzo. The food is definitely "Greasy Spoon" finer fare and the portions are enormous and the prices are low. When your food arrives, Tina's charm and wit lights up the dining room and she'll playfully tease you about anything she can think of. The decor and atmosphere is frantic and from another time. Enormous hand panted murals adorn the walls above your heads that surely pay tribute to the surrounding town and environment, but who's narratives are not entirely clear. One features the words "Maricopa, gateway to the..." above a beautiful mural of the sea with ships bobbing on the waves. (Maricopa is a land locked desert town, 3 hours from the nearest shore.) I'm sure there is an explanation lost to time. Framed art of angels and Jesus blessing the cast of Finding Nemo fill in the space on the walls and there are enormous vines of live plants and flashy clocks that strike the hour, and a unsettling life sized child doll guarding a missing bar stool post. The coffee creamer (powder) bottles on the table were faded and at least a decade old (cleaned and refilled, certainly), and I'm not sure any of the bar seats are open for customers because business supplies live on the bar. Your food is delivered to your table via a silver cart pushed by Tina and her loving song and smile.

Definitely stop in, and receive the loving blessings of Tina - it's...

Definitely a small town gem. Upon walking in you can tell this is a piece of Americana you don't find everyday. We were greeted and told to sit anywhere as soon as we walked in. Tina was very friendly and had so much to say. We ordered the Special 4 U Burger which is essentially a Triple Bacon Cheeseburger made with mayo, mustard, iceberg lettuce, pickles, Roma tomatoes with American cheese and crispy bacon; all on a sesame seed bun. It's also served with home style french fries, I was expecting frozen fries that were deep fried but these were hand cut potatoes that were fried. Something different but it was still good. I asked for it to be a double. The Bacon and eggs plate consists of a hearty amount of shredded hashbrowns, 2 over easy eggs, a couple slices of bacon and 3 slices of buttered toast. The drinks are huge, like she uses big mugs you would see them use on The Simpsons. We had ordered regular iced tea and an Arnold Palmer. The food was good not something that knocked my socks but it was good and filling nonetheless. Dining here was like having a home cooked meal made by nana. I would recommend people to come by and check out this piece of Americana if you have the time and are going through the town. Food does takes a while to get done as Tina is working on her own but to experience something like this, it's something you will not find very easily here in the states. I myself have a restaurant and I know it ain't easy to keep one open and for Tina to keep something like this going for all these years is nothing but amazing. I always believe if you treat people right, people will come back. I can tell Tina's been doing that for the many many years she's been here. Don't bother coming here if you have high expectations, but if you come in with an open mind and wanting to experience something different then this place will definitely leave a lasting...

A run down diner in a pit stop on the way from somewhere to somewhere else. I presume our server was the owner. She was very chatty, like maybe we were the only people she'd seen all day. Shared many stories around how she'd been here like 40 years, etc. I'm glad to chat, but kinda just wanted food and bathroom and go. Building was curious blend of run down, bits of beat up vintage, odd mixed murals on the walls, and just hoarder kinda feel. A "curtain" made out of bedsheets on the way to the bathroom, hid piles of "stuff", only some of it appearing to be restaurant related. We ordered a burger and soup thinking that would be fast, but waited over half an hour. We were hoping it would be worth the wait, but it wasn't. It was big but greasy and other than the almost inch thick slab of onion, had little taste. We were the only customers during the whole thing. Getting our bill took another wait, as she apparently left the building... A funny little piece of Americana. I hope it endures for the experience sake, and the viability of the owner, but I...