Tohono Chul Bistro — Restaurant in Oro Valley

Mother’s Day Misstep – A Lesson in How Not to Host Brunch

We had high hopes for a special Mother’s Day brunch this past Saturday — a reservation for nine, made two weeks in advance, seemed like enough notice for a well-run establishment to prepare. Apparently not. We arrived promptly at 11:00 AM and were not surprised to find there was no table ready for us as we are aware it was a holiday weekend and reservations are very hard to honor at the exact time requested on a holiday that is mostly centered around brunch.

Well around 11:30am I approached the staff with what I thought was a simple, reasonable question: “Do you know how much longer it might be?” What I received in return was a defensive, unprofessional exchange with someone named Barb, who I can only assume mistook our questions for an attack which couldn’t be farther from the truth. We were just standing there chatting while waiting.

Rather than offering clarity or reassurance, Barb doubled down with snide remarks and curt interruptions. I was never unwilling to wait a bit longer — I just wasn’t expecting to be scolded in front of other guests for asking a question. Her most memorable line? “We’re not going to kick out our guests just because you want a table outside.” Which might have made sense, if I hadn’t actually reserved an indoor table in the first place.

Eventually, we were seated in what I can only describe as the “brick room of forgotten banquet furniture” — folding garden chairs and all. The vibe was more “backyard baby shower potluck” than “Mother’s Day bistro brunch.” To top it off, those flimsy chairs seemed determined to take a child down at every table. Ours was no exception.

Our server? Flustered, rigid, and seemingly auditioning for a role in a restaurant-themed sitcom where the joke is: “I don’t write anything down, and I make guests jump through hoops to order.” We were told how to order, in what order, and not to deviate. When I politely requested the children’s meals be timed with the rest of ours to avoid toddler chaos, that was ignored. My toddler’s food came out 10 minutes early — just long enough for him to finish and begin his meltdown before anyone else had a bite.

After our niece fell from a collapsing chair, we asked for a high chair. Spoiler: it never came. So she dined in our laps — because nothing says “relaxing brunch” like passing a plate around a squirmy preschooler.

The food? Meh. For a place trying to position itself as a culinary destination, I’d expect more than “passable.” Nothing was bad, but nothing was memorable either. And with the chaos in the front of house, even the most impressive dish would’ve been overshadowed.

We’re members, and this isn’t our first disappointing visit — but it may well be our last. At this point, the Bistro feels less like a perk and more like a gamble we...

I like Tohono Chul. A lot. It’s one of the few places you can get a capably prepared meal, in a really pretty setting. And, the yearly membership is dirt cheap for all the excellence you get.

Recently, (about a week ago) we had lunch there for a friend’s birthday (she treated all 15 of us!!!), and we were all happy with our meals, which ran the gamut from caesar salad, to chicken salad croissant, to (my meal) shrimp (soft) tacos, to salmon cakes, to avocado toast …. From what I could tell, everyone was happy with their meals.

Even me. But, being this is a review and not a cheerleading cheer, I’d be remiss if I didn’t note a couple of things. First, as to my drink (and several others had this too), the Prickly Pear Lemonade was kind of weak — little taste … which is unusual, as in the past it was always strong sweet. My suspicion was that they were running out of prickly pear syrup. But, who knows, I should have sent it back.

The other, thing to note, is that my shrimp tacos were cold. Through and through. Not a warm spot in them … although the little shrimp (I think I got 2 or three a taco) were slightly warm. I ate them anyway, because I wanted to see how they tasted cold. And, to my surprise, I enjoyed them … especially when I added the outstanding salsa served by Tohono Chul. … … If I were dining alone, or with one or two friends, I’d probably send them back next time. But, I did enjoy them, so...

Even now, I find myself thinking, "Wow, this place is truly amazing!" It’s another gem in Tucson. We were celebrating a 72nd birthday, and the couple I was with shared stories about the lady who once lived here and their memories of being invited to dinners. I could go on about it!

The prices are generally around $20. I tried the blue corn chicken and waffles for $23, one of us had the chicken salad croissant for $20, and another chose the quesadilla with a meat option. I believe everything is handmade or farm-to-table. If I’m wrong, I’d rather not know, as it might make the prices seem high otherwise.

The chicken and waffle portion was generous. The chicken's breading was a bit salty for my taste, but I am quite sensitive to salt. However, the chicken was cooked perfectly. The quesadilla was large, and my girlfriend mentioned it was delicious. The chicken salad was also very good, though I felt it was a bit pricey for the amount served. The 1/2 pound burger, priced at $20, looked really appetizing.

Our waiter was decent, though it did take him some time to remember our table when we had a request. We tend to be pretty low-key, so it wasn’t a major issue for us. Definitely...