Beckett's Table — Restaurant in Phoenix

Small portions, high prices, average taste and snobby service sums up our experience here.

The problem with "hipster" or "trendy" restaurants like this one is that if your looking for good food, these types of venues are hit or miss and more often than not, the reviews you find are from your typical hipster demographic: people looking for a hip, trendy environment instead of great tasting quality food. These types of places are where people sometimes confuse pretentiousness with deliciousness. Don't get me wrong, I'm always as objective as possible and I can vouch for plenty of "hipster/trendy" places with amazing food. This isn't one of them.

We came here for my buddy's birthday, party of 10. The first waitress we had was less than friendly. We had basic questions about the menu, and her disposition to answer our questions was short, snappy, and in a couple of instances a very clear hostile, wise-arse remark. We all picked up on this and were ready to get up and leave. However, I talked to the manager who was very kind and she sent someone new to our table. The server we got to replace the first one was very polite, patient, and he checked up on us frequently. This fact alone is what bumps this place up from 1 star to 2 in my opinion.

The Bacon Cheddar Biscuits - This is a $6 side, not a meal. Not a lot of bacon, not a lot of cheddar. Consistency was porous and dry. Not what I expect from good biscuits.

Beckett's Table Signature Fork Tender Short Ribs - $23 entree and here's what you get: A small serving of garnishes and a pitiful, pretentious sized piece of meat that you can (and did) finish in 3 bites. Yes, I counted. it was tender but mostly bland in taste. The price you pay for this is what makes it an outrage.

Seared Organic Scottish Salmon - $21 entree and basically the same as above - tiny portion, mediocre flavor, and the consistency of the salmon was surprisingly dry. A high price to pay for such low quality and quantity.

Beckett's Original Grilled Cheese - $10 - Their "novo" concept of a mac n cheese with pancetta would sound quite good and since grilled cheese is something difficult to mess up I figured it would be a safe bet. I was wrong. Apparently grilled cheese CAN be made mediocrely. The pancetta was barely there, not enough cheese, and the soup was about as bland as the rest of their food. Maybe bland food is a theme here?

We weren't going to stay for dessert but the manager gave us a complimentary one for our trouble and for my friend's birthday - which was very kind and I truly appreciate. For dessert we had the Chocolate Dipped Bacon S'mores. this was fairly savory (I'm not a fan of peanut butter in a s'more but that's my personal preference). Otherwise a decent dessert. Maybe the only thing worthwhile.

To sum up - in our party of 10 people, none of us walked out with a wish to ever return. Despite the manager's and 2nd waiter's attentiveness, which is appreciated, this place just doesn't cut it for me. I don't recommend this place and will not...

My wife and I tried this restaurant out on a whim while visiting Phoenix, and could not have been happier with our choice.

From the very beginning, we had a great experience. Our server, Andrew, was very knowledgeable, and was able to suggest a very tasty beer for me to start the night with. (Church Music, a pineapple, hazy IPA from The Shop Beer Co.) They also have a variety of non-alcoholic cocktails, from which my wife was able to select a delicious lime and cucumber concoction.

We tried the deviled eggs and the seared Brussels sprouts for appetizers. The deviled eggs were were a spanikopita inspired version, topped with spinach, garlic, and a touch of goat cheese cream. They were excellent, and we were told the chef changes the recipe for the eggs every few weeks. As for the Brussels sprouts, I’ll put it this way…I don’t EVER eat Brussels sprouts. Like, ever. And I happily finished half of them. Absolutely delicious and you could taste how fresh they were. I don’t know what the chef put on them to make them that delicious, but I would have eaten the whole serving myself.

The mains we tried were the short ribs and the pork osso buco confit. I cannot express in words how superior these dishes were. The pork was literally “fall off the bone” and so flavorful. The short ribs were the same, and were paired with some of the creamiest mashed potatoes my wife has ever eaten.

We were questioning whether we’d be able to fit in a dessert, since we were both more than satisfied with the portion sizes of our mains. But, then, Andrew showed us the dessert menu. We had to try a piece of the fig pecan pie, which was paired with a citrus cream cheese ice cream. These two items individually were brilliantly done. Pairing them was a stroke of genius.

We could not have been more pleased with this dinner, especially considering that it was a fairly random pick on our behalf. I’m no “foodie”, and I rarely, if ever, write reviews. But this restaurant was just phenomenal, and they deserve to be recognized. Excellent in every way, and I would actually consider flying back to Phoenix just to eat...

Amazing food set in front of me and around the table: seasoned with a gentle touch, flavor well explored by the chef, attention to plating detail on point even maximizing the negative space directed BY the plate. Scroll down on the website to read Chef Justin Beckett's bio first to better appreciate my food description's simplicity.

Scroll UP, now, to read how Beckett developed his restaurant's concept because I want to emphasize his success! One expects the ambient lighting, music to compliment the food & table conversation, subtle aromas from surrounding tables and the kitchen to pique anticipation, right? The House staff is well prepared to interact with each of their guests as individuals and as a table; an Insightful level of Hospitality. I wish I could attend their Opening Prep Gathering to hear how the House Manager & evening Chef share the tasting plates and the history behind the flavor profiles!

Oh boy...to the Kitchen! The kitchen is the very definition of 'Open'. It speaks to the utmost level of “we’re sitting around the eat-in kitchen” developed by Beckett. Personally, I LOVE having access to those preparing my dinner. In fact, I check in with Beckett’s kitchen first thing after greeting the Front person. I ask, “Which dish do YOU really enjoy preparing tonight?”…”Who is responsible for the sides and appetizers?”. Stuff like that. Sometimes I challenge them by sharing recent experiences at a different restaurant.

Get this: The lighting in that open kitchen doesn’t conflict with the rest of the house. It is as ambient. Speaks volumes. Review the description i shared about the food. All of that with ‘ambient’ lighting! The kitchen staff knows their product. They feel their product. Can sense when the seasoning is spot on, when the pork is done, respecting the Brussel sprouts as they reach THAT char.

Kudos to the one(s) responsible for interviewing then hiring Beckett’s representatives....