Harvey's Wineburger — Restaurant in Phoenix

My family and I have made Harvey’s Wineburger at 4812 N 16th St, Phoenix, a tradition every time we visit Arizona, drawn by its reputation for juicy, wine-infused burgers and dive-bar charm. However, our most recent visit was a complete letdown that has us questioning whether we’ll ever return. Walking in with our party of 8, we were stunned when the person claiming to be the owner refused to seat us, despite numerous empty tables scattered throughout the restaurant. His excuse? They were supposedly going to be “crazy busy” in 20 minutes—an absurd claim given the nearly empty dining room and no visible reservations. When we politely asked for clarification, trying to understand the reasoning, the owner’s demeanor turned shockingly rude. He dismissed our questions with a sneer, calling us “crazy” for even inquiring. This unprovoked hostility was not only unprofessional but deeply off-putting, especially for loyal customers who’ve supported this place for years. The vibe, usually a cozy mix of jukebox tunes and sports on TV, felt tainted by this encounter. We left without eating, feeling insulted and unwelcome. Harvey’s may have its fans for its $7.50 burgers and bourbons, but this experience showed a serious lack of hospitality. Save yourself the hassle and try another burger joint in Phoenix—there are plenty that won’t treat you like an inconvenience. It’s incomprehensible that on May 14, 2025, at 11:15 AM, the owner of Harvey’s Wineburger in Phoenix turned away our party of 8, claiming the restaurant would be “crazy busy” in just 20 minutes. We arrived early, deliberately before the lunch rush, to enjoy a meal at a place we’ve made a tradition during our Arizona visits, only to find multiple empty tables and no sign of an imminent crowd. The decision to prioritize a speculative rush over guaranteed customers defies any shred of business intelligence. At mid-morning, well before typical lunch hours, sending away a $100+ tab—especially from loyal patrons—is a baffling misstep. Even if a crowd materialized by 11:35 AM, basic restaurant management would involve seating present guests or courteously managing a waitlist, not dismissing them outright. In Phoenix’s competitive dining landscape, where every customer counts, this shortsighted move not only cost Harvey’s our business but guaranteed we won’t return. Turning away early birds banking on a 20-minute crystal ball is a surefire way to empty tables and lose...

Harvey’s Wine Burger – A Longtime Favorite with a Disheartening Turn

As someone who has been coming to Harvey’s Wine Burger for years, it pains me to write this review. This has always been a go-to spot – a place I’ve brought friends, family, and visitors to experience consistently good food, great burgers, and a casual, welcoming vibe. It’s a place I’ve recommended without hesitation.

But today’s visit was deeply disappointing.

We came in on a Saturday afternoon with a group of friends, excited for a relaxed meal, knowing full well it would be busy. That wasn’t a problem. We were ready to wait, have a drink or two, and enjoy the lively atmosphere. What we weren’t prepared for was to be turned away so abruptly and without any attempt at hospitality.

Almost immediately upon walking in, we were told by a passing server – and then the owner himself – that they would not serve us. We calmly offered to split up into smaller groups if that would help ease any strain on the kitchen or seating. We assured them we were in no rush and fully understood the potential for a long wait. Despite all that, the owner flatly refused. His tone was combative, and he made it clear we wouldn’t be seated or served.

We asked a fair question: If eight individual guests walked in separately, would they be turned away as well? Rather than addressing it reasonably, the owner accused us of “playing games” and reinforced his refusal to serve us.

The most surprising part? There were open tables. We weren’t unruly, demanding, or uncooperative – just a group of young professionals trying to enjoy a meal at a place we’ve always supported.

This experience felt not only dismissive but borderline hostile. After years of loyalty, it’s disheartening to feel so unwelcome. While I’ve had many good memories at Harvey’s, today’s encounter makes me question whether I’ll be able to recommend it in the future.

I truly hope this was an off day – we all have them – but I also hope the team reconsiders how they treat returning guests, especially those willing to be flexible and understanding...

Overall, I like this place. However, they keep finding ways to lose my business.

1. When they get busy, there’s no order to the place and if you aren’t hogwild aggressive to get a table on your own, you’ll just keep getting skipped in line. There is no order to how they greet people, if at all. So yeah after getting skipped 2 times, you just walk out and leave. When it’s busy expect an hour long wait at minimum.

2. This place has so many stupid little rules. And sometimes they follow them apparently and sometimes they don’t, so it’s pretty annoying because there’s no consistency on how you’re served. Typically, I’ll go grab a sandwich eat maybe have a drink and then bring some food home to my kids for later. The very rude blonde bartender told me that they don’t do takeout so I couldn’t get a second sandwich, even though I was eating in. This is the first time I’ve ever been told that. Also it wasn’t busy, maybe 6 people in there. “IT’S EAT IN ONLY” in the worst tone. I’ve never had her before, usually it’s the nice dark-dark brown maybe black haired girl. Well instead of getting my order and now my future orders, they get nothing.

3. Also, you can’t order your food until you’ve been served drink so if you’ve been waiting, and you just want to order everything you can’t. You have to wait until they bring you back your drink for them to get started on your food. And sometimes it takes a while to get your drink.

Lol - UPDATE: Yeah so looking at all the other negative reviews, seems like the BLONDE Bartender is disliked by many. Maybe update the staff.

The annoyance can add up after a while. The food is great, but sometimes the experience is just straight up awful.

I’m not gonna lie. The burger is super mediocre. But the pastrami Ruben is really good. If it wasn’t for the food being as good as it was, I wouldn’t stop in and they keep making it harder and harder for me to want to when I keep going there and...