PYRO — Restaurant in Phoenix

We were so excited to try Pyro for a nice date night out with two good friends. The food was excellent, and the ambiance and design is top notch. Service was ok - but not what you would expect when spending what you will spend on dinner here.

First of all, when asked for recommendations, our server didn't offer specific dishes but rather just suggested we pick one thing from each section of the menu to share. My boyfriend also had about 1/2 of his Old Fashioned left in his glass and they tried to clear it before he was finished. After our steak skewer starter was delivered, and both were grabbed from the plate, the plate was cleared so fast we didn't get a chance to try the sauce or anything that was on the plate with it.

Now let's get to the part that actually took away from every positive thing I mentioned before and left a sour taste in our mouth, and will discourage me from recommending Pyro. We arrived at our reservation time, and ordered drinks, then starters, then main dishes. We were celebrating multiple birthdays and professional accomplishments, so we also ordered dessert. After our main plates were cleared and we waited for dessert, a manager (I would assume, since there was no introduction) came up to our table and informed us that they needed our table and there was a party waiting for it. Now, I would be more receptive to this if we had finished our dinner and were sitting there at the table with empty glasses and a paid check. However, we had not. We had ordered dessert and were still waiting for it to be delivered. Additionally, we did not drag out our dinner, it was simply going at the speed of when orders were taken, and when plates and drinks were delivered to us. There were no big gaps in between any phase of the dinner. The situation was handled extremely poorly. It is not my responsibility as the patron to be mindful of the timing of the tables and how close they try to turn them. If you can't come in for dinner and order starters, main dishes, and dessert and have them delivered in the time frame they are allowing, that is not the fault of the customer. The manager was abrupt and clearly did not check with our server beforehand to get an idea of where we were in the dinner, if a check had been dropped, etc. It was a very disappointing and negative way to end a $800 dinner. For this reason, I would not recommend Pyro over other nearby restaurants that can offer you a better experience for the same cost or less. Your money will be better spent elsewhere where your business will be...

Our second visit to Pyro was as good as the first. This see-and-be-seen Japanese-ish fine dining spot has a great vibe, cozy nooks, low lighting, beautiful people (us among them), impressive staff, and great food. We sat close enough to the kitchen’s plating area that we could watch the precision and care that goes into each dish. We started with a bottle of the Soto Junmai, which I always enjoy for its pure riciness (suggestion: add a couple more non-nigoris in the Soto price range; there are plenty of them out there). The sake was the perfect accompaniment for the Pyro Spicy Tuna, which was a well-plated combo of tuna tartare and avo. The Soto also complemented excellent tuna tartare handrolls (really more like tuna tacos with nori instead of tortillas) and the unbelievably T&T (tender and tasty) short rib skewers (I would have been happy eating only these and the SRFR — all short ribs all the time). After the starters we ordered a bottle of R Petit Sirah, which was excellent, but I think the sake paired better with the MUST-ORDER Short Rib Fried Rice (SRFR), which is a side, meaty lamb chops, and umami-bomb miso salmon (the latter two dishes showcase the reason for the restaurant’s name: cooking with fire). And a special word about the Embered Sweet Potatoes: these are not your grandmother’s sweet potatoes, unless maybe she’s Japanese. First, they’re white, not orange (at least they seemed white in the low light) and their taste is more savory than sweet, more subtle than in-your-face American sweet potatoes. Roasted with a chili crunch of some kind, these Japanese sweet potatoes were the surprise standout of our meal. We ended with the Japanese sweet potato custard (a different variety of Imo; I’d love to know the variety of both, and where to buy), which in the low light looked and tasted like milk chocolate. But shine your smartphone flashlight on it and you will be shocked by its bright purplosity (my natural light photo doesn’t do it justice and we had already destroyed it when we realized how purple it was). Another suggestion: serve this dessert with some kind of table light that shows its color, which would be entirely in keeping with every other impressive thing about...

I recently dined at Pyro, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish! The highlight was undoubtedly their New York steak, cooked to a perfect medium-rare. The flavors were bold, delicious, and unlike anything I’ve tasted elsewhere. Pyro’s unique open-flame cooking method imparts a smoky, unmatched depth to the meat that truly sets it apart. The appetizers were equally impressive. We ordered the short ribs and chicken skewers, both of which were bursting with flavor. The jalapeño slices served on the side added a delightful kick that complemented the dishes perfectly. Service was top-notch—attentive, friendly, and professional. The restaurant itself was clean, welcoming, and had a warm ambiance that made the evening even more enjoyable. Parking was hassle-free, as they offer validation, which is a nice touch. Overall, Pyro delivered an unforgettable dining experience, and I’m already looking forward to my next visit. Highly recommend!

I recently dined at Pyro, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish! The highlight was undoubtedly their New York steak, cooked to a perfect medium-rare. The flavors were bold, delicious, and unlike anything I’ve tasted elsewhere. Pyro’s unique open-flame cooking method imparts a smoky, unmatched depth to the meat that truly sets it apart. The appetizers were equally impressive. We ordered the short ribs and chicken skewers, both of which were bursting with flavor. The jalapeño slices served on the side added a delightful kick that complemented the dishes perfectly. Service was top-notch—attentive, friendly, and professional. The restaurant itself was clean, welcoming, and had a warm ambiance that made the evening even more enjoyable. Parking was hassle-free, as they offer validation, which is a nice touch. Overall, Pyro delivered an unforgettable dining experience, and I’m already looking forward to my next visit....