Tia Carmen — Restaurant in Phoenix

I get the hype. If you live in Arizona, and are a foodie or an influencer, everyone is flocking to Tia Carmen like it’s Mecca.

Known as the most aesthetic restaurant, ranked in the top 15 hottest restaurants, and one of the must go to place— Tia Carmen doesn’t disappoint.

Not only do they locally source food, plates and design, they cuisine doesn’t disappoint. Now, would I agree that it’s elevated Tex Mex… probably not. Would I say it’s elevated American inspired by Arizona… absolutely.

As a party of three, we had to book about 3 weeks in advance because weekend dinner service sells out fast, but that’s Scottsdale.

Pulling up to the JW Marriott Desert Ridge isn’t very special, but can be impressive. The high ceilings and long stair case down can be a photo op, but when you land, you are in sports bar filled with hotel guests, and conference goers. So, they look at you like you are overdressed. But, as you turn left , you see the alcove with the glowing Tia Camren sign. Unfortunately, bathrooms are also there, so being greeted by a guy zipping up his board shorts before dinner … not the most aesthetic. Going in, it can be confusing as you find yourself in an aesthetically pleasing living/room lounge situation, a long bar encased in curved architecture, in a room full of neutrals. You have to walk passed the bar and open kitchen to get to the hostess, but then, you are greeted and sat quickly.

The menu is quite large for a fine dining place, so if you aren’t the strongest or most confident ordered— or your are indecisive, it might be hard to build your dinner.

We started with cocktails, which were kind of disappointing. They sounded very promising: the yuzu and bergamot Paloma and the pineapple ginger tequila , both fought in the mouth. Yuzu being delicate and bergamot being fragrant fought.

However the second round of drinks: the Passion mezcal and the agua Fresca margarita were a home run. Both mock-tails were great as well.

The food was outstanding: we had the plantains with pickled salsa, the agua Chile avocado (super instagramable), and the lamb kabobs to start. The lamb is on a white bean purée and green aioli which are probably the star of all of the appetizers. The avocado, as cool as it is for Instagram, how you eat it is difficult, and no clear direction. It should probably be served with a warm soft flat bread, or some sort of scooping vessel.

For dinner course we had Tia Carmen’s signature chicken (caldo de pollo) that was elevated and served with saffron rice, the ember purple sweet potato, and the Thai striped bass. We ordered the yucca brûlée and the street corn for sides. The chicken soup and saffron rice was like home. Memories were stirred up for each of us diners: childhood, your home culture, family. The ember sweet potato’s plating is kind of rough and not rustic, however, the taste is strong and the texture is killer. It is savory, elevated and I could probably eat all day. The star of the dinner was the striped bass: crusted well, with Thai basil foam and a green dry mash is killer. Technically brilliant, seasoned well, and elevated fish makes this dish worth ordering.

The yucca brûlée is killer, the texture and taste are rich yet fresh. The street corn was disappointing. It felt under cooked and lacked a fat. The cheese did not cut it’s it was cold. Maybe throw it under the broiler?

The menu descriptions do not do any of the dishes justice, which is why I writing this review.

Finally, dessert course… we had to order the entire dessert menu— and it did not disappoint, well the chocolate mousse and beet root purée did. However, the hibiscus sorbet was amazing!!!! It’s like a smooth velvety frozen Jamaica. The banuela is crisp and contrasted. But the real innovation: the tequila flan covered in MANCHEGO. Don’t knock it, it’s killer! The sweet baked custard, the tequila caramel and the salty cheese is the perfect way to end your night.

Best part: the price. Our entire meal was under $350, four courses and 3 rounds of cocktails...

We celebrated a birthday at Tia Carmen this past week. Everything we ate was really delicious. The flavors were complex yet subtle, the ingredients were top quality, the variety was impressive. Other than maybe too many dishes being topped with greens, really all were hits at the table. The pork chop was especially good, the aguachile was cleaned out, the grilled whole trout was boned perfectly and eaten by everyone. The service was very uneven. Our server was very good when she was present, but she was either stretched too thin or just not quite attentive enough. She didn't ask about allergies, which we have come to expect in fine dining. We ordered the mussels, which are described thus on the menu: "mesquite, chorizo, southwestern spice blend, serrano concha." Nowhere does it say anything about onions (or fennel or leeks or whatever allium was piled high on top of the dish when it arrived). Every other item we ate last night had complete ingredients listed on the menu, just not the mussels. A few pickled onions - easy to work around. A pile on top, touching every mussel, no way. And the bigger issue, again, is that for whatever reason this ingredient isn't listed on the menu despite its voluminous presence. I do appreciate that the kitchen then double and triple checked that the replacement item I ordered, the pork chop, would not trigger my allergy; what I didn't understand is why there was no sense of apology for mis-labeling the dish. That wasn't the only service issue. I asked about ordering a rye whisky around when the main course was served; "the book" would help me choose one. I never saw the book, the requested rye never was discussed again. The server asked about dessert before the replacement for the mussels (the delicious pork chop!) had arrived. She had to clear dishes on her own, there was no busser and at times we had stacks of dirty dishes. Our share plates were never swapped out after multiple courses. We had to ask for water refills multiple times. Our table was right inside the door to the restaurant. The host stand should be located at that door, as there was seemingly a lot of extra foot traffic near the table, some coming right in from the pool area etc. The food was really good and I would return for the right occasion. I hope they can tighten up the service and correct the menu on the mussels.

Funny that in the response, the restaurant manager says “We take this feedback seriously, as it highlights opportunities to improve both attentiveness and communication.” But they addressed me as “Jackson.” ...

What an utterly disappointing experience we had at Tia Carmen for New Year's Eve, especially considering the steep prices they charged. To begin with, our evening was marred by the seating arrangement. We were assigned the least desirable table next to the entrance, significantly far from the entertainment area. Our view was completely obstructed, preventing us from enjoying the performances. Upon requesting a change of table, the host dismissively informed us that it was impossible due to full bookings. This claim seemed dubious as an ideally located table by a bay window, perfect for our group, remained unoccupied throughout the night. The night continued to spiral downwards, signaling what was to come. Seated near the entrance, we felt disconnected and isolated from the main dining area. The service was painfully slow. A major disappointment was the champagne pairing that accompanied the 5-course meal. The selections did not complement the dishes, diminishing the overall culinary experience. To add to our frustration, three of the champagne servings arrived post-meal, which meant I had to actively seek out staff members to receive what I had ordered. This not only disrupted the meal's flow but also detracted from the dining experience. Observing the Champagne Host at a nearby 'VIP' table, it was clear that they received timely and attentive service, suggesting a preferential treatment towards certain guests. This inconsistency in service standards was unacceptable. Regarding the cuisine, it was underwhelming. The dishes lacked the wow factor one would expect from an upscale restaurant, leaving us unsatisfied and still hungry. The overall experience did not justify the exorbitant cost, resulting in a bland and forgettable New Year's Eve. We actually left 2hrs early. We are certain that we will not be returning...