Top Shelf Mexican Food & Cantina — Restaurant in Phoenix

I came in ( 8-15-25) after not being here for many many years because of sub standard Mexican food and very poor service. Like 9 years, I felt it was time for another try because I live less than a mile from the 35th ave location.! Bad choice, same weird guy bartender at 3 pm on a Friday who wants to tell me how slow they were and have been, as well as reminding me they have Pepsi and not Coke every time I order one. He is not John Belushi. So I use a spoon to always put salsa on my chip to keep from breaking my chip in the salsa. Today, I found the broken chip already in my salsa with the spoon and one eyed Jack behind the bar played it off like “he knocked it in there” The place is playing loud classic rock that seems to be JVinces favorite..! Listening to David Bowie from the late 70 sucks! Get an attractive girl to work happy hours, get better quality food, change or turn down the bad music, and rid the sewer gas smell. And the fountain full of dirt, take it out! I was truly saddened that no improvements have taken place. Way to talk poorly about the place you worked at for 37 years Vince P. No gratitude! My food today was a red chile burro that came out luke warm because,,,,,??!!)? I don’t know why there are 3 people here. When I told Vince that I have not been here for 9 years because of bad food and service, he asked me if it was him? Weird. I am not coming back, I will drive the 5 miles to their competitor. I wish they were better than they are. Bad atmosphere, attitudes, food, it’s not clean. Dang, I want another Coke but I don’t want Vince to act like John Belushi again. Sorry folks, don’t come here! Bad Vibes and food. They need fresh smiling faces to work there. The current...

We've eaten at Top Shelf many times and always been happy with our meal and the service, even enough to bring out-of-town visiting family with us. That was then. This is now. Recently, on a week-day at lunch time. This occasion was a catch-up lunch with a friend, so we knew we would be staying a bit. The dining room was dimly lit in a rose colored light which made reading the menus harder. The food was good, but the service was so bad that I question if I even wish to return. When we ordered, we asked for separate checks. The waitress agreed. She made many other small errors while serving, and seemed very distracted, almost like she had forgotten us. The restaurant was not crowded and she admitted to not being short-staffed, so there was no excuse for such lax service. When we asked to see the menu so we could decide on dessert, we sat for quite a long time before she remembered that we have even asked. Her name was Angelita. When the check did arrive, it was all together. The point was not that we could not have handled this, but that it was not as we asked. I made a point to bypass her and pay at the hostess desk in the front to avoid any more awkwardness, but she followed us there and made this into a bigger to-do than was needed. We were embarrassed by her stepping all over herself because of our dissatisfaction, and that made it all the more uncomfortable. I liked Top Shelf. I am sorry to have had my special...

The reason for this bad review is the bartender Ashley who was bartending Saturday evening on the 3rd of December 2022 at 6:30pm. She asked us, at a table - not the bar , after we complained because of extremely slow drink service - if we had a problem and She made it clear with her hand on her hip that she was the only one working and to take it up with her. At no time did she offer us an apology about the service or offered us to speak with a manager. We were in shock with the strange attitude and response to us wondering where our drinks were at our table!?!? To be honest we were completely blown away with her aggression. I have been coming to this restaurant for 25 years. We live in the homes across the street. This evening we had our family in town with us and they were extremely in shock at the bar customer service reaction. There was an upside and that was Robert our server. He was attentive and kind. He felt very bad about the behavior from the bartender and was trying very hard to make up for her poor customer service. Our tacos were great as well. Unfortunately we just couldn’t believe and get over how the bartender was allowed to fly off the handle and just freak out on people because she was under skilled, unprepared , and understaffed. We love this place when Alex is working in the day shift. Very disappointing and unexpected behavior from a loved...