LA HACIENDA — Restaurant in Scottsdale

During my recent stay at the Fairmont Scottsdale, I had the pleasure of dining at La Hacienda by Richard Sandoval—not just once, but twice, because the experience was that exceptional. The restaurant truly embodies the spirit of a traditional Mexican hacienda, with meticulous attention to detail in its decor, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Drinks: An Exceptional Tequila Experience La Hacienda boasts an impressive selection of beers and wines, but the real highlight is its extensive tequila menu. Offering nearly every tequila imaginable, this list represents the rich diversity of Mexico—showcasing tequilas made from various types of agave, grown in different regions and cultivated using unique methods. It’s a journey through Mexico in a glass, and for any tequila lover, this menu is a treasure trove waiting to be explored.

Small Plates: Lobster Tacos We began our culinary adventure with the Lobster Tacos, and they quickly became a favorite. Served on soft flour tortillas filled with tender Maine lobster and topped with a luscious árbol cream, these tacos were nothing short of divine. Highly recommended for those who appreciate a refined twist on a classic.

Main Courses: Pescado Zarandeado and Ribeye Tacos Moving on to the main courses, the Pescado Zarandeado was nothing short of fantastic. The sustainable seabass was perfectly grilled, with a smoky adobo marinade that added depth without overpowering the delicate fish. Accompanied by a refreshing coleslaw, grilled half avocado, and corn pico de gallo, this dish was a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. It was light yet satisfying—an excellent choice for a main.

Carnitas Hacienda The Carnitas Hacienda was simply outstanding and is an absolute must-try. The slow-braised pork shoulder was incredibly tender and flavorful, served with salsa verde, salsa árbol, guacamole, escabeche, rice, and beans. The dish celebrates the tradition of carnitas from Michoacán, capturing the essence of Mexican comfort food at its finest. It’s hearty, authentic, and bursting with rich, slow-cooked flavors that keep you coming back for more.

Tampiqueña The Tampiqueña is another dish that deserves special mention. Originating from Tampico, Tamaulipas, this dish features a perfectly cooked skirt steak accompanied by a cheese-mole enchilada, guacamole, elote, scallions, and serrano chile toreados. Each element on the plate tells a story, and the combination of flavors is a beautiful homage to the Huasteca region of Mexico. This dish is perfect for anyone looking to savor a piece of Mexican culinary history.

The Ultimate Experience: Tacos & Tequila The highlight of our visits to La Hacienda was undoubtedly the Tacos & Tequila experience. This expertly curated tasting includes three tequila tastings—Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo—paired with three of the chef’s favorite tacos. The journey begins with a Blanco paired with a Chicken Tinga Taco, featuring salsa verde, crema, romaine, cotija, and pickled onion, creating a fresh and vibrant bite. Next, the Reposado is matched with a Fish Taco—beer battered with a chile tartar and cabbage pico de gallo—a perfect blend of crunch and tang. Finally, the Añejo is paired with the Ribeye Taco, complete with a cheese crust (costra), charred scallions, and a bold salsa brava, providing a rich, savory finish. Each pairing is thoughtful and enhances the flavors of both the tequila and the taco. We were blown away by this experience and highly recommend it to anyone visiting La Hacienda.

La Hacienda by Richard Sandoval offers an exceptional dining experience that transports you to the heart of Mexico. With its phenomenal atmosphere, attentive service, and dishes that showcase the depth and diversity of Mexican cuisine, it’s no surprise we had to visit twice. From the expertly crafted Lobster Tacos to the unforgettable Tacos & Tequila experience, every moment at La Hacienda was memorable. If you find yourself at the Fairmont Scottsdale, a visit to La Hacienda is an absolute must. Highly...

I have been coming here for the passed 10 years and my experience has been great every time. This is my absolute favorite place to eat when I am visiting Scottsdale. I have brought friends and family, I can confidently say that everyone I have brought here has loved the food and has returned for more.\

The Food is amazing. I can say that this is my favorite Mexican restaurant by far. Most food we have tried has been amazing. There has been some misses and I will share them with you. To be fair for everything I have tried that I did not like I have tried 2-3 things that I loved so to me that is an amazing resturant.

The service is great on our last visit we had Carlos serving us who was great, we ate here 2 times on our last visit as my family and my friends family loved the food so much that we decided to cancel our reservation at really nice resturant to return the next night to try something else.

I am a big fan of tequila so I am continuously on the hunt for the next best to try and buy at home. One of my favorite thing about this place is that they have a Tequila connoisseur and her name is "Berkeley Alvarado" who is AMAZING. She is very knowledgeable and the best part is that she is not like a car salesman who wants to upgrade you and just sell you something to make a buck. She truly loves what she does. She is very informative and goes out of her way to make sure that you get what you are looking for, no pressure. She makes your experience exploring new Tequila much more pleasant. Much thanks.

We tried the steak for kids, Chicken strip for kids, Steak Fajitas, Shrimp ceviche, Corn tamales, Vegetarian Enchiladas, SeaBass, guacamole and Pomegranate Guacamole. Although everything was great, the sea-bass was amazing. The stake could use more salt but the quality was great. The guacamole is to die for, the pomegranate guacamole was okay not my favorite. Vegi Enchiladas, amazing, Corn tamales WOW. Shrimp ceviche was delightful. Kids loved their food and the beans was great although I am not a big fan of bean. So Overall food was Amazing

We ordered chorus and ice cream, Tres Leches and the flan. We love loved the Chorus and Ice cream. Our group was not a big fan of the Tres Leches although the presentation was beautiful. We felt that it lacked the flavor and texture of a great Tres Leches cake. The flan was good but it was a bit of a strong scent and flavor for us, we would have liked for it to be a bit lighter. Again this my opinion and I am sure someone with a different taste profile may think that they are great.

Side note I love how clean fresh smelling the restrooms were. A huge plus for a high end restaurant.

Here is the break down for my rating based on my opinion. You should always try it for your self.

5 For Service 10 for Tequila selection and Expertise 5 For Food 4 For Desert 5 for Ambiance 5+ for cleanliness...

We went there for December 30th and for most part had a good experience.

Our host that sat us must have been new or not trained properly. He seemed very confused unwelcoming. We booked a table for 3 only because we had a child so we did not want to be those people that book for 2 but then expect a two top table and take up the aisle with baby seat. Anyway our host walked us to one area and was gonna seat us there and said oh wait minute. He walked away and came back about 5+ minutes later. He brought us to another section which worked perfect. It was over sized two top on the end so we had plenty of room for us and the baby. And baby was not in the way of service.

Well then we had to ask the host for a high chair. He brought us one. But when but when I went to put our baby in it. The thing was falling apart. Not safe at all.

This is where our experience turned around to be much more POSITIVE. I started looking around for a staff member and one noticed me looking around within 15 seconds. He came over and asked what I needed. I said can I please get a baby high chair that is not a death trap. He looked at the high chair and said " I cannot believe they left this at your table. I will go get you a new one." He came back with a new high chair in minutes and apologized.

The drinks and food were very good. We had the Serrano Margarita. Very good! We had a drink similar to this in Hawaii at Wolf Gang Puck -Spagio restaurant and this is the first place that we found in the lower 48 that make something just as good as that.

For food we had the Esquites Gaucamole (AMAZING! for non-traditional Guac), we also had the Enchiladas Divorciados and my wife ordered a small plate - Chorizo and Potato Empanadas. All of them were very good in flavor. The next visit I am hoping to try the Carnitas. That will truly define how great this place is.

For those Gringos like me that expect free chips and salsa at Mexican restaurants. This place is 3 star or less. DO NOT come here for chips and salsa. You will be very disappointed. Chips are thick and Salsa is pure water. Wish I took pictures of that to prove it.

All in all. We will definitely return to try some of the...