Ghost Ranch: Modern Southwest Cuisine — Restaurant in Tempe

Pleasantly surprised with this restaurant. The atmosphere was barn yard modern Mexican feel. Little hints of Hispanic Heritage with the art work and decorations. The food was good. The Fish A Guachile needed more flavor. There is a small hint of spice and then it disappears. Not enough citrus or spice for me. But I also like bold flavors which is typically what you would expect from this dish. My husband who is not Hispanic likes the dish a lot. My husband got Cowboy Steak. The steak was cooked to desired level and overall the dish definitely had its own spin on steak and potatoes. He said he would order it again. I personally got the Mosquite Grilled top sirloin steak tacos. While everything on the plate was good, what made it delicious was the beans and the homemade rice tortillas. These flavors brought me back to my childhood. I definitely had a Ratatouille moment where I was transported back to my country. The taste and smell is what made this plate perfection for me. The salsa verde had a wonderful intense smokiness to it. But my favorite was the salsa roja. For desert we got the churro ice cream sandwiches. While the dish was good, my favorite was the side part with the banana and caramelized sugar. The banana was ripe enough to taste but had sweetness to it as well. A perfect pick. The caramelized sugar on top was a perfect compliment. Those flavors together for me was delicious. It almost tricked you to thinking it was a plátano. These flavors I’ve had before but I can’t pin point it which is why I like it so much. The churro and ice cream was good, personally a few more seconds for cooking for the churro would have made it for me. It was a bit runny. But yes the dish itself was delicious. We had many drinks. While the drinks where fine the service was lacking by the bar manager. I personally asked for Michelada but perhaps should have asked for a Chelada. I described what I wanted and she repeated it perfectly back to me and then gave me what I didn’t ask. When I informed her it was wrong and repeated myself she rolled her eyes, seemed to talk smack to the other bartender and then gave me my drink with a brush off attitude. I understand it was crowded but that shouldn’t take away good service and manners. Thankfully the food made up for the bad service. Because that is what made it 4 stars instead of 3 for me. Overall I would come back and try a different dish. This is definitely not a Mexican restaurant but as it says on the website, it’s inspired by the multi...

I went here for my birthday. The service was good, the atmosphere was good, drinks were good but I didn't love the food. I was very disappointed with the chilie relleno. The pureed mushrooms inside did a disservice to the dish overall, it made it so everything was the same consistency which was mushy all around. I'm a huge mushroom fan so getting pulverized mushrooms was a sad experience, the texture of mushrooms should be celebrated and they were not. I think the cheese was blended with the mushrooms so the two became one and it made those ingredients get lost within the moosh and lose their interest. It was mushy, lacking in flavor, and under whelming because it came with nothing else, just two chilies in a pile of sauce for $20+, no redeeming sides, definitely not worth the price. The appetizer was the street style esquites and while it was good, I didn't love it and it wasn't what I was I was expecting. It was mostly melted cheese and creme with a little bit of corn so again I don't think they were celebrating the main ingredient. It had one note to the favor profile so somewhat bland. It needed more corn, more cilantro, more tajin, and definitely lime, also less cheese. I actually don't think I even tasted the tajin and cilantro. There are a couple other vegetarian options so I will go back to give those a shot but I won't be reordering any of the same, wish they had more vegetarian options honestly.... One thing unrelated to the food, I think the owner should have someone address the bench seat on the east wall. There is a shelf above the bench seat so you can't actually sit back comfortably, it is such a frustrating design. The back upholstery needs to be bumped out so it sits flush with the shelf so the back cushions can actually be utilized for their intended purpose. I know this all seems very critical, I really did want to love this place. I will give it another chance and will update after my...

We visited Ghost Ranch Southwest Cuisine today (Sunday, June 8), arriving around 4:00 pm. The experience began on a positive note: service was attentive and our appetizer came out quickly.

However, partway through our meal, the atmosphere in the room shifted in a way that was hard to ignore. Another queer couple with their children was seated near us, followed by a larger group of older guests seated nearby. From that point on, the level of service changed dramatically, both for us and for the other queer couple.

While newly arrived tables were quickly receiving drinks and food, both our table and the other queer family struggled to get basic service. We waited a long time just to get a to-go box and settle our bill, while watching the other couple repeatedly try, unsuccessfully, to get a server’s attention. They ultimately left without receiving a meal. We left shortly after, having witnessed the same treatment.

I want to be clear: I fully understand what “busy” looks like in a restaurant. This was not that. The shift was specific and noticeable, and it is difficult to believe this was a coincidence when it seemed to impact only certain tables in the room. It also did not appear to be the fault of any one server; it felt broader than that.

If the other couple happens to read this, you were not alone in how that unfolded today. I regret not speaking up in the moment.

I am sharing this not to cause harm, but because experiences like this, when they happen quietly and without acknowledgment, are exactly what push marginalized guests away from spaces that should be welcoming to all. I sincerely hope the management takes this seriously and reflects on how and why such an experience was...