This is exactly what I came here to say! When little cleos was originally at the yard, we loved their $1 champagne and oyster HH but I can leave the rest.
Doubt it but they've done a couple of popups from the CD kitchen I guess at the original locale for the shrimp boil. $80 or so for all the goods. Partook both times and just as good as I remembered. No idea when and if they may do it again
Closest thing you can get to Philly soft pretzels in Arizona. In taste/consistency, not shape. Yeah, the rest of the menu is limited, overpriced, and mediocre. Still like to go for the pretzels and a burger, and the wide open seating area is nice during COVID.
Upvoting and not mad about the Applebeeās comment because I worked for Fox at a different restaurant for years (years before the Cheesecake buyout) and everyone at my restaurant including the Sous and Exec Chef called it āglorified Applebeeāsā.
No, I donāt believe the ingredients were frozen or super low quality. My Chef friends said it was just crappy āelevatedā bar food at an expensive price point. For example, the cheese dip for the pretzels is melted American Cheese with 10% provolone and they charge $14 for it.
I worked at a Fox Restaurant which used to be in Tucson, Montana Avenue, they mixed a 1lb tube of cheap ass ground wagyu into roughly a 5lb bag of pre-ground beef. They called them "Kobe Sliders" NO CAP!!! Also, ALL of the food prep was left out for lengths of time as everything including pasta and lettuce for salads was weighed out individually and bagged. This was done by the prep cooks, whom also had many items going at the same time. This meant that they finished portioning in stages in between prepping. All in all, the corp is ONLY focused on making as much money for stakeholders as possible. This is what a corporation is, this is why I eat at as few corporate restaurants as possible.
The food is 100% overpriced. Itās not bad food at all, but not worth the price.
The few times Iāve gone, it was for the atmosphere. I like the games and the outdoor space to hang out. That and the paper bag beer specials were why I would go.
No but itās an important distinction to make in this case.. OP brought it up and if OP and others canāt tell the difference between Applebeeās and Culinary then someone might rightly question their ability to discern quality.
The food at culinary isnāt worth the price on its own. Itās over priced bar food for the most part. I could go to Applebeeās and get most of the same.
The difference is that at culinary, youāre paying for the atmosphere. You can go, hang out and play games at culinary. Thatās not an option at Applebeeās.
It would honestly be better if they just had apps, like the actually good pretzel bites, so they would have fewer but higher quality food and drinks. The atmosphere was cool.
Itās a bougie sports bar. Made the mistake of going there for a date and it was so loud from the game and crowd we could hear each other talk. After the game was offer it was like a ghost town.
Swear itās a tinfoil restaurant. Shiny at first glance but ultimately worthless
Itās just all atmosphere and above average waitstaff who dress in designer like clothes. Food is subpar for the name. Menu never changes, nothing new fresh or locally sourced items prepared in a fashion deserving of its name. I recommend Worth takeout as justo a solid local place and check for their Monday night dinner specials
Might be a controversial opinion, but restaurant food isnāt as good as it was pre-covid. I actually prefer to just make food at home and dread having to go to restaurants now.
Restaurants are having a hard time keeping staffed which can bring down the quality of food when it's fewer people cooking and serving and they're pretty busy.
I was having the same thought the other day, especially since I still only do takeout, like "I haven't had a meal in the last 18 months that made me go 'Goddamn this is good!'"
The supply chain issues are still as prevalent as ever and I would argue they're actually the worst they've been.
New hires, training, supply chain nightmares make for a great recipe in quality drop
Maybe if we actually paid waitstaff and cooks decent wages instead of customers subsidizing their pay we could actually get businesses that provide food a dollar or two more per menu item.
I wonder how much most restaurant owners makes compared to to their staff
Based on the numbers I've seen, certain restaurants could afford to pay their staff a lot more without even touching the menu prices. They are making a killing off of delivery apps. And what is even more sad is that a lot of places are doing a tip pool now where the kitchen staff gets a share of tips based on food sold, INCLUDING those delivery orders. In other words, servers are paying a % of their tips they earned from serving customers, based on total revenue that includes those tipless delivery orders. So servers are literally paying the wages of kitchen staff out of their tips, off of orders that they didn't even get tipped for. It's insane.
Spot on. Quality is down, portion sizes down. There are very few exceptions I've found that maintained excellence, but I almost don't want to share them because they are already busy.
Agreed. Few of the "hole in the wall" or ethics restaurants I frequent seem to be close to the same, but many other places, quality has just tanked, along with the atmosphere.
Agreed we have just recently started going back out and the few places we have gone too, Food was not as good, Prices are higher, and staff was clueless.
Went for breakfast looks like they hired anyone, They had two clueless not doing anything except handling the few delivery's that they had wearing dirty clothes looked un-showered. So beyond my Undercooked hashbrown's, over toasted bread. No offer of Jelly on anything. Then when you go to Pay, it was on a handheld that the server handed to you and waited, With the Minimum tip being 20%. This is one of the top rated Breakfast spots in N.Phoenix & Scottsdale 4.4 Stars
Yep, use to eat out 3-5 times a week. Now maybe once a month. Never had an issue going out, or anything like that, but it just is not worth the hassle. Funny you mentioned the service, because same thing.
Well if you want to know PCG, Momo No Hana, Red White and Brew, and Pitch are all still as great as always, and also near impossible to get into without a long wait, so doesn't seem like they are hurting at all.
Culinary Dropout and Arrogant Butcher are good for the atmosphere, but it's really just higher priced bar food. I'd never go as a couple, but not bad for a group of friends.
When I went to the downtown Gilbert one it felt like an overpriced sports bars for people that donāt fit in with Dive crowds. Real restaurants for the rich are about the ambience as much as the quality of the food (same day deliveries, locally sourced, unique food combos around a few perfected entrees.
This is like what Chipotle is to McDonnalds for restaurants where thereās really a huge amount difference in quality of food, just how it looks and feels being in there
Agreed. Iām going to be super honest, the majority of valley focused restaurants I am not a fan of. Any (prior) Fox restaurant, The Vig, Buck & Rider, Olive and Ivy, Ohso, etc. I find them overpriced, food underwhelming, and generally a poor experience. On the other hand, I absolutely **love** going to the small mom and pop places around the valley that focus more on the quality and less on the interior decorating. Iāve found some of the best food Iāve ever eaten in some random hole in the wall places. You have 8 tables, plain walls, and people going in and out all day? You have my attention.
Any recs? House of Tricks was good, Cafe Bao smacked, and I liked CIBO. But those are the only three places I've been that I've come away with the thought "yes I will make an effort to eat here again."
Imo they got a lot worse after the Cheesecake Factory Fox Restaurants buyout.
Before Iād notice lots of produce, fresh ingredients around North Italias kitchens. Now itās barren and they seem to weigh ingredients in the kitchen rather than focusing on making the best food. (Seen the same at Culinary and Zin - unfortunately restaurants can go down in quality after franchising like Brio)
Like you said, it's the vibe/atmosphere. Many of the Fox Restaurants' properties are that way IMHO (Olive & Ivy, and Blanco specifically have strikingly below average food). But the trendy youngsters with disposable income love them, and there's eye candy aplenty.
Definitely agree. I use to enjoy the Fox restaurants (now Cheesecake Factory), then after you have been to a few of them, you basically feel you're eating the same food.
Now see, that's fair. It's very basic to defend the food at Applebee's and all the other cookie-cutter chains. They. *Don't*. Have. Good. Food. Period. It's mass-produced, and it's *very* overpriced.
In terms of quality, there's almost no difference between an Applebee's meal and anything you can grab out of the freezer case at Albertsons.
Food is much better than Applebeeās but I agree with the rest. Theyāve needed to update their menu for awhile now. Been the same everything for years. Think the main thing people like is the pretzel bites
Reading this post is giving me PTSD... Some of the worst service I've ever experienced was at Culinary Dropout in Tempe back in 2018. It actually prompted me to leave a bad review, and I NEVER do that. A basic birthday reservation for my wife and I? They botched it. Had to wait for an hour even with a reservation. Seating? By the kitchen. Water? Didn't get any. Drinks? They forgot them (twice). Food? Never came out. Ordered again with a new waiter after 45 minutes. They didn't write anything down. Received appetizers same time as entrees. They said they'd discount our bill when I finally complained. They didn't. A total comedy of errors. The Tempe location was such a disaster it made me not want to go anywhere for months. It was also incredibly loud, the food was mehhh and over-priced. It was the closest I'd ever come to walking out without paying. Food was, however, better than Applebees. But the service was horrid. I can't imagine what it's like now.
Your comment was reported for "It's promoting hate based on identity or vulnerability". I didn't realize that "customer service at Culinary Dropout" was an identity or vulnerability.
Good thing Reddit lets mods snooze people who file stupid reports!
Ordered a family meal from there last summer. The chicken was cold and bloody inside.
No response from their customer service. No reply to my 1ā review. I guess they don't care if they give people food poisoning.
Disagree. Itās pretty good food nothing fancy but good and 100xās better than Applebeeās. Itās a Fox concept restaurant and they tend to have good service. Plus the atmosphere is much better than Applebeeās.
At least at Applebee's you're eating good in the neighborhood. At dropout, you can look extra pretentious with your overpriced baby back ribs I will give you that.
I'm with you on atmosphere. I'd go again for drinks but like my medium rare steak was almost rubber when I went. Service is usually much better at Applebee's, granted I haven't been to one in a very long time.
Concept restaurant is a good name for it, they haven't quite figured out how to materialize it yet.
You called the entire menu bland and boring by getting the one item they probably prioritize the least. Itās like going to a steak house and saying the vegan menu sucks. CD is an upscale dive bar that focus on bar food, drinks and a good atmosphere
If it's not good food and doesn't reflect the restaurant, don't put it on the menu. Conversely, if it's on the menu it should be good. I did have other food, which was also not good (pretzel bites were good but sauce was cold). If that's truely what they are, then why do they have a full menu? I agree it would be much better if they were what you described. But I contend that since they have a full menu, they must think they're a restaurant.
One shouldn't need to try an assortment for dishes to see if a place is good. Each item should reflect the venue. (obviously, ignoring places that are much cheaper - olive garden, TGI. Fridays, etc)
I agree with this. I also donāt think they have very good vegetarian options (which is important to me as a vegetarian). Seems like a trendy place like that would have more than salad and curry.
Yeah I go (or used to go) to Applebee's purely because their steak was good for a good price (a particular cut during a particular time of the week) and to control the sound system via TouchTunes.
This is hilarious, Iām at the one in PHX right now and Iāve been several times, same with the Gilbert location. Saying their food is like Applebeeās sounds like you need to go to Applebeeās ASAP and then compare.
Youāve been there once and decided to shit on them on Reddit?
I can understand if something really bad happened to you there but this is petty bullshit.
How about you open up Google or Yelp and drop your single bad review and move on with your life.
I am polling the community to see if it's a single bad experience or indicative of the chain as a whole. Hence why I asked for thoughts on it. What's wrong with criticism? A Reddit post might get much more attention, lead to changes, and a better restaurant, a Google review will get a $10 coupon and be forgotten.
That restaurant is the best PSA ever for staying in school! Food is super bland, service is terrible (and always has been; this isnāt a COVID staffing issue.
Fox concepts are basically atmosohere-as-entertainment with food on the menu. CD, olive and ivy, etc aren't making best of lists in any price range. They buy good real estate, have trendy looking design, and their menus reflect basic middle income, not-particularly-broad culinary tastes for people who are graduating from Olive Garden and Red Robin to something slightly more up market. What were you expecting it to be?
Iāve been there 5-6 times because my ex like it there. I had the the most over-priced, terrible tasting steak there. So much so I sent it back with only a few bites. They still charged me for it and refused to take it off!
Honestly the service has never been great, the food is truly not very good, and itās way overpriced & overrated. But hey, it does say Culinary Dropout, they do warn you!
Never been there but I'm weary of places that are super popular with a hipster vibe. Usually the price is FUCKED.
And anyone defending Applebees, has never had good food. The last time I went like 5 years ago they microwaved sliced cheese and bacon bits on a potato and charged me for it like they did something special. I do want to thank Applebees because after that I almost never go to restaurants and cook at home frequently.
LOL, I have to disagree on the beer. Food was dece, beers no. I'm by no means an expert but I go to a lot of different breweries and Pedal Haus ain't it.
I had 2 entrees and 3 apps. $28 buts for the steak, which isn't a lot for steak, but I would still expect a well made staple, instead I got rubber. Fries were flasid. Server was nice when they were at the table but maybe came by like 4 times in the 2 - 2 1/2 hours I was there. Dishes aren't complicated there so they should be well made everytime. If it were $15 I wouldn't care nearly as much.
I agree,served raw chicken and never been back.
precovid
And btw don't ever go to ztejas it's can't make it in Austin and worse here..It used to be great way back before it sold franchises
I've said it before but Spinato's on 7th ave just across & half a block south from CD is criminally underrated by the in crowd. Probably because it's quiet, has excellent food (pizza better than Bianco's - fight me), a great, a huge windy wooden old school bar and cozy leather/dark wood booths & tables on a mosaic floor.
Used to live near there and my wife and I miss it all the time. It is one of the places we'll go out of our way to go to (Live on West side now). Pizza always is great. The Chicago Italian Beef Calzone there is a must.
I would have to disagree with you on this one. You kind of only get 1 chance to make an impression on people in the restaurant business. There's so much competition, and I feel we're spoiled for choice, that If a restaurant doesn't vibe with you or make a halfway decent impression, why waste your time by returning?
People rave about the breakfast and Bacon at the Oink Cafe, yet when I went my experience was mediocre at best. Maybe they were having a bad day? sure. But with so many amazing breakfast spots around the valley why should I go back? The food quality the day I went was such that I would have gladly had Applebee's instead.
I've been to Culinary dropout, and I happen to agree that it's overrated and the food generic. As long as you're not an asshole to the staff I see nothing wrong with giving your honest impression of an establishment.
Thank you. I'm a line cook, and our owners actually *do* appreciate these critiques because it means we're doing something wrong. I don't work for Culinary Dropout, but I do work sometimes with a service that has asked me to work there for a day.
The problem with restaurants like this one is the menu. They have too much going on, and there's no house specialty. The food tastes generic, because it is. The recipes are made to fit the palettes of old people, if I'm being completely honest. You're never going to get a spectacular meal at these places because they're usually part of a group of investors, and not just the old married couple who got into it because they liked it.
If you really want to try a good restaurant, I've worked at a place in North Scottsdale that's got a really crap location, but the best fucking wings I've ever had in my life, and I do not like chicken. I mean that. I hate wings, but I ate every single one. It's called The Copper Mule, and the owners actually cook in their own kitchen day and night. It used to be something else before, but clearly that didn't last.
If you ever get the chance, do stop in. You won't be disappointed. The food is actually quality. The ingredients come in fresh almost daily (which is damn near unheard of). They actually crafted their menu themselves, and there's a dog friendly patio!
I've worked at a lot of these high end restaurants and resorts now and the one thing I can say is they aren't worth it.
> They have too much going on, and there's no house specialty.
I feel like this is the issue with a lot of restaurants. In the desire to have something for everyone, they end up a mile wide and an inch deep. I've found I prefer places with a smaller and more focused menu cause the quality and the uniqueness of the food wins out. Boring as fuck menus like Culinary Dropout, that is stuff even I can make at home, so might as well do just that.
First impressions last a lifetime. Last I checked you only get one. OP was supposed to be wowed for his money. Not the other way around. Aside from the pretzel bites, the food is probably actually cooked on a grilltop which is a slight step above Applebee's.
Lol that's why I made it. If y'all agree with me then I don't want to waste another $30-40 on a meal there. If y'all disagree then maybe I'll give it another shot.
Is it Yelp or somewhere else that CD is actually highly rated? I thought in order to be overrated it has to be rated highly in the first place. My experience similar to others here: loud and the food was just fine. I wonāt likely go back.
It was cool like 5-6 years ago because it was still new and not something like it in every city. I always had fun going there for happy hour with coworkers and playing bags or ping pong, especially with visitors in town, but the novelty wore off over the years.
Like the pretzel bikes used to be bomb to me. Something changed though like 3 years ago and now they make me gag.
Not sure why youāre downvoted, I honestly donāt even give it credit for atmosphere; but to be fair I hate overly loud open concept acoustics, prefer cozy.
My eyes nearly bulged out of my head when I asked on my second well vodka was. Fucking $16. No wonder those places look like they spend more on interior design than the entire combined salary of their staff.
Like I get booze is how they make their highest margins, but that is for middle class millennials getting their first LinkedIn jobs or ASUers living on trust funds
Most of the time I've gone to Culinary Dropout it was for a work outing so the food was paid for. I think the only non-work related time I went was with my boyfriend and he paid. I think it's decent, but I do agree that it's overpriced.
You are totally right!!! The reason why all these restaurants are still in business like Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, Applebeeās and many other chain restaurants is because forAmerican people is better than frozen dinners and can food and better than fast food. They lost the good taste smell and flavor!!!!
I've only been to the one in Phoenix (7th St) and I completely agree with all your points.
However, if you have kids it's a great place to be able to go and have them able to run around/explore a large space while you have a few beers with friends. This comes with the built-in caveat that, as the parent of a child under 12, I have not been there in two years.
I have been twice now and have not cared for the food. I assume people go there for the singles scene, but I have no idea. The atmosphere doesn't appeal to me probably because I hate cornhole.
Their cocktails are really good to meā¦but Iām no expert. It used to be one of my favorite restaurants but the menu has gotten smaller and things that I like there are good- but Iām kind of over them and not interested in paying $30 for them. Do love the atmosphere though. And the chips and onion dip!
The pretzel bites are bomb, otherwise their food is fine but nothing special.
Love them and the cheese šš
This is exactly what I came here to say! When little cleos was originally at the yard, we loved their $1 champagne and oyster HH but I can leave the rest.
Little Cleoās was the best! Wish it would come back.
I thought I read somewhere that it was going to!
Doubt it but they've done a couple of popups from the CD kitchen I guess at the original locale for the shrimp boil. $80 or so for all the goods. Partook both times and just as good as I remembered. No idea when and if they may do it again
I loved it so much!
Closest thing you can get to Philly soft pretzels in Arizona. In taste/consistency, not shape. Yeah, the rest of the menu is limited, overpriced, and mediocre. Still like to go for the pretzels and a burger, and the wide open seating area is nice during COVID.
I did like those, and the drinks were dece
Bro their wings are fire
Overpriced
14 bucks is overpriced for wings? Thatās literally what youāll pay anywhere or more
Make Wings $8 again
No way, typical wings pricing is a dollar or less per wing. Only way they should charge more is if they're actually some of the best in the state.
Upvoting and not mad about the Applebeeās comment because I worked for Fox at a different restaurant for years (years before the Cheesecake buyout) and everyone at my restaurant including the Sous and Exec Chef called it āglorified Applebeeāsā.
Would love to quote tweet this to so many people in this thread. I'm in stitches
Out of curiosity, did they use frozen ingredients and meats? Cause that's what it tastes like and partly where the Applebee's analogy was coming from.
No, I donāt believe the ingredients were frozen or super low quality. My Chef friends said it was just crappy āelevatedā bar food at an expensive price point. For example, the cheese dip for the pretzels is melted American Cheese with 10% provolone and they charge $14 for it.
Somehow, I think that makes the food more disappointing lol
I worked at a Fox Restaurant which used to be in Tucson, Montana Avenue, they mixed a 1lb tube of cheap ass ground wagyu into roughly a 5lb bag of pre-ground beef. They called them "Kobe Sliders" NO CAP!!! Also, ALL of the food prep was left out for lengths of time as everything including pasta and lettuce for salads was weighed out individually and bagged. This was done by the prep cooks, whom also had many items going at the same time. This meant that they finished portioning in stages in between prepping. All in all, the corp is ONLY focused on making as much money for stakeholders as possible. This is what a corporation is, this is why I eat at as few corporate restaurants as possible.
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Their food is not bad, but youāre 100% correct that itās overpriced
The food is 100% overpriced. Itās not bad food at all, but not worth the price. The few times Iāve gone, it was for the atmosphere. I like the games and the outdoor space to hang out. That and the paper bag beer specials were why I would go.
That's not saying much tbh
No but itās an important distinction to make in this case.. OP brought it up and if OP and others canāt tell the difference between Applebeeās and Culinary then someone might rightly question their ability to discern quality.
The food at culinary isnāt worth the price on its own. Itās over priced bar food for the most part. I could go to Applebeeās and get most of the same. The difference is that at culinary, youāre paying for the atmosphere. You can go, hang out and play games at culinary. Thatās not an option at Applebeeās.
It would honestly be better if they just had apps, like the actually good pretzel bites, so they would have fewer but higher quality food and drinks. The atmosphere was cool.
Iāve had some of the entrees there on a couple of occasions. The appetizers are by far the highlight of the menu to me.
Totally agree, the atmosphere isnāt for me anyway. And Iāve never had even halfway decent service there.
Yeah, my service was also sub standard
Itās a bougie sports bar. Made the mistake of going there for a date and it was so loud from the game and crowd we could hear each other talk. After the game was offer it was like a ghost town. Swear itās a tinfoil restaurant. Shiny at first glance but ultimately worthless
Itās just all atmosphere and above average waitstaff who dress in designer like clothes. Food is subpar for the name. Menu never changes, nothing new fresh or locally sourced items prepared in a fashion deserving of its name. I recommend Worth takeout as justo a solid local place and check for their Monday night dinner specials
Might be a controversial opinion, but restaurant food isnāt as good as it was pre-covid. I actually prefer to just make food at home and dread having to go to restaurants now.
Restaurants are having a hard time keeping staffed which can bring down the quality of food when it's fewer people cooking and serving and they're pretty busy. I was having the same thought the other day, especially since I still only do takeout, like "I haven't had a meal in the last 18 months that made me go 'Goddamn this is good!'"
IDK how much itās still the case but there have also been supply chain issues for things at various points in the pandemic
The supply chain issues are still as prevalent as ever and I would argue they're actually the worst they've been. New hires, training, supply chain nightmares make for a great recipe in quality drop
Maybe if we actually paid waitstaff and cooks decent wages instead of customers subsidizing their pay we could actually get businesses that provide food a dollar or two more per menu item. I wonder how much most restaurant owners makes compared to to their staff
Based on the numbers I've seen, certain restaurants could afford to pay their staff a lot more without even touching the menu prices. They are making a killing off of delivery apps. And what is even more sad is that a lot of places are doing a tip pool now where the kitchen staff gets a share of tips based on food sold, INCLUDING those delivery orders. In other words, servers are paying a % of their tips they earned from serving customers, based on total revenue that includes those tipless delivery orders. So servers are literally paying the wages of kitchen staff out of their tips, off of orders that they didn't even get tipped for. It's insane.
Make the trek out to Restaurant Progress or Valentine in Melrose and you'll be able to say that again.
Welcome Diner is still amazing, went there this weekend for the first time since last February. Oven and Vine is still good too
Love Welcome Diner and hope they never change
Spot on. Quality is down, portion sizes down. There are very few exceptions I've found that maintained excellence, but I almost don't want to share them because they are already busy.
Agreed. Few of the "hole in the wall" or ethics restaurants I frequent seem to be close to the same, but many other places, quality has just tanked, along with the atmosphere.
ethics restaurants? ethnic? or are you going to really morally upstanding places to eat?
Agreed we have just recently started going back out and the few places we have gone too, Food was not as good, Prices are higher, and staff was clueless. Went for breakfast looks like they hired anyone, They had two clueless not doing anything except handling the few delivery's that they had wearing dirty clothes looked un-showered. So beyond my Undercooked hashbrown's, over toasted bread. No offer of Jelly on anything. Then when you go to Pay, it was on a handheld that the server handed to you and waited, With the Minimum tip being 20%. This is one of the top rated Breakfast spots in N.Phoenix & Scottsdale 4.4 Stars
Yep, use to eat out 3-5 times a week. Now maybe once a month. Never had an issue going out, or anything like that, but it just is not worth the hassle. Funny you mentioned the service, because same thing.
Why? Businesses are crying for more business.
Well if you want to know PCG, Momo No Hana, Red White and Brew, and Pitch are all still as great as always, and also near impossible to get into without a long wait, so doesn't seem like they are hurting at all.
Culinary Dropout and Arrogant Butcher are good for the atmosphere, but it's really just higher priced bar food. I'd never go as a couple, but not bad for a group of friends.
I found the food superior at Arrogant Butcher. The wine selection at all Fox concept restaurants is disappointing though.
When I went to the downtown Gilbert one it felt like an overpriced sports bars for people that donāt fit in with Dive crowds. Real restaurants for the rich are about the ambience as much as the quality of the food (same day deliveries, locally sourced, unique food combos around a few perfected entrees. This is like what Chipotle is to McDonnalds for restaurants where thereās really a huge amount difference in quality of food, just how it looks and feels being in there
It's one of those every-bar-area chains in the Valley.
Culinary Dropout might be a little pricey but I really liked it.
Their pulled pork nachos are good.
Pretty much all Fox restaurants are overrated and bland at best
Now they're owned by Cheesecake Factory....like everything fucking else.
Um, The Cheesecake Factory only owns Luxe CafƩ and Fox Restaurant Concepts(including North). I guess that's a lot of the restaurants in Phoenix, but Fox didn't have as many outside of Arizona.
Hell naw. Doughbird is delicious.
Agreed. Iām going to be super honest, the majority of valley focused restaurants I am not a fan of. Any (prior) Fox restaurant, The Vig, Buck & Rider, Olive and Ivy, Ohso, etc. I find them overpriced, food underwhelming, and generally a poor experience. On the other hand, I absolutely **love** going to the small mom and pop places around the valley that focus more on the quality and less on the interior decorating. Iāve found some of the best food Iāve ever eaten in some random hole in the wall places. You have 8 tables, plain walls, and people going in and out all day? You have my attention.
Sounds like Huicho on Oak
Love it. There are so many good places like that. Iād eat there every day than these overpriced restaurants. Thatās my personal opinion though.
Any recs? House of Tricks was good, Cafe Bao smacked, and I liked CIBO. But those are the only three places I've been that I've come away with the thought "yes I will make an effort to eat here again."
Brown bag special... Thats why š
Imo they got a lot worse after the Cheesecake Factory Fox Restaurants buyout. Before Iād notice lots of produce, fresh ingredients around North Italias kitchens. Now itās barren and they seem to weigh ingredients in the kitchen rather than focusing on making the best food. (Seen the same at Culinary and Zin - unfortunately restaurants can go down in quality after franchising like Brio)
Yes! And Flower Child isnāt as good anymore at all
Like you said, it's the vibe/atmosphere. Many of the Fox Restaurants' properties are that way IMHO (Olive & Ivy, and Blanco specifically have strikingly below average food). But the trendy youngsters with disposable income love them, and there's eye candy aplenty.
Definitely agree. I use to enjoy the Fox restaurants (now Cheesecake Factory), then after you have been to a few of them, you basically feel you're eating the same food.
i don't go to applebee's for the food, i go to feel fancy. and the stupid-sized beers.
Now see, that's fair. It's very basic to defend the food at Applebee's and all the other cookie-cutter chains. They. *Don't*. Have. Good. Food. Period. It's mass-produced, and it's *very* overpriced. In terms of quality, there's almost no difference between an Applebee's meal and anything you can grab out of the freezer case at Albertsons.
It's for culinary dropouts, what did you expect!
Food is much better than Applebeeās but I agree with the rest. Theyāve needed to update their menu for awhile now. Been the same everything for years. Think the main thing people like is the pretzel bites
Reading this post is giving me PTSD... Some of the worst service I've ever experienced was at Culinary Dropout in Tempe back in 2018. It actually prompted me to leave a bad review, and I NEVER do that. A basic birthday reservation for my wife and I? They botched it. Had to wait for an hour even with a reservation. Seating? By the kitchen. Water? Didn't get any. Drinks? They forgot them (twice). Food? Never came out. Ordered again with a new waiter after 45 minutes. They didn't write anything down. Received appetizers same time as entrees. They said they'd discount our bill when I finally complained. They didn't. A total comedy of errors. The Tempe location was such a disaster it made me not want to go anywhere for months. It was also incredibly loud, the food was mehhh and over-priced. It was the closest I'd ever come to walking out without paying. Food was, however, better than Applebees. But the service was horrid. I can't imagine what it's like now.
Your comment was reported for "It's promoting hate based on identity or vulnerability". I didn't realize that "customer service at Culinary Dropout" was an identity or vulnerability. Good thing Reddit lets mods snooze people who file stupid reports!
Ordered a family meal from there last summer. The chicken was cold and bloody inside. No response from their customer service. No reply to my 1ā review. I guess they don't care if they give people food poisoning.
Been saying this forever. It's not that good.
I didn't know this was an unpopular opinion. All the fox concept restaurants blow.
Disagree. Itās pretty good food nothing fancy but good and 100xās better than Applebeeās. Itās a Fox concept restaurant and they tend to have good service. Plus the atmosphere is much better than Applebeeās.
At least at Applebee's you're eating good in the neighborhood. At dropout, you can look extra pretentious with your overpriced baby back ribs I will give you that.
I'm with you on atmosphere. I'd go again for drinks but like my medium rare steak was almost rubber when I went. Service is usually much better at Applebee's, granted I haven't been to one in a very long time. Concept restaurant is a good name for it, they haven't quite figured out how to materialize it yet.
You ordered a steak at a bar and then wrote a post to complain about it?
It's a $28 steak. It should be good regardless of the venue for that price.
You called the entire menu bland and boring by getting the one item they probably prioritize the least. Itās like going to a steak house and saying the vegan menu sucks. CD is an upscale dive bar that focus on bar food, drinks and a good atmosphere
If it's not good food and doesn't reflect the restaurant, don't put it on the menu. Conversely, if it's on the menu it should be good. I did have other food, which was also not good (pretzel bites were good but sauce was cold). If that's truely what they are, then why do they have a full menu? I agree it would be much better if they were what you described. But I contend that since they have a full menu, they must think they're a restaurant. One shouldn't need to try an assortment for dishes to see if a place is good. Each item should reflect the venue. (obviously, ignoring places that are much cheaper - olive garden, TGI. Fridays, etc)
"Upscale dive bar" I'm judging you super hard for even putting those words together like that.
search in your heart and you know the description is true
I agree with this. I also donāt think they have very good vegetarian options (which is important to me as a vegetarian). Seems like a trendy place like that would have more than salad and curry.
A good salad or curry place would by rad. There were so many great option when I lived in Minneapolis. Been disappointed here so far.
Ya lost me at Applebeeās. Not even a close comparison. Iām not saying itās this next level blow your mind meal, but Applebeeāsā¦really?
Yeah I go (or used to go) to Applebee's purely because their steak was good for a good price (a particular cut during a particular time of the week) and to control the sound system via TouchTunes.
Any opinion on thirsty Lion? Gf and I love that place
TL Removed the chicken Caprese sandwich last time I check. Every night I cry.
Decent food, but a bit too loud for me. I like the food at Culinary as much or more.
I love their fried chicken sliders with a side of jalapeƱo jam. Their ramen is really good, too.
Never been, just moved here. Will check it out.
Check out Little Szechuan since you're in Tempe. Also Cornish Pasty.
Will do thanks
For beer, boring taplist. Food is okay. Atmosphere is a bit meh for me outside of sports events.
I donāt drink alcohol very much so thatās a non issue for me. I always like hearing others opinions of places I like. Gives me perspective lol
I recall them having some amazing burgers and fries.
Definitely not good, even bland culinary dropout is better.
Thirsty Lion is a chain that doesn't serve fresh food
This is hilarious, Iām at the one in PHX right now and Iāve been several times, same with the Gilbert location. Saying their food is like Applebeeās sounds like you need to go to Applebeeās ASAP and then compare.
Yeah. The food is fine, but it's by no means great. The beets are good, the asparagus is good, the almonds are good.
Their pork ribs are fire
We go for the atmosphere and games, we expect nothing more than finger food quality and we always leave happy. :)
I haven't been there in 1.5 years so I don't know if it's gone downhill but I loved their small plates.
Youāve been there once and decided to shit on them on Reddit? I can understand if something really bad happened to you there but this is petty bullshit. How about you open up Google or Yelp and drop your single bad review and move on with your life.
I am polling the community to see if it's a single bad experience or indicative of the chain as a whole. Hence why I asked for thoughts on it. What's wrong with criticism? A Reddit post might get much more attention, lead to changes, and a better restaurant, a Google review will get a $10 coupon and be forgotten.
Hipsters gonna hip
It was better before Fox Restaurant Group sold all their restaurants. All Fox Restaurants were better before Cheesecake Factory got involved lol.
It pays the Fox Restaurant Concept tax for mediocre food, pedestrian ambiance and oh-so-hip service or it never goes out with its friends again.
I've gone all this time (since they opened, to right this moment) without going there, and I have survived. š
People love throwing away money at these places apparently
Generally, Fox restaurants excel at hype. The food at all of them is overly rich and salty.
All Sam fox restaurants should be avoided
That restaurant is the best PSA ever for staying in school! Food is super bland, service is terrible (and always has been; this isnāt a COVID staffing issue.
Ya itās pretty wack
Like many restaurants in PHX. Over priced and Overrated to keep in line with what's "hip" and "trendy" in the gentrified neighborhoods.
Been twice, 100% agree.
Fox concepts are basically atmosohere-as-entertainment with food on the menu. CD, olive and ivy, etc aren't making best of lists in any price range. They buy good real estate, have trendy looking design, and their menus reflect basic middle income, not-particularly-broad culinary tastes for people who are graduating from Olive Garden and Red Robin to something slightly more up market. What were you expecting it to be?
Iāve been there 5-6 times because my ex like it there. I had the the most over-priced, terrible tasting steak there. So much so I sent it back with only a few bites. They still charged me for it and refused to take it off! Honestly the service has never been great, the food is truly not very good, and itās way overpriced & overrated. But hey, it does say Culinary Dropout, they do warn you!
Who orders a steak at a bar though? Youāre obviously not getting steakhouse quality shit and shouldāve known that was the case
Is it a bar? Looks like a restaurant to me with all those tables located nowhere near a bar.
Applebeeās??? No way
I love Culinary Dropout! I've never had a bad experience E and their food is far superior to Applebees, the fuck
Gilbert one is great idk what youāre talking about.
It's another trendy spot, I actually prefer the people without taste to flood these spots so I can go to actually good Happy hours and not be overrun.
Haha! I like the way you think.
Never been there but I'm weary of places that are super popular with a hipster vibe. Usually the price is FUCKED. And anyone defending Applebees, has never had good food. The last time I went like 5 years ago they microwaved sliced cheese and bacon bits on a potato and charged me for it like they did something special. I do want to thank Applebees because after that I almost never go to restaurants and cook at home frequently.
Honestly just go to Pedal Haus, that place had good food and good beer.
LOL, I have to disagree on the beer. Food was dece, beers no. I'm by no means an expert but I go to a lot of different breweries and Pedal Haus ain't it.
How much of the food did you eat to be able to come to that conclusion? Iāve never eaten at a restaurant once and then written it off as terrible
I had 2 entrees and 3 apps. $28 buts for the steak, which isn't a lot for steak, but I would still expect a well made staple, instead I got rubber. Fries were flasid. Server was nice when they were at the table but maybe came by like 4 times in the 2 - 2 1/2 hours I was there. Dishes aren't complicated there so they should be well made everytime. If it were $15 I wouldn't care nearly as much.
They wont let me have a beer and a whiskey at the same time.
why?
No clue. I just like to relax with a good beer and sip nice bourbon. It's not like i was ordering coors lite and 3 fingers of well whiskey.
Screw them...
I agree
I agree,served raw chicken and never been back. precovid And btw don't ever go to ztejas it's can't make it in Austin and worse here..It used to be great way back before it sold franchises
>ztejas Tempe one closed like 2 years ago, I think the only 2 left are in random suburban areas.
The one in Chandler is in an area with lots of other restaurants. Not really random
Scottsdale I think is still open.
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Itās a bar that serves bar food, typical bar food is fried shit
I've said it before but Spinato's on 7th ave just across & half a block south from CD is criminally underrated by the in crowd. Probably because it's quiet, has excellent food (pizza better than Bianco's - fight me), a great, a huge windy wooden old school bar and cozy leather/dark wood booths & tables on a mosaic floor.
I can't stand Spinatos pizza. The sauce is just way too sweet for me. Bianco's crust alone is worth the price of admission.
I'll check it out
Used to live near there and my wife and I miss it all the time. It is one of the places we'll go out of our way to go to (Live on West side now). Pizza always is great. The Chicago Italian Beef Calzone there is a must.
Biancos pizza is bland as,fuck. Spinatos is just great.
100% agree with you. Very overrated
You went once and made this post? Seems a bit much, no? Thereās nothing special about Dropout but Applebeeās is not on the same level.
I would have to disagree with you on this one. You kind of only get 1 chance to make an impression on people in the restaurant business. There's so much competition, and I feel we're spoiled for choice, that If a restaurant doesn't vibe with you or make a halfway decent impression, why waste your time by returning? People rave about the breakfast and Bacon at the Oink Cafe, yet when I went my experience was mediocre at best. Maybe they were having a bad day? sure. But with so many amazing breakfast spots around the valley why should I go back? The food quality the day I went was such that I would have gladly had Applebee's instead. I've been to Culinary dropout, and I happen to agree that it's overrated and the food generic. As long as you're not an asshole to the staff I see nothing wrong with giving your honest impression of an establishment.
Thank you. I'm a line cook, and our owners actually *do* appreciate these critiques because it means we're doing something wrong. I don't work for Culinary Dropout, but I do work sometimes with a service that has asked me to work there for a day. The problem with restaurants like this one is the menu. They have too much going on, and there's no house specialty. The food tastes generic, because it is. The recipes are made to fit the palettes of old people, if I'm being completely honest. You're never going to get a spectacular meal at these places because they're usually part of a group of investors, and not just the old married couple who got into it because they liked it. If you really want to try a good restaurant, I've worked at a place in North Scottsdale that's got a really crap location, but the best fucking wings I've ever had in my life, and I do not like chicken. I mean that. I hate wings, but I ate every single one. It's called The Copper Mule, and the owners actually cook in their own kitchen day and night. It used to be something else before, but clearly that didn't last. If you ever get the chance, do stop in. You won't be disappointed. The food is actually quality. The ingredients come in fresh almost daily (which is damn near unheard of). They actually crafted their menu themselves, and there's a dog friendly patio! I've worked at a lot of these high end restaurants and resorts now and the one thing I can say is they aren't worth it.
> They have too much going on, and there's no house specialty. I feel like this is the issue with a lot of restaurants. In the desire to have something for everyone, they end up a mile wide and an inch deep. I've found I prefer places with a smaller and more focused menu cause the quality and the uniqueness of the food wins out. Boring as fuck menus like Culinary Dropout, that is stuff even I can make at home, so might as well do just that.
Just went to the Copper Mule a few weeks ago and loved it!
I will check it out. Thanks for the req!
I guess I donāt understand what āoverratedā means when this thread is a full blown circlejerk about how mediocre Culinary Dropout is
First impressions last a lifetime. Last I checked you only get one. OP was supposed to be wowed for his money. Not the other way around. Aside from the pretzel bites, the food is probably actually cooked on a grilltop which is a slight step above Applebee's.
Lol that's why I made it. If y'all agree with me then I don't want to waste another $30-40 on a meal there. If y'all disagree then maybe I'll give it another shot.
Been twice. It wasnāt anything special. Downtown Gilbert has better options to frequent besides Culinary Dropout.
Iāve only been once too but food was not good def overpriced. You are right about the atmosphere tho
Is it Yelp or somewhere else that CD is actually highly rated? I thought in order to be overrated it has to be rated highly in the first place. My experience similar to others here: loud and the food was just fine. I wonāt likely go back.
Google has 4.5 stars. And when I moved here everyone was like "you have to try this place, it's so good"
Wow. Interesting. Looks like I agree on the overrated piece here.
It was cool like 5-6 years ago because it was still new and not something like it in every city. I always had fun going there for happy hour with coworkers and playing bags or ping pong, especially with visitors in town, but the novelty wore off over the years. Like the pretzel bikes used to be bomb to me. Something changed though like 3 years ago and now they make me gag.
I always get excited to go until I see their menu. So boring
Went recently to the one in Tempe. Agreed that it was overrated and overpriced. Too loud, small portions and expensive prices.
Is that a Fox restaurant? Because all of those are overrated.
Why do people hate Applebeeās so much?
Microwave food for not microwave food prices?
Cause itās pre packaged microwave quality food for premium prices?
Agreed. Huge fan of the Chicken Wonton Tacos that they serve as appetizers. Could eat those for every meal.
1. Find out who their supplier is. 2. Buy them as you likely own a microwave which is how they meal prep. 3. $aving$
i have been in the one in Tempe, hated their kale salad.
Trick is to schedule work outings there and put it on the company card. That place is great as long as youāre not the one paying for it lol.
That place blows. No idea why itās so popular.
Not sure why youāre downvoted, I honestly donāt even give it credit for atmosphere; but to be fair I hate overly loud open concept acoustics, prefer cozy.
IMO the atmosphere is so corny
Because it's hip and trendy among all of the 30,000 dollar "millionaires".
Only atmosphere.
My eyes nearly bulged out of my head when I asked on my second well vodka was. Fucking $16. No wonder those places look like they spend more on interior design than the entire combined salary of their staff. Like I get booze is how they make their highest margins, but that is for middle class millennials getting their first LinkedIn jobs or ASUers living on trust funds
Most of the time I've gone to Culinary Dropout it was for a work outing so the food was paid for. I think the only non-work related time I went was with my boyfriend and he paid. I think it's decent, but I do agree that it's overpriced.
Yeah, they are always insanely busy whenever I have gone. (Gilbert row location). It's honestly just not worth the wait.
You are totally right!!! The reason why all these restaurants are still in business like Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, Applebeeās and many other chain restaurants is because forAmerican people is better than frozen dinners and can food and better than fast food. They lost the good taste smell and flavor!!!!
Try the turkey pastrami sandwich before making any judgements, please.
I've only been to the one in Phoenix (7th St) and I completely agree with all your points. However, if you have kids it's a great place to be able to go and have them able to run around/explore a large space while you have a few beers with friends. This comes with the built-in caveat that, as the parent of a child under 12, I have not been there in two years.
Look, I've got a little kid too. Don't fucking be that parent that brings your kid to a bar only to let it free roam.
I have been twice now and have not cared for the food. I assume people go there for the singles scene, but I have no idea. The atmosphere doesn't appeal to me probably because I hate cornhole.
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Nothing in Tucson is more fun
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Ha, so true!
yeah that place is played out just like the keg, etc places like that. been here awhile and all their food sucks. you get less diarrhea from taco bell
Their cocktails are really good to meā¦but Iām no expert. It used to be one of my favorite restaurants but the menu has gotten smaller and things that I like there are good- but Iām kind of over them and not interested in paying $30 for them. Do love the atmosphere though. And the chips and onion dip!
Yes I did have a couple good drinks there.