- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Ajo Al's Mexican Cafe
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Padres specializes in central Mexican cuisine with a modern Latin flair, for example our lobster Thermidor quesadilla is not your everyday quesadilla… read more »
28 reviews for Ajo Al's Mexican Cafe
Review Highlights
-
"2/25/11: Half size pollo con queso is perfect size." In 6 reviews -
"The chips and salsa are endless and excellent." In 5 reviews -
"...of my list, but I've never been disappointed by Ajo Al's." In 3 reviews
Loading...
28 reviews in English
-
Review from Sarah W.
Chandler, AZ
1/23/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I dont know how willing i am to come back to this establishment and pay for it next time. I was taken to a late lunch and we ordered two different appetizers 1 was amazing the other not so much. I expected so much more out of the queso dip that tasted like straight SALT they were really trying to make me sick. The potato soup with spicy bacon cheese sour cream and green onions was out of this world! that is why this place gets 4 stars merely for that and their grilled chicken chimi! I was kind of hoping for a side of guac and not sliced avocado pico mix type ordeal.
Queso dip- D-
Potato spicy bacon soup- A++
Chimichanga with grilled chicken-B
The place itself was pretty dead maybe 3 tables of people full not including ours so a total of about 4-5 tops. Now that said, A waitress should have all the time in the world to wait on all tables with flying colors making sure everyones drinks are full and what not. It was not til the end of our dishes and appetizers that she asked if I wanted a refill and i desperately wanted one when i was eating my food and after eating a couple bites of the queso dip I thought i would love but hated.
The guy I am a caregiver for liked her more than I did but you know how lots of older single men are...
I hope to god that this place doesn't get packed because could you imagine a waitress serving more tables than that and having very agitated men and women over drinks she was lucky i am patient. -
Review from christine l.
Alexandria, VA
5/21/2012
Heard about this place from a local and went there the first night in town. I had combo #1 - enchilada, taco, tamale - delicious!!! As weird as it sounds, the beans were probably the best I've had. Pair dinner with yummy margaritas and you have a great experience!
-
Review from Kimberly T.
Mill Valley, CA
4/14/2012
Wow....You haven't tasted bad Mexican food until you have tried the food at Ajo Al's. The food is terrible, the service is so so. I would say it's on par with a very bad fast food restaurant. The food editor of So Scottsdale Magazine, Lindsey Fosse, voted this as one of the top 7 Mexican restaurants in the Scottsdale area. We are new to the area and were really excited to try a new restaurant. What a disappointment!!! If this is really one of the top restaurants, I would pack up and move away. In addition don't pay any attention to recommendations written by Miss Fosse. As my 10 year old son sums it up, "Shut the Front Door!!" this is terrible food mom...the green slim sauce that came with my food made me sick. This is bad food at it's finest.
-
Review from Bob D.
Phoenix, AZ
11/17/2011
This place is a bit like stepping into a time machine and going back to the early 80's.
The decor is kitschy, and not in a fun way. The Tex-Mex themed dining area is designed to be comfortable, but is definitely aimed to please simple folk in lower income brackets. Tableware and accoutrements are of the sort used in cafeterias.
To be fair, service was top-notch and the restaurant was spotlessly clean.
My two star rating is mainly for the food. Very little on the menu is vegetarian. Many bean items contain lard. Anyone on a vegetarian diet, or trying to eat healthy will have problems finding anything to eat here.
Most dishes appear to be old-school Tex-Mex classics like one would have found at a Texas beanery in the 1960's. There is nothing modern or innovative on the menu.
Sorry, but, the culinary world has moved on to bigger and better adventures. Most of us left this sort of food behind decades ago. If you have older relatives looking for simple, old-school, lard-filled Tex-Mex this is the place to go. Otherwise, prepare to be seriously chagrined. -
Review from Gabi M.
6/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Happy 25 year anniversary, Ajo Al's!
Yes, it's a local chain with four Valley locations, and this is one of the two locations I've actually been to... but it's family owned and operated and still going strong after 25 years. There's something to be said for that!
It's not at the top of my list, but I've never been disappointed by Ajo Al's. I go maybe once or twice a year for lunch or dinner. When I recently had a craving for Mexican food, I suggested this place to my friends and they gladly met me here.
Our waiter was attentive, the atmosphere is fine, the chips and salsa are addicting, and the food is A-OK. Portions are large. I had a burrito (enchilada style per the waiter's suggestion) and a salad and took half of my meal home. My friends went with a burrito and a quesadilla respectively. None of us oohed or aaahed over the food, but we ate it and it was fine. Prices are moderate. Oh, and my leftovers were just as good the next day for lunch!
One weird thing: on their menu, they list several items with guacamole but it's funny... every time that guacamole is listed they put "(meatless)" by it. Has anyone ever had guacamole that is not meatless? I found that really awkward!
Anyways, if you're in the mood for traditional Mexican food, you can't go wrong with Ajo Al's. I'm sure I'll end up there again in another six months or so!Listed in: Chain Game, Guac and Salsa and Queso... oh…
-
Review from Brent W.
Tempe, AZ
10/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ohh boy. Very tasty but I feel pretty gross right now. Sooo rich. I split two things:
1) pollos con quests. Extremely tasty. Lots of cheese and tasty cream.
2) beef chimichanga. Fairly good. Soft outside with some sauce. Not my kind of chimi but good. -
Review from Steve S.
Phoenix, AZ
12/5/2010
Well, it's about time I got around to writing a review of my favorite neighborhood mexican restaurant. Within about a minute you'll get fresh chips and salsa and Cadillac Margaritas, if you like. Some of the best enchiladas I've ever had are my usual, and fresh jalapenos (not pickled) are readily available if you're a wee bit more daring.
Sit at the bar and enjoy a new HDTV screen and watch some football; special tip after those jalapenos: head over to your favorite gelato place ;) -
Review from Morgan D.
10/20/2009
First off, I love this kind of Mexican food. The kind that is covered in cheese and so unbelievably unhealthy that I shudder to think what the caloric content is. I swear AZ has it's own brand of Mexican food. When I lived in L.A., there was no way I was finding a deep fried burrito covered in jalapeno cream cheese and then topped with more cheese or a Mexican pizza with that same jalapeno cream cheese used as a sauce. Ajo Al's does have lighter options and their Salad Carbon is favorite of mine as well, but sometimes I just need to indulge.
You should know something else. I worked here as a hostess when I was a senior in high school. So, I had the opportunity to try a ridiculous amount of Ajo Al's food. I still love this place and always will. If you're like me and you love the Sonoran style food served in places like Julio G's and Valle Luna, you'll like Ajo Al's too.
You should also know that I don't understand when people say this type of food is not authentic. Authentic to what? I sure can't find this crap in California, New Mexico, or Texas; all of which border Mexico. So, it must be authentic to Arizona, right? And that is what I love, good ol' AZ Mexican food.Listed in: El Camino a mi corazon es por…
-
Review from Debbie S.
7/31/2011 12 Check-ins Here
They get 5 stars for the only thing I have ever had there. Every single time I have to get the Pizza Nortena. It is out of this world. It is meant to be an appetizer but we get it to go and have it for dinner.
-
Review from Sami W.
Scottsdale, AZ
8/6/2010
Okay I may be a tad biased, for as long as I have be living here in Arizona- 16 years- this has been a fantastic treat for my family and I. (Granted I have only been legal for a few months) Always having a casual close spot has been a haven for everything from quick meals to special events (just had a fabulous birthday dinner there) with fantastic fried food and a friendly wait staff. WARNING: if you want to have a healthy meal, this might not be the place to go. I mean the healthiest option is the salad carbon but you can never resist their amazing chips and salsa which will always leaving you bloated (as well as very satisfied) as you walk out the door.
When you walk into the restaurant you are greeted by the cute kitchy decor that always puts me in the mood for a fabulous meal. I mean who
hates cute little cowboy hat light fixtures and cow hide seating: people with no souls, that's who. I mean it always makes me smile when I see the old western movie posters and the charm that you don't find in restaurants anymore- cute without the overly chainy feel.
This place for lunch is fast, you can be in and out of this place in a half and hour! That's what I call service! If you want my recommendation, order the pollo con queso, its just some nice little chicken burros, covered in melted cheese and for the grand finale globed with spicy cream cheese. I mean what's better than that, nothing.
Maybe it's the ooey gooey comfort food covered in cheese, artery clogging guacamole goodness that I need once in a while. Maybe its the sweet, regular staff that always greets me and seems to know what I order. Or maybe its the fact that my recent diagnosis of gluten intolerance has not impeded my meal here at all- I can still feel evil eating delicious food without actually getting sick... um WIN?! Whatever it is, no matter what anyone says this place will always have a special place in my heart and will never lose it's spot as the best mexican food in town. -
Review from Kevin H.
7/18/2007
Ok, can someone explain the fascination with the cheese crisp? Flour tortilla, cheese, hot oven. Am I to believe that this is a reason to go out to this place, or any place for that matter?
Went to this place once, Glendale location. Food was not only less than mediocre but the only thing that was temperature hot was the plate. A good recipe for getting sick.Listed in: One and done
-
Review from Min T.
Los Angeles, CA
7/31/2007
Continuing on my friend's favorite Phoenix and surrounding area places is Ajo Al's. Apparently she had never been to this particular location though and freaked out about the seemingly real cowhide booths and chairs (she's a vegetarian). I actually kind of thought it was cool. I mean, if you're going to kill the animal for food, you might as well use everything.
I tried the chicken taco salad for lunch. The taco tostada was too stale but the chicken was well flavored. I actually liked the citrusy dressing. Other than some lettuce, chicken, beans and tomatoes, the taco salad seemed to be missing sour cream. I thought it was nice the restaurant was able to split the bill 6 ways (which we had not asked for but appreciated the effort).
I do give this restaurant the thumb's down for terrible salsa. Pace picante is better than what they tried to give us. And according to a friend, their "hot" salsa was not spicy as well. I found this very disappointing.Listed in: Rising from the heat of…
-
Review from Amber A.
Phoenix, AZ
8/27/2011
Went for dinner and catching up with my bff. The chips were hot and fresh and the salsa was flavorful without burning. Our dinners were good. I liked the guac that came with my beef flatuas. The beans were good and the rice was super good after I put some salsa on it. A very solid dinner spot for sure.
-
Review from Kelly I.
Dublin, CA
3/21/2008
Umm, who took the flavor from my food? Bland, bland and more bland. Apparently they only flavor things here by throwing cheese on it.
Ordered the Tacos Morongo, which sounded a lot like the tacos I've enjoyed at roadside taco carts in Mexico, with avocado puree in little corn tortillas. Great in theory, poor in execution. The steak was tough and it didn't even taste like they salt and peppered it for flavor. The other ingrdients faded into nothing. The hubby's Machaca platter, which the server couldn't decide if it was spicy beef or pork, we're pretty sure it was unspicy pork.
Portions are large. Chips and salsa are endless but canned crushed tomatoes, onions and cilantro do not a good salsa make. Anyone heard of garlic? Jalapenos? Fresh ingredients? Bah, two stars for being atleast edible and because I feel bad for my friends who like coming here. -
Review from Brian K.
Tempe, AZ
3/26/2009
I am giving Ajo Al's on Shae five stars because I've been there regularly for about two years and it's always good. Now let me point out two issues: I'm not a huge fan of Mexican food, and I only get the Tacos Del Mar or Ono Fajitas which are versions of the same thing. The chips are fresh made and great as are the salsa and hot salsa (more peppery and hot). For appetizers the Chili Con Queso Dip and Nachos are good sized and tasty. For a friend and I this location is somewhat out of the way but we still go regularly. Try it.
Detail:
Like I said I'm not exactly a fan of Mexican food. I like the Americanized fast-ish food chains: Qdoba, Chipotle even Baja Fresh. I've eaten at actual Mexican restaurants in Mexico and had home cooked Mexican fish tacos and tamales. It's growing on me but these are not tastes I grew up with.
I have a friend who loves Ajo Al's, she lived next to it or something. So I pretty much got dragged there about two years ago and I liked it right away. Like I said, I've only really eaten the fish tacos but they're the best I've had. The fish is good, the sides are good, idk what chipotle cream is but it's good, good service, the chip lady is nice, all the wait staff have been good.
It's typically not crowded but sometimes your go there and the place is close to full. I've never waited to be seated though. I've never tried the bar area. The water seams better than tap water...a dumb observation but I usually drink water rather than soda so I mention that. They give you a pitcher of water on seating and refill if needed. The chips and salsa are endless and excellent. Service is always good.
Two friends typically get the Pollo Con Queso and swear it's the best ever. I've had it as left-overs and it's good but not really my thing.
This is the only Ajo Al's I've been to...no comment on the rest of this chain. -
Review from Shawn And Katrina N.
Scottsdale, AZ
11/17/2009
There are a lot of good Mexican food spots here in AZ... so much so that you really have to do something great or unique in order to stand out from the crowd of other Mexican restaurants. Ajo Al's is good... but it isn't quite good enough to leave a lasting impression or warrant return visits.
First off I have to give the place high marks for their décor; the place has a fun western feeling vibe. The booths all have strips of cow hide and are adorned with old time western movie posters among other things. I could see this being tacky in certain circumstances, but it works here. The tortilla chips came out nice and warm and the salsa was flavorful... definitely not bad to munch on while waiting for the main dish to arrive. We tried the Taco Del Mar plate (fish tacos) and a combination platter which included a taco, green chile tamale and a chile relleno. Everything was pretty good, but as I mentioned above it just didn't have that 'wow' factor. It was just one of those meals that 'met expectations' but didn't go above and beyond in any way. The same could be said about the service... it was passable but not anything above average. I'd be happy coming here again if the circumstances were right... I just feel like the food needs a bit more pizzazz and maybe some more distinct flavors/dishes to set them apart from the crowd. For example maybe they could have some chef specials that you couldn't find anywhere else... rather than having the majority of their menu taken up with the usual suspects (tacos/tostada's, etc... while they're good reliable Mexican dishes, it'd be nice to have more adventurous options like some of the higher end Mexican spots offer).
Alo Al's is definitely worth trying at least once, I just wouldn't expect anything too different than the usual Mexican staples. They'd be on to something if their menu was as fun as the décor. -
Review from Lucinda N.
Phoenix, AZ
2/25/11: Half size pollo con queso is perfect size. Fresh warm chips are served as soon as you are seated. Bonus - it's a Pepsi place :) Took off 1 star because it took a long time for them to bring bill/cash me out
-
Review from w w.
Scottsdale, AZ
7/3/2007 1 photo
This is one of the better Ajo Al's I've been to. Service is much better here than at the 90th Street location. Normally, you're stuck waiting 15 minutes for chip and marg refills, but not here. Oh no. Your waiter will swoop down out of nowhere with more of whatever you want- sometimes before you even want it.
I had great margs here too. Perfectly salted, perfectly strong...these margs turn a bad day into a fabulous one.
The food is pretty tasty too. Ajo Al's isn't upscale- but it's definitely nicer than Manuel's. And the menu has quite a few different items than any other chain Mexican restaurant I've been to. They even had bean flautas on the menu. It's rare that a Mexican restaurant offers variations of their meat-filled favorites, so that scored some major points with me. -
Review from Stephanie S.
Scottsdale, AZ
10/13/2008
Delicioso! I came here for lunch and was impressed with the selection, service, and of course the food. The queso dip was out of this world. No Velveeta here! I love that you get a whole little bottle of salsa so you never run out. The Pollo con Queso (ordered 'not deep fried' by my friend) was amazing. The mushroom enchilada, rice, and beans were also great. I definitely want to come back and try some more stuff like the tamales and chile rellenos. The service was excellent too. Welcome, Ajo Al's, to my regular rotation - I'll be back soon!
Listed in: I Heart Mexican Food!
-
Review from Jason B.
Phoenix, AZ
10/25/2010 1 Check-in Here
The food was good the service was friendly. This place is very hard to find... poor visibility.
-
Review from Rhonda J.
Scottsdale, AZ
7/2/2007
I have gone here a couple of times and was impressed with the food enough to go back. This place serves your usual Mexican-American style food but does not go over the top on portions like some other restaurants of the same genre. The chicken I had was moist and well seasoned white meat. I also tasted some of the steak from my boyfriend's burrito and it also had a good flavor. The house margaritas are good, the salsa is tasty and the service was pleasant and our waitress apologized for neglecting us a bit because she had a 12 top in her section. I would definitely go back here to try the Pollo Con Queso as my boyfriend's Mom said it was delicious.
-
Review from Barbara F.
Scottsdale, AZ
7/20/2011
My review is from an experience I had with this restaurant about a year ago but I still think about it and have not returned to this restaurant because of my experience so I though I should share it with others.
My husband and I decided to order "take out" because after a long day, neither one of us wanted to cook. We ran down the list of our usual take out places and agreed that Ajo Al's sounded good. I placed the order for our dinners and my husband went to pick them up. The problem began when he returned to our house. He only had his order, not mine. I called the restaurant and explained to the women who answered the phone what had happened and she said I would need to speak to the manager. After a brief hold, the manager picked up and I told him that we were missing part of our order. He apologized and said that he was the one to blame because he forgot to put it in our bag. He said that they had it ready and that I could come get it. I told him that I was not happy about this situation and that I would come get my dinner but that I also wanted our order completely redone so that both of our meals would be hot at the same time and we could eat together as we had planned. The manager told me without any hesitation and with great conviction that he would not redo my husband's meal because there was nothing wrong with it. He just wasn't going to do that even though he had made the error which created the problem in the first place. I argued with him that it was not that big a deal for him to make the entire order over and it would be very poor customer service if he did not do this especially since now we had to make another trip to the restaurant because of his mistake. As things were, my husband either ate his meal alone while it was hot or waited for me to get back with mine by which time his meal was cold. All I wanted was to have a nice dinner with my husband.
We have never been back and do not plan ever to go back to this restuarant again. They treated us very poorly. Think twice before you order take out or at least be sure you have what you are expecting before you leave! -
Review from Joshua O.
Phoenix, AZ
10/21/2007
I haven't been here in about ten years, but I used to go to it frequently. Needless to say I enjoyed there food and atmosphere. It's not like those hole in the wall 'authentic' Mexican food restaurants you'll find in central and south Phoenix, but it has good food and service.
-
Review from Jessica B.
Cave Creek, AZ
5/1/2011
My absolute favorite Mexican food in Arizona. I've been eating at Ajo Al's since I was a kid and it never let's me down. The tacos el carbon are amazing! Over the years I've eaten just about everything on the menu and you just can't go wrong.
-
Review from troy s.
Phoenix, AZ
5/29/2011
My family and I have always love Ajo Al's on camelback they are great! Good food and good service. Recently we visited the arrowhead location and had to worst experience. Terrible service, terrible food and we waited forever for a bill. Definetly visit the camelback location and forget about the arrowhead location. Just my 2 cents!
-
Review from David K.
Scottsdale, AZ
6/18/2007
Okay just to start off all of the Ajo Al's locations are good, I just decided to to write on this one because it has cool cow patterned booths. I have eaten at plenty of Mexican restaurants but nothing compares to this. It may not be the most authentic, but it is tantilizingly delicious People who don't like this place do not order the right things. There are really only 4 things that rotate between. First, you should always treat yourself to a cheese crisp appetizer. It is very thin and light so it won't ruin the meal but provides a perfect start it. Then for an entree I either get a shredded beef chimichanga or there signature dish, the "pollo con queso" which is like a chicken chimi with melted cheese and jalapeno sourcream on top. Also opt for the rice and beans to accompany your Mexican dish and you won't be disappointed. Ajo Al's offers great portions at resonable prices. Finally if you still have room for dessert there is only one thing to get....the deep fried ice! I truly hope that someone gives this place a chance because I promise they won't regret it.
-
Review from Jeff G.
Scottsdale, AZ
12/30/2010
It is good quality food, very nice facility; but how much melted cheese should one eat at one seating?
-
Review from art m.
San Mateo, CA
12/30/2009
Filthy place. Bad tasteless food. Rude waitress. Yuck!!!!
