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Category: American (Traditional) [Edit]
5532 N Palo Cristi Rd
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When is Yelp going to let me award half stars, as this place is clearly deserving of 4.5 stars.
Lon's is one of those fine dining establishments that truly captures the essence of old time Arizona, yet brings forth an amazing array of top notch cuisine. The fine dining clearly compliments the rich history that rests within the walls of the establishment.
Lon was an artist who created primarily western/cowboy inspired work and was the primary artist for the Mallory-Stetson Cowboy hat brand. The restaurant is his former residence, and the current owner has gone above and beyond the call of duty in an effort to preserve the essence of Lon's cowboy-ness. Lon's original art pieces are throughout the restaurant and bar, as well as an amazing aray of western decor. Apparently Lon was quite a colorful person as evidenced by his multitude of wives and the apropriate tranformation of his former bedroom into the current bar at the restaurant.
Although it was too warm to sit on the patio, in cooler times the restaurant facilitates patio dining. I was diappointed we were unable to do this, as the western feel transends right out of the front door and onto the bungalo style patio where you can only imagine Lon endulged in his fair share of eat and drink.
If you think you are headed in the wrong direction when traveling to Lon's, think again, as it is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood among the most elite Paradise Valley estates.
I figured I should stick with beef, granted that Lon epitomized the idea of a cowboy, so I ordered the Spare Rib. This plate was cooked to perfection, as the meat literally melted in my mouth. In addition, I tried a bite of the salmon that was delicious, but who the hell orders salmon at a western themed restaurant in the middle of the desert? I highly reccomend the tomatoe basil salad, but wished there was a little more than a couple slices of tomato.....as soon as my juices started flowing, the tomato juice was already gone!
The restaurant was empty and quiet, but it was the middle of the week. The staff was friendly to the point that our party forked out an above average tip, which by our standards, means they did their job.
The real kicker came after we paid the bill. As we were exploring the rest of the restaurant, the bar tender took it upon herself to give our party a tour of the areas that don't immediately meet the eye. As she brought us into the library, she began telling us the stories of how Lon and some of his lady friends continue to haunt the library and other parts of the restaurant. Although I used to shudder at Unsolved Mysteries as a child, the creepiness of her tour made our visit to Lon's that much more exciting and appreciated. The bartender then led us to the wine cellar where a plethora of fine wines riddled the racks. The wine cellar is available for private dinners, and if I was in a place to financially facilitate such a feast, I definitely would.
I highly reccomend this restaurant not just for the food, but for the amazing service, the historical significance, the overall feel of the restaurant, and the eerie but amazingness of the haunting of Lon's spirit!
hmmm...fun! sporadic!! energetic!? none of the above. BUT - lovely quiet property. really good food altho the orgasmatron went off only for the tiramisu. GENIUS. I'm a total tiramisu snot ball so if it stinks I don't want it. The lovely Lauren, our waitress recommended it and said if I didn't like it it was on her and I could have the blueberry marscarpone cheesecake instead. Either way I was winning...didn't have to trade off. It was the right amount in a delightful not-too-sweet- chocolate cup. Yummmmm.
Oh so you want to know about dinner? I started with the Dungeness crab salad. Nice, light, interesting mix of flavors which I liked very much but left me feeling like something was missing. For dinner I had the seared ahi appetizer - I know, done everywhere but I really just felt like a small portion of nice fish. It was that. Again, good but no wow factor. Perfect for what I wanted but I wished it had more umph.
Service was great - it was a slow Monday. Wine list is a budget killer and a bit more manageable by the glass. We weren't rushed and overall a very nice experience and meal. I'd most certainly go back.
yeah, go.
Wow, I've been really fond of the restaurants I've visited lately. I think I've been so surprised by the awesome places in obscure locations I never thought I'd ever visit. Not that Scottsdale is "obscure", but it is still unexpected, and we chose Lon's without much local help. It was a total shot in the dark.
Went on a Monday night. The place was empty, but it was still charming. The story is that the location was actually Lon's house (he lived in the early 1900's), and has been remodeled into a restaurant. It's in a residential neighborhood, but has complementary valet, and also huge patio areas, if you can take the heat (not us, clearly... ha).
The service was great, because the restaurant was deserted and we got both waitresses. The bread basket was overflowing with 4 different kinds of bread. We had Prosecco to drink which I looooveeeeeeee.
For an appetizer, I had the House Salad which has toasted pecans, blue cheese crumbles, and a Prickly Pear Vinaigrette dressing. Perfect proportion of dressing to salad!
For dinner, my mom and I split the special, which was Grouper with a peach and cilantro salsa, on a big bed of Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Our bill total came to about $75, and Lon's was definitely the right choice. SO GOOD!
Made the mistake of eating here on 10/24. Hostess and maitre de set the tone wrong with their completely haughty and unwelcoming approach when we arrived. Acted like they were doing us a big favor by letting us eat there.
Wine list is extensive but outrageously overpriced. We selected a good bottle (90 points WS) and when we asked the self-labeled "wine guy" about it, he said, "I actually can drink that." A snobby comment.
Food was completely uninspired and pedestrian. Nothing special here.
Service fair, pace was bad between courses - long waits.
Had a meal the night before at T Cooks -it was extremely better in every single category. Lon's gets by on it's nice patio setting. The food is average at best. Go to T Cooks instead.
If you do go here, call long ahead and at least get a decent table on the patio.
Lon's is the best hidden secret in Paradise Valley it is so unique among all the residential homes and then... suddenly there is Hermosa Inn.
The place makes you part of the old western tradition of good food and ambiance in great style.
You should try it next.
need to impress a client or a date? lon's is the place. this place is SO upscale arizona. it feels comfortable and cozy, not at all uptight, but the furnishings, decor and ambiance are upscale. the food is second to none. i've loved everything i've ever eaten there - lunch, dinner, sides, salads, dessert, it doesn't matter. everything is sheer perfection. if chef michael ever stops making the truffle scented mac and cheese that i am obsessed with i might die. it is THAT good.
it isn't easy to find ... kind of a hidden gem off a small residential street in paradise valley. fine by me! i like the seclusion and being able to dine under the stars on the patio or, on a chilly winter evening inside. if you've got a larger party, the private dining room is a lovely option.
i'm surprised by others' experience with the service. i haven't run into that, but i'll definitely be watching more closely next time.
lon's is by far my favorite place to celebrate anything: i once insisted we go there for our dog's birthday. our sweet girl couldn't go, obviously, but i needed an excuse for a lon's fix and that was the first thing that came to mind.
What a wonderful meal. I had a fish stew that had scallops, shrimp, and talapia. Who would have thought of going to Arizona for great seafood? Lon's is a really fun and interesting restaurant right in the middle of a residential neighborhood. We toured the grounds and the wine cellar and had a wonderful time. I'll go back.
I love Lon's!
My boyfriend and I came here during Restaurant week and had a wonderful experience. The grounds here are beautiful. You have to sit on the patio. We decided to come on Wednesday in order to enjoy Wine Wednesday. We sat at the bar for a tasting and the bartenders were so friendly and knowledgeable. Our table was ready before we were done with our tasting but the hostess was very courteous and said just to check in with her when we were ready.
For dinner we were seated outside about a half hour before sunset. We each ordered the short rib as a starter, which came with mashed sweet potatoes. It was fabulous. The meat was flavorful and tender and I am not a fan of sweet potatoes but I pretty much licked them off the plate. It was a great combination.
I had the shrimp open faced ravioli for dinner and my boyfriend had the free range chicken. My dish was the perfect portion. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and the fava beans and crimini mushrooms were a perfect compliment. My boyfriend is the least adventurous person I know when it comes to food that's why he picked the chicken, but he was blow away by the tenderness and flavor it had.
We both had the chocolate truffle tort with minted berries. It tasted like a half cooked brownie and was so good. And was just enough to satisfy our sweet tooth.
This is the perfect place for a romantic dinner. We didn't feel rushed at all. We had to have spent about 2-2.5 hours here. Outstanding service. I've been wanting to come again and my birthday is just around the corner... :)
Hello fellow Yelp's,
Tomorrow (April 2nd) our 14th wedding anniversary and have reservations at Lon's. Our last dining here the Chef Michael Rusconi came out to our table 3 times to talk with my wife and I just sipped my Bourbon and listened. I will post a review of our dining experience and based on our dinner here the last time, I am expected at least a 4 (if not) 5 stars.
Stay tuned ~
Update from April 2, 2009 dinner:
Anniversary dinner at Lon's (on the patio) was wonderful.
When I made the reservations I mentioned that it was our anniversary and staff made note of it and brought out a nice card and single rose for my wife (it's in a bud vase in our home now).
We started with a bottle of Elk Cove 2006 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley and enjoyed every drop. With the variety of different flavors we knew we would be having we felt a Pinot Noir would bridge them all nicely.
We started with salads; my wife had duck and spinach salad crisp hominy, pomegranate and sherry molasses dressing and I had shaved fennel and arugula with wisconsin goat cheese satsuma tangerines and breakfast radishes. Both were excellent. My wife loves duck and I believe she could have ordered another salad and been very content.
The main entrees for each of us were: (my wife's) sun dried tomato crusted rack of lamb
goat cheese herb grits, smoked peppers and queen creek olive jus, and I had pepper roasted natural pork tenderloin garlic mashed potatoes, prickly pear braised red cabbage and house made chutney. Now I must say that when you have food this good we eat very very slowly and savor every bite (we were there over 3 hours)
We were both full and content but who can say no Crème Brûlée and once again the staff remembering that is was our anniversary went the extra and beautifully spelled out "happy anniversary" our each of our dessert plates.
I also need to acknowledge our server John, he did a fine job of keeping an eye on us but not hovering.
Always wanted to try this place out after hearing it featured on KYOT Sunday Brunch. Can't recall how I managed a day off, but I finally found my way to see KYOT's set up at Lon's. I did make an online reservation through http://opentable.com and even added a note that I would like to be seated outside near the KYOT set-up.
Arrived, mentioned my reservations, and was immediately seated INSIDE. Waited at least ten minutes before I was given a glass of iced water. Another 5 minutes passed by before my server introduced herself to me. I asked if I may be seated outside since this was my main reason for dropping by- to be able to enjoy my meal outdoors, with KYOT's smooth sounds surrounding me. I was soon placated.
Vacillated between blueberry buckwheat pancakes and Lon's burger entree. Asked for server's recommendation and was told to go for the pancakes. Had a few of Lon's delicious signature pastries. Especially favored the raspberry pastry and the chocolate croissants!! In the meantime, other patrons were being handed delicious-looking entrees. Made me wish I'd ordered the burger. I did enjoy the buckwheat pancakes, although I wished there were more of the blueberry compote.
Kind of pricey for me, though. Definitely paying for the atmosphere. I would make sure to eat outdoors to take advantage of the lovely setting,
Restaurant Week makes writing reviews complicated. Restaurants lower their prices during this 7-day period (a three-course meal runs you $29 per person) in order to gain new customers and fill spots during less-popular dining times. At places like Lon's or Cowboy Ciao, guests end up getting meals that would normally cost $50 or more per person for a mere $29. Knowing that I got a much-more expensive meal at a bit of a discount definitely makes me want to give Lon's a higher rating.
At the same time, however, my husband and I were discussing that we would have been disappointed with our experience *had we paid* twice the price. And since people reading this review may not have the good fortune of going to Lon's during the RW, when prices are lower than normal, I'm going to have to give the restaurant 3 stars. This is based on the food not being that flavorful or impressive given the prices they normally charge.
We started the meal with Absolut martinis, which were pricey at $12 each and contained vermouth even though we asked for them "dry." Since we, just like Joel L, thought that spare ribs was a strange starter but both wanted to try them, we decided to pick a starter off the regular menu. We both love duck, so we ordered the salad with the seared duck. It wasn't great. We liked that it had pine nuts but found the dressing to be overwhelming acidic and were disappointed by the four pepperoni-shaped, paper-thin, and bland-tasting duck pieces.
The disappointment continued with the spare ribs. I loved the sweet potato puree that accompanied them but found the ribs themselves to be a bit dry and not all that flavorful. The "carrot jus" was not detectable (or if it was, didn't add much), and we were dismayed to see that the listing for the same ribs on the regular menu said that the meat came with "ancho chile chocolate sauce." How sad that the RW version of the ribs didn't have the opportunity to be dressed up in a more flavorful sauce!
For my entree, I ordered the pan-roasted scallops with the roasted pepper spaetzle, organic spinach, and the corn jus. My husband doesn't care for scallops much, but I found them to be well-cooked and not too metallic or gritty (as bad scallops can be). The sides, especially the spaetzle, were interesting and pretty flavorful. I could definitely taste that the spinach was organic. I also had a glass of wine with my entree and did appreciate the pairings listed on the RW menu next to each course, which made it easy to quickly choose an appropriate wine.
My husband had the open-faced shrimp ravioli. We both loved the concept and again, found the vegetables to be really fresh and tender. However, we didn't taste anything resembling lobster jus and found the shrimp to be pretty over-cooked. The portion was small, which we usually don't mind if the dish is high-end and super-flavorful, but that wasn't really the case here.
In terms of desserts, the lemon tarte was just ok (and actually reminded me of those lemon bars you make from a boxed mix), but the chocolate truffle torte with the minted berries was outstanding. Since we weren't blown away by any of the other dishes we had tried, it was really nice to end the meal with a delicious, rich dessert.
I am glad to have had a romantic meal in a beautiful patio setting for only $29 per person, but again, we would have been quite disappointed with Lon's food had we gone and paid regular prices for everything ($25+ for the shrimp ravioli would have been the most disappointing). That being said, I can't reiterate how peaceful and unique the patio setting is, and the service was certainly professional and attentive (the bus boys did an especially nice job of keeping the table clean and re-filling water glasses). The atmosphere and service may make me want to go back at some point (maybe on someone else's dime!) and give Lon's food another try.
One final note - Lon's does take reservations through http://OpenTable.com although the email confirmation requested that we call the restaurant directly in order to secure patio seating, so I would suggest making direct contact with the restaurant if it really matters to you to sit on the patio.
A write-up based on our meal @ Lon's during AZ Restaurant Week.
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Let's start with the economics of the thing - 3 courses, $29/pp. Let's face it - that's pretty cheap. In today's economy, making this happen while making a profit has to be difficult. If you agreed to be involved, cheers to you.
We felt a little rushed, no question about it. We took a step away from our table between the first two courses and dessert to get some air, and we were 40 minutes deep into dinner. 40 minutes! I ordered a half bottle of wine (Matanzas Creek sauv blanc) before our first course with the intention of going b-t-g during the second course, but the pacing was so quick that we didn't even get through the bottle in time.
Bread was brought out to the table (sourdough, wheat and rosemary ciabatta) with (soft!) butter. After a couple minutes, our starters: short ribs is an awkward starter, but we ordered one of each of the two options (Cedar River Natural Beef Shortribs with Sweet Potatoes and Carrot Jus, Lon's Armenian Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Maytag Blue Cheese and Balsamic Chili Syrup). I thought the salad was very good, and glad that the cheese didn't overwhelmn the outstanding cucumber. The beef was very tender, and nearly melted in your mouth, but it seemed fairly bland to me - I make short ribs at home a several times a year and wasn't blown away by these. Was it tasty? Sure.
Entrees were Open Ravioli of Arizona Shrimp and Olive Oil Cured Tomatoes with Crimmini Mushrooms, Fava Beans and Lobster Jus and Lon's Roasted Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Purple Mashed Potatoes and Red Wine Sauce. The pasta in the ravioli had a nice mouthfeel, and the shrimp were nicely cooked; I didn't notice the lobster jus, if it was there. The beef was lacking - there were three pieces served, but only one of them really was tender and cooked to medium (as requested). The other two were slightly gristly, almost that of filet tips. Excellent potatoes on the plate along with sauteed swiss chard which I loved.
For dessert, the lemon tart was just okay but the strawberry sorbet was excellent. The chocolate truffle torte was also quite good and lighter than I imagined. I ordered a glass of Moscato to go with the tart, and this was comp'd because the last pour of our bottle revealed a bug had been imbibing on our wine while we dined. The sommelier came over and offered us a glass of Cragy Range sauv blanc they offer b-t-g ($11), which we accepted.
Overall, it's hard to complain about three courses for two for $99 w/tax before tip including the special, a half bottle, a bottle of still water and two comp'd glasses of wine. Our server was very friendly and did a nice job all night. Having never visited Lon's until last night, I'm glad we went.
Looks 10 Dance 2. Fabulous patio day or night, great looking bar, beautiful dining room. Fabulous cellar room. Service is acceptable, but perhaps uneven or slow or confused would be more like it. Bar is not the place to ask for anything out of the ordinary--just try. Limited and slightly pricey wine list. Where this place falls down though is the food. The chef simply tries too hard to be innovative and the dishes wail rather than sing. You may enjoy it--many people do. In no event is this michelin star cooking-but you wil pay michelin star prices.
I visited Lon's last night for Restaurant Week with Kristin S. If you don't know where you are going, it is definitely a tricky place to find. It does add to the appeal because it gives the feeling of seclusion which would be appreciated if you were dining on the patio. We decided to sit inside because there was a wait for the patio, but it looked very relaxing and romantic with soft candlelight. The inside is large with many different dining rooms and the decor is all Southwestern. I'm not really into the Southwest as a decorating style, so it was a bit much for me.
For my starter, I had the cucumber, tomato and blue cheese salad...the tomatoes were very fresh and the blue cheese was a nice compliment and did not overpower the salad at all. I had the sea scallop entree. It was a very generous portion as the three scallops that came on the plate were really large. They were not the best scallops I have had (they didn't have that melt in your mouth quality), but they were cooked perfectly and were not gritty. The chocolate truffle tort was a perfectly sized as a dessert, but I didn't eat more than four bites of it because it was much much too rich for me.
Our server Chris was very nice and provided good service. We did sit for awhile while they ran our credit cards, but we found out that was because their credit card machine broke. It would have been nice if they had come over and said it was taking awhile because of machine problems, but that's just a minor complaint. There is complimentary valet which was very quick and polite. Overall I enjoyed Lon's and would go back to sit on the patio and try the regular menu with my husband on a special occasion, like our anniversary.
My fiancee and I visited Lon's at the Hermosa on a Friday night in June to celebrate our anniversary and was a perfect location for a little romance under the calm, star-cloaked Arizona sky in a pocket of wilderness within the sprawling Phoenix metro.
Lon's provided one of the most inspired meals I've had in quite a while, beginning expeditiously with a world-class wine list, representative of various renowned grape-squeezing regions as the Pacific Coast, Italy, France, Argentina, Chile, Spain, Portugal, Australia and New Zealand. After a quick consult with a very capable sommelier who spirited us with an impressive explanation of Portuguese reds, we agreed on a bottle on Golfo [?], which may or may not be the correct name, as it smartly inoculated us after two and a half glasses each. Mmm!
In place of a starter, we ordered two unique salads: Mine was a seared duck salad on baby greens with toasted pine nuts an a white vinaigrette. It was ingenious ... but not quite as ingenious as the scallop salad my fiancee had. They were absolutely the best-prepared scallops either of us had ever experienced.
What is even more amazing is that the salads were surpassed in flavor by the entrees, which sometimes flops as a headliner to gourmet starters. Not the case here. My sun dried tomato crusted rack of lamb was prepared excellently and the crust paired with the tender, juicy lamb chops (4) was easily skyrocketed into the top 3 list of things I've ever tasted. The goat cheese herb grits were a perfect, and light compliment .. and something I've truly never seen on a menu before, much less experienced by taste.
My fiancee's grilled filet of salmon with blackberry barbeque glaze was very much an original as well. Even for someone who is not a gigantic fan of salmon, such as myself, really enjoyed the complexity of flavors. She very much enjoyed it.
For dessert, we had the sorbet sampler as a means of cooling off from our frenetic eating/drinking pace. Although very delicious, it was a mistake on my part as there was a sampler of tiramasu/creme brulee/pote de chocolate. Ugh. What was I thinking bypassing this delicious plate of hyperglycemia? Well, there's always next time.
It also must be noted, the stellar service we received. The server was absolutely charming, gracious, and accommodative, referring to us by name, refilling our water/wine glasses, and supervising small touches like fetching the sommelier and informing the pastry chef that it was our anniversary [with that information, they gave us a chocolate script 'Happy Anniversary' on our dessert plate - nice touch].
Overall, it was a place worthy of a very special occasion, and one which I would not hesitate to return to so that we can experience the rest of their impressive menu.
We've been to Lon's several times for brunch and it is one of all our time favorites. In the spring or fall, there is no place I'd rather be on a Sunday morning. You can't beat the view from the patio and the brunch with family style sides is great.
Recently went to dinner at Lon's for the first time. It did not disappoint. The service was great and the servers had something to tell us about everything on the menu. When the server accidentally forgot a glass of wine for one of our guests, he immediately claimed that it was on the house.
Everything that was served was excellent and there was a lot of sharing across the table. A great experience that will have me coming back for more. Breakfast, lunch, dinner......no matter when you eat at Lon's, you win.
This is a great place to bring out of towners who think Phoenix is a hubble of sand. The patio is wonderful, the food is terrific, and the staff is helpful and not too "in your face fancy."
Also- the wine list it to die for.
Thanks for always making us have a good time, Lon's. You're a Phoenix, okay PV classic.
I'll admit I was a just a bit nervous from some of the other yelps, and maybe our experience was a strike of lightning, but wow, my trip to Lon's was one of my best dinning experiences ever.
We made reservations for 6:30 on a Friday Evening and requested a table outside on the patio (Thanks to the great yelp advice) which was essential, you have to be on the patio when the weather allows. So there we were seated, looking out of the quintessential south western landscape and off to the peak in the distance as the sun set across it.
The service was spectacular. Almost too frequent of "check up." You're not rushed at all because they aren't turning the tables on the balcony, the last seating is at 6:45. The food was delicious, we had seared ahi tuna that tasted just right, and split an entree of a sea bass special. Perfectly cooked. We finished with a dense chocolate cake.
But we weren't really finished, not with the sun having seat and the fire place casting a glow. We paid the check and spotted two great seats next to a fire pit. The weather was perfect for it, just a slight chill in the air while we enjoyed some cool white wine.
I could see this place as a creating a super great romantic evening, as we did, but also coming for drinks with friends enjoying the night air, or in the winter, the inside is divided much like a lounge.
Great Vibe, great time... Lon's got it!
Can you tell I do enjoy nice restaurants? I think this is my favorite restaurant, EVER. Very cozy atmosphere and very relaxing dining experience. The white truffle macarooni and cheese is melt in your mouth good, and anyone who goes there should try that as a side dish. The outdoor patio is amazing and I would have loved to eat there but it was December and cccold outside. I had the salmon w/ baby cabbage. OUT OF THIS WORLD! Our server was excellent and very attentive. And the dessert was scrumdilicious. Also the presentation of the meals is like art work and yet tasty. The building used to be the home of a man named Lon, a cowboy who happened to be an artist. The area where this restaurant is located is just beautiful. I highly recommend this place. I can't wait to return. Hopefully soon.
I have to agree with most of my fellow yelpers and say the service here does suck! We waited at least 20 minutes for our bottle of wine, guess they had to fly back to Napa to pick it up. But the food did win me over. I had the best squash ravioli, ever! It had the perfect amount of filling and the veggies went well with it. The goat cheese grits were outstanding! I never knew I liked grits but with goat cheese.... Yum... It was a hit! The truffle scented mac and cheese.... Mmmmm... Not so much. It did not taste nor smell like the wonderfully truffley aroma that I love! Disappointing. All in all the food was pretty worth it. The lack of attention from the waitress was made up from the attention from the table next to us!
I went to Lon's with my mom for my birthday yesterday. I hate to give this place a 3 star review, but good food alone just doesn't cut it.
The good:
The menu is fabulous. I wanted to try every single thing they offered. So we went with the 5-course "trust" menu - good choice. We started with a fabulous light and fresh tomato salad. Then came seared Ahi with avocado (the fish was a bit overdone for me, but I like my ahi raw). That was followed by a seared scallop with pesto, lamb with a delicious wine reduction, and refreshing little lemon tarts for dessert. None of the wine pairings were particularly memorable, but they were all well-suited to the food.
The bad:
The service. Now, I grew up in AZ so I know things are a bit more laid back there, service is more casual, etc. - but this was ridiculous. Our server seemed unhappy that we were choosing the tasting menu and tried to dissuade us, as if we didn't know it would take extra time. When we held fast, she sort of sighed and got it started. Not one dish was described when it was dropped, so we never knew what the sauces and garnishes were. After clearing my plate before my mom's, the backserver just hovered next to her, waiting for her to take her last bite and grabbed the plate while she was chewing. Also, everything was slooooow. I mean, not a relaxing tasting pace, but a slow "kitchen forgot about us" pace.
I had really been looking forward to trying Lon's - I had heard such great things. While the food did not disappoint, the service certainly did, and that really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I hope management picks up the pace at this place!
After having treated my palate to incredible eateries from Paris to New York to Yountville to Mexico City, I can testify with full and complete confidence that Lon's is absolutely world class: always amazing, always perfect in every way. It can best be described as Franco-Southwestern, or Escoffier goes upscale cowboy (how do you say yeeee-haaaa en Francais?). Before I had moved to AZ, I had never tasted, nor did I want to try "southwestern" cuisine. Sadly, I had bought into all the cultural stereotypes of commercialized-"Navajo rug"-touristy kitschiness....boy was I wrong. A good friend of mine, an Italian Baron, wanted to sample the western part of the US. The first place I brought him to was Lon's. Now, Italians, especially Italian aristocrats, are absolute food snobs, which is great: they don't settle for anything less than the best, freshest seasonal quality food because that is simply the food culture in that gorgeous country! He was very well impressed with the beauty of Lon's, the quality and innovativeness of the menu...everything haute-desert, very very cool indeed! They also serve one of the best Prosecco wines very hard to find: that of Prosecco Franco from Valdobiaddene, the winery of a beautiful family and good friends of mine. Get some, it's awesome!
Lon's: fit for all, from aristocrat to lil' 'ol me. The food speaks for itself. Damn! If this place was out here in LA, it would corner the market just for its very unique menu!
Tanti auguri, bravi!!
If you don't know where Lon's happens to be, you can drive right past it...As I did. As I walked into the restaurant, I first had to walk through the beautiful patio..wishing that my party had reserved to sit out there, but greatful we did not because it had to be Scottsdale coldest evening in a year! The Ambiance of the restaurant was great, yes it was romantic but yet still inviting for larger parties. We had a bottle of Champagne and Pinot Noir which was recommended by the sommelier. For dinner, I had the pan roasted alaskan halibut and the truffle scented mac and cheese...The halibut was nicely prepared and had a wonderful flavor. The truffle scented mac and cheese was cold and not as tasteful as I hoped. It was a disappointment. For desert, we decided on the Chocolate cake with vanilla malt.
Overall, Lon's was a nice dining experience. The only reason I would go back to the restaurant is for the outdoor patio.
I can't recall a group business dinner anywhere that was better - 50 People - $8,000.00 and very good service and food. If you have an event coming up ask for the Library, Wine Cellar or the Board Room (and you have to visit) - we had too many people to use these rooms but our guests were treated like friends by Lon's and the food incredible - little touches of greatness that clients told us about weeks after the event was concluded. I am in Scottsdale again in January and plan to make a dinner reservation this week. Thanks everyone at Lons!
Walking past the charming courtyard, I was rather dissapointed with the inside interior. It was valentine's Day and they had obviously packed more tables into the main dining area to crank out more $$. The result was table's placed in odd configurations and ours half blocked a doorway. We also had to listen to everyone's conversation because they were way too close.
The food was not exciting, but we were ordering off a limited holiday menu. I would be curious to know what type of experience we would have had if it had been an ordinary weekend.
So when I was invited to go to Lon's for dinner I will be honest I was not expecting much. I did know that it was hidden and that it was in PV but as soon as you take a look at the place it becomes obvious that this was going to be a great dining experience.
As soon as I drove in the valet greeted me with a smile and so did every one else. The wait staff is very nice and helpful if you have any question about the menu. The place is gorgeous and definitely a date place. But be prepared to spend money but it is totally worth it. I had the grilled beef tenderloin that was cooked to perfection.
I have been back and I am never disappointed with this place and you won't be either.
For sitting outside enjoying brunch on a perfect Phoenix Fall Sunday morning there is no better place. Excellent food, service and ambience.
My husband and I took a chance last night and went to Lon's. We had no reservations and opted to sit outside and the bartender waited on us.
We were able to enjoy the beautiful Arizona cool evening and have a drink prior to ordering. I had a glass of Pinot and loved it. My husband had a $12 Grey Goose and tonic, easy on the GG. The sommelier assisted him with which wine to order for his pork tenderloins with chutney. I had the special, blue nose seabass ( I was hoping for the red nose, I guess they were out of season). We had the yellow tomato soup and best part was the grilled cheese piece of heaven. I could have had a whole meal of that goodness. The bread was light and crispy and the cheese was melt in your mouth (I believe) goat cheese.
The food was promptly served and we enjoyed every bite. We had to have the dessert, which included tastes of tiramisu, creme brulee and chocolate napolean. I ranked the creme brulee #1, tiramisu #2, my husband gave the number 1 to the tiramisu.
We will definitly be back and this time with reservations. The burning fire wood, which we sat near, had us smelling like we were at a lake kegger by the end of the evening.
Wow if you want to be wined and dined this is the place to do it at. I have not been in Phoenix all that long, but this is the best restauraunt in the valley. The combination of excellent service, delectible food, and ambiance off the charts makes this place great. There is nothing better than sitting outside, under the stars, eating locally grow gourmet food in this remote location. Actualy there is, drinking a glass of wine off of their spectacular wine list. Give this place a try for a very romantic dinner with excellent food.
Very attentive service. An older crowd. Enjoyed the chi-chi mac and cheese. Thought that the vanilla mash potatoes were brilliant. Thorougly enjoyed the ribs appetizer.
Another romantic spot. I haven't been in a while... but I have always enjoyed my meals in the past. Southwestern influenced cuisine. Beautiful patio. Great service.
Went to Lon's on a date. Can't say much for the guy, but the food was really good. The atmosphere is very romantic and if the weather is nice, I recommend sitting out on the patio.
The best risotto I've ever had was at Lon's. It was a kalamata risotto and it was awesome. They also have a really good sweet potato risotto. The food is southwestern and I was told that Lon's is Arizona's last remaining authentic hacienda. That's pretty cool.
Not a place for small kids, but if you hit up Lon's with someone you actually like (don't make the same mistake I did), you'll have a great time.
I ate here recently with my wife, mother in law, and 3 month old son. We ate inside, which was pleasant. Outside looked more enchanting, but I'm not used to the Phx heat....even in April. :-) Anyway, the food was above average but a little underwhelming considering the price. The service (again, for the price) was bush league. Our server, although he tried, was unorthodox, unpolished and generally a little nervous. I expected more from a place like this.
Hope this helps you make your decision. I think we got stuck with a lame waiter.
This is without a doubt the best overall package of a restaurant in Phoenix. I honestly cannot think of a better patio. Whether it be lunch or dinner, it is gorgeous. The signature dish, beef tenderloin over white truffle macaroni and cheese is one of my favorites in the whole city. I could eat three of them no problem. They offer a teriffic wine list, and have a number of my favorite scotches as well. The place is situated in a 35 room botique hacienda inn, original Arizona adobe architecture. It was once the home of Lon Mcgarge, the western artist credited for the artwork on the Stetson hat. Great place for a special event, romantic evening, or just to treat yourself. They will bend over backwards to make sure you are happy. I have only recieved in my 7 times dining there, one bad piece of service, later to find out it was the kids very first day. I don't like the mandatory valet parking, but I can understand why they do it, their lot isn't very large for a hotel. I can't imagine anyone not liking this place.
I have been here many times for dinner and lunch...mainly when family/friends visit from out of town. The food is very good and the enviornment is great. Eating outdoors is awesome when its not too hot.
We went here for New Year's Eve 2007, so this review refers to a fixed menu experience. The price was $125/person, so this was a very spendy meal and therefore our expectations were raised. The atmosphere gives it at least one star, and the cozy bar area gives it another half. I'd stop there, but my husband really enjoyed his lamb, so we'll be generous and award the second half star.
The bar was crowded, and the service was pretty lousy for the first hour we were there. Even though it was crowded, there is no excuse for a table being ignored for 20 minutes when one drink is clearly empty. Once we were sitting up at the bar it was much better, but the table service in the bar was not great, which we think had to do with the crowds that night. We let the maitre'd know that we were in the bar around 9:00pm and at 9:35pm we finally had to go up to the front to remind them. We were seated around 9:40pm. In and of itself the 10 minute delay was not a huge thing, but it was just one more misstep in our stay at this property (see my review of The Hermosa Inn).
The service during dinner was spotty at best. We waited 25-30 minutes between the first course and second, but then between the second course and entree we had no time (in fact the entrees arrived as the second course was being removed). For a meal that costs $125/head, this is totally ridiculous and unacceptable. The pace should be consistent throughout. At one point both of our wine glasses were completely empty and we even considered filling them ourselves (the wine we had purchased was sitting next to us). Our waiter finally refilled the glasses, but the service was inconsistent and poorly timed.
Regarding the food, we were pretty disappointed overall. First, although the fixed menu did not surprise us given that it was New Year's, we were never informed of that until we sat down. Again, we were not surprised since it was New Year's Eve and we have dined out on holidays on many occasions before, but we didn't see the menu in our room or on the website or anywhere. This is a major point because we would not have booked Lon's if we had seen the menu ahead of time. We are flabbergasted that the only entree options were meat and salmon. The choices were prime rib, lamb, pork, salmon and tenderloin. I don't eat meat (don't like the taste for an entire meal), which meant that the one and only choice was salmon. I also do not prefer salmon whatsoever. I was forced to order the salmon since there were no other options, but it was incredibly disappointing and frustrating that the menu was not more balanced. Why not 2 fish choices or even a vegetarian choice or maybe even a pasta or ravioli? There was no mention on the menu or verbally by the waiter that the chef could prepare something special if desired. We didn't even bother to ask for other options since we had already been informed once that evening that the only food that was available was what was being served for New Year's dinner.
Beyond the poor menu choices, the lobster bisque tasted fishy (and very creamy) and had no lobster. My scallop starter was pretty good, but my husband's caeser salad was underwhelming. His pumpkin soup was okay, but nothing special. The desserts were less than stellar, and overall we are livid that we paid $400 for this meal. $400 for any meal is incredibly expensive, and at that price point, the food, service and atmosphere better be perfect. Not many people even think about spending $400 for a meal, and if you are going to charge that, guests should feel as if their needs are being met. Not offering a vegetarian entree or second fish option is one problem, but the mediocre service and quality of food is another. Not many meals are worth even $200, but $400 is astronomically expensive and hard to justify. If our experience and food had been better, we'd be okay with it...but it is nothing short of infuriating when the $400 is thrown down the drain for a lackluster meal.
Furthermore, the table next to us had to send one dish back not once but twice. Not that this was our table, but it demonstrated to us that we were not the only ones with issues last night.
I think if someone else were paying or it were a regular night I would give it another chance, but given the amount of money we dropped here we were pretty mad about what we received.
Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Scottsdale, AZ
Category: Italian
Paradise Valley, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Scottsdale, AZ
Category: American (New)
Scottsdale, AZ
Category: American (New)
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