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Tapino Kitchen & Wine Bar - CLOSED
Categories: Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Tapas Bars Wine Bars, American (New), Tapas Bars [Edit]
7000 E Shea BlvdSte 1010
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
(480) 991-6887
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
34 reviews for Tapino Kitchen & Wine Bar
Review Highlights
"We also got the lobster corn dogs -- very fun, with great..."
(in 4 reviews)
"We started w/ the butternut squash ravioli w/ sage butter..."
(in 3 reviews)
"the yucca frites with argentinian chimmi churri were a..."
(in 3 reviews)
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Aaron C.
New York, NY
3/31/2009
There's so few fine restaurants in Scottsdale that aren't part of a chain from LA. I'm glad I had the opportunity to have a few tapas at Tapino while I was in town. The outdoor patio is ideal for the warm desert air; and the pink glow of the couches look inviting for a couple's first date.
Of course, tapas are best shared in groups. And in our group of four, we cleared: escargot in garlic butter, deep-fried cauliflower with aioli, roasted artichoke, fish and chips, pork taquitos, flatiron steak, lamb kabob, duck confit, and beef carpaccio. You'll have to go to the restaurant to read the descriptions of each dish. I really can't do them justice in a truncated Yelp review. -
Review from Chris L.
Scottsdale, AZ
2/3/2009
First of all, this has nothing to do with Tapino's food or service. It may be great. In fact, that's what we were hoping.
Secondly, we are big fans of what Chef Porter is trying to do. We have great respect for them advocating the locavore movement & using local farms & vendors. We're huge fans of local farmers markets & buy all our produce there. We're also huge fans of local independent restaurants & business and patronize them as much as possible.
So the birthday fail begins...
One more thing. Birthdays in my family are a big deal. Food is a big deal. We all grew up working in my dad's restaurant (the Glass Door) & food is hugely important to us. For birthdays, we do a fancy dinner & a family dinner. This was a family dinner. Lots of thought goes into choosing the place for each occasion. This was also my wife's birthday. Kind of a big deal for me.
For family dinner, we all go so we need a place that isn't too hard on the budget & that suits different dietary needs (some vegetarians, some food allergies). Looked at a ton of places & figured that we should try Tapino as they had a great food/drink special & we were into what they are doing. Figured it would be a gateway meal to us coming back a great deal more.
Ok, very last thing, kids... So we brought our kids. We've brought our kids out to eat since they were born & they know & appreciate good food. They've been places like Sea Saw, Nobu, Bouchon, etc. They know how to behave & are always expected to behave.
So to the story...
Called Tapino yesterday & spoke to the manager & asked if they could take a party of 12 for happy hour. She said they normally don't take reservations for happy hour but would be ready for us. Asked if they had 2 high chairs for the kids. She said no but they had low chairs & low tables on the patio that would work great. So we're in good shape, right?
Well today, I walk in myself (without kids) & say that we are here for the party of 12 w/kids. The hostess said no kids allowed in bar nor on patio (as they allow smoking on the patio) & they don't serve happy hour in the restaurant & just lets it sit at that. Pretty weird. Was almost as if they'd were ready for us.
Ok, so if you don't want kids in your place...at least tell us. I dragged 12 people out & set their expectations & was excited to have the perfect place to celebrate my wife's birthday. Then we get there & you say sorry, nope?
Also, there wasn't a single person in the restaurant at this time. It was about 5:45. Not one.
I'm like in shock so I tell her I spoke with someone yesterday & she understood our situation & that we were coming in. She said that she was right there when I spoke with her manager & they don't allow kids in the bar or on the patio & they don't do happy hour in the resturant. Ok, I get it. Probably heard this 7 times when I was there.
Might as well have said go away, leave, we don't want you here.
She eventually said that the manager was there & she'd have her come talk with me.
During the wait, I asked about last night's locavore dinner & told her we were excited to be there as we'd been following them on Chowhound & the Phoenix Hound Gathering group. Also told her I'd been talking with one of the farmers that was in for the previous night's event. Basically I let her know we know what they did & were into it. Might have factored in a bit? Nope.
Eventually, the manager came out & they chatted.
The manager then came over & changed the story & said we could sit in the bar at a couple of benches but kept reiterating that the kids couldn't make any noise nor move around at all. Ok, fine. First of all, we expect the kids to behave. If she'd left it with one mention, maybe we'd have just sat down. But with repeated mentions of no noise, no moving around, it was obvious they didn't want us there. I told her I felt that way & she said that wasn't the case but it rang quite hollow.
I went outside to talk with the family & figured we'd probably go elsewhere as we really weren't wanted. Went in to tell the hostess (manager was nowhere around) & got a perfunctory sorry.
Just seems like such a customer service failure. If they'd wanted us there, they could have refrained from making us feel unwelcome. Or if they were uncomfortable with kids being in the bar or on the patio, they could have easily set us up in the empty restaurant & offered us the same food/drink.
Or they could have told us their mantra "no kids in the bar or on the patio, no happy hour in the restaurant" on the phone.
Maybe it was a bad situation for them but if it were me, I would have tried a little bit harder to find a solution that wouldn't have so alienated us.
I don't know. I'm epxecting to see Chef Porter at OTFM & am friends with people who work with him & maybe we'll come back (sans kids of course) but right now it sure doesn't feel like it & it's a major bummer as Tapino seems like a place that is doing excactly what we love & we could have been huge fans. -
Review from Helen Y.
Scottsdale, AZ
10/2/2008
Chef James Porter is a great inspiration in the way he is dedicated to using quality local ingredients at Tapino. To top it off, his kitchen masterfully executes the cooking to bring out the best in each ingredient. Even something as simple as french fries was super addictive with the creative use of Indian spices, delicious aioli and most important of all not-your-average potatoes that tasted extra potatoey.
Happy hour is served everyday 5pm-7pm and even though the price of everything else has gone up (as a small food biz owner I know all too well), small plates and wines are still only $5. I have no idea how he makes any money at these prices. The portions were perfect for the two of us and we order 4 plates (corndog, carpaccio, duck confit tacos and clams) plus the fries.
Outdoor seating is beautiful and relaxing. Service was friendly and professional. I've already planned my next meal here - the white truffle dinner on Nov 12th which is only $125 for five courses with wines paired. There's no way you can get that low a price for that kind of a menu in LA, SF or NY. We're talking lobster pot pie, pork belly sous vide, veal and even truffle in the dessert. Boy do I love living in this city when we have restaurants like Tapino. By supporting restaurants like this, we are also supporting local producers which keeps much needed dollars in this state. Forgive me if I sound like a politician - must be all the debates...Listed in: 6 Stars Dinning in Phoenix
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Review from Emily D.
Washington, DC
9/11/2008
I will be honest, I think your best bet with this place would be to go for happy hour ($5 wine, $5 appetizers) or on a date where someone else is paying.
Really really amazing food but I just got home and am sitting in my condo still hungry since the 5 plates I split with my best friend and myself really did not fill me up...boo. And no, we really aren't that bad of fatties..
Rundown...........................................
BBQ Sea scallops...AMAZING
Asparagus... amazing presentation, very tasty
Goat cheese and apple salsa...If I had it my way (and calories didn't count) I would eat this every day
Tomatoes and beets...ehh...just okay
Spicy blue cheese....not good and very tiny. Just a piece of cheese and 2 mini pieces of bread
Really tasty but just not enough food for the money. I agree with Steve R on coming for drinks and just a bite either before or after an event. -
Review from Kristin S.
Somerville, MA
1/6/2007
My husband and I ate here on our trip to Phoenix/Scottsdale in October and it was quite enjoyable. The menu had many many different options, some more traditional then others. This is the first place either of us ever tried fish tacos (we're from the East Coast, cut us some slack!) and they were amazing! My husband did a wine flight which he liked, we found our server to be extremely helpful when we asked his advice.
Update:
Ok, so now I've been living in Scottsdale for almost a year and Tapino is a staple for us. Its really one of the closest "nice" (its not like its fine dining) restaurants to us.
I have to say that I don't find the portions to really be small. Go to any trendy small plates restaurant in any city and the sizes of the plates will be the same. Its all about savoring the way the different ingredients come together, not about shoveling food into your face. My husband and I always order about 4 plates and its always the perfect amount. I think we may have gone over $100 once or twice but that included a LOT of wine.
The service I find to be very personable. On one particular night we had finished our mussels with lots of the broth left over. Recognizing that our server brought us over some bread for dipping. (She must have read our minds!) -
Review from Jessica C.
Fremont, CA
11/16/2008
I'm not from the area, so it totally baffles me that AZ has so many great restaurants in strip malls. Tapino is one of them.
I didn't sit in the main dining room but at the bar and was very well taken care of by our bartender. We started off with the $5 happy hour menu and then began ordering off the regular menu.
Lobster Corn Dogs - nice sweet crispy crust and sweet lobster mixed with the sweet chili sauce made this taste like dessert. They also came with two other dipping sauces but I was pleased with the first one I tried.
Beef Carpaccio - I'm not a big fan of beef but this was a great dish. The fried capers on top added a nice salty crunchy bite.
Halibut - I love fish and this was a tasty tasty dish.
Grilled Flat Iron Steak w/ Chimmichurri Sauce - Like I said, I'm not a big red meat eater but this one hit the spot as well. The sauce was great. The outside of the meat was salty crisp while the inside was still juicy and tender.
Hummus - I wasn't a huge fan of the hummus. Instead of it being nice and creamy it was quite lumpy and felt a bit like wallpaper paste.
Our bartender kept our wine glasses full and even gave us a free sampling to compare to the wine we were currently drinking. His generosity and knowledge of wines was very appreciated.
When I'm back in the AZ area, I'd definitely come back to try out the rest of the menu. -
Review from Michael K.
Scottsdale, AZ
12/1/2008
We went for drinks and had a little something to eat. The wine list was good. We got there for a late happy hour, so selected glasses of wine were 5 bucks. All the wines we tried were excellent. Some of us made the mistake of getting a mojito martini... Mojitos are good, martinis are good, mojito martinis... not so much...
We sat outside, one of the owners was at the table next to us and lit the outdoor heater so we wouldn't be cold. He was very nice, talked a little about how he had lived in Portland before, he didn't seem to miss it...
We were too late to get any real food, so we got the lobster corn dogs. I thought these were a little misleading, it was more like a seafood thing, not a lobster thing, not bad, I was expecting lobster meat... -
Review from Christina R.
Seattle, WA
12/20/2008
I liked it here. I had wanted to go for a long time with one of my best restaurant companions, but I wound up going with four of my girlfriends from high school during a 'summer kick-off resort weekend' (yes, we actually did that...wow, that's hilarious to type) in Scottsdale.
Anyway...as I said, I liked it. I don't think my friends were as in love. Not all of them drink (so they weren't impressed by the awesome wine selection--I had a glass of a delicious White Knight), and not all of them quite understood the concept of tapas...to order lots of little dishes to create a full meal. The four of them were very frustrated with how little food they could get for their dollar. One girl ordered a salad which turned out to be essentially three leaves of lettuce. To be fair to these girls, the tapas were particularly small...really really yummy, but very small.
Ultimately, it would have been better for us to go somewhere else, but I would completely want to go back to Tapino and experience it with some wine lovers and some people that understand the tapas concept...and some other friends who are willing to expand their restaurant horizons beyond Applebees.
I would especially love to sit on all white couches on the all white tented patio, it looked so relaxing.
However, one complaint. I frown on tapas restaurants that use their status as such as excuse of having way way way too small food portions...while the rest was delicious and adequate (the corn dogs were especially savory), the three leaf salad had Tapino walking that line...so I'm definitely putting it on warning for this near infraction.Listed in: Bringin' the Bourg!
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Review from Ali F.
Santa Clara, CA
12/4/2008
Tapino is a great place to go for wine and a little bit of fancy food.
If you want to gorge yourself, the Claim Jumper is in the same parking lot... but if you want to relax and eat something tasty and have a great evening, Tapino is a much better choice!
The atmosphere in the restaurant is great, the service is unfailingly helpful, and Chef Porter really makes amazing and interesting food and loves doing so. I personally think you can tell when food is prepared by a chef who is passionate about what they're making, and Tapino only proves that.
The prices are really not that bad... maybe I'm ruined on affordability because I live in California, but it doesn't seem all that expensive to me. You're paying for a lot of things when you order a restaurant, not just quantity. (If you just want quantity, see above.) The normal plates (non-happy-hour) run 8-12 each... 2-3 of those easily make a full meal. I had 3 last time... one of which was the beet and tomato salad, amazing... and I was full. I'm not some 100lb waif either, trust me.
All in all, this is definitely a place I would go again, particularly if my primary aim in eating out is less to fill up and more to relax and enjoy myself. Which is how eating out should be~ -
Review from Koli H.
Phoenix, AZ
12/8/2008
This was a spur of the moment outing for my lady and I. I felt like eating and drinking something nice, so I brought her to Tapino. Been there once before, so I knew what I was getting into.
We went on a Sunday night, the place was empty. We were promptly seated at a two-top near the kitchen. The ambiance was laid back yet sophisticated. The serving staff were professional and knowledgeable.
My only qualm about the whole evening was that the bottle of Red wine I ordered, was served way too chilled. I'm not a Cork Dork by any means, but I do have a basic knowledge of wine, and wine serving etiquette.
None the less, as the evening progressed the wine warmed up and the flavors came out.
As far as food, my lady and I each ordered 3 or 4 plates the first go around. The server intelligently coursed them out herself, sending out the lighter dishes first in pairs and moving into the next two, etc. I thought that was slick. She could of just dumped 8 plates on us.
The Short Rib was tasty as all hell, I watched my girl's eyes rolled back into her head as she nibbled on the first bite of that dish.
I was thoroughly pleased with everything in that round so much that we each ordered 2 more dishes. The not-too-clever anymore "bacon and eggs" was delicious, no matter how many times I've had it at other places. The pork belly was perfectly braised and brings a smile to my face as I write about it.
In closing. Go to Tapino, get a bottle of wine, prepare to spend a little cash. Enjoy good conversation, good food and good wine.
Live Happy. -
Review from Claudia M.
Phoenix, AZ
12/7/2008
An impromptu Sunday night dinner invite from my significant other brought Tapino into my life. I had no idea I was about to eat some of the best food of my life. Let me say also that this was my first experience with tapas and that I'm by no means an experienced wine drinker, though I'm enthusiastic to learn.
The atmosphere was chill. It was classy, no doubt. I may have been a tad under dressed in jeans since I had no idea where I was going (downtown girl through and through) but was not treated any less by the waitstaff. Chill downtemp/trip-hop was playing. We were seated inside. There was good mood lighting (even if they did have fake candles at the table).
What ensued was a stream deliciousness. Everything was delicious. Everything. My favorite were the bacon wrapped dates and the short rib. We drank a bottle of AZ stronghold. We ordered about 11 different plates between 2 of us. We did not leave hungry but were not stuffed.
The service was excellent. Very pleasant waitstaff. My guy was a little irked that the wine was slightly chilled, I guess its suppose to be room temp. It was still delicious to me.
The whole experience was so awesome. A great pre-cursor to a hot sex. Heh. I will definitely be back. -
Review from Regan W.
Phoenix, AZ
9/29/2008
This place is just consistently great, with great service.
The wine list is great, and I just really enjoy the small-plate experience. It allows you to try a bunch of things without getting too stuffed (which allows you to drink a bit more wine)!
The pancetta-wrapped gorgonzola stuffed dates are SUBLIME. We also got the lobster corn dogs -- very fun, with great dipping sauces. -
Review from Sarah H.
3/31/2008
I love tapas.
I love their tapas.
However, each time I go here, I end up dropping hundreds of dollars.... sigh. So I actually haven't been in awhile. I guess the tiny portions just make me want to order EVERYTHING :)
I love the corn dogs. Yum. Corn dogs. -
Review from Nyomi L.
Scottsdale, AZ
1/27/2009
*Disclaimer: I'm biased because I love Tapino!
I absolutely hate reviewing restaurants after only going to them once, especially if they impress me the first time around; a fantastic restaurant must have *consistency*. And here is where Tapino simply excelled (well, in addition to the food, and the service, and the atmosphere).
Each time I've been here, I've conveniently made it in time for happy hour... mmmm... so much deliciousness can be gotten for either $5 a plate, or $5 a glass. The alcohol and food listed on their happy hour menu, though not extensive, definitely offers something for every taste. I can have a sweeter Scheurebe while others may enjoy a nice Sauvignon Blanc (yech). For the non-wine drinker, there's generally 5 drinks (martinis, mojitos, etc). For the non-alcohol drinker, um... I don't know what to say to you... I'm sorry?
The food... ah... the food. It's delicious, what can I say. Admittedly, there have been a few items I have only mildly liked, but it was more buyer and user error. If I *know* I don't like a particular flavour, I probably shouldn't deliberately order something with it. Sigh. But there are a few items that just tip the scale so much in Tapino's favor: the beef carpacio is absolutely delicious, the asparagus with the yellow sausce streaked around the edges is Yummy with a capital "Y".
But reading the other reviews, not only here but elsewhere, a growing discontent is swelling up inside of me... why don't owners ever come and say "hi" to me? I'm friendly, funny, and usually slightly tipsy.... Why??? -
Review from Erin G.
Fairfax, VA
5/17/2007
last night a friend and i stopped by tapino because of all the great reviews here and we were very pleased at the choice. We barely made it to happy hour in the vino lounge, but the server was very friendly and even gave us a last call 5 minutes before 7PM so we could order a second round. for $45 we shared 4 glasses of wine and 5 tapas, which ended up being the perfect sized meal for two girls who'd just eaten about a pound of chocolate. (see seven sisters review!)
the yucca frites with argentinian chimmi churri were a highlight for us. much denser than potato fries, they had a creamier texture and the chimmi churri was delicious. we also tried 3 different cheeses all of which were excellent, and the eggplant cannelloni which was good but nothing to write home about.
the wine lounge is an outdoor deck draped with white curtains and white couches and ottomans, it is very chic but unpretentious and we had a great time! there wasn't a crowd of people outside, which was nice, but of course it was only a wednesday evening. we hung out until 9ish then walked around the strip mall before heading out.
calm atmosphere, friendly staff throughout, comfortable seating and yummy food. the wine wasn't bad either. delightful! -
Review from Michael C.
Scottsdale, AZ
3/8/2008
Super atmosphere... the dining room, the bar and the swish outdoor patio are all wonderful. The lounge-y relaxed style is perfect for hanging out after dinner with friend(s).
I have been going here for a couple of years, and have always been impressed by the friendly, knowledgeable staff.Listed in: Smokin' Bars... (look cool…
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Review from Amy S.
Tempe, AZ
8/6/2008
I've been to Tapino twice now, both in order to go to a "Flight School"--basically a wine tasting/learning class.
The first time we went we were early so we got some appetizers at the bar. It was happy hour so select appetizers were $5. We got a really delicious beef carpacio that had little fried capers on it, and dates stuffed with blue cheese that didn't work as well. These eased our hunger and sent us over to the flight school area, a front corner of the restaurant walled in with wine crates. We tasted four great wines paired with cheese all for only 15$!
The second time we came, we really got our money's worth--3 wines were over $60 a bottle retail, and totally amazing. Afterwards, we got glasses of wine at the bar with help from one of the bartenders, who was very nice and knowledgeable.
I would definitely recommend both the restaurant and the flight school (you can find the schedule on their website--it's held every Thursday). The staff are all great, and it's great to support local business. -
Review from Jon W.
Philadelphia, PA
1/30/2009
I came here years ago, and I still remember is being one of the tastiest and most expensive meals I have ever had. The wine flights are totally worth it and so is the Quail - very good....
I came here 2 years ago, so my memory is not that fresh, I just remember it being a very nice time. -
Review from G T.
Scottsdale, AZ
3/15/2009
I was feeling in a "tapas" mood one night and decided to try Tapino, which is literally 5 minutes away from where we reside. As we arrive the location, we sat in the bar for their Happy Hour specials. Several tapas, specialty drinks and wine glasses are $5 during this time. So, we both go crazy ordering off the $5 specials and ended up with a heck of a meal.
Hands down, the escargot, puff pastry and garlic butter was the best!
The globally-inspired tapas were great, except for the clams, where I found the sauce a tad too salty. The curry fries delivered a punch and found them quite adventurous. Our drinks consisted of Sangria Martinis, which were great.
I will definitely come back again, and maybe lounge in the outside patio next time, which looked very inviting. Thanks Tapino..
Gen -
Review from Natalie D.
Scottsdale, AZ
10/9/2007
Great happy hour. $5 tapas/wine/cocktails. It had been a long time since my last time there and had to ask myself why?! Tapino! I've missed you! The chef does an excellent job in food presentation & originality. But more than that, the flavors pop in your mouth.
Must try: crab corn dogs (so nostalgic), duck tortillas, yucca frites to name a few.
I must agree w/ another reviewer. The outdoor patio is the place to be. The waitstaff is usually outstanding too!
Bon Appetite! -
Review from Aileen B.
1/28/2009 2 photos
Took Mom for dinner Monday night. This was the second time I took her here, and it'll be the last! Guess Tapino just isn't for her. Out of the three small plates we shared, she only enjoyed the lamb kabob over quinoa ($9). It was the second-best dish of the three I enjoyed.
I'd wanted to try a glass of rose ($7), since Mom is a fan, but she was "too tired" to have wine, so I'll have to bookmark that for next visit. We started w/ the butternut squash ravioli w/ sage butter ($8; mmm... I adore brown butter and sage... My Mom, however, doesn't). I appreciated the sweet creaminess of the squash puree against the slight toothiness of the ravioli. The sage butter added just enough salt to the dish, while the toasted candied pecan bits on top added impeccable crunch! How I wished I had all three pieces! (She ate one and didn't even enjoy it! How infuriating! LOL)The second dish we tried was the baked escargots w/ butter, parsley, lemon, and puff pastry ($7). Compared to the multi-faceted ravioli dish, this was a bit disappointing. While I enjoyed the textures that the snails and crunchy puff pastry offered (TOO crunchy, if you ask me! Those babies were bordering on hard! Where's the "puff?," I ask.), the butter and parsley treatment fell flat. Mom again only had one. I believe there were 6 total. Don't misunderstand- I still ate all the rest... I was hungry!! :D
Last, but not the least, came the skewer of lamb kabob (3 pcs; $9) w/ bell peppers and onions, served over cold saffron quinoa w/ cucumber sauce (served on the side). Thankfully, the lamb pieces were savory enough not to have needed the sauce. Loved the quinoa.
Check out the photos I took... I'll have to take a photo of the ravioli on my next visit! -
Review from Pamela S.
Charlotte, NC
4/23/2008
I really like this place, especially for happy hours. Their happy hour specials are $5 for wines and tapas. Can't beat that!!! Be warned if you go during normal hours, your tab runs up very quickly. Their appetizer portions are small but VERY scrumptious. I really enjoy the carpaccio. Its hard to make a full meal out of the appetizers, though. And their wines are very good... I have sipped some of the best tasting wines at this place. And on a nice day, its great to sit in the lounge area outside. The couches are comfortable and its a very relaxed atmosphere.
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Review from Seth O.
San Mateo, CA
3/22/2009
The folks at Tapino need to buy a dictionary and look up the word "Hospitality". I have never been so offended in my life as a patron of a restaurant. I had the owner or manager personally come to our table and let us no that we had to "be cool" and make sure we kept it down (for the 1 other table on the other side of the restaurant?) When he returned a second time to lecture us like 10 year olds, I canceled the appetizers and we left and went to Mastro's City Hall where we racked up a tab of $1,000 and were treated accordingly. From what I noticed from the Friday night crowd at Tapino's and the poor customer service, I don't think this strip mall blunder is going to make it!
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Review from Megan M.
Sun City, AZ
7/18/2007
I'm in love with their happy hour. $5 glasses of wine, $5 tapas, and $5 cocktails. The happy hour menu is simple, but amazingly tasty...I have never seen lobster corndogs on a menu before. I love the goat cheese as well. I've not done dinner here before because I can't get past happy hour with out filling up. My only problem with the restaurant is that it can be loud and dark.
Listed in: Cheap Eats
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Review from Tony B.
Phoenix, AZ
2/17/2008
Tapino looks like a chain restaurant, but fools you with the decent food...I went last night with my wife and family for dinner and had a really good time. Tapas lends itself to sharing and trying things that you wouldn't normally order.
I had the lobster corn dogs ( yes, they were great ) and the braised short ribs ( even better than you think ). My wife had the artichokes and mussels, which were both well done. In a myriad laps, the plates that came by included escargot ( great ! ), pork kabobs ( awesome ), foie gras ( good ), pommes frittes ( a bit soggy, but good ), and
risotto ( undercooked ). The creme brulee was marvelous...
Everything was decently priced and the service was fair...
I would go back again and grab a bite at the bar and do a happy hour thing. Like I said earlier, looks like a chain version of a much smaller place..Good food, fair prices, but could stand to maybe be in a space half its size...Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Gina W.
Tolleson, AZ
12/19/2008
loved this place!
we got here at around 10pm on a Thursday night...it was dark and only the bar and lounge were open, dimly lit and super-intimate(which I loved).
Jamie wasn't terribly hungry(and I oughtn't to have been, but I kind of was)...so we ordered the artichokes(soaked in a lemon-basil olive oil--tender, a bit greasy), the foie gras(crispy with smoky-sauteed mushrooms and sweet cubed apple), the clams(AMAZING--only slightly spicy, with a kick of lime and cilantro, nice and buttery with a hint of white wine), and the butternut squash ravioli(a bit of a letdown--the squash filling needs FLAVOR--more sweetness, more spice, something).
we also had the Ice Wine flight(the apple wine was divine--so sweet, but not sticky. the Franc had a bit of a perfumy taste to it, but it didn't last long and I loved it. the Vidal Blanc was complex and delicious. and the Jaden Pinot had a similar perfumy taste, but was more alike to the Vidal)...they were all spectacular.
for dessert, we had the S'mores(way better than I'd ever hoped--soft and super RICH, with whipped, toasted marshmallows)...they were amazing with the Bordeaux Labory(which was a very good wine, indeed--not intense, but with strong flavors of lead, which were absorbed and weakened by the thick chocolate of the S'mores)...we also had the Creme Brulee tasters...also kind of a letdown. the chocolate and vanilla ones had strong flavors, very rich...but the other two were basically...blah.
after everything, I had the Gruet Grand Rose, a wonderfully strong, not overwhelmingly sweet bubbly from New Mexico.
oh! and our server, Dina(Deena?) was awesome...she and I turned out to both be from the NYC area, and she gave us some confidential places to check out when we head to Manhattan next week :) -
Review from Vince H.
Milton, DE
5/13/2008
During our trip to Scottsdale we decided to stop at Tapino's after reading about it here on Yelp. It was a great decision to make. From the moment we pulled up to the front of the restaurant we were impressed with its patio seating area. Once inside the staff was welcoming and professional. Happy Hour has to be one of the better ones I have been to over the years, the $5 Tapas, Martinis, and Wine cannot be beat. As for the food, it was flavorful and there was enough to satisfy my hunger. When in the Scottsdale area I will always make it a point to stop at Tapino Wine Bar.
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Review from LINDA R.
Paradise Valley, AZ
2/5/2009
Been several times, always to the bar area or the patio. Highly suggest the patio for a girls nite out: classy & casual at the same time, fun, upbeat, great place to chat it up. Great selection of wine by the glass, unique little (i do mean tiny) appies to nosh on.
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Review from Ashley A.
New Orleans, LA
10/17/2007
My advice: do not go here on an empty stomach.
So you might be wondering if I know what the word "tapas" means after that comment. Yes, yes, I am fully aware that tapas are small, dainty portions. However, a girl with a steak sized appetite cannot afford to get full at this joint!
We went here last Friday night and left hungry. Part of it was because my in laws were in town and apparently eat like birds (which you wouldn't know from looking at them), but part of it was because you can't eat enough here to get full.
Don't get me wrong - every morsel of food I put in my mouth here was to die for. The fried goat cheese just melted in my mouth, and the ricotta fondue was tantalizing. However, I'd like more than a bite. This is a meal, not a strip tease.
The portions were ridiculously small. Yes, tapas are small, but these were like tapas for ants. I have never been to a tapas restaurant with portions this tiny. I know I am from New Orleans where we eat way too much, but get real - people are normally hungry at dinner time! It actually doesn't matter if the portions are small if you can afford to order twice as much, but the portions are very small and overpriced at normal dinner time. Maybe for happy hour I would have had a different reaction, but I came here expecting to leave full and we had to make Kraft Mac and Cheese when we got home.
Isn't it sad when 99 cents of Mac and Cheese satisfies you more than $100 worth of tapas?
The outdoor patio looked cool......I think the next time I come here I will fix myself a New Orleans sized serving of Mac and Cheese ahead of time and just drink the wine.
I will say their trio of creme brulee was pretty tasty, though......... -
Review from Annie L.
Brea, CA
9/23/2008
Great selection of wines and tapas. I love their outdoor seating, it started raining when we were there, it felt like you're on an island. Not really a good place to eat if you're really hungry, but great if you're looking for a quiet hang out and a light meal.
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Review from Kansas G.
Scottsdale, AZ
Updated - 2/4/2009
Still high marks on the food, but would have to agree with Chris L on uneven quality of service.
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1/5/2009
OMG! This place is awesome...my new favorite fancy date night place that won't be breaking budget.
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Review from Wayne E.
Petaluma, CA
3/12/2007
The whole experience here was interesting and different. I had heard some good things about this restaurant. When we arrived we were promptly seated at a nice table right in the middle of the restaurant. Unfortunately there was an extremely noisy birthday party going on to the point where we could not hear each other. The party was sectioned off but was really noisy. We asked to be moved to another room or place and they moved us to the corner which was a little better. We found out as we left that there was another room that was about half full that would have been nice for us or better yet the birthday party.
As for the food, it was different and some of it was very good. With the help of our waitress we tried six dishes with two orders of each for four of us. The dishes are listed below in terms of how we liked them.
1. Eggplant Canneloni--outstanding dish with a lot of good flavors. Different and delicious. I am not a lover of eggplant and I loved this dish.
2. Snapper Mini-Tacos--Also very good--good fish, spicy and very tasty. Would definitely order this again
3. Braised Short Rib--Tender, tasty and very good overall.
4. Latin Yucca Frites--I liked this better than my friends but they could have been better. Prepared in an oil type marinade that was mostly at the bottom, meaning the frites at the bottom had the full effect and those were good. Uneven dish.
5. Stuffed dates with Pancetta--another very unusual dish. Okay but not anything I would have again. Nice blend with Pancetta and gorgonzola--date was very sweet--okay but not great.
6. Lump Crabcakes--we were all disappointed with this dish. Not much crab and the flavor was somewhat bland.
Overall it was a nice place but with all of the good choices in Scottsdale I am not sure I would go back again. -
Review from Catherine M.
Phoenix, AZ
1/6/2009
The restaurant was nearly empty when my friend and I went for dinner and wine on a Tuesday night. It must be the recession... We each got the suggested three dishes. They are not at all small compared to other tapas places. We had the fried goat cheese, butternut squash ravioli, braised short rib, sea scallops, ahi tuna, and clams. They have a big wine list. I am not a wine aficionado, but I enjoyed my glass. The wait was experienced and coursed out our food for us. For dessert, we had the creme brulee tasting spoons which was awesome. Overall, a great meal with great service in a nicely decorated restaurant. More people should go!
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Review from Julie R.
Phoenix, AZ
3/19/2009
been there once a few months ago for happy hour, enjoyed our cocktails & especially the malbec wine. we had 2 appetizers, the goat cheese one was good. can't wait to go back
