We will be traveling to Tempe shortly and will be staying around the ASU campus. Would love to get ideas for good restaurants around the Tempe/ASU area....also, wondered if anyone had experience with staying at Tempe Mission Palms Hotel..Thanks for your help.

Tempe Mission Palms is great. Location is in walking distance to many restaurants, bars, and ASU campus - also a movie theater. A couple of good restaurants on Mill Avenue which would be in walking distance to you are: RA (the best Sushi around, also regular Japanese cooked entrees), Cafe Boa (Italian), Montis (steaks). There are probably a bunch I'm forgetting but that's a start...

If you like spicy foods, try Los Dos Molinos. Very good, casual and fun. Barcelona in Chandler is also very good.

House of Tricks is lovely -- sit outside and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. Reservations recommended on weekends, for sure. Pass on Barcelona. Los Dos Molinos is great, but it is in Mesa or S. Phoenix (for former is closer to Tempe, the latter a very neat bldg.). Blue Adobe Grill in Mesa and Chandler. Wong's for everyday, good NY style chinese. Istanbul Cafe does great Middleeastern. Z'Tejas is quite good, though busy and noisy. I'd pass on RA and head to IchiBan on Rural, but even then the Japanese here isn't so great. Native New Yorker for wings and other good family type food. Classic Pizza is outstinding for 'gourmet' type pizza's.

For an inexpensive, grilled chicken dinner, go to El Pollo SUpremo, on University just before the RR tracks. It is excellent

For a nice Italian family restaurant, go to Longitano's which is on the SE corner of McClintock and Elliot

I'd also agree on Z'Tejas and add The Salt Cellar located on Scottsdale Road(Rural Road), just north of Tempe and an easy drive from Mission Palms. Recently went to Monti's and was disappointed, hadn't been there for years,

I was in Phoenix recently and went to the Salt Cellar because it was recommended by the Concierge. She called at 7:30 on a Monday and got us a reservation that night at 8:30. We got there a little early and didn't get seated until after 9:00. You would think if we called at 7:30 the same night they should have had a better feel for how long the wait would be. I had King Crab and filet. The crab was good but the steak was pretty fatty. Z'Tejas is very good, though. Not sure why Sue didn't like Barcelona but my food was very good and it is really pretty there.

Recommend a restaurant called Rustlers Rooste. Website is: http://www.rustlersrooste.com/

Definately Cafe Boa, some of the best Italian food around!!! Casey Moore's...one of my all time fav's for a restaurant and bar! Skip Barcelona, really pricy, not very good and way too pretentious!

cici,

I think "The Old Door" is in Tempe (can any of you confrim or deny this). Great garden level Italian restaurant with live jazz. Very reasonable and very good food.

Rod

If you do go to Cafe Boa (get the hint, many people have already posted it as a recommed) I insist that you try their raviolis with the "pink" sauce... ITS GREAT!!!

I would also recommend trying out downtown Scottsdale... its not too far away from downtown Tempe, and there are lots of great places there too. Probably take you 10 minutes driving up Rural/Scotsdale Rd.

1) Pepin - Spanish cuisine located next the arts center behind the parking deck - a little bit difficult to find, but they have true blue flamenco shows thurs-sat. Call for times and details.
2) Malee's on Main - probably the BEST Thai food in this city or others!! Located on Main St. just west of Scottsdale Rd. You *MUST* try their Tom-Ka-Gai/Tom-Yum-Gai Soups!!! You will love me FOREVER if you do!!!

thats all for now....

-GrogArgh
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