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Luxury travel this is not. Fine dining is difficult to find; homestyle cooking, steakhouses, and the occasional authentic Mexican joint pepper most towns. Casual is the norm—a pair of jeans will gain you entrance to just about any eatery in the area—anything dressier and you'd be out of place. Reservations are helpful during the busy summer months, and remember that some places are closed from November to April.
This family-owned restaurant prides itself on serving comfort food with a kick: most of the wide-ranging menu is devoted to Mexican dishes that feature hot hatch chiles. If you're not in the mood for spice, you can opt for a burger, sandwich, or salad. Like most places in the area, Booga Reds closes at 8, so make your dinner an early one.
Attracting golfers relishing a successful day on the links as well as locals in search of good food, Charlie Clark's has been the meeting place of the White Mountains since it opened in 1938. Prime rib is the house specialty, and make sure to try a cup of the French onion soup. Minnesota walleye adds a Midwestern spin to the menu.
Any trip to Arizona should become a tour of different styles of Mexican food, and if you like trying different interpretations of Sonoran cuisine, stop here. Portions are large, and the service is friendly at this popular spot. The green-corn tamales and enchiladas are delicious, and locals go for the bean burrito smothered in green-chile sauce.
Along with what locals claim are the best enchiladas on the mountain, Licano's serves shrimp tacos, prime rib, and Alaskan salmon, making for a fairly broad menu. The spacious lounge, with a weekday happy hour from 4:30 to 6:30, stays open to 9 nightly. The convenient downtown location is within walking distance of most Show Low hotels.
Locals come to this family-style Mexican eatery for the enchiladas and lunch specials. Dessert specialties include fried ice cream and apple chimichangas.
With dozens of TVs in the dining room and the adjacent sports bar, this regional chain restaurant is a good place to keep tabs on your favorite team. It's known for its wings and bar food, but it also has the area's closest thing to a late-night scene: the bar stays open on weekends until 10 pm.
Opened in 1973 by "Trapper" Hatch, this family-owned diner is decorated with Hatch's old trapping equipment and animal paintings by local artists. Chicken-fried steak and homemade barbecue sauce draw a loyal crowd. People drive out of their way just for a piece of pie, especially the banana cream. Have a slice at the counter with a cup of coffee.
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