Camus

We were extremely disappointed in our experience at Camus. The atmosphere could be pretty cool and the view is great but the fact that there were only 3 other tables in use at 8 pm on a Saturday night was concerning. We continued to have high hopes until our waiter not only was extremely delayed with our drinks and taking our dinner order but had a overall disinterested attitude. Dinner was decent. I ordered the salmon, my husband the beef special. We were both underwhelmed but it was good enough to eat. Waiting 20 minutes for our bill after we had asked for it was sort of a buzzkill. The clincher was the price of my husbands special $43 for an OK piece of beef was uncalled for in my opinion. We do not mind spending money on good food but, number one, the price should have been announced since it was out of the price range of the regular menu and number two, the beef should have melted in our mouths at that price. One of these issues on their own would have been tolerable but the combination left a bad taste in our mouths. more

OK, the food here is AMAZING! Everything I had was exceptional. The menu has something for everyone. My favorite is the Wellington. The more casual bar menu has the BEST burger in town. The friendly bartenders pour a seriously potent martini. Camus doesn't really feel like a bar, it feels like your hanging out in someone's Hotel suite. Very chill vibe. Pros: Potent Drink, Great Food, Good Parking more

I Love this place Im a regular and i just can't resist the great food and excellent pastries. Camus is very easy to find and great Downtown location, this place is a great place to go unwind after a hard day work, or maybe even a late night interlude this cozy but elegant spot is definitely a frequent stop. Great food and bar menu also, They have a couple nights where they have some really great djs come in and play some tunes, I think its a Thursday Night and a Sunday night. Oh and also the DRINKS oh my! They are great! A lil pricey but believe me you get for what you pay for! Yummy! All in all a great place and you have to try it once! Pros: Laid Back, Good parking, great pastries Cons: drink prices more

In order to provide a thorough analysis of this restaurant, I will address each point (1) TRENDY SCENE--Camus's location in the Phoenix metro area doesn't promote high volume--therefore, the lack of diners/wait on a Saturday night = not trendy. (2) FOOD--The salmon I ordered as my main course, was not good--it was lukewarm, bland, and when I cut the outer crust of the pastry, oil oozed onto my plate. (3) AMBIENCE--Decoration & lighting added to a positive rating in this category. Having a relatively entertaining date may have helped too. (4) SERVICE--OKAY..Here is where the real entertainment was...for having fine dining ""industry"" experience--I have a pretty high tolerance for bad service--Our server tried but ultimately, came close to defining bad service--there were times when I wanted to help him/felt embarrassed for him. (5) VALUE--Good thing I wasn't paying for this date... Pros: Parking (empty lot), Atmosphere Cons: VERY slow service, Food more

I have eaten at Camus twice. Good ambiance, decent downtempo background music and good lighting. Both times I have been there have been on Saturday night around 8ish. With so few diners, I assumed we would get great service with a smile. Never make assumptions. First time our service was very slow (2 1/2 hours for only apps/dinner) despite being one of three tables being served that night. Delicious food though. Second time was even slower (3 hours) and this time the food was about room temperature. My date was unimpressed. Glad she likes me getting her drinks at the bar during dinner. My assessment is new management needs to be put in place to properly train servers and the current servers should be sacked. Place looks trendy but is not. Potential remains with a lot of work to be Chicago/New York style boutique restaurant. Pros: Good Food (usually), Atmosphere Cons: Slow Service, Lack of People, Bit overpriced more

In all fairness, we were here 2 days after a published review, and the lack of preparedness was overly obvious. There were several empty tables, but the restaurant clearly was busier that it ever had been for dinner. The entrees were quite frankly inedible, and we were not the only complaining patrons. Cold, and a horrible sauce that tasted like black bean soak water. We witnessed several tables sending their food back cold and bland. Appetizer and soup courses, however were great. Biggest problem was the time it to serve us - almost three hours for appetizers and entrees-No desert. The server never offered an explanation for the delay. Saving grace - the Owner apologized profusely at the end of the meal, graciously offering to buy desert (after three hours, I HAD to leave). Glad to see that other diners had good experiences - not sure about the risk tho. Pros: Cool Place, Trendy, Romantic Cons: Service, Food - Hit or Miss more

Great food and drinks and really cute cocktail waitresses. Reminds me of when the Merc bar was cool. more

My husband and I frequent the restaurant scene in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and other major cities. We were both very impressed by the quality, the flavor and the presentation of the dishes as well as the friendly service. Everything from the iced teas we sipped on to the appetizers, salads, main dish and dessert was excellent. We consider Camus as one of the top restaurants we have visited. We will definitely come back when we are in Phoenix again. Pros: Atmosphere, Food, Friendly Staff more

From the moment I entered the restaurant, I was taken with its cutting edge lighting system. All senses are excited in this restaurant. As you move through a flight of wine, and exceptional cuisine, your atmosphere evolves with it. Pros: Exceptional Value, Exciting Environment, Incredible menu more

Wow! What a great additional to the Phoenix mid town dining scene. I've had lunch there and highly recommend the French Dip Sandwich and the Gorgonzola Blackened Hamburger! Ordinary items on a menu but these have extraordinary flavor. Quick service too if you are in a hurry and quiet enough for a business luncheon. Service could not be better. And then there is dinner! I've had everything on the menu and frankly can't pick a favorite. Matt, the Chef is a magician when it comes to presentation and tastiness! Once you try this Camus Restaurant you'll become a regular! See you there! It is my favorite place for a business lunch! Pros: Great food!, Great presentation!, Ambiance! more

I have had the pleasure of eating at Camus several times in the first weeks of it opening and I have to say it is THE BEST restaurant in Phoenix. I am a bit of a foodie,,,my favorite restaurant being Michael Minas at the Westin St. Frances in San Francisco,,,,Well,,,MOVE over Michael! Chef Matt Donahoe is on his way to culinary celebrity! I have a new favorite and it is CAMUS! The French dip is the absolute best! I als am a big fan of the Beef Wellington,,, it absolutely melts in your mouth.. I will become a fixture in their dining room for years to come! more

Forget driving to Scottsdale for decent bar and restaurant to grab some drinks and hang out. Camus has it all centrally located, great food, great drinks, great service and a great atmosphere. A must visit destination Pros: Atmosphere, Food, Bar more

This is the best place in Phoenix to go for great wine, a great scene and amazing food. An avid wine drinker, I was very pleased by the helpfulness of the staff in reviewing their excellent wine list with me, in addition to pulling from their cellar some wines that were not even on the list. They introduced me to some wines that they had stocked based on my taste, including an amazing Beaujolais from Morgan. Complimenting the staff's knowledge of wines (especially great French wines) they serve the appealtion in beautiful Riedel crystal glasses. A very nice touch. The wait staff was extremely attentive. They were always available and very helpful, but they did not linger annoyingly either. As far as ambiance goes, the bar is lit in a very intelligent way, making it intimate and modern at the same time. Camus is a welcome addition to downtown Phoenix! Pros: Educated Staff, Great Wine, Amazing Service more

The best new restaurant and bar to happen to phoenix! If you are tired of Scottsdale and looking for something new this is definitely the place. It reminds me of one of my favorite bars in South Beach! Beside the decor the food is aboslutely amazing, and the Chef is very cute! Pros: sevice, food, decor more