Tarbell's Restaurant

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3213 E Camelback Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85018

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(602) 955-8100
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Reviews
( 12 )
( 3 )
( 1 )
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( 4 )

Best

I love Tarbell's. Friendly staff, delicious food with local ingredients. It's always my first choice for a night out. Pros: local, delicious Cons: busy parking lot (but ...

Worst

After reading the great reviews about Tomaso's 4 of us decided to give it a go. We made a reservation and were seated after a short wait. The waiter was friendly and attentive a...

Editorial review from Citysearch 4/2/2014

I read some of the negative reviews on this page and decided to write my own. I have been dining at Tomaso's Restaurant regularly over the past 5 years. This restaurant has been in business since 1977 and offers amazing seasonal Italian dishes. It has a very strong following of local diners as well as tourists. It is the restaurant of choice for company parties, wedding receptions, wine dinners, birthdays, company events, etc. I have even seen professional sports teams, coaches and athletes dine at the restaurant which is always fun. It is not cheap. Cheap food is not good and good food is not cheap. The restaurant is very warm and inviting - and at times, can get extremely busy. If you want cheap, disgusting Americanized Italian food - go to the olive garden. If you want a $34 bottle of wine, go to the grocery store. The food is excellent and very consistent. If you don't have the money to spend, do not come to Tomaso's. The thing about food is that it is all subjective. What one person thinks is excellent, another person may think is not as good. I think that Tomaso's reputation speaks for itself. He has been in business for almost 40 years and would not be as successful as he is without repeat customers. The negative reviews on this page are absurd. Go to Tomaso's for yourself to taste the cuisine of Italy. more

Love Tarbells 7/18/2010

I love Tarbell's. Friendly staff, delicious food with local ingredients. It's always my first choice for a night out. Pros: local, delicious Cons: busy parking lot (but there is valet) more

Fine dine and fine wine! 4/23/2009

Very authentic and original. The owner comes straight from Italy and the cooking taste like it came from... more

Fine dine and fine wine! 4/23/2009

jamie24sum Provided by Partner
Very authentic and original. The owner comes straight from Italy and the cooking taste like it came from Italy as well. Very good wine list. I just... more

OVERPRICED. Waiters are professional salesmen. RIP OFF. 1/1/2009

We went to Tomaso's because we had heard their name as a local upscale place to dine. I am pretty sure that the rave reviews on this review list are written to help hide the authentic reviews. This restaurant was such a disappointment on so many levels. The food was alright, not great and not nearly worth the cost. The thing that everyone needs to know about this place is that everything beyond what was listed on the menu is EXTREMELY overpriced. Our waiter was a pro at upselling and not disclosing the amounts. We ordered coffee and he sold us coffee drinls that were $14. each! His appetizer recommendation was $11. per person. The martinis were $14. each. This place is a joke. Literally a tourist trap. I can't imagine they have many return customers. OUCH! What a rip off. more

Romantic place to wine & dine 8/26/2008

I take my wife here for special dinners, very romantic atmosphere. Seafood is the best, nice selection of pastas as you would expect. Well worth the drive. Pros: Seafood dishes, atmosphere, wine selection more

Over-rated Italian Food 10/26/2007

Have you ever gone to a website to search for good places to eat, read reviews and then hopefully picked the right one, and then have been terribly disappointed? Well, let me give you a couple of hints here, if you want to spend a lot of money, eat mediocre food, sit in a overly warm room, (and it's 90 degrees outside) then by all means, go to Tomasos. The restaurant attempts to be fine dining, but misses the mark in all aspects. The ambience is lackluster, service is ostentatious, and the chef needs to taste his/her own food. When you can't get risotto right, start over! Perhaps if I read this review, I would have thought twice. Good luck! more

overpriced 5/14/2007

I went to Tomaso's for mother's day with my husband and his parents. They didn't have the wine I chose, and the waiter tried to substitute another bottle- which I rejected, because it was too tanic and thin. He then brought out another wine for me to try, saying that this was also in the same price range, that I liked much better, and we ended up going with the latter. ( I only found out at the end, when the bill came, that it was in fact $16 more- not exactly what I'd call in the same price range- it was a $50 bottle of wine, rather than the $34 bottle I had initially chosen.} Then, he brought out the wrong entree for my mother-in-law - instead of the linguini carbonara, he brought out another linguini with a red sauce, and shrimp, and tried to insist that it was what she ordered. He finally went back, and looked at the ticket, and realized he had in fact brought out and ordered the wrong dish. So my mother-in-law, who was the guest of honor (as it was mother's day) had to wait for the kitchen to make her entree all over again, while the rest of us had already been served. Then when we got the final bill, it still listed the wrong entree, (an additional $8 than what she actually ordered, and finally, ate), so then we had to wait for him to cancel the bill, and the charge to the card, and then redo it. Between the upcharge of the wine, the wrong entree, the wrong price, and no other compensation for the additional wait, and the mix up, let alone the overpriced entrees to begin with, it was not an experience worth repeating. Cons: bad service, over-priced more

Delightful dinning experiance 3/10/2007

I have only been to Tomaso's twice in the 20 years I have lived in the valley, once on a date shortly after I came to phx and once recently with friends. The food is wonderful! I however am a person that likes to Eat, and I can not afford to eat here often, lucky for me it is not close, because I would go if it were. A few times a year I splurge and go to places for the dining experiance while I always enjoy myself Tomasos is the only one that I have found that has the delicious flavor factor as well.\r There are a couple of places in my area that satisfy my italian cravings. They are definitly not in the same class as Tomasos, but they satisfy. I chose the most inexpensive items on the menu, the flavors were perfectly delightful. The Minestrone, Spaghettini and Rapini. I savored each bite. This joint has the style, flair, class, and taste that sets it above the rest. This is what fine dining is all about. Pros: Delicious Cons: Price more

worth at try 1/15/2007

tired of all the chains in Phoenix, we were, too. great for a local midtown, ""neighborhood"" place to have a nice dinner. more

Not so great 9/19/2006

After reading the great reviews about Tomaso's 4 of us decided to give it a go. We made a reservation and were seated after a short wait. The waiter was friendly and attentive although he was incredibly busy. The food was another story. 3 of us ordered italian dishes after confirmation from the server that our choices were good, they were not. For the price these dishes should have been exceptional and they were mediocre at best. 1 ordered a steak which was excellent. Perhaps they have missed their calling. Don't waste your money. There is much better Italian food for half the cost. Pros: Good service Cons: Food more

Outstanding in EVERY category !!! 7/13/2006

I found the entire 3 1/2 hours I spent at Tomaso's to be pure heaven ! It might be the date I was with....but the service, drinks, and food made it like I was on Cloud 9 !\r \r We started the evening off with martinis, then the calamari appetizer. Those two along with the bread and garlic and pesto butter were delectable on my tonque. \r \r In between each course, we would head to the bar and chat with the barternder, Mike. He makes a mean martini and has interesting stories to share.\r \r We made our way back to the table for lobster bisque and a arugala and fennel salad. The lobster chunks made the bisque supreme and the cinnamon in the salad made it spicy and begging for more.\r \r Our final course had us licking our plates. We each chose one of the two specials for the day. Suffice it to say, we couldn't stop feeding each other the tempting delights on each of our plates. His veal stuffed raviolis with mushroom and truffle sauce made you drool. My veal ribs were to die for. I can't continue my description for fear of passing out. \r \r We headed back to the bar for an after dinner drink......my date drank an incredible 20 year port and I had THE BEST MARTINI EVER. I asked Mike for a coffee drink that wasn't sweet. He went to the kitchen, brought back some expresso and made the most heavenly expresso martini my mouth has ever begged for.\r \r Thank you to my date, T, for an evening to remember. This is one restaurant that I will dream about for a long time. Pros: Service and Food Cons: Parking more

You can't go wrong! 10/9/2004

Visited Phoenix in July and hadn't been to Tomaso's in years. Went to the Camelback location and was pleasantly surprised to find quality and service were still topnotch! Bartender still doesn't skimp on the drinks. Salads are marvelously fresh. Pastas make your mouth say ""mama mia""! No room for dessert. Can't wait to come back yet again. Kudos, Tomaso's! Pros: Food quality, Knowledgeable servers, Longevity Cons: , Pricey more

second-rate service 1/4/2003

The service was terrible in the Chandler restaurant. The food was served after being under a heat lamp for 30 minutes, the sauces had hardened and had a film on them. The waitperson spoke such bad English we had trouble understanding him. I will NOT return Cons: food, service more

Steak give me a break 1/3/2003

Don't get me wrong I have eaten at Tarbells on numerous occasions and their cuisine and presentation is first class but a steak house they are not. Anyone who views the rating and goes for a Ruth's Chris or Flemings steak meal will find only a pepper steak meal on the menu. more

Overpriced and Chintzy 11/30/2002

We went thinking that since he was on Food Channel it would be exceptionally good, it was very expensive and small portions. The wine we ordered came in a very large glass with a timble full of wine and cost $8.00. What can I say about the food portions? Cons: Portions, prices, Tarbell talking to cr more

Bella!! 11/30/2002

The absolute best Italian food and service in all of PHX!! I cannot believe that anyone in their right mind would rate Olive Garden over Tomaso's!! Did these people have a lobotomy or were they born with out a brain and taste buds!!! Pros: yummy!, excellent service, great wine list Cons: a bit expensive, parking sucks! more

T BELLAS 11/9/2002

My husband and my favorite! Great atmosphere and the absolute best cocktails in town. Service is great, meals are yummy. Love it! more

intimate surroundings - intimate dinner 10/28/2002

An excellent place for a special event or just a nice splurge! Great service and wonderful food beautifully presented. We go to the Scottsdale location. Pros: great food Cons: reservations needed, expensive more

Pepper Seak and Vino 9/3/2002

I am addicted to the Pepper Steak at Tarbell's. Rubbed with fresh cracked black pepper and seared in a cast iron skillet it's ooo baby good. Very Yummy ! The Wine List and Staff are the ""Best in Phoenix"". Talk to Holly to set up your resi, she's the Bomb ! Pros: Great Buzz at the Bar, Amazing Wine List, Pro Server's more
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Menu for Tarbell's Restaurant


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Editorial
  • In Short
    This crisply appointed eatery located in the same strip mall as Tomaso's isn't a striking space, but the white linen-covered tables exhibit the attention to detail worthy of one...

  • 2/6/2007 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Monday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM Tuesday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM Wednesday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM Thursday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM Friday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM Saturday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM Sunday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM
  • Payments: Master Card, Visa, American Express, Discover, Diner's Club
  • Neighborhoods: Camelback East, Chestley Villa
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