February 2013 – Last Labor Day, Ms. Karen & I had lunch at Old Pueblo Grille. If you read my review, you know our meal was disappointing, although the Rattlesnake Eggs were delicious (jalapeno peppers with cream cheese wrapped in bacon). When I write a negative review, I try to go back when management thinks I will have a good experience. So, this is a re-review.
About once a month, my friend Jeff & I dine somewhere I can review a restaurant for the Dining Section. So it was back to the Old Pueblo Grille in the hope that I could write a positive review. I really wish I could. The place was packed, so obviously a lot of Tucsonans think it’s OK. But in all honesty, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it to my friends & family – which is our base criterion for either a four or five saguaro rating.
While waiting for Jeff to arrive, I asked my waiter if the chips were fresh. He said, “Yes sir, they were cooked this morning.” I ordered the chips & salsa … hoping for the best. Last Labor Day, not only were chips stale, but the salsa was bland and decidedly uninteresting. (Apparently they had run out and had to make more on the fly.) The chips came. The good news … the salsa had improved considerably. The bad news … the chips were hardly fresh-out-of-the-oven like we get at El Charro Cafe’(downtown) or Theresa’s Mosaic Cafe (Silverbell & Grant behind the McDonalds).
Along with the chips & salsa, I ordered one of Old Pueblo Grille’s specialty margaritas: the Silver Cloud [$9]. Our waiter said that it was his favorite, a classic margarita. Whatever. It was just a margarita. OK, but nothing to write home about.
I ordered a Caesar Salad and half grilled turkey sandwich. As was our experience the last time we ate here … some good, some not so much. My Caesar was bland. However, my half grilled turkey sandwich with green chiles, jack & cheddar cheese, chipotle mayo, on a fresh torta bun was one of the best I have ever tasted. It’s only rival in Tucson (that I know of) is at Liv Cafe’ & Bistro in St. Philip’s Plaza. Two bites into my Caesar made me wish I had just ordered the sandwich.
Jeff ordered the fish & chips. I was keen to see what he thought. I had the fish & chips at the Metropolitan Grill on North Oracle and it was superb. As Old Pueblo Grille is owned and operated by same company, Metro Restaurants, I was hoping Jeff’s fish & chips was as good. It wasn’t. The fish was OK, but the batter was heavy & greasy. The chips (fries) were under-cooked, mushy & tasteless.
Along with our meal our waiter brought 3 small corn/jalapeno muffins in a basket wrapped in a cloth napkin to keep them warm. They were warm but not particularly fresh. We didn’t eat them right away because the waiter had not brought us any butter. When he finally noticed that I was waving for his attention, he apologized for the oversight and chipolte butter soon arrived. By now the warm little muffins were cold, but the butter had a pleasant kick.
As we experienced the last time we ate at Old Pueblo Grille, some dishes (Rattlesnake Eggs, Grilled Turkey Sandwich) are very good. And other dishes are, inexplicably, mediocre or worse. While its sister restaurant, Metropolitan Grill rated 4-saguaros, the best I can do for Old Pueblo Grille is a 3-saguaro rating.
Old Pueblo Grille
60 N. Alvernon Way (just north of Broadway)
For Dining reviews of the Best Dining in Southern Arizona by Cuisine visit us here.
For an Alphabetical list of Dining reviews of the visit us here.
