Their pizza is still some of the best around. It is consistently good. I have ventured to other parts of the menu only to be wishing I had just stuck to the pizza. The starter shrimp and crunchy bread is awesome so are the meatballs and bruschetta. Salads are always good. They need to improve the flavor in the pasta dishes, but like I stated...I'm only coming for the pizza. The bartender and manager are tops in the biz. They really care about the place and help make it a success.
Happened to be in N. Scottsdale, and was happy to find this place just across the Scottsdale/ Cave Creek border. Actually had a friend tell me about it, decided to try it for myself. I got the cheese ravioli with brown butter sauce, and HOLY COW, that sauce was so good I wanted to just drink it. I cook, and have browned butter for a number of recipes, but they did something special with this sauce, wish I knew how to replicate it at home... I also got the kale house salad, the salad dressing was sweet and unexpected and super delish. For sure lemon and maybe some honey in it? It also had tomatoes and a very generous sprinkling of sliced fresh parmesan cheese and something else crunchy- toasted breadcrumbs? Not sure, but really good. Anyway, I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Jim W.
Let me first say it's nice to have something convenient when in town, and.... the service is great! Ate there last night - and the server was fabulous. My only complaint - it seems the chef likes his dishes on the sweet side. Pumpkin Jalapeño soup was highlighted - but too sweet - and not enough jalapeño. The bread at the table was fantastic. Love love love. I ordered the veal dish. Very good - again - a little on the sweet side - would have liked more capers. Dining partner ordered the short rib gnocchi "stew" - again - too sweet - and a bit much of a cinnamon flavor. May be what was designed, but not what was expected. They were totally cool to swap it out for the veal and not charge. Based on how they handled us - we'll be back!
(4)
Mike B.
We found this place using a Groupon as we saw it was close in our new neighborhood. We were pleasantly surprised with great service, good house wine and a good pizza. The calamari appetizer was great and the lemon sauce to die for. The vanilla Nutella cheesecake with raspberry strawberry jam was Really good. The menu had some attractive entrees so we will have to go back without a Groupon and try their fare.... Oh and did I mention they have live music Wednesday through Saturday with happy hour all day on Sunday and Monday.... :)
(4)
Taylor D.
My Fiance & I had our first date here and continue to come back for the wonderful service and delicious pizza! Best Italian food around :)
(5)
Bob P.
Excellent Italian food ! Great wait staff, perfect hand made pasta ! Can't wait to try everything !
(4)
Good Eats S.
This was our first experience at Amaro Pizzeria and we had been looking forward to it since we sampled them at The Taste of Cave Creek. Went with two other couples on a Tuesday night. First impression: a kind of urban, upscale vibe---surprising for a place that calls itself a "pizzeria". (Makes me think checkered tablecloths and wax-dripped Chianti bottles). Pleasantly low lighting & music. We were seated at a large high-top just right for 6 people---a little sorry to see that the upholstery was worn thru to the foam beneath. Meh! (Note to owner-check out Alida Restaurant Supply. They rock upholstery. Ask for Keith) But otherwise the dining room and bathrooms were nice and clean. Our server was a real Italian. Pretty charming and on the ball. He had us our wines and one lemondrop martini promptly. DH and I ordered the bruschetta for a starter. Very good. Edges of the bread were perfectly dark-toasted, the almost burnt taste the perfect compliment to the sweet/ herb-y taste of the tomato and basil that was piled high. The other couples chose salads, which they liked, though one DC commented she thought it was a little heavy handed on the dressing. For entrees, DH ordered the Chicken Parmesan, which the server said was one of the house specialties. I ordered Tagliatelle Amatriciana. DH uses chicken parm as his benchmark for an Italian restaurant---and he said this was some of the best he had had! A ginormous piece (covered the plate!) of crisp, breaded chicken with perfectly balanced marinara and a small portion of tender-crisp broccolini. He said it was NJ Italian good, but was disappointed that there was not even a small portion of pasta to swirl up every bit of the yummy sauce. My Tagliatelle Amatriciana was really good---pasta was cooked perfectly---would have been perfect if it hadn't been underseasoned to my taste. It REALLY needed a bit of salt, and that kind of bothered me even as I enjoyed all the other flavors. And there was no salt or pepper on the table.I don't like that kind of conceit on the part of a restaurant---that they are so good they don't need to provide condiments to diners. It's no reflection on the chef's skill---some days I like things saltier than others. Anyway, lack of salt took the tagliatelle from an A+ to a B. The other two couples each split pizzas. They looked delicious---and our DC's said they were! One couple had the Pizza Diavolo and the other the Margherita. There was nothing left of either pizza at the end of the meal, so they enjoyed! Finished with 2 orders of the zeppoles to share. I have never had zeppoles, which are kind of an Italian deep-fried doughnut. Two of our party are Brooklyn Italians, and said they were nothing like the zeppoles they grew up on in NYC. Like I said, I had never had them before, but because they were rolled in a thick coating of powdered sugar, they were almost too sweet when combined with three fabulous sauces that accompanied----a nutella, a raspberry coulis, and a creme anglaise. wish they had lightened up on the XXX sugar so you could really enjoy the nuances of the sauces. This is NOT to say we did not devour every bit of the doughnuts AND swiped up every bit of the sauce! At that point I think we've a 4 star Yelp, then the server brought the bill. And it was one bill for the six of us. Okay, we forgot to tell him that we needed 3 checks, but I'd think common sense and 3 obvious couples might've inspired him to ask if we wanted separate bills. One of our party asked if he could re-ring it into 3 checks and he flatly said: "No, I cannot." Mass chaos ensued as we figured it out, because there was lots of wine and dishes and you know how calculators on cell phones are. I am frustrated and I say out loud to the DC next to me: "For pete's sake, he could have re-rung these---he's just being lazy." I didn't know he was standing behind me. The next moment, I am being told loudly and firmly that he is NOT lazy, that he works very hard, that it is impossible for him to re-do the check... It was kind of embarrassing, getting caught with my foot in my mouth AND getting reprimanded. The interesting part? One of our fellow couples realized she'd forgotten to use a Localdines coupon and she gave it to him and he whisked away and returned a few minutes later with ONE check that had been RE-RUNG with the discount taken. Heeelllloooo? So, he can re-ring the check to reflect a discount, but not to complete what until then had been a pleasant dining experience? Plus DH was not happy that our server took me to task---he said right or wrong, you don't publicly chide a customer. Food was probably a 3.75, with lack of salt and no pasta with the chicken parm taking it down from a 4, and 4 service ended up being a 2, because you do NOT embarrass a customer publicly and the check debacle... We will probably go back at some point, but there's so many other Italian restaurants in the North Valley to try out--not for a while, probably...
(3)
Jodi J.
Yup...I ate the whole damn pizza because it was that GOOD!! I'm miserably fully, but super satisfied!! I ordered before reading the reviews, otherwise I might have chosen something other than the Funghi, only because every reviewer LOVES it; but then again maybe not. I was the lone trooper tonight and decided to go out and dine by myself. I had been here before, and remembered it was good, but that was probably a year ago. I asked for a little balsamic to go on the pizza and they gave me this awesome balsamic reduction, it was perfect. Good service, great wine and pizza recommendations, nice atmosphere. I will definitely be going back more often!
(5)
Linda M.
Was there on Valentine's Day and yes it was crowded. The offered such a fantastic special and they delivered. There was a table there that just didn't get the date. They were annoying and expected to get their food in no time. What jerks. I frequent this place for dinner and they have never missed the mark. The owner tried everything to please these obnoxious people who thought it was their right to go table to table and complain. Glad they left and hope if they read this - Valentine's Day is a busy day for any restaurant and if you think you are going to be in and out in 1 hour with your food - you are mistaken. And you would never get the deal they offered anywhere on the east side. But for you to try and ruin everyone's night - you are a bad person. Really don't go out and eat anywhere because I think you are the type of person who can't ever be happy. Amaro's offers some great food, fantastic ambiance and really did everything they could to make the night fantastic. And the new female singer was great too! I frequent places and try new places all the time, no one compares to Amaro. The old owners here a few years ago didn't do anything like these owners do to make your evening nice. We will be back and back and back again! Way to make our Valentine's Great!!!
(5)
Melissa K.
This place is beautiful, with romantic mood lighting. The wine offerings are a great deal, we had a 98 Merlot that went perfectly with the surf and turf. The bacon wrapped medallions were cooked to perfection and had the perfect amount of sauce glazed on top. The Asiago potatoes are a must-try, several of their dishes come with it.
(5)
Treena C.
Decent friendly staff. They were out of the first bottle of wine we ordered, but we found another one that was good. We had the kale salad that was a little dry. The bruschetta bread was pretty dry as well - almost cut the roof of my mouth on the crust. The chicken parm is really good- although they need to serve it with more marinara sauce. The best thing about this huge restaurant is that they have live music.
(3)
Robert B.
The service was perfect, the pork chop was delicious, and the zeppole was decadent. The presentation of the food was pleasant and the plate was full but not over crowded. It is a large place that has live music. We enjoyed American guitar and singing. It is casual meets a touch of class.
(5)
Daniel B.
We have been here many times and thru several ownerships, it's still floundering by the looks of occupancy and service, but we only come here for the pizza, because if you want a real Italian equivalent type pizza, this is the place in the North valley to go. The Diavalo pizza, which is our favorite, however is not very spicy at all. But still excellent in taste and crust and flavor. We love it! And would recommend it to anyone to try! Light and fresh and yummy! Buon appetite!
(4)
William B.
We made a reservation for Valentine's Day at 6:30 p.m. online through Yelp Seat Me. We made the reservation on February 5. We received an e-mail confirmation. Several days later, we received a call from the restaurant, to confirm our reservation. They said they were going to seat us at a high top table in the bar, and asked if that was OK. We said we didn't like that seating. They then asked if we wanted a table or a booth. We said we would take the booth, and they said OK, see you on the 14th. We arrived about 6:10 p.m. I went to the hostess stand to check in. They searched and searched for our name, but couldn't find it. The one hostess talked to another, and they said someone with a last name similar to ours had a reservation at 6:30 also, but had called and switched it to another day. But that was not me!. I had my e-mail confirmation with me, but they didn't even want to look at it. The hostess asked us to follow her, and she brought us toward a table. I said we had reserved a booth on the phone, and she said "I didn't take your reservation, so I don't know what they told you" but she didn't have a booth. There were several tables open in the dining area. She showed us to a table right at the front and on the aisle. My wife asked if we could have the table next to it which wasn't right on the aisle. She said no, that is reserved. I said "I have a reservation too!" She said sorry. So we took the table by the aisle. Less than 5 minutes later, another host came through with a couple, and they looked at the several open tables, and were asked which one they would like, and they finally said they would take the table that we had requested earlier. They didn't have that specific table reserved--but got it anyway. Unbelieveable! Lousy start to the evening. During the evening, we couldn't help but notice that the people at the tables around us were waiting extremely long for their entrees. In fact, the waitresses were apologizing for the long waits. We had long waits for our wine, and our appetizer. I can't blame the wait staff--they seemed to be working very hard, but it must have been the kitchen. Anyway, the service and the reservation treatment almost made me forget that the food wasn't bad either. The shrimp scampi crostinos appetizer was great!. The veal piccatta was average. And the desserts were very good--the chocolate gelato and the cannolis. My wife's peach martini was the best she's had. Too bad the service and the reservation snafu chilled the entire evening, and results in the two star rating. They need to clean up their act if they expect return visits.
(2)
Kenneth v.
Under the fairly new ownership, this restaurant should certainly be considered among the top in Arizona for certain. Traditional Italian menu with daily specials and the common menu items prepared in an uncommonly perfect style. Utilizing fresh local produce and hand selected tomatoes for that perfect flavor I was thoroughly impressed. We had the sampler appetizer and meatballs which were plenty for a full meal for two but no, we had to try the entrees too and I can say they were equally amazing. This is by far the best Italian restaurant in the north valley. Telina was our server and I have never met a server with a more in depth explanation of the varied menu selections. Wonderful family owned venue.
(5)
Bryan F.
Try the gnocchi. It is diffrent every day.
(4)
Andrea S.
My family and I are regulars at Amaro, and thought it was time to finally give them a proper review. I would say that I've eaten here perhaps 25 times over the past couple of years. Amaro has consistently good service, consistently good food, and that is what I look for in a neighborhood restaurant. Some of the specials I've had (recently, a pretty bland sounding chicken dish) have been knock-it-out-of-the-park good. The chicken was superb! Typically, I get the surf and turf, salmon, or pork entrees. All very good, very flavorful, and well prepared. Decent wine list and really nice bar area that unfortunately I haven't hung out in nearly enough because I'm always with the kids when I come here. Love the live musician on the weekends!! It's a great, relaxing way to get the weekend started on a Friday night. Kids love Amaro too. The service is consistently fabulous, and it's a great spot that I'm thankful to have in the area. My only suggestion would be to change up the main menu occasionally for us regulars who come in here a lot and run out of things to try. I don't really go for the gnocci (the standard special), and I love to try new dishes... I honestly would come even more frequently if the menu were changed more often.
(4)
Victor M.
Food is great as is the service. Very nice selection of wines, they they over charge for. We hade the layer cake primotivo that they charge $45 for a bottle of. Exact same wine, including year, is $11 at Costco. I understand paying more at a restaurant but that's a bit much!
(4)
Leslie J.
We used to eat here every week, and thought we would try again after new ownership. It was quite possibly the worst meal we have had in a long time, and our bill was $101.00. We will not be back. Food had no flavor, my husband ordered the veal piccata and it came in a cream sauce, which is not a piccata sauce, and was burnt. Caesar salads tasted almost mayonnaise-based rather than Caesar based. Huge disappointment to start our weekend.
(1)
Scott S.
Good food, nice place to have a glass of wine and pizza with friends and family. Great entertainment.
(4)
Kyle S.
Great pizza, actually pizza is unbelievable. Great to have a lounge area where you can talk have a drink and relax.
(5)
Philip K.
Cave Creek is certainly not a foodie's paradise. Old town CC is a tourist trap, and Scottsdale Road offers very little. In the residential area of Tatum Ranch where thousands of husband, wife, plus two kids abound, Amaro's is the only real dining experience that is accessible. And thank goodness it delivers. The interior is a bit flawed. They could benefit from having an interior decorator redesign the dining room entirely so it doesn't feel like a recycled restaurant that spent a little money on a paint job and some re-upholstering. The space just feels weird. But, the cuisine benefits from the fact that you will be hard pressed to find a worthy competitor within shouting distance. The pizza is actually very very good. The crust is top notch and their red sauce is bright and fresh. The Caesar comes up short, with not nearly enough dressing. It coulda been a contendah... They do this cool thing with kids where they give out small samples of dough to play around with while awaiting the food. All in all, this restaurant stands out because it is: - good quality food - the only choice in the neighborhood
(3)
Keith F.
Nice neighborhood Italian restaurant. Everyone was friendly, though our server was a bit spacey - needed to repeat order a couple of times. Food was a bit bland. Overall an average experience
(3)
Robin R.
Found this resturant on yelp. 10 minutes from my house. I ordered Chicken parmigiano and my husband had the Veal piccicada both excellent. Hot bread came with the meal although we had to wait about 10 minutes for the bread to be made. Service was good and great wine. Definitely will be back!!
(4)
Lisa R.
The place was cosy and had excellent service. Filet was cooked to perfection. Cute baked potato with bacon and excellent flavour. Nice wine selection. Usually I never go for dessert but I could not resist the cheesecake. Would definitely recommend and will be back.
(5)
Nita M.
What a great neighborhood restaurant! Nice people, good food, great wine list (according to a novice wine drinker), nice atmosphere, and live music! The restaurant is giant, so I can't imagine there would ever be a wait. There is no outdoor seating, but the bar area has a cool set up with couches for lounging in addition to normal high tops. The menu has a good mix of appetizers, pastas, and pizza. We had: - Caprese Salad: Very good! House made mozzarella (not mind blowing but definitely more flavorful than the kind from the grocery store) - Spinach & Artichoke Pizza: Super good! Nice thin blistery crust, lots of cheese (I hate when fancy pizza places under-cheese...I get that's the style but pizza should be cheese), and the white sauce is flavorful. - Tagliatelle Amatriciana: I only had a bite of this, but really liked the house pasta. It's thick and hearty. The live music on Friday was mellow 60's/70's songs and was fantastic. I can't wait to come back here for happy hours and dinners.
(4)
Rob M.
Just had my last dinner here. After ordering a bottle of wine I noticed half way though the name was slightly different from what I ordered. I asked the waitress. She showed me she had rang it in correct and bartender had given her the wrong bottle. She then informed me in tears that the owner/manger was voiding out bottle I ordered and thought I'd been served and charging me for a more expensive bottle. That I could talk to him but he would not reverse it for her. I did. He replied that it was my fault, but he would do the credit ! The service has been great but on several occasions the owners lack of customer service combined with marginal food have made us decide to never go back!! Don't waste your time. No owner who puts a young waitress in tears deserves your business!!!!'
(1)
Craig J.
My girlfriend bought me here for my birthday dinner and we absolutely loved it! I give the food 4/5 stars and the service 6/5 stars, which averages out to 5/5! Sam(antha) was our waitress with Shay, the bar manager, backing her up, and they made the perfect team. They took the initiative from the beginning when they offered us a few samples of wine to help us select our drink of choice. Then Sam got our order perfect and consistently checked on us to ensure a premium dining experience. The calamari was very good, as was the ceased salad. For an entree, we shared a spicy salami pizza, which was delicious, though the cheese was a bit more stringy than I'm used to. Overall, it was a great dining experience and I'd definitely go back again! Oh yea, and the ambiance, decorations and lighting were all wonderful!
(5)
M T.
I am updating my review, after I left. We had two cars there. The manager comped my meal and bought desert. Excellent customer service.
(3)
Doug S.
One of my favorite pizza spots in the valley and we stopped in last night to make sure nothing had changed ...... still amazing food provided by an outstanding staff. Three meals, 10 bevies, about $100 including the tip. Try em', you'll be pleased
(5)
jordan b.
Bad service. Snide attitudes. Mediocre food. Don't waste time here go to barros, little ceasars or somewhere similar. BLEH!!
(1)
Mai N.
Came in on a Sat at 6 pm with my guy and his parents. It was fairly empty but good thing we decided to grab dinner early because a huge party of like 25 came in about 20 mins after us. Bruschetta- 2.5 stars. Honestly 8 dollars for 4 pieces of toast with oil, tomatoes, basil, and garlic is sort of a rip off. It tasted decent but nothing amazing. Cappellini and clams- 4 stars. I thought this dish was pretty good especially since i was totally craving some seafood. The clams and the sauce were delicious. Lasagna- 3 stars. I picked at my guy's food and thought this dish was decent and he felt the same way. It was good but nothing amazing and nothing stood out. Chicken Parmigiana- My guy's parents got this dish to split. (split charge- $5) I didn't eat any of it but it looked bomb and it was such a big dish, it was a perfect size to split The food was about average but the waitress was extremely nice so I'll be generous on the stars
(4)
Ervin H.
Setting: Late Sunday night dinner after picking the wife up from the airport. Ambiance: From the outside and walking in meeting the hostess, it looks like we should have dressed up. However, once we walked in, we saw the majority of the people in casual clothes with a great amount of tables and cosy bar seating. This is EXCELLENT for a DATE NIGHT as the lighting is dim and relaxing music in the background. Food/Menu: The wife was interested in a quick salad and pizza. They first brought out bread and what we thought was butter. Although it was Parmesan cheese and olive oil. We were pleasantly surprised by the soft taste after dipping the bread in the olive oil and cheese. After doing so, we didn't even think about asking for butter. The menu looks fresh and not too extensive (some pizza places can have too much variety). Here is what we ordered: Tomato/Spinach Panzanella Salad - The house pulled mozzarella cubes added with the vine ripened tomatoes equals a success of a quality taste salad. In addition, the aged balsamic dressing topped this starter off with the bite, the chewing, then the inspiring smile my wife and I gave each other wanting more of another bite. I highly recommend this salad. Funghi Pizza - I know, the name doesn't do this pizza justice. It is quite the opposite. The great taste about this pizza is the truffle oil. Sure, it has fresh arugula and sauteed mushrooms. However, when everything is mixed in together on a fresh dough of pizza topped of with house pulled mozzarella, the combination is perfect. It is a light pizza that doesn't put too much of a bulk in the stomach. I highly recommend this pizza. Service: Our waiter, which I believe was one of the managers, was attentive and informative of our needs. The wifey loves hot water with honey and lemon, and she definitely enjoyed the honey. She asked our waiter if it is local, and he took the time to inform us it is not, but grade A store bought honey. Besides this little touch of service, the food came out in a reasonable amount of time. Great service. Overall: Some say it is a bit overpriced, but the quality of the food is what you pay for. We definitely enjoyed our night at Amaro Pizzeria and will be back again. I would be obliged to say this may be one of my top pizzeria places in town...it is that good! We will see you again Amaro!
(5)
Mike A.
There eggplant pizza pie is just a dwarf pizza with chopped up pieces of eggplant. No effort. No heart!!!!! Rip off. Do wast your time. You might as well use the microwave to make a pizza.
We read all of the amazing reviews and were already up north, so decided to check it out. I guess if we weren't spoiled with some of the best pizza close to our loft in downtown Phoenix (Pizzeria Bianco, Pomo, Cibo, The Parlor, Federal Pizza etc.), I may not be as critical of Amaro. The atmosphere was nice, but nothing special; the service was just ok...it was his first night on the job and didn't know the menu at all; and the pizza was good, but not great.
(3)
Kristen D.
This isn't even a one star review.. this is ZERO stars, but Yelp wouldn't allow that. Received a gift certificate to Amaro, really looking forward to using however, we just noticed it expired on 12.18.12. Yes, our fault for not noticing the expiration date.. but life happens, we've moved so this isn't close any more. Called to see if they would accept the gift certificate if we came in to use it soon, they will not. Will not refer any business to them, as this is just poor customer service. I'm not asking to use something that's been expired months, or years. We're talking just over a week. This is their own gift certificate, that they printed. Not a coupon, not an advertisement.. they already have our money, but won't let us use it. Management wouldn't even get on the phone to discuss. Unreal.
(1)
David E.
First time back since new owner. Menu changed but still some of the same. Food still tastes good. The delivery is lacking :Pizza was cold, they forgot my daughters Brussels spouts. Young and inexperienced staff.
(2)
Michelle R.
I am thoroughly impressed with the food and service I received last night at Amaro's. The Owner/Manager Frank gave us their signature shots for free! Frank was amazing and friendly and our waitress was extremely knowledgeable and kind. I can't pronounce or spell the dish that I had, but it had fresh homemade pasta, tomatoes and big hunks of italian bacon in it. This plate was so delicious it made me feel inappropriate, LOL. They had live music playing in the bar and the musician sang Wonder Wall in a Bluesy format... Amazing. They also serve Four Peaks Kilt Lifter which is my favorite beer. Cheers to Amaro! I will be back and I have already referred 4 people to the restaurant. Snoogins.
(5)
Cindy L.
Found this place with Groupon. Probably would not have tried it. Definitely a place I will come again. The service is outstanding. The food is very good. The kale salad with a sweet dressing was outstanding. We had the Dolce Arrabiatta pizza. We're fussy with are pizza but this was really good.
(5)
Kay C.
Terrible food and poor reaction by owner to return it to the kitchen. The Chicken Parmesan was tough and we refused it and ordered mussels. Mussels were tough and dry. When the bill came we had been charged for the item returned. The owner knew we had a problem with the food and we asked to talk with him and basically he argued with us. There were three of us and as a group we have probably returned food less than five times in our collective lifetimes. There was no apology, no trying to understand the issue, no attempt to satisfy the customer. We are neighbors looking for a good neighborhood spot. Too bad. We will not return and will communicate with our neighbors. I anticipate a restaurant closure within a few months. Attitude is everything as well as listening to your customers and working to meet their needs.
(1)
Lloyd W.
"Just had the salmon it was delicious. Excellently seasoned cooked perfectly. My friends ordered the short ribs... Very good. The pizza is way cheap on the cheese. Lost a star on that one. Ambiance & service was most pleasant. We'll be back!"
(4)
John H.
Food: Very good. I had the white spinach/artichoke/prosciutto pizza - my wife had the chicken masala ravioli special. We shared a caprese salad with fresh-made mozzarella. Service: Excellent. Our server Drew was a pro - knew the menu well, was able to make good menu recommendations as well as recommending wine. Noise: It was Friday night and there was live music, so it was loud - but not punishingly so.
(5)
Jake J.
Was not impressed what so ever. Been wanting to try this place for a while and finally did the other night. Happy Hour .50 cents off beer... I about fall out of my seat in laughter because I thought the server was joking. He wasn't at all. .50 cents.....?? Are ya kidding? I didnt even ask about the wine or mixed drinks I didnt want to choke on my water. Had a few beers for a whole $1 off. Ordered the Salmon and it was a bit over cooked and dried out. Nothing Special. We had a pizza for an app and that was below average. Barros pizza is next door I much rather have had Barros. I hope they make some changes with a new owner they gotta do something quick. Doubt we will be back.
(2)
Pam G.
Had a bad experience here. Firstly, I ordered the pizza which looked fantastic but had zero flavor. Zero. There was literally no flavor. I very nicely said this to the waitress when she asked. I was offered something else so I ordered gnocchi which was good. The sauce was underwhelming but not bad. My husband got steak which was cut in medallions. It was good, nice flavor and cooked just right. Pricey for the portion but good. Would order again good. Here's the rub; I would have been willing to try Amaro again had it not been for the classless way the owner handled the fact that I didn't care for the pizza. She came to the table for all of 3 seconds and then charged us $8.00 for the pizza because we "ate a piece." Given that I didn't ask to replace the pizza and was never told about the charge until the bill came it just hit me as rude. I paid $8 for one PC of flavorless pizza. And the general attitude shift after I was honest about not liking it. And btw I was nice about it. Really nice about it because it was just bland for me. Someone else may like it just fine. It's not so much the money as the rude service. I don't mind paying for a nice meal. But part of that is service. Can't support this place.
(1)
Jason L.
Ever since buying groupon there last week we have been there 3 times since. We live near by and to find great italian place up by us is awesome. The food is amazing from chicken parm to handmade Gnocchi and other pasta dishes and pizzas. TherePanzanella salad is off the hook too. We were there last night with friends again and the live music that was playing was awesome. Not sure who the girl was but she was awesome. She should try out for The Voice shes that good. We topped off night with dessert. Omg. The table shared zeppoles and panna cotta as both were house made along with sauces...omg amazing.. Looking forward to going back again for another solid meal. FYI..This place is not cheap but as long as they keep serving meals like they have been we will keep coming back..
(5)
Jessica S.
My husband and I have tried this restaurant on 4 occasions all with poor service. Our final attempt was last week , on a Tuesday night. Drink orders took 10 min, and when our wine glasses were empty, another 15 to ask for another. Our pizza came out cold, the cheese had already hardened. The only saving grace was the calamari, so so. N more visits from us, to bad because cave creek is where we live and chose to spend our entertainment money
(2)
Michelle C.
Gnocchi was delicious, service was good. Need to eat here again to give a better, full review. Will be back at some point.
(3)
Noah P.
Very nice people, especially the owner. However, their demeanor is a little too casual for the restaurant's ambience. I've had the mushroom pizza 3-4 times and don't think there a reason to take my chances with anything else. It's great.
(4)
Jessica L.
Tried this place last night and there was a musician playing too so that was nice. We got there about 5:30pm so in time for the tail-end of Happy Hour. The Happy Hour menu is $2 off pizzas, 1/2 off some appetizers and some discounted drinks. I would have liked to see some 1/2 off bottles of wine as the bottle prices are kind of high. I enjoyed all the food we had; the wood fired pizza was very tasty. The service was okay; our bartender wasn't the most friendly (didn't smile much) but he did his job well and was attentive to the group. The bar area is pretty big and a section of it includes some sofa's to relax on as well. My husband and I had 4 beers, 2 appetizers and a pizza to share and it cost us $38 including tip (the apps. and pizza were on happy hour)...not bad, plus we had some good entertainment. We'll be back.
(4)
Mindy B.
Great food. Great service. The tagliatelle was AMAZING and the Chicken Parmesan was incredible. I can't wait to come back and try the pizza.
(4)
Randy B.
I had a Great dinner the last night. Really nice Fillet and twice baked potato. But what really caught me off guard was the Tiger Shrimp and Grilled Tomato. I have never been impressed with tomatos until I had some from Amaro's. I attribute the great dinner to the suggestions made by our waitress Tiffany, and the great service she gave. I was impressed by how hard she was working. I will be back soon.
(5)
Bill S.
It's our 39th wedding anniversary and we've lived down the street on some horse property for almost 30 years. I have eaten at every place from Desert Mountain clubhouses to Big Earls, Maestros to the General Store, Tonto Grill to Carl's Junior on Cave Creek. I've never had better service and better food as here. Plus the music was top notch. This will be a weekly stop for us.
(5)
Kris M.
Unfortunately the only item we tried was the pizza. The other diners in the restaurant looked very much like they were enjoying other dinners, their pastas looked beautiful, and I overheard the server they make their bread from scratch. If they also make the pizza doughs at the location, then they must be very good- as the pizza was outstanding. We ordered the pizza Margherita and the pizza "diavolo". Diavolo means "devil": spicy, and it was, but not so much it was inedible. Wonderful, wonderful pizzas and I could taste every wonderful herb. The basil was tiny bits, not whole leaves, I wished I had tasted more basil however. Some places over-do the garlic, not on this pizza. I could taste and see the olive oil, but olive oil is good for you! The diavolo pizza reminded me very much of harissa- perhaps the red pepper and olive oil which harissa is made from gave me that flavor. The crust had that lovely burnt edge to it that tells me it was baked in a real pizza oven. The service is impeccable! Smiling, observant yet discreet servers, always arriving at just the right time- never an annoyance nor do they "disappear". Our server seemed to magically appear whenever we needed her. We took a look at their pizza wood-fired oven, and their nice bar. Sorry no wine review, we only had soda. The diners were dressed rather.. shall we say, "casual". Perhaps that's a Phoenix thing? I think in jeans we were the best dressed there, which is a pity. Not the restaurant's fault at all. The place is lovely, a bit sparse. I think the large plant inside was plastic.. it's all right as the atmosphere had a pleasant night dining sort of feel. Some older people there but that's probably due to the Cave Creek location and the day/hour we went (Sunday late afternoon) The restaurant is in the Cave Creek area, in the corner lot where Barro's is. The bar area had a few large TVs in case the man you're with doesn't want to miss the game while you're out to dinner, hee hee. I'd recommend Amoro's, and next time I'd like to try some of their pasta and hopefully the misto, which I stupidly passed on ordering this time!
(4)
Roger H.
3rd visit for me since last Fall. Very friendly wait staff and the food is very good. Music in bar can sometimes be too loud in the main dining room. Went last Thurs night and was by the front windows and the live music was fine and actually nice to hear vs. previous visits. Had the veg. minestrone soup, which was very good and the Chicken Parm., very good as well. Kind of pricey but worth it every once in a while. Will definitely come back but it is a 1/2 hour drive for me so not always on the short list of nearby restaurants.
(4)
K S.
We have dined at Amaro 3 times now and IT IS FANTASTIC! We are 100% Italian and our family is full of good cooks; Amaro is truly a unique establishment with a very high regard for obtaining great products. The pasta is homemade; the dishes taste great; even the salami in the appetizer is delicious. We have tried different dishes in all 3 visits and were VERY pleased. The wine list is varied and unique with very fair prices (not expensive at all). The desserts! Other than in Italy...I have yet to see an Italian restaurant with Zeppoles!! (We make them in our family)...have to admit....Amaro's are DELICIOUS!!! PLEASE GIVE THIS RESTAURANT A TRY!!!!! THE FOOD IS THAT GOOD!!
(5)
Joelle L.
Was there lastnight. Delicious calamari spinach salad, halibut served with succotash and of I had the chickenparm! Wine menu was great. And the Panacotta to die for. Well done Amaros!
(5)
Victoria B.
Stop on in for a glass of glass. Pass on by for sass with class. I've been to places I wasn't thrilled with, but have never felt such a need to vent on Yelp. First, the backstory. I used to live in Tempe and frequent Kazimierz in Old Town Scottsdale. Memories of that place hold a dear place in my heart. My family, and now some of my boyfriend's family, live near Amaro. With the association, they thought it would be cool to check it out. And now, the rest of the story. The two former Kazimierz employees learned nothing from their time there. The first tastes of a place are the service and atmosphere. Strike one and two. We were greeted by sloppy dress and served by a brat. At Kazimierz, if you wanted a cozy nook for 8 on an early Saturday evening, you'd need a reservation. At Amaro, don't bother... there's no need. Also, nooks? Yes. Cozy? No. The last straw. My dad found a large piece of glass in his drink. With the attitude of the server, he brought it to the attention of the owner... who really could not have given a damn, though he finally halfassedly offered to buy my parents a round upon their next visit. At this point, we were just trying to get a human reaction to such poor service. The food and drinks (other than them not being able to make a Bloody Mary) were great, really. What brings me here, and gives Amaro their third strike, is the snide way in which our complaint was met. Upon waving a white flag at forcing reason, our usually laid back party was making our way outta there. I'd gone to the restroom, and ducked into where we'd been sitting to grab my purse. As I joined the others, I overheard the owner laugh and say, "And don't come back." If I treated my customers with such unwarranted disdain from the get go, I'd be told to start finessing my resume. Maybe that's just what Kazimierz did.
(1)
Lisa N.
Food was great - service was thoughtful and prompt. Probably won't get the pizza again but the mussel special was so very tasty. The other dishes brought out to neighboring tables looked really good. Don't hesitate to go... It's just a shame that they had to resort to getting publicity through the fake 'reality' show called Undercover Diners. So fake - it was horrible acting. They are better than that....
(4)
T. H.
LOVE this place! The food is amazing, the prices were great, the service was great and I had yummy leftovers the next day. I have found my new favorite italian restaurant! We will be back for sure!
This place is amazing!!!! I don't even eat PIZZA but this is not Pizza this is love!!! Go... try... eat!!!' Check out the acoustic music too every Weds- Sunday in the full service lounge=)
Wonderful made from scratch Italian food. The pizza is awesome , the fresh bread to die for. Ask them to adjust an item if you have an allergy , or for any reason. No Problem ! Full bar with all the goodies, and a good wine selection.
(5)
Tabitha T.
Maybe we hit them on an off night. Got there early to try to beat any potential rush on Saturday night. We hadn't been to Tenno for a long time, but first impression was that the layout was pretty unchanged-- maybe some new paint and decorations on the walls. Pleasant decor, but very large, somewhat loud space. Wine we ordered was very good, served at the right temperature and in nice wine glasses. The chopped salad was good, but somehow a bit different than the one at Cowboy Ciao. I may have like Amaro's even better. The service was veeeerrrrrry slow. I think we were there an hour from the time we sat down until they served the main part of our meal. Lots of time elapsed between ordering wine... ordering food... being served salad... being served pizza. They gave us some complimentary bruschetta for our long wait, but still... As for the pizza, it was better than average, for sure. We had the Dolce Arrabiata (white pizza with spicy sausage and multiple cheeses including Taleggio). It was indeed a little sweet and actually had quite a kick to some bites! Very good toppings. The crust was moderately thin and moderately good tasting. It lacked that yeasty-yet-crackery quality I so love at Pomo, Humble Pie, and Cibo. Still pretty darned good. The other pizza was a Margherita. The cheese was fairly thick, tomato sauce thin, and basil too sparse for my taste. Overall, above average. Food 3 and 1/2 stars Service 2 stars Ambience 2 and 1/2 stars
(3)
Angela G.
Excellent chicken park and pizzas. Really, you can't go wrong with anything here. I love amaro because its minutes from my home and its a nice and classier place than most and still affordable. Always have great service and sometimes a live singer at the bar. One of my personal favorites right in my neighborhood. Food is never a disappointment.
(5)
David A.
I went here with my wife and two kids last Friday. Since I live in Tatum Ranch I really like to support the local places. Now my wife loves I think it's called the Salmon Salad. My son got the pizza and I got the Chicken Parm. which was ok at best. We had a waiter that came over to us in wrinkled shirt and he could of been the owner who knows. But just not very professional or clean looking. The place was also dead and had zero atmosphere. It felt like you needed to eat and leave. I miss Asian Ten and I'm just not sure that Amaro will be around much longer.
(2)
teresa s.
Buon appetito! Salute! Benvenuti Amici!!! Great food, Great wine and great place for spending good time with good friends or meeting new ones!!! Tagan and Frank and their staff have created an ambiance that just wants you to come back again and again... Hope to see you there soon ;-) PS. my favorites the shrimp bruschetta and kantak chopped salad but... if you get the opportunity splurge on one of the very special monthly wine dinners. 5 course meal with excellent wine pairings.. can't beat the experience !
(5)
Adam L.
Excellent neighborhood Italian place. The chopped salad is one of my favorite salads - it's the same one featured at Cowboy Ciao. I'm a sucker for chicken parm and it was awesome. Pizzas are great too.
(5)
Elizabeth A.
Yayyy! A fun, cool place to hang out in the Desert Ridge area that is not actually at Desert Ridge! Thank you Tagan and Frank for making this happen!! Amaro is located next to Cocomo Joe's on Tatum and Dynamite in a former sushi restaurant (I think it was Sushi 10 if I'm not mistaken!). The place is HUGE with a sweet bar, great couches, lots of flat screens and a tons of room to hang out! In the dining area, there are lots of cozy booths, along with regular tables, seats at the kitchen bar and a cool round table in the middle that would be fun for a group! The boys did a great job decorating with reds, grays and some cool art work from a local artist (plus a fascinating plant in the corner!) Amaro opened last Thursday and a friend and I dined there on Saturday, just their 3rd night! I was fully prepared for some new restaurant jitters, but everything was great! We sat in the bar and had a glass of Prosecco to congratulate Tagan and Frank on their new adventure! Then we split the Pancetta/Blue Cheese salad, which was light, tasty with extra yummy crispy pancetta and perfect for a splitz-kies! We followed this little delight with a Prosciutto pizza that was delish! I'm still enjoying the leftovers! Oh! And we enjoyed the Liocco red throughout the rest of our meal including the creme brulee - which was fantastic and ginormous! Since my dinner pal and I had already had it before and we were looking to be adventurous this first time, we did not have the Kantak Chop which is that same amazing, crazy fantastic, I dream about you Stetson Chopped from Cowboy Ciao (Oh yeah! Lots of friendly Ciao and Kaz faces will surround you at this place!) Sweet Jesus - thank you for putting it 6 miles away vs the 20+ I was having to drive to So Sco for this salad from heaven! It is that good! I also can't wait to try the buccatini (my fav pasta) and the filet sounds amazing!! Plus they have a great happy hour daily from 4-7pm! So excited for Amaro's arrival and best wishes to Tagan and Frank on their newest culinary adventure! Welcome to the neighborhood! Hope you don't get tired of me hanging out all the time!
(5)
Ilya K.
The food is spectacular, the live entertainment(Wednesday-Saturday) is okay, one of the best thin crust pizzas I have had( I'm from new york city), service is friendly. I like their specials. I overall enjoy the atmosphere and will definitely keep coming back for more!
(5)
Donna H.
This is one of those "Thank you to Groupon" for helping me explore a great new restaurant! Went on a Friday evening (with a reservation) which was needed by the time I left. Jamie, my server, was excellent. Everything was very fresh - including the handmade pasta. The music was a little loud but the singer was very good so it was not distracting. Food and service was excellent. Not sure I would come back for pizza but will definitely be back for the other "entrees". Don't let the name fool you - this is a fine dining (yet casual) restaurant!
(4)
Barrie T.
Yes, to Fungi Pizza with homemade moz for $ 13 ! Perfect white pizza with mushrooms, aruglua, garlic, fresh moz 4 stars for reminding us of our memories of eatting pizza in Italy : ) Yes to Happy Hour specials: margarita & pepperoni pizzas only $ 5 !!!!!!!! HOWEVER..... No, to staff wearing grubby t-shirts. No thanks to a bland, black & grey dining room = void of italian vibe..... Maybe some imported breadsticks on the table ?? something is missing. Everything is slightly askew. More details are needed when serving high priced $$$ italian. $ 32 filet and $ 17 chicken parm is being served by t-shirt clad servers onto empty black tables without tablecloths.....YIKES MAYBE.....Some italian KITSCH might HELP !!! can't go wrong with pizza unless it's crowded...then expect to wait...and maybe be served the less than perfect pizza.....
(4)
Michelle F.
Been here 3 times for Happy Hour with my friends. The funghi pizza is delicious and we love the Kantak chopped salad ~ it is so refreshing and tasty! Pass on the calamari though (we barely touched it and told our waiter we didn't care for it at all and he didn't respond at all ~ just left it in front of us for the reminder of our visit). Great decor and comfy couches to relax in. Our server the last time we were there ignored us most of the time and actually rolled his eyes when we asked him to take our picture (and it was early and there was only one other table besides us). Completely different from our first 2 times there where our server was super friendly and engaging. We didn't like our dessert the Rhum au Baba ( the brioche soaked in rum with marscapone cheese and hazelnut) ~ very sweet and not worth the calories. When he set it down my friend said it resembled a sliced bagel with cream cheese and nutella on it. There were only 2 of us and we had 2 glasses of wine each. We split the bill and (with tip) each paid $44. Too spendy for us... don't see us going back unfortunately.
(3)
Jennifer B.
First time to this restaurant in the old "10" sushi location. Actually looks like they kept the exact same interior which is fine with me, although a bit noisy when there are a lot of big groups like when we were there Friday Night. Our waiter was very friendly and prompt, and not too pushy but then again didn't disappear when we took our time deciding what we wanted. Overall the food was very good in my opinion. Seemed that everything was made from scratch from the bread on the table to the pastas and desserts and it was all good. I started with the chicken minestrone and it was very good. You could taste the fresh herbs and garlic and the fresh baby spinach added just before serving was a delight. My husband had the meatball appetizer. This could have been a entree with a little pasta! Best meatball I've had in a restaurant hands down. Three medium veal, pork and beef creations that were flavorful and light with an excellent tomato sauce. Yum! On to the entrees. I had the Giardino with homade spinich linguini and fresh vegetables. This was overall very good but I would have wanted a little more sauce for my taste. My husband ordered the Con Pollo Salsiccia Tagliatelle which was a wonderful homade black pepper pasta with chicken sausage and a tomato pesto. This was good if a little on the spicy side. Note to diners, if you aren't used ot homade fresh pasta it is much thicker and heavier than traditional factory made pasta and therefore you don't need as much to fill you up. For dessert we shared the pana cotta which wwas heavenly. Nice and smooth, with a crumbly carmel crunch on top. Plenty big enough to share. So overall a very good experience. Don't let the name "pizzeria" fool you (God knows you can't swing a cat without hitting a pizza restaurant in Phoenix/Scottsdale). This place serves up some pretty fine Italian fare as well.
(4)
Radhika L.
Such a fan of this place! I prefer to eat vegetarian and the selection and food hasn't disappointed yet. The Funghi Pizza and Bruschetta are favorites of mine. I'm particularly fond of the wine selection, it's well thought out and unique. If you're a bit bored with the usual Cab/Merlot or Chard selections try the Pinot Noir, Tempranillo or Falanghina, they're terrific! The live music is really enjoyable and not overpowering to conversation, even when sitting in the bar. This is a go-to place for me and my husband. Not to mention the owners are friendly and always come over to say hello. Don't hesitate to check it out!
(5)
Laura W.
The pane caprese salad is amazing! The bar staff is super nice and provides quick service. Wine list with interesting selections- they even offer tastes if you would like. A great addition to the options here up in North Phoenix.
(5)
Liz D.
If I could invite everyone reading these reviews to share my wonderful dining experiences in this restaurant, I would. As a regular diner there, I can share with you that I have never been disappointed. The food, drinks and service are outstanding. The culinary expertise shown by Jon, puts this restaurant amongst the finest dining experiences in Arizona. The food is consistently excellent and inspired specials are a joy to experience. Hands on management by the owners, friendly informed servers, and a great bar crew. So belly up to the bar, or take a table for your friends, have a few drinks, order anything from pizza to fillet steak and tell them you read Liz's review. You will LOVE the place for sure.
(5)
Jennifer Y.
The best fresh pasta I've ever had. I might move closer just so I can have it more often.
(5)
Ellen J.
It's all about the experience . . . the food, the atmosphere, the service. Amaro scores a home run! It's been on my list for months, but we never got around to it until it showed up as an Arizona Restaurant Week participant. I'm a picky eater and always have a hard time making up my mind as to what I want, but when I see a "fixed price" restaurant week menu that has multiple items that I'd order, I'm there! We were greeted at 6 pm on Friday night by one of the owners, Tagan, who was the catalyst for what became a most remarkable dining experience. We were seated at a comfy booth, safely tucked away from the happy hour scene. Tagan then introduced us to Mauricio, a true Italian waiter (I think via NJ) with a "grande personalita" -- just what you would expect in Italy! I was surprised that when I ordered a special martini combo, Mauricio wasn't quite sure what it was I wanted, so he called over the bartender Frank, who also happens to be an owner as well, who made one of the best Vodka-Midori-Pineapple martinis ever, garnished with a maraschino cherry! Loved the personal attention, and it never ceased throughout the entire course of the meal. My husband and I really appreciate when owners really want to hear what their patrons think, and we engaged in wonderful conversation about food, wine, travel, etc. Okay, some people like not to be bothered during their meals, but we like to get to know the people and the places we go, especially if we are going to go back . . . the next night. Amaro, as some have said before in their reviews, is not your typical pizzeria. The Vino Lounge atmosphere is more appropriate. Pizzeria and Vino Lounge are certainly oxymorons and conjure up completely polarizing images. That being said, the restaurant design itself is also an oxymoron with its spacious dining area and its cozy lounge area. But it all works. Friday night they had great live music . . . Oh Baby Baby Its a Wild World by Cat Stevens, one of my favorite songs . . . I'm showing my age . . . The food . . . yum! My husband opted for the AZ Restaurant Week menu and kicked it off with the Calamari Croccante. The calamari aficionado he is, he was wowed. He loved the two accompanying sauces, one a marinara type, the other, a lemon caper sauce. I had the Kantak Chop salad . . . it is my new favorite dish . . . The melding of flavors and textures just made my tongue tingle! (When we went back the next night, we ordered both the Calamari and the Kantak again!) My husband's Chicken Parm was melt in your mouth delicious, and it was a huge portion, enough for two, maybe three people. I had a pizza with mushrooms, spinach and Tellegio cheese -- the crust was thin, bubbly, and cooked to perfection. I was so full from my Kantak chopped salad that I could only eat one piece. I took the rest home and had a couple of pieces for breakfast . . . honestly, it was better than the night before, maybe because the flavors had a chance to meld with each other. Loved it! For dessert, my hubby had the Tiramisu which he devoured while making orgasmic sounds with each bite. When we returned on Saturday night, we were warmly greeted as if we were old friends. We asked to be seated in Mauricio's section . . . I think he was happy to see us again. He's now familiar with my ordering idiosyncrasies . . . Again, we had a delicious meal. Hubby had the Con Pollo Salsiccia Tagliatelle (black pepper pasta, chicken/provolone sausage, asparagus, roasted tomatoes, garlic/tomato pesto) and I had the Giardino (house-made fettuccini verde, garlic, shallots, grape tomatoes, scallions, broccolini, shaved parmesan, EVOO). Both pastas were incredibly fresh and perfectly seasoned. (FYI, there is no salt or pepper on the table, for good reason, nothing needed it!) The portions are quite ample and I ended taking more than half of my pasta home. My step-daughter ordered the Pollo Carciofo pizza with house-pulled mozzarella, parmesan, basil pesto, wood fired chicken breast, marinated artichokes, extra virgin olive oil, basil. She loved it . . . and I loved it even more when I had pizza for breakfast the next morning . . . ooh la la! Lastly, we ordered the Panna Cotta for dessert. It was scrumptious - one of the best desserts I've tasted in eons. It was purely decadent and sinful . . . and definitely not on my food plan. I've read where some reviewers have said the wine list begs for better wines. My husband didn't find that to be the case and had a difficult time deciding between some great options. He ultimately chose the Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc and was very pleased. If there was anything negative at all to say about Amaro, it would be the lack of an outside patio, a subject upon our first arrival that became quite the joke. We are definitely hooked on Amaro . . . it has the whole package, and it's almost in our back yard! Buon Appetito!
(5)
sarah s.
came here with the family and some friends about a week ago and fell in love. such a great place, live music, great food, good wine and our server was awesome. thanks spencer, my dad and I already came back and ordered "your pizza"....I actually think they called him to get the right order for us, so cool. :) see you guys later this week I'm sure.
(5)
Laurie H.
My three kids and I were pretty hungry and we were excited about trying a new place. We ordered a basic pizza, half pepperoni, half Italian sausage. My girls ordered the "kids" spaghetti and meatballs. The waitress brought bread, which was good. Then our pizza arrived. We were so hungry my son and I dove in. It was the driest pizza I have ever had. There was virtually no sauce and what sauce there was, was completely bland. The hand pulled mozzarella was dried to a crisp and the sausage that was finely dusted on 1/2 of the pizza - maybe around 3 Tbsp. total, resembled fine ground bacon bits. The girls' meatballs had some kind of spice that does not belong in meatballs. I am Italian and have had my share of meatballs. Maybe they put nutmeg in it? It was something off. I didn't say anything, but my son announced that he had eaten frozen pizzas better than this. We were so hungry and I was just too tired to complain. When my check came, it seemed high. It turns out that they charged me for two full toppings, making my little dried out pizza, $16.00. Even at $13.00, it was way over priced. I won't go back. Too bad because I had heard such good things about this place.
(1)
Danielle S.
I finally visited Amaro's last night and really enjoyed it. Fun atmosphere - there's a large bar area, dining area and a secondary bar. I think they feature live music some nights. They have the famous "Original Chopped Salad" from Cowboy Ciao and also served at Citizen Public House. If you haven't tried it, you should! It's a really interesting combo of smoked salmon, currants, couscous, arugula, corn and more tossed with a pesto buttermilk dressing. I managed to find the recipe on azcentral.com for my aunt who wanted to recreate it for her family out of state. We also shared the margarita pizza with arugula added on top. Simple, but very tasty. For the size and quality, the price of $10 (plus $2 for the arugula) wasn't bad.There were several other pizzas and dishes I'd like to go back and try. Amaro gets my official stamp of approval!
(4)
Amy H.
A regular place for us for 6 months. Never disappointed with the frequently changing menu. Specials are usually worth a try.
(5)
Dave S.
Thought I reviewed this place already but, I guess not. Five Stars and I'll keep returning. Just had a bad experience at another place and came straight here. I love their Bolognese at Amaro, though I'm ordering the Lasagna tonight, yes i've had it before, yes it is good. It's all about Comfort Food, baby. If you do go, call me I'll join ya.
(5)
Megan B.
This place is amazing!!! I came here with a friend whose friend is the owner, and definitely will go back. The bruschetta was so good that I asked for a side plate of the mozarella (I'm a huge mozarella fan - if it's good, and theirs is), and the chopped salad is literally the best I've ever had. The staff and the owner are all very friendly and the atmosphere is very cool. Definitely recommend! I live in Chandler, so this isn't close for me, but I will be returning because it's that good.
(5)
Frank M.
The food is not as good as you might think. Pizza is dry. Managers are not friendly.
(2)
Marisa S.
We used to come to Ten at least once a week since we live near by, so last night we decided to be brave and go with the twins. They have made a few changes in the decor and set up. They now have a couple of nooks with couches in the bar area. I will come back without the twins to spend some time there. I think it look nice. The service was competent, no major complaints. I was surprised that they didn't have cups for children if they have a kids menu and plenty of high chairs. We got this styrofoam 16oz cups of milk. My twins are only two, so this cups where almost as big as their head. I had to pour the milk in the sippy cups I had (thank God). The food was good, I've had better pizza, however I will come back if I can not drive to my favorite one or are in a hurry. The lasagna was actually good, my baby girl ended up eating almost half of mine. My husband had the spinach and garlic pizza. The Sangiovese that is on happy hour is pretty good, specially for $5 during HH.
(3)
Erin B.
Seriously, best pizza in town... all of the food is amazing and the wine is perfect- ask Tagan if you are wondering what wine to get! The Kantak Chopped Salad is probably my favorite dish on earth. The bruschetta tastes like they just came from the farmers market for the ingredients... if possible leave room for the Chocolate Amaro dessert. Amaro is such a breath of sophisticated, fresh air from what the neighborhood offered before! It is well worth the drive if you love great Italian and world class wines! Welcome to the neighborhood, Amaro!!!
(5)
Susan G.
Ok, I could give you a 4 star ONLY because it was a bit slow, but the food is so yummy! and I just want us locals to help them grow!!! We need more unique food places to go, and great wine too!! ENJOY!
(5)
Brian K.
Great Italian food not just pizza. The chef really knows what he is doing. Everything is fresh. The female singer in the bar on Saturdays is worth the time just to stop by.I love finding a local restaurant where the owner is passionate about the food and service.
(5)
Patty A.
Wonderful surprise in this area! Would never know this type of good food existed in this strip mall. Service awesome - sat at the bar. Food excellent. Husband had the pork chop and I had the sea bass. About $100. It was worth the money on a summer, Friday night. Will definitely go back.
(4)
Sue B.
LOVED it. Great food. Great wine. Great service. We'll be back. No question. Salad was great. Appropriately sized. Not a salad mountain like many places. (What is up with those kind of spots? They serve you enough roughage to feed a rugby team.) Meatballs were soooo good...and so was the pizza. We ordered one with ricotta and mushrooms. You could tell that they sauteed the mushrooms before even putting them on the pizza. As it should be! And it rocked. Go.
(5)
Mary H.
I love this pizza place! The pizza is a little more gourmet, not like a grab a slice kind of place. The pizza and dessert is delicious!
(4)
Rosalyn W.
There's an odd disconnect between the name, the menu, and the ambience of Amaro Pizzeria & Vino Lounge. I've never seen a pizzeria that looked like this: dark wood paneling, carpeting, a huge chandelier, cloth napkins. It's a very traditional, upscale Italian look which I think would appeal more to the 40-and-up crowd than the 20 somethings. The menu has way more than pizza on it, and some of the dishes are even a little adventurous. Prices fall in between the two concepts. The team behind Amaro has had lots of restaurant experience, including stints at Kazimierz Wine Bar and The Estate House. Chef Bernie Kantak of Cowboy Ciao played a part in developing the menu. In fact he loaned his name to the signature salad, The Kantak Chop ($12). This salad alone makes the trek to Cave Creek worthwhile. It comes to the table with bands of finely chopped smoked salmon, asiago cheese, dried corn, pepitas, currents, couscous, arugula, and tomatoes. Our waiter dressed it lightly with pesto/buttermilk dressing, and tossed it for us. The melding of tastes and textures was perfect. I've never had dried corn before; its sweet crunch is a revelation. We decided to try the Dolce Arrabiatta pizza ($15). Our server asked if we liked spicy food. When I asked how spicy, and he said "VERY", we opted to have the Calabrian chili peppers on the side. A good decision. We carefully picked all the seeds off the tiny pieces of pepper before gingerly putting them (sparingly) on our slices. Even so, it was a sinus-clearing experience, but truly delicious. The pizza here reminds me of an Americanized version of the outstanding pizza served at Pomo (where you should go if you haven't yet). The crust is a little firmer than Pomo's and the topping choices more familiar. In addition to the chiles our pizza had lots of Taleggio cheese, both sweet and spicy sausage, and caramelized onions. We added some sliced garlic. We used perhaps one tenth of the peppers that were brought to us in a little ramekin - the full amount (including seeds, the hottest part of the pepper) is what is usually put on the pizza. Beware. There was a very unusual dessert on the menu, Baba Au Rhum, with a twist. The large brioche was soaked in rum, split, and filled with marscapone mousse and fresh raspberries, drizzled with hazelnut/milk chocolate sauce, sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts, and served warm. It was soothing, and put out the fire raging in our mouths. For $7, this dessert was big enough to serve 4. As I said, this isn't your mama's pizzeria. There's a choice of 9 antipasti including shrimp scampi and meatballs (both $9); 5 pasta dishes, and 4 entrees, ranging in price from ($17 - $23). The Filet Marinato, a house specialty, sounded good - an 8 ounce piece of beef tenderloin in a black peppercorn demi glace served with an asiago baked potato and pancetta sauteed spinach. Eight pizzas, plus a design-your-own range in price from $10 -$15 and can feed two or three people. The wine bar, separated from the restaurant by a clear plastic partition is large and attractive. I understand its jumping on weekends. Happy Hour is from 4 - 6 daily, and Reverse Happy Hour from 9 - 10 daily. All in all, Amaro's is a very nice place to come if you want something more upscale than the usual formica tabled neighborhood place. More interesting food for not much more money. A good deal.
(5)
Nick H.
Great chopped salad, amazing pizza, wonderful service, and even better desert. Cant wait to go back.
(5)
Ray C.
VERY Delish! The Happy Hour was great! NICE place! Shrimp Scampi was AWESOME!
(4)
isabel v.
We here last night for the first. Thought I'd post my 2 cents. We had a reservation for 7:30, which was nice since I got there a little early and heard people without reservations being told there was about a 1/2 hour wait. There were 4 of us, and since it was our first time there, we decided to all try something different so we could share. We started out with ceasar salad and vegetable salad, both were very good. Tip: they are not big enough for sharing..We got two salads for each couple to share. We wished we had each ordered our own salad. For the entress we ordered: 1. Salsiccia Pancetta Pizza - This pizza was very good and very tasty. It is really worth ordering if you like a mix of flavors 2. Pollo Carciofo - This is a white pizza with pesto and chicken as the main ingredients. Not very tasty. Actually pretty pretty bland and the chicken was almost non-existent. They actually should take the word "chicken" out of the title, as the few little pieces that were on there felt like they were tossed on as an afterthought. 3. Amaro Cioppino - This actually was very good. The sauce had a surprising spicy kick to it. 4. Pappardelle Bolognese - This was actually the funniest thing we ordered. The waiter described it as an "outstanding" dish. There was nothing outstanding about it. It was just "ok". It was pasta with a very bland meat sauce that you could get at any lower end pasta place for 1/2 the price. For dessert we ordered tiramisue and the chocolate cheesecake. Both were just average. Both were commercial grade and I'm sure not made on the premises, but brought commercially and delivered in. Neither had that taste you'd expect of freshly prepared in house pastries. The service. This is something they really need to work on. Our waiter although very nice, had no clue about table waiting. We waited a really long time for our salads to come out. When they did, we notices no condiments on the table. We had to ask for pepper and then wait till the waiter came back with a pepper mill...No urgency on his return. Never offered to put salt and pepper on the table. So you only get one shot at getting pepper or salt on your food. When the food came out, the pizzas were brought out first and we waited about 5 minutes for the other 2 pasta entrees to come out. The kitchen needs to coordinate their food better so tables are served in their entirety not piecemeal where the initial food served is cold before the rest comes out. Again, there was no sense of urgency on this. Again, we had to ask for pepper when the food came out. You'd think he would have had it with him this time,but No. Again we had to wait for him to return with a pepper mill. One of my friends asked for some bread with his pasta when we placed our order. It actually made it to the table just as he was finishing his meal. We think the waiter forgot and overheard us talking about it. And they had the audacity to charge for it...Can you believe it? When we got our coffee, there was no silverware on the table, again we had to wait for him to return with some for the coffee and dessert. I know that this might be just a tad picky, but I really detest when restaurants don't have the proper silverware. We were given big round soup spoons to eat tiramisu and cheesecake with. All in all the food was good, but they really need to work on the wait service and the kitchen coordination. We will give them another shot.
(3)
Evike R.
well i i wish i had the great experiences these people had but i didn't. i had he gnocchi and it was soft, too much sauce, too salty and for the price of $25...!!! I almost fainted! the place had a nice atmosphere but the lights by the kitchen if you were sitting across where way too bright. apparently, have to be for health code. then put some wish mesh so they don't shine so bright!
(3)
Jim L.
Must have just been one of those nights.... Been there before and it was the best... the secret? We went there on a quiet night. This was a weekend. The place was slammed. They must have been doing something right, but not at my table...The music was so loud ...Solution go early if you want to have a quiet evening. They do not turn down the music....Seems a lot of people like loud noisy music because ask as we might, too bad, music stays loud. The food? Can be terrific but tonight... Fish was ice cold (frozen in the middle).... sent it back and amazingly enough, by the time my company was finished ... mine was still in the kitchen. I got up for the second time and asked.... the owner came out and very nicely said sorry but a lack of communication with his kitchen... 5 minutes later here come the fish and surprise.... ice cold in the middle again and so salty and so much pepper I would'nt have eaten it anyway, I stood up for the third time to find the waitress, handed her the fish back and just told her to keep it.... I wanted to leave... the owner again said he was sorry.... check finally came and a charge to my company. who's dinner was destroyed by watching this fiasco....Owner showed up and picked up the check. I said he had a great place and we would try again, but HERE is where he blew it..... He told for me to please tip the waitress....and I mean he made it clear that I was to tip that waitress...once more... not please, just tip that waitress... nevermind she never came to the table after the food showed up...never.....I said no thanks, she was completely MIA. Then he took it upon himself to instruct me that just because I had a bad experience now I had a bad attitude.... sigh, I was getting a bad attitude and now it was getting worse....Man, does that guy have a few things to learn.... I have heard of strong arming people but this was rediculous....I just smiled and walked out, and I was a little concerned that I would make it out in one piece....What a quiet disturbing attitude there.....I will never, go back there again...Moral? Don't upset the owner.....Yes they were busy, Yes the waitress told me after I asked why she only came to the table once to deliver the food that she did not need to check the water etc, because the owner ( who only showed up long enough to set down the cold fish) had taken over..... what a mess.... next week McDonalds....sigh.... I think if I was the owner, I might have said, come on back on us, and we'll make it right.... instead... I did just get a bad attitude... He lost me....Any wonder?
(1)
Raeann S.
love this place...been twice within a week. first time in we had a group of us and spencer took AMAZING care of us. he recommended awesome dishes and knew so much about the menu (also some of his personal favorite dishes). their pizza is great, good wine list, full bar and the daily specials all hit the spot. we also love the live music, both nights they had someone different and we were a fan of both singers. can't wait to go back, just what cave creek needed thanks for making this our new regular spot. :)
(5)
Melissa F.
Outstanding food, great ambiance and live music! Owners on site and friendly with everyone. Chef is creative and food is consistently excellent. Most recent favorite is the Salmon Almondine - Almond/brown sugar crusted, lemon/dill creamed corn, wood roasted fennel. YUM!!
(5)
John K.
Wow. What a surprise. Outstanding food, great time. The only negative is a very weak wine list.
(4)
mike b.
I really liked this place. We were here on a Saturday afternoon around 3 and it was empty - which I actually enjoy! Not a fan of crowds. It's a really swanky pizza "lounge" Couches in the bar area. Pretty decent beers too. At first I was concerned because they are definitely more wine-centric and I hate wine. All I saw on the specials menu was crap macro brews. But upon closer examination they had a pretty good selection. The pizza was really good and my wife had some ravioli or something that they made without meat for her. Good TV's, but no baseball package. I should deduct a star for that, but I guess they don't claim to be a sports bar , so that's on me. Great service, which I guess isn't hard when workers outnumber patrons 5-1!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Brandon K.
Their pizza is still some of the best around. It is consistently good. I have ventured to other parts of the menu only to be wishing I had just stuck to the pizza. The starter shrimp and crunchy bread is awesome so are the meatballs and bruschetta. Salads are always good. They need to improve the flavor in the pasta dishes, but like I stated...I'm only coming for the pizza. The bartender and manager are tops in the biz. They really care about the place and help make it a success.
(4)L. M.
I went here with my family about 2 years ago and was pleasantly surprised to find such good food near my home. I returned on 3/13/15 and, again, the food was excellent. My neighbor and I had the Surf & Turf, the most expensive menu item. I'm not a big beef eater but this dish was outstanding, the steak was cooked to perfection as were the shrimp. The fig demi sauce was exquisite. THEN I RETURNED A WEEK LATER..... It was about 5 pm and no one was in the restaurant but me. I ordered the Surf & Turf again yet it took more than 20 minutes for me to be served. I ordered a glass of iced tea. What I received was a lukewarm liquid with 3 rapidly melting cubes of ice. I asked my waiter, a very nice young man named Anthony, how the iced tea was prepared. He said that HOT TEA was poured in the glass with very little ice. I told him to fill up the glass to the top with ice, THEN put the tea in. My food finally arrived. IT WAS DISGUSTING! The steak was overcooked, so tough I couldn't chew it. The bacon wrapped around it was raw. The meat was literally drowned in a nasty looking brownish gravy - not the fig demi sauce. I asked that the mashed potatoes be substituted with Pancetta Sautéd Spinach. What I got some tasteless, overcooked, slimy green vegetable, with old barely cooked hard asparagus thrown on top. When I told Anthony about it, he immediately offered to have the chef refire the dish. He apologized, saying my meal was cooked by the restaurant's top chef. Really? So I waited another 15 minutes for a replacement place. Again, no one was in the restaurant except me. There were 2 woman who were obviously Anthony's managers or supervisors noisily preparing a 6 top and an 8 top right next to my booth for expected diners. Not one of them said a thing to me or Anthony. And the chef never came to my table to apologize for that really bad dish and find out if the replacement was to my satisfaction. It wasn't. While it was somewhat better than its predecessor, it was still not the excellent meal I had just a week prior. The steak was cooked perfectly but the bacon was still undone. And the fig demi sauce was not reduced properly - the chef only put less of it on the plate so the second time my food wasn't drowning in the still tasteless slop. By that time, I was over Amaro. I ate half of my meal and had Anthony wrap the rest for me to go. He returned with a tiny uncoated cardboard box with grease stains on it. I paid the bill - $40 with tax and tip. That was for ONE entrée for ONE person - no appetizer, desert, or alcohol. I'd started this review while sitting in the restaurant and should have taken a photo of that really awful looking and tasting plate. But I decided instead to contact the restaurant with my complaint when I got home. The following morning I received a email from co-owner, Terri Woodmansee. She apologized profusely, stating that the health inspector was in the restaurant at the time and that it is required that the chef or manager accompany him during his rounds. Then she told me that my meal - the most expensive item on the menu - was prepared by a LINE COOK IN TRAINING! I was stunned! The Surf & Turf is not a complicated dish, but it came out like nothing I'd seen in 45 years of restaurant dining. Ms. Woodmansee didn't even see how ridiculous her response was. Why wasn't the restaurant closed during the inspection if the regular chef was busy and the line cook couldn't manage ONE plate for the ONLY patron? And who were the 2 women setting up tables right next to me? One had to be a manager yet neither came to my table to see if my order was correct the second time. In fact, I was totally ignored the entire time I was in the place. I kind of stood out, being the only black person in there - as I had been every time I've gone. I've dined at Gordon Ramsay's Maze at the London in NYC and "Top Chef" Tom Coliccio's Craft, and the very expensive The Waterside Inn near Windsor Castle in England (and a favorite restaurant of the British royal family), plus 5-star restaurants in San Francisco, London, Washington DC, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. In every single establishment, a manager, maîtr'd, owner or chef has come to my table it there was a problem - even when the place was packed to the rafters with diners. Yet, at Amaro, even the line cook in training didn't give me the courtesy or respect of acknowledging me. The owner asked me to come back in return for a free glass of wine or dessert! I spent $100 on the 13th and $40 on the 24th for an inedible meal and all she could offer me was an $8 item? I replied that the very least she could have done was comp the Surf & Turf I've paid for already. No response! No patron should be have to take a backseat to the health inspector or have their meal relegated to a rookie cook. The owner's lame excuse and her lack of accountability shows incompetence. I'll never go back!!
(1)Tiffany J.
Happened to be in N. Scottsdale, and was happy to find this place just across the Scottsdale/ Cave Creek border. Actually had a friend tell me about it, decided to try it for myself. I got the cheese ravioli with brown butter sauce, and HOLY COW, that sauce was so good I wanted to just drink it. I cook, and have browned butter for a number of recipes, but they did something special with this sauce, wish I knew how to replicate it at home... I also got the kale house salad, the salad dressing was sweet and unexpected and super delish. For sure lemon and maybe some honey in it? It also had tomatoes and a very generous sprinkling of sliced fresh parmesan cheese and something else crunchy- toasted breadcrumbs? Not sure, but really good. Anyway, I'll definitely be back.
(5)Jim W.
Let me first say it's nice to have something convenient when in town, and.... the service is great! Ate there last night - and the server was fabulous. My only complaint - it seems the chef likes his dishes on the sweet side. Pumpkin Jalapeño soup was highlighted - but too sweet - and not enough jalapeño. The bread at the table was fantastic. Love love love. I ordered the veal dish. Very good - again - a little on the sweet side - would have liked more capers. Dining partner ordered the short rib gnocchi "stew" - again - too sweet - and a bit much of a cinnamon flavor. May be what was designed, but not what was expected. They were totally cool to swap it out for the veal and not charge. Based on how they handled us - we'll be back!
(4)Mike B.
We found this place using a Groupon as we saw it was close in our new neighborhood. We were pleasantly surprised with great service, good house wine and a good pizza. The calamari appetizer was great and the lemon sauce to die for. The vanilla Nutella cheesecake with raspberry strawberry jam was Really good. The menu had some attractive entrees so we will have to go back without a Groupon and try their fare.... Oh and did I mention they have live music Wednesday through Saturday with happy hour all day on Sunday and Monday.... :)
(4)Taylor D.
My Fiance & I had our first date here and continue to come back for the wonderful service and delicious pizza! Best Italian food around :)
(5)Bob P.
Excellent Italian food ! Great wait staff, perfect hand made pasta ! Can't wait to try everything !
(4)Good Eats S.
This was our first experience at Amaro Pizzeria and we had been looking forward to it since we sampled them at The Taste of Cave Creek. Went with two other couples on a Tuesday night. First impression: a kind of urban, upscale vibe---surprising for a place that calls itself a "pizzeria". (Makes me think checkered tablecloths and wax-dripped Chianti bottles). Pleasantly low lighting & music. We were seated at a large high-top just right for 6 people---a little sorry to see that the upholstery was worn thru to the foam beneath. Meh! (Note to owner-check out Alida Restaurant Supply. They rock upholstery. Ask for Keith) But otherwise the dining room and bathrooms were nice and clean. Our server was a real Italian. Pretty charming and on the ball. He had us our wines and one lemondrop martini promptly. DH and I ordered the bruschetta for a starter. Very good. Edges of the bread were perfectly dark-toasted, the almost burnt taste the perfect compliment to the sweet/ herb-y taste of the tomato and basil that was piled high. The other couples chose salads, which they liked, though one DC commented she thought it was a little heavy handed on the dressing. For entrees, DH ordered the Chicken Parmesan, which the server said was one of the house specialties. I ordered Tagliatelle Amatriciana. DH uses chicken parm as his benchmark for an Italian restaurant---and he said this was some of the best he had had! A ginormous piece (covered the plate!) of crisp, breaded chicken with perfectly balanced marinara and a small portion of tender-crisp broccolini. He said it was NJ Italian good, but was disappointed that there was not even a small portion of pasta to swirl up every bit of the yummy sauce. My Tagliatelle Amatriciana was really good---pasta was cooked perfectly---would have been perfect if it hadn't been underseasoned to my taste. It REALLY needed a bit of salt, and that kind of bothered me even as I enjoyed all the other flavors. And there was no salt or pepper on the table.I don't like that kind of conceit on the part of a restaurant---that they are so good they don't need to provide condiments to diners. It's no reflection on the chef's skill---some days I like things saltier than others. Anyway, lack of salt took the tagliatelle from an A+ to a B. The other two couples each split pizzas. They looked delicious---and our DC's said they were! One couple had the Pizza Diavolo and the other the Margherita. There was nothing left of either pizza at the end of the meal, so they enjoyed! Finished with 2 orders of the zeppoles to share. I have never had zeppoles, which are kind of an Italian deep-fried doughnut. Two of our party are Brooklyn Italians, and said they were nothing like the zeppoles they grew up on in NYC. Like I said, I had never had them before, but because they were rolled in a thick coating of powdered sugar, they were almost too sweet when combined with three fabulous sauces that accompanied----a nutella, a raspberry coulis, and a creme anglaise. wish they had lightened up on the XXX sugar so you could really enjoy the nuances of the sauces. This is NOT to say we did not devour every bit of the doughnuts AND swiped up every bit of the sauce! At that point I think we've a 4 star Yelp, then the server brought the bill. And it was one bill for the six of us. Okay, we forgot to tell him that we needed 3 checks, but I'd think common sense and 3 obvious couples might've inspired him to ask if we wanted separate bills. One of our party asked if he could re-ring it into 3 checks and he flatly said: "No, I cannot." Mass chaos ensued as we figured it out, because there was lots of wine and dishes and you know how calculators on cell phones are. I am frustrated and I say out loud to the DC next to me: "For pete's sake, he could have re-rung these---he's just being lazy." I didn't know he was standing behind me. The next moment, I am being told loudly and firmly that he is NOT lazy, that he works very hard, that it is impossible for him to re-do the check... It was kind of embarrassing, getting caught with my foot in my mouth AND getting reprimanded. The interesting part? One of our fellow couples realized she'd forgotten to use a Localdines coupon and she gave it to him and he whisked away and returned a few minutes later with ONE check that had been RE-RUNG with the discount taken. Heeelllloooo? So, he can re-ring the check to reflect a discount, but not to complete what until then had been a pleasant dining experience? Plus DH was not happy that our server took me to task---he said right or wrong, you don't publicly chide a customer. Food was probably a 3.75, with lack of salt and no pasta with the chicken parm taking it down from a 4, and 4 service ended up being a 2, because you do NOT embarrass a customer publicly and the check debacle... We will probably go back at some point, but there's so many other Italian restaurants in the North Valley to try out--not for a while, probably...
(3)Jodi J.
Yup...I ate the whole damn pizza because it was that GOOD!! I'm miserably fully, but super satisfied!! I ordered before reading the reviews, otherwise I might have chosen something other than the Funghi, only because every reviewer LOVES it; but then again maybe not. I was the lone trooper tonight and decided to go out and dine by myself. I had been here before, and remembered it was good, but that was probably a year ago. I asked for a little balsamic to go on the pizza and they gave me this awesome balsamic reduction, it was perfect. Good service, great wine and pizza recommendations, nice atmosphere. I will definitely be going back more often!
(5)Linda M.
Was there on Valentine's Day and yes it was crowded. The offered such a fantastic special and they delivered. There was a table there that just didn't get the date. They were annoying and expected to get their food in no time. What jerks. I frequent this place for dinner and they have never missed the mark. The owner tried everything to please these obnoxious people who thought it was their right to go table to table and complain. Glad they left and hope if they read this - Valentine's Day is a busy day for any restaurant and if you think you are going to be in and out in 1 hour with your food - you are mistaken. And you would never get the deal they offered anywhere on the east side. But for you to try and ruin everyone's night - you are a bad person. Really don't go out and eat anywhere because I think you are the type of person who can't ever be happy. Amaro's offers some great food, fantastic ambiance and really did everything they could to make the night fantastic. And the new female singer was great too! I frequent places and try new places all the time, no one compares to Amaro. The old owners here a few years ago didn't do anything like these owners do to make your evening nice. We will be back and back and back again! Way to make our Valentine's Great!!!
(5)Melissa K.
This place is beautiful, with romantic mood lighting. The wine offerings are a great deal, we had a 98 Merlot that went perfectly with the surf and turf. The bacon wrapped medallions were cooked to perfection and had the perfect amount of sauce glazed on top. The Asiago potatoes are a must-try, several of their dishes come with it.
(5)Treena C.
Decent friendly staff. They were out of the first bottle of wine we ordered, but we found another one that was good. We had the kale salad that was a little dry. The bruschetta bread was pretty dry as well - almost cut the roof of my mouth on the crust. The chicken parm is really good- although they need to serve it with more marinara sauce. The best thing about this huge restaurant is that they have live music.
(3)Robert B.
The service was perfect, the pork chop was delicious, and the zeppole was decadent. The presentation of the food was pleasant and the plate was full but not over crowded. It is a large place that has live music. We enjoyed American guitar and singing. It is casual meets a touch of class.
(5)Daniel B.
We have been here many times and thru several ownerships, it's still floundering by the looks of occupancy and service, but we only come here for the pizza, because if you want a real Italian equivalent type pizza, this is the place in the North valley to go. The Diavalo pizza, which is our favorite, however is not very spicy at all. But still excellent in taste and crust and flavor. We love it! And would recommend it to anyone to try! Light and fresh and yummy! Buon appetite!
(4)William B.
We made a reservation for Valentine's Day at 6:30 p.m. online through Yelp Seat Me. We made the reservation on February 5. We received an e-mail confirmation. Several days later, we received a call from the restaurant, to confirm our reservation. They said they were going to seat us at a high top table in the bar, and asked if that was OK. We said we didn't like that seating. They then asked if we wanted a table or a booth. We said we would take the booth, and they said OK, see you on the 14th. We arrived about 6:10 p.m. I went to the hostess stand to check in. They searched and searched for our name, but couldn't find it. The one hostess talked to another, and they said someone with a last name similar to ours had a reservation at 6:30 also, but had called and switched it to another day. But that was not me!. I had my e-mail confirmation with me, but they didn't even want to look at it. The hostess asked us to follow her, and she brought us toward a table. I said we had reserved a booth on the phone, and she said "I didn't take your reservation, so I don't know what they told you" but she didn't have a booth. There were several tables open in the dining area. She showed us to a table right at the front and on the aisle. My wife asked if we could have the table next to it which wasn't right on the aisle. She said no, that is reserved. I said "I have a reservation too!" She said sorry. So we took the table by the aisle. Less than 5 minutes later, another host came through with a couple, and they looked at the several open tables, and were asked which one they would like, and they finally said they would take the table that we had requested earlier. They didn't have that specific table reserved--but got it anyway. Unbelieveable! Lousy start to the evening. During the evening, we couldn't help but notice that the people at the tables around us were waiting extremely long for their entrees. In fact, the waitresses were apologizing for the long waits. We had long waits for our wine, and our appetizer. I can't blame the wait staff--they seemed to be working very hard, but it must have been the kitchen. Anyway, the service and the reservation treatment almost made me forget that the food wasn't bad either. The shrimp scampi crostinos appetizer was great!. The veal piccatta was average. And the desserts were very good--the chocolate gelato and the cannolis. My wife's peach martini was the best she's had. Too bad the service and the reservation snafu chilled the entire evening, and results in the two star rating. They need to clean up their act if they expect return visits.
(2)Kenneth v.
Under the fairly new ownership, this restaurant should certainly be considered among the top in Arizona for certain. Traditional Italian menu with daily specials and the common menu items prepared in an uncommonly perfect style. Utilizing fresh local produce and hand selected tomatoes for that perfect flavor I was thoroughly impressed. We had the sampler appetizer and meatballs which were plenty for a full meal for two but no, we had to try the entrees too and I can say they were equally amazing. This is by far the best Italian restaurant in the north valley. Telina was our server and I have never met a server with a more in depth explanation of the varied menu selections. Wonderful family owned venue.
(5)Bryan F.
Try the gnocchi. It is diffrent every day.
(4)Andrea S.
My family and I are regulars at Amaro, and thought it was time to finally give them a proper review. I would say that I've eaten here perhaps 25 times over the past couple of years. Amaro has consistently good service, consistently good food, and that is what I look for in a neighborhood restaurant. Some of the specials I've had (recently, a pretty bland sounding chicken dish) have been knock-it-out-of-the-park good. The chicken was superb! Typically, I get the surf and turf, salmon, or pork entrees. All very good, very flavorful, and well prepared. Decent wine list and really nice bar area that unfortunately I haven't hung out in nearly enough because I'm always with the kids when I come here. Love the live musician on the weekends!! It's a great, relaxing way to get the weekend started on a Friday night. Kids love Amaro too. The service is consistently fabulous, and it's a great spot that I'm thankful to have in the area. My only suggestion would be to change up the main menu occasionally for us regulars who come in here a lot and run out of things to try. I don't really go for the gnocci (the standard special), and I love to try new dishes... I honestly would come even more frequently if the menu were changed more often.
(4)Victor M.
Food is great as is the service. Very nice selection of wines, they they over charge for. We hade the layer cake primotivo that they charge $45 for a bottle of. Exact same wine, including year, is $11 at Costco. I understand paying more at a restaurant but that's a bit much!
(4)Leslie J.
We used to eat here every week, and thought we would try again after new ownership. It was quite possibly the worst meal we have had in a long time, and our bill was $101.00. We will not be back. Food had no flavor, my husband ordered the veal piccata and it came in a cream sauce, which is not a piccata sauce, and was burnt. Caesar salads tasted almost mayonnaise-based rather than Caesar based. Huge disappointment to start our weekend.
(1)Scott S.
Good food, nice place to have a glass of wine and pizza with friends and family. Great entertainment.
(4)Kyle S.
Great pizza, actually pizza is unbelievable. Great to have a lounge area where you can talk have a drink and relax.
(5)Philip K.
Cave Creek is certainly not a foodie's paradise. Old town CC is a tourist trap, and Scottsdale Road offers very little. In the residential area of Tatum Ranch where thousands of husband, wife, plus two kids abound, Amaro's is the only real dining experience that is accessible. And thank goodness it delivers. The interior is a bit flawed. They could benefit from having an interior decorator redesign the dining room entirely so it doesn't feel like a recycled restaurant that spent a little money on a paint job and some re-upholstering. The space just feels weird. But, the cuisine benefits from the fact that you will be hard pressed to find a worthy competitor within shouting distance. The pizza is actually very very good. The crust is top notch and their red sauce is bright and fresh. The Caesar comes up short, with not nearly enough dressing. It coulda been a contendah... They do this cool thing with kids where they give out small samples of dough to play around with while awaiting the food. All in all, this restaurant stands out because it is: - good quality food - the only choice in the neighborhood
(3)Keith F.
Nice neighborhood Italian restaurant. Everyone was friendly, though our server was a bit spacey - needed to repeat order a couple of times. Food was a bit bland. Overall an average experience
(3)Robin R.
Found this resturant on yelp. 10 minutes from my house. I ordered Chicken parmigiano and my husband had the Veal piccicada both excellent. Hot bread came with the meal although we had to wait about 10 minutes for the bread to be made. Service was good and great wine. Definitely will be back!!
(4)Lisa R.
The place was cosy and had excellent service. Filet was cooked to perfection. Cute baked potato with bacon and excellent flavour. Nice wine selection. Usually I never go for dessert but I could not resist the cheesecake. Would definitely recommend and will be back.
(5)Nita M.
What a great neighborhood restaurant! Nice people, good food, great wine list (according to a novice wine drinker), nice atmosphere, and live music! The restaurant is giant, so I can't imagine there would ever be a wait. There is no outdoor seating, but the bar area has a cool set up with couches for lounging in addition to normal high tops. The menu has a good mix of appetizers, pastas, and pizza. We had: - Caprese Salad: Very good! House made mozzarella (not mind blowing but definitely more flavorful than the kind from the grocery store) - Spinach & Artichoke Pizza: Super good! Nice thin blistery crust, lots of cheese (I hate when fancy pizza places under-cheese...I get that's the style but pizza should be cheese), and the white sauce is flavorful. - Tagliatelle Amatriciana: I only had a bite of this, but really liked the house pasta. It's thick and hearty. The live music on Friday was mellow 60's/70's songs and was fantastic. I can't wait to come back here for happy hours and dinners.
(4)Rob M.
Just had my last dinner here. After ordering a bottle of wine I noticed half way though the name was slightly different from what I ordered. I asked the waitress. She showed me she had rang it in correct and bartender had given her the wrong bottle. She then informed me in tears that the owner/manger was voiding out bottle I ordered and thought I'd been served and charging me for a more expensive bottle. That I could talk to him but he would not reverse it for her. I did. He replied that it was my fault, but he would do the credit ! The service has been great but on several occasions the owners lack of customer service combined with marginal food have made us decide to never go back!! Don't waste your time. No owner who puts a young waitress in tears deserves your business!!!!'
(1)Craig J.
My girlfriend bought me here for my birthday dinner and we absolutely loved it! I give the food 4/5 stars and the service 6/5 stars, which averages out to 5/5! Sam(antha) was our waitress with Shay, the bar manager, backing her up, and they made the perfect team. They took the initiative from the beginning when they offered us a few samples of wine to help us select our drink of choice. Then Sam got our order perfect and consistently checked on us to ensure a premium dining experience. The calamari was very good, as was the ceased salad. For an entree, we shared a spicy salami pizza, which was delicious, though the cheese was a bit more stringy than I'm used to. Overall, it was a great dining experience and I'd definitely go back again! Oh yea, and the ambiance, decorations and lighting were all wonderful!
(5)M T.
I am updating my review, after I left. We had two cars there. The manager comped my meal and bought desert. Excellent customer service.
(3)Doug S.
One of my favorite pizza spots in the valley and we stopped in last night to make sure nothing had changed ...... still amazing food provided by an outstanding staff. Three meals, 10 bevies, about $100 including the tip. Try em', you'll be pleased
(5)jordan b.
Bad service. Snide attitudes. Mediocre food. Don't waste time here go to barros, little ceasars or somewhere similar. BLEH!!
(1)Mai N.
Came in on a Sat at 6 pm with my guy and his parents. It was fairly empty but good thing we decided to grab dinner early because a huge party of like 25 came in about 20 mins after us. Bruschetta- 2.5 stars. Honestly 8 dollars for 4 pieces of toast with oil, tomatoes, basil, and garlic is sort of a rip off. It tasted decent but nothing amazing. Cappellini and clams- 4 stars. I thought this dish was pretty good especially since i was totally craving some seafood. The clams and the sauce were delicious. Lasagna- 3 stars. I picked at my guy's food and thought this dish was decent and he felt the same way. It was good but nothing amazing and nothing stood out. Chicken Parmigiana- My guy's parents got this dish to split. (split charge- $5) I didn't eat any of it but it looked bomb and it was such a big dish, it was a perfect size to split The food was about average but the waitress was extremely nice so I'll be generous on the stars
(4)Ervin H.
Setting: Late Sunday night dinner after picking the wife up from the airport. Ambiance: From the outside and walking in meeting the hostess, it looks like we should have dressed up. However, once we walked in, we saw the majority of the people in casual clothes with a great amount of tables and cosy bar seating. This is EXCELLENT for a DATE NIGHT as the lighting is dim and relaxing music in the background. Food/Menu: The wife was interested in a quick salad and pizza. They first brought out bread and what we thought was butter. Although it was Parmesan cheese and olive oil. We were pleasantly surprised by the soft taste after dipping the bread in the olive oil and cheese. After doing so, we didn't even think about asking for butter. The menu looks fresh and not too extensive (some pizza places can have too much variety). Here is what we ordered: Tomato/Spinach Panzanella Salad - The house pulled mozzarella cubes added with the vine ripened tomatoes equals a success of a quality taste salad. In addition, the aged balsamic dressing topped this starter off with the bite, the chewing, then the inspiring smile my wife and I gave each other wanting more of another bite. I highly recommend this salad. Funghi Pizza - I know, the name doesn't do this pizza justice. It is quite the opposite. The great taste about this pizza is the truffle oil. Sure, it has fresh arugula and sauteed mushrooms. However, when everything is mixed in together on a fresh dough of pizza topped of with house pulled mozzarella, the combination is perfect. It is a light pizza that doesn't put too much of a bulk in the stomach. I highly recommend this pizza. Service: Our waiter, which I believe was one of the managers, was attentive and informative of our needs. The wifey loves hot water with honey and lemon, and she definitely enjoyed the honey. She asked our waiter if it is local, and he took the time to inform us it is not, but grade A store bought honey. Besides this little touch of service, the food came out in a reasonable amount of time. Great service. Overall: Some say it is a bit overpriced, but the quality of the food is what you pay for. We definitely enjoyed our night at Amaro Pizzeria and will be back again. I would be obliged to say this may be one of my top pizzeria places in town...it is that good! We will see you again Amaro!
(5)Mike A.
There eggplant pizza pie is just a dwarf pizza with chopped up pieces of eggplant. No effort. No heart!!!!! Rip off. Do wast your time. You might as well use the microwave to make a pizza.
(1)David P.
This used to be a great neighborhood restaurant. What happened? One of the worst dinners we have had in recent years. Lasagna Bolognese was hamburger in a bland béchamel sauce with over cooked rigatoni. Veal Piccata was tough, thin and sparse on mushy egg noodles. Sauce was a very unusual taste. Service was very good as waitress was accommodating and pleasant and order came quickly probably due to no one else being in the restaurant at 6 pm. We will not return.
(1)Jennifer S.
We read all of the amazing reviews and were already up north, so decided to check it out. I guess if we weren't spoiled with some of the best pizza close to our loft in downtown Phoenix (Pizzeria Bianco, Pomo, Cibo, The Parlor, Federal Pizza etc.), I may not be as critical of Amaro. The atmosphere was nice, but nothing special; the service was just ok...it was his first night on the job and didn't know the menu at all; and the pizza was good, but not great.
(3)Kristen D.
This isn't even a one star review.. this is ZERO stars, but Yelp wouldn't allow that. Received a gift certificate to Amaro, really looking forward to using however, we just noticed it expired on 12.18.12. Yes, our fault for not noticing the expiration date.. but life happens, we've moved so this isn't close any more. Called to see if they would accept the gift certificate if we came in to use it soon, they will not. Will not refer any business to them, as this is just poor customer service. I'm not asking to use something that's been expired months, or years. We're talking just over a week. This is their own gift certificate, that they printed. Not a coupon, not an advertisement.. they already have our money, but won't let us use it. Management wouldn't even get on the phone to discuss. Unreal.
(1)David E.
First time back since new owner. Menu changed but still some of the same. Food still tastes good. The delivery is lacking :Pizza was cold, they forgot my daughters Brussels spouts. Young and inexperienced staff.
(2)Michelle R.
I am thoroughly impressed with the food and service I received last night at Amaro's. The Owner/Manager Frank gave us their signature shots for free! Frank was amazing and friendly and our waitress was extremely knowledgeable and kind. I can't pronounce or spell the dish that I had, but it had fresh homemade pasta, tomatoes and big hunks of italian bacon in it. This plate was so delicious it made me feel inappropriate, LOL. They had live music playing in the bar and the musician sang Wonder Wall in a Bluesy format... Amazing. They also serve Four Peaks Kilt Lifter which is my favorite beer. Cheers to Amaro! I will be back and I have already referred 4 people to the restaurant. Snoogins.
(5)Cindy L.
Found this place with Groupon. Probably would not have tried it. Definitely a place I will come again. The service is outstanding. The food is very good. The kale salad with a sweet dressing was outstanding. We had the Dolce Arrabiatta pizza. We're fussy with are pizza but this was really good.
(5)Kay C.
Terrible food and poor reaction by owner to return it to the kitchen. The Chicken Parmesan was tough and we refused it and ordered mussels. Mussels were tough and dry. When the bill came we had been charged for the item returned. The owner knew we had a problem with the food and we asked to talk with him and basically he argued with us. There were three of us and as a group we have probably returned food less than five times in our collective lifetimes. There was no apology, no trying to understand the issue, no attempt to satisfy the customer. We are neighbors looking for a good neighborhood spot. Too bad. We will not return and will communicate with our neighbors. I anticipate a restaurant closure within a few months. Attitude is everything as well as listening to your customers and working to meet their needs.
(1)Lloyd W.
"Just had the salmon it was delicious. Excellently seasoned cooked perfectly. My friends ordered the short ribs... Very good. The pizza is way cheap on the cheese. Lost a star on that one. Ambiance & service was most pleasant. We'll be back!"
(4)John H.
Food: Very good. I had the white spinach/artichoke/prosciutto pizza - my wife had the chicken masala ravioli special. We shared a caprese salad with fresh-made mozzarella. Service: Excellent. Our server Drew was a pro - knew the menu well, was able to make good menu recommendations as well as recommending wine. Noise: It was Friday night and there was live music, so it was loud - but not punishingly so.
(5)Jake J.
Was not impressed what so ever. Been wanting to try this place for a while and finally did the other night. Happy Hour .50 cents off beer... I about fall out of my seat in laughter because I thought the server was joking. He wasn't at all. .50 cents.....?? Are ya kidding? I didnt even ask about the wine or mixed drinks I didnt want to choke on my water. Had a few beers for a whole $1 off. Ordered the Salmon and it was a bit over cooked and dried out. Nothing Special. We had a pizza for an app and that was below average. Barros pizza is next door I much rather have had Barros. I hope they make some changes with a new owner they gotta do something quick. Doubt we will be back.
(2)Pam G.
Had a bad experience here. Firstly, I ordered the pizza which looked fantastic but had zero flavor. Zero. There was literally no flavor. I very nicely said this to the waitress when she asked. I was offered something else so I ordered gnocchi which was good. The sauce was underwhelming but not bad. My husband got steak which was cut in medallions. It was good, nice flavor and cooked just right. Pricey for the portion but good. Would order again good. Here's the rub; I would have been willing to try Amaro again had it not been for the classless way the owner handled the fact that I didn't care for the pizza. She came to the table for all of 3 seconds and then charged us $8.00 for the pizza because we "ate a piece." Given that I didn't ask to replace the pizza and was never told about the charge until the bill came it just hit me as rude. I paid $8 for one PC of flavorless pizza. And the general attitude shift after I was honest about not liking it. And btw I was nice about it. Really nice about it because it was just bland for me. Someone else may like it just fine. It's not so much the money as the rude service. I don't mind paying for a nice meal. But part of that is service. Can't support this place.
(1)Jason L.
Ever since buying groupon there last week we have been there 3 times since. We live near by and to find great italian place up by us is awesome. The food is amazing from chicken parm to handmade Gnocchi and other pasta dishes and pizzas. TherePanzanella salad is off the hook too. We were there last night with friends again and the live music that was playing was awesome. Not sure who the girl was but she was awesome. She should try out for The Voice shes that good. We topped off night with dessert. Omg. The table shared zeppoles and panna cotta as both were house made along with sauces...omg amazing.. Looking forward to going back again for another solid meal. FYI..This place is not cheap but as long as they keep serving meals like they have been we will keep coming back..
(5)Jessica S.
My husband and I have tried this restaurant on 4 occasions all with poor service. Our final attempt was last week , on a Tuesday night. Drink orders took 10 min, and when our wine glasses were empty, another 15 to ask for another. Our pizza came out cold, the cheese had already hardened. The only saving grace was the calamari, so so. N more visits from us, to bad because cave creek is where we live and chose to spend our entertainment money
(2)Michelle C.
Gnocchi was delicious, service was good. Need to eat here again to give a better, full review. Will be back at some point.
(3)Noah P.
Very nice people, especially the owner. However, their demeanor is a little too casual for the restaurant's ambience. I've had the mushroom pizza 3-4 times and don't think there a reason to take my chances with anything else. It's great.
(4)Jessica L.
Tried this place last night and there was a musician playing too so that was nice. We got there about 5:30pm so in time for the tail-end of Happy Hour. The Happy Hour menu is $2 off pizzas, 1/2 off some appetizers and some discounted drinks. I would have liked to see some 1/2 off bottles of wine as the bottle prices are kind of high. I enjoyed all the food we had; the wood fired pizza was very tasty. The service was okay; our bartender wasn't the most friendly (didn't smile much) but he did his job well and was attentive to the group. The bar area is pretty big and a section of it includes some sofa's to relax on as well. My husband and I had 4 beers, 2 appetizers and a pizza to share and it cost us $38 including tip (the apps. and pizza were on happy hour)...not bad, plus we had some good entertainment. We'll be back.
(4)Mindy B.
Great food. Great service. The tagliatelle was AMAZING and the Chicken Parmesan was incredible. I can't wait to come back and try the pizza.
(4)Randy B.
I had a Great dinner the last night. Really nice Fillet and twice baked potato. But what really caught me off guard was the Tiger Shrimp and Grilled Tomato. I have never been impressed with tomatos until I had some from Amaro's. I attribute the great dinner to the suggestions made by our waitress Tiffany, and the great service she gave. I was impressed by how hard she was working. I will be back soon.
(5)Bill S.
It's our 39th wedding anniversary and we've lived down the street on some horse property for almost 30 years. I have eaten at every place from Desert Mountain clubhouses to Big Earls, Maestros to the General Store, Tonto Grill to Carl's Junior on Cave Creek. I've never had better service and better food as here. Plus the music was top notch. This will be a weekly stop for us.
(5)Kris M.
Unfortunately the only item we tried was the pizza. The other diners in the restaurant looked very much like they were enjoying other dinners, their pastas looked beautiful, and I overheard the server they make their bread from scratch. If they also make the pizza doughs at the location, then they must be very good- as the pizza was outstanding. We ordered the pizza Margherita and the pizza "diavolo". Diavolo means "devil": spicy, and it was, but not so much it was inedible. Wonderful, wonderful pizzas and I could taste every wonderful herb. The basil was tiny bits, not whole leaves, I wished I had tasted more basil however. Some places over-do the garlic, not on this pizza. I could taste and see the olive oil, but olive oil is good for you! The diavolo pizza reminded me very much of harissa- perhaps the red pepper and olive oil which harissa is made from gave me that flavor. The crust had that lovely burnt edge to it that tells me it was baked in a real pizza oven. The service is impeccable! Smiling, observant yet discreet servers, always arriving at just the right time- never an annoyance nor do they "disappear". Our server seemed to magically appear whenever we needed her. We took a look at their pizza wood-fired oven, and their nice bar. Sorry no wine review, we only had soda. The diners were dressed rather.. shall we say, "casual". Perhaps that's a Phoenix thing? I think in jeans we were the best dressed there, which is a pity. Not the restaurant's fault at all. The place is lovely, a bit sparse. I think the large plant inside was plastic.. it's all right as the atmosphere had a pleasant night dining sort of feel. Some older people there but that's probably due to the Cave Creek location and the day/hour we went (Sunday late afternoon) The restaurant is in the Cave Creek area, in the corner lot where Barro's is. The bar area had a few large TVs in case the man you're with doesn't want to miss the game while you're out to dinner, hee hee. I'd recommend Amoro's, and next time I'd like to try some of their pasta and hopefully the misto, which I stupidly passed on ordering this time!
(4)Roger H.
3rd visit for me since last Fall. Very friendly wait staff and the food is very good. Music in bar can sometimes be too loud in the main dining room. Went last Thurs night and was by the front windows and the live music was fine and actually nice to hear vs. previous visits. Had the veg. minestrone soup, which was very good and the Chicken Parm., very good as well. Kind of pricey but worth it every once in a while. Will definitely come back but it is a 1/2 hour drive for me so not always on the short list of nearby restaurants.
(4)K S.
We have dined at Amaro 3 times now and IT IS FANTASTIC! We are 100% Italian and our family is full of good cooks; Amaro is truly a unique establishment with a very high regard for obtaining great products. The pasta is homemade; the dishes taste great; even the salami in the appetizer is delicious. We have tried different dishes in all 3 visits and were VERY pleased. The wine list is varied and unique with very fair prices (not expensive at all). The desserts! Other than in Italy...I have yet to see an Italian restaurant with Zeppoles!! (We make them in our family)...have to admit....Amaro's are DELICIOUS!!! PLEASE GIVE THIS RESTAURANT A TRY!!!!! THE FOOD IS THAT GOOD!!
(5)Joelle L.
Was there lastnight. Delicious calamari spinach salad, halibut served with succotash and of I had the chickenparm! Wine menu was great. And the Panacotta to die for. Well done Amaros!
(5)Victoria B.
Stop on in for a glass of glass. Pass on by for sass with class. I've been to places I wasn't thrilled with, but have never felt such a need to vent on Yelp. First, the backstory. I used to live in Tempe and frequent Kazimierz in Old Town Scottsdale. Memories of that place hold a dear place in my heart. My family, and now some of my boyfriend's family, live near Amaro. With the association, they thought it would be cool to check it out. And now, the rest of the story. The two former Kazimierz employees learned nothing from their time there. The first tastes of a place are the service and atmosphere. Strike one and two. We were greeted by sloppy dress and served by a brat. At Kazimierz, if you wanted a cozy nook for 8 on an early Saturday evening, you'd need a reservation. At Amaro, don't bother... there's no need. Also, nooks? Yes. Cozy? No. The last straw. My dad found a large piece of glass in his drink. With the attitude of the server, he brought it to the attention of the owner... who really could not have given a damn, though he finally halfassedly offered to buy my parents a round upon their next visit. At this point, we were just trying to get a human reaction to such poor service. The food and drinks (other than them not being able to make a Bloody Mary) were great, really. What brings me here, and gives Amaro their third strike, is the snide way in which our complaint was met. Upon waving a white flag at forcing reason, our usually laid back party was making our way outta there. I'd gone to the restroom, and ducked into where we'd been sitting to grab my purse. As I joined the others, I overheard the owner laugh and say, "And don't come back." If I treated my customers with such unwarranted disdain from the get go, I'd be told to start finessing my resume. Maybe that's just what Kazimierz did.
(1)Lisa N.
Food was great - service was thoughtful and prompt. Probably won't get the pizza again but the mussel special was so very tasty. The other dishes brought out to neighboring tables looked really good. Don't hesitate to go... It's just a shame that they had to resort to getting publicity through the fake 'reality' show called Undercover Diners. So fake - it was horrible acting. They are better than that....
(4)T. H.
LOVE this place! The food is amazing, the prices were great, the service was great and I had yummy leftovers the next day. I have found my new favorite italian restaurant! We will be back for sure!
(5)Peggy G.
The food was amazing. We tried the bruschetta, shrimp, and meatball appetizers. All were delicious. Portions generous. For mains we had the fra diablo mussels, amatriciana pasta, pizza, and gnocchi. All were spectacular. We have spent a fair amount of time in Italy and this was comparable to some of the better meals we've had there. For dessert we had the creme brûlée, zepplione, and bread pudding. All were absolutely stunning. We had great service from Sarah attentive, funny, and knowledgable. The atmosphere is pleasant live music was a treat. All together a wonderful experience and the next time we come to town we will definitely be back.
(5)Jeordie S.
This place is amazing!!!! I don't even eat PIZZA but this is not Pizza this is love!!! Go... try... eat!!!' Check out the acoustic music too every Weds- Sunday in the full service lounge=)
(5)Brian S.
Went their last night. My fiancée and I both ordered pizzas and they were both amazing! My fiancée chose a different type of wine for her second glass, which she ended up disliking very much, but the waiter got her another glass and didn't charge us for it even though she barely made a peep about disliking it and had already had already had a few sips. We've been here several times before and will keep going!
(4)Marc E.
Wonderful made from scratch Italian food. The pizza is awesome , the fresh bread to die for. Ask them to adjust an item if you have an allergy , or for any reason. No Problem ! Full bar with all the goodies, and a good wine selection.
(5)Tabitha T.
Maybe we hit them on an off night. Got there early to try to beat any potential rush on Saturday night. We hadn't been to Tenno for a long time, but first impression was that the layout was pretty unchanged-- maybe some new paint and decorations on the walls. Pleasant decor, but very large, somewhat loud space. Wine we ordered was very good, served at the right temperature and in nice wine glasses. The chopped salad was good, but somehow a bit different than the one at Cowboy Ciao. I may have like Amaro's even better. The service was veeeerrrrrry slow. I think we were there an hour from the time we sat down until they served the main part of our meal. Lots of time elapsed between ordering wine... ordering food... being served salad... being served pizza. They gave us some complimentary bruschetta for our long wait, but still... As for the pizza, it was better than average, for sure. We had the Dolce Arrabiata (white pizza with spicy sausage and multiple cheeses including Taleggio). It was indeed a little sweet and actually had quite a kick to some bites! Very good toppings. The crust was moderately thin and moderately good tasting. It lacked that yeasty-yet-crackery quality I so love at Pomo, Humble Pie, and Cibo. Still pretty darned good. The other pizza was a Margherita. The cheese was fairly thick, tomato sauce thin, and basil too sparse for my taste. Overall, above average. Food 3 and 1/2 stars Service 2 stars Ambience 2 and 1/2 stars
(3)Angela G.
Excellent chicken park and pizzas. Really, you can't go wrong with anything here. I love amaro because its minutes from my home and its a nice and classier place than most and still affordable. Always have great service and sometimes a live singer at the bar. One of my personal favorites right in my neighborhood. Food is never a disappointment.
(5)David A.
I went here with my wife and two kids last Friday. Since I live in Tatum Ranch I really like to support the local places. Now my wife loves I think it's called the Salmon Salad. My son got the pizza and I got the Chicken Parm. which was ok at best. We had a waiter that came over to us in wrinkled shirt and he could of been the owner who knows. But just not very professional or clean looking. The place was also dead and had zero atmosphere. It felt like you needed to eat and leave. I miss Asian Ten and I'm just not sure that Amaro will be around much longer.
(2)teresa s.
Buon appetito! Salute! Benvenuti Amici!!! Great food, Great wine and great place for spending good time with good friends or meeting new ones!!! Tagan and Frank and their staff have created an ambiance that just wants you to come back again and again... Hope to see you there soon ;-) PS. my favorites the shrimp bruschetta and kantak chopped salad but... if you get the opportunity splurge on one of the very special monthly wine dinners. 5 course meal with excellent wine pairings.. can't beat the experience !
(5)Adam L.
Excellent neighborhood Italian place. The chopped salad is one of my favorite salads - it's the same one featured at Cowboy Ciao. I'm a sucker for chicken parm and it was awesome. Pizzas are great too.
(5)Elizabeth A.
Yayyy! A fun, cool place to hang out in the Desert Ridge area that is not actually at Desert Ridge! Thank you Tagan and Frank for making this happen!! Amaro is located next to Cocomo Joe's on Tatum and Dynamite in a former sushi restaurant (I think it was Sushi 10 if I'm not mistaken!). The place is HUGE with a sweet bar, great couches, lots of flat screens and a tons of room to hang out! In the dining area, there are lots of cozy booths, along with regular tables, seats at the kitchen bar and a cool round table in the middle that would be fun for a group! The boys did a great job decorating with reds, grays and some cool art work from a local artist (plus a fascinating plant in the corner!) Amaro opened last Thursday and a friend and I dined there on Saturday, just their 3rd night! I was fully prepared for some new restaurant jitters, but everything was great! We sat in the bar and had a glass of Prosecco to congratulate Tagan and Frank on their new adventure! Then we split the Pancetta/Blue Cheese salad, which was light, tasty with extra yummy crispy pancetta and perfect for a splitz-kies! We followed this little delight with a Prosciutto pizza that was delish! I'm still enjoying the leftovers! Oh! And we enjoyed the Liocco red throughout the rest of our meal including the creme brulee - which was fantastic and ginormous! Since my dinner pal and I had already had it before and we were looking to be adventurous this first time, we did not have the Kantak Chop which is that same amazing, crazy fantastic, I dream about you Stetson Chopped from Cowboy Ciao (Oh yeah! Lots of friendly Ciao and Kaz faces will surround you at this place!) Sweet Jesus - thank you for putting it 6 miles away vs the 20+ I was having to drive to So Sco for this salad from heaven! It is that good! I also can't wait to try the buccatini (my fav pasta) and the filet sounds amazing!! Plus they have a great happy hour daily from 4-7pm! So excited for Amaro's arrival and best wishes to Tagan and Frank on their newest culinary adventure! Welcome to the neighborhood! Hope you don't get tired of me hanging out all the time!
(5)Ilya K.
The food is spectacular, the live entertainment(Wednesday-Saturday) is okay, one of the best thin crust pizzas I have had( I'm from new york city), service is friendly. I like their specials. I overall enjoy the atmosphere and will definitely keep coming back for more!
(5)Donna H.
This is one of those "Thank you to Groupon" for helping me explore a great new restaurant! Went on a Friday evening (with a reservation) which was needed by the time I left. Jamie, my server, was excellent. Everything was very fresh - including the handmade pasta. The music was a little loud but the singer was very good so it was not distracting. Food and service was excellent. Not sure I would come back for pizza but will definitely be back for the other "entrees". Don't let the name fool you - this is a fine dining (yet casual) restaurant!
(4)Barrie T.
Yes, to Fungi Pizza with homemade moz for $ 13 ! Perfect white pizza with mushrooms, aruglua, garlic, fresh moz 4 stars for reminding us of our memories of eatting pizza in Italy : ) Yes to Happy Hour specials: margarita & pepperoni pizzas only $ 5 !!!!!!!! HOWEVER..... No, to staff wearing grubby t-shirts. No thanks to a bland, black & grey dining room = void of italian vibe..... Maybe some imported breadsticks on the table ?? something is missing. Everything is slightly askew. More details are needed when serving high priced $$$ italian. $ 32 filet and $ 17 chicken parm is being served by t-shirt clad servers onto empty black tables without tablecloths.....YIKES MAYBE.....Some italian KITSCH might HELP !!! can't go wrong with pizza unless it's crowded...then expect to wait...and maybe be served the less than perfect pizza.....
(4)Michelle F.
Been here 3 times for Happy Hour with my friends. The funghi pizza is delicious and we love the Kantak chopped salad ~ it is so refreshing and tasty! Pass on the calamari though (we barely touched it and told our waiter we didn't care for it at all and he didn't respond at all ~ just left it in front of us for the reminder of our visit). Great decor and comfy couches to relax in. Our server the last time we were there ignored us most of the time and actually rolled his eyes when we asked him to take our picture (and it was early and there was only one other table besides us). Completely different from our first 2 times there where our server was super friendly and engaging. We didn't like our dessert the Rhum au Baba ( the brioche soaked in rum with marscapone cheese and hazelnut) ~ very sweet and not worth the calories. When he set it down my friend said it resembled a sliced bagel with cream cheese and nutella on it. There were only 2 of us and we had 2 glasses of wine each. We split the bill and (with tip) each paid $44. Too spendy for us... don't see us going back unfortunately.
(3)Jennifer B.
First time to this restaurant in the old "10" sushi location. Actually looks like they kept the exact same interior which is fine with me, although a bit noisy when there are a lot of big groups like when we were there Friday Night. Our waiter was very friendly and prompt, and not too pushy but then again didn't disappear when we took our time deciding what we wanted. Overall the food was very good in my opinion. Seemed that everything was made from scratch from the bread on the table to the pastas and desserts and it was all good. I started with the chicken minestrone and it was very good. You could taste the fresh herbs and garlic and the fresh baby spinach added just before serving was a delight. My husband had the meatball appetizer. This could have been a entree with a little pasta! Best meatball I've had in a restaurant hands down. Three medium veal, pork and beef creations that were flavorful and light with an excellent tomato sauce. Yum! On to the entrees. I had the Giardino with homade spinich linguini and fresh vegetables. This was overall very good but I would have wanted a little more sauce for my taste. My husband ordered the Con Pollo Salsiccia Tagliatelle which was a wonderful homade black pepper pasta with chicken sausage and a tomato pesto. This was good if a little on the spicy side. Note to diners, if you aren't used ot homade fresh pasta it is much thicker and heavier than traditional factory made pasta and therefore you don't need as much to fill you up. For dessert we shared the pana cotta which wwas heavenly. Nice and smooth, with a crumbly carmel crunch on top. Plenty big enough to share. So overall a very good experience. Don't let the name "pizzeria" fool you (God knows you can't swing a cat without hitting a pizza restaurant in Phoenix/Scottsdale). This place serves up some pretty fine Italian fare as well.
(4)Radhika L.
Such a fan of this place! I prefer to eat vegetarian and the selection and food hasn't disappointed yet. The Funghi Pizza and Bruschetta are favorites of mine. I'm particularly fond of the wine selection, it's well thought out and unique. If you're a bit bored with the usual Cab/Merlot or Chard selections try the Pinot Noir, Tempranillo or Falanghina, they're terrific! The live music is really enjoyable and not overpowering to conversation, even when sitting in the bar. This is a go-to place for me and my husband. Not to mention the owners are friendly and always come over to say hello. Don't hesitate to check it out!
(5)Laura W.
The pane caprese salad is amazing! The bar staff is super nice and provides quick service. Wine list with interesting selections- they even offer tastes if you would like. A great addition to the options here up in North Phoenix.
(5)Liz D.
If I could invite everyone reading these reviews to share my wonderful dining experiences in this restaurant, I would. As a regular diner there, I can share with you that I have never been disappointed. The food, drinks and service are outstanding. The culinary expertise shown by Jon, puts this restaurant amongst the finest dining experiences in Arizona. The food is consistently excellent and inspired specials are a joy to experience. Hands on management by the owners, friendly informed servers, and a great bar crew. So belly up to the bar, or take a table for your friends, have a few drinks, order anything from pizza to fillet steak and tell them you read Liz's review. You will LOVE the place for sure.
(5)Jennifer Y.
The best fresh pasta I've ever had. I might move closer just so I can have it more often.
(5)Ellen J.
It's all about the experience . . . the food, the atmosphere, the service. Amaro scores a home run! It's been on my list for months, but we never got around to it until it showed up as an Arizona Restaurant Week participant. I'm a picky eater and always have a hard time making up my mind as to what I want, but when I see a "fixed price" restaurant week menu that has multiple items that I'd order, I'm there! We were greeted at 6 pm on Friday night by one of the owners, Tagan, who was the catalyst for what became a most remarkable dining experience. We were seated at a comfy booth, safely tucked away from the happy hour scene. Tagan then introduced us to Mauricio, a true Italian waiter (I think via NJ) with a "grande personalita" -- just what you would expect in Italy! I was surprised that when I ordered a special martini combo, Mauricio wasn't quite sure what it was I wanted, so he called over the bartender Frank, who also happens to be an owner as well, who made one of the best Vodka-Midori-Pineapple martinis ever, garnished with a maraschino cherry! Loved the personal attention, and it never ceased throughout the entire course of the meal. My husband and I really appreciate when owners really want to hear what their patrons think, and we engaged in wonderful conversation about food, wine, travel, etc. Okay, some people like not to be bothered during their meals, but we like to get to know the people and the places we go, especially if we are going to go back . . . the next night. Amaro, as some have said before in their reviews, is not your typical pizzeria. The Vino Lounge atmosphere is more appropriate. Pizzeria and Vino Lounge are certainly oxymorons and conjure up completely polarizing images. That being said, the restaurant design itself is also an oxymoron with its spacious dining area and its cozy lounge area. But it all works. Friday night they had great live music . . . Oh Baby Baby Its a Wild World by Cat Stevens, one of my favorite songs . . . I'm showing my age . . . The food . . . yum! My husband opted for the AZ Restaurant Week menu and kicked it off with the Calamari Croccante. The calamari aficionado he is, he was wowed. He loved the two accompanying sauces, one a marinara type, the other, a lemon caper sauce. I had the Kantak Chop salad . . . it is my new favorite dish . . . The melding of flavors and textures just made my tongue tingle! (When we went back the next night, we ordered both the Calamari and the Kantak again!) My husband's Chicken Parm was melt in your mouth delicious, and it was a huge portion, enough for two, maybe three people. I had a pizza with mushrooms, spinach and Tellegio cheese -- the crust was thin, bubbly, and cooked to perfection. I was so full from my Kantak chopped salad that I could only eat one piece. I took the rest home and had a couple of pieces for breakfast . . . honestly, it was better than the night before, maybe because the flavors had a chance to meld with each other. Loved it! For dessert, my hubby had the Tiramisu which he devoured while making orgasmic sounds with each bite. When we returned on Saturday night, we were warmly greeted as if we were old friends. We asked to be seated in Mauricio's section . . . I think he was happy to see us again. He's now familiar with my ordering idiosyncrasies . . . Again, we had a delicious meal. Hubby had the Con Pollo Salsiccia Tagliatelle (black pepper pasta, chicken/provolone sausage, asparagus, roasted tomatoes, garlic/tomato pesto) and I had the Giardino (house-made fettuccini verde, garlic, shallots, grape tomatoes, scallions, broccolini, shaved parmesan, EVOO). Both pastas were incredibly fresh and perfectly seasoned. (FYI, there is no salt or pepper on the table, for good reason, nothing needed it!) The portions are quite ample and I ended taking more than half of my pasta home. My step-daughter ordered the Pollo Carciofo pizza with house-pulled mozzarella, parmesan, basil pesto, wood fired chicken breast, marinated artichokes, extra virgin olive oil, basil. She loved it . . . and I loved it even more when I had pizza for breakfast the next morning . . . ooh la la! Lastly, we ordered the Panna Cotta for dessert. It was scrumptious - one of the best desserts I've tasted in eons. It was purely decadent and sinful . . . and definitely not on my food plan. I've read where some reviewers have said the wine list begs for better wines. My husband didn't find that to be the case and had a difficult time deciding between some great options. He ultimately chose the Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc and was very pleased. If there was anything negative at all to say about Amaro, it would be the lack of an outside patio, a subject upon our first arrival that became quite the joke. We are definitely hooked on Amaro . . . it has the whole package, and it's almost in our back yard! Buon Appetito!
(5)sarah s.
came here with the family and some friends about a week ago and fell in love. such a great place, live music, great food, good wine and our server was awesome. thanks spencer, my dad and I already came back and ordered "your pizza"....I actually think they called him to get the right order for us, so cool. :) see you guys later this week I'm sure.
(5)Laurie H.
My three kids and I were pretty hungry and we were excited about trying a new place. We ordered a basic pizza, half pepperoni, half Italian sausage. My girls ordered the "kids" spaghetti and meatballs. The waitress brought bread, which was good. Then our pizza arrived. We were so hungry my son and I dove in. It was the driest pizza I have ever had. There was virtually no sauce and what sauce there was, was completely bland. The hand pulled mozzarella was dried to a crisp and the sausage that was finely dusted on 1/2 of the pizza - maybe around 3 Tbsp. total, resembled fine ground bacon bits. The girls' meatballs had some kind of spice that does not belong in meatballs. I am Italian and have had my share of meatballs. Maybe they put nutmeg in it? It was something off. I didn't say anything, but my son announced that he had eaten frozen pizzas better than this. We were so hungry and I was just too tired to complain. When my check came, it seemed high. It turns out that they charged me for two full toppings, making my little dried out pizza, $16.00. Even at $13.00, it was way over priced. I won't go back. Too bad because I had heard such good things about this place.
(1)Danielle S.
I finally visited Amaro's last night and really enjoyed it. Fun atmosphere - there's a large bar area, dining area and a secondary bar. I think they feature live music some nights. They have the famous "Original Chopped Salad" from Cowboy Ciao and also served at Citizen Public House. If you haven't tried it, you should! It's a really interesting combo of smoked salmon, currants, couscous, arugula, corn and more tossed with a pesto buttermilk dressing. I managed to find the recipe on azcentral.com for my aunt who wanted to recreate it for her family out of state. We also shared the margarita pizza with arugula added on top. Simple, but very tasty. For the size and quality, the price of $10 (plus $2 for the arugula) wasn't bad.There were several other pizzas and dishes I'd like to go back and try. Amaro gets my official stamp of approval!
(4)Amy H.
A regular place for us for 6 months. Never disappointed with the frequently changing menu. Specials are usually worth a try.
(5)Dave S.
Thought I reviewed this place already but, I guess not. Five Stars and I'll keep returning. Just had a bad experience at another place and came straight here. I love their Bolognese at Amaro, though I'm ordering the Lasagna tonight, yes i've had it before, yes it is good. It's all about Comfort Food, baby. If you do go, call me I'll join ya.
(5)Megan B.
This place is amazing!!! I came here with a friend whose friend is the owner, and definitely will go back. The bruschetta was so good that I asked for a side plate of the mozarella (I'm a huge mozarella fan - if it's good, and theirs is), and the chopped salad is literally the best I've ever had. The staff and the owner are all very friendly and the atmosphere is very cool. Definitely recommend! I live in Chandler, so this isn't close for me, but I will be returning because it's that good.
(5)Frank M.
The food is not as good as you might think. Pizza is dry. Managers are not friendly.
(2)Marisa S.
We used to come to Ten at least once a week since we live near by, so last night we decided to be brave and go with the twins. They have made a few changes in the decor and set up. They now have a couple of nooks with couches in the bar area. I will come back without the twins to spend some time there. I think it look nice. The service was competent, no major complaints. I was surprised that they didn't have cups for children if they have a kids menu and plenty of high chairs. We got this styrofoam 16oz cups of milk. My twins are only two, so this cups where almost as big as their head. I had to pour the milk in the sippy cups I had (thank God). The food was good, I've had better pizza, however I will come back if I can not drive to my favorite one or are in a hurry. The lasagna was actually good, my baby girl ended up eating almost half of mine. My husband had the spinach and garlic pizza. The Sangiovese that is on happy hour is pretty good, specially for $5 during HH.
(3)Erin B.
Seriously, best pizza in town... all of the food is amazing and the wine is perfect- ask Tagan if you are wondering what wine to get! The Kantak Chopped Salad is probably my favorite dish on earth. The bruschetta tastes like they just came from the farmers market for the ingredients... if possible leave room for the Chocolate Amaro dessert. Amaro is such a breath of sophisticated, fresh air from what the neighborhood offered before! It is well worth the drive if you love great Italian and world class wines! Welcome to the neighborhood, Amaro!!!
(5)Susan G.
Ok, I could give you a 4 star ONLY because it was a bit slow, but the food is so yummy! and I just want us locals to help them grow!!! We need more unique food places to go, and great wine too!! ENJOY!
(5)Brian K.
Great Italian food not just pizza. The chef really knows what he is doing. Everything is fresh. The female singer in the bar on Saturdays is worth the time just to stop by.I love finding a local restaurant where the owner is passionate about the food and service.
(5)Patty A.
Wonderful surprise in this area! Would never know this type of good food existed in this strip mall. Service awesome - sat at the bar. Food excellent. Husband had the pork chop and I had the sea bass. About $100. It was worth the money on a summer, Friday night. Will definitely go back.
(4)Sue B.
LOVED it. Great food. Great wine. Great service. We'll be back. No question. Salad was great. Appropriately sized. Not a salad mountain like many places. (What is up with those kind of spots? They serve you enough roughage to feed a rugby team.) Meatballs were soooo good...and so was the pizza. We ordered one with ricotta and mushrooms. You could tell that they sauteed the mushrooms before even putting them on the pizza. As it should be! And it rocked. Go.
(5)Mary H.
I love this pizza place! The pizza is a little more gourmet, not like a grab a slice kind of place. The pizza and dessert is delicious!
(4)Rosalyn W.
There's an odd disconnect between the name, the menu, and the ambience of Amaro Pizzeria & Vino Lounge. I've never seen a pizzeria that looked like this: dark wood paneling, carpeting, a huge chandelier, cloth napkins. It's a very traditional, upscale Italian look which I think would appeal more to the 40-and-up crowd than the 20 somethings. The menu has way more than pizza on it, and some of the dishes are even a little adventurous. Prices fall in between the two concepts. The team behind Amaro has had lots of restaurant experience, including stints at Kazimierz Wine Bar and The Estate House. Chef Bernie Kantak of Cowboy Ciao played a part in developing the menu. In fact he loaned his name to the signature salad, The Kantak Chop ($12). This salad alone makes the trek to Cave Creek worthwhile. It comes to the table with bands of finely chopped smoked salmon, asiago cheese, dried corn, pepitas, currents, couscous, arugula, and tomatoes. Our waiter dressed it lightly with pesto/buttermilk dressing, and tossed it for us. The melding of tastes and textures was perfect. I've never had dried corn before; its sweet crunch is a revelation. We decided to try the Dolce Arrabiatta pizza ($15). Our server asked if we liked spicy food. When I asked how spicy, and he said "VERY", we opted to have the Calabrian chili peppers on the side. A good decision. We carefully picked all the seeds off the tiny pieces of pepper before gingerly putting them (sparingly) on our slices. Even so, it was a sinus-clearing experience, but truly delicious. The pizza here reminds me of an Americanized version of the outstanding pizza served at Pomo (where you should go if you haven't yet). The crust is a little firmer than Pomo's and the topping choices more familiar. In addition to the chiles our pizza had lots of Taleggio cheese, both sweet and spicy sausage, and caramelized onions. We added some sliced garlic. We used perhaps one tenth of the peppers that were brought to us in a little ramekin - the full amount (including seeds, the hottest part of the pepper) is what is usually put on the pizza. Beware. There was a very unusual dessert on the menu, Baba Au Rhum, with a twist. The large brioche was soaked in rum, split, and filled with marscapone mousse and fresh raspberries, drizzled with hazelnut/milk chocolate sauce, sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts, and served warm. It was soothing, and put out the fire raging in our mouths. For $7, this dessert was big enough to serve 4. As I said, this isn't your mama's pizzeria. There's a choice of 9 antipasti including shrimp scampi and meatballs (both $9); 5 pasta dishes, and 4 entrees, ranging in price from ($17 - $23). The Filet Marinato, a house specialty, sounded good - an 8 ounce piece of beef tenderloin in a black peppercorn demi glace served with an asiago baked potato and pancetta sauteed spinach. Eight pizzas, plus a design-your-own range in price from $10 -$15 and can feed two or three people. The wine bar, separated from the restaurant by a clear plastic partition is large and attractive. I understand its jumping on weekends. Happy Hour is from 4 - 6 daily, and Reverse Happy Hour from 9 - 10 daily. All in all, Amaro's is a very nice place to come if you want something more upscale than the usual formica tabled neighborhood place. More interesting food for not much more money. A good deal.
(5)Nick H.
Great chopped salad, amazing pizza, wonderful service, and even better desert. Cant wait to go back.
(5)Ray C.
VERY Delish! The Happy Hour was great! NICE place! Shrimp Scampi was AWESOME!
(4)isabel v.
We here last night for the first. Thought I'd post my 2 cents. We had a reservation for 7:30, which was nice since I got there a little early and heard people without reservations being told there was about a 1/2 hour wait. There were 4 of us, and since it was our first time there, we decided to all try something different so we could share. We started out with ceasar salad and vegetable salad, both were very good. Tip: they are not big enough for sharing..We got two salads for each couple to share. We wished we had each ordered our own salad. For the entress we ordered: 1. Salsiccia Pancetta Pizza - This pizza was very good and very tasty. It is really worth ordering if you like a mix of flavors 2. Pollo Carciofo - This is a white pizza with pesto and chicken as the main ingredients. Not very tasty. Actually pretty pretty bland and the chicken was almost non-existent. They actually should take the word "chicken" out of the title, as the few little pieces that were on there felt like they were tossed on as an afterthought. 3. Amaro Cioppino - This actually was very good. The sauce had a surprising spicy kick to it. 4. Pappardelle Bolognese - This was actually the funniest thing we ordered. The waiter described it as an "outstanding" dish. There was nothing outstanding about it. It was just "ok". It was pasta with a very bland meat sauce that you could get at any lower end pasta place for 1/2 the price. For dessert we ordered tiramisue and the chocolate cheesecake. Both were just average. Both were commercial grade and I'm sure not made on the premises, but brought commercially and delivered in. Neither had that taste you'd expect of freshly prepared in house pastries. The service. This is something they really need to work on. Our waiter although very nice, had no clue about table waiting. We waited a really long time for our salads to come out. When they did, we notices no condiments on the table. We had to ask for pepper and then wait till the waiter came back with a pepper mill...No urgency on his return. Never offered to put salt and pepper on the table. So you only get one shot at getting pepper or salt on your food. When the food came out, the pizzas were brought out first and we waited about 5 minutes for the other 2 pasta entrees to come out. The kitchen needs to coordinate their food better so tables are served in their entirety not piecemeal where the initial food served is cold before the rest comes out. Again, there was no sense of urgency on this. Again, we had to ask for pepper when the food came out. You'd think he would have had it with him this time,but No. Again we had to wait for him to return with a pepper mill. One of my friends asked for some bread with his pasta when we placed our order. It actually made it to the table just as he was finishing his meal. We think the waiter forgot and overheard us talking about it. And they had the audacity to charge for it...Can you believe it? When we got our coffee, there was no silverware on the table, again we had to wait for him to return with some for the coffee and dessert. I know that this might be just a tad picky, but I really detest when restaurants don't have the proper silverware. We were given big round soup spoons to eat tiramisu and cheesecake with. All in all the food was good, but they really need to work on the wait service and the kitchen coordination. We will give them another shot.
(3)Evike R.
well i i wish i had the great experiences these people had but i didn't. i had he gnocchi and it was soft, too much sauce, too salty and for the price of $25...!!! I almost fainted! the place had a nice atmosphere but the lights by the kitchen if you were sitting across where way too bright. apparently, have to be for health code. then put some wish mesh so they don't shine so bright!
(3)Jim L.
Must have just been one of those nights.... Been there before and it was the best... the secret? We went there on a quiet night. This was a weekend. The place was slammed. They must have been doing something right, but not at my table...The music was so loud ...Solution go early if you want to have a quiet evening. They do not turn down the music....Seems a lot of people like loud noisy music because ask as we might, too bad, music stays loud. The food? Can be terrific but tonight... Fish was ice cold (frozen in the middle).... sent it back and amazingly enough, by the time my company was finished ... mine was still in the kitchen. I got up for the second time and asked.... the owner came out and very nicely said sorry but a lack of communication with his kitchen... 5 minutes later here come the fish and surprise.... ice cold in the middle again and so salty and so much pepper I would'nt have eaten it anyway, I stood up for the third time to find the waitress, handed her the fish back and just told her to keep it.... I wanted to leave... the owner again said he was sorry.... check finally came and a charge to my company. who's dinner was destroyed by watching this fiasco....Owner showed up and picked up the check. I said he had a great place and we would try again, but HERE is where he blew it..... He told for me to please tip the waitress....and I mean he made it clear that I was to tip that waitress...once more... not please, just tip that waitress... nevermind she never came to the table after the food showed up...never.....I said no thanks, she was completely MIA. Then he took it upon himself to instruct me that just because I had a bad experience now I had a bad attitude.... sigh, I was getting a bad attitude and now it was getting worse....Man, does that guy have a few things to learn.... I have heard of strong arming people but this was rediculous....I just smiled and walked out, and I was a little concerned that I would make it out in one piece....What a quiet disturbing attitude there.....I will never, go back there again...Moral? Don't upset the owner.....Yes they were busy, Yes the waitress told me after I asked why she only came to the table once to deliver the food that she did not need to check the water etc, because the owner ( who only showed up long enough to set down the cold fish) had taken over..... what a mess.... next week McDonalds....sigh.... I think if I was the owner, I might have said, come on back on us, and we'll make it right.... instead... I did just get a bad attitude... He lost me....Any wonder?
(1)Raeann S.
love this place...been twice within a week. first time in we had a group of us and spencer took AMAZING care of us. he recommended awesome dishes and knew so much about the menu (also some of his personal favorite dishes). their pizza is great, good wine list, full bar and the daily specials all hit the spot. we also love the live music, both nights they had someone different and we were a fan of both singers. can't wait to go back, just what cave creek needed thanks for making this our new regular spot. :)
(5)Melissa F.
Outstanding food, great ambiance and live music! Owners on site and friendly with everyone. Chef is creative and food is consistently excellent. Most recent favorite is the Salmon Almondine - Almond/brown sugar crusted, lemon/dill creamed corn, wood roasted fennel. YUM!!
(5)John K.
Wow. What a surprise. Outstanding food, great time. The only negative is a very weak wine list.
(4)mike b.
I really liked this place. We were here on a Saturday afternoon around 3 and it was empty - which I actually enjoy! Not a fan of crowds. It's a really swanky pizza "lounge" Couches in the bar area. Pretty decent beers too. At first I was concerned because they are definitely more wine-centric and I hate wine. All I saw on the specials menu was crap macro brews. But upon closer examination they had a pretty good selection. The pizza was really good and my wife had some ravioli or something that they made without meat for her. Good TV's, but no baseball package. I should deduct a star for that, but I guess they don't claim to be a sports bar , so that's on me. Great service, which I guess isn't hard when workers outnumber patrons 5-1!
(5)