Grain River Asian Bistro
12985 N Oracle Rd,Ste 125, Oro Valley, AZ, 85739
Grain River Asian Bistro Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Oro Valley for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Oro Valley for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Oro Valley for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
12985 N Oracle Rd,Ste 125
Oro Valley, AZ, 85739 - Phone (520) 818-1555
- Website https://www.grainriverasianbistro.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Nathan B.
High hopes, low delivery. The service was super friendly and fast and that was about the only positive. I have no issue with paying money - even a lot of money - for good food, but I don't like to pay more than average for less than average. The best thing on the menu was the shrimp fried rice - that was actually delicious. The broccoli in the beef and broccoli was under cooked, and the chicken mushroom something was just that - something I'm not sure but with a very bad aftertaste. There are not a lot of restaurants in Oro Valley and so was excited to try something new. Too bad this was a "swing and a miss". You'd be better off hitting up the panda express and saving a few bucks.
(2)Rachel F.
This is a hyped up place if I ever heard of one. I got some noodles and veggies and my boyfriend ordered pad Thai. It sure was not pad Thai, it was kind of pink. My food was mediocre.
(3)Hugo M.
I have been wanting to check this place out for some time now and was pleasantly rewarded. The staff is very friendly and make you feel welcome from the moment you walk in door. The place is a little on the small side but that only lends to intimate feel you get when your there. I had the red Thai curry and I enjoyed it very much. My meal was flavorful and the ingredients were fresh,the beef was tender and thinly sliced. I am glad I tried Grain River Asian Bistro and I think you will be too.
(5)John S.
We stopped by after a visit to the Biosphere and we were pleasantly surprised. The food is delicious, we got the lunch combinations, and the service was quick and attentive. The owner is friendly and we had a nice meal after walking around the biosphere for a couple hours. I'd definitely eat here again next time we're in the area.
(4)Garry B.
The service here is fantastic; great family attitude with the most polite children of the owner helping with the restaurant duties. The food portions were generous! They offer a lunch menu on the weekends too. A full bento box for about $8, and that includes soup too. The main portion is very generous with meat and vegetables. I would definitely come here again for both the service and the food.
(5)Stacey D.
Wonderfully locally owned restaurant! Not only is the food delicious but the service is great too. We've dined in & done take out - the owner always greets us with a smile & now remembers our "usual" orders & names. The lunch bento box is my favorite! It comes with soup, rice, entree, egg roll & dumplings. Very reasonably priced for the amount of food you get. We will continue to come here for lunch & dinner! Honestly, the staff & service is what makes this place for us. They aim to please & are so on top of things - we will continue to come here as long as they're open! Highly recommend to anyone & everyone!!
(5)Dan C.
The seafood miso soup! I eat a lot of Asian food, first for me and it was great. Hot Saki and kirin to finish off.
(5)Kimberly T.
Our waitress Janelle was very nice. She was very knowledgable about the menu. The owner Lin was there also. She came over to welcome us over to the restaurant. This is the cutest mom and pop place ever. She recommended the black bean flounder fish. It so so fresh ! Just the right amount of spice. And lot of fresh veggies. This was a filling fish dish that didn't make me feel like I ate too much. It was a good feeling. As for my husband. He always get chop suey. He loves the fresh veggies. And the chicken was tender and moist. I love this place Also the portions are huge so you will definitely have left overs or it is perfect for family style dinners.
(5)Jason O.
One of Oro Valley's hidden treasures. Great variety of food all prepared fresh and exactly how you like it. I like my Pad Thai extra spicy so I usually go with level 3 heat. Go level 4 if you're feeling daring! You won't be disappointed if you eat here. Just go and do your tastebuds a favor. Prices are reasonable as well, with excellent $8.50 lunch specials.
(5)John T.
Great locally owned family restaurant. The staff is really polite and courteous. The food is consistently great and the bar menu is very good as well. The restaurant is clean and the atmosphere is suitable for a date night or the whole family provided your kids aren't monsters. Keep your patronage local and give it a try.
(5)Rick F.
Excellent!! Hidden gem in oro valley. Owner is super nice!! Seriously great flavor and great prices!! Go here!! I hardly Give 5 stars!
(5)Rob J.
The food here is very good, however, the spice levels are on a scale of 1-3. I love spicy food so ordered a 3. About 10 seconds into my main course I was really feeling it. I've since been back and toned it down to a 2 which was perfect.
(4)Frederick J.
Great service. Friendly staff. The owner came by and hung out with the kids. No kids menu but we got two plates of sweet and sour chicken for 5 little ones (ages 4-8) which they happily shared. Kids loved the fish tank.
(5)Shun L.
This place is the best Chinese food I have had, the owner uses only the best ingredients. The food is always served hot and fresh, and the owner is very friendly and always goes above and beyond expectations. This restaurant surpasses GMG Chinese on La Canada.
(5)Anthony F.
Pad Thai shrimp, Pad See Ew beef, Red Curry chicken, all excellent.
(5)L L.
Tasty food, good service, reasonable prices. I enjoyed a vegetarian entree, broccoli with "vegan meat," and vegetables. A fellow diner, who is a local chef and a repeat customer of Grain River, recommended Grain Rivers's tempura dishes.
(4)Joe C.
I wanted to like this place. I just went in for take out with my niece. The atmosphere wasn't bad and the staff was polite. I ordered the sesame chicken dinner plate, pad Thai, and crab puffs. The food came out relatively fast. When we got home the first problem was that the sesame chicken dinner was more like a lunch barely any chicken. Then the pad Thai noodles were red and had a sweet and spicy taste, I have never had pad Thai like that. Finally the crab puffs weren't bad, but they were just that. The fried veggies that came with the meal were good. Now over the meal was ok, but for the price of $34 it was not worth it. I probably will not go back.
(2)Scott G.
I can't believe we haven't been to Grain River before tonight, however, we will definitely return soon. It's a small, unpretentious restaurant but the food is excellent - a mixture of Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Mongolian dishes. The staff that we met - Lynn and Carol were very nice and very knowledgeable. Give it a try. I promise you won't be disappointed.
(4)Philip S.
I love Asian food, not just chinese. So finding a restaurant that had Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai etc mad me very excited. Sine their opening, I've probably eaten there a dozen times trying a variety and rarly being dissapointed. The firs time we ate there, I had the Korean barbque and my companion had Thai. Loved them both and came back again and again to try other dishes. The meal starts with an Asian slaw, which sets the taste buds for the rest of the meal. I love the Miso soup, flavorful, also the hot and sour which has a slightly smoky flavor. We like many of the main courses which are available with beef, chicken, shrimp or tofu. We especially liked the Red Curry. These dishes are available by the plate or Bento box (our favorate). The Bento box, in addition to the main course, comes with egg roll, tempura, rice, etc
(4)Jonathan G.
Great place for a casual evening meal. It's a family place where even the young daughter helps serve. We like the people and love the food.
(5)Andrea G.
Gary, my dining buddy husband, and I ventured to this newer restaurant located in our neck of the saguaros (the desert equivalent of "the woods."). Grain River sits in the site of a former Chinese restaurant, that moved to the Oro Valley Marketplace. We walked in and waited a minute, not sure whether to sit or wait. The server then told us to seat ourselves. It was quite busy but we found a cozy table near the window. They have an innovative menu, that lists the dishes, and offers various ways to customize it (such as Pad Thai with chicken, or beef or mixed or shrimp). Their menu combines a variety of cultures, from Chinese, Japanese to Thai and a few other categories. Gary and I ordered two dishes: a mild (I emphasized that) Pad Thai with chicken, and a "mixed" (chicken, beef and shrimp) chop suey, both with white rice. They come with a choice of soup. We both opted for Hot and Sour. The contents of trhe soup were plentiful and delicious. However, I found it a bit too peppery (spicy) for me after a few minutes, although I can normally handle almost medium spice. Downing a few spoonfuls, I then handed my soup over to Gary. The chop suey dish came by itself, in a visually appealing square dish, full of fresh vegetables, with the shrimp, chicken and beef in a brown sauce. No rice came with our meal so I asked the person refilling the water glasses for some rice. We had nearly finished our first entree before it came. It was tasty and perfect for low carb diets as it has no noodles. We enjoyed it. I think there was some confusion with the Pad Thai portion of our order as it came out much later than the first entree. Lucky thing that we shared both entrees, so one party wasn't done before the other dish arrived. They served it apologetically. Gary and I have eaten Pad Thai in many restaurants, so we were looking forward to this. However, it was unlike other Pad Thai dishes. It was mostly rice noodles (cooked nicely), topped with a generous option of chopped peanuts, with no egg and a smaller portion of chicken than we expected. The sauce was red in color, and it was substantially spicy and lemony in flavor and taste. It was not a typical Pad Thai. I can normally eat up to medium spice but this was slightly above my comfort zone. Wanting to be helpful, I mentioned to both the server and the (I think) owner that this dish was way above mild, which I had ordered. I wanted to communicate that they need to warn diners what "mild" really means so it assures diners of a good experience. I am not sure they "got" it. They justified the spice as out of their control, as part of the basic sauce. I understand that. They should then notify diners when they order this dish, so they know there is no real "mild" version. I never have a problem anywhere else. Just thinking about it now, I am surprised they didn't offer to replace the dish for me. I was not outright complaining as much as pointing out the misrepresentation of the level of spiciness of the dish, but a wise owner may have offered an alternative. All this aside, the server was delightful if not overworked (he was serving a good portion of the tables). I gave the restaurant 4 stars for the quality of the chop suey dish, the pleasant ambiance and the great attitude of the server as a whole. The Pad Thai dish part of the experience would rate a 3. I will come back and try some other dishes and see how it goes. I like to support my local businesses and I can see they are working hard.
(4)Mark L.
My wife and I tried Grain River Asian Bistro (known as GRAB from now on) on the advise of some of our other foodie friends. We came on a Sunday night and it was not busy at all. The owner chatted us up and was very helpful, something you might not get the pleasure of on a busier night. The dinner menu is broken down to four pages: Appetizers & Drinks, Thai & Korean & Japanese, Chinese, and a Bento Box style Japanese on the last page. We started with spring rolls which turned out to be the deep fried type and were tasty. My wife had Red Curry with shrimp and I ordered Singapore Style Noodles with chicken. Both were well above average although I still prefer the Singapore noodles at another nearby oriental restaurant. Both dishes were reasonably spicy which we like. The fried rice is the best I've had in a very long time. Just the right balance of soy, egg, oil and etcetera. I had the misfortune of eating at Pei Wei recently and this was HEAVEN compared to that crap. The best part is that they don't use any oil when cooking many of the dishes. The vegatables and meat are steamed and then quickly sauteed with the chosen sauce before going to the plate. The veggies were all super fresh and crispy yet cooked. Perfect! While we do seek out good or unusual food we also try to eat healthy as much as possible and it's nice to know that GRAB is a (sort of) healthy option for oriental food. As healthy as oriental gets anyway. We're both super happy with our first experience and won't hesitate to come back again. While not the best food I've ever had it is SO much better than most that it deserves 5 stars.
(5)Jill W.
Great place. Best Asian food in the Oro valley, in my opinion. Nice family atmosphere, nothing fancy. Great service.
(5)Geri T.
Our 2 stops at this Catalina gem were filling, pleasant and entertaining. Pricey but well done..at least our chpices. Phil is a good ,attentive server.
(4)Michele s.
Food is well prepared. Many selectioms Full of wonderful flavor!! Staff is friendly and accommodating!!
(5)Corrine S.
Yesterday, June 26, 2013, my husband and I enjoyed a late lunch at Grain River Asian Bistro. They have always had great service and yesterday it was exceptionally great. I ordered Pad Thai and they even gave me more of the great peanut sauce which I really enjoy. I was pleased they could customize my meal just to my liking. My husband ordered the Thai Cashew with seafood and loved the huge scallopes and crunchy fresh veggies. Our appetizer was one of the best calamarie dishes we have ever had. Crispy coating and not chewy inside. We will certainly return and would recommend it to everybody who loves great authentic Thai foods. They also have Chinese and Korean dishes which are delicious too.
(5)Clifton L.
Nice range of Asian foods... Japanese, Thai, Mandarin. Well prepared, nicely spiced... if you ask for medium spicy it's definitely got some heat but not too much... menu items that can in some cases be greasy, were not at all, nice thin breading or batter and no greasy taste at all. Tonight's visit included Singapore Style Rice Noodles (a curry flavor dish) with beef, General Tsao's Chicken and Chicken Katsu .. all well done and flavorful. will definitely be going back!
(5)Kristy N.
This is a hidden gem in Oro Valley!!! The food is amazing and the owner is so very nice! I cannot believe that I didn't know about this place until now. We tried the Thai Basil Chicken - amazing! We have also had the chicken fried rice, pad thai, chicken curry, Mongollian beef and all were super yummy!
(5)Barb C.
Delicious food, wonderful service. The owner came to visit our table and was very attentive and helpful. We'll definitely return.
(4)Anthony P.
Very nice restaurant, place was quiet and the staff was very courteous. We ordered the rice soup and Mongolian, both were very delicious and tasted very authentic. We definitely plan on coming back again!
(5)D K.
Food was mediocre at best. I wouldn't go there again.
(2)Shovel S.
Being from Phoenix, I don't venture to Catalina often. We had eaten at Grain River once a year ago, and again last Saturday night - both times very, very happy. What's good: they have a separate vegetarian menu, and can cook most things vegetarian. Rather than just the usual tofu substitution (which they offer as well) they actually have vegetarian mock meats - pretty good ones too!! Friendly and accommodating service and a comfortable atmosphere, very clean and orderly dining area. They have green tea cheesecake... a unique treat!! What's great: The red curry... ungodly good. I slurped my plate and I'm not even ashamed to say it. What's not so good: They're not in my neighborhood :(
(5)Brian S.
Food is pretty good but not great....better than GMG Bistro in my opinion. Sometimes if you get a seafood dish it comes out tasting really fishy, which makes me think they don't have very fresh seafood (which, by the way, just avoiding sea food across the board in Tucson is probably good advice). However, that stinky fishy smell and taste seems to sometimes get into other dishes that I've ordered that have beef or chicken, so I think they are using the same utensils in the back or not cleaning things very well. We used to go to this place at least once a week, but we've tapered off and don't go very much at all any more, mostly due to the fishiness of everything.
(3)RM H.
Food was delicious. Service was very attentive and fast. I chose miso soup but was brought hot and sour, however, the soup tasted so good I did not think twice about finishing the bowl. The rice that accompanied my Thai Red Curry was a welcome surprise, being that it was a high quality sushi-style rice. Better than many other comparable restaurants. This is a gem in Oro Valley.
(4)Chelsea I.
This is a small but very nice place. Don't let its location in a strip mall deceive you. They are friendly and attentive, the restaurant is welcoming and cozy. Food was excellent. Happy to see brown rice available and they happily accommodated changes I wanted to a menu item. Next time I'm in Oro I'll be coming back.
(5)Ray L.
Few things hurt as much as assigning a single star to a restaurant with nice owners. The staff was friendly and attentive to the point of excess. Unfortunately, good food doesn't always result from good intentions. Grain River offers a menu that spans East Asia and, like most restaurants offering a diverse range of cuisines, they don't do all of them equal justice. We tried three of their Thai entrees: red curry, a cashew chicken in brown sauce, and the Pad See Ew. The curry and chicken were on the low end of okay. The meat was tender and the vegetables were relatively fresh, but they were drowned in sauces had mediocre flavors and lots of salt--they were not inedible, but they were not very good, either. The selection of vegetables resembled that of Chinese food. As for the Pad See Ew, it was genuinely too salty to eat. Instead of using a mild, sweet soy sauce like kechap manis, the kitchen used regular soy sauce. That's the difference between sipping a glass of wine and shotgunning a bottle of Everclear. Not surprisingly, the dish lacked gai lan, egg, and thick rice noodles. Also not surprisingly, it contained green onion, bean sprouts, and a bowl of white rice on the side. White rice with a noodle dish? Sorry, Thailand. Entrees ranged between $11 and $14, which would have been a little steep even if the food was of average quality. If you want to risk it and they are still open when you read this review, the Chinese dishes might treat you better.
(1)Queenie R.
We weren't expecting very much after reading reviews here, but we had a DIning club deal and live nearby so gave it a try. We started off with a beer and tempura Vegs, not bad at all. Our entrees came with hot and sour soup , whtch was way too salty so we didn't finish that. Our beef with basil was Ok! A huge portion in fact, but somewhat short of Thai basil. The Thai red curry with chicken was nice, again a huge amount of meat. Our waiter was attentive, and gave us extra rice to take home with our leftovers, which were sufficient for another dinner. We will go again sometime no doubt, and try more of the japanese menu items.
(3)Wendy K.
My friends and I went there for a birthday dinner and it was phenomenal!! The food was outstanding and the services was first class. We had Sushi, steaming fish and orange chicken it was GREAT!! Love this place! We'll be back!
(5)