I've been eating at Dillon's for many years and my recent visit today was quite disappointing.... The Waitress came by with our beverages, but completely disappeared as we waited and...and waited...and waited to give her our order....(by this time, we could had driven over to FAMOUS DAVE'S in the amount of time it took for her to reappear!) There were only 3 other customers in the whole place, so it wasn't crazy busy (and there was ANOTHER Food Server on duty too). Anyhow.... I usually order their Pulled Pork, which is never disappointing. However, after seeing Adam Richman (Man Vs Food) eating some BBQ brisket on a recent episode, I suddenly wanted brisket too! The brisket was nicely rolled on a bun (like a spiral lollipop) and looked quite pretty, but was NOT as moist as the Pulled Pork. It was dry. The homemade potato salad is ALWAYS a winner! The overall portions seemed skimpy for the price ($8 or $9 bucks) for a sandwich and 1 side. (For less money, I could had gone to a Buffet to pig-out and not have to wait for a SLOW Food Server...) Took awhile to get the check too...ugh! Not everyone who eats there has HOURS to sit there waiting and waiting. If you want good portions for a good value...this is NOT the place to visit. Slow service and dry brisket will remind me to chose someplace else for lunch next time. ..
(2)
Amanda J.
I've been to this location several times. In the past it has been fairly decent, but when I went yesterday it was awful. I went with my dad and one of his work associates who was visiting from out of town. I was really embarrassed. The plastic table cloth was completely stained and disgusting. I didn't want to touch it. I took a quick glance at the other tables and they all looked the same way. Eww. They had a special on onion rings and those were pretty tasty. I'd score the food a 3 (I had the pulled pork sandwich and they must have put the meat in a bowl and then dumped it on the bun because it stayed in the shape of the bowl and looked like a giant serving of cat food. That could easily be fixed. And no one felt like they got enough BBQ sauce, and c'mon! it is a BBQ restaurant! Someone in our party got a salad and it was garnished with canned peaches. Looked gross.) The place had an aura of an assisted living cafeteria. No thanks. I won't go back.
(1)
Michael H.
Good place for eating before a Cardinals game. Ribs are somewhat over cooked and a little dry. Cajun sauce is good. order it on the side. Brisket is great and moist.
(3)
Kevin O.
Roll up the sleeves cause it is BBQ time! I never seem to get to this place enough. If you want beef that will melt in your mouth go for the Burnt Tips! You will thank yourself while you eat. Dillon's does get pretty packed on Friday and Saturday so try to go a little earlier or later. I go that route and find it easier to get in. Nothing special about the decor, but what do you want? Top notch BBQ or fancy shamcy art? Put this place on your list of must try! They have a decent bar too, so enjoy an icy one with those tips!
(5)
Gary W.
About as good as it gets in AZ
(5)
Daren C.
The best BBQ porks sandwhich ever. Juicy, flarvorful, meaty, smokey. Perfect.
(5)
Matthew F.
I promised my carnivorous 10 year old son some BBQ Ribs, and he wasn't letting me off the hook until he got some. So we ventured over to Dillion' s on Saturday afternoon, since one of my favorite meals is Pulled Pork, and Dillon's was right down the street. We only had to wait a few minutes and got a table right away. The atmosphere is understated... not really a place to bring your first date as there is no romantic ambiance here, just rolls of paper towels on each table for those truly dedicated to making a mess. If you come here, it's for the food. And it's worth coming here for the food. I love BBQ, and this is one of the best I have found in Phoenix so far. My son commented that they had some of the best ribs he had ever eaten (and he's tried a lot). I also noticed that you could buy the pulled pork, chicken, or brisket by the pound to go... already thinking about it for the first week of football. If you are on the west side and hankering for some BBQ, give it a shot!
(4)
Cherlyn E.
Had a great pulled pork. Gals behind the bar are very friendly
(4)
Tony S.
I visited Dillons Thunderbird again in search of good BBQ. It was three star worthy. I will probably be back as I have been on a BBQ binge lately in search of the best. This time I had the South Carolina style pulled pork sandwich and it was very tasty. We ordered taquitos as an appetizer and they were servered very nicely. Five large taquitos each stuffed with a different filling, chicken, pork, beef. All very good. Worth a visit if you are in the area!
(3)
Nick N.
Excellent family owned atmosphere.
(4)
amy b.
I am used to the another Dillon s location and expected a similar experience in service. Was I wrong. I stopped by to order something to go and the hostess up front was less than friendly. I was then directed to the bar to place an order. I went in there and was not greeted for several minutes (even though the bartender made eye contact with me) so I left. Won t be back to that location for sure, and will likely go to a different BBQ place next time.
(1)
Erik A.
The place was decent and so was the food. I especially liked the potato salad as a side dish.
(3)
Zeus H.
Great food. Feels like walkin into Grandma's house. Ordered Fried Pickles for Appetizer. Good breading, though they use cut pickle wedges pieces, which is a larger bite for fried pickles. Dill Slices would be better, but great taste all the same. Pork BBQ there is awesome. Some of the best I have had in Arizona. Service was pretty good too. Love this place.
(4)
Thomas H.
My wife and son took me here for a Father's Day lunch. I enjoyed one of the best chicken club sandwiches I have ever had! The wife had what looked to be an awesome salad with fried chicken breast on top. Even our picky kid ate all of his chicken strips! We definitely recommend this place if you are on the west side.
(4)
Mary A.
Great BBQ, but my favorites to order are the onion rings & the catfish nuggets. The bar area is the best place to be. Great bartenders & great service.
(5)
Cassandra B.
Husband's choice: Brontasaurus Beef Ribs Platter - A full rack of beef ribs with bbq beans and steak fries. Delicious and enough two (or 3 with an extra side) to easily share. My friend's choice: Bbq Brisket platter with mac and cheese and bbq beans. The brisket was velvety and tender and melted in your mouth. My choice: BBQ Pulled Pork with a baked porato covered in bbq sauce and the veggie of the day (green beans). I also added a house salad.I chose to have all 3 bbq sauces on the side and loved them all. The bread would have been better if it was warmed and the green beans were a little too cooked for me, but it was still overall a great dish. The salad came out quickly and comes with croutons, egg and bacon. I wish there was a Fat Free salad dressing option, but at least they gad low cal Italian. The salad was huge and very good. After a normal wait, our meals arrived and were promptly devoured (except for the monstrous ribs). I could barely walk I was so stuffed!
(4)
Jesse J.
I honestly don't get the love of this place it was good BBQ but far from great. Tip: If your pulled pork or chicken sandwich comes smothered in sauce it's because they are hiding something. A true bbq place would put sauce on the side so you can taste the smokiness of the meat before drenching it in sauce. Now the sauce was good and chicken was tender on my sandwich and the bbq beans were great but I just would like to try the smokey meat before to taste how good it is and how juicy it is prior to sauce. Will I go back maybe but for sure I won't go out of my way there are too many other places in town that offer above average bbq.
(2)
Larry C.
10 years ago I lived just down the street from this great BBQ where it was always crowded with airmen from Luke AFB. Last week we were driving home from Las Vegas and it was time for a lunch stop, so we returned to Dillon's and found it has not changed much. Still great BBQ pork sandwiches with tasty side dishes of cole slaw and beans. Nice to return to a familiar place and find it is still the best BBQ on the west side of PHX.
(4)
Linga E.
Tip: pay the extra $1.00 to get the side of onions rings instead of the appetizer portion...the individual side portion is generous and at a dollar how can you go wrong? I tried the spinach enchiladas with chips and salsa. I was hoping to be wowed and unfortunately wasn't. I mean what was I thinking, a vegetarian in a BBQ establishment? I found solace in that fact that even though Dillion's is known for their BBQ there were a variety of options for vegetarians. Next time I will try the Prickly Peach Salad oh and the fried pickles. With that said the rest of my party raved about the pork pulled sandwich :)
(3)
James A.
Came today and did not have reservations for a party of 18, wow they were able to take us right in at noon with out any problems! The food was great and the service was spot on, some in the group had eaten here before but this was my first time I will be returning. Wife had there burger and I did the Dillon dip, both were delicious!
(5)
Danielle A.
Food was pretty good , service from waitress was decent. I had a groupon and the mgr wouldn't honor it though, which ticked me off.
(4)
Suzanne K.
I had a Groupon to use, and it requires dine-in. We'd previously picked up take-out from this location and although I had called it in and arrived on time to pick it up, they still took about 20 minutes to get our order (it was just pulled pork, what's so difficult?). We hoped dine-in would be different, and even made reservations. We arrived right on time at 6 pm on a Saturday and were made to wait a while. Then they apparently gave our table to someone else, so quick had to come up with another table. Our server was very nice, but apparently overworked because we rarely saw her. It took a long time to get our drinks, long enough we started wishing we'd ordered our food with our drinks. The food took a very long time to arrive. It was over an hour from our arrival before we were served even the mac and cheese for my 2 year old, who was getting impatient. Finally got our food and it was just not that good. I've had much better BBQ pulled pork at Thee Pitts Again and never had to wait that long to eat. All the disorganization and chaos, topped off with so-so BBQ means we won't be back, unless it 's to try the bar without the kiddo. It just takes too much time to get food that ain't that great in the restaurant.
(2)
Josh H.
I have been to this Dillon's location several times over the past 3 or 4 years and I have never been disappointed. The food is great, the servers are nice and the price is reasonable. Another factor is the beer is very affordable. The selection at the Arrowhead location is a little better for those who enjoy craft beers, but if you are ok with the normal light beers and Amber Bock then this location will do. I usually get the ribs or burnt ends. The burnt ends are very tender, never dried out and big. The BBQ sauces are great, you get a choice of three. The ribs sometimes don't have enough smoke, but the meat falls of the bone and still has great flavor. My wife goes for the half chicken and she has never complained. The layout of the restaurant is awkward, they have added on and it doesn't flow the best and the decor is outdated, but it is definitely family friendly dining. Our 8 month old fits right in and if he gets noisy, you cannot hear him as the place gets fairly loud when busy. Check it out for the BBQ items, I haven't ventured to the sandwiches.
(4)
Alexander C.
With so many corporate options near by I was elated when mother decided that Dillon's is where she wanted to go for her birthday. Not because the food is awesome or anything like that but because they are still independent and successful. For years and years we've been coming to Dillon's and I have to say that they are consistently okay. Back in the day when the menu was smaller and their meat platters came with garlic bread twists this was one of my favorites. Does anyone remember the bread twists? Oh those were awesome! The BBQ here is alright.. not bad, not great.. just stuck somewhere in the middle. Mother BTW, loved her Chicken Club sandwich and IMHO one of the only things to order on the menu.. fried chicken breast, bacon, ham and cheddar cheese on a bun.. it shines in its pork fayyt goodness!
(3)
Kristina D.
Pretty good if you stick to the BBQ and remember that chili here has chunks of beef. Coming from New York it's different. Their ribs are really tasty as are the beans. Not a fan of their catfish as it has too much breading/batter, however the batter on the onion rings are quite tasty.
(4)
Eric S.
Like anyone else I appreciate locally owned and operated places, and I wish Dillons all the success in the world (I found their service both friendly and fast), but seriously, this BBQ sucks. I had pork spare ribs and brisket because these are the two most difficult cuts to get right. Texturally, the brisket was fine, if a bit dry. The ribs were underdone (the bones did not come clean as they should when properly prepared, and they were tough because of this). The ribs and the brisket both had only the slightest hint of smoke flavor... they were seriously undersmoked. To top it off, their sauces (mild and "cajun" - which is not hot at all, though I suspect they cater to the Sun City palate) were both savory sauces dominated by the flavor of mustard and vinegar. How anybody can judge either of these sauces delicious is a mystery to me. I found them both horrible. One bite of each meat was all I could manage. Sides were a mixed bag. The mac and cheese was delicious (thank you, thank you!) - but the baked beans were chili beans and were... gross. I suspect they were made using the sauce, so it's not terribly surprising I didn't like them. I had their chicken wings as an appetizer, they were pretty good. They are prepared like fried chicken and come with the sauce on the side. It was agreeably hot and delicious... but then again, it wasn't BBQ.
(2)
Tam F.
This is a meat place close to Sun City so dinner at 5 last night was quite appropriate. Dillon's is decent fresh food in a casual environment. Good for groups, efficient wait staff and big portions. The man was on a brisket kick and since this was a BBQ joint, figured he would try it. It is Kansas style and it was nice and tender BBQ-though not quite "smoked" and definitely sliced on a meat slicer. The daughter had a pulled pork sandwich that was tender and delicious. The Grandmother had a brisket sandwich, there are other offerings as well-fried chicken, chicken fried steak, fish, etc. Salads are good as are the onion rings they ordered for appetizers. This is no BBQ joint. This is a family restaurant with decent food and decent service. I am giving 4 stars again mostly due to the great service we have. For some reason, AZ is still ass backwards when it comes to recognizing waitstaff. They are not paid minimum wage (though I am not sure how this is legal). They make about $3.25 per hour from the establishment (this is up from $2.12 two years ago) and the rest is supposed to come out of tips. Any young person willing to work in the Sun City area and depend on tips and actually works really hard to get them deserves a whole star to themselves (oh and an extra tip behind the chintzy tippers in my family here). Reservations are only taken for a party of 8 or more.
(4)
Craig B.
I've been coming here basically since the place opened and have yet to have a bad experience. Occasionally service may be a bit slower than usual, but unless I'm being completely ignored, I'm not too put off by it. I first went here off of the recommendation of someone who told me I HAD to try the chicken fried steak. However, sitting down and looking at the menu, I realized that ordering a chicken fried steak in a BBQ joint would be akin to ordering a hamburger in a Mexican food restaurant. Not even going there! Items I can say without a doubt are great: Pulled pork (moist and slightly smoky), turkey (thinly sliced but a great smoked flavor), smoked sausage (although it doesn't stand out above other smoked sausages elsewhere, it's still good), and ribs (I'm not a huge rib person, but they are tasty and flavorful). My absolute favorite, must get is the burnt ends. I am a fan of huge smoke flavor and these tasty brisket ends don't disappoint! Strangely enough, the brisket itself is probably the one item on the menu I'm not a huge fan of. The BBQ Sauce, you ask? I'm a fan of the cajun style (slightly kicky and not too sweet), which is Dillon's original sauce. The sweet and mild sauce was created for the Sun City crowd who requested a milder sauce, and the name describes it about perfectly. The sides I've had are all pretty good, although I usually stick with a potato product and beans - why mess with something that works for you? As others have mentioned, this is very near Sun City, expect early crowds. And one other thing? I have yet to try the chicken fried steak.
(4)
Amanda B.
I suspect the average age of the regular customer base would approach sixty. This isn't what one would consider a hip and happenin' spot, but Dillon's is comfortable and confident with its role in life. The servers are generally high school students and forced to wear t-shirts featuring sports teams. They're friendly, but definitely have the "I'm sixteen and this is my first job. Teehee." thing going on. The decor reminds you of a trip to Grandma's, and the music in the bar is just a little too loud. Once you move past all of that, Dillon's is wonderful. The food is hearty and there are no pretenses. The stews are lovely, and the pulled pork sandwich is great. There are two choices of barbecue sauce and the kids menu provides a few options. The best part? The onion rings. They're light and fluffy with just the slightest hint of seasoning. You'll have a choice between a full basket and half basket. Just give in and buy the entire thing. The onion rings alone are worth the trip.
(4)
Ayesha S.
Oh Dillon's. I once, mistakenly took this guy that I was seeing to Dillon's. See, we hadn't really talked much about our eating habits as it was our second or third date (and we'd just met for drinks before this date) but he had marked "meat and potatoes" in his on-line profile. I'm not a meat and potatoes girl as I am Pakistani and these things are inherent to American culture but I was keen on satisfying his supposed love for meat and potatoes. In order to truly grasp this situation, you have to know that this guy was from the East Valley and kind of a snob because of it- I know that the West Valley has a long way to go (but I live and work here and have to be positive so shut up!) and am not denying that. We had only hung out in the East Valley, and it was my turn to try and let the West Valley shine. Anyway, I was freaking out because I don't know Phoenix that well and don't eat meat and potatoes. So, I called a good friend who is a Phoenix native and she instantly thought "DILLONS!" when I said meat and potatoes. She was, of course right on, if one is really into meat and potatoes. It turns out that the guy I was seeing wasn't really into meat and potatoes and hadn't thought much about his profile when he had filled it out. I felt like a total freak, as he told me he enjoyed Thai and all kinds of stuff that I actually enjoy. This led to a bit of an awkward albeit fun time at Dillon's. We opted to sit outside as it was a nice evening. Unfortunately, the patio area gives you clear view of some abandoned trailer and a large overgrown field. Not exactly romantic or cool. We ordered a bottle of red wine when we sat down and the waitress was clearly miffed by this. I'm pretty positive she had been working there for years and no one had actually ordered a bottle of wine. It also took a very long time for the wine to be delivered to us, so we were sure that someone had to run out to the local Circle K to get us our bottle of wine. I ended up ordering the spinach enchiladas (I know, lame) and he ordered a salmon salad. Although the food was decent, I'd probably only suggest this restaurant to a big meat eater. Which apparently wasn't either of us. I totally let the West side down by showcasing Dillon's to an East Valley snob. Argh.
(2)
jon c.
What happened to the chicken fried steak??? It is off the menu and that's why we go to Dillions. So I guess bye bye
(1)
Ann K.
Great Chicken Fried Chicken with gravy for my husband and Spinach Enchiladas for me. Good service & good food. Who could ask for more?
(4)
Mike G.
Dillon's is a small restaurant just off of the west side 101 loop at Thunderbird road. It is a small place with a bar. The food is excellent and the service is very friendly and prompt. Two dishes you need to try are their "burnt ends" (don't be confused by the name) and their Southwestern Stew. The stew is quite inexpensive and very tasty. Not a huge meal but is sufficient as a meal itself.
(4)
Cameron K.
Arizona is not good BBQ territory (that would be Texas), but this place does a great job for the area. I've eaten a few times and it is a consistent solid performer.
(5)
Melissa H.
I am surprised there are not more reviews for Dillon's seeing how popular it is on the west-side. It is a good BBQ restaurant, with a wide menu, friendly staff, and quick service (for the most part). Despite being overrun with white hairs, there is a good mix of families and often it gets really loud in their. The BBQ sauce is tasty and the brisket, pork, and baby back ribs are some of the best you will find over here. It is the type of place you can go to and know you will always have a quality meal- no surprises here. It has become a staple with my family and often a place we take out of town company. With locations in Surprise and 67th and the 101, it is convenient to most of the west-side.
(4)
Dustin C.
The food warrants a five star but the service was terrible! No drink refills we had to ask, no check we had to ask and no personality! Great burnt ends though!
(4)
Brian A.
I've come to Dillon's several times since I moved to Phoenix in 2000. The food is good and wait staff is friendly. I'very attended several work luncheons here and there is space to hold parties. My favorite is the BBQ Burnt Ends. Worth trying Dillon's at least once.
(4)
Jason I.
Situated right off of thunderbird and the 101 towards sun city this place is pretty convenient to get too from off the freeway. The food here is terrific. they are known for their BBQ but I tend to order other items as they are just as good. The smoked turkey is fantastic juicy and lean. They also have deep fried pickles which are sooo soo good. Addicting. Their homemade ranch dressing is the bomb. One other thing this place is known for is the Onion Rings! Get a half order they are humongous! The prime rib is one of my favorites it has a slightly bacony taste to it. Overall give dillions a shot. Its good to take the wife and grandma too! I Love this place never had a bad meal. The Dillons dip is the best french dip sandwich around. I also love the Beef Ribs and the Chilli is OMG Awesome they put brisket in it! Good for kids too!
(5)
Matt W.
These guys have good BBQ, the only problem is they cook to their demographic so everything is over cooked, and they go light on their sauce on some and extremly heavy on many other items. Many bland items, but good happy hour specials and appitizers, and some good spicy bbq items. Kind of pricy for what you get compared to others. Also the ditsy watresses would rather flit with guys in the back than ask you if you need a refill or something.(famous daves is way better) If I lived in sun city I would probably rate this establishment with 4 or more stars but this young buck looks elsewhere for bbq delight. Texaz bbq or famous daves are much better choices.
(2)
Erika G.
People who like this place have got to be kidding me! The brisket and ribs were dry and tasteless. They try and hide this fact by covering it up with sauce (the sauce is pretty good) but you can't rely on sauce to cover up the fact that your meat is terrible! I should have known I was in trouble when I walked in and smelled bleach, not barbecue. The service was not very good either. I told the waitress about the tasteless food and she just offered me more tasteless food. Had she at least offered to take it off my bill I would have felt slightly better about the experience. Seriously, try the food without the sauce, you will be unpleasantly shocked!
(1)
Duane T.
Went on July 4th. They weren't very busy. The bartender was very busy with something, not us, that was for sure. Had a real need for pork ribs, they were out. Had the combo plate with beef ribs and sausage. The sausage was not even luke warm. The beef ribs were tough, fatty and not very tasty. Another table had a whole rack of the beef ribs. As they were walking out I asked them what they thought of the ribs. They said they complained about them and were not charged. The mac and cheese was very good as was the coleslaw. My experience with Dillon's in the past is their sides are always good and their meats are not so good. They seem to have a problem with service. The table behind us said he had been there 15 minutes before anyone came to the table. Our sever said that this was her third day. For three days on the job she did good. I was surprised that any restaurant had to add servers in the summer. All of the servers we saw were college age.
(2)
Plaid L.
I cant say enough about how good this place is. I've been there dozens of times and every time I eat there, I am very satisfied. Pulled pork is awesome. Mashed potatoes are delish. They recently started serving a macaroni and cheese, which was awesome. It has corn and bread crumbs in it and just tastes fantastic. Ribs are incredible. Chicken club sandwich is sooo good. It is a big fried chicken breast, with ham, bacon and cheese. Holy crap it's good.....You must go to Dillon's right now. You wont be sorry....
(5)
KIM D.
tonite had first bad meal here. was with 90 yr old motherinlaw so did not say anything cuz she gets so flustered and thinks anything untoward is her fault somehow. been here plenty and usually very good food across the board. beware the chicken fried steak if the breading could not save it there is a problem, and there was an overabundance of breading on a stringy unchewable hunk of steak. just pushed it around and hid it under gravy so mom didn't notice. little blip hopefully just one bad day and not a sign of things to come, cuz dillon's is a family favorite.
(3)
Amelia P.
We had a coupon, so husband and I had lunch following eye doctor appointment today. So pleased to see the new parking lot is finished. Difficult parking has kept us away from this local BBQ stop. Maybe the increased business will prompt the owners to update the bathrooms next. My husband has the catfish and shrimp basket special that came with two sides for $10.99. He said it was really good. I opted for the pulled pork sandwich withe one side at right near the same price. His was a better value for the money. I need to note why the four stars, they are primarily for the new parking area, the server, and then the food. Had the bathroom been cleaner (floor tile is nasty, handicap door lock falling off, and trash cans overflowing), I might have been motivated to give the restaurant five stars. Owners can't expect five stars when they need to paint and get things feeling bright and clean! I'm sure we'll return, but only when we have discount coupon until owners make the restaurant more comfortable and cleaner. Sep 16, 2015 Addition to Original Review I want to thank George V. for responding to my review! It let's me know the owners/managers do care what the customers think. I can now guarantee that we will be returning to Dillions on Thunderbird soon.
(4)
Sara S.
Visited for the first time last night - the only reason for the 3 stars is that the bartender was great. We ordered a couple of combos to share so that we could try everything. When our food came out, it was cold! Not just "it sat in the window a little too long" but actually cold in temperature like it was cooked yesterday and put right in the plate! Mashed potatoes cold - burnt ends cold - brisket cold, baked potato cold!!! We sent back one plate and asked for another potato on the side. Clearly it was just put in the microwave because when the potato came out it was so hot it scalded my mouth! Anyways - flavor was just ok But the drinks were good and Eileen did her best to make things right.
(3)
Jimmy G.
Where to start. With the loud obnoxious drunk at the end of the bar at 330 in the afternoon? (Who as it turns out, works there. Well. At least that's what he told everyone at the bar and the restaurant.). Seriously. At one point, he was literally barking. Like a dog. And I'm not kidding. The guy stepped out for a smoke and almost nosedived right by my table. And when he left all I could think was "I hope he's not driving..."). Or should I start with the food. Ok in a second. First, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention what a dive this place is. And I don't mind dives, but this place was "restaurant rescue" needing kind of dive. Ok. Lifted kilt. Not bad Food: I got the combo with "smoked" turkey and "burnt ends", cole slaw and a baked potato (they don't have chives?). The "burnt ends". Ugh. More like flavorless cubed up pot roast. They obviously don't know what burnt ends really are. The "smoked" turkey. A little better but not smoked as far as I could tell. (No smoke rings). The "sweet & hot" bbq sauce is the only saving grace. The cole slaw. Super bland. Basically, cabbage and maybe mayo? The baked potato with butter and sour cream. How do you mess that up? You microwave it, that's how. I got a dinner roll. It didn't taste house made. Maybe store bought. The service: when the server paid attention to me, she was super nice. In fact I feel a little bad about writing such a negative review, but this has very little to do with her. Sorry, "C". It looks like this is really just a beer joint that happens to serve food. There were probably 20-25 people in there and I only counted 6 ladies. So... I tried to connect to the wifi but I couldn't get it to work. That plate plus the one beer and a nice tip for the server set me back 30 bucks. Maybe the overall experience would have been better on the restaurant side rather than in the bar area. But I'll end by saying I'm still looking for a good bbq place on the west side.
(2)
Dl S.
I'm from Kansas City, so I know barbeque. The bbq isn't really very good. The sandwiches are pretty good, though. The restaurant also seems rather loud and small.
(3)
Clint B.
2 lunches here so far and very happy both times! Great service and very good food! I have had the Brisket Sandwich both times, but with different sauce. Sweet Heat and Cajun BBQ! The only thing I can criticize a bit is the bun. I feel like they could use something a bit thicker to withstand the moist meat covered in BBQ sauce. The Cole-Slaw is great too! A place I will go to more, and look forward to trying more of their menu. Very curious about their Fish and Burgers.
(4)
Diana S.
I am still not a Dillon's fan, the food was average, but a bit overpriced for what you get. Tried to split the bill and it got screwed up so bad we had to make several phone calls to get it back, they charged both cards the full amount. Service was good, but overall just an average place to eat. But the best thing about it is the onion rings, cant go wrong with them.
(2)
Lisa Monique C.
Me and my family walked in and was greeted with a warm welcome. We went on a Thursday evening. It was not that busy and our wait was twenty minutes. I would say the decor was out of date. They seriously need a restaurant makeover. We finally got seated. Our server, Miss Corona was great. She seemed tired, but still served us with genuine effort. Out party was of seven, and she got all of our orders right. She was not rude at all and did not pout when we asked for several things. I ordered the beef brisket platter with a loaded potato and wedge salad for my side. My brisket was kind of dry. My loaded potato was delicious. The wedge salad was tasty. Overall, decent food. After a good hour, our meal came to an end. She dropped off the check with no rush. We left the place, still being treated with good customer service all the way out the door. Overall, Dillons BBQ was a cozy family atmosphere.
(4)
Adam S.
There are few instances embedded in my memory where the food was so terrible that it was worth mentioning. This place should take the BBQ part of their sign down. They are not worthy! I got the pick three with: Burnt ends(dry and barely fit for dog food), Turkey(tasted like a horrible thanksgiving bird or just thick sliced lunch meat. Who serves BBQ with gravy for God's sake?) Brisket(This is probably the same meat they serve on the roast beef subs at subway, only thicker sliced. No smokey flavor whatsoever.) The three sauces offered were either bitter, sweet, or bittersweet. On a great positive, the sides that myself and my lovely companion enjoyed are most likely available at any Walmart deli, or the aisle with Bush's baked beans. No, seriously, the onion rings were amazing. Good for one appetizer, happy hour drinks and get the hell out! The server was awesome, and the manager tried to take care of me earlier in the meal. I'm just not the type to make a scene in public over food. When I did mention that the brisket and turkey were like lunch meat with no smokey flavor, I was told that they cater to an older clientele and can't add much smoke flavor.
(1)
Jim R.
I have probably eaten at Dillons fifty times it's always been pretty good but ate there last Thursday in the bar which is where I usually eat. I had the stew and salad which is one of my favorites salad was great but stew was soup with lots of broth and not the usual. My wife had brisket sandwich normally very moist and tender ---- not this time. The worst part of the meal was the service, the waitress took our order and never came back to check on is my wife had to go up to the bar to get water I had to go to the bar together check and pay. We all have bad days so I will probably go back, but not for a while.
(3)
Imnotpaidtopost N.
It's a BBQ place and the fish tacos aren't bad. Next time, I am bringing my own hot sauce but, no complaints because the fish was good and it's a BBQ place after all. Table of folks got other stuff they raved about but, will let them add own reviews. For first time here, I liked it. Would come back.
(5)
Justin H.
I've been wanting to try Dillon's for a couple of weeks since moving back to the west valley. I used to live near dillons arrowhead so I'm familiar with it. This was my first time at the Thunderbird location and it went very well. I will be back. The hostess was very nice and welcoming upon entering and gave me some good suggestions. I ordered the brisket sandwich with Mac n cheese and it was delicious. The brisket was a little dry but the Cajun BBQ sauce was on point. The bartender, Eileen, hooked me up with a free coca cola while I was waiting and while it may not seem like much, that coupled with the atmosphere and warm reception is something that will make people want to go back. Next time I'll definitely check out the onion rings I have been deprived of for so long I've had some fantastic BBQ in Kansas City and thjs isn't quite up to the same level when it comes to the food but the smell and atmosphere are right on par
(5)
A H.
In town to see the parents, and they said meet us at Dillon's. I immediately Yelped it to see where it was, what the menu looked like and of course, the reviews. My husband and I were a little concerned that it was going to be a bad experience because of the latest posts...it was NOT!! Though it is by far not "elegant", it is however, super country cute. We were greeted and sat. And immediately waited on by (I believe) Alyssa--she was charming and sweet. I can understand some of the reviews saying that they cater to a "certain crowd". Fine. Alyssa did an AWESOME job taking care of my 65 year old parents, asking exact questions and making sure their orders were correct and catered to their needs!! This really makes me happy. And I can understand it takes a lot of patience, but she did it with ease!! They have a FULL menu, but it's the BBQ that was our agenda. Super succulent shredded pork, juicy pork ribs, ridiculously HUGE beef ribs, and the sides (I think between the 4 of us, we had them all) were very rich and tasty (mac-n-cheese and potato salad were off the hook!!). Their iced tea was FRESH and my mom's soda was perfectly bubbly!! We were given take-out containers with bags and were allowed to sit a little while so we could catch up! We had such an excellent lunch and visit with one another. Thanks Dillon's Thunderbird Crew!! And THANK YOU ALYSSA!!! Post Script: *Parking goes fast. *The prices were completely affordable. *The bar looks like a HUGE PLUS!! *They are wheel-chair friendly. *They have adorable "bibs" for the "ribs." *And the unheard of: the other customers were friendly and generous--the kind woman next to us picked up MY napkin and gave it to me!!! Who does that???!!! GOOD PEOPLE DO!!!
(5)
Trinity R.
Ok, we love the food here....but seriously... our waiter didn't introduce himself and just walked up asking if we were ready to order. The entire wait staff acted as if they could care less. Every other location has awesome service. Not sure what happened today. Had it been our first ever visit, we wouldn't be coming back.
(2)
David H.
Food is decent. Nothing special. Had the brisket sandwich. Sliced a little thick for my tastes, and not very tender. The biggest negative is that service is very slow. This was my third and probably last visit here because of the service.
(3)
Rosann R.
Absolutely the best service!!! The food was warm & right on time after appetizers! Our waitress Ann W. Was wonderful! Definitely will be coming back!
(5)
Stacy F.
Good BBQ meats, but that may be the only saving grace for a return to this location unfortunately. We arrived around 7 p.m. so a touch after the normal dinner crowd and were seated pretty quickly after we arrived. Once seated we waited about 20 minutes to get our order taken and about 25 minutes after that to receive our food. I had the pulled pork sandwich and he had the pick any 2 meats plate (with sausage and pulled chicken). For a side my plate had the steak fries and his had the mac and cheese and BBQ beans. The pulled pork was delish, as was the sausage and the pulled chicken. The sides were a different matter. The mac and cheese wan't bad, but it was pretty flavorless. If you've ever made steak fries in the oven at home, you may be familiar with the struggle to cook them evenly and to have them not turn out soggy in the middle but cooked on the edges. Dillon's has this same problem. The middles were definitely soggy and undercooked. while the edges were perfect. The BBQ beans were the best of the three sides we had. Server didn't check up on us and never refilled our drinks and forgot to put our Groupon deal on the check when it was brought out. In his defense he was emptying a few tables when we were wrapping up and coupons are forgotten all the time. It was just more the accumulation of all the other waiting that compiled this factor onto the negative experience. Overall: B- / C+ The meats were really tasty. The sides were lacking, but they have tons to choose from, so perhaps different selections next time? The wait was pretty hefty, but it's based on a one time only visit - so grain of salt. If we have the time and desire for some BBQ we may visit again, but there are lots of other places to try....
(3)
Melanie M.
Of course the BURNT ENDS were excellent!!! We were there on a Friday night and there was a live band. But it was way to loud. We sat in the restaurant area and could hardly hear each talk or the waiter. Never knew they had bunnies there. We got to sit by the windows along the bunny backside where the bunnies are. SO CUTE!
(4)
Brenda B.
After reading all the bad reviews. And having most of them validated by a employee... Thanks for saving me the waste of time and money. I am not 90 and don't want my food cooked like that either. But the cater to the area residents. so what can u say...
(2)
Cameo W.
Pretty good food. We ordered to go and they gave us the wrong order so double check your bag before you leave. Turned out OK though, the brisket was really good and the BBQ sauce is delicious.
(4)
Marcia K.
LOVE IT, love it!!! So good. I always try to find a reason to come here to eat. The BBQ is the best. We always use the Dillons Standard to see if other restaurants measure up when we try other places. So far, not to many.
(5)
Antiquity S.
The food is awesome and always great service. My significant other and I have been there quite a few times since 2011, and have always had a positive experience. If you sit in the bar, bring earplugs for the live music! If you want a sit down restaurant meal, make sure you get a window by the bunnies!
(5)
Marina M.
Since we moved here I've heard so many people talk about Dillon's & their onion rings. We finally bit the bullet & headed over there. I was surprised with how large it was inside. We were seated right away & started with their onion rings which are only $2. They were AMAZING! The breading was light & crispy without being overly greasy. I ordered the brisket plate with mac & cheese & mashed potatoes with brown gravy. My mom ordered the chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes & cole slaw. My brisket was very flavorful but pretty dry, the BBQ sauce was definitely needed. Mac & cheese was decent & the mashed was really good, I would just go for cream gravy instead of brown next time. The real superstar was the chicken fried chicken. This is usually my go-to meal anytime a place has it, I literally search out chicken fried chicken when I go places. This was probably one of the best I have had. The batter was so crispy, just like the onion rings, the chicken was incredibly juicy & their gravy was definitely homemade, no powdered mixes here. Can't wait to come back again very soon!
(4)
Amanda R.
Meh. Just ok. Came from out of town and wanted to try some good bbq. The big draw was the burnt ends. Do yourself a favor and pass!!! Just chopped up brisket, nothing special at all! Cannot come minutely close to KC bbq. Service was pretty good. Best part of the meal was the bbq sauce..
(3)
Jennifer L.
Had lunch there today. Waited a while for food but it was well worth it! Fantastic brisket platter, wedge salad, BLT, and desserts. Sweet hot BBQ sauce was amazing. Beans were the best i ever had! Everyone enjoyed. Service was friendly and all plates came out as ordered.
(5)
Tonya M.
We've been to Dillon's many times but this was our first time at this location, given how close it is to Sun City it explains why we were the youngest couple in there (we're in our 30's). My boyfriend keeps buying the Groupons and we keep coming back. I can honestly say if it wasn't for the Groupons we wouldn't come here, but for the price we pay it's a great deal. This particular visit we started with the breaded mushrooms, they were good, we were able to choose between regular ranch and a chipotle ranch, we went with both. James ordered the pulled pork with sweet heat like always and I decided to try something new. I ordered the taco salad with chicken and wow was it tasty! That chicken was amazing, it's different than the chicken used in the chicken sandwich. The only thing that could have made it better was guacamole. We had a table in the back by the window so we got to watch the bunnies. I am, however, deeply concerned about the one that looks like it has a huge tumor on its neck. Has anyone gotten that checked out??
(4)
Moe G.
Well... This is one of those places you will either crave or come back In the same week. Tried burnt ends, Mac and cheese , beef ribs , pulled pork and a few other things and everything was on point .. Even the Bloody Mary was tasty. Service was great and didn't have to wait forever like most BBQ places to get your order Plenty of seating and short wait. Great environment all around. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Ella M.
Ok, so we have driven past this place a hundred times always wondering what it was. Finally figured out it was BBQ and after some random shopping adventures, the bff and I were ready for some BBQ. We walked in and the place was pretty full! The decor is...interesting...very "grandma's living room" but makes you feel at home. I couldn't decide between the brisket sandwich or the pulled pork so I asked our server. He immediately said the brisket was his top choice. So I went for it. I do not regret it. I asked for 2 different sauces on the side. Yes! Finally a place that just gives you the brisket sliced thinly and sauce on the side! Just like my dad does it! Their cajun BBQ sauce is perfection! Not too spicy, but more than flavorful! The brisket is very tender and flavorful...also VERY LEAN! The bun is soft and not at all too bready...sorry, but a bready bun just ruins the sandwich! I'm there for the meat, not for the bread ;-) I really enjoyed dinner and will definitely be going back! If you can, ask to sit by the window facing their little "garden"! You might have a few of 3 of the cutest bunnies you've ever seen...might I add that they are HUGE bunnies! So cute just hopping around! Was definitely a bonus! hehehe
(4)
Lynn B.
Service is slow in the bar area. Not many people here either. Bartender more interested in her phone. 40 min wait for two salads.
(2)
Thomas T.
My experience is limited to dining in the bar area, usually around 7-830 pm on Friday or Saturday. The food is great and you will leave satisfied. The pulls pork sandwich is my favorite, juicy and flavorful. You can pick your sauce to top it off with. The homemade style Mac and cheese is good. I felt as if I was at my grandmothers eating a hearty meal The beer selection is poor, consisting of your typical bud light draft with a San tan beer or four peaks thrown in. Nothing out of the ordinary. What the bar does offer is live music on Fridays with no cover.
(4)
Manish G.
I took 3 meat platter with Smoked Turkey, Brisket and St. Louis Style Ribs..... OMG..... with all 3 meats even sides were awesome.. BBQ beans and coleslaw..... Brisket and Turkey were so moist and tender... they were just melting my mouth.... I never had anything like that, they were out of the world..... My favorite the Ribs, were cooked to the perfection and they were perfect combination of meat flavour and sauce... It was insanely awesome.... I will visit this place again......... and again....... and again...... :)
(5)
Thundar M.
Visiting AZ for a tournament and found Dillon ' s in yelp. Was greeted pleasantly by hostess, waitress Kimberly was friendly and knowledgeful of menu. She was attentive checking if we needed anything else. I tried the chicken, sausage links, and pulled pork. Food was really good, hot bbq sauce was good. Overall was a good experience with good food. Thanks
(5)
Bonnita D.
It has been at a few years sense I last ate there. I loved their catfish and prim rib. They have focused in on BBQ. I am not a fan of St. Louis ribs, it would be unfair for me to write a review on them. Their wait staff was 4.5 star, the onion rigs were crispy and not at all greasy, but they fell short of the best I have had at a Florida neighborhood Fish Camp (not a camp at all, a fish restaurant). The beef brisket had good flavor and dry. The sauce, I had on the side was quite good. In St. Louis style the sauce please a big part, in Texas it is all about the smoke, then the dry rub playing as a supporting roll. The BBQ sauce is more of an after thought. Lastly the asparagus was perfect for me. Sadly by the time I got to them they were cold, my fault. Forget about the apple pie, I hope they didn't make it.the ice cream was just ice cream. I would have given then 2 stars but the atmosphere and wait strafe I had to give them a higher rating. I wish I could give them higher for past meals, we are here today, that is what I am reviewing. I will eat there agai
(3)
Scott H.
Would be a five star but the service was just bad. Waited over an hour for our meals. Waitress was not too attentive. Was served food without silver ware. So why a 4 star because the food was very very hood. The ribs were excellent. Turkey nicely smoked. Fries could have been more crisper.
(4)
Bryce O.
Called in a take out order for my first try here. The are reasonably priced take out by the pound, but actually ended up getting my order wrong (even though it was correct on my receipt). Because of this I only got to try the brisket, which I have to give 2 stars. At a solid BBQ place, the brisket should be easy to eat and smokey good. The issue here is that it was neither. You have to cover the brisket in sauce to give it a good taste and on top of that it was hard and chewy. Seems like in Sun City it would at least be critical to have meat that isn't hard, my grandmother really couldn't eat it as it was too hard to chew up. I ended up cutting it up into small pieces to freeze and save for a stew or something at a later date.
(2)
Jim B.
We visited in the mid afternoon for dinner on yesterday (Thursday). They were already out of "Burnt Ends" but that sometimes happens and is not a negative, just an observation. We both had brisket. It was very lean the way it should be but, the meat was barely warm. Fortunately the BBQ sauce was heated so the sauce warmed up the meat. The baked potato was cool in the middle and the dinner roll was tasteless. No other bread options exist. The service was great! I wish I had better things to say. I love BBQ and I left hungry. When we got home, I snacked from the fridge.
(2)
Janice R.
My boyfriend found a groupon of Dillion's for $17 you got like $30 worth of food so my first thought was wow, this must be a sorta cheap eats place. l was certainly wrong it's rather pricey, the portions weren't, but the food was okay. However after it went left my boyfriend got sick from the food just a bit later in the evening. lt was certainly a unique experience, they won't get our money again.
(1)
Adam P.
Came for lunch with friends and family. Sat on the patio because this is az in the winter and the weather is the best in the country. Patio was smaller with no tv's or true upgrades. Had to go inside to get my own menus. Friend had to go inside to get kids menus and crayons. After about 10 minutes we got to order a drink. Could be happier with the service. Ordered a pulled pork sandwich with Cajun BBQ sauce and steak fries. Sandwich was actually pretty good and the sauce was also good. Some of my fries were cold which was odd and left me unsatisfied again. There was nothing about this visit or this location that could justify a higher rating. I have been to other locations and had better experiences. Maybe it's just this one?
(3)
Scott W.
This place has been on my to try list since before I knew what Yelp is. I made it my choice when I won a football bet last fall. Yes, I know football season has been over for a while but diets, cash flow and life in general, on both sides, made this dinner wait. Suffice it to say the company was worth the wait. When we got there about 6:30 on Saturday the parking lot was packed and we were worried we would be stuck in the bar with our growling stomachs. It turned out we were seated immediately although there were only a few tables open. We started with a half order of onion rings. These are hand made in house and served with a really good dipping sauce. Both the rings and the sauce reminded me of Lenny's (which got rid of their sauce and started buying frozen onion rings) only one notch higher. We were both thinking ribs in a BBQ joint and she got the baby backs and I got the St Louis style spare ribs. She got the fall off the bone she wanted and I got the slightly chewy I wanted. Of the sauces I preferred the cajun which was only mildly hot, however the ribs were good enough they really didn't need much sauce. We both ordered different sides so we could try many of them. We liked them all but my favorites were the cole slaw and the macaroni and cheese. The only soso item was the dinner roll but even there they are smart enough to serve soft butter. The service was attentive without being obtrusive the entire time. Our waitress had the answers to all of our questions without having to go ask. Sort of an anomaly in the North West valley, you can arrive here between 7:30 and 8:30 and the place will be sort of quiet between the Sun City folks and the later night crowd and be seated right away.
(4)
Cathy N.
We went on Sunday after church and it was pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table. Our server was nice she told us the specials. We got the sweet and spicy wings which are to die for. I got the bbq brisket sandwich with sweet hot cause on the side. I like that the brisket has no sauce on it because I like to dip and I just loved the sandwich. For dessert we got the Apple cinnamon dumpling and there was not one thing we left behind. I love the food at Dillons and I will always come back no matter what people say. Its amazing here
(5)
Pat R.
My cross country trip this year has turned me into somewhat of a BBQ snob. So while this rating may seem a little harsh, 3 is still average right? Anyhow Like a true fattie, I ordered a 3 meat plate baby back ribs, brisket and burnt ends. We got unsold on appetizers and opted for 2 orders of $1 onion rings and some fried shrooms. Appetizers were decent. For $1 you can't complain about anything. The shrooms were a bit greasy for my taste but I got my daily dose of veggies... Onto the main dishes: The baby back ribs had a nice bark on them however were a bit on the dry side. Like any rib shack I go to I take a pic of the smoke ring and cross section for reference. Dot believe me take a gander a my pics. I attribute the dryness due to the fact that they were probably smoked early in the afternoon. You could taste the smoke in the meat but because they were dry I needed to sauce them up to help them out. The sweet and hot sauce was ok but not noteworthy enough to buy a bottle and take home. The burnt ends we're a little on rare side to be called burnt ends. They looked like rib bits versus burnt ends. There wasn't really much or anything burnt about them. The brisket was the best of the 3 on the platter. It was thin sliced, had a nice smoke ring and was still nice and moist. Not sure what type of sauce was it was served with but it did help keep the brisket from drying out. All and all, it was ok but it didn't wow me or woo me in any way however, I'd still take Dillon's over Famous Dave's any day.
They can make an old fashioned. This can be hard to come by. The bar was filled to the brim when we went in, We opted for the patio and sat a few minutes, wondering 'do they come to us, do we go to them?' We go to them. It was a Saturday, around 4:00, and they were setting up for a band, if we hadn't been on the way to a wedding we may have stuck around. Overall, not bad at all, It didn't knock my socks off, but not bad.
(3)
Jeff W.
Food was great. Host staff was great. Server was too anxious to go home. Texting and side work was more important than serving our table. Overall was good though.
(4)
adam r.
Just went to Dillon's again yesterday. It's not somewhere you go for ambience . . . Or amazing service, not that our servers have been horrible ever, just busy. Dillon's doesn't even have best menu nor is everything spectacular. Why go then? They're Pulled Pork Sandwich is ridiculous delicious! I've tried many other things on their menu: the Smoked Salmon, the Southwest Mac n Cheese, the smoked Chicken, the Pulled Chicken Sandwich, the list goes on. None were ever bad. Most seem to lack something whether it was a little more flavor or more moisture in the meat. But their BBQ sauce and their Pulled Pork is off the hook! If you haven't been there, try that first. This particular location is a little cooky.They need a remodel. The carpet is something you'd find in a JB's (Are they even around anymore?) or a Coco's. the tables have those wipeable tablecloths which I guess is a little more barbecue-esque. Some tables have these ads all over them which I guess is not really a big deal since it draws your attention away from the mismatched lighting, carpet, and tablecloths. The back windows show a tiny yard for birds which is fenced in so you don't have to look at the parking lot of the body shop next door. They do put the paper towels on the table for cleaning up all the BBQ sauce on your fingers which adds to its authenticity. Service there is usually so-so. Servers are friendly, hospitable, but often busy. Sometimes it's hard to get a timely refill or an extra side of BBQ sauce. Other than that, adequate. I'll be back and you know what for.
(4)
Julie K.
This was the first time my husband and I ate at Dillon's. We found them in our Entertainment Book. The staff was so friendly and helpful. Our waitress Stephanie was great. All of the food was so good. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Amanda C.
When they're good they're great. Service was awesome. Mac n cheese was amazing, my husband liked the brisket, wedge salad was pretty good. They give a free half order of onion rings to first timers. They also had no issue brining samples of the sauces so my husband could decide which he liked. Their North Carolina BBQ was pretty awful though. And we weren't terribly impressed by the spinach artichoke dip.
(4)
Pickles C.
This is definitely a comfort food kind of place. Not dressy - and people watching is a must. Mostly families and older. I get the feeling that most were regulars in the neighborhood. A live band was playing on Saturday night when we went (oldies). To start, we had the onion rings, which were awesome. I had baby back ribs, with spicy hot bbq - really great. Plenty of sides, green beans and mashed potatoes. Not something I'd regularly eat - but it was really good! My hubby had a brisket sandwich with steak fries and beans. He loved it. Our waiter was awesome, I think his name was Austin. There's a also a cute Bunny hutch out back that you can see while you are eating. I love animals, so I thought it was a cute touch. Relieved that they didn't have rabbit on the menu tho!
(4)
Luca C.
Went here over the weekend with the wife and the place was really dissapointing. The staff was nice but the food was not good. My brisket was so dry, my coleslaw tasted like it was made of raw cabbage it was so hard. Her food was not so great, nothing to point out but nothing special. Not worth it, I'd stay away.
(1)
Jeff G.
Carolina pulled pork and brisket sandwiches were both very good although they came out a little too hot ( heat lamp?). Baked beans were only okay. Onion rings were delicious and could be the best deal in town ($2).
(4)
Wendy M.
We so enjoyed Happy Hour at Dillion's. Onion Rings the best in rhe valley and only $2.00 if ordered in the bar area. Service was excellent we will definitely visit again. Fun environment awesome food and great staff.
(5)
Gary G.
The service was good, the food, not so much. went because we had a Groupon, won't be back.
(1)
Marc B.
I love this place, the bartender Stephanie is awesome! never had a bad meal or service here. also great happy hour specials.
(5)
Diane R.
I wish I could give a 3, but I cant. Service, slow. Food, eh. Husb had 3 meat platter, which prob was a 3 star. Potato salad, eh. I had dillon dip which was the 2 star along w mac n cheese. Single Onion ring order for $1 diring HH & it was ok...better the onion rings that took a while were actually hot. Bunnies & wildlife outside kept my 4 yo son busy.0 I will not b returning to this location. I remember Wildlife W Zoo Dillons to b better food, service & atmosphere for sure
(2)
Had R.
Great place, great service. Been here a few times and I have a few groupons for Dillons. This visit we ordered a full rack and a full rack of brontosaurus ribs! See the pic i posted. Food was great, not the best pork ribs, but the best beef ribs I have had. couple that with great line up from the bar, live music and 99 cent great O rings... I am a fan of Dillons. Other dishes that I love, burnt ends, SW Stew.
(4)
Dawn D.
Really delicious BBQ and sides!
(4)
Lorena T.
Best ribs in town! Love coming here, lots to eat and friendly staff. The restaurant on Thunderbird is our favorite. You won't be disappointed, I guarantee.
(4)
Rick M.
Good service. Brisket good. Sweet and hot sauce was good. Priced about 2 bucks high on all entrees.
(3)
Nick V.
Yum! Big portions of savory smoked meats and rich sides. Love the onion rings as a starter.
(4)
Rhi G.
Best potato salad I've ever had. We order some for every holiday BBQ and/or dinner and our guests are always drooling in satisfaction. :)
(5)
Jack N.
I have been to this Dillions on a few occasions. The service is always average and so is the food. Last time I ordered wings and the Devil sandwich. The wings are money. Nice and crisp with a bowl of red hot sauce to dip them in. The Devil sandwich was whack. Some pulled pork with the SAME red hot sauce that came with the wings. A guy can only eat so much Franks red hot sauce at one meal. I must have misunderstood. I thought it was some type of homemade hot bbq sauce. I must have been thinking of Devil's spit from Famous Daves...speaking of famous daves I think next time I want bbq I will go there. Dillons is just ok for me. My wife had the catfish and liked it. She also loved her potato salad. My bbq beans were pretty tasty I must say. I would say thumbs up to the wings and sides and just a meh to the rest. The inside was extremely loud from the drunks in the karaoke bar next to us. Not sure how they can be that drunk already seems how it wasn't even 7 pm yet. Between the loud horrible singing and the fly that wouldn't leave our table the experience wasn't enjoyable. Had I known it was that kind of a bbq I probably wouldn't have taken my one year old. Guess you have to make money where you can and the bar was packed. We just ate quickly and got out of there before the country songs came on.
(3)
David C.
It's not Red Lobster , and that's why I go there. Clean bathrooms , friendly waitresses , (freakin' hot guy waiters ;) , tasty BBQ , happy hour is amazing there. Not too keen on the live bands , but i still love it.
(5)
Stephanie E.
The BBQ pork sandwich is the best I have ever had! So bomb! And the spicy BBQ sauce is delish! I would recommend this place. The appearance of the restaurant could use some work but it wouldn't stop me from going!
(4)
Bob R.
This used to be the go to place for BBQ on the west side but it seems as if the high standards they used to have for both food and service have completely deteriorated. The pulled pork tasted as if it was kept on steam table with the lid on allowing the condensation to water it down, the pork ribs were terribly greasy, and the beef ribs were incredibly tough. Oftentimes I can still be won over by a restaurant if the service is good but the quality of the service was just as bad. My wife and I have visited a few times in the last year or so with the hope that our recent experiences were just an anomaly but I think we have made our last visit.
(1)
Rick M.
Good service. Brisket good. Sweet and hot sauce was good. Priced about 2 bucks high on all entrees.
(3)
Nick V.
Yum! Big portions of savory smoked meats and rich sides. Love the onion rings as a starter.
(4)
Rhi G.
Best potato salad I've ever had. We order some for every holiday BBQ and/or dinner and our guests are always drooling in satisfaction. :)
(5)
David C.
It's not Red Lobster , and that's why I go there. Clean bathrooms , friendly waitresses , (freakin' hot guy waiters ;) , tasty BBQ , happy hour is amazing there. Not too keen on the live bands , but i still love it.
(5)
Stephanie E.
The BBQ pork sandwich is the best I have ever had! So bomb! And the spicy BBQ sauce is delish! I would recommend this place. The appearance of the restaurant could use some work but it wouldn't stop me from going!
(4)
Bob R.
This used to be the go to place for BBQ on the west side but it seems as if the high standards they used to have for both food and service have completely deteriorated. The pulled pork tasted as if it was kept on steam table with the lid on allowing the condensation to water it down, the pork ribs were terribly greasy, and the beef ribs were incredibly tough. Oftentimes I can still be won over by a restaurant if the service is good but the quality of the service was just as bad. My wife and I have visited a few times in the last year or so with the hope that our recent experiences were just an anomaly but I think we have made our last visit.
(1)
Thomas H.
My wife and son took me here for a Father's Day lunch. I enjoyed one of the best chicken club sandwiches I have ever had! The wife had what looked to be an awesome salad with fried chicken breast on top. Even our picky kid ate all of his chicken strips! We definitely recommend this place if you are on the west side.
(4)
Mary A.
Great BBQ, but my favorites to order are the onion rings & the catfish nuggets. The bar area is the best place to be. Great bartenders & great service.
(5)
Cassandra B.
Husband's choice: Brontasaurus Beef Ribs Platter - A full rack of beef ribs with bbq beans and steak fries. Delicious and enough two (or 3 with an extra side) to easily share. My friend's choice: Bbq Brisket platter with mac and cheese and bbq beans. The brisket was velvety and tender and melted in your mouth. My choice: BBQ Pulled Pork with a baked porato covered in bbq sauce and the veggie of the day (green beans). I also added a house salad.I chose to have all 3 bbq sauces on the side and loved them all. The bread would have been better if it was warmed and the green beans were a little too cooked for me, but it was still overall a great dish. The salad came out quickly and comes with croutons, egg and bacon. I wish there was a Fat Free salad dressing option, but at least they gad low cal Italian. The salad was huge and very good. After a normal wait, our meals arrived and were promptly devoured (except for the monstrous ribs). I could barely walk I was so stuffed!
(4)
Jesse J.
I honestly don't get the love of this place it was good BBQ but far from great. Tip: If your pulled pork or chicken sandwich comes smothered in sauce it's because they are hiding something. A true bbq place would put sauce on the side so you can taste the smokiness of the meat before drenching it in sauce. Now the sauce was good and chicken was tender on my sandwich and the bbq beans were great but I just would like to try the smokey meat before to taste how good it is and how juicy it is prior to sauce. Will I go back maybe but for sure I won't go out of my way there are too many other places in town that offer above average bbq.
(2)
Larry C.
10 years ago I lived just down the street from this great BBQ where it was always crowded with airmen from Luke AFB. Last week we were driving home from Las Vegas and it was time for a lunch stop, so we returned to Dillon's and found it has not changed much. Still great BBQ pork sandwiches with tasty side dishes of cole slaw and beans. Nice to return to a familiar place and find it is still the best BBQ on the west side of PHX.
(4)
Linga E.
Tip: pay the extra $1.00 to get the side of onions rings instead of the appetizer portion...the individual side portion is generous and at a dollar how can you go wrong? I tried the spinach enchiladas with chips and salsa. I was hoping to be wowed and unfortunately wasn't. I mean what was I thinking, a vegetarian in a BBQ establishment? I found solace in that fact that even though Dillion's is known for their BBQ there were a variety of options for vegetarians. Next time I will try the Prickly Peach Salad oh and the fried pickles. With that said the rest of my party raved about the pork pulled sandwich :)
(3)
James A.
Came today and did not have reservations for a party of 18, wow they were able to take us right in at noon with out any problems! The food was great and the service was spot on, some in the group had eaten here before but this was my first time I will be returning. Wife had there burger and I did the Dillon dip, both were delicious!
(5)
Danielle A.
Food was pretty good , service from waitress was decent. I had a groupon and the mgr wouldn't honor it though, which ticked me off.
(4)
Suzanne K.
I had a Groupon to use, and it requires dine-in. We'd previously picked up take-out from this location and although I had called it in and arrived on time to pick it up, they still took about 20 minutes to get our order (it was just pulled pork, what's so difficult?). We hoped dine-in would be different, and even made reservations. We arrived right on time at 6 pm on a Saturday and were made to wait a while. Then they apparently gave our table to someone else, so quick had to come up with another table. Our server was very nice, but apparently overworked because we rarely saw her. It took a long time to get our drinks, long enough we started wishing we'd ordered our food with our drinks. The food took a very long time to arrive. It was over an hour from our arrival before we were served even the mac and cheese for my 2 year old, who was getting impatient. Finally got our food and it was just not that good. I've had much better BBQ pulled pork at Thee Pitts Again and never had to wait that long to eat. All the disorganization and chaos, topped off with so-so BBQ means we won't be back, unless it 's to try the bar without the kiddo. It just takes too much time to get food that ain't that great in the restaurant.
(2)
Josh H.
I have been to this Dillon's location several times over the past 3 or 4 years and I have never been disappointed. The food is great, the servers are nice and the price is reasonable. Another factor is the beer is very affordable. The selection at the Arrowhead location is a little better for those who enjoy craft beers, but if you are ok with the normal light beers and Amber Bock then this location will do. I usually get the ribs or burnt ends. The burnt ends are very tender, never dried out and big. The BBQ sauces are great, you get a choice of three. The ribs sometimes don't have enough smoke, but the meat falls of the bone and still has great flavor. My wife goes for the half chicken and she has never complained. The layout of the restaurant is awkward, they have added on and it doesn't flow the best and the decor is outdated, but it is definitely family friendly dining. Our 8 month old fits right in and if he gets noisy, you cannot hear him as the place gets fairly loud when busy. Check it out for the BBQ items, I haven't ventured to the sandwiches.
(4)
Alexander C.
With so many corporate options near by I was elated when mother decided that Dillon's is where she wanted to go for her birthday. Not because the food is awesome or anything like that but because they are still independent and successful. For years and years we've been coming to Dillon's and I have to say that they are consistently okay. Back in the day when the menu was smaller and their meat platters came with garlic bread twists this was one of my favorites. Does anyone remember the bread twists? Oh those were awesome! The BBQ here is alright.. not bad, not great.. just stuck somewhere in the middle. Mother BTW, loved her Chicken Club sandwich and IMHO one of the only things to order on the menu.. fried chicken breast, bacon, ham and cheddar cheese on a bun.. it shines in its pork fayyt goodness!
(3)
Kristina D.
Pretty good if you stick to the BBQ and remember that chili here has chunks of beef. Coming from New York it's different. Their ribs are really tasty as are the beans. Not a fan of their catfish as it has too much breading/batter, however the batter on the onion rings are quite tasty.
(4)
Eric S.
Like anyone else I appreciate locally owned and operated places, and I wish Dillons all the success in the world (I found their service both friendly and fast), but seriously, this BBQ sucks. I had pork spare ribs and brisket because these are the two most difficult cuts to get right. Texturally, the brisket was fine, if a bit dry. The ribs were underdone (the bones did not come clean as they should when properly prepared, and they were tough because of this). The ribs and the brisket both had only the slightest hint of smoke flavor... they were seriously undersmoked. To top it off, their sauces (mild and "cajun" - which is not hot at all, though I suspect they cater to the Sun City palate) were both savory sauces dominated by the flavor of mustard and vinegar. How anybody can judge either of these sauces delicious is a mystery to me. I found them both horrible. One bite of each meat was all I could manage. Sides were a mixed bag. The mac and cheese was delicious (thank you, thank you!) - but the baked beans were chili beans and were... gross. I suspect they were made using the sauce, so it's not terribly surprising I didn't like them. I had their chicken wings as an appetizer, they were pretty good. They are prepared like fried chicken and come with the sauce on the side. It was agreeably hot and delicious... but then again, it wasn't BBQ.
(2)
Tam F.
This is a meat place close to Sun City so dinner at 5 last night was quite appropriate. Dillon's is decent fresh food in a casual environment. Good for groups, efficient wait staff and big portions. The man was on a brisket kick and since this was a BBQ joint, figured he would try it. It is Kansas style and it was nice and tender BBQ-though not quite "smoked" and definitely sliced on a meat slicer. The daughter had a pulled pork sandwich that was tender and delicious. The Grandmother had a brisket sandwich, there are other offerings as well-fried chicken, chicken fried steak, fish, etc. Salads are good as are the onion rings they ordered for appetizers. This is no BBQ joint. This is a family restaurant with decent food and decent service. I am giving 4 stars again mostly due to the great service we have. For some reason, AZ is still ass backwards when it comes to recognizing waitstaff. They are not paid minimum wage (though I am not sure how this is legal). They make about $3.25 per hour from the establishment (this is up from $2.12 two years ago) and the rest is supposed to come out of tips. Any young person willing to work in the Sun City area and depend on tips and actually works really hard to get them deserves a whole star to themselves (oh and an extra tip behind the chintzy tippers in my family here). Reservations are only taken for a party of 8 or more.
(4)
Craig B.
I've been coming here basically since the place opened and have yet to have a bad experience. Occasionally service may be a bit slower than usual, but unless I'm being completely ignored, I'm not too put off by it. I first went here off of the recommendation of someone who told me I HAD to try the chicken fried steak. However, sitting down and looking at the menu, I realized that ordering a chicken fried steak in a BBQ joint would be akin to ordering a hamburger in a Mexican food restaurant. Not even going there! Items I can say without a doubt are great: Pulled pork (moist and slightly smoky), turkey (thinly sliced but a great smoked flavor), smoked sausage (although it doesn't stand out above other smoked sausages elsewhere, it's still good), and ribs (I'm not a huge rib person, but they are tasty and flavorful). My absolute favorite, must get is the burnt ends. I am a fan of huge smoke flavor and these tasty brisket ends don't disappoint! Strangely enough, the brisket itself is probably the one item on the menu I'm not a huge fan of. The BBQ Sauce, you ask? I'm a fan of the cajun style (slightly kicky and not too sweet), which is Dillon's original sauce. The sweet and mild sauce was created for the Sun City crowd who requested a milder sauce, and the name describes it about perfectly. The sides I've had are all pretty good, although I usually stick with a potato product and beans - why mess with something that works for you? As others have mentioned, this is very near Sun City, expect early crowds. And one other thing? I have yet to try the chicken fried steak.
(4)
Amanda B.
I suspect the average age of the regular customer base would approach sixty. This isn't what one would consider a hip and happenin' spot, but Dillon's is comfortable and confident with its role in life. The servers are generally high school students and forced to wear t-shirts featuring sports teams. They're friendly, but definitely have the "I'm sixteen and this is my first job. Teehee." thing going on. The decor reminds you of a trip to Grandma's, and the music in the bar is just a little too loud. Once you move past all of that, Dillon's is wonderful. The food is hearty and there are no pretenses. The stews are lovely, and the pulled pork sandwich is great. There are two choices of barbecue sauce and the kids menu provides a few options. The best part? The onion rings. They're light and fluffy with just the slightest hint of seasoning. You'll have a choice between a full basket and half basket. Just give in and buy the entire thing. The onion rings alone are worth the trip.
I've been eating at Dillon's for many years and my recent visit today was quite disappointing.... The Waitress came by with our beverages, but completely disappeared as we waited and...and waited...and waited to give her our order....(by this time, we could had driven over to FAMOUS DAVE'S in the amount of time it took for her to reappear!) There were only 3 other customers in the whole place, so it wasn't crazy busy (and there was ANOTHER Food Server on duty too). Anyhow.... I usually order their Pulled Pork, which is never disappointing. However, after seeing Adam Richman (Man Vs Food) eating some BBQ brisket on a recent episode, I suddenly wanted brisket too! The brisket was nicely rolled on a bun (like a spiral lollipop) and looked quite pretty, but was NOT as moist as the Pulled Pork. It was dry. The homemade potato salad is ALWAYS a winner! The overall portions seemed skimpy for the price ($8 or $9 bucks) for a sandwich and 1 side. (For less money, I could had gone to a Buffet to pig-out and not have to wait for a SLOW Food Server...) Took awhile to get the check too...ugh! Not everyone who eats there has HOURS to sit there waiting and waiting. If you want good portions for a good value...this is NOT the place to visit. Slow service and dry brisket will remind me to chose someplace else for lunch next time. ..
(2)
Amanda J.
I've been to this location several times. In the past it has been fairly decent, but when I went yesterday it was awful. I went with my dad and one of his work associates who was visiting from out of town. I was really embarrassed. The plastic table cloth was completely stained and disgusting. I didn't want to touch it. I took a quick glance at the other tables and they all looked the same way. Eww. They had a special on onion rings and those were pretty tasty. I'd score the food a 3 (I had the pulled pork sandwich and they must have put the meat in a bowl and then dumped it on the bun because it stayed in the shape of the bowl and looked like a giant serving of cat food. That could easily be fixed. And no one felt like they got enough BBQ sauce, and c'mon! it is a BBQ restaurant! Someone in our party got a salad and it was garnished with canned peaches. Looked gross.) The place had an aura of an assisted living cafeteria. No thanks. I won't go back.
(1)
Michael H.
Good place for eating before a Cardinals game. Ribs are somewhat over cooked and a little dry. Cajun sauce is good. order it on the side. Brisket is great and moist.
(3)
Kevin O.
Roll up the sleeves cause it is BBQ time! I never seem to get to this place enough. If you want beef that will melt in your mouth go for the Burnt Tips! You will thank yourself while you eat. Dillon's does get pretty packed on Friday and Saturday so try to go a little earlier or later. I go that route and find it easier to get in. Nothing special about the decor, but what do you want? Top notch BBQ or fancy shamcy art? Put this place on your list of must try! They have a decent bar too, so enjoy an icy one with those tips!
(5)
Gary W.
About as good as it gets in AZ
(5)
Daren C.
The best BBQ porks sandwhich ever. Juicy, flarvorful, meaty, smokey. Perfect.
(5)
Matthew F.
I promised my carnivorous 10 year old son some BBQ Ribs, and he wasn't letting me off the hook until he got some. So we ventured over to Dillion' s on Saturday afternoon, since one of my favorite meals is Pulled Pork, and Dillon's was right down the street. We only had to wait a few minutes and got a table right away. The atmosphere is understated... not really a place to bring your first date as there is no romantic ambiance here, just rolls of paper towels on each table for those truly dedicated to making a mess. If you come here, it's for the food. And it's worth coming here for the food. I love BBQ, and this is one of the best I have found in Phoenix so far. My son commented that they had some of the best ribs he had ever eaten (and he's tried a lot). I also noticed that you could buy the pulled pork, chicken, or brisket by the pound to go... already thinking about it for the first week of football. If you are on the west side and hankering for some BBQ, give it a shot!
(4)
Cherlyn E.
Had a great pulled pork. Gals behind the bar are very friendly
(4)
Tony S.
I visited Dillons Thunderbird again in search of good BBQ. It was three star worthy. I will probably be back as I have been on a BBQ binge lately in search of the best. This time I had the South Carolina style pulled pork sandwich and it was very tasty. We ordered taquitos as an appetizer and they were servered very nicely. Five large taquitos each stuffed with a different filling, chicken, pork, beef. All very good. Worth a visit if you are in the area!
(3)
Nick N.
Excellent family owned atmosphere.
(4)
amy b.
I am used to the another Dillon s location and expected a similar experience in service. Was I wrong. I stopped by to order something to go and the hostess up front was less than friendly. I was then directed to the bar to place an order. I went in there and was not greeted for several minutes (even though the bartender made eye contact with me) so I left. Won t be back to that location for sure, and will likely go to a different BBQ place next time.
(1)
Erik A.
The place was decent and so was the food. I especially liked the potato salad as a side dish.
(3)
Zeus H.
Great food. Feels like walkin into Grandma's house. Ordered Fried Pickles for Appetizer. Good breading, though they use cut pickle wedges pieces, which is a larger bite for fried pickles. Dill Slices would be better, but great taste all the same. Pork BBQ there is awesome. Some of the best I have had in Arizona. Service was pretty good too. Love this place.
(4)
Ayesha S.
Oh Dillon's. I once, mistakenly took this guy that I was seeing to Dillon's. See, we hadn't really talked much about our eating habits as it was our second or third date (and we'd just met for drinks before this date) but he had marked "meat and potatoes" in his on-line profile. I'm not a meat and potatoes girl as I am Pakistani and these things are inherent to American culture but I was keen on satisfying his supposed love for meat and potatoes. In order to truly grasp this situation, you have to know that this guy was from the East Valley and kind of a snob because of it- I know that the West Valley has a long way to go (but I live and work here and have to be positive so shut up!) and am not denying that. We had only hung out in the East Valley, and it was my turn to try and let the West Valley shine. Anyway, I was freaking out because I don't know Phoenix that well and don't eat meat and potatoes. So, I called a good friend who is a Phoenix native and she instantly thought "DILLONS!" when I said meat and potatoes. She was, of course right on, if one is really into meat and potatoes. It turns out that the guy I was seeing wasn't really into meat and potatoes and hadn't thought much about his profile when he had filled it out. I felt like a total freak, as he told me he enjoyed Thai and all kinds of stuff that I actually enjoy. This led to a bit of an awkward albeit fun time at Dillon's. We opted to sit outside as it was a nice evening. Unfortunately, the patio area gives you clear view of some abandoned trailer and a large overgrown field. Not exactly romantic or cool. We ordered a bottle of red wine when we sat down and the waitress was clearly miffed by this. I'm pretty positive she had been working there for years and no one had actually ordered a bottle of wine. It also took a very long time for the wine to be delivered to us, so we were sure that someone had to run out to the local Circle K to get us our bottle of wine. I ended up ordering the spinach enchiladas (I know, lame) and he ordered a salmon salad. Although the food was decent, I'd probably only suggest this restaurant to a big meat eater. Which apparently wasn't either of us. I totally let the West side down by showcasing Dillon's to an East Valley snob. Argh.
(2)
jon c.
What happened to the chicken fried steak??? It is off the menu and that's why we go to Dillions. So I guess bye bye
(1)
Ann K.
Great Chicken Fried Chicken with gravy for my husband and Spinach Enchiladas for me. Good service & good food. Who could ask for more?
(4)
Mike G.
Dillon's is a small restaurant just off of the west side 101 loop at Thunderbird road. It is a small place with a bar. The food is excellent and the service is very friendly and prompt. Two dishes you need to try are their "burnt ends" (don't be confused by the name) and their Southwestern Stew. The stew is quite inexpensive and very tasty. Not a huge meal but is sufficient as a meal itself.
(4)
Cameron K.
Arizona is not good BBQ territory (that would be Texas), but this place does a great job for the area. I've eaten a few times and it is a consistent solid performer.
(5)
Melissa H.
I am surprised there are not more reviews for Dillon's seeing how popular it is on the west-side. It is a good BBQ restaurant, with a wide menu, friendly staff, and quick service (for the most part). Despite being overrun with white hairs, there is a good mix of families and often it gets really loud in their. The BBQ sauce is tasty and the brisket, pork, and baby back ribs are some of the best you will find over here. It is the type of place you can go to and know you will always have a quality meal- no surprises here. It has become a staple with my family and often a place we take out of town company. With locations in Surprise and 67th and the 101, it is convenient to most of the west-side.
(4)
Dustin C.
The food warrants a five star but the service was terrible! No drink refills we had to ask, no check we had to ask and no personality! Great burnt ends though!
(4)
Brian A.
I've come to Dillon's several times since I moved to Phoenix in 2000. The food is good and wait staff is friendly. I'very attended several work luncheons here and there is space to hold parties. My favorite is the BBQ Burnt Ends. Worth trying Dillon's at least once.
(4)
Jason I.
Situated right off of thunderbird and the 101 towards sun city this place is pretty convenient to get too from off the freeway. The food here is terrific. they are known for their BBQ but I tend to order other items as they are just as good. The smoked turkey is fantastic juicy and lean. They also have deep fried pickles which are sooo soo good. Addicting. Their homemade ranch dressing is the bomb. One other thing this place is known for is the Onion Rings! Get a half order they are humongous! The prime rib is one of my favorites it has a slightly bacony taste to it. Overall give dillions a shot. Its good to take the wife and grandma too! I Love this place never had a bad meal. The Dillons dip is the best french dip sandwich around. I also love the Beef Ribs and the Chilli is OMG Awesome they put brisket in it! Good for kids too!
(5)
Matt W.
These guys have good BBQ, the only problem is they cook to their demographic so everything is over cooked, and they go light on their sauce on some and extremly heavy on many other items. Many bland items, but good happy hour specials and appitizers, and some good spicy bbq items. Kind of pricy for what you get compared to others. Also the ditsy watresses would rather flit with guys in the back than ask you if you need a refill or something.(famous daves is way better) If I lived in sun city I would probably rate this establishment with 4 or more stars but this young buck looks elsewhere for bbq delight. Texaz bbq or famous daves are much better choices.
(2)
Erika G.
People who like this place have got to be kidding me! The brisket and ribs were dry and tasteless. They try and hide this fact by covering it up with sauce (the sauce is pretty good) but you can't rely on sauce to cover up the fact that your meat is terrible! I should have known I was in trouble when I walked in and smelled bleach, not barbecue. The service was not very good either. I told the waitress about the tasteless food and she just offered me more tasteless food. Had she at least offered to take it off my bill I would have felt slightly better about the experience. Seriously, try the food without the sauce, you will be unpleasantly shocked!
(1)
Duane T.
Went on July 4th. They weren't very busy. The bartender was very busy with something, not us, that was for sure. Had a real need for pork ribs, they were out. Had the combo plate with beef ribs and sausage. The sausage was not even luke warm. The beef ribs were tough, fatty and not very tasty. Another table had a whole rack of the beef ribs. As they were walking out I asked them what they thought of the ribs. They said they complained about them and were not charged. The mac and cheese was very good as was the coleslaw. My experience with Dillon's in the past is their sides are always good and their meats are not so good. They seem to have a problem with service. The table behind us said he had been there 15 minutes before anyone came to the table. Our sever said that this was her third day. For three days on the job she did good. I was surprised that any restaurant had to add servers in the summer. All of the servers we saw were college age.
(2)
Plaid L.
I cant say enough about how good this place is. I've been there dozens of times and every time I eat there, I am very satisfied. Pulled pork is awesome. Mashed potatoes are delish. They recently started serving a macaroni and cheese, which was awesome. It has corn and bread crumbs in it and just tastes fantastic. Ribs are incredible. Chicken club sandwich is sooo good. It is a big fried chicken breast, with ham, bacon and cheese. Holy crap it's good.....You must go to Dillon's right now. You wont be sorry....
(5)
KIM D.
tonite had first bad meal here. was with 90 yr old motherinlaw so did not say anything cuz she gets so flustered and thinks anything untoward is her fault somehow. been here plenty and usually very good food across the board. beware the chicken fried steak if the breading could not save it there is a problem, and there was an overabundance of breading on a stringy unchewable hunk of steak. just pushed it around and hid it under gravy so mom didn't notice. little blip hopefully just one bad day and not a sign of things to come, cuz dillon's is a family favorite.
(3)
Amelia P.
We had a coupon, so husband and I had lunch following eye doctor appointment today. So pleased to see the new parking lot is finished. Difficult parking has kept us away from this local BBQ stop. Maybe the increased business will prompt the owners to update the bathrooms next. My husband has the catfish and shrimp basket special that came with two sides for $10.99. He said it was really good. I opted for the pulled pork sandwich withe one side at right near the same price. His was a better value for the money. I need to note why the four stars, they are primarily for the new parking area, the server, and then the food. Had the bathroom been cleaner (floor tile is nasty, handicap door lock falling off, and trash cans overflowing), I might have been motivated to give the restaurant five stars. Owners can't expect five stars when they need to paint and get things feeling bright and clean! I'm sure we'll return, but only when we have discount coupon until owners make the restaurant more comfortable and cleaner. Sep 16, 2015 Addition to Original Review I want to thank George V. for responding to my review! It let's me know the owners/managers do care what the customers think. I can now guarantee that we will be returning to Dillions on Thunderbird soon.
(4)
Sara S.
Visited for the first time last night - the only reason for the 3 stars is that the bartender was great. We ordered a couple of combos to share so that we could try everything. When our food came out, it was cold! Not just "it sat in the window a little too long" but actually cold in temperature like it was cooked yesterday and put right in the plate! Mashed potatoes cold - burnt ends cold - brisket cold, baked potato cold!!! We sent back one plate and asked for another potato on the side. Clearly it was just put in the microwave because when the potato came out it was so hot it scalded my mouth! Anyways - flavor was just ok But the drinks were good and Eileen did her best to make things right.
(3)
Thundar M.
Visiting AZ for a tournament and found Dillon ' s in yelp. Was greeted pleasantly by hostess, waitress Kimberly was friendly and knowledgeful of menu. She was attentive checking if we needed anything else. I tried the chicken, sausage links, and pulled pork. Food was really good, hot bbq sauce was good. Overall was a good experience with good food. Thanks
(5)
Adam P.
Came for lunch with friends and family. Sat on the patio because this is az in the winter and the weather is the best in the country. Patio was smaller with no tv's or true upgrades. Had to go inside to get my own menus. Friend had to go inside to get kids menus and crayons. After about 10 minutes we got to order a drink. Could be happier with the service. Ordered a pulled pork sandwich with Cajun BBQ sauce and steak fries. Sandwich was actually pretty good and the sauce was also good. Some of my fries were cold which was odd and left me unsatisfied again. There was nothing about this visit or this location that could justify a higher rating. I have been to other locations and had better experiences. Maybe it's just this one?
(3)
Jimmy G.
Where to start. With the loud obnoxious drunk at the end of the bar at 330 in the afternoon? (Who as it turns out, works there. Well. At least that's what he told everyone at the bar and the restaurant.). Seriously. At one point, he was literally barking. Like a dog. And I'm not kidding. The guy stepped out for a smoke and almost nosedived right by my table. And when he left all I could think was "I hope he's not driving..."). Or should I start with the food. Ok in a second. First, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention what a dive this place is. And I don't mind dives, but this place was "restaurant rescue" needing kind of dive. Ok. Lifted kilt. Not bad Food: I got the combo with "smoked" turkey and "burnt ends", cole slaw and a baked potato (they don't have chives?). The "burnt ends". Ugh. More like flavorless cubed up pot roast. They obviously don't know what burnt ends really are. The "smoked" turkey. A little better but not smoked as far as I could tell. (No smoke rings). The "sweet & hot" bbq sauce is the only saving grace. The cole slaw. Super bland. Basically, cabbage and maybe mayo? The baked potato with butter and sour cream. How do you mess that up? You microwave it, that's how. I got a dinner roll. It didn't taste house made. Maybe store bought. The service: when the server paid attention to me, she was super nice. In fact I feel a little bad about writing such a negative review, but this has very little to do with her. Sorry, "C". It looks like this is really just a beer joint that happens to serve food. There were probably 20-25 people in there and I only counted 6 ladies. So... I tried to connect to the wifi but I couldn't get it to work. That plate plus the one beer and a nice tip for the server set me back 30 bucks. Maybe the overall experience would have been better on the restaurant side rather than in the bar area. But I'll end by saying I'm still looking for a good bbq place on the west side.
(2)
Dl S.
I'm from Kansas City, so I know barbeque. The bbq isn't really very good. The sandwiches are pretty good, though. The restaurant also seems rather loud and small.
(3)
Clint B.
2 lunches here so far and very happy both times! Great service and very good food! I have had the Brisket Sandwich both times, but with different sauce. Sweet Heat and Cajun BBQ! The only thing I can criticize a bit is the bun. I feel like they could use something a bit thicker to withstand the moist meat covered in BBQ sauce. The Cole-Slaw is great too! A place I will go to more, and look forward to trying more of their menu. Very curious about their Fish and Burgers.
(4)
Diana S.
I am still not a Dillon's fan, the food was average, but a bit overpriced for what you get. Tried to split the bill and it got screwed up so bad we had to make several phone calls to get it back, they charged both cards the full amount. Service was good, but overall just an average place to eat. But the best thing about it is the onion rings, cant go wrong with them.
(2)
Lisa Monique C.
Me and my family walked in and was greeted with a warm welcome. We went on a Thursday evening. It was not that busy and our wait was twenty minutes. I would say the decor was out of date. They seriously need a restaurant makeover. We finally got seated. Our server, Miss Corona was great. She seemed tired, but still served us with genuine effort. Out party was of seven, and she got all of our orders right. She was not rude at all and did not pout when we asked for several things. I ordered the beef brisket platter with a loaded potato and wedge salad for my side. My brisket was kind of dry. My loaded potato was delicious. The wedge salad was tasty. Overall, decent food. After a good hour, our meal came to an end. She dropped off the check with no rush. We left the place, still being treated with good customer service all the way out the door. Overall, Dillons BBQ was a cozy family atmosphere.
(4)
Adam S.
There are few instances embedded in my memory where the food was so terrible that it was worth mentioning. This place should take the BBQ part of their sign down. They are not worthy! I got the pick three with: Burnt ends(dry and barely fit for dog food), Turkey(tasted like a horrible thanksgiving bird or just thick sliced lunch meat. Who serves BBQ with gravy for God's sake?) Brisket(This is probably the same meat they serve on the roast beef subs at subway, only thicker sliced. No smokey flavor whatsoever.) The three sauces offered were either bitter, sweet, or bittersweet. On a great positive, the sides that myself and my lovely companion enjoyed are most likely available at any Walmart deli, or the aisle with Bush's baked beans. No, seriously, the onion rings were amazing. Good for one appetizer, happy hour drinks and get the hell out! The server was awesome, and the manager tried to take care of me earlier in the meal. I'm just not the type to make a scene in public over food. When I did mention that the brisket and turkey were like lunch meat with no smokey flavor, I was told that they cater to an older clientele and can't add much smoke flavor.
(1)
Jim R.
I have probably eaten at Dillons fifty times it's always been pretty good but ate there last Thursday in the bar which is where I usually eat. I had the stew and salad which is one of my favorites salad was great but stew was soup with lots of broth and not the usual. My wife had brisket sandwich normally very moist and tender ---- not this time. The worst part of the meal was the service, the waitress took our order and never came back to check on is my wife had to go up to the bar to get water I had to go to the bar together check and pay. We all have bad days so I will probably go back, but not for a while.
(3)
Imnotpaidtopost N.
It's a BBQ place and the fish tacos aren't bad. Next time, I am bringing my own hot sauce but, no complaints because the fish was good and it's a BBQ place after all. Table of folks got other stuff they raved about but, will let them add own reviews. For first time here, I liked it. Would come back.
(5)
Justin H.
I've been wanting to try Dillon's for a couple of weeks since moving back to the west valley. I used to live near dillons arrowhead so I'm familiar with it. This was my first time at the Thunderbird location and it went very well. I will be back. The hostess was very nice and welcoming upon entering and gave me some good suggestions. I ordered the brisket sandwich with Mac n cheese and it was delicious. The brisket was a little dry but the Cajun BBQ sauce was on point. The bartender, Eileen, hooked me up with a free coca cola while I was waiting and while it may not seem like much, that coupled with the atmosphere and warm reception is something that will make people want to go back. Next time I'll definitely check out the onion rings I have been deprived of for so long I've had some fantastic BBQ in Kansas City and thjs isn't quite up to the same level when it comes to the food but the smell and atmosphere are right on par
(5)
A H.
In town to see the parents, and they said meet us at Dillon's. I immediately Yelped it to see where it was, what the menu looked like and of course, the reviews. My husband and I were a little concerned that it was going to be a bad experience because of the latest posts...it was NOT!! Though it is by far not "elegant", it is however, super country cute. We were greeted and sat. And immediately waited on by (I believe) Alyssa--she was charming and sweet. I can understand some of the reviews saying that they cater to a "certain crowd". Fine. Alyssa did an AWESOME job taking care of my 65 year old parents, asking exact questions and making sure their orders were correct and catered to their needs!! This really makes me happy. And I can understand it takes a lot of patience, but she did it with ease!! They have a FULL menu, but it's the BBQ that was our agenda. Super succulent shredded pork, juicy pork ribs, ridiculously HUGE beef ribs, and the sides (I think between the 4 of us, we had them all) were very rich and tasty (mac-n-cheese and potato salad were off the hook!!). Their iced tea was FRESH and my mom's soda was perfectly bubbly!! We were given take-out containers with bags and were allowed to sit a little while so we could catch up! We had such an excellent lunch and visit with one another. Thanks Dillon's Thunderbird Crew!! And THANK YOU ALYSSA!!! Post Script: *Parking goes fast. *The prices were completely affordable. *The bar looks like a HUGE PLUS!! *They are wheel-chair friendly. *They have adorable "bibs" for the "ribs." *And the unheard of: the other customers were friendly and generous--the kind woman next to us picked up MY napkin and gave it to me!!! Who does that???!!! GOOD PEOPLE DO!!!
(5)
Trinity R.
Ok, we love the food here....but seriously... our waiter didn't introduce himself and just walked up asking if we were ready to order. The entire wait staff acted as if they could care less. Every other location has awesome service. Not sure what happened today. Had it been our first ever visit, we wouldn't be coming back.
(2)
David H.
Food is decent. Nothing special. Had the brisket sandwich. Sliced a little thick for my tastes, and not very tender. The biggest negative is that service is very slow. This was my third and probably last visit here because of the service.
(3)
Rosann R.
Absolutely the best service!!! The food was warm & right on time after appetizers! Our waitress Ann W. Was wonderful! Definitely will be coming back!
(5)
Stacy F.
Good BBQ meats, but that may be the only saving grace for a return to this location unfortunately. We arrived around 7 p.m. so a touch after the normal dinner crowd and were seated pretty quickly after we arrived. Once seated we waited about 20 minutes to get our order taken and about 25 minutes after that to receive our food. I had the pulled pork sandwich and he had the pick any 2 meats plate (with sausage and pulled chicken). For a side my plate had the steak fries and his had the mac and cheese and BBQ beans. The pulled pork was delish, as was the sausage and the pulled chicken. The sides were a different matter. The mac and cheese wan't bad, but it was pretty flavorless. If you've ever made steak fries in the oven at home, you may be familiar with the struggle to cook them evenly and to have them not turn out soggy in the middle but cooked on the edges. Dillon's has this same problem. The middles were definitely soggy and undercooked. while the edges were perfect. The BBQ beans were the best of the three sides we had. Server didn't check up on us and never refilled our drinks and forgot to put our Groupon deal on the check when it was brought out. In his defense he was emptying a few tables when we were wrapping up and coupons are forgotten all the time. It was just more the accumulation of all the other waiting that compiled this factor onto the negative experience. Overall: B- / C+ The meats were really tasty. The sides were lacking, but they have tons to choose from, so perhaps different selections next time? The wait was pretty hefty, but it's based on a one time only visit - so grain of salt. If we have the time and desire for some BBQ we may visit again, but there are lots of other places to try....
(3)
Melanie M.
Of course the BURNT ENDS were excellent!!! We were there on a Friday night and there was a live band. But it was way to loud. We sat in the restaurant area and could hardly hear each talk or the waiter. Never knew they had bunnies there. We got to sit by the windows along the bunny backside where the bunnies are. SO CUTE!
(4)
Brenda B.
After reading all the bad reviews. And having most of them validated by a employee... Thanks for saving me the waste of time and money. I am not 90 and don't want my food cooked like that either. But the cater to the area residents. so what can u say...
(2)
Cameo W.
Pretty good food. We ordered to go and they gave us the wrong order so double check your bag before you leave. Turned out OK though, the brisket was really good and the BBQ sauce is delicious.
(4)
Marcia K.
LOVE IT, love it!!! So good. I always try to find a reason to come here to eat. The BBQ is the best. We always use the Dillons Standard to see if other restaurants measure up when we try other places. So far, not to many.
(5)
Antiquity S.
The food is awesome and always great service. My significant other and I have been there quite a few times since 2011, and have always had a positive experience. If you sit in the bar, bring earplugs for the live music! If you want a sit down restaurant meal, make sure you get a window by the bunnies!
(5)
Marina M.
Since we moved here I've heard so many people talk about Dillon's & their onion rings. We finally bit the bullet & headed over there. I was surprised with how large it was inside. We were seated right away & started with their onion rings which are only $2. They were AMAZING! The breading was light & crispy without being overly greasy. I ordered the brisket plate with mac & cheese & mashed potatoes with brown gravy. My mom ordered the chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes & cole slaw. My brisket was very flavorful but pretty dry, the BBQ sauce was definitely needed. Mac & cheese was decent & the mashed was really good, I would just go for cream gravy instead of brown next time. The real superstar was the chicken fried chicken. This is usually my go-to meal anytime a place has it, I literally search out chicken fried chicken when I go places. This was probably one of the best I have had. The batter was so crispy, just like the onion rings, the chicken was incredibly juicy & their gravy was definitely homemade, no powdered mixes here. Can't wait to come back again very soon!
(4)
Amanda R.
Meh. Just ok. Came from out of town and wanted to try some good bbq. The big draw was the burnt ends. Do yourself a favor and pass!!! Just chopped up brisket, nothing special at all! Cannot come minutely close to KC bbq. Service was pretty good. Best part of the meal was the bbq sauce..
(3)
Jennifer L.
Had lunch there today. Waited a while for food but it was well worth it! Fantastic brisket platter, wedge salad, BLT, and desserts. Sweet hot BBQ sauce was amazing. Beans were the best i ever had! Everyone enjoyed. Service was friendly and all plates came out as ordered.
(5)
Tonya M.
We've been to Dillon's many times but this was our first time at this location, given how close it is to Sun City it explains why we were the youngest couple in there (we're in our 30's). My boyfriend keeps buying the Groupons and we keep coming back. I can honestly say if it wasn't for the Groupons we wouldn't come here, but for the price we pay it's a great deal. This particular visit we started with the breaded mushrooms, they were good, we were able to choose between regular ranch and a chipotle ranch, we went with both. James ordered the pulled pork with sweet heat like always and I decided to try something new. I ordered the taco salad with chicken and wow was it tasty! That chicken was amazing, it's different than the chicken used in the chicken sandwich. The only thing that could have made it better was guacamole. We had a table in the back by the window so we got to watch the bunnies. I am, however, deeply concerned about the one that looks like it has a huge tumor on its neck. Has anyone gotten that checked out??
(4)
Moe G.
Well... This is one of those places you will either crave or come back In the same week. Tried burnt ends, Mac and cheese , beef ribs , pulled pork and a few other things and everything was on point .. Even the Bloody Mary was tasty. Service was great and didn't have to wait forever like most BBQ places to get your order Plenty of seating and short wait. Great environment all around. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Ella M.
Ok, so we have driven past this place a hundred times always wondering what it was. Finally figured out it was BBQ and after some random shopping adventures, the bff and I were ready for some BBQ. We walked in and the place was pretty full! The decor is...interesting...very "grandma's living room" but makes you feel at home. I couldn't decide between the brisket sandwich or the pulled pork so I asked our server. He immediately said the brisket was his top choice. So I went for it. I do not regret it. I asked for 2 different sauces on the side. Yes! Finally a place that just gives you the brisket sliced thinly and sauce on the side! Just like my dad does it! Their cajun BBQ sauce is perfection! Not too spicy, but more than flavorful! The brisket is very tender and flavorful...also VERY LEAN! The bun is soft and not at all too bready...sorry, but a bready bun just ruins the sandwich! I'm there for the meat, not for the bread ;-) I really enjoyed dinner and will definitely be going back! If you can, ask to sit by the window facing their little "garden"! You might have a few of 3 of the cutest bunnies you've ever seen...might I add that they are HUGE bunnies! So cute just hopping around! Was definitely a bonus! hehehe
(4)
Lynn B.
Service is slow in the bar area. Not many people here either. Bartender more interested in her phone. 40 min wait for two salads.
(2)
Thomas T.
My experience is limited to dining in the bar area, usually around 7-830 pm on Friday or Saturday. The food is great and you will leave satisfied. The pulls pork sandwich is my favorite, juicy and flavorful. You can pick your sauce to top it off with. The homemade style Mac and cheese is good. I felt as if I was at my grandmothers eating a hearty meal The beer selection is poor, consisting of your typical bud light draft with a San tan beer or four peaks thrown in. Nothing out of the ordinary. What the bar does offer is live music on Fridays with no cover.
(4)
Manish G.
I took 3 meat platter with Smoked Turkey, Brisket and St. Louis Style Ribs..... OMG..... with all 3 meats even sides were awesome.. BBQ beans and coleslaw..... Brisket and Turkey were so moist and tender... they were just melting my mouth.... I never had anything like that, they were out of the world..... My favorite the Ribs, were cooked to the perfection and they were perfect combination of meat flavour and sauce... It was insanely awesome.... I will visit this place again......... and again....... and again...... :)
(5)
Diane R.
I wish I could give a 3, but I cant. Service, slow. Food, eh. Husb had 3 meat platter, which prob was a 3 star. Potato salad, eh. I had dillon dip which was the 2 star along w mac n cheese. Single Onion ring order for $1 diring HH & it was ok...better the onion rings that took a while were actually hot. Bunnies & wildlife outside kept my 4 yo son busy.0 I will not b returning to this location. I remember Wildlife W Zoo Dillons to b better food, service & atmosphere for sure
(2)
Bonnita D.
It has been at a few years sense I last ate there. I loved their catfish and prim rib. They have focused in on BBQ. I am not a fan of St. Louis ribs, it would be unfair for me to write a review on them. Their wait staff was 4.5 star, the onion rigs were crispy and not at all greasy, but they fell short of the best I have had at a Florida neighborhood Fish Camp (not a camp at all, a fish restaurant). The beef brisket had good flavor and dry. The sauce, I had on the side was quite good. In St. Louis style the sauce please a big part, in Texas it is all about the smoke, then the dry rub playing as a supporting roll. The BBQ sauce is more of an after thought. Lastly the asparagus was perfect for me. Sadly by the time I got to them they were cold, my fault. Forget about the apple pie, I hope they didn't make it.the ice cream was just ice cream. I would have given then 2 stars but the atmosphere and wait strafe I had to give them a higher rating. I wish I could give them higher for past meals, we are here today, that is what I am reviewing. I will eat there agai
(3)
Scott H.
Would be a five star but the service was just bad. Waited over an hour for our meals. Waitress was not too attentive. Was served food without silver ware. So why a 4 star because the food was very very hood. The ribs were excellent. Turkey nicely smoked. Fries could have been more crisper.
(4)
Bryce O.
Called in a take out order for my first try here. The are reasonably priced take out by the pound, but actually ended up getting my order wrong (even though it was correct on my receipt). Because of this I only got to try the brisket, which I have to give 2 stars. At a solid BBQ place, the brisket should be easy to eat and smokey good. The issue here is that it was neither. You have to cover the brisket in sauce to give it a good taste and on top of that it was hard and chewy. Seems like in Sun City it would at least be critical to have meat that isn't hard, my grandmother really couldn't eat it as it was too hard to chew up. I ended up cutting it up into small pieces to freeze and save for a stew or something at a later date.
(2)
Jim B.
We visited in the mid afternoon for dinner on yesterday (Thursday). They were already out of "Burnt Ends" but that sometimes happens and is not a negative, just an observation. We both had brisket. It was very lean the way it should be but, the meat was barely warm. Fortunately the BBQ sauce was heated so the sauce warmed up the meat. The baked potato was cool in the middle and the dinner roll was tasteless. No other bread options exist. The service was great! I wish I had better things to say. I love BBQ and I left hungry. When we got home, I snacked from the fridge.
(2)
Janice R.
My boyfriend found a groupon of Dillion's for $17 you got like $30 worth of food so my first thought was wow, this must be a sorta cheap eats place. l was certainly wrong it's rather pricey, the portions weren't, but the food was okay. However after it went left my boyfriend got sick from the food just a bit later in the evening. lt was certainly a unique experience, they won't get our money again.
(1)
Scott W.
This place has been on my to try list since before I knew what Yelp is. I made it my choice when I won a football bet last fall. Yes, I know football season has been over for a while but diets, cash flow and life in general, on both sides, made this dinner wait. Suffice it to say the company was worth the wait. When we got there about 6:30 on Saturday the parking lot was packed and we were worried we would be stuck in the bar with our growling stomachs. It turned out we were seated immediately although there were only a few tables open. We started with a half order of onion rings. These are hand made in house and served with a really good dipping sauce. Both the rings and the sauce reminded me of Lenny's (which got rid of their sauce and started buying frozen onion rings) only one notch higher. We were both thinking ribs in a BBQ joint and she got the baby backs and I got the St Louis style spare ribs. She got the fall off the bone she wanted and I got the slightly chewy I wanted. Of the sauces I preferred the cajun which was only mildly hot, however the ribs were good enough they really didn't need much sauce. We both ordered different sides so we could try many of them. We liked them all but my favorites were the cole slaw and the macaroni and cheese. The only soso item was the dinner roll but even there they are smart enough to serve soft butter. The service was attentive without being obtrusive the entire time. Our waitress had the answers to all of our questions without having to go ask. Sort of an anomaly in the North West valley, you can arrive here between 7:30 and 8:30 and the place will be sort of quiet between the Sun City folks and the later night crowd and be seated right away.
(4)
Pat R.
My cross country trip this year has turned me into somewhat of a BBQ snob. So while this rating may seem a little harsh, 3 is still average right? Anyhow Like a true fattie, I ordered a 3 meat plate baby back ribs, brisket and burnt ends. We got unsold on appetizers and opted for 2 orders of $1 onion rings and some fried shrooms. Appetizers were decent. For $1 you can't complain about anything. The shrooms were a bit greasy for my taste but I got my daily dose of veggies... Onto the main dishes: The baby back ribs had a nice bark on them however were a bit on the dry side. Like any rib shack I go to I take a pic of the smoke ring and cross section for reference. Dot believe me take a gander a my pics. I attribute the dryness due to the fact that they were probably smoked early in the afternoon. You could taste the smoke in the meat but because they were dry I needed to sauce them up to help them out. The sweet and hot sauce was ok but not noteworthy enough to buy a bottle and take home. The burnt ends we're a little on rare side to be called burnt ends. They looked like rib bits versus burnt ends. There wasn't really much or anything burnt about them. The brisket was the best of the 3 on the platter. It was thin sliced, had a nice smoke ring and was still nice and moist. Not sure what type of sauce was it was served with but it did help keep the brisket from drying out. All and all, it was ok but it didn't wow me or woo me in any way however, I'd still take Dillon's over Famous Dave's any day.
They can make an old fashioned. This can be hard to come by. The bar was filled to the brim when we went in, We opted for the patio and sat a few minutes, wondering 'do they come to us, do we go to them?' We go to them. It was a Saturday, around 4:00, and they were setting up for a band, if we hadn't been on the way to a wedding we may have stuck around. Overall, not bad at all, It didn't knock my socks off, but not bad.
(3)
Jeff W.
Food was great. Host staff was great. Server was too anxious to go home. Texting and side work was more important than serving our table. Overall was good though.
(4)
Cathy N.
We went on Sunday after church and it was pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table. Our server was nice she told us the specials. We got the sweet and spicy wings which are to die for. I got the bbq brisket sandwich with sweet hot cause on the side. I like that the brisket has no sauce on it because I like to dip and I just loved the sandwich. For dessert we got the Apple cinnamon dumpling and there was not one thing we left behind. I love the food at Dillons and I will always come back no matter what people say. Its amazing here
(5)
Jeff G.
Carolina pulled pork and brisket sandwiches were both very good although they came out a little too hot ( heat lamp?). Baked beans were only okay. Onion rings were delicious and could be the best deal in town ($2).
(4)
Wendy M.
We so enjoyed Happy Hour at Dillion's. Onion Rings the best in rhe valley and only $2.00 if ordered in the bar area. Service was excellent we will definitely visit again. Fun environment awesome food and great staff.
(5)
Gary G.
The service was good, the food, not so much. went because we had a Groupon, won't be back.
(1)
Marc B.
I love this place, the bartender Stephanie is awesome! never had a bad meal or service here. also great happy hour specials.
(5)
adam r.
Just went to Dillon's again yesterday. It's not somewhere you go for ambience . . . Or amazing service, not that our servers have been horrible ever, just busy. Dillon's doesn't even have best menu nor is everything spectacular. Why go then? They're Pulled Pork Sandwich is ridiculous delicious! I've tried many other things on their menu: the Smoked Salmon, the Southwest Mac n Cheese, the smoked Chicken, the Pulled Chicken Sandwich, the list goes on. None were ever bad. Most seem to lack something whether it was a little more flavor or more moisture in the meat. But their BBQ sauce and their Pulled Pork is off the hook! If you haven't been there, try that first. This particular location is a little cooky.They need a remodel. The carpet is something you'd find in a JB's (Are they even around anymore?) or a Coco's. the tables have those wipeable tablecloths which I guess is a little more barbecue-esque. Some tables have these ads all over them which I guess is not really a big deal since it draws your attention away from the mismatched lighting, carpet, and tablecloths. The back windows show a tiny yard for birds which is fenced in so you don't have to look at the parking lot of the body shop next door. They do put the paper towels on the table for cleaning up all the BBQ sauce on your fingers which adds to its authenticity. Service there is usually so-so. Servers are friendly, hospitable, but often busy. Sometimes it's hard to get a timely refill or an extra side of BBQ sauce. Other than that, adequate. I'll be back and you know what for.
(4)
Julie K.
This was the first time my husband and I ate at Dillon's. We found them in our Entertainment Book. The staff was so friendly and helpful. Our waitress Stephanie was great. All of the food was so good. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Amanda C.
When they're good they're great. Service was awesome. Mac n cheese was amazing, my husband liked the brisket, wedge salad was pretty good. They give a free half order of onion rings to first timers. They also had no issue brining samples of the sauces so my husband could decide which he liked. Their North Carolina BBQ was pretty awful though. And we weren't terribly impressed by the spinach artichoke dip.
(4)
Pickles C.
This is definitely a comfort food kind of place. Not dressy - and people watching is a must. Mostly families and older. I get the feeling that most were regulars in the neighborhood. A live band was playing on Saturday night when we went (oldies). To start, we had the onion rings, which were awesome. I had baby back ribs, with spicy hot bbq - really great. Plenty of sides, green beans and mashed potatoes. Not something I'd regularly eat - but it was really good! My hubby had a brisket sandwich with steak fries and beans. He loved it. Our waiter was awesome, I think his name was Austin. There's a also a cute Bunny hutch out back that you can see while you are eating. I love animals, so I thought it was a cute touch. Relieved that they didn't have rabbit on the menu tho!
(4)
Luca C.
Went here over the weekend with the wife and the place was really dissapointing. The staff was nice but the food was not good. My brisket was so dry, my coleslaw tasted like it was made of raw cabbage it was so hard. Her food was not so great, nothing to point out but nothing special. Not worth it, I'd stay away.
(1)
Had R.
Great place, great service. Been here a few times and I have a few groupons for Dillons. This visit we ordered a full rack and a full rack of brontosaurus ribs! See the pic i posted. Food was great, not the best pork ribs, but the best beef ribs I have had. couple that with great line up from the bar, live music and 99 cent great O rings... I am a fan of Dillons. Other dishes that I love, burnt ends, SW Stew.
(4)
Dawn D.
Really delicious BBQ and sides!
(4)
Lorena T.
Best ribs in town! Love coming here, lots to eat and friendly staff. The restaurant on Thunderbird is our favorite. You won't be disappointed, I guarantee.
(4)
Jack N.
I have been to this Dillions on a few occasions. The service is always average and so is the food. Last time I ordered wings and the Devil sandwich. The wings are money. Nice and crisp with a bowl of red hot sauce to dip them in. The Devil sandwich was whack. Some pulled pork with the SAME red hot sauce that came with the wings. A guy can only eat so much Franks red hot sauce at one meal. I must have misunderstood. I thought it was some type of homemade hot bbq sauce. I must have been thinking of Devil's spit from Famous Daves...speaking of famous daves I think next time I want bbq I will go there. Dillons is just ok for me. My wife had the catfish and liked it. She also loved her potato salad. My bbq beans were pretty tasty I must say. I would say thumbs up to the wings and sides and just a meh to the rest. The inside was extremely loud from the drunks in the karaoke bar next to us. Not sure how they can be that drunk already seems how it wasn't even 7 pm yet. Between the loud horrible singing and the fly that wouldn't leave our table the experience wasn't enjoyable. Had I known it was that kind of a bbq I probably wouldn't have taken my one year old. Guess you have to make money where you can and the bar was packed. We just ate quickly and got out of there before the country songs came on.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Jamie R.
It's sad to have to give this place a bad review because for a few years we enjoyed it very much. This was me and my fiancé favorite little place to go. Right by our home, beer was always cold and food was great. Until one day we popped into the establishment during the weekend to meet some friends for lunch. We were first to arrive so we grabbed a table in the bar and the waitress came up very sweet and we ordered two beers she asked for our IDs sure no problem! So we hand them to her and she said thank you and ill being those right out! Ya... 15 min later no drinks and mind you it was not busy. Then a lady with dark brown curly hair walks up to our table and literally says " I need to see your IDs please" not a hey I'm the manager anything. So a bit taken back we handed our IDs over again! She then proceeded to walk away yes! She walked away with OUR IDs in her hand. We sat that for 20 more minutes still no beer not even a glass of water! Then she comes back to tell my fiancé that his ID was fake.... He is 25 years old. Nothing about his ID looked fake I worked myself in a bar and am certified for selling alcohol and I know what they teach you to ID fake cards. She then proceeded to tell us to leave. Not saying we can give you food but we can give you the beer. By this time me and my fiancé were in shock and angry a place we have been visiting for so long and have been very loyal customers to. So my fiancé told her 1) we are leaving this establishment but we attend to contact management 2) she should of never walked away with our IDs and left us sitting there for a Half hour 3) she needed to watch her attitude with especially for being a manager. She gave attitude to my fiancé before he ever became upset. We left this establishment that day and went to another Mexican food restaurant and order a beer again, we proceeded to ask our waiter there if he thinks my fiancées ID was fake. He threw his head back and laughed and said " who would think this is fake? ". YUP! So end the story we did call management spoke to a GM did the whole deal. We went back in again with a new ID I had my fiancé get and this manager was still there. Then came to my table and proceeded to tell us " Glad you got a new ID However you had a very bad attitude " and she expected us to apologize to her and told us her hostess said that my fiancé was in her class in High school and that's why she didn't serve us. So needless to say GM and owner I believe said it would be taken care of obviously it wasn't. I even tried writing them again and was ignored. I understand being a manager of a restaurant/ bar her behavior was completely out of line. So food is great however staff not so much.
(1)Penny Lane X.
I've been eating at Dillon's for many years and my recent visit today was quite disappointing.... The Waitress came by with our beverages, but completely disappeared as we waited and...and waited...and waited to give her our order....(by this time, we could had driven over to FAMOUS DAVE'S in the amount of time it took for her to reappear!) There were only 3 other customers in the whole place, so it wasn't crazy busy (and there was ANOTHER Food Server on duty too). Anyhow.... I usually order their Pulled Pork, which is never disappointing. However, after seeing Adam Richman (Man Vs Food) eating some BBQ brisket on a recent episode, I suddenly wanted brisket too! The brisket was nicely rolled on a bun (like a spiral lollipop) and looked quite pretty, but was NOT as moist as the Pulled Pork. It was dry. The homemade potato salad is ALWAYS a winner! The overall portions seemed skimpy for the price ($8 or $9 bucks) for a sandwich and 1 side. (For less money, I could had gone to a Buffet to pig-out and not have to wait for a SLOW Food Server...) Took awhile to get the check too...ugh! Not everyone who eats there has HOURS to sit there waiting and waiting. If you want good portions for a good value...this is NOT the place to visit. Slow service and dry brisket will remind me to chose someplace else for lunch next time. ..
(2)Amanda J.
I've been to this location several times. In the past it has been fairly decent, but when I went yesterday it was awful. I went with my dad and one of his work associates who was visiting from out of town. I was really embarrassed. The plastic table cloth was completely stained and disgusting. I didn't want to touch it. I took a quick glance at the other tables and they all looked the same way. Eww. They had a special on onion rings and those were pretty tasty. I'd score the food a 3 (I had the pulled pork sandwich and they must have put the meat in a bowl and then dumped it on the bun because it stayed in the shape of the bowl and looked like a giant serving of cat food. That could easily be fixed. And no one felt like they got enough BBQ sauce, and c'mon! it is a BBQ restaurant! Someone in our party got a salad and it was garnished with canned peaches. Looked gross.) The place had an aura of an assisted living cafeteria. No thanks. I won't go back.
(1)Michael H.
Good place for eating before a Cardinals game. Ribs are somewhat over cooked and a little dry. Cajun sauce is good. order it on the side. Brisket is great and moist.
(3)Kevin O.
Roll up the sleeves cause it is BBQ time! I never seem to get to this place enough. If you want beef that will melt in your mouth go for the Burnt Tips! You will thank yourself while you eat. Dillon's does get pretty packed on Friday and Saturday so try to go a little earlier or later. I go that route and find it easier to get in. Nothing special about the decor, but what do you want? Top notch BBQ or fancy shamcy art? Put this place on your list of must try! They have a decent bar too, so enjoy an icy one with those tips!
(5)Gary W.
About as good as it gets in AZ
(5)Daren C.
The best BBQ porks sandwhich ever. Juicy, flarvorful, meaty, smokey. Perfect.
(5)Matthew F.
I promised my carnivorous 10 year old son some BBQ Ribs, and he wasn't letting me off the hook until he got some. So we ventured over to Dillion' s on Saturday afternoon, since one of my favorite meals is Pulled Pork, and Dillon's was right down the street. We only had to wait a few minutes and got a table right away. The atmosphere is understated... not really a place to bring your first date as there is no romantic ambiance here, just rolls of paper towels on each table for those truly dedicated to making a mess. If you come here, it's for the food. And it's worth coming here for the food. I love BBQ, and this is one of the best I have found in Phoenix so far. My son commented that they had some of the best ribs he had ever eaten (and he's tried a lot). I also noticed that you could buy the pulled pork, chicken, or brisket by the pound to go... already thinking about it for the first week of football. If you are on the west side and hankering for some BBQ, give it a shot!
(4)Cherlyn E.
Had a great pulled pork. Gals behind the bar are very friendly
(4)Tony S.
I visited Dillons Thunderbird again in search of good BBQ. It was three star worthy. I will probably be back as I have been on a BBQ binge lately in search of the best. This time I had the South Carolina style pulled pork sandwich and it was very tasty. We ordered taquitos as an appetizer and they were servered very nicely. Five large taquitos each stuffed with a different filling, chicken, pork, beef. All very good. Worth a visit if you are in the area!
(3)Nick N.
Excellent family owned atmosphere.
(4)amy b.
I am used to the another Dillon s location and expected a similar experience in service. Was I wrong. I stopped by to order something to go and the hostess up front was less than friendly. I was then directed to the bar to place an order. I went in there and was not greeted for several minutes (even though the bartender made eye contact with me) so I left. Won t be back to that location for sure, and will likely go to a different BBQ place next time.
(1)Erik A.
The place was decent and so was the food. I especially liked the potato salad as a side dish.
(3)Zeus H.
Great food. Feels like walkin into Grandma's house. Ordered Fried Pickles for Appetizer. Good breading, though they use cut pickle wedges pieces, which is a larger bite for fried pickles. Dill Slices would be better, but great taste all the same. Pork BBQ there is awesome. Some of the best I have had in Arizona. Service was pretty good too. Love this place.
(4)Thomas H.
My wife and son took me here for a Father's Day lunch. I enjoyed one of the best chicken club sandwiches I have ever had! The wife had what looked to be an awesome salad with fried chicken breast on top. Even our picky kid ate all of his chicken strips! We definitely recommend this place if you are on the west side.
(4)Mary A.
Great BBQ, but my favorites to order are the onion rings & the catfish nuggets. The bar area is the best place to be. Great bartenders & great service.
(5)Cassandra B.
Husband's choice: Brontasaurus Beef Ribs Platter - A full rack of beef ribs with bbq beans and steak fries. Delicious and enough two (or 3 with an extra side) to easily share. My friend's choice: Bbq Brisket platter with mac and cheese and bbq beans. The brisket was velvety and tender and melted in your mouth. My choice: BBQ Pulled Pork with a baked porato covered in bbq sauce and the veggie of the day (green beans). I also added a house salad.I chose to have all 3 bbq sauces on the side and loved them all. The bread would have been better if it was warmed and the green beans were a little too cooked for me, but it was still overall a great dish. The salad came out quickly and comes with croutons, egg and bacon. I wish there was a Fat Free salad dressing option, but at least they gad low cal Italian. The salad was huge and very good. After a normal wait, our meals arrived and were promptly devoured (except for the monstrous ribs). I could barely walk I was so stuffed!
(4)Jesse J.
I honestly don't get the love of this place it was good BBQ but far from great. Tip: If your pulled pork or chicken sandwich comes smothered in sauce it's because they are hiding something. A true bbq place would put sauce on the side so you can taste the smokiness of the meat before drenching it in sauce. Now the sauce was good and chicken was tender on my sandwich and the bbq beans were great but I just would like to try the smokey meat before to taste how good it is and how juicy it is prior to sauce. Will I go back maybe but for sure I won't go out of my way there are too many other places in town that offer above average bbq.
(2)Larry C.
10 years ago I lived just down the street from this great BBQ where it was always crowded with airmen from Luke AFB. Last week we were driving home from Las Vegas and it was time for a lunch stop, so we returned to Dillon's and found it has not changed much. Still great BBQ pork sandwiches with tasty side dishes of cole slaw and beans. Nice to return to a familiar place and find it is still the best BBQ on the west side of PHX.
(4)Linga E.
Tip: pay the extra $1.00 to get the side of onions rings instead of the appetizer portion...the individual side portion is generous and at a dollar how can you go wrong? I tried the spinach enchiladas with chips and salsa. I was hoping to be wowed and unfortunately wasn't. I mean what was I thinking, a vegetarian in a BBQ establishment? I found solace in that fact that even though Dillion's is known for their BBQ there were a variety of options for vegetarians. Next time I will try the Prickly Peach Salad oh and the fried pickles. With that said the rest of my party raved about the pork pulled sandwich :)
(3)James A.
Came today and did not have reservations for a party of 18, wow they were able to take us right in at noon with out any problems! The food was great and the service was spot on, some in the group had eaten here before but this was my first time I will be returning. Wife had there burger and I did the Dillon dip, both were delicious!
(5)Danielle A.
Food was pretty good , service from waitress was decent. I had a groupon and the mgr wouldn't honor it though, which ticked me off.
(4)Suzanne K.
I had a Groupon to use, and it requires dine-in. We'd previously picked up take-out from this location and although I had called it in and arrived on time to pick it up, they still took about 20 minutes to get our order (it was just pulled pork, what's so difficult?). We hoped dine-in would be different, and even made reservations. We arrived right on time at 6 pm on a Saturday and were made to wait a while. Then they apparently gave our table to someone else, so quick had to come up with another table. Our server was very nice, but apparently overworked because we rarely saw her. It took a long time to get our drinks, long enough we started wishing we'd ordered our food with our drinks. The food took a very long time to arrive. It was over an hour from our arrival before we were served even the mac and cheese for my 2 year old, who was getting impatient. Finally got our food and it was just not that good. I've had much better BBQ pulled pork at Thee Pitts Again and never had to wait that long to eat. All the disorganization and chaos, topped off with so-so BBQ means we won't be back, unless it 's to try the bar without the kiddo. It just takes too much time to get food that ain't that great in the restaurant.
(2)Josh H.
I have been to this Dillon's location several times over the past 3 or 4 years and I have never been disappointed. The food is great, the servers are nice and the price is reasonable. Another factor is the beer is very affordable. The selection at the Arrowhead location is a little better for those who enjoy craft beers, but if you are ok with the normal light beers and Amber Bock then this location will do. I usually get the ribs or burnt ends. The burnt ends are very tender, never dried out and big. The BBQ sauces are great, you get a choice of three. The ribs sometimes don't have enough smoke, but the meat falls of the bone and still has great flavor. My wife goes for the half chicken and she has never complained. The layout of the restaurant is awkward, they have added on and it doesn't flow the best and the decor is outdated, but it is definitely family friendly dining. Our 8 month old fits right in and if he gets noisy, you cannot hear him as the place gets fairly loud when busy. Check it out for the BBQ items, I haven't ventured to the sandwiches.
(4)Alexander C.
With so many corporate options near by I was elated when mother decided that Dillon's is where she wanted to go for her birthday. Not because the food is awesome or anything like that but because they are still independent and successful. For years and years we've been coming to Dillon's and I have to say that they are consistently okay. Back in the day when the menu was smaller and their meat platters came with garlic bread twists this was one of my favorites. Does anyone remember the bread twists? Oh those were awesome! The BBQ here is alright.. not bad, not great.. just stuck somewhere in the middle. Mother BTW, loved her Chicken Club sandwich and IMHO one of the only things to order on the menu.. fried chicken breast, bacon, ham and cheddar cheese on a bun.. it shines in its pork fayyt goodness!
(3)Kristina D.
Pretty good if you stick to the BBQ and remember that chili here has chunks of beef. Coming from New York it's different. Their ribs are really tasty as are the beans. Not a fan of their catfish as it has too much breading/batter, however the batter on the onion rings are quite tasty.
(4)Eric S.
Like anyone else I appreciate locally owned and operated places, and I wish Dillons all the success in the world (I found their service both friendly and fast), but seriously, this BBQ sucks. I had pork spare ribs and brisket because these are the two most difficult cuts to get right. Texturally, the brisket was fine, if a bit dry. The ribs were underdone (the bones did not come clean as they should when properly prepared, and they were tough because of this). The ribs and the brisket both had only the slightest hint of smoke flavor... they were seriously undersmoked. To top it off, their sauces (mild and "cajun" - which is not hot at all, though I suspect they cater to the Sun City palate) were both savory sauces dominated by the flavor of mustard and vinegar. How anybody can judge either of these sauces delicious is a mystery to me. I found them both horrible. One bite of each meat was all I could manage. Sides were a mixed bag. The mac and cheese was delicious (thank you, thank you!) - but the baked beans were chili beans and were... gross. I suspect they were made using the sauce, so it's not terribly surprising I didn't like them. I had their chicken wings as an appetizer, they were pretty good. They are prepared like fried chicken and come with the sauce on the side. It was agreeably hot and delicious... but then again, it wasn't BBQ.
(2)Tam F.
This is a meat place close to Sun City so dinner at 5 last night was quite appropriate. Dillon's is decent fresh food in a casual environment. Good for groups, efficient wait staff and big portions. The man was on a brisket kick and since this was a BBQ joint, figured he would try it. It is Kansas style and it was nice and tender BBQ-though not quite "smoked" and definitely sliced on a meat slicer. The daughter had a pulled pork sandwich that was tender and delicious. The Grandmother had a brisket sandwich, there are other offerings as well-fried chicken, chicken fried steak, fish, etc. Salads are good as are the onion rings they ordered for appetizers. This is no BBQ joint. This is a family restaurant with decent food and decent service. I am giving 4 stars again mostly due to the great service we have. For some reason, AZ is still ass backwards when it comes to recognizing waitstaff. They are not paid minimum wage (though I am not sure how this is legal). They make about $3.25 per hour from the establishment (this is up from $2.12 two years ago) and the rest is supposed to come out of tips. Any young person willing to work in the Sun City area and depend on tips and actually works really hard to get them deserves a whole star to themselves (oh and an extra tip behind the chintzy tippers in my family here). Reservations are only taken for a party of 8 or more.
(4)Craig B.
I've been coming here basically since the place opened and have yet to have a bad experience. Occasionally service may be a bit slower than usual, but unless I'm being completely ignored, I'm not too put off by it. I first went here off of the recommendation of someone who told me I HAD to try the chicken fried steak. However, sitting down and looking at the menu, I realized that ordering a chicken fried steak in a BBQ joint would be akin to ordering a hamburger in a Mexican food restaurant. Not even going there! Items I can say without a doubt are great: Pulled pork (moist and slightly smoky), turkey (thinly sliced but a great smoked flavor), smoked sausage (although it doesn't stand out above other smoked sausages elsewhere, it's still good), and ribs (I'm not a huge rib person, but they are tasty and flavorful). My absolute favorite, must get is the burnt ends. I am a fan of huge smoke flavor and these tasty brisket ends don't disappoint! Strangely enough, the brisket itself is probably the one item on the menu I'm not a huge fan of. The BBQ Sauce, you ask? I'm a fan of the cajun style (slightly kicky and not too sweet), which is Dillon's original sauce. The sweet and mild sauce was created for the Sun City crowd who requested a milder sauce, and the name describes it about perfectly. The sides I've had are all pretty good, although I usually stick with a potato product and beans - why mess with something that works for you? As others have mentioned, this is very near Sun City, expect early crowds. And one other thing? I have yet to try the chicken fried steak.
(4)Amanda B.
I suspect the average age of the regular customer base would approach sixty. This isn't what one would consider a hip and happenin' spot, but Dillon's is comfortable and confident with its role in life. The servers are generally high school students and forced to wear t-shirts featuring sports teams. They're friendly, but definitely have the "I'm sixteen and this is my first job. Teehee." thing going on. The decor reminds you of a trip to Grandma's, and the music in the bar is just a little too loud. Once you move past all of that, Dillon's is wonderful. The food is hearty and there are no pretenses. The stews are lovely, and the pulled pork sandwich is great. There are two choices of barbecue sauce and the kids menu provides a few options. The best part? The onion rings. They're light and fluffy with just the slightest hint of seasoning. You'll have a choice between a full basket and half basket. Just give in and buy the entire thing. The onion rings alone are worth the trip.
(4)Ayesha S.
Oh Dillon's. I once, mistakenly took this guy that I was seeing to Dillon's. See, we hadn't really talked much about our eating habits as it was our second or third date (and we'd just met for drinks before this date) but he had marked "meat and potatoes" in his on-line profile. I'm not a meat and potatoes girl as I am Pakistani and these things are inherent to American culture but I was keen on satisfying his supposed love for meat and potatoes. In order to truly grasp this situation, you have to know that this guy was from the East Valley and kind of a snob because of it- I know that the West Valley has a long way to go (but I live and work here and have to be positive so shut up!) and am not denying that. We had only hung out in the East Valley, and it was my turn to try and let the West Valley shine. Anyway, I was freaking out because I don't know Phoenix that well and don't eat meat and potatoes. So, I called a good friend who is a Phoenix native and she instantly thought "DILLONS!" when I said meat and potatoes. She was, of course right on, if one is really into meat and potatoes. It turns out that the guy I was seeing wasn't really into meat and potatoes and hadn't thought much about his profile when he had filled it out. I felt like a total freak, as he told me he enjoyed Thai and all kinds of stuff that I actually enjoy. This led to a bit of an awkward albeit fun time at Dillon's. We opted to sit outside as it was a nice evening. Unfortunately, the patio area gives you clear view of some abandoned trailer and a large overgrown field. Not exactly romantic or cool. We ordered a bottle of red wine when we sat down and the waitress was clearly miffed by this. I'm pretty positive she had been working there for years and no one had actually ordered a bottle of wine. It also took a very long time for the wine to be delivered to us, so we were sure that someone had to run out to the local Circle K to get us our bottle of wine. I ended up ordering the spinach enchiladas (I know, lame) and he ordered a salmon salad. Although the food was decent, I'd probably only suggest this restaurant to a big meat eater. Which apparently wasn't either of us. I totally let the West side down by showcasing Dillon's to an East Valley snob. Argh.
(2)jon c.
What happened to the chicken fried steak??? It is off the menu and that's why we go to Dillions. So I guess bye bye
(1)Ann K.
Great Chicken Fried Chicken with gravy for my husband and Spinach Enchiladas for me. Good service & good food. Who could ask for more?
(4)Mike G.
Dillon's is a small restaurant just off of the west side 101 loop at Thunderbird road. It is a small place with a bar. The food is excellent and the service is very friendly and prompt. Two dishes you need to try are their "burnt ends" (don't be confused by the name) and their Southwestern Stew. The stew is quite inexpensive and very tasty. Not a huge meal but is sufficient as a meal itself.
(4)Cameron K.
Arizona is not good BBQ territory (that would be Texas), but this place does a great job for the area. I've eaten a few times and it is a consistent solid performer.
(5)Melissa H.
I am surprised there are not more reviews for Dillon's seeing how popular it is on the west-side. It is a good BBQ restaurant, with a wide menu, friendly staff, and quick service (for the most part). Despite being overrun with white hairs, there is a good mix of families and often it gets really loud in their. The BBQ sauce is tasty and the brisket, pork, and baby back ribs are some of the best you will find over here. It is the type of place you can go to and know you will always have a quality meal- no surprises here. It has become a staple with my family and often a place we take out of town company. With locations in Surprise and 67th and the 101, it is convenient to most of the west-side.
(4)Dustin C.
The food warrants a five star but the service was terrible! No drink refills we had to ask, no check we had to ask and no personality! Great burnt ends though!
(4)Brian A.
I've come to Dillon's several times since I moved to Phoenix in 2000. The food is good and wait staff is friendly. I'very attended several work luncheons here and there is space to hold parties. My favorite is the BBQ Burnt Ends. Worth trying Dillon's at least once.
(4)Jason I.
Situated right off of thunderbird and the 101 towards sun city this place is pretty convenient to get too from off the freeway. The food here is terrific. they are known for their BBQ but I tend to order other items as they are just as good. The smoked turkey is fantastic juicy and lean. They also have deep fried pickles which are sooo soo good. Addicting. Their homemade ranch dressing is the bomb. One other thing this place is known for is the Onion Rings! Get a half order they are humongous! The prime rib is one of my favorites it has a slightly bacony taste to it. Overall give dillions a shot. Its good to take the wife and grandma too! I Love this place never had a bad meal. The Dillons dip is the best french dip sandwich around. I also love the Beef Ribs and the Chilli is OMG Awesome they put brisket in it! Good for kids too!
(5)Matt W.
These guys have good BBQ, the only problem is they cook to their demographic so everything is over cooked, and they go light on their sauce on some and extremly heavy on many other items. Many bland items, but good happy hour specials and appitizers, and some good spicy bbq items. Kind of pricy for what you get compared to others. Also the ditsy watresses would rather flit with guys in the back than ask you if you need a refill or something.(famous daves is way better) If I lived in sun city I would probably rate this establishment with 4 or more stars but this young buck looks elsewhere for bbq delight. Texaz bbq or famous daves are much better choices.
(2)Erika G.
People who like this place have got to be kidding me! The brisket and ribs were dry and tasteless. They try and hide this fact by covering it up with sauce (the sauce is pretty good) but you can't rely on sauce to cover up the fact that your meat is terrible! I should have known I was in trouble when I walked in and smelled bleach, not barbecue. The service was not very good either. I told the waitress about the tasteless food and she just offered me more tasteless food. Had she at least offered to take it off my bill I would have felt slightly better about the experience. Seriously, try the food without the sauce, you will be unpleasantly shocked!
(1)Duane T.
Went on July 4th. They weren't very busy. The bartender was very busy with something, not us, that was for sure. Had a real need for pork ribs, they were out. Had the combo plate with beef ribs and sausage. The sausage was not even luke warm. The beef ribs were tough, fatty and not very tasty. Another table had a whole rack of the beef ribs. As they were walking out I asked them what they thought of the ribs. They said they complained about them and were not charged. The mac and cheese was very good as was the coleslaw. My experience with Dillon's in the past is their sides are always good and their meats are not so good. They seem to have a problem with service. The table behind us said he had been there 15 minutes before anyone came to the table. Our sever said that this was her third day. For three days on the job she did good. I was surprised that any restaurant had to add servers in the summer. All of the servers we saw were college age.
(2)Plaid L.
I cant say enough about how good this place is. I've been there dozens of times and every time I eat there, I am very satisfied. Pulled pork is awesome. Mashed potatoes are delish. They recently started serving a macaroni and cheese, which was awesome. It has corn and bread crumbs in it and just tastes fantastic. Ribs are incredible. Chicken club sandwich is sooo good. It is a big fried chicken breast, with ham, bacon and cheese. Holy crap it's good.....You must go to Dillon's right now. You wont be sorry....
(5)KIM D.
tonite had first bad meal here. was with 90 yr old motherinlaw so did not say anything cuz she gets so flustered and thinks anything untoward is her fault somehow. been here plenty and usually very good food across the board. beware the chicken fried steak if the breading could not save it there is a problem, and there was an overabundance of breading on a stringy unchewable hunk of steak. just pushed it around and hid it under gravy so mom didn't notice. little blip hopefully just one bad day and not a sign of things to come, cuz dillon's is a family favorite.
(3)Amelia P.
We had a coupon, so husband and I had lunch following eye doctor appointment today. So pleased to see the new parking lot is finished. Difficult parking has kept us away from this local BBQ stop. Maybe the increased business will prompt the owners to update the bathrooms next. My husband has the catfish and shrimp basket special that came with two sides for $10.99. He said it was really good. I opted for the pulled pork sandwich withe one side at right near the same price. His was a better value for the money. I need to note why the four stars, they are primarily for the new parking area, the server, and then the food. Had the bathroom been cleaner (floor tile is nasty, handicap door lock falling off, and trash cans overflowing), I might have been motivated to give the restaurant five stars. Owners can't expect five stars when they need to paint and get things feeling bright and clean! I'm sure we'll return, but only when we have discount coupon until owners make the restaurant more comfortable and cleaner. Sep 16, 2015 Addition to Original Review I want to thank George V. for responding to my review! It let's me know the owners/managers do care what the customers think. I can now guarantee that we will be returning to Dillions on Thunderbird soon.
(4)Sara S.
Visited for the first time last night - the only reason for the 3 stars is that the bartender was great. We ordered a couple of combos to share so that we could try everything. When our food came out, it was cold! Not just "it sat in the window a little too long" but actually cold in temperature like it was cooked yesterday and put right in the plate! Mashed potatoes cold - burnt ends cold - brisket cold, baked potato cold!!! We sent back one plate and asked for another potato on the side. Clearly it was just put in the microwave because when the potato came out it was so hot it scalded my mouth! Anyways - flavor was just ok But the drinks were good and Eileen did her best to make things right.
(3)Jimmy G.
Where to start. With the loud obnoxious drunk at the end of the bar at 330 in the afternoon? (Who as it turns out, works there. Well. At least that's what he told everyone at the bar and the restaurant.). Seriously. At one point, he was literally barking. Like a dog. And I'm not kidding. The guy stepped out for a smoke and almost nosedived right by my table. And when he left all I could think was "I hope he's not driving..."). Or should I start with the food. Ok in a second. First, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention what a dive this place is. And I don't mind dives, but this place was "restaurant rescue" needing kind of dive. Ok. Lifted kilt. Not bad Food: I got the combo with "smoked" turkey and "burnt ends", cole slaw and a baked potato (they don't have chives?). The "burnt ends". Ugh. More like flavorless cubed up pot roast. They obviously don't know what burnt ends really are. The "smoked" turkey. A little better but not smoked as far as I could tell. (No smoke rings). The "sweet & hot" bbq sauce is the only saving grace. The cole slaw. Super bland. Basically, cabbage and maybe mayo? The baked potato with butter and sour cream. How do you mess that up? You microwave it, that's how. I got a dinner roll. It didn't taste house made. Maybe store bought. The service: when the server paid attention to me, she was super nice. In fact I feel a little bad about writing such a negative review, but this has very little to do with her. Sorry, "C". It looks like this is really just a beer joint that happens to serve food. There were probably 20-25 people in there and I only counted 6 ladies. So... I tried to connect to the wifi but I couldn't get it to work. That plate plus the one beer and a nice tip for the server set me back 30 bucks. Maybe the overall experience would have been better on the restaurant side rather than in the bar area. But I'll end by saying I'm still looking for a good bbq place on the west side.
(2)Dl S.
I'm from Kansas City, so I know barbeque. The bbq isn't really very good. The sandwiches are pretty good, though. The restaurant also seems rather loud and small.
(3)Clint B.
2 lunches here so far and very happy both times! Great service and very good food! I have had the Brisket Sandwich both times, but with different sauce. Sweet Heat and Cajun BBQ! The only thing I can criticize a bit is the bun. I feel like they could use something a bit thicker to withstand the moist meat covered in BBQ sauce. The Cole-Slaw is great too! A place I will go to more, and look forward to trying more of their menu. Very curious about their Fish and Burgers.
(4)Diana S.
I am still not a Dillon's fan, the food was average, but a bit overpriced for what you get. Tried to split the bill and it got screwed up so bad we had to make several phone calls to get it back, they charged both cards the full amount. Service was good, but overall just an average place to eat. But the best thing about it is the onion rings, cant go wrong with them.
(2)Lisa Monique C.
Me and my family walked in and was greeted with a warm welcome. We went on a Thursday evening. It was not that busy and our wait was twenty minutes. I would say the decor was out of date. They seriously need a restaurant makeover. We finally got seated. Our server, Miss Corona was great. She seemed tired, but still served us with genuine effort. Out party was of seven, and she got all of our orders right. She was not rude at all and did not pout when we asked for several things. I ordered the beef brisket platter with a loaded potato and wedge salad for my side. My brisket was kind of dry. My loaded potato was delicious. The wedge salad was tasty. Overall, decent food. After a good hour, our meal came to an end. She dropped off the check with no rush. We left the place, still being treated with good customer service all the way out the door. Overall, Dillons BBQ was a cozy family atmosphere.
(4)Adam S.
There are few instances embedded in my memory where the food was so terrible that it was worth mentioning. This place should take the BBQ part of their sign down. They are not worthy! I got the pick three with: Burnt ends(dry and barely fit for dog food), Turkey(tasted like a horrible thanksgiving bird or just thick sliced lunch meat. Who serves BBQ with gravy for God's sake?) Brisket(This is probably the same meat they serve on the roast beef subs at subway, only thicker sliced. No smokey flavor whatsoever.) The three sauces offered were either bitter, sweet, or bittersweet. On a great positive, the sides that myself and my lovely companion enjoyed are most likely available at any Walmart deli, or the aisle with Bush's baked beans. No, seriously, the onion rings were amazing. Good for one appetizer, happy hour drinks and get the hell out! The server was awesome, and the manager tried to take care of me earlier in the meal. I'm just not the type to make a scene in public over food. When I did mention that the brisket and turkey were like lunch meat with no smokey flavor, I was told that they cater to an older clientele and can't add much smoke flavor.
(1)Jim R.
I have probably eaten at Dillons fifty times it's always been pretty good but ate there last Thursday in the bar which is where I usually eat. I had the stew and salad which is one of my favorites salad was great but stew was soup with lots of broth and not the usual. My wife had brisket sandwich normally very moist and tender ---- not this time. The worst part of the meal was the service, the waitress took our order and never came back to check on is my wife had to go up to the bar to get water I had to go to the bar together check and pay. We all have bad days so I will probably go back, but not for a while.
(3)Imnotpaidtopost N.
It's a BBQ place and the fish tacos aren't bad. Next time, I am bringing my own hot sauce but, no complaints because the fish was good and it's a BBQ place after all. Table of folks got other stuff they raved about but, will let them add own reviews. For first time here, I liked it. Would come back.
(5)Justin H.
I've been wanting to try Dillon's for a couple of weeks since moving back to the west valley. I used to live near dillons arrowhead so I'm familiar with it. This was my first time at the Thunderbird location and it went very well. I will be back. The hostess was very nice and welcoming upon entering and gave me some good suggestions. I ordered the brisket sandwich with Mac n cheese and it was delicious. The brisket was a little dry but the Cajun BBQ sauce was on point. The bartender, Eileen, hooked me up with a free coca cola while I was waiting and while it may not seem like much, that coupled with the atmosphere and warm reception is something that will make people want to go back. Next time I'll definitely check out the onion rings I have been deprived of for so long I've had some fantastic BBQ in Kansas City and thjs isn't quite up to the same level when it comes to the food but the smell and atmosphere are right on par
(5)A H.
In town to see the parents, and they said meet us at Dillon's. I immediately Yelped it to see where it was, what the menu looked like and of course, the reviews. My husband and I were a little concerned that it was going to be a bad experience because of the latest posts...it was NOT!! Though it is by far not "elegant", it is however, super country cute. We were greeted and sat. And immediately waited on by (I believe) Alyssa--she was charming and sweet. I can understand some of the reviews saying that they cater to a "certain crowd". Fine. Alyssa did an AWESOME job taking care of my 65 year old parents, asking exact questions and making sure their orders were correct and catered to their needs!! This really makes me happy. And I can understand it takes a lot of patience, but she did it with ease!! They have a FULL menu, but it's the BBQ that was our agenda. Super succulent shredded pork, juicy pork ribs, ridiculously HUGE beef ribs, and the sides (I think between the 4 of us, we had them all) were very rich and tasty (mac-n-cheese and potato salad were off the hook!!). Their iced tea was FRESH and my mom's soda was perfectly bubbly!! We were given take-out containers with bags and were allowed to sit a little while so we could catch up! We had such an excellent lunch and visit with one another. Thanks Dillon's Thunderbird Crew!! And THANK YOU ALYSSA!!! Post Script: *Parking goes fast. *The prices were completely affordable. *The bar looks like a HUGE PLUS!! *They are wheel-chair friendly. *They have adorable "bibs" for the "ribs." *And the unheard of: the other customers were friendly and generous--the kind woman next to us picked up MY napkin and gave it to me!!! Who does that???!!! GOOD PEOPLE DO!!!
(5)Trinity R.
Ok, we love the food here....but seriously... our waiter didn't introduce himself and just walked up asking if we were ready to order. The entire wait staff acted as if they could care less. Every other location has awesome service. Not sure what happened today. Had it been our first ever visit, we wouldn't be coming back.
(2)David H.
Food is decent. Nothing special. Had the brisket sandwich. Sliced a little thick for my tastes, and not very tender. The biggest negative is that service is very slow. This was my third and probably last visit here because of the service.
(3)Rosann R.
Absolutely the best service!!! The food was warm & right on time after appetizers! Our waitress Ann W. Was wonderful! Definitely will be coming back!
(5)Stacy F.
Good BBQ meats, but that may be the only saving grace for a return to this location unfortunately. We arrived around 7 p.m. so a touch after the normal dinner crowd and were seated pretty quickly after we arrived. Once seated we waited about 20 minutes to get our order taken and about 25 minutes after that to receive our food. I had the pulled pork sandwich and he had the pick any 2 meats plate (with sausage and pulled chicken). For a side my plate had the steak fries and his had the mac and cheese and BBQ beans. The pulled pork was delish, as was the sausage and the pulled chicken. The sides were a different matter. The mac and cheese wan't bad, but it was pretty flavorless. If you've ever made steak fries in the oven at home, you may be familiar with the struggle to cook them evenly and to have them not turn out soggy in the middle but cooked on the edges. Dillon's has this same problem. The middles were definitely soggy and undercooked. while the edges were perfect. The BBQ beans were the best of the three sides we had. Server didn't check up on us and never refilled our drinks and forgot to put our Groupon deal on the check when it was brought out. In his defense he was emptying a few tables when we were wrapping up and coupons are forgotten all the time. It was just more the accumulation of all the other waiting that compiled this factor onto the negative experience. Overall: B- / C+ The meats were really tasty. The sides were lacking, but they have tons to choose from, so perhaps different selections next time? The wait was pretty hefty, but it's based on a one time only visit - so grain of salt. If we have the time and desire for some BBQ we may visit again, but there are lots of other places to try....
(3)Melanie M.
Of course the BURNT ENDS were excellent!!! We were there on a Friday night and there was a live band. But it was way to loud. We sat in the restaurant area and could hardly hear each talk or the waiter. Never knew they had bunnies there. We got to sit by the windows along the bunny backside where the bunnies are. SO CUTE!
(4)Brenda B.
After reading all the bad reviews. And having most of them validated by a employee... Thanks for saving me the waste of time and money. I am not 90 and don't want my food cooked like that either. But the cater to the area residents. so what can u say...
(2)Cameo W.
Pretty good food. We ordered to go and they gave us the wrong order so double check your bag before you leave. Turned out OK though, the brisket was really good and the BBQ sauce is delicious.
(4)Marcia K.
LOVE IT, love it!!! So good. I always try to find a reason to come here to eat. The BBQ is the best. We always use the Dillons Standard to see if other restaurants measure up when we try other places. So far, not to many.
(5)Antiquity S.
The food is awesome and always great service. My significant other and I have been there quite a few times since 2011, and have always had a positive experience. If you sit in the bar, bring earplugs for the live music! If you want a sit down restaurant meal, make sure you get a window by the bunnies!
(5)Marina M.
Since we moved here I've heard so many people talk about Dillon's & their onion rings. We finally bit the bullet & headed over there. I was surprised with how large it was inside. We were seated right away & started with their onion rings which are only $2. They were AMAZING! The breading was light & crispy without being overly greasy. I ordered the brisket plate with mac & cheese & mashed potatoes with brown gravy. My mom ordered the chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes & cole slaw. My brisket was very flavorful but pretty dry, the BBQ sauce was definitely needed. Mac & cheese was decent & the mashed was really good, I would just go for cream gravy instead of brown next time. The real superstar was the chicken fried chicken. This is usually my go-to meal anytime a place has it, I literally search out chicken fried chicken when I go places. This was probably one of the best I have had. The batter was so crispy, just like the onion rings, the chicken was incredibly juicy & their gravy was definitely homemade, no powdered mixes here. Can't wait to come back again very soon!
(4)Amanda R.
Meh. Just ok. Came from out of town and wanted to try some good bbq. The big draw was the burnt ends. Do yourself a favor and pass!!! Just chopped up brisket, nothing special at all! Cannot come minutely close to KC bbq. Service was pretty good. Best part of the meal was the bbq sauce..
(3)Jennifer L.
Had lunch there today. Waited a while for food but it was well worth it! Fantastic brisket platter, wedge salad, BLT, and desserts. Sweet hot BBQ sauce was amazing. Beans were the best i ever had! Everyone enjoyed. Service was friendly and all plates came out as ordered.
(5)Tonya M.
We've been to Dillon's many times but this was our first time at this location, given how close it is to Sun City it explains why we were the youngest couple in there (we're in our 30's). My boyfriend keeps buying the Groupons and we keep coming back. I can honestly say if it wasn't for the Groupons we wouldn't come here, but for the price we pay it's a great deal. This particular visit we started with the breaded mushrooms, they were good, we were able to choose between regular ranch and a chipotle ranch, we went with both. James ordered the pulled pork with sweet heat like always and I decided to try something new. I ordered the taco salad with chicken and wow was it tasty! That chicken was amazing, it's different than the chicken used in the chicken sandwich. The only thing that could have made it better was guacamole. We had a table in the back by the window so we got to watch the bunnies. I am, however, deeply concerned about the one that looks like it has a huge tumor on its neck. Has anyone gotten that checked out??
(4)Moe G.
Well... This is one of those places you will either crave or come back In the same week. Tried burnt ends, Mac and cheese , beef ribs , pulled pork and a few other things and everything was on point .. Even the Bloody Mary was tasty. Service was great and didn't have to wait forever like most BBQ places to get your order Plenty of seating and short wait. Great environment all around. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Ella M.
Ok, so we have driven past this place a hundred times always wondering what it was. Finally figured out it was BBQ and after some random shopping adventures, the bff and I were ready for some BBQ. We walked in and the place was pretty full! The decor is...interesting...very "grandma's living room" but makes you feel at home. I couldn't decide between the brisket sandwich or the pulled pork so I asked our server. He immediately said the brisket was his top choice. So I went for it. I do not regret it. I asked for 2 different sauces on the side. Yes! Finally a place that just gives you the brisket sliced thinly and sauce on the side! Just like my dad does it! Their cajun BBQ sauce is perfection! Not too spicy, but more than flavorful! The brisket is very tender and flavorful...also VERY LEAN! The bun is soft and not at all too bready...sorry, but a bready bun just ruins the sandwich! I'm there for the meat, not for the bread ;-) I really enjoyed dinner and will definitely be going back! If you can, ask to sit by the window facing their little "garden"! You might have a few of 3 of the cutest bunnies you've ever seen...might I add that they are HUGE bunnies! So cute just hopping around! Was definitely a bonus! hehehe
(4)Lynn B.
Service is slow in the bar area. Not many people here either. Bartender more interested in her phone. 40 min wait for two salads.
(2)Thomas T.
My experience is limited to dining in the bar area, usually around 7-830 pm on Friday or Saturday. The food is great and you will leave satisfied. The pulls pork sandwich is my favorite, juicy and flavorful. You can pick your sauce to top it off with. The homemade style Mac and cheese is good. I felt as if I was at my grandmothers eating a hearty meal The beer selection is poor, consisting of your typical bud light draft with a San tan beer or four peaks thrown in. Nothing out of the ordinary. What the bar does offer is live music on Fridays with no cover.
(4)Manish G.
I took 3 meat platter with Smoked Turkey, Brisket and St. Louis Style Ribs..... OMG..... with all 3 meats even sides were awesome.. BBQ beans and coleslaw..... Brisket and Turkey were so moist and tender... they were just melting my mouth.... I never had anything like that, they were out of the world..... My favorite the Ribs, were cooked to the perfection and they were perfect combination of meat flavour and sauce... It was insanely awesome.... I will visit this place again......... and again....... and again...... :)
(5)Thundar M.
Visiting AZ for a tournament and found Dillon ' s in yelp. Was greeted pleasantly by hostess, waitress Kimberly was friendly and knowledgeful of menu. She was attentive checking if we needed anything else. I tried the chicken, sausage links, and pulled pork. Food was really good, hot bbq sauce was good. Overall was a good experience with good food. Thanks
(5)Bonnita D.
It has been at a few years sense I last ate there. I loved their catfish and prim rib. They have focused in on BBQ. I am not a fan of St. Louis ribs, it would be unfair for me to write a review on them. Their wait staff was 4.5 star, the onion rigs were crispy and not at all greasy, but they fell short of the best I have had at a Florida neighborhood Fish Camp (not a camp at all, a fish restaurant). The beef brisket had good flavor and dry. The sauce, I had on the side was quite good. In St. Louis style the sauce please a big part, in Texas it is all about the smoke, then the dry rub playing as a supporting roll. The BBQ sauce is more of an after thought. Lastly the asparagus was perfect for me. Sadly by the time I got to them they were cold, my fault. Forget about the apple pie, I hope they didn't make it.the ice cream was just ice cream. I would have given then 2 stars but the atmosphere and wait strafe I had to give them a higher rating. I wish I could give them higher for past meals, we are here today, that is what I am reviewing. I will eat there agai
(3)Scott H.
Would be a five star but the service was just bad. Waited over an hour for our meals. Waitress was not too attentive. Was served food without silver ware. So why a 4 star because the food was very very hood. The ribs were excellent. Turkey nicely smoked. Fries could have been more crisper.
(4)Bryce O.
Called in a take out order for my first try here. The are reasonably priced take out by the pound, but actually ended up getting my order wrong (even though it was correct on my receipt). Because of this I only got to try the brisket, which I have to give 2 stars. At a solid BBQ place, the brisket should be easy to eat and smokey good. The issue here is that it was neither. You have to cover the brisket in sauce to give it a good taste and on top of that it was hard and chewy. Seems like in Sun City it would at least be critical to have meat that isn't hard, my grandmother really couldn't eat it as it was too hard to chew up. I ended up cutting it up into small pieces to freeze and save for a stew or something at a later date.
(2)Jim B.
We visited in the mid afternoon for dinner on yesterday (Thursday). They were already out of "Burnt Ends" but that sometimes happens and is not a negative, just an observation. We both had brisket. It was very lean the way it should be but, the meat was barely warm. Fortunately the BBQ sauce was heated so the sauce warmed up the meat. The baked potato was cool in the middle and the dinner roll was tasteless. No other bread options exist. The service was great! I wish I had better things to say. I love BBQ and I left hungry. When we got home, I snacked from the fridge.
(2)Janice R.
My boyfriend found a groupon of Dillion's for $17 you got like $30 worth of food so my first thought was wow, this must be a sorta cheap eats place. l was certainly wrong it's rather pricey, the portions weren't, but the food was okay. However after it went left my boyfriend got sick from the food just a bit later in the evening. lt was certainly a unique experience, they won't get our money again.
(1)Adam P.
Came for lunch with friends and family. Sat on the patio because this is az in the winter and the weather is the best in the country. Patio was smaller with no tv's or true upgrades. Had to go inside to get my own menus. Friend had to go inside to get kids menus and crayons. After about 10 minutes we got to order a drink. Could be happier with the service. Ordered a pulled pork sandwich with Cajun BBQ sauce and steak fries. Sandwich was actually pretty good and the sauce was also good. Some of my fries were cold which was odd and left me unsatisfied again. There was nothing about this visit or this location that could justify a higher rating. I have been to other locations and had better experiences. Maybe it's just this one?
(3)Scott W.
This place has been on my to try list since before I knew what Yelp is. I made it my choice when I won a football bet last fall. Yes, I know football season has been over for a while but diets, cash flow and life in general, on both sides, made this dinner wait. Suffice it to say the company was worth the wait. When we got there about 6:30 on Saturday the parking lot was packed and we were worried we would be stuck in the bar with our growling stomachs. It turned out we were seated immediately although there were only a few tables open. We started with a half order of onion rings. These are hand made in house and served with a really good dipping sauce. Both the rings and the sauce reminded me of Lenny's (which got rid of their sauce and started buying frozen onion rings) only one notch higher. We were both thinking ribs in a BBQ joint and she got the baby backs and I got the St Louis style spare ribs. She got the fall off the bone she wanted and I got the slightly chewy I wanted. Of the sauces I preferred the cajun which was only mildly hot, however the ribs were good enough they really didn't need much sauce. We both ordered different sides so we could try many of them. We liked them all but my favorites were the cole slaw and the macaroni and cheese. The only soso item was the dinner roll but even there they are smart enough to serve soft butter. The service was attentive without being obtrusive the entire time. Our waitress had the answers to all of our questions without having to go ask. Sort of an anomaly in the North West valley, you can arrive here between 7:30 and 8:30 and the place will be sort of quiet between the Sun City folks and the later night crowd and be seated right away.
(4)Cathy N.
We went on Sunday after church and it was pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table. Our server was nice she told us the specials. We got the sweet and spicy wings which are to die for. I got the bbq brisket sandwich with sweet hot cause on the side. I like that the brisket has no sauce on it because I like to dip and I just loved the sandwich. For dessert we got the Apple cinnamon dumpling and there was not one thing we left behind. I love the food at Dillons and I will always come back no matter what people say. Its amazing here
(5)Pat R.
My cross country trip this year has turned me into somewhat of a BBQ snob. So while this rating may seem a little harsh, 3 is still average right? Anyhow Like a true fattie, I ordered a 3 meat plate baby back ribs, brisket and burnt ends. We got unsold on appetizers and opted for 2 orders of $1 onion rings and some fried shrooms. Appetizers were decent. For $1 you can't complain about anything. The shrooms were a bit greasy for my taste but I got my daily dose of veggies... Onto the main dishes: The baby back ribs had a nice bark on them however were a bit on the dry side. Like any rib shack I go to I take a pic of the smoke ring and cross section for reference. Dot believe me take a gander a my pics. I attribute the dryness due to the fact that they were probably smoked early in the afternoon. You could taste the smoke in the meat but because they were dry I needed to sauce them up to help them out. The sweet and hot sauce was ok but not noteworthy enough to buy a bottle and take home. The burnt ends we're a little on rare side to be called burnt ends. They looked like rib bits versus burnt ends. There wasn't really much or anything burnt about them. The brisket was the best of the 3 on the platter. It was thin sliced, had a nice smoke ring and was still nice and moist. Not sure what type of sauce was it was served with but it did help keep the brisket from drying out. All and all, it was ok but it didn't wow me or woo me in any way however, I'd still take Dillon's over Famous Dave's any day.
(3)Barbara S.
A lot of people like/love Dillion's. I'm not one of them. A truly good BBQ is an art form and Dillion's BBQ is not even close, certainly not "the best in the valley." What you get in portion size (huge) does not make up for the lack of great BBQ flavor and tender meat. The only reason we went back after our first lackluster meal a couple of years ago, was because of a group event. It's kind of a dingy place, disjointed in the layout, and not even cute folksy décor - like it was decorated by a committee. Service was lacking - waitress didn't know the menu. I asked if the peaches on the peach salad were fresh and she said yes. She then came back and told me they were canned peaches - really? And this in peach season?? Get a clue, Dillon's! Then on top of it, she got an order wrong - and we kept having to ask for water. I agree with other Yelper's - there are much better BBQ places around.
(2)Liz S.
They can make an old fashioned. This can be hard to come by. The bar was filled to the brim when we went in, We opted for the patio and sat a few minutes, wondering 'do they come to us, do we go to them?' We go to them. It was a Saturday, around 4:00, and they were setting up for a band, if we hadn't been on the way to a wedding we may have stuck around. Overall, not bad at all, It didn't knock my socks off, but not bad.
(3)Jeff W.
Food was great. Host staff was great. Server was too anxious to go home. Texting and side work was more important than serving our table. Overall was good though.
(4)adam r.
Just went to Dillon's again yesterday. It's not somewhere you go for ambience . . . Or amazing service, not that our servers have been horrible ever, just busy. Dillon's doesn't even have best menu nor is everything spectacular. Why go then? They're Pulled Pork Sandwich is ridiculous delicious! I've tried many other things on their menu: the Smoked Salmon, the Southwest Mac n Cheese, the smoked Chicken, the Pulled Chicken Sandwich, the list goes on. None were ever bad. Most seem to lack something whether it was a little more flavor or more moisture in the meat. But their BBQ sauce and their Pulled Pork is off the hook! If you haven't been there, try that first. This particular location is a little cooky.They need a remodel. The carpet is something you'd find in a JB's (Are they even around anymore?) or a Coco's. the tables have those wipeable tablecloths which I guess is a little more barbecue-esque. Some tables have these ads all over them which I guess is not really a big deal since it draws your attention away from the mismatched lighting, carpet, and tablecloths. The back windows show a tiny yard for birds which is fenced in so you don't have to look at the parking lot of the body shop next door. They do put the paper towels on the table for cleaning up all the BBQ sauce on your fingers which adds to its authenticity. Service there is usually so-so. Servers are friendly, hospitable, but often busy. Sometimes it's hard to get a timely refill or an extra side of BBQ sauce. Other than that, adequate. I'll be back and you know what for.
(4)Julie K.
This was the first time my husband and I ate at Dillon's. We found them in our Entertainment Book. The staff was so friendly and helpful. Our waitress Stephanie was great. All of the food was so good. We will definitely be back.
(4)Amanda C.
When they're good they're great. Service was awesome. Mac n cheese was amazing, my husband liked the brisket, wedge salad was pretty good. They give a free half order of onion rings to first timers. They also had no issue brining samples of the sauces so my husband could decide which he liked. Their North Carolina BBQ was pretty awful though. And we weren't terribly impressed by the spinach artichoke dip.
(4)Pickles C.
This is definitely a comfort food kind of place. Not dressy - and people watching is a must. Mostly families and older. I get the feeling that most were regulars in the neighborhood. A live band was playing on Saturday night when we went (oldies). To start, we had the onion rings, which were awesome. I had baby back ribs, with spicy hot bbq - really great. Plenty of sides, green beans and mashed potatoes. Not something I'd regularly eat - but it was really good! My hubby had a brisket sandwich with steak fries and beans. He loved it. Our waiter was awesome, I think his name was Austin. There's a also a cute Bunny hutch out back that you can see while you are eating. I love animals, so I thought it was a cute touch. Relieved that they didn't have rabbit on the menu tho!
(4)Luca C.
Went here over the weekend with the wife and the place was really dissapointing. The staff was nice but the food was not good. My brisket was so dry, my coleslaw tasted like it was made of raw cabbage it was so hard. Her food was not so great, nothing to point out but nothing special. Not worth it, I'd stay away.
(1)Jeff G.
Carolina pulled pork and brisket sandwiches were both very good although they came out a little too hot ( heat lamp?). Baked beans were only okay. Onion rings were delicious and could be the best deal in town ($2).
(4)Wendy M.
We so enjoyed Happy Hour at Dillion's. Onion Rings the best in rhe valley and only $2.00 if ordered in the bar area. Service was excellent we will definitely visit again. Fun environment awesome food and great staff.
(5)Gary G.
The service was good, the food, not so much. went because we had a Groupon, won't be back.
(1)Marc B.
I love this place, the bartender Stephanie is awesome! never had a bad meal or service here. also great happy hour specials.
(5)Diane R.
I wish I could give a 3, but I cant. Service, slow. Food, eh. Husb had 3 meat platter, which prob was a 3 star. Potato salad, eh. I had dillon dip which was the 2 star along w mac n cheese. Single Onion ring order for $1 diring HH & it was ok...better the onion rings that took a while were actually hot. Bunnies & wildlife outside kept my 4 yo son busy.0 I will not b returning to this location. I remember Wildlife W Zoo Dillons to b better food, service & atmosphere for sure
(2)Had R.
Great place, great service. Been here a few times and I have a few groupons for Dillons. This visit we ordered a full rack and a full rack of brontosaurus ribs! See the pic i posted. Food was great, not the best pork ribs, but the best beef ribs I have had. couple that with great line up from the bar, live music and 99 cent great O rings... I am a fan of Dillons. Other dishes that I love, burnt ends, SW Stew.
(4)Dawn D.
Really delicious BBQ and sides!
(4)Lorena T.
Best ribs in town! Love coming here, lots to eat and friendly staff. The restaurant on Thunderbird is our favorite. You won't be disappointed, I guarantee.
(4)Rick M.
Good service. Brisket good. Sweet and hot sauce was good. Priced about 2 bucks high on all entrees.
(3)Nick V.
Yum! Big portions of savory smoked meats and rich sides. Love the onion rings as a starter.
(4)Rhi G.
Best potato salad I've ever had. We order some for every holiday BBQ and/or dinner and our guests are always drooling in satisfaction. :)
(5)Jack N.
I have been to this Dillions on a few occasions. The service is always average and so is the food. Last time I ordered wings and the Devil sandwich. The wings are money. Nice and crisp with a bowl of red hot sauce to dip them in. The Devil sandwich was whack. Some pulled pork with the SAME red hot sauce that came with the wings. A guy can only eat so much Franks red hot sauce at one meal. I must have misunderstood. I thought it was some type of homemade hot bbq sauce. I must have been thinking of Devil's spit from Famous Daves...speaking of famous daves I think next time I want bbq I will go there. Dillons is just ok for me. My wife had the catfish and liked it. She also loved her potato salad. My bbq beans were pretty tasty I must say. I would say thumbs up to the wings and sides and just a meh to the rest. The inside was extremely loud from the drunks in the karaoke bar next to us. Not sure how they can be that drunk already seems how it wasn't even 7 pm yet. Between the loud horrible singing and the fly that wouldn't leave our table the experience wasn't enjoyable. Had I known it was that kind of a bbq I probably wouldn't have taken my one year old. Guess you have to make money where you can and the bar was packed. We just ate quickly and got out of there before the country songs came on.
(3)David C.
It's not Red Lobster , and that's why I go there. Clean bathrooms , friendly waitresses , (freakin' hot guy waiters ;) , tasty BBQ , happy hour is amazing there. Not too keen on the live bands , but i still love it.
(5)Stephanie E.
The BBQ pork sandwich is the best I have ever had! So bomb! And the spicy BBQ sauce is delish! I would recommend this place. The appearance of the restaurant could use some work but it wouldn't stop me from going!
(4)Bob R.
This used to be the go to place for BBQ on the west side but it seems as if the high standards they used to have for both food and service have completely deteriorated. The pulled pork tasted as if it was kept on steam table with the lid on allowing the condensation to water it down, the pork ribs were terribly greasy, and the beef ribs were incredibly tough. Oftentimes I can still be won over by a restaurant if the service is good but the quality of the service was just as bad. My wife and I have visited a few times in the last year or so with the hope that our recent experiences were just an anomaly but I think we have made our last visit.
(1)Rick M.
Good service. Brisket good. Sweet and hot sauce was good. Priced about 2 bucks high on all entrees.
(3)Nick V.
Yum! Big portions of savory smoked meats and rich sides. Love the onion rings as a starter.
(4)Rhi G.
Best potato salad I've ever had. We order some for every holiday BBQ and/or dinner and our guests are always drooling in satisfaction. :)
(5)David C.
It's not Red Lobster , and that's why I go there. Clean bathrooms , friendly waitresses , (freakin' hot guy waiters ;) , tasty BBQ , happy hour is amazing there. Not too keen on the live bands , but i still love it.
(5)Stephanie E.
The BBQ pork sandwich is the best I have ever had! So bomb! And the spicy BBQ sauce is delish! I would recommend this place. The appearance of the restaurant could use some work but it wouldn't stop me from going!
(4)Bob R.
This used to be the go to place for BBQ on the west side but it seems as if the high standards they used to have for both food and service have completely deteriorated. The pulled pork tasted as if it was kept on steam table with the lid on allowing the condensation to water it down, the pork ribs were terribly greasy, and the beef ribs were incredibly tough. Oftentimes I can still be won over by a restaurant if the service is good but the quality of the service was just as bad. My wife and I have visited a few times in the last year or so with the hope that our recent experiences were just an anomaly but I think we have made our last visit.
(1)Thomas H.
My wife and son took me here for a Father's Day lunch. I enjoyed one of the best chicken club sandwiches I have ever had! The wife had what looked to be an awesome salad with fried chicken breast on top. Even our picky kid ate all of his chicken strips! We definitely recommend this place if you are on the west side.
(4)Mary A.
Great BBQ, but my favorites to order are the onion rings & the catfish nuggets. The bar area is the best place to be. Great bartenders & great service.
(5)Cassandra B.
Husband's choice: Brontasaurus Beef Ribs Platter - A full rack of beef ribs with bbq beans and steak fries. Delicious and enough two (or 3 with an extra side) to easily share. My friend's choice: Bbq Brisket platter with mac and cheese and bbq beans. The brisket was velvety and tender and melted in your mouth. My choice: BBQ Pulled Pork with a baked porato covered in bbq sauce and the veggie of the day (green beans). I also added a house salad.I chose to have all 3 bbq sauces on the side and loved them all. The bread would have been better if it was warmed and the green beans were a little too cooked for me, but it was still overall a great dish. The salad came out quickly and comes with croutons, egg and bacon. I wish there was a Fat Free salad dressing option, but at least they gad low cal Italian. The salad was huge and very good. After a normal wait, our meals arrived and were promptly devoured (except for the monstrous ribs). I could barely walk I was so stuffed!
(4)Jesse J.
I honestly don't get the love of this place it was good BBQ but far from great. Tip: If your pulled pork or chicken sandwich comes smothered in sauce it's because they are hiding something. A true bbq place would put sauce on the side so you can taste the smokiness of the meat before drenching it in sauce. Now the sauce was good and chicken was tender on my sandwich and the bbq beans were great but I just would like to try the smokey meat before to taste how good it is and how juicy it is prior to sauce. Will I go back maybe but for sure I won't go out of my way there are too many other places in town that offer above average bbq.
(2)Larry C.
10 years ago I lived just down the street from this great BBQ where it was always crowded with airmen from Luke AFB. Last week we were driving home from Las Vegas and it was time for a lunch stop, so we returned to Dillon's and found it has not changed much. Still great BBQ pork sandwiches with tasty side dishes of cole slaw and beans. Nice to return to a familiar place and find it is still the best BBQ on the west side of PHX.
(4)Linga E.
Tip: pay the extra $1.00 to get the side of onions rings instead of the appetizer portion...the individual side portion is generous and at a dollar how can you go wrong? I tried the spinach enchiladas with chips and salsa. I was hoping to be wowed and unfortunately wasn't. I mean what was I thinking, a vegetarian in a BBQ establishment? I found solace in that fact that even though Dillion's is known for their BBQ there were a variety of options for vegetarians. Next time I will try the Prickly Peach Salad oh and the fried pickles. With that said the rest of my party raved about the pork pulled sandwich :)
(3)James A.
Came today and did not have reservations for a party of 18, wow they were able to take us right in at noon with out any problems! The food was great and the service was spot on, some in the group had eaten here before but this was my first time I will be returning. Wife had there burger and I did the Dillon dip, both were delicious!
(5)Danielle A.
Food was pretty good , service from waitress was decent. I had a groupon and the mgr wouldn't honor it though, which ticked me off.
(4)Suzanne K.
I had a Groupon to use, and it requires dine-in. We'd previously picked up take-out from this location and although I had called it in and arrived on time to pick it up, they still took about 20 minutes to get our order (it was just pulled pork, what's so difficult?). We hoped dine-in would be different, and even made reservations. We arrived right on time at 6 pm on a Saturday and were made to wait a while. Then they apparently gave our table to someone else, so quick had to come up with another table. Our server was very nice, but apparently overworked because we rarely saw her. It took a long time to get our drinks, long enough we started wishing we'd ordered our food with our drinks. The food took a very long time to arrive. It was over an hour from our arrival before we were served even the mac and cheese for my 2 year old, who was getting impatient. Finally got our food and it was just not that good. I've had much better BBQ pulled pork at Thee Pitts Again and never had to wait that long to eat. All the disorganization and chaos, topped off with so-so BBQ means we won't be back, unless it 's to try the bar without the kiddo. It just takes too much time to get food that ain't that great in the restaurant.
(2)Josh H.
I have been to this Dillon's location several times over the past 3 or 4 years and I have never been disappointed. The food is great, the servers are nice and the price is reasonable. Another factor is the beer is very affordable. The selection at the Arrowhead location is a little better for those who enjoy craft beers, but if you are ok with the normal light beers and Amber Bock then this location will do. I usually get the ribs or burnt ends. The burnt ends are very tender, never dried out and big. The BBQ sauces are great, you get a choice of three. The ribs sometimes don't have enough smoke, but the meat falls of the bone and still has great flavor. My wife goes for the half chicken and she has never complained. The layout of the restaurant is awkward, they have added on and it doesn't flow the best and the decor is outdated, but it is definitely family friendly dining. Our 8 month old fits right in and if he gets noisy, you cannot hear him as the place gets fairly loud when busy. Check it out for the BBQ items, I haven't ventured to the sandwiches.
(4)Alexander C.
With so many corporate options near by I was elated when mother decided that Dillon's is where she wanted to go for her birthday. Not because the food is awesome or anything like that but because they are still independent and successful. For years and years we've been coming to Dillon's and I have to say that they are consistently okay. Back in the day when the menu was smaller and their meat platters came with garlic bread twists this was one of my favorites. Does anyone remember the bread twists? Oh those were awesome! The BBQ here is alright.. not bad, not great.. just stuck somewhere in the middle. Mother BTW, loved her Chicken Club sandwich and IMHO one of the only things to order on the menu.. fried chicken breast, bacon, ham and cheddar cheese on a bun.. it shines in its pork fayyt goodness!
(3)Kristina D.
Pretty good if you stick to the BBQ and remember that chili here has chunks of beef. Coming from New York it's different. Their ribs are really tasty as are the beans. Not a fan of their catfish as it has too much breading/batter, however the batter on the onion rings are quite tasty.
(4)Eric S.
Like anyone else I appreciate locally owned and operated places, and I wish Dillons all the success in the world (I found their service both friendly and fast), but seriously, this BBQ sucks. I had pork spare ribs and brisket because these are the two most difficult cuts to get right. Texturally, the brisket was fine, if a bit dry. The ribs were underdone (the bones did not come clean as they should when properly prepared, and they were tough because of this). The ribs and the brisket both had only the slightest hint of smoke flavor... they were seriously undersmoked. To top it off, their sauces (mild and "cajun" - which is not hot at all, though I suspect they cater to the Sun City palate) were both savory sauces dominated by the flavor of mustard and vinegar. How anybody can judge either of these sauces delicious is a mystery to me. I found them both horrible. One bite of each meat was all I could manage. Sides were a mixed bag. The mac and cheese was delicious (thank you, thank you!) - but the baked beans were chili beans and were... gross. I suspect they were made using the sauce, so it's not terribly surprising I didn't like them. I had their chicken wings as an appetizer, they were pretty good. They are prepared like fried chicken and come with the sauce on the side. It was agreeably hot and delicious... but then again, it wasn't BBQ.
(2)Tam F.
This is a meat place close to Sun City so dinner at 5 last night was quite appropriate. Dillon's is decent fresh food in a casual environment. Good for groups, efficient wait staff and big portions. The man was on a brisket kick and since this was a BBQ joint, figured he would try it. It is Kansas style and it was nice and tender BBQ-though not quite "smoked" and definitely sliced on a meat slicer. The daughter had a pulled pork sandwich that was tender and delicious. The Grandmother had a brisket sandwich, there are other offerings as well-fried chicken, chicken fried steak, fish, etc. Salads are good as are the onion rings they ordered for appetizers. This is no BBQ joint. This is a family restaurant with decent food and decent service. I am giving 4 stars again mostly due to the great service we have. For some reason, AZ is still ass backwards when it comes to recognizing waitstaff. They are not paid minimum wage (though I am not sure how this is legal). They make about $3.25 per hour from the establishment (this is up from $2.12 two years ago) and the rest is supposed to come out of tips. Any young person willing to work in the Sun City area and depend on tips and actually works really hard to get them deserves a whole star to themselves (oh and an extra tip behind the chintzy tippers in my family here). Reservations are only taken for a party of 8 or more.
(4)Craig B.
I've been coming here basically since the place opened and have yet to have a bad experience. Occasionally service may be a bit slower than usual, but unless I'm being completely ignored, I'm not too put off by it. I first went here off of the recommendation of someone who told me I HAD to try the chicken fried steak. However, sitting down and looking at the menu, I realized that ordering a chicken fried steak in a BBQ joint would be akin to ordering a hamburger in a Mexican food restaurant. Not even going there! Items I can say without a doubt are great: Pulled pork (moist and slightly smoky), turkey (thinly sliced but a great smoked flavor), smoked sausage (although it doesn't stand out above other smoked sausages elsewhere, it's still good), and ribs (I'm not a huge rib person, but they are tasty and flavorful). My absolute favorite, must get is the burnt ends. I am a fan of huge smoke flavor and these tasty brisket ends don't disappoint! Strangely enough, the brisket itself is probably the one item on the menu I'm not a huge fan of. The BBQ Sauce, you ask? I'm a fan of the cajun style (slightly kicky and not too sweet), which is Dillon's original sauce. The sweet and mild sauce was created for the Sun City crowd who requested a milder sauce, and the name describes it about perfectly. The sides I've had are all pretty good, although I usually stick with a potato product and beans - why mess with something that works for you? As others have mentioned, this is very near Sun City, expect early crowds. And one other thing? I have yet to try the chicken fried steak.
(4)Amanda B.
I suspect the average age of the regular customer base would approach sixty. This isn't what one would consider a hip and happenin' spot, but Dillon's is comfortable and confident with its role in life. The servers are generally high school students and forced to wear t-shirts featuring sports teams. They're friendly, but definitely have the "I'm sixteen and this is my first job. Teehee." thing going on. The decor reminds you of a trip to Grandma's, and the music in the bar is just a little too loud. Once you move past all of that, Dillon's is wonderful. The food is hearty and there are no pretenses. The stews are lovely, and the pulled pork sandwich is great. There are two choices of barbecue sauce and the kids menu provides a few options. The best part? The onion rings. They're light and fluffy with just the slightest hint of seasoning. You'll have a choice between a full basket and half basket. Just give in and buy the entire thing. The onion rings alone are worth the trip.
(4)Jamie R.
It's sad to have to give this place a bad review because for a few years we enjoyed it very much. This was me and my fiancé favorite little place to go. Right by our home, beer was always cold and food was great. Until one day we popped into the establishment during the weekend to meet some friends for lunch. We were first to arrive so we grabbed a table in the bar and the waitress came up very sweet and we ordered two beers she asked for our IDs sure no problem! So we hand them to her and she said thank you and ill being those right out! Ya... 15 min later no drinks and mind you it was not busy. Then a lady with dark brown curly hair walks up to our table and literally says " I need to see your IDs please" not a hey I'm the manager anything. So a bit taken back we handed our IDs over again! She then proceeded to walk away yes! She walked away with OUR IDs in her hand. We sat that for 20 more minutes still no beer not even a glass of water! Then she comes back to tell my fiancé that his ID was fake.... He is 25 years old. Nothing about his ID looked fake I worked myself in a bar and am certified for selling alcohol and I know what they teach you to ID fake cards. She then proceeded to tell us to leave. Not saying we can give you food but we can give you the beer. By this time me and my fiancé were in shock and angry a place we have been visiting for so long and have been very loyal customers to. So my fiancé told her 1) we are leaving this establishment but we attend to contact management 2) she should of never walked away with our IDs and left us sitting there for a Half hour 3) she needed to watch her attitude with especially for being a manager. She gave attitude to my fiancé before he ever became upset. We left this establishment that day and went to another Mexican food restaurant and order a beer again, we proceeded to ask our waiter there if he thinks my fiancées ID was fake. He threw his head back and laughed and said " who would think this is fake? ". YUP! So end the story we did call management spoke to a GM did the whole deal. We went back in again with a new ID I had my fiancé get and this manager was still there. Then came to my table and proceeded to tell us " Glad you got a new ID However you had a very bad attitude " and she expected us to apologize to her and told us her hostess said that my fiancé was in her class in High school and that's why she didn't serve us. So needless to say GM and owner I believe said it would be taken care of obviously it wasn't. I even tried writing them again and was ignored. I understand being a manager of a restaurant/ bar her behavior was completely out of line. So food is great however staff not so much.
(1)Penny Lane X.
I've been eating at Dillon's for many years and my recent visit today was quite disappointing.... The Waitress came by with our beverages, but completely disappeared as we waited and...and waited...and waited to give her our order....(by this time, we could had driven over to FAMOUS DAVE'S in the amount of time it took for her to reappear!) There were only 3 other customers in the whole place, so it wasn't crazy busy (and there was ANOTHER Food Server on duty too). Anyhow.... I usually order their Pulled Pork, which is never disappointing. However, after seeing Adam Richman (Man Vs Food) eating some BBQ brisket on a recent episode, I suddenly wanted brisket too! The brisket was nicely rolled on a bun (like a spiral lollipop) and looked quite pretty, but was NOT as moist as the Pulled Pork. It was dry. The homemade potato salad is ALWAYS a winner! The overall portions seemed skimpy for the price ($8 or $9 bucks) for a sandwich and 1 side. (For less money, I could had gone to a Buffet to pig-out and not have to wait for a SLOW Food Server...) Took awhile to get the check too...ugh! Not everyone who eats there has HOURS to sit there waiting and waiting. If you want good portions for a good value...this is NOT the place to visit. Slow service and dry brisket will remind me to chose someplace else for lunch next time. ..
(2)Amanda J.
I've been to this location several times. In the past it has been fairly decent, but when I went yesterday it was awful. I went with my dad and one of his work associates who was visiting from out of town. I was really embarrassed. The plastic table cloth was completely stained and disgusting. I didn't want to touch it. I took a quick glance at the other tables and they all looked the same way. Eww. They had a special on onion rings and those were pretty tasty. I'd score the food a 3 (I had the pulled pork sandwich and they must have put the meat in a bowl and then dumped it on the bun because it stayed in the shape of the bowl and looked like a giant serving of cat food. That could easily be fixed. And no one felt like they got enough BBQ sauce, and c'mon! it is a BBQ restaurant! Someone in our party got a salad and it was garnished with canned peaches. Looked gross.) The place had an aura of an assisted living cafeteria. No thanks. I won't go back.
(1)Michael H.
Good place for eating before a Cardinals game. Ribs are somewhat over cooked and a little dry. Cajun sauce is good. order it on the side. Brisket is great and moist.
(3)Kevin O.
Roll up the sleeves cause it is BBQ time! I never seem to get to this place enough. If you want beef that will melt in your mouth go for the Burnt Tips! You will thank yourself while you eat. Dillon's does get pretty packed on Friday and Saturday so try to go a little earlier or later. I go that route and find it easier to get in. Nothing special about the decor, but what do you want? Top notch BBQ or fancy shamcy art? Put this place on your list of must try! They have a decent bar too, so enjoy an icy one with those tips!
(5)Gary W.
About as good as it gets in AZ
(5)Daren C.
The best BBQ porks sandwhich ever. Juicy, flarvorful, meaty, smokey. Perfect.
(5)Matthew F.
I promised my carnivorous 10 year old son some BBQ Ribs, and he wasn't letting me off the hook until he got some. So we ventured over to Dillion' s on Saturday afternoon, since one of my favorite meals is Pulled Pork, and Dillon's was right down the street. We only had to wait a few minutes and got a table right away. The atmosphere is understated... not really a place to bring your first date as there is no romantic ambiance here, just rolls of paper towels on each table for those truly dedicated to making a mess. If you come here, it's for the food. And it's worth coming here for the food. I love BBQ, and this is one of the best I have found in Phoenix so far. My son commented that they had some of the best ribs he had ever eaten (and he's tried a lot). I also noticed that you could buy the pulled pork, chicken, or brisket by the pound to go... already thinking about it for the first week of football. If you are on the west side and hankering for some BBQ, give it a shot!
(4)Cherlyn E.
Had a great pulled pork. Gals behind the bar are very friendly
(4)Tony S.
I visited Dillons Thunderbird again in search of good BBQ. It was three star worthy. I will probably be back as I have been on a BBQ binge lately in search of the best. This time I had the South Carolina style pulled pork sandwich and it was very tasty. We ordered taquitos as an appetizer and they were servered very nicely. Five large taquitos each stuffed with a different filling, chicken, pork, beef. All very good. Worth a visit if you are in the area!
(3)Nick N.
Excellent family owned atmosphere.
(4)amy b.
I am used to the another Dillon s location and expected a similar experience in service. Was I wrong. I stopped by to order something to go and the hostess up front was less than friendly. I was then directed to the bar to place an order. I went in there and was not greeted for several minutes (even though the bartender made eye contact with me) so I left. Won t be back to that location for sure, and will likely go to a different BBQ place next time.
(1)Erik A.
The place was decent and so was the food. I especially liked the potato salad as a side dish.
(3)Zeus H.
Great food. Feels like walkin into Grandma's house. Ordered Fried Pickles for Appetizer. Good breading, though they use cut pickle wedges pieces, which is a larger bite for fried pickles. Dill Slices would be better, but great taste all the same. Pork BBQ there is awesome. Some of the best I have had in Arizona. Service was pretty good too. Love this place.
(4)Ayesha S.
Oh Dillon's. I once, mistakenly took this guy that I was seeing to Dillon's. See, we hadn't really talked much about our eating habits as it was our second or third date (and we'd just met for drinks before this date) but he had marked "meat and potatoes" in his on-line profile. I'm not a meat and potatoes girl as I am Pakistani and these things are inherent to American culture but I was keen on satisfying his supposed love for meat and potatoes. In order to truly grasp this situation, you have to know that this guy was from the East Valley and kind of a snob because of it- I know that the West Valley has a long way to go (but I live and work here and have to be positive so shut up!) and am not denying that. We had only hung out in the East Valley, and it was my turn to try and let the West Valley shine. Anyway, I was freaking out because I don't know Phoenix that well and don't eat meat and potatoes. So, I called a good friend who is a Phoenix native and she instantly thought "DILLONS!" when I said meat and potatoes. She was, of course right on, if one is really into meat and potatoes. It turns out that the guy I was seeing wasn't really into meat and potatoes and hadn't thought much about his profile when he had filled it out. I felt like a total freak, as he told me he enjoyed Thai and all kinds of stuff that I actually enjoy. This led to a bit of an awkward albeit fun time at Dillon's. We opted to sit outside as it was a nice evening. Unfortunately, the patio area gives you clear view of some abandoned trailer and a large overgrown field. Not exactly romantic or cool. We ordered a bottle of red wine when we sat down and the waitress was clearly miffed by this. I'm pretty positive she had been working there for years and no one had actually ordered a bottle of wine. It also took a very long time for the wine to be delivered to us, so we were sure that someone had to run out to the local Circle K to get us our bottle of wine. I ended up ordering the spinach enchiladas (I know, lame) and he ordered a salmon salad. Although the food was decent, I'd probably only suggest this restaurant to a big meat eater. Which apparently wasn't either of us. I totally let the West side down by showcasing Dillon's to an East Valley snob. Argh.
(2)jon c.
What happened to the chicken fried steak??? It is off the menu and that's why we go to Dillions. So I guess bye bye
(1)Ann K.
Great Chicken Fried Chicken with gravy for my husband and Spinach Enchiladas for me. Good service & good food. Who could ask for more?
(4)Mike G.
Dillon's is a small restaurant just off of the west side 101 loop at Thunderbird road. It is a small place with a bar. The food is excellent and the service is very friendly and prompt. Two dishes you need to try are their "burnt ends" (don't be confused by the name) and their Southwestern Stew. The stew is quite inexpensive and very tasty. Not a huge meal but is sufficient as a meal itself.
(4)Cameron K.
Arizona is not good BBQ territory (that would be Texas), but this place does a great job for the area. I've eaten a few times and it is a consistent solid performer.
(5)Melissa H.
I am surprised there are not more reviews for Dillon's seeing how popular it is on the west-side. It is a good BBQ restaurant, with a wide menu, friendly staff, and quick service (for the most part). Despite being overrun with white hairs, there is a good mix of families and often it gets really loud in their. The BBQ sauce is tasty and the brisket, pork, and baby back ribs are some of the best you will find over here. It is the type of place you can go to and know you will always have a quality meal- no surprises here. It has become a staple with my family and often a place we take out of town company. With locations in Surprise and 67th and the 101, it is convenient to most of the west-side.
(4)Dustin C.
The food warrants a five star but the service was terrible! No drink refills we had to ask, no check we had to ask and no personality! Great burnt ends though!
(4)Brian A.
I've come to Dillon's several times since I moved to Phoenix in 2000. The food is good and wait staff is friendly. I'very attended several work luncheons here and there is space to hold parties. My favorite is the BBQ Burnt Ends. Worth trying Dillon's at least once.
(4)Jason I.
Situated right off of thunderbird and the 101 towards sun city this place is pretty convenient to get too from off the freeway. The food here is terrific. they are known for their BBQ but I tend to order other items as they are just as good. The smoked turkey is fantastic juicy and lean. They also have deep fried pickles which are sooo soo good. Addicting. Their homemade ranch dressing is the bomb. One other thing this place is known for is the Onion Rings! Get a half order they are humongous! The prime rib is one of my favorites it has a slightly bacony taste to it. Overall give dillions a shot. Its good to take the wife and grandma too! I Love this place never had a bad meal. The Dillons dip is the best french dip sandwich around. I also love the Beef Ribs and the Chilli is OMG Awesome they put brisket in it! Good for kids too!
(5)Matt W.
These guys have good BBQ, the only problem is they cook to their demographic so everything is over cooked, and they go light on their sauce on some and extremly heavy on many other items. Many bland items, but good happy hour specials and appitizers, and some good spicy bbq items. Kind of pricy for what you get compared to others. Also the ditsy watresses would rather flit with guys in the back than ask you if you need a refill or something.(famous daves is way better) If I lived in sun city I would probably rate this establishment with 4 or more stars but this young buck looks elsewhere for bbq delight. Texaz bbq or famous daves are much better choices.
(2)Erika G.
People who like this place have got to be kidding me! The brisket and ribs were dry and tasteless. They try and hide this fact by covering it up with sauce (the sauce is pretty good) but you can't rely on sauce to cover up the fact that your meat is terrible! I should have known I was in trouble when I walked in and smelled bleach, not barbecue. The service was not very good either. I told the waitress about the tasteless food and she just offered me more tasteless food. Had she at least offered to take it off my bill I would have felt slightly better about the experience. Seriously, try the food without the sauce, you will be unpleasantly shocked!
(1)Duane T.
Went on July 4th. They weren't very busy. The bartender was very busy with something, not us, that was for sure. Had a real need for pork ribs, they were out. Had the combo plate with beef ribs and sausage. The sausage was not even luke warm. The beef ribs were tough, fatty and not very tasty. Another table had a whole rack of the beef ribs. As they were walking out I asked them what they thought of the ribs. They said they complained about them and were not charged. The mac and cheese was very good as was the coleslaw. My experience with Dillon's in the past is their sides are always good and their meats are not so good. They seem to have a problem with service. The table behind us said he had been there 15 minutes before anyone came to the table. Our sever said that this was her third day. For three days on the job she did good. I was surprised that any restaurant had to add servers in the summer. All of the servers we saw were college age.
(2)Plaid L.
I cant say enough about how good this place is. I've been there dozens of times and every time I eat there, I am very satisfied. Pulled pork is awesome. Mashed potatoes are delish. They recently started serving a macaroni and cheese, which was awesome. It has corn and bread crumbs in it and just tastes fantastic. Ribs are incredible. Chicken club sandwich is sooo good. It is a big fried chicken breast, with ham, bacon and cheese. Holy crap it's good.....You must go to Dillon's right now. You wont be sorry....
(5)KIM D.
tonite had first bad meal here. was with 90 yr old motherinlaw so did not say anything cuz she gets so flustered and thinks anything untoward is her fault somehow. been here plenty and usually very good food across the board. beware the chicken fried steak if the breading could not save it there is a problem, and there was an overabundance of breading on a stringy unchewable hunk of steak. just pushed it around and hid it under gravy so mom didn't notice. little blip hopefully just one bad day and not a sign of things to come, cuz dillon's is a family favorite.
(3)Amelia P.
We had a coupon, so husband and I had lunch following eye doctor appointment today. So pleased to see the new parking lot is finished. Difficult parking has kept us away from this local BBQ stop. Maybe the increased business will prompt the owners to update the bathrooms next. My husband has the catfish and shrimp basket special that came with two sides for $10.99. He said it was really good. I opted for the pulled pork sandwich withe one side at right near the same price. His was a better value for the money. I need to note why the four stars, they are primarily for the new parking area, the server, and then the food. Had the bathroom been cleaner (floor tile is nasty, handicap door lock falling off, and trash cans overflowing), I might have been motivated to give the restaurant five stars. Owners can't expect five stars when they need to paint and get things feeling bright and clean! I'm sure we'll return, but only when we have discount coupon until owners make the restaurant more comfortable and cleaner. Sep 16, 2015 Addition to Original Review I want to thank George V. for responding to my review! It let's me know the owners/managers do care what the customers think. I can now guarantee that we will be returning to Dillions on Thunderbird soon.
(4)Sara S.
Visited for the first time last night - the only reason for the 3 stars is that the bartender was great. We ordered a couple of combos to share so that we could try everything. When our food came out, it was cold! Not just "it sat in the window a little too long" but actually cold in temperature like it was cooked yesterday and put right in the plate! Mashed potatoes cold - burnt ends cold - brisket cold, baked potato cold!!! We sent back one plate and asked for another potato on the side. Clearly it was just put in the microwave because when the potato came out it was so hot it scalded my mouth! Anyways - flavor was just ok But the drinks were good and Eileen did her best to make things right.
(3)Thundar M.
Visiting AZ for a tournament and found Dillon ' s in yelp. Was greeted pleasantly by hostess, waitress Kimberly was friendly and knowledgeful of menu. She was attentive checking if we needed anything else. I tried the chicken, sausage links, and pulled pork. Food was really good, hot bbq sauce was good. Overall was a good experience with good food. Thanks
(5)Adam P.
Came for lunch with friends and family. Sat on the patio because this is az in the winter and the weather is the best in the country. Patio was smaller with no tv's or true upgrades. Had to go inside to get my own menus. Friend had to go inside to get kids menus and crayons. After about 10 minutes we got to order a drink. Could be happier with the service. Ordered a pulled pork sandwich with Cajun BBQ sauce and steak fries. Sandwich was actually pretty good and the sauce was also good. Some of my fries were cold which was odd and left me unsatisfied again. There was nothing about this visit or this location that could justify a higher rating. I have been to other locations and had better experiences. Maybe it's just this one?
(3)Jimmy G.
Where to start. With the loud obnoxious drunk at the end of the bar at 330 in the afternoon? (Who as it turns out, works there. Well. At least that's what he told everyone at the bar and the restaurant.). Seriously. At one point, he was literally barking. Like a dog. And I'm not kidding. The guy stepped out for a smoke and almost nosedived right by my table. And when he left all I could think was "I hope he's not driving..."). Or should I start with the food. Ok in a second. First, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention what a dive this place is. And I don't mind dives, but this place was "restaurant rescue" needing kind of dive. Ok. Lifted kilt. Not bad Food: I got the combo with "smoked" turkey and "burnt ends", cole slaw and a baked potato (they don't have chives?). The "burnt ends". Ugh. More like flavorless cubed up pot roast. They obviously don't know what burnt ends really are. The "smoked" turkey. A little better but not smoked as far as I could tell. (No smoke rings). The "sweet & hot" bbq sauce is the only saving grace. The cole slaw. Super bland. Basically, cabbage and maybe mayo? The baked potato with butter and sour cream. How do you mess that up? You microwave it, that's how. I got a dinner roll. It didn't taste house made. Maybe store bought. The service: when the server paid attention to me, she was super nice. In fact I feel a little bad about writing such a negative review, but this has very little to do with her. Sorry, "C". It looks like this is really just a beer joint that happens to serve food. There were probably 20-25 people in there and I only counted 6 ladies. So... I tried to connect to the wifi but I couldn't get it to work. That plate plus the one beer and a nice tip for the server set me back 30 bucks. Maybe the overall experience would have been better on the restaurant side rather than in the bar area. But I'll end by saying I'm still looking for a good bbq place on the west side.
(2)Dl S.
I'm from Kansas City, so I know barbeque. The bbq isn't really very good. The sandwiches are pretty good, though. The restaurant also seems rather loud and small.
(3)Clint B.
2 lunches here so far and very happy both times! Great service and very good food! I have had the Brisket Sandwich both times, but with different sauce. Sweet Heat and Cajun BBQ! The only thing I can criticize a bit is the bun. I feel like they could use something a bit thicker to withstand the moist meat covered in BBQ sauce. The Cole-Slaw is great too! A place I will go to more, and look forward to trying more of their menu. Very curious about their Fish and Burgers.
(4)Diana S.
I am still not a Dillon's fan, the food was average, but a bit overpriced for what you get. Tried to split the bill and it got screwed up so bad we had to make several phone calls to get it back, they charged both cards the full amount. Service was good, but overall just an average place to eat. But the best thing about it is the onion rings, cant go wrong with them.
(2)Lisa Monique C.
Me and my family walked in and was greeted with a warm welcome. We went on a Thursday evening. It was not that busy and our wait was twenty minutes. I would say the decor was out of date. They seriously need a restaurant makeover. We finally got seated. Our server, Miss Corona was great. She seemed tired, but still served us with genuine effort. Out party was of seven, and she got all of our orders right. She was not rude at all and did not pout when we asked for several things. I ordered the beef brisket platter with a loaded potato and wedge salad for my side. My brisket was kind of dry. My loaded potato was delicious. The wedge salad was tasty. Overall, decent food. After a good hour, our meal came to an end. She dropped off the check with no rush. We left the place, still being treated with good customer service all the way out the door. Overall, Dillons BBQ was a cozy family atmosphere.
(4)Adam S.
There are few instances embedded in my memory where the food was so terrible that it was worth mentioning. This place should take the BBQ part of their sign down. They are not worthy! I got the pick three with: Burnt ends(dry and barely fit for dog food), Turkey(tasted like a horrible thanksgiving bird or just thick sliced lunch meat. Who serves BBQ with gravy for God's sake?) Brisket(This is probably the same meat they serve on the roast beef subs at subway, only thicker sliced. No smokey flavor whatsoever.) The three sauces offered were either bitter, sweet, or bittersweet. On a great positive, the sides that myself and my lovely companion enjoyed are most likely available at any Walmart deli, or the aisle with Bush's baked beans. No, seriously, the onion rings were amazing. Good for one appetizer, happy hour drinks and get the hell out! The server was awesome, and the manager tried to take care of me earlier in the meal. I'm just not the type to make a scene in public over food. When I did mention that the brisket and turkey were like lunch meat with no smokey flavor, I was told that they cater to an older clientele and can't add much smoke flavor.
(1)Jim R.
I have probably eaten at Dillons fifty times it's always been pretty good but ate there last Thursday in the bar which is where I usually eat. I had the stew and salad which is one of my favorites salad was great but stew was soup with lots of broth and not the usual. My wife had brisket sandwich normally very moist and tender ---- not this time. The worst part of the meal was the service, the waitress took our order and never came back to check on is my wife had to go up to the bar to get water I had to go to the bar together check and pay. We all have bad days so I will probably go back, but not for a while.
(3)Imnotpaidtopost N.
It's a BBQ place and the fish tacos aren't bad. Next time, I am bringing my own hot sauce but, no complaints because the fish was good and it's a BBQ place after all. Table of folks got other stuff they raved about but, will let them add own reviews. For first time here, I liked it. Would come back.
(5)Justin H.
I've been wanting to try Dillon's for a couple of weeks since moving back to the west valley. I used to live near dillons arrowhead so I'm familiar with it. This was my first time at the Thunderbird location and it went very well. I will be back. The hostess was very nice and welcoming upon entering and gave me some good suggestions. I ordered the brisket sandwich with Mac n cheese and it was delicious. The brisket was a little dry but the Cajun BBQ sauce was on point. The bartender, Eileen, hooked me up with a free coca cola while I was waiting and while it may not seem like much, that coupled with the atmosphere and warm reception is something that will make people want to go back. Next time I'll definitely check out the onion rings I have been deprived of for so long I've had some fantastic BBQ in Kansas City and thjs isn't quite up to the same level when it comes to the food but the smell and atmosphere are right on par
(5)A H.
In town to see the parents, and they said meet us at Dillon's. I immediately Yelped it to see where it was, what the menu looked like and of course, the reviews. My husband and I were a little concerned that it was going to be a bad experience because of the latest posts...it was NOT!! Though it is by far not "elegant", it is however, super country cute. We were greeted and sat. And immediately waited on by (I believe) Alyssa--she was charming and sweet. I can understand some of the reviews saying that they cater to a "certain crowd". Fine. Alyssa did an AWESOME job taking care of my 65 year old parents, asking exact questions and making sure their orders were correct and catered to their needs!! This really makes me happy. And I can understand it takes a lot of patience, but she did it with ease!! They have a FULL menu, but it's the BBQ that was our agenda. Super succulent shredded pork, juicy pork ribs, ridiculously HUGE beef ribs, and the sides (I think between the 4 of us, we had them all) were very rich and tasty (mac-n-cheese and potato salad were off the hook!!). Their iced tea was FRESH and my mom's soda was perfectly bubbly!! We were given take-out containers with bags and were allowed to sit a little while so we could catch up! We had such an excellent lunch and visit with one another. Thanks Dillon's Thunderbird Crew!! And THANK YOU ALYSSA!!! Post Script: *Parking goes fast. *The prices were completely affordable. *The bar looks like a HUGE PLUS!! *They are wheel-chair friendly. *They have adorable "bibs" for the "ribs." *And the unheard of: the other customers were friendly and generous--the kind woman next to us picked up MY napkin and gave it to me!!! Who does that???!!! GOOD PEOPLE DO!!!
(5)Trinity R.
Ok, we love the food here....but seriously... our waiter didn't introduce himself and just walked up asking if we were ready to order. The entire wait staff acted as if they could care less. Every other location has awesome service. Not sure what happened today. Had it been our first ever visit, we wouldn't be coming back.
(2)David H.
Food is decent. Nothing special. Had the brisket sandwich. Sliced a little thick for my tastes, and not very tender. The biggest negative is that service is very slow. This was my third and probably last visit here because of the service.
(3)Rosann R.
Absolutely the best service!!! The food was warm & right on time after appetizers! Our waitress Ann W. Was wonderful! Definitely will be coming back!
(5)Stacy F.
Good BBQ meats, but that may be the only saving grace for a return to this location unfortunately. We arrived around 7 p.m. so a touch after the normal dinner crowd and were seated pretty quickly after we arrived. Once seated we waited about 20 minutes to get our order taken and about 25 minutes after that to receive our food. I had the pulled pork sandwich and he had the pick any 2 meats plate (with sausage and pulled chicken). For a side my plate had the steak fries and his had the mac and cheese and BBQ beans. The pulled pork was delish, as was the sausage and the pulled chicken. The sides were a different matter. The mac and cheese wan't bad, but it was pretty flavorless. If you've ever made steak fries in the oven at home, you may be familiar with the struggle to cook them evenly and to have them not turn out soggy in the middle but cooked on the edges. Dillon's has this same problem. The middles were definitely soggy and undercooked. while the edges were perfect. The BBQ beans were the best of the three sides we had. Server didn't check up on us and never refilled our drinks and forgot to put our Groupon deal on the check when it was brought out. In his defense he was emptying a few tables when we were wrapping up and coupons are forgotten all the time. It was just more the accumulation of all the other waiting that compiled this factor onto the negative experience. Overall: B- / C+ The meats were really tasty. The sides were lacking, but they have tons to choose from, so perhaps different selections next time? The wait was pretty hefty, but it's based on a one time only visit - so grain of salt. If we have the time and desire for some BBQ we may visit again, but there are lots of other places to try....
(3)Melanie M.
Of course the BURNT ENDS were excellent!!! We were there on a Friday night and there was a live band. But it was way to loud. We sat in the restaurant area and could hardly hear each talk or the waiter. Never knew they had bunnies there. We got to sit by the windows along the bunny backside where the bunnies are. SO CUTE!
(4)Brenda B.
After reading all the bad reviews. And having most of them validated by a employee... Thanks for saving me the waste of time and money. I am not 90 and don't want my food cooked like that either. But the cater to the area residents. so what can u say...
(2)Cameo W.
Pretty good food. We ordered to go and they gave us the wrong order so double check your bag before you leave. Turned out OK though, the brisket was really good and the BBQ sauce is delicious.
(4)Marcia K.
LOVE IT, love it!!! So good. I always try to find a reason to come here to eat. The BBQ is the best. We always use the Dillons Standard to see if other restaurants measure up when we try other places. So far, not to many.
(5)Antiquity S.
The food is awesome and always great service. My significant other and I have been there quite a few times since 2011, and have always had a positive experience. If you sit in the bar, bring earplugs for the live music! If you want a sit down restaurant meal, make sure you get a window by the bunnies!
(5)Marina M.
Since we moved here I've heard so many people talk about Dillon's & their onion rings. We finally bit the bullet & headed over there. I was surprised with how large it was inside. We were seated right away & started with their onion rings which are only $2. They were AMAZING! The breading was light & crispy without being overly greasy. I ordered the brisket plate with mac & cheese & mashed potatoes with brown gravy. My mom ordered the chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes & cole slaw. My brisket was very flavorful but pretty dry, the BBQ sauce was definitely needed. Mac & cheese was decent & the mashed was really good, I would just go for cream gravy instead of brown next time. The real superstar was the chicken fried chicken. This is usually my go-to meal anytime a place has it, I literally search out chicken fried chicken when I go places. This was probably one of the best I have had. The batter was so crispy, just like the onion rings, the chicken was incredibly juicy & their gravy was definitely homemade, no powdered mixes here. Can't wait to come back again very soon!
(4)Amanda R.
Meh. Just ok. Came from out of town and wanted to try some good bbq. The big draw was the burnt ends. Do yourself a favor and pass!!! Just chopped up brisket, nothing special at all! Cannot come minutely close to KC bbq. Service was pretty good. Best part of the meal was the bbq sauce..
(3)Jennifer L.
Had lunch there today. Waited a while for food but it was well worth it! Fantastic brisket platter, wedge salad, BLT, and desserts. Sweet hot BBQ sauce was amazing. Beans were the best i ever had! Everyone enjoyed. Service was friendly and all plates came out as ordered.
(5)Tonya M.
We've been to Dillon's many times but this was our first time at this location, given how close it is to Sun City it explains why we were the youngest couple in there (we're in our 30's). My boyfriend keeps buying the Groupons and we keep coming back. I can honestly say if it wasn't for the Groupons we wouldn't come here, but for the price we pay it's a great deal. This particular visit we started with the breaded mushrooms, they were good, we were able to choose between regular ranch and a chipotle ranch, we went with both. James ordered the pulled pork with sweet heat like always and I decided to try something new. I ordered the taco salad with chicken and wow was it tasty! That chicken was amazing, it's different than the chicken used in the chicken sandwich. The only thing that could have made it better was guacamole. We had a table in the back by the window so we got to watch the bunnies. I am, however, deeply concerned about the one that looks like it has a huge tumor on its neck. Has anyone gotten that checked out??
(4)Moe G.
Well... This is one of those places you will either crave or come back In the same week. Tried burnt ends, Mac and cheese , beef ribs , pulled pork and a few other things and everything was on point .. Even the Bloody Mary was tasty. Service was great and didn't have to wait forever like most BBQ places to get your order Plenty of seating and short wait. Great environment all around. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Ella M.
Ok, so we have driven past this place a hundred times always wondering what it was. Finally figured out it was BBQ and after some random shopping adventures, the bff and I were ready for some BBQ. We walked in and the place was pretty full! The decor is...interesting...very "grandma's living room" but makes you feel at home. I couldn't decide between the brisket sandwich or the pulled pork so I asked our server. He immediately said the brisket was his top choice. So I went for it. I do not regret it. I asked for 2 different sauces on the side. Yes! Finally a place that just gives you the brisket sliced thinly and sauce on the side! Just like my dad does it! Their cajun BBQ sauce is perfection! Not too spicy, but more than flavorful! The brisket is very tender and flavorful...also VERY LEAN! The bun is soft and not at all too bready...sorry, but a bready bun just ruins the sandwich! I'm there for the meat, not for the bread ;-) I really enjoyed dinner and will definitely be going back! If you can, ask to sit by the window facing their little "garden"! You might have a few of 3 of the cutest bunnies you've ever seen...might I add that they are HUGE bunnies! So cute just hopping around! Was definitely a bonus! hehehe
(4)Lynn B.
Service is slow in the bar area. Not many people here either. Bartender more interested in her phone. 40 min wait for two salads.
(2)Thomas T.
My experience is limited to dining in the bar area, usually around 7-830 pm on Friday or Saturday. The food is great and you will leave satisfied. The pulls pork sandwich is my favorite, juicy and flavorful. You can pick your sauce to top it off with. The homemade style Mac and cheese is good. I felt as if I was at my grandmothers eating a hearty meal The beer selection is poor, consisting of your typical bud light draft with a San tan beer or four peaks thrown in. Nothing out of the ordinary. What the bar does offer is live music on Fridays with no cover.
(4)Manish G.
I took 3 meat platter with Smoked Turkey, Brisket and St. Louis Style Ribs..... OMG..... with all 3 meats even sides were awesome.. BBQ beans and coleslaw..... Brisket and Turkey were so moist and tender... they were just melting my mouth.... I never had anything like that, they were out of the world..... My favorite the Ribs, were cooked to the perfection and they were perfect combination of meat flavour and sauce... It was insanely awesome.... I will visit this place again......... and again....... and again...... :)
(5)Diane R.
I wish I could give a 3, but I cant. Service, slow. Food, eh. Husb had 3 meat platter, which prob was a 3 star. Potato salad, eh. I had dillon dip which was the 2 star along w mac n cheese. Single Onion ring order for $1 diring HH & it was ok...better the onion rings that took a while were actually hot. Bunnies & wildlife outside kept my 4 yo son busy.0 I will not b returning to this location. I remember Wildlife W Zoo Dillons to b better food, service & atmosphere for sure
(2)Bonnita D.
It has been at a few years sense I last ate there. I loved their catfish and prim rib. They have focused in on BBQ. I am not a fan of St. Louis ribs, it would be unfair for me to write a review on them. Their wait staff was 4.5 star, the onion rigs were crispy and not at all greasy, but they fell short of the best I have had at a Florida neighborhood Fish Camp (not a camp at all, a fish restaurant). The beef brisket had good flavor and dry. The sauce, I had on the side was quite good. In St. Louis style the sauce please a big part, in Texas it is all about the smoke, then the dry rub playing as a supporting roll. The BBQ sauce is more of an after thought. Lastly the asparagus was perfect for me. Sadly by the time I got to them they were cold, my fault. Forget about the apple pie, I hope they didn't make it.the ice cream was just ice cream. I would have given then 2 stars but the atmosphere and wait strafe I had to give them a higher rating. I wish I could give them higher for past meals, we are here today, that is what I am reviewing. I will eat there agai
(3)Scott H.
Would be a five star but the service was just bad. Waited over an hour for our meals. Waitress was not too attentive. Was served food without silver ware. So why a 4 star because the food was very very hood. The ribs were excellent. Turkey nicely smoked. Fries could have been more crisper.
(4)Bryce O.
Called in a take out order for my first try here. The are reasonably priced take out by the pound, but actually ended up getting my order wrong (even though it was correct on my receipt). Because of this I only got to try the brisket, which I have to give 2 stars. At a solid BBQ place, the brisket should be easy to eat and smokey good. The issue here is that it was neither. You have to cover the brisket in sauce to give it a good taste and on top of that it was hard and chewy. Seems like in Sun City it would at least be critical to have meat that isn't hard, my grandmother really couldn't eat it as it was too hard to chew up. I ended up cutting it up into small pieces to freeze and save for a stew or something at a later date.
(2)Jim B.
We visited in the mid afternoon for dinner on yesterday (Thursday). They were already out of "Burnt Ends" but that sometimes happens and is not a negative, just an observation. We both had brisket. It was very lean the way it should be but, the meat was barely warm. Fortunately the BBQ sauce was heated so the sauce warmed up the meat. The baked potato was cool in the middle and the dinner roll was tasteless. No other bread options exist. The service was great! I wish I had better things to say. I love BBQ and I left hungry. When we got home, I snacked from the fridge.
(2)Janice R.
My boyfriend found a groupon of Dillion's for $17 you got like $30 worth of food so my first thought was wow, this must be a sorta cheap eats place. l was certainly wrong it's rather pricey, the portions weren't, but the food was okay. However after it went left my boyfriend got sick from the food just a bit later in the evening. lt was certainly a unique experience, they won't get our money again.
(1)Scott W.
This place has been on my to try list since before I knew what Yelp is. I made it my choice when I won a football bet last fall. Yes, I know football season has been over for a while but diets, cash flow and life in general, on both sides, made this dinner wait. Suffice it to say the company was worth the wait. When we got there about 6:30 on Saturday the parking lot was packed and we were worried we would be stuck in the bar with our growling stomachs. It turned out we were seated immediately although there were only a few tables open. We started with a half order of onion rings. These are hand made in house and served with a really good dipping sauce. Both the rings and the sauce reminded me of Lenny's (which got rid of their sauce and started buying frozen onion rings) only one notch higher. We were both thinking ribs in a BBQ joint and she got the baby backs and I got the St Louis style spare ribs. She got the fall off the bone she wanted and I got the slightly chewy I wanted. Of the sauces I preferred the cajun which was only mildly hot, however the ribs were good enough they really didn't need much sauce. We both ordered different sides so we could try many of them. We liked them all but my favorites were the cole slaw and the macaroni and cheese. The only soso item was the dinner roll but even there they are smart enough to serve soft butter. The service was attentive without being obtrusive the entire time. Our waitress had the answers to all of our questions without having to go ask. Sort of an anomaly in the North West valley, you can arrive here between 7:30 and 8:30 and the place will be sort of quiet between the Sun City folks and the later night crowd and be seated right away.
(4)Pat R.
My cross country trip this year has turned me into somewhat of a BBQ snob. So while this rating may seem a little harsh, 3 is still average right? Anyhow Like a true fattie, I ordered a 3 meat plate baby back ribs, brisket and burnt ends. We got unsold on appetizers and opted for 2 orders of $1 onion rings and some fried shrooms. Appetizers were decent. For $1 you can't complain about anything. The shrooms were a bit greasy for my taste but I got my daily dose of veggies... Onto the main dishes: The baby back ribs had a nice bark on them however were a bit on the dry side. Like any rib shack I go to I take a pic of the smoke ring and cross section for reference. Dot believe me take a gander a my pics. I attribute the dryness due to the fact that they were probably smoked early in the afternoon. You could taste the smoke in the meat but because they were dry I needed to sauce them up to help them out. The sweet and hot sauce was ok but not noteworthy enough to buy a bottle and take home. The burnt ends we're a little on rare side to be called burnt ends. They looked like rib bits versus burnt ends. There wasn't really much or anything burnt about them. The brisket was the best of the 3 on the platter. It was thin sliced, had a nice smoke ring and was still nice and moist. Not sure what type of sauce was it was served with but it did help keep the brisket from drying out. All and all, it was ok but it didn't wow me or woo me in any way however, I'd still take Dillon's over Famous Dave's any day.
(3)Barbara S.
A lot of people like/love Dillion's. I'm not one of them. A truly good BBQ is an art form and Dillion's BBQ is not even close, certainly not "the best in the valley." What you get in portion size (huge) does not make up for the lack of great BBQ flavor and tender meat. The only reason we went back after our first lackluster meal a couple of years ago, was because of a group event. It's kind of a dingy place, disjointed in the layout, and not even cute folksy décor - like it was decorated by a committee. Service was lacking - waitress didn't know the menu. I asked if the peaches on the peach salad were fresh and she said yes. She then came back and told me they were canned peaches - really? And this in peach season?? Get a clue, Dillon's! Then on top of it, she got an order wrong - and we kept having to ask for water. I agree with other Yelper's - there are much better BBQ places around.
(2)Liz S.
They can make an old fashioned. This can be hard to come by. The bar was filled to the brim when we went in, We opted for the patio and sat a few minutes, wondering 'do they come to us, do we go to them?' We go to them. It was a Saturday, around 4:00, and they were setting up for a band, if we hadn't been on the way to a wedding we may have stuck around. Overall, not bad at all, It didn't knock my socks off, but not bad.
(3)Jeff W.
Food was great. Host staff was great. Server was too anxious to go home. Texting and side work was more important than serving our table. Overall was good though.
(4)Cathy N.
We went on Sunday after church and it was pretty busy but we didn't have to wait for a table. Our server was nice she told us the specials. We got the sweet and spicy wings which are to die for. I got the bbq brisket sandwich with sweet hot cause on the side. I like that the brisket has no sauce on it because I like to dip and I just loved the sandwich. For dessert we got the Apple cinnamon dumpling and there was not one thing we left behind. I love the food at Dillons and I will always come back no matter what people say. Its amazing here
(5)Jeff G.
Carolina pulled pork and brisket sandwiches were both very good although they came out a little too hot ( heat lamp?). Baked beans were only okay. Onion rings were delicious and could be the best deal in town ($2).
(4)Wendy M.
We so enjoyed Happy Hour at Dillion's. Onion Rings the best in rhe valley and only $2.00 if ordered in the bar area. Service was excellent we will definitely visit again. Fun environment awesome food and great staff.
(5)Gary G.
The service was good, the food, not so much. went because we had a Groupon, won't be back.
(1)Marc B.
I love this place, the bartender Stephanie is awesome! never had a bad meal or service here. also great happy hour specials.
(5)adam r.
Just went to Dillon's again yesterday. It's not somewhere you go for ambience . . . Or amazing service, not that our servers have been horrible ever, just busy. Dillon's doesn't even have best menu nor is everything spectacular. Why go then? They're Pulled Pork Sandwich is ridiculous delicious! I've tried many other things on their menu: the Smoked Salmon, the Southwest Mac n Cheese, the smoked Chicken, the Pulled Chicken Sandwich, the list goes on. None were ever bad. Most seem to lack something whether it was a little more flavor or more moisture in the meat. But their BBQ sauce and their Pulled Pork is off the hook! If you haven't been there, try that first. This particular location is a little cooky.They need a remodel. The carpet is something you'd find in a JB's (Are they even around anymore?) or a Coco's. the tables have those wipeable tablecloths which I guess is a little more barbecue-esque. Some tables have these ads all over them which I guess is not really a big deal since it draws your attention away from the mismatched lighting, carpet, and tablecloths. The back windows show a tiny yard for birds which is fenced in so you don't have to look at the parking lot of the body shop next door. They do put the paper towels on the table for cleaning up all the BBQ sauce on your fingers which adds to its authenticity. Service there is usually so-so. Servers are friendly, hospitable, but often busy. Sometimes it's hard to get a timely refill or an extra side of BBQ sauce. Other than that, adequate. I'll be back and you know what for.
(4)Julie K.
This was the first time my husband and I ate at Dillon's. We found them in our Entertainment Book. The staff was so friendly and helpful. Our waitress Stephanie was great. All of the food was so good. We will definitely be back.
(4)Amanda C.
When they're good they're great. Service was awesome. Mac n cheese was amazing, my husband liked the brisket, wedge salad was pretty good. They give a free half order of onion rings to first timers. They also had no issue brining samples of the sauces so my husband could decide which he liked. Their North Carolina BBQ was pretty awful though. And we weren't terribly impressed by the spinach artichoke dip.
(4)Pickles C.
This is definitely a comfort food kind of place. Not dressy - and people watching is a must. Mostly families and older. I get the feeling that most were regulars in the neighborhood. A live band was playing on Saturday night when we went (oldies). To start, we had the onion rings, which were awesome. I had baby back ribs, with spicy hot bbq - really great. Plenty of sides, green beans and mashed potatoes. Not something I'd regularly eat - but it was really good! My hubby had a brisket sandwich with steak fries and beans. He loved it. Our waiter was awesome, I think his name was Austin. There's a also a cute Bunny hutch out back that you can see while you are eating. I love animals, so I thought it was a cute touch. Relieved that they didn't have rabbit on the menu tho!
(4)Luca C.
Went here over the weekend with the wife and the place was really dissapointing. The staff was nice but the food was not good. My brisket was so dry, my coleslaw tasted like it was made of raw cabbage it was so hard. Her food was not so great, nothing to point out but nothing special. Not worth it, I'd stay away.
(1)Had R.
Great place, great service. Been here a few times and I have a few groupons for Dillons. This visit we ordered a full rack and a full rack of brontosaurus ribs! See the pic i posted. Food was great, not the best pork ribs, but the best beef ribs I have had. couple that with great line up from the bar, live music and 99 cent great O rings... I am a fan of Dillons. Other dishes that I love, burnt ends, SW Stew.
(4)Dawn D.
Really delicious BBQ and sides!
(4)Lorena T.
Best ribs in town! Love coming here, lots to eat and friendly staff. The restaurant on Thunderbird is our favorite. You won't be disappointed, I guarantee.
(4)Jack N.
I have been to this Dillions on a few occasions. The service is always average and so is the food. Last time I ordered wings and the Devil sandwich. The wings are money. Nice and crisp with a bowl of red hot sauce to dip them in. The Devil sandwich was whack. Some pulled pork with the SAME red hot sauce that came with the wings. A guy can only eat so much Franks red hot sauce at one meal. I must have misunderstood. I thought it was some type of homemade hot bbq sauce. I must have been thinking of Devil's spit from Famous Daves...speaking of famous daves I think next time I want bbq I will go there. Dillons is just ok for me. My wife had the catfish and liked it. She also loved her potato salad. My bbq beans were pretty tasty I must say. I would say thumbs up to the wings and sides and just a meh to the rest. The inside was extremely loud from the drunks in the karaoke bar next to us. Not sure how they can be that drunk already seems how it wasn't even 7 pm yet. Between the loud horrible singing and the fly that wouldn't leave our table the experience wasn't enjoyable. Had I known it was that kind of a bbq I probably wouldn't have taken my one year old. Guess you have to make money where you can and the bar was packed. We just ate quickly and got out of there before the country songs came on.
(3)