The setting for Dakota is relaxing and very pleasant but the service is poor. No check for water or anything else. No bread served and food was just ok. This was a great place to eat at one time, they need to work on service and improve the test of the food.
(2)
Elyse P.
Came here for brunch this morning and it was delicious! This was my first time - the whole Trail Dust Town is a bit of a turn off for me - but the patio really is lovely, the food was excellent, and the $5 mimosas were the cherry on top. I ordered the eggs benedict with pesto hollandaise sauce, red peppered bacon, and home fries. I wish the food had been a touch hotter, but the flavors were right on. I hadn't had anything to eat that morning - saving space for brunch - and couldn't even finish - very filling. I will definitely be back. My mouth is watering just thinking of that eggs benedict.
(4)
David A.
Always a solid choice. My burger was undercooked last time but this was a rare occasion (HAHA- get it?).
(4)
Peg P.
Traildust Town is a really sweet little place to visit. If I recall the history, it was a movie set built for a Glenn Ford western. The Dakota Cafe is one of the places where you can grab a bite to eat. I had the crabcake bites (photo) and while it was tasty, it was a little too greasy for me and the texture was too soft. I don't think I'll order them again.There are definitely other items I'd like to try. My partner, however, had the portebello sandwich and loved it. To quote her, "It was an inspired and complex blend of flavors that went together perfectly." It had roasted peppers, eggplant, hervarti dill cheese, spinach, and red pepper spread on a ciabatta roll. The fries what came with it were crispy and hot. All in all, a nice lunch.
(4)
Rachel D S.
It was great! They are dog friendly on the patio, provide gourmet biscuits and filtered water. It's was casual and relaxing with great food options. I loved their salad! We are going to make it our weekly ritual.
(5)
Jim H.
After a disappointment at the last visit., I was pleased with the food and service on this visit. Thanks to management for restoring the old favorites and getting service back.
(4)
Char C.
So sad - my girlfriend and I hadn't been in a long time and was really looking forward to a great lunch...the portabella mushroom sandwich was very disappointing. It normally comes with beautiful orange and yellow sweet peppers - this time is was all chopped up and charred and dried. We will not return - it was not worth the money, not when there are a lot of other, much better places to go to. You lost two loyal women :(
(1)
Robert N.
My wife and I have eaten there on several occasions for lunch and will happily go back. She orders fish and it's beef for me. Other commenters have mentioned slow service, and I don't disagree. Food, atmosphere, and *quality* of the service has always been good. Update: a few nights after the above review, we went for dinner on a Saturday night with family. Wow, service wasn't just slow, it was horrendous. Removed a star. 1) one of the four orders were not placed-we were not told what was going on for almost 5 mins after the other three meals were on the table. We all were just waiting and the staff had disappeared. 2) the food delivery person was clueless 3) finished the meal (tasty!) before waiter came by to check on us. 4) drinks remained empty until you flagged someone down 5) please, no Heinz in a glass bottle, especially an almost empty bottle. Is that a trick you play on customers you don't like? 6) slow service, more than usual Free dessert was provided.
We always bring visitors here or if the dogs feel like an outing . We love to see the old west town atmospheres and dine outside today the misters were on and a slight breeze. I love the scallop salad; butslsornjoy their breakfast offerings on weekends. My husband goes for their burgers and green corn tamale and my cousin loves tvemac and cheese . Happy hour is great here but service is very uneven!
(4)
Betsy B.
This restaurant is located in Trail Dust Town which has some interesting places to look at if you have a wait to get into the restaurant. I The restaurant had good food and is a good place for a family visit though I've been there with friends as well. They have a variety of food including beef, chicken, fish, and vegetarian dishes. Their salads are fresh and good. The entrees were all good and the kids enjoyed the children's menu items. There is outdoor seating and even when it is cooler, there are heaters outside. All of us enjoyed our meal and would return again.
(4)
Jeff W.
Our experience here was very good. We saw all the negative reviews but decided to give it a try anyway. Our waitress was new, but she did a wonderful job. She even had a bowl of water brought out for our dog. Drinks were delivered promptly and the menu has some great items. I ordered the Dakota burger with sweet potato fries. Great burger! My wife had a salad that was good as well. Good food, good service, nice place.
(5)
John F.
We've been eating at Dakota Cafe for 24 years and it has always been exceptional. Unfortunately it has come to an end. We've tried 3 times over the last 6 months with tonight being the final time. We came in tonight and were seated in the back next to a couple with a baby. When I asked to be moved, the host said all the booths were reserved. I knew this was not true as we had our 12 year old son with us and it was obvious they wanted children in the back. It took 15 minutes for a waitress to come over to the table because they were too busy congregating at the bar. We ordered 2 diet cokes and to my amazement, the waiter brought out 2 plastic bottles of diet coke. I guess we were lucky there weren't 4 of us there because we would have had a 2 liter bottle sitting on the table. We placed our order (2 chicken bow tie pastas & a 1/2 rack of ribs) and waited for 37 minutes. I understand we were probably waiting a little longer because of the ribs, but when our food finally came out, the chicken bow tie pastas were luke warm at best and the flavor was not what we have grown accustomed to. When we were leaving I checked the booths that we were told had reservations on all of them. 3 out of the 5 large booths and 6 out of the small booths were still empty. I knew they were lying. I know this business recently sold and we are sad that the service & food are progressing downward. If the old owners are reading this, thank you for 22 years of great food. If the new owners are reading this, you have a problem that can be remedied. I hope you realize it and take the necessary steps to bring back the quality & standards Dakota Cafe has been known for.
(2)
Ttkim K.
I would say a nice place to eat but their food juz like a fast food place. I ordered spinach melt and fresh fruits but trust me its not fresh at all.
(2)
Jamie M.
How can you reserve all of your seats? Terrible idea. No room for walk-in customers. The lady at the front also had a bad attitude. Well, if you don't want our money, then you won't get it. This place is not recommended.
(1)
Kimberly P.
Service was aweful, we were ignored throughout most of the dinner. Food was decent but not amazing.
(1)
John R.
A little disappointing. Everything I have seen under seasoned. the soup of the day was a curried carrot soup with little flavor of each. I ordered the blackened salmon hoping for a big burst of flavor but was disappointed there also. Seasoned fries were rubbery and not very seasoned. I've enjoyed lunch here very much several time. Maybe it was just they or I was having a bad day
(2)
Melinda C.
Mom wanted to eat here. She'd heard it was really good from my sister-in-law. Remind me not to listen to my SIL for restaurant choices... I was surprised that they had hostess for lunch. This was well into May and well after 'winter visitor' season. I should have expected this to be loftier than we usually had for lunch and pricier too. Since it was lunch time there weren't a lot of lights on in the restaurant. I suppose that was so you couldn't see the food that well. I ordered the white chicken enchilada. Read: dry. Very dry. There was a lot of white meat chicken, a little bit of cheese and barely any sauce. I gave Mom my tomatillo salsa because it was hot for me to eat. For those of you don't know, I'm allergic to peppers. Mom had the fish tacos with a cilantro lime rice. She liked the tacos, but the rice was mushy and had too much cilantro. She likes cilantro, but this was too much for her. I'm glad Mom enjoyed it, but I know I won't be going back there. I'm not into high-brow Mexican food.
(2)
David K.
This place was a great surprise. The atmosphere was casual sheek. Great patio, but I liked the dining room. Great sandwich. I had the Cuban that was very good. Someone else in my party had the Turkey Sandwich which was amazing. And the vegetarian option was over the top. The restaurant sits inside a little western town that is fun for the kids. When visiting Tucson, put this place on your list.
(5)
Desiree D.
Great patio area. I went there the first time for Sunday brunch and loved the ambiance. Their menu was so so, but I loved the location in the old west town and their cocktails were pretty good. The second time I went, I made a reservation for my daughter and myself for mother's day. They sat me at the worst place possible. Not only did I not get a place on the patio, but they sat me inside right next to the kicken door. It was also freezing cold inside the restaurant. Needless to say, we just got up and went to another restaurant. The third time I went for a work function. It took a half hour to get drinks and 90 minutes to get food. They manage large groups very poorly. So unless you go when its dead or just for drinks, I do not recommend nor will I be going back. The thing I hate is that it has a great location and venue, but they really need to work on their boring menu and substandard service.
(2)
Kathy N.
It's been probably two years since I've eaten at Dakota and it's as good as I remember. Went with two girlfriends for an escape-the-workday lunch. We thought the patio would be nice since they have misters but within 3 minutes of being seated we asked to move indoors. The humidity is killer today! Or could it be that we're three menopausal women? No! I don't accept my age so it's obviously the humidity, right? Aaaaannyway....our server was understandable and helped us move. My girls R & K both ordered the Waldorf salad as it's a favorite for both but K added a small bowl of the soup of the day - sweet potato bisque. I tried the chicken chutney salad and it was gorgeous; a beautiful display of sliced cantaloupe, strawberries and avocado sat atop a bed of greens with a tasty chicken salad in the center. It was served with a couple of slices of delicious date bread. Punched my clean plate club card on this one! Probably shouldn't wait another two years before heading back to Dakota since it's just a few minutes from work.
(4)
David C.
French toast bacon with eggs on the side was fantastic. I had the pork barbecue which was also delicious, service was unbelievably fabulous. Overall a fantastic dining experience for a midday meal.
(5)
Michael L.
Firstly I will say that the front of the house was very accommodating. I started out with a reservation for 8, then changed it to 12, then changed it to 16! No issues whatsoever but they didn't have seating accommodations for our entire party. No problem though as we sat in the same vicinity. The food was rustic but good. Several people had ribs which were "fall off the bone tender" and beef stroganoff which I tried it and it was tasty. Personally I had the scallops over risotto and it was very good. The ambiance is also very rustic but it's set in kind of an old west area. There's a covered wagon, a shooting gallery, a mine shaft, a jail - lots of things to keep you occupied if you're early or need to walk around after eating. Kinda cute. I'd come back again, perhaps for lunch and sit outside.
(4)
Doug W.
Decent fare, lousy service. The food is great, it took us about an hour and forty-five minutes from getting seated to paying our bill. They were clearly understaffed, but most businesses have back up staffers they can call! Typical Tucson terrible service.
(2)
Karen B.
Wow, So disappointing! I have eaten at Dakota Bar and Grill many times and have had wonderful experiences and great dinners. This place has really gone down hill. Tonight I took my son to dinner and the food was horrendous. I ordered the crab cake for a starter and the famous chicken enchilada for an entree. The crab cake was disgusting and I sent most of it back. It tasted like burned oil and was saturated with the burned oil beyond anything I've ever tasted before served over a handful of bagged, cut cabbage. I'm not sure what it was made of but I'm pretty sure it wasn't real crab. Just terrible and borderline even edible. I was hoping for something better with the enchilada but is that CANNED chicken in there? I have to admit I have never had canned chicken before but i also have never had chicken that resembled what was in that enchilada so I'm kind of guessing here. I have made many, many chicken enchiladas with leftover chicken but what was in this one was beyond any leftover chicken I've ever seen or tasted. What color is that orangeish, brownish, yellowish chicken with the strangest texture I've ever encountered and tasted like something chicken-flavored. Disgusting, and I sent it back too. The service was great but the waiter oddly never asked why I was sending my food back uneaten and I didn't want to embarrass my teenaged son so I kept quiet. Just terrible. I won't be going back to Dakota. I seriously just cannot believe the meal I was served there tonight. Prison food? What the heck was that?
(1)
Kendra F.
I am definitely a fan of Dakota! Having dined here about 5 times, I can honestly say that it deserves a 4-star review and if you find yourself on the eastside of town, you should definitely eat here. The atmosphere is great! I love it! Traildust Town is unique and quaint and simply fun. If it's not too hot, or if the misters are going, sit on the patio and enjoy the periodic gun fire from Pinacle Peak. Enjoy the apricot tea! It is amazing! The staff has always been kind and attentive and knowledgeable. I've never had to wait for a table, but it's never seemed deserted either. The food is decent. If the food were spectacular, I would give it 5 stars, but it is simply decent. It always seems fresh and healthy, but there's just nothing special about it. To conclude, please dine at Dakota, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
(4)
David P.
Great place for dog lovers. Bring your pooch and eat on the patio. Not only do they let you bring your dog, but they bring out a water dish and a treat for your dog. None of the dogs on the patio were misbehaving. Please don't ruin it by bringing your dog if it is not trained. OK now about the restaurant... Food and service was good and prices were more than reasonable. I had a blue cheese burger with fries. Oops on the diet, but it well worth the calories. They do have more healthy food, but it was my turn for something sinful. A friend of mine got the Pork Tacos and they looked great. This restaurant is located in an old west theme park like mini village, but would do get a lot of business without the tourist trap surroundings. That being said, this is a great place to bring newcomers and kids. Gun fights are scheduled through out the day. Train rides are also available. A menu is available on-line: dakotacafeandcatering.com
(4)
Pam W.
Went here for New Years Eve dinner. Reasonable prices, quaint atmosphere and a menu to please all palates. I was really pleased they were able to split the cost of our bottle of wine three different ways. I had the blackened tilapia and it was really nice with the fresh berry salsa on top. This would be a place I would take my family to when they come to visit.
(4)
Carrie B.
We went on a Friday afternoon with our kids hoping to catch a good glimpse of Trail Dust Town. This restaurant seemed to be the busiest thing there that afternoon with most of the shops being closed. There were tons of business meetings going on. Almost every table was full. It was a bustling local cafe. We got the crab cakes for an appetizer, pasta, burgers & tacos for lunch. Everything was tasty and came to us in a timely fashion. Attentive & not overly fussy servers. We were impressed and will probably go back sometime. Would love to try taking our pooch for the special patio treatment sometime :)
(3)
Heidi C.
This is my grandma's favorite restaurant. She likes it because it has stayed basically the same since it was first built. You're not going to get anything that wow's you but the food is fairly good and the waiters are nice, if not quick. There is indoor seating, outdoor garden seating and front porch seating, all with nice ambiance. At our most recent visit, we went on a Friday night but the restaurant was very quiet, I'd say about 1/2 full at most. Between us we ordered a shrimp-veggies-pine-nut pasta, braised pork tacos, and pan-seared beef tenderloin. The tenderloin had an enormous piece of gristle running through it and when we pointed it out, they made us a new piece in about 10 minutes, but didn't comp the meal which I was surprised at. Overall the food is good but nothing special - I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but if you are in Trail Dust Town it's worth a try.
(3)
Toni M.
We just happened upon this place around lunch time when we were driving around. Alan caught sight of Pinnacle Peak, an old time joint he remembered fondly because they cut off ties of men unwary or foolish enough to wear them in. We went to check it out but it was only open for dinner. Not too far away was the Dakota Cafe, so we parked and walked in. We were seated promptly but it took a while for a waitress to acknowledge us. The hostess walked by, asked it we'd been attended to yet and when we said we hadn't, sent our waitress. From then on things went quickly. We were brought iced tea and when we told the waitress we'd be sharing the grilled flank steak salad and a tuna salad sandwich she brought us both small plates to make the sharing easier. The steak salad was amazing, w/ medium rare slices of steak, pieces of grilled asparagus, grated cheese, fried onions and house-made dressings on the side, a citrus vinaigrette for me and a creamy Southwest dressing for Alan. The tuna salad was made w/ celery and dates and not a lot of mayonnaise, although they did spread extra mayonnaise on the bread, which Alan scraped off. The sandwich came w/ fries or fresh fruit, so we opted for the fruit, a rather boring assortment of cantaloupe, honeydew and pineapple chunks. There's a lovely garden patio w/ a fountain and a covered patio in front of the restaurant, which is where we sat. Inside are booths and tables. It's a nice, interesting old building. The weather was sunny and warm, very pleasant. If we lived here we'd be back.
(4)
Jessica R.
Another great lunch at the Dakota Cafe! I had a house salad and the shrimp enchiladas. This is of my favorite lunch ever!
(5)
Georgia R.
Oooh, this place is one of my faves. When I have to come to Tucson on biz, you can always find me here for lunch, dinner or possibly even both. The reason I love it ever so much is because it's very vegetarian friendly. Meaning many of the menu items were actually created without meat, opposed to the countless times I've had to ask for a turkey sandwich with no turkey, chicken fettucine with no chicken, a moons over my hammy with no hammy...you get the picture. My personal favorite menu items- ** Lavosh pizza ** Spinach melt ** Bowtie pasta ** Caesar salad They have great desserts and coffee drinks too!
(4)
Shawn C.
Tried Dakota for the first time tonight and was happily surprised! Their menu isn't the biggest, but the food was fresh, well seasoned and the service was extremely fast! If you don't mind dealing with the "festivities" of Trail Dust Town, make sure you give Dakota a try!
(4)
Scott H.
A really pleasant spot. I wasn't totally wowed by my Spinach Melt and fries, but others seemed really pleased with their choices, despite being a large and varied group. The staff was attentive and friendly. The patio looked inviting, though we were inside hiding from late summer heat.
(4)
Susan R.
Eating at Dakota Cafe has to be one of the best dinning experiences I've had in Tucson! Great food & friendly staff! I especially love the patio and the fact you can bring your dog with you! The wait staff will bring your dog fresh water and a dog biscuit! Great place all around (notice I'm using the exclamation point way too much, but the deserve it)!
(5)
Boo R.
The location in an odd Western-style mini theme park must help bring traffic in, but the Dakota Cafe could make it anywhere in town. Because of the nearby shops, I suppose that there is a bit of an extra attraction for visitors to the city. I stopped in on my own one evening and sat at the bar to have the Dakota Salad, which turned out to be a pleasant creation of chicken and a variety of fresh greens. I spoke with the owner for awhile and learned that it had been under her care for many years. The atmosphere is casual, but a little bit on the upscale side and things are priced accordingly. Nice outdoor seating and friendly staff. Consistently good health inspection reports from the county.
(4)
Kate L.
Dakota Cafe has been around a long time, and I hope it stays that way! Nothing against Pinnacle Peak, but if you want a good meal and to hang around Trail Dust Town (a super cute little old western "street" that's a great place to take out of towners), I think Dakota is your best option. My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner here... 9 years ago! However, the last time we were there we had a few problems... While the food has been good over the years, my last time eating there was awful... the hamburger I ordered came out raw. Not "undercooked"... I took a big mouthful and the meat was raw in the middle. But it says something about a place when they try to make it right, correct? The server took away the item (and removed from my bill, which should go without saying) and brought me some chili free of charge. At that point I was too grossed out to really eat anymore, but I took the chili home and it was decent the next day. All their staff was friendly and helpful. Overpriced? Yeah, I won't argue that. Dakota, I wish you had a broader selection of meal items and prices. There is usually only a handful of choices (but always something new and adventurous, if you're into that sort of thing!) and it's usually around $15-20 a plate. My husband and my mom enjoyed their meals. I recall there was a very limited kids menu for my 1 year old; I wouldn't call Dakota "kid friendly" unless they are older and slightly adventurous. Ambiance is great, lovely but small, trendy decoration and warm inviting lighting. On nice evenings you can sit out on their wonderful patio. On the evening we were there, there was live jazz music on the patio. After dinner, I enjoy strolling through Trail Dust Town... Check out the old fashioned "Shooter's Alley" with the air guns--very cute. On weekends they have live stunt shows, which is fun too. Give Dakota a chance... despite my last bad experience there, I believe they want to provide a good meal and atmosphere for their customers. But maybe cut into your hamburger and check it out before biting in?
(4)
Greg B.
We made a reservation for 15 people at Dakota. They put us in outdoor seating IN LATE NOVEMBER. Did they notify us when the reservation was made that only outdoor seating was available for larger groups? No. We were all huddling around the propane heaters as gusts of wind blew through. Aside from the cold weather, the food was not impressive. My daughter's grilled cheese sandwich was burned on the outside with unmelted cheese on the inside. My crab cakes were very fishy and too salty. The tortilla soup was goopy. Our entire group agreed - we wish we had eaten elsewhere. We won't be back.
(2)
Susan O.
Despite the initial upset of my friend not arriving till way later than she planned to, the wait staff and I got together on our orders and their service. I ordered their house chili with cornbread plus water and later coffee. The chili was yummy - topped with sour cream, grated cheese, and sliced green onions. The cornbread included chopped jalapenos, or green chiles, or something of the sort; the portion was ample. My friend had the Salmon Nicoise salad, which she enjoyed; she said that the salmon was cooked just right. She had to ask for bread, which looked like epi bread (I didn't have any as my chili and cornbread were plenty). We both finished with coffee, which was OK. All in all, the food tasted good and looked attractive. The service was somewhat sporadic. I would return to try some of the other dishes. I arrived at 11:45 am, and the place filled up fast once noon arrived. A number of people had made reservations. The patio seemed to be the preferred place to eat so that a table wasn't available to us. The other options were the garden and inside the building, and I decided to eat inside. The patio would be pleasant, and it's obvious that you have to reserve a table in advance if you want to eat there.
(4)
Susan M.
I was hoping for better, but it's ok. Enjoyed relaxing time at minimum.
(3)
J. Y.
I was there on a weeknight when they weren't too busy. Everything took forever. I ordered a burger medium-well. It arrived charred black on the outside and dull gray on the inside with absolutely no flavor. The bun was dry and ordinary. I have no desire to try it a second time.
(2)
Alana J.
Breakfast today led us to the Dakota Cafe. I hadn't been since I was 16, and my fiancee, Richard had never been but loves Trial Dust Town. We walked in and were seated by a very busy looking woman. We ordered the tomato bruschetta as an appetizer and I ordered Eggs Benedict with tomatoes instead of bacon and fresh fruit. Richard ordered the meat ball sandwich and we both had iced tea to drink. Our bruschetta came out, and and was two tortillas with way more tomatoes than basil or cheese. For me, a tortilla with tomatoes was maybe not worth eight dollars. I had been expecting something really inspired when I saw the price, and we were both disappointed. Our food came out very shortly after our appetizer; we weren't even halfway done with it. My eggs Benedict came with a pesto hollandaise, which was delicious! The home fries were uninspired, they were just potatoes in cubes with some onions thrown in, but the eggs Benedict itself is my new favorite in Tucson. I don't eat meat, but I did try bread with the sauce from Richard's sandwich and it had a little spiciness to it without being overwhelming. He said the meatballs tasted hearty, juicy and flavorful. The server was very sweet and prompt to fill our glasses. I think I would have given this place four stars if I felt I got a better value for my money. $12 for Eggs Benedict and I was hoping there would be better sides.
(3)
Corey D.
Let me preface this by saying that dinner was completely overshadowed by the fact that I was sitting next to legendary dance and movement innovator Anna Halprin. Don't know her? Look her up. With that said, Dakota was ok. I wasn't blown away by my burger and found it a little extreme to have to pay $1.50 for three slices of avocado. I mean really? At $9 the burger which was fine at best was already a bit pricey, but tack on seventy-five cents for each topping and a buck fifty for premium add ons and it just wasn't really worth it in the end. Anna had a flaky white fish wrapped around a crab stuffing that looked divine. Super rich and super creamy which meant a super no go for me to even taste. I'd go back. The menu is pretty big and there were a few salads I'd consider. Know Before You Go: They are great at holding tables, so get a group of four or five and let them know when you call that you want to sit in a bay window. The views outside of the grounds are pretty unique and more interesting than the odd mash up of contemporary/Greek/Aztec interiors inside.
(3)
Steve R.
Long time Dakota Patron here. But tonight I was introduced to the "New" Dakota Fries. THE BEST shoestring style Pomme Frites! Try them next time your in.
(4)
Cake A.
The website won't allow reservations. The patio needs a swamp cooler or a fan that works. Decent service. Allows dogs. Miss the lobster salad.
(3)
Susan C.
Always great food, I love the Dakota salad. The patio is awesome, and I can bring my dogs out on the patio. Good food and dog friendly, doesn't get any better!
(5)
Jobe R.
Strolled in and sat down at the copper bar to fill my throat with a neat bourbon an Blantons fit the bill... Decided to try the calimari and it turned out spicy yummy crispy all at once... Just what I was looking for! But the gentlemen behind the bat had the personality of a field mouse. Asked about a signature cocktail n he looked at me with a complete blank stare. While I was sitting at the bar t seperate groups of people shoewed up n no one met them to be seated, one group of 6 almost left! Food good, service weak... That is about what I got!
(4)
Carianne C.
Dakota is a great place to go if you are entertaining a large group or older family members - everyone will find something that makes them happy. It is not the most adventurous menu, but the food is very good. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars.... Went last night with my mom, and splurged on a steak, a cup of the New Mexico onion soup, and a glass of malbec. The steak was good, but the green peppercorn/brandy sauce was bland and did not add anything to the plate except extra calories. The steak itself was cooked perfectly, and so large that I took half home. It was served with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus. Mom had a cobb salad that she enjoyed greatly. The service was friendly, but we ended up sitting for A LONG TIME once our meal was done, waiting for boxes and a check. The restaurant was very busy, and I think our server had tables both inside and on the patio. Quaint a cozy - I'll keep it on my list of good places to take my mother.
(3)
Brenda G.
Large party of 10 celebrating birthdays at DC last night. Food was great, a little pricey, service was lacking once our drinks and food was brought. The waitress never returned and we had to ask the host for assistance. It was busy but not an excuse. Another defect was that when the checks were brought it was not disclosed that they had already added gratuity. I am aware that this is common but I believe it should be disclosed. Have always enjoyed DC and will return, just not often. $50 for one person to have salad and wine is extreme.
(3)
Amanda B.
Enjoyed dinner here on Saturday night. The patio was busy but there was no one inside. Our server was very attentive and quick, but the food was slightly on the slow side. Appetizer: Grilled Shrimp, wrapped in bacon. The shrimp were large and the bacon was great (when isn't bacon great?). The best part was the spicy dipping sauce it came with. I actually kept the dipping sauce to use with my salmon entree I ordered... I ordered the wild salmon, stuffed with crab and shrimp. I thought it would just be crab and shrimp stuffed into the salmon, but it was actually a stuffing with crab and shrimp in it. The stuffing was good, as was the salmon. With the stuffing the amount of food was very large. The veggies were veggies. Good and edible. The mashed potatoes were really good. I am pretty sure they had sour cream in them which makes them even better. My husband got the braised short ribs with the merlot sauce. I really liked the sauce they came in. He ate everything... which actually isn't saying much. I tasted the ribs, thought they were pretty good. Not quite excellent, but definitely good. Overall I really liked this place. I would love to try the sweet potato fries. I will be going back to try other things.
(4)
K M.
Based upon many visits. About time I get around to reviewing a place I frequent. A buncha y'all are hungry and want to go out but one wants chicken, one wants fish, one wants beef and one wants salad, or mexican. So this is where we wind up as a catch-all cause they offer all of these, and offer them well. Setting is nice inside or out - and the patio on chilly nights is warmed by new fire lamps which use less energy than the old flying-saucer-head heat lamps and are more pleasing to look at - basically a fire in a cylinder. The fish dishes are usually creative and fresh. Steak is good. Salads are excellent. If you are having trouble figuring out where to eat, you might want to give this place a try.
(4)
Jimmy M.
Never have I been to a pet friendly place until now. My wife and I found this place on a website called bringfido.com , which has pet friendly hotels, restaurants, and attractions. While our apartment complex was doing some renovations that everyone had to be out, we decided to check this place out. Nestled in the middle of a mock wild west town adds something to the atmosphere but it also takes away from ease of seeing it from the road. Once we finally found the restaurant all of the tables that were outside had a little reserved sign on them. After going inside and asking if we can sit outside we found out that they just put those there to give their waitstaff a heads up that someone is sitting outside. I think it would be better to just have a sign saying please come inside to be seated would have been less confusing that seeing reserved signed on all of the tables outside. After we sat down and ordered a bus boy brought out a fancy water bowl and some dog treats for our dog. Seeing that totally surprised me. The food here was pretty good, nice to get out and try but nothing to special. One thing that got to me was that they didn't have a kids section on the menu, which I thought was weird for a restaurant in the middle of a tourist attraction. They did have a verbal one but they didn't have much for kids. If you have a well behaved dog and want to get them out and about for one reason or another, check this out.
(4)
A M.
It was Mother's Day & made a spontaneous decision to eat at Dakota. We made last minute reservation for 3pm. When we walked in the place was 2/3 empty. The women who worked up front were nice enough but took them a few to find our name on the list (we had just called for pete's sake!). Then gave us a table way in back when the front was 2/3 empty. Ok, its Mom's day, others may have made reservations before us. But when we sat down we waited for 15min & nothing....till one of the ladies who worked up front just happened to walk by. We asked her if any of the waiters even knew we were there. She then got a waiter for us. One would think that once seated, a waiter would have been alerted shortly thereafter by the woman who seated us? Well, stuff happens. But when our food finally came, (i ordered crispy fish tacos) the portion was puny and NOT at all, in any way shape or form, CRISPY! The fish tasted a little "fishy" & not in a good way. Bummer, thinking this place was going to have great food. I dont think i will go out of my way to come back.
(2)
Cheryl M.
What a cozy lunch place! I have never been to Dakota given its location. Unfortunately the east side isn't convenient for me but on this specific day, I was needing lunch and Yelped the best and closest and Dakota is what I got! It quite the yummy and flavorful lunch! I ordered the beef brisket sandwich with french fries. I think the beef brisket was a bit too saucy. I'm not too into sloppy sandwiches, but it was still good and the brisket was very tender. The real show stopper, however, were the french fries!! HOLY COW those things are good!! Cooked just right with a crispy outside, just the way I like them! In fact I ate so many that I couldn't finish my sandwich. I do believe these have become my new favorite fries in Tucson. The menu items all looked great! I really had a hard time deciding what to get, which is always a good sign, and my assumption by the ratings and by the busyness during lunch, that it's ALL good! I wish I lived closer...I would go more often!
(4)
Alma B.
Ate here a while back and really enjoyed the experience. Tried taking a friend last night. Only to find that the place was closed. At first I thought they had closed for good. Which would have been a bummer, apparently they close sunday nights, which is understandable. It would be a good idea to post the restaurant hours in a place that's visible. If it wasn't for a visit to their website today, I would have never known. There were other large groups wondering the same thing.
(3)
Nancy S.
food is good, but i have one complaint. as a vegetarian, i sometimes order salads without the meat. today i ordered the waldorf salad and asked the waiter if they could substitute a grilled portobello mushroom for the chicken. no problem..until i got the bill. not only was i charged for the chicken, but there was an additional $1.50 for the substitution! FAIL! when i questioned the waiter, he said that's what his manager told him to do.
(4)
Tuyen C.
If you've lived as long as I have (my beard is reaching the floor as I write this LOL), you'll find it heart warming when things remain the same over the years (well more or less), especially with the ever changing world we live in nowadays. Dakota Cafe is one of those things that remains (actually its food to be exact) mostly unchanged since I was there over 5 years ago. The ambiance and food quality are both very pleasing. The menu is unique with things such as couscous with figs as a side to grilled salmon, which is what I ordered. My friends had Hanger Steak and Sea Bass, which looked as good as they tasted. I would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant to friends and family, especially to those out of towners to show off what Tucson has to offer. We were there on a Saturday night and the place was not packed. That suits me fine. In fact, that suits me perfectly. I believe the reason being that this place is rather pricey compared to your run of the mill dining establishments. Not only that, the portion is on the lighter side which would leave most of not all wanting for more. Yours truly included. Now if you know how much I eat and the level of disdain I have for buffet restaurants, you would not believe that I would ever complain about portions. But I do at Dakota Cafe. And this was also the sentiment from my dining companion; two of whom are small women. So ... consider yourself informed should you decide to try DC for dinner. Other than that, not a bad thing can be said about their food. I decided to give DC a 4-star rating. Quality is always better than quantity. The fact that I, too, have become accustomed to the American dining portion is not their fault (or is it?). But I also have to disclose that I am not looking forward to returning there any time soon; simply because I don't have a senile millionaire uncle who thinks I am his only son.
(4)
Steve B.
There's a reason Dakota Cafe has maintained it's place among Tucson's very best restaurants year after year for longer than I can remember. The Traildust Town location, fun and festive, is one but ultimately is all about the food. The soups du jour are always tasty. If you're lucky you'll stumble in when they're serving the Muligatawney - sublime! Their salads are varied and fresh. Their Cobb is the best I've ever had. The entrees range from tacos and burgers to pastas to prime cut steaks and fresh fish. They don't always bang it out of the park - I've had a burger that wasn't cooked the way I ordered it once - but over all the menu presents creative recipes with high quality ingredients, well executed. Thumbs up!
(4)
Erin H.
I visit Tucson often and have eaten here several times. In fact in most cases it has been the go to destination right off the plane because it's so great to sit outside on their patio - with nice options regarding sun exposure ;) I haven't brought a dog, but think it's cool that you can outside. The decor inside is great too. On my most recent visit the waitstaff were great - speedy and attentive. The food is tasty and they have nice ice tea. The restaurant is also location in a cool kitschy old west style "complex" for want of a better word. There are other restaurants here and some shops I think. Dakota fits nicely, but still maintains its own vibe.
(4)
Michael L.
Went here the other day. The burgers were expensive so I expected something amazing. I ordered it medium, but when it arrived, there was no pink. Normally, I wouldn't care, but if I'm paying $10 for a burger, I expect it to be amazing, so I asked the waitress for a new one. I got rev. 2 of said burger. Took a small bite. It was pretty much bloody all the way to the outside. It didn't even look cooked from the outside in retrospect. I couldn't deal with this. I politely asked for another. Third try, it was very well done again (no pink), but watery as well. I didn't care at this point because my dad was already finished with his meal. Helpful staff, and decent fries save it from 1 star. They could have given me the burger for free or at least a desert or something.
Well, I walked in with my two sons, one 7 the other 2 , and the hostess looked at them like they were an infectious disease.........ordered calamari and a Caesar salad, it wad all very tasty, service satisfactory, all but miss hostess with an attitude. Next time we'll try the other place in tdt.
(3)
Bob N.
Caesar salad was pretty much without flavor. Real Caesar should really KICK. Coffee rubbed pork roast was super excellent, but I didn't order that. My partner did and I nibbled off his plate. My scallops were rubbery - sure sign of having been overcooked. But the risotto patty that was in the center of the plate was exquisite. So, a real mixed bag, overall. Service was friendly and prompt - no complaints there.
(3)
Joel B.
Ordered the chicken enchilada and ate about 4 bites. Some of the worst food I have ever had
(1)
Cathi J.
I have eaten at the Dakota Cafe off and on for years and have really enjoyed the food, the outdoor dining, and the service. My brother-in-law came for a visit so I thought this restaurant would be a good choice for dinner. I was wrong. I did not know until we got to the restaurant that it was under new ownership. . The food and service were not as good as it used to be. I don't think this restaurant is equipped to handle large parties. There were 14 of us. The meals did not come out at the same time or close to it. We sat around waiting for the others in our party to be served while our food was getting cold. We finally decided to eat. I ordered the macadamia chicken skewers with a side of cornbread. My cornbread came out after I had eaten most of my chicken. What amazed me is that the hamburgers were served about 20 minutes after everything else was served. My niece ordered a hamburger well done that had to be redone because the cook had put barbecue sauce on it. When her burger finally came everyone had finished eating and the burger was bloody. A server took it back and it appeared to have been finished in the microwave. My sister informed the server that my niece's meal needed to be taken off the bill. She reminded him again. He proceeded to try to take my niece's meal away that she was still trying to eat. My sister went inside to discuss the bill, food, and service with the manager. She had a disagreement with the server about my niece's burger. He told her that my niece was eating it so he believed we should pay for it. The manager was easy to deal with. She took 25% off of the entire bill and comped my niece's meal. I don't fully hold the server responsible for the food coming out piece meal but I believe a more experienced server would have handled the situation better. One of my sister's said the Chicken Marsala was ok but not great. Another sister said the White Chicken Enchiladas were not as good as they have been in the past. My brother-in-law said his dinner was just ok. On the other hand the people in our party who had the hamburgers said they were good. If you go to the Dakota I would recommend you not go with a large party and read the reviews others have posted. I wish I had done so because I would have chosen another restaurant.
(2)
Shik D.
I don't often get out for Sunday brunch but now that I've been to Dakota for brunch this might change. Every time I have been here it's been good. I like the setting and the live music is decent (not really loud). I love the patio. Portions are reasonable and the food has been consistently good. The Bloody Mary's were fantastic and so was the brunch. The burrito I ordered was served with an actual fresh red chili sauce! Totally rad! I will definitely go back, though it does seem to attract an older crowd so you might think about getting there early when they open.
(5)
Stacy A.
Went to Dakota Cafe with another couple, sitting outside on patio. Service was horrible considering there were only a few people there. Table short a set of silverware which we "borrowed" from another table. Tea glasses and water never refilled. Patio was not busy - one other table with 4 people at it. Inside only had two tables occupied. We had to ask for bread for the table. Food arrived after what seemed to be a long time. Food was bland and boring. Salmon way overcooked. Small portions. Server never checked back to see how the food was. I got up and looked for our waiter who was busy doing nothing, so we could order some bread pudding. He came back and left our bill, which my husband immediately signed so we could get out of there after dessert. Our waiter left the dessert on our table, took the signed charge slip and disappeared. The bread pudding was so hard, dried out and overcooked we couldn't eat it. I took the bread pudding and started searching for our waiter again to complain about it - couldn't find him. Told another waiter - he said he would give it to the chef but nothing was done. No one came back to offer to take it off our bill and rerun the charge, and no one offered to bring us a different dessert. We hadn't been to Dakota in a few years. Now we definitely won't ever go back.
(1)
Karen B.
I've been here three times, I think, most recently for Easter brunch. I've yet to be disappointed. The menu is as inventive as it is well-prepared, the staff is pleasant, flexible and efficient, and the location--Trail Dust Town--always makes me smile. On an Easter Sunday when the wait elsewhere was quoted at 60 minutes, we got right in, with a table on the covered patio. My friend and I both had lamb barbacoa tacos (in my case without the tortillas), with orange jicama slaw. Where else would you even find that combination of flavors? My dad, meanwhile, had a less adventurous choice: a generous slice of smoked Gouda quiche with green salad. It looked great! Prices are reasonable, the service is good, and the ambience is pleasant indoors and out--indoors as a peaceful upscale restaurant, outdoors with views of Trail Dust Town, with all its kitschy Wild West charm. The patio of the Dakota Cafe is also one of the few eateries in Tucson one can visit with a dog or two. I've been meaning to go there with my two dogs for quite a while now. Maybe next weekend....
(5)
David H.
Great value and nice location. I believe it's right on the grounds of some museum (tourist attraction). Went with my daughter and mother. I had the shrimp enchilada. Nice baby shrimp is a tasty cream sauce. My mother had the hangar steak for the first time ever and fell in love with it. Tender and juicy. My daughter had the meatloaf. She thought it was great and very different from what we're used to. She mentioned it had a southwestern spice which made it quite enjoyable.
(4)
Kathy M.
I've been here for 45 minutes. After 15 min. I finally got up to ask for service. It appears there is one waiter for the entire patio. Ordered the burger. Good size, otherwise pretty bland and boring. The server actually asked how I would like it cooked. Ordered med. rare. It was very overcooked....gray meat. One small very soggy piece of lettuce with what appeared to be an insect hole in it. Fries average. Server never checked back to ask how everything was. I had to get up to find him so I could pay my bill. Don't waste your precious time and money. My guess, after reading the most recent reviews, is the change in ownership. Wish I had picked up on that before I ate there!
(1)
John R.
A little disappointing. Everything I have seen under seasoned. the soup of the day was a curried carrot soup with little flavor of each. I ordered the blackened salmon hoping for a big burst of flavor but was disappointed there also. Seasoned fries were rubbery and not very seasoned. I've enjoyed lunch here very much several time. Maybe it was just they or I was having a bad day
(2)
Karen B.
Wow, So disappointing! I have eaten at Dakota Bar and Grill many times and have had wonderful experiences and great dinners. This place has really gone down hill. Tonight I took my son to dinner and the food was horrendous. I ordered the crab cake for a starter and the famous chicken enchilada for an entree. The crab cake was disgusting and I sent most of it back. It tasted like burned oil and was saturated with the burned oil beyond anything I've ever tasted before served over a handful of bagged, cut cabbage. I'm not sure what it was made of but I'm pretty sure it wasn't real crab. Just terrible and borderline even edible. I was hoping for something better with the enchilada but is that CANNED chicken in there? I have to admit I have never had canned chicken before but i also have never had chicken that resembled what was in that enchilada so I'm kind of guessing here. I have made many, many chicken enchiladas with leftover chicken but what was in this one was beyond any leftover chicken I've ever seen or tasted. What color is that orangeish, brownish, yellowish chicken with the strangest texture I've ever encountered and tasted like something chicken-flavored. Disgusting, and I sent it back too. The service was great but the waiter oddly never asked why I was sending my food back uneaten and I didn't want to embarrass my teenaged son so I kept quiet. Just terrible. I won't be going back to Dakota. I seriously just cannot believe the meal I was served there tonight. Prison food? What the heck was that?
(1)
Michael L.
Firstly I will say that the front of the house was very accommodating. I started out with a reservation for 8, then changed it to 12, then changed it to 16! No issues whatsoever but they didn't have seating accommodations for our entire party. No problem though as we sat in the same vicinity. The food was rustic but good. Several people had ribs which were "fall off the bone tender" and beef stroganoff which I tried it and it was tasty. Personally I had the scallops over risotto and it was very good. The ambiance is also very rustic but it's set in kind of an old west area. There's a covered wagon, a shooting gallery, a mine shaft, a jail - lots of things to keep you occupied if you're early or need to walk around after eating. Kinda cute. I'd come back again, perhaps for lunch and sit outside.
(4)
Doug W.
Decent fare, lousy service. The food is great, it took us about an hour and forty-five minutes from getting seated to paying our bill. They were clearly understaffed, but most businesses have back up staffers they can call! Typical Tucson terrible service.
(2)
David H.
Great value and nice location. I believe it's right on the grounds of some museum (tourist attraction). Went with my daughter and mother. I had the shrimp enchilada. Nice baby shrimp is a tasty cream sauce. My mother had the hangar steak for the first time ever and fell in love with it. Tender and juicy. My daughter had the meatloaf. She thought it was great and very different from what we're used to. She mentioned it had a southwestern spice which made it quite enjoyable.
(4)
Cheryl M.
What a cozy lunch place! I have never been to Dakota given its location. Unfortunately the east side isn't convenient for me but on this specific day, I was needing lunch and Yelped the best and closest and Dakota is what I got! It quite the yummy and flavorful lunch! I ordered the beef brisket sandwich with french fries. I think the beef brisket was a bit too saucy. I'm not too into sloppy sandwiches, but it was still good and the brisket was very tender. The real show stopper, however, were the french fries!! HOLY COW those things are good!! Cooked just right with a crispy outside, just the way I like them! In fact I ate so many that I couldn't finish my sandwich. I do believe these have become my new favorite fries in Tucson. The menu items all looked great! I really had a hard time deciding what to get, which is always a good sign, and my assumption by the ratings and by the busyness during lunch, that it's ALL good! I wish I lived closer...I would go more often!
(4)
Alma B.
Ate here a while back and really enjoyed the experience. Tried taking a friend last night. Only to find that the place was closed. At first I thought they had closed for good. Which would have been a bummer, apparently they close sunday nights, which is understandable. It would be a good idea to post the restaurant hours in a place that's visible. If it wasn't for a visit to their website today, I would have never known. There were other large groups wondering the same thing.
(3)
Steve R.
Long time Dakota Patron here. But tonight I was introduced to the "New" Dakota Fries. THE BEST shoestring style Pomme Frites! Try them next time your in.
(4)
Cake A.
The website won't allow reservations. The patio needs a swamp cooler or a fan that works. Decent service. Allows dogs. Miss the lobster salad.
(3)
Nancy S.
food is good, but i have one complaint. as a vegetarian, i sometimes order salads without the meat. today i ordered the waldorf salad and asked the waiter if they could substitute a grilled portobello mushroom for the chicken. no problem..until i got the bill. not only was i charged for the chicken, but there was an additional $1.50 for the substitution! FAIL! when i questioned the waiter, he said that's what his manager told him to do.
(4)
Susan C.
Always great food, I love the Dakota salad. The patio is awesome, and I can bring my dogs out on the patio. Good food and dog friendly, doesn't get any better!
(5)
Jobe R.
Strolled in and sat down at the copper bar to fill my throat with a neat bourbon an Blantons fit the bill... Decided to try the calimari and it turned out spicy yummy crispy all at once... Just what I was looking for! But the gentlemen behind the bat had the personality of a field mouse. Asked about a signature cocktail n he looked at me with a complete blank stare. While I was sitting at the bar t seperate groups of people shoewed up n no one met them to be seated, one group of 6 almost left! Food good, service weak... That is about what I got!
(4)
Betsy B.
This restaurant is located in Trail Dust Town which has some interesting places to look at if you have a wait to get into the restaurant. I The restaurant had good food and is a good place for a family visit though I've been there with friends as well. They have a variety of food including beef, chicken, fish, and vegetarian dishes. Their salads are fresh and good. The entrees were all good and the kids enjoyed the children's menu items. There is outdoor seating and even when it is cooler, there are heaters outside. All of us enjoyed our meal and would return again.
(4)
Jim H.
After a disappointment at the last visit., I was pleased with the food and service on this visit. Thanks to management for restoring the old favorites and getting service back.
(4)
Char C.
So sad - my girlfriend and I hadn't been in a long time and was really looking forward to a great lunch...the portabella mushroom sandwich was very disappointing. It normally comes with beautiful orange and yellow sweet peppers - this time is was all chopped up and charred and dried. We will not return - it was not worth the money, not when there are a lot of other, much better places to go to. You lost two loyal women :(
(1)
Robert N.
My wife and I have eaten there on several occasions for lunch and will happily go back. She orders fish and it's beef for me. Other commenters have mentioned slow service, and I don't disagree. Food, atmosphere, and *quality* of the service has always been good. Update: a few nights after the above review, we went for dinner on a Saturday night with family. Wow, service wasn't just slow, it was horrendous. Removed a star. 1) one of the four orders were not placed-we were not told what was going on for almost 5 mins after the other three meals were on the table. We all were just waiting and the staff had disappeared. 2) the food delivery person was clueless 3) finished the meal (tasty!) before waiter came by to check on us. 4) drinks remained empty until you flagged someone down 5) please, no Heinz in a glass bottle, especially an almost empty bottle. Is that a trick you play on customers you don't like? 6) slow service, more than usual Free dessert was provided.
We always bring visitors here or if the dogs feel like an outing . We love to see the old west town atmospheres and dine outside today the misters were on and a slight breeze. I love the scallop salad; butslsornjoy their breakfast offerings on weekends. My husband goes for their burgers and green corn tamale and my cousin loves tvemac and cheese . Happy hour is great here but service is very uneven!
(4)
Kathy M.
I've been here for 45 minutes. After 15 min. I finally got up to ask for service. It appears there is one waiter for the entire patio. Ordered the burger. Good size, otherwise pretty bland and boring. The server actually asked how I would like it cooked. Ordered med. rare. It was very overcooked....gray meat. One small very soggy piece of lettuce with what appeared to be an insect hole in it. Fries average. Server never checked back to ask how everything was. I had to get up to find him so I could pay my bill. Don't waste your precious time and money. My guess, after reading the most recent reviews, is the change in ownership. Wish I had picked up on that before I ate there!
(1)
Jeff W.
Our experience here was very good. We saw all the negative reviews but decided to give it a try anyway. Our waitress was new, but she did a wonderful job. She even had a bowl of water brought out for our dog. Drinks were delivered promptly and the menu has some great items. I ordered the Dakota burger with sweet potato fries. Great burger! My wife had a salad that was good as well. Good food, good service, nice place.
(5)
John F.
We've been eating at Dakota Cafe for 24 years and it has always been exceptional. Unfortunately it has come to an end. We've tried 3 times over the last 6 months with tonight being the final time. We came in tonight and were seated in the back next to a couple with a baby. When I asked to be moved, the host said all the booths were reserved. I knew this was not true as we had our 12 year old son with us and it was obvious they wanted children in the back. It took 15 minutes for a waitress to come over to the table because they were too busy congregating at the bar. We ordered 2 diet cokes and to my amazement, the waiter brought out 2 plastic bottles of diet coke. I guess we were lucky there weren't 4 of us there because we would have had a 2 liter bottle sitting on the table. We placed our order (2 chicken bow tie pastas & a 1/2 rack of ribs) and waited for 37 minutes. I understand we were probably waiting a little longer because of the ribs, but when our food finally came out, the chicken bow tie pastas were luke warm at best and the flavor was not what we have grown accustomed to. When we were leaving I checked the booths that we were told had reservations on all of them. 3 out of the 5 large booths and 6 out of the small booths were still empty. I knew they were lying. I know this business recently sold and we are sad that the service & food are progressing downward. If the old owners are reading this, thank you for 22 years of great food. If the new owners are reading this, you have a problem that can be remedied. I hope you realize it and take the necessary steps to bring back the quality & standards Dakota Cafe has been known for.
(2)
Ttkim K.
I would say a nice place to eat but their food juz like a fast food place. I ordered spinach melt and fresh fruits but trust me its not fresh at all.
(2)
Jamie M.
How can you reserve all of your seats? Terrible idea. No room for walk-in customers. The lady at the front also had a bad attitude. Well, if you don't want our money, then you won't get it. This place is not recommended.
(1)
Kimberly P.
Service was aweful, we were ignored throughout most of the dinner. Food was decent but not amazing.
(1)
Melinda C.
Mom wanted to eat here. She'd heard it was really good from my sister-in-law. Remind me not to listen to my SIL for restaurant choices... I was surprised that they had hostess for lunch. This was well into May and well after 'winter visitor' season. I should have expected this to be loftier than we usually had for lunch and pricier too. Since it was lunch time there weren't a lot of lights on in the restaurant. I suppose that was so you couldn't see the food that well. I ordered the white chicken enchilada. Read: dry. Very dry. There was a lot of white meat chicken, a little bit of cheese and barely any sauce. I gave Mom my tomatillo salsa because it was hot for me to eat. For those of you don't know, I'm allergic to peppers. Mom had the fish tacos with a cilantro lime rice. She liked the tacos, but the rice was mushy and had too much cilantro. She likes cilantro, but this was too much for her. I'm glad Mom enjoyed it, but I know I won't be going back there. I'm not into high-brow Mexican food.
(2)
David K.
This place was a great surprise. The atmosphere was casual sheek. Great patio, but I liked the dining room. Great sandwich. I had the Cuban that was very good. Someone else in my party had the Turkey Sandwich which was amazing. And the vegetarian option was over the top. The restaurant sits inside a little western town that is fun for the kids. When visiting Tucson, put this place on your list.
(5)
Desiree D.
Great patio area. I went there the first time for Sunday brunch and loved the ambiance. Their menu was so so, but I loved the location in the old west town and their cocktails were pretty good. The second time I went, I made a reservation for my daughter and myself for mother's day. They sat me at the worst place possible. Not only did I not get a place on the patio, but they sat me inside right next to the kicken door. It was also freezing cold inside the restaurant. Needless to say, we just got up and went to another restaurant. The third time I went for a work function. It took a half hour to get drinks and 90 minutes to get food. They manage large groups very poorly. So unless you go when its dead or just for drinks, I do not recommend nor will I be going back. The thing I hate is that it has a great location and venue, but they really need to work on their boring menu and substandard service.
(2)
Kathy N.
It's been probably two years since I've eaten at Dakota and it's as good as I remember. Went with two girlfriends for an escape-the-workday lunch. We thought the patio would be nice since they have misters but within 3 minutes of being seated we asked to move indoors. The humidity is killer today! Or could it be that we're three menopausal women? No! I don't accept my age so it's obviously the humidity, right? Aaaaannyway....our server was understandable and helped us move. My girls R & K both ordered the Waldorf salad as it's a favorite for both but K added a small bowl of the soup of the day - sweet potato bisque. I tried the chicken chutney salad and it was gorgeous; a beautiful display of sliced cantaloupe, strawberries and avocado sat atop a bed of greens with a tasty chicken salad in the center. It was served with a couple of slices of delicious date bread. Punched my clean plate club card on this one! Probably shouldn't wait another two years before heading back to Dakota since it's just a few minutes from work.
(4)
Rachel D S.
It was great! They are dog friendly on the patio, provide gourmet biscuits and filtered water. It's was casual and relaxing with great food options. I loved their salad! We are going to make it our weekly ritual.
(5)
David C.
French toast bacon with eggs on the side was fantastic. I had the pork barbecue which was also delicious, service was unbelievably fabulous. Overall a fantastic dining experience for a midday meal.
(5)
Stacy A.
Went to Dakota Cafe with another couple, sitting outside on patio. Service was horrible considering there were only a few people there. Table short a set of silverware which we "borrowed" from another table. Tea glasses and water never refilled. Patio was not busy - one other table with 4 people at it. Inside only had two tables occupied. We had to ask for bread for the table. Food arrived after what seemed to be a long time. Food was bland and boring. Salmon way overcooked. Small portions. Server never checked back to see how the food was. I got up and looked for our waiter who was busy doing nothing, so we could order some bread pudding. He came back and left our bill, which my husband immediately signed so we could get out of there after dessert. Our waiter left the dessert on our table, took the signed charge slip and disappeared. The bread pudding was so hard, dried out and overcooked we couldn't eat it. I took the bread pudding and started searching for our waiter again to complain about it - couldn't find him. Told another waiter - he said he would give it to the chef but nothing was done. No one came back to offer to take it off our bill and rerun the charge, and no one offered to bring us a different dessert. We hadn't been to Dakota in a few years. Now we definitely won't ever go back.
(1)
Karen B.
I've been here three times, I think, most recently for Easter brunch. I've yet to be disappointed. The menu is as inventive as it is well-prepared, the staff is pleasant, flexible and efficient, and the location--Trail Dust Town--always makes me smile. On an Easter Sunday when the wait elsewhere was quoted at 60 minutes, we got right in, with a table on the covered patio. My friend and I both had lamb barbacoa tacos (in my case without the tortillas), with orange jicama slaw. Where else would you even find that combination of flavors? My dad, meanwhile, had a less adventurous choice: a generous slice of smoked Gouda quiche with green salad. It looked great! Prices are reasonable, the service is good, and the ambience is pleasant indoors and out--indoors as a peaceful upscale restaurant, outdoors with views of Trail Dust Town, with all its kitschy Wild West charm. The patio of the Dakota Cafe is also one of the few eateries in Tucson one can visit with a dog or two. I've been meaning to go there with my two dogs for quite a while now. Maybe next weekend....
(5)
Cathi J.
I have eaten at the Dakota Cafe off and on for years and have really enjoyed the food, the outdoor dining, and the service. My brother-in-law came for a visit so I thought this restaurant would be a good choice for dinner. I was wrong. I did not know until we got to the restaurant that it was under new ownership. . The food and service were not as good as it used to be. I don't think this restaurant is equipped to handle large parties. There were 14 of us. The meals did not come out at the same time or close to it. We sat around waiting for the others in our party to be served while our food was getting cold. We finally decided to eat. I ordered the macadamia chicken skewers with a side of cornbread. My cornbread came out after I had eaten most of my chicken. What amazed me is that the hamburgers were served about 20 minutes after everything else was served. My niece ordered a hamburger well done that had to be redone because the cook had put barbecue sauce on it. When her burger finally came everyone had finished eating and the burger was bloody. A server took it back and it appeared to have been finished in the microwave. My sister informed the server that my niece's meal needed to be taken off the bill. She reminded him again. He proceeded to try to take my niece's meal away that she was still trying to eat. My sister went inside to discuss the bill, food, and service with the manager. She had a disagreement with the server about my niece's burger. He told her that my niece was eating it so he believed we should pay for it. The manager was easy to deal with. She took 25% off of the entire bill and comped my niece's meal. I don't fully hold the server responsible for the food coming out piece meal but I believe a more experienced server would have handled the situation better. One of my sister's said the Chicken Marsala was ok but not great. Another sister said the White Chicken Enchiladas were not as good as they have been in the past. My brother-in-law said his dinner was just ok. On the other hand the people in our party who had the hamburgers said they were good. If you go to the Dakota I would recommend you not go with a large party and read the reviews others have posted. I wish I had done so because I would have chosen another restaurant.
(2)
Shik D.
I don't often get out for Sunday brunch but now that I've been to Dakota for brunch this might change. Every time I have been here it's been good. I like the setting and the live music is decent (not really loud). I love the patio. Portions are reasonable and the food has been consistently good. The Bloody Mary's were fantastic and so was the brunch. The burrito I ordered was served with an actual fresh red chili sauce! Totally rad! I will definitely go back, though it does seem to attract an older crowd so you might think about getting there early when they open.
The setting for Dakota is relaxing and very pleasant but the service is poor. No check for water or anything else. No bread served and food was just ok. This was a great place to eat at one time, they need to work on service and improve the test of the food.
(2)
Elyse P.
Came here for brunch this morning and it was delicious! This was my first time - the whole Trail Dust Town is a bit of a turn off for me - but the patio really is lovely, the food was excellent, and the $5 mimosas were the cherry on top. I ordered the eggs benedict with pesto hollandaise sauce, red peppered bacon, and home fries. I wish the food had been a touch hotter, but the flavors were right on. I hadn't had anything to eat that morning - saving space for brunch - and couldn't even finish - very filling. I will definitely be back. My mouth is watering just thinking of that eggs benedict.
(4)
David A.
Always a solid choice. My burger was undercooked last time but this was a rare occasion (HAHA- get it?).
(4)
Peg P.
Traildust Town is a really sweet little place to visit. If I recall the history, it was a movie set built for a Glenn Ford western. The Dakota Cafe is one of the places where you can grab a bite to eat. I had the crabcake bites (photo) and while it was tasty, it was a little too greasy for me and the texture was too soft. I don't think I'll order them again.There are definitely other items I'd like to try. My partner, however, had the portebello sandwich and loved it. To quote her, "It was an inspired and complex blend of flavors that went together perfectly." It had roasted peppers, eggplant, hervarti dill cheese, spinach, and red pepper spread on a ciabatta roll. The fries what came with it were crispy and hot. All in all, a nice lunch.
(4)
Kate L.
Dakota Cafe has been around a long time, and I hope it stays that way! Nothing against Pinnacle Peak, but if you want a good meal and to hang around Trail Dust Town (a super cute little old western "street" that's a great place to take out of towners), I think Dakota is your best option. My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner here... 9 years ago! However, the last time we were there we had a few problems... While the food has been good over the years, my last time eating there was awful... the hamburger I ordered came out raw. Not "undercooked"... I took a big mouthful and the meat was raw in the middle. But it says something about a place when they try to make it right, correct? The server took away the item (and removed from my bill, which should go without saying) and brought me some chili free of charge. At that point I was too grossed out to really eat anymore, but I took the chili home and it was decent the next day. All their staff was friendly and helpful. Overpriced? Yeah, I won't argue that. Dakota, I wish you had a broader selection of meal items and prices. There is usually only a handful of choices (but always something new and adventurous, if you're into that sort of thing!) and it's usually around $15-20 a plate. My husband and my mom enjoyed their meals. I recall there was a very limited kids menu for my 1 year old; I wouldn't call Dakota "kid friendly" unless they are older and slightly adventurous. Ambiance is great, lovely but small, trendy decoration and warm inviting lighting. On nice evenings you can sit out on their wonderful patio. On the evening we were there, there was live jazz music on the patio. After dinner, I enjoy strolling through Trail Dust Town... Check out the old fashioned "Shooter's Alley" with the air guns--very cute. On weekends they have live stunt shows, which is fun too. Give Dakota a chance... despite my last bad experience there, I believe they want to provide a good meal and atmosphere for their customers. But maybe cut into your hamburger and check it out before biting in?
(4)
Greg B.
We made a reservation for 15 people at Dakota. They put us in outdoor seating IN LATE NOVEMBER. Did they notify us when the reservation was made that only outdoor seating was available for larger groups? No. We were all huddling around the propane heaters as gusts of wind blew through. Aside from the cold weather, the food was not impressive. My daughter's grilled cheese sandwich was burned on the outside with unmelted cheese on the inside. My crab cakes were very fishy and too salty. The tortilla soup was goopy. Our entire group agreed - we wish we had eaten elsewhere. We won't be back.
(2)
Alana J.
Breakfast today led us to the Dakota Cafe. I hadn't been since I was 16, and my fiancee, Richard had never been but loves Trial Dust Town. We walked in and were seated by a very busy looking woman. We ordered the tomato bruschetta as an appetizer and I ordered Eggs Benedict with tomatoes instead of bacon and fresh fruit. Richard ordered the meat ball sandwich and we both had iced tea to drink. Our bruschetta came out, and and was two tortillas with way more tomatoes than basil or cheese. For me, a tortilla with tomatoes was maybe not worth eight dollars. I had been expecting something really inspired when I saw the price, and we were both disappointed. Our food came out very shortly after our appetizer; we weren't even halfway done with it. My eggs Benedict came with a pesto hollandaise, which was delicious! The home fries were uninspired, they were just potatoes in cubes with some onions thrown in, but the eggs Benedict itself is my new favorite in Tucson. I don't eat meat, but I did try bread with the sauce from Richard's sandwich and it had a little spiciness to it without being overwhelming. He said the meatballs tasted hearty, juicy and flavorful. The server was very sweet and prompt to fill our glasses. I think I would have given this place four stars if I felt I got a better value for my money. $12 for Eggs Benedict and I was hoping there would be better sides.
(3)
Corey D.
Let me preface this by saying that dinner was completely overshadowed by the fact that I was sitting next to legendary dance and movement innovator Anna Halprin. Don't know her? Look her up. With that said, Dakota was ok. I wasn't blown away by my burger and found it a little extreme to have to pay $1.50 for three slices of avocado. I mean really? At $9 the burger which was fine at best was already a bit pricey, but tack on seventy-five cents for each topping and a buck fifty for premium add ons and it just wasn't really worth it in the end. Anna had a flaky white fish wrapped around a crab stuffing that looked divine. Super rich and super creamy which meant a super no go for me to even taste. I'd go back. The menu is pretty big and there were a few salads I'd consider. Know Before You Go: They are great at holding tables, so get a group of four or five and let them know when you call that you want to sit in a bay window. The views outside of the grounds are pretty unique and more interesting than the odd mash up of contemporary/Greek/Aztec interiors inside.
(3)
A M.
It was Mother's Day & made a spontaneous decision to eat at Dakota. We made last minute reservation for 3pm. When we walked in the place was 2/3 empty. The women who worked up front were nice enough but took them a few to find our name on the list (we had just called for pete's sake!). Then gave us a table way in back when the front was 2/3 empty. Ok, its Mom's day, others may have made reservations before us. But when we sat down we waited for 15min & nothing....till one of the ladies who worked up front just happened to walk by. We asked her if any of the waiters even knew we were there. She then got a waiter for us. One would think that once seated, a waiter would have been alerted shortly thereafter by the woman who seated us? Well, stuff happens. But when our food finally came, (i ordered crispy fish tacos) the portion was puny and NOT at all, in any way shape or form, CRISPY! The fish tasted a little "fishy" & not in a good way. Bummer, thinking this place was going to have great food. I dont think i will go out of my way to come back.
(2)
Carianne C.
Dakota is a great place to go if you are entertaining a large group or older family members - everyone will find something that makes them happy. It is not the most adventurous menu, but the food is very good. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars.... Went last night with my mom, and splurged on a steak, a cup of the New Mexico onion soup, and a glass of malbec. The steak was good, but the green peppercorn/brandy sauce was bland and did not add anything to the plate except extra calories. The steak itself was cooked perfectly, and so large that I took half home. It was served with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus. Mom had a cobb salad that she enjoyed greatly. The service was friendly, but we ended up sitting for A LONG TIME once our meal was done, waiting for boxes and a check. The restaurant was very busy, and I think our server had tables both inside and on the patio. Quaint a cozy - I'll keep it on my list of good places to take my mother.
(3)
Brenda G.
Large party of 10 celebrating birthdays at DC last night. Food was great, a little pricey, service was lacking once our drinks and food was brought. The waitress never returned and we had to ask the host for assistance. It was busy but not an excuse. Another defect was that when the checks were brought it was not disclosed that they had already added gratuity. I am aware that this is common but I believe it should be disclosed. Have always enjoyed DC and will return, just not often. $50 for one person to have salad and wine is extreme.
(3)
Amanda B.
Enjoyed dinner here on Saturday night. The patio was busy but there was no one inside. Our server was very attentive and quick, but the food was slightly on the slow side. Appetizer: Grilled Shrimp, wrapped in bacon. The shrimp were large and the bacon was great (when isn't bacon great?). The best part was the spicy dipping sauce it came with. I actually kept the dipping sauce to use with my salmon entree I ordered... I ordered the wild salmon, stuffed with crab and shrimp. I thought it would just be crab and shrimp stuffed into the salmon, but it was actually a stuffing with crab and shrimp in it. The stuffing was good, as was the salmon. With the stuffing the amount of food was very large. The veggies were veggies. Good and edible. The mashed potatoes were really good. I am pretty sure they had sour cream in them which makes them even better. My husband got the braised short ribs with the merlot sauce. I really liked the sauce they came in. He ate everything... which actually isn't saying much. I tasted the ribs, thought they were pretty good. Not quite excellent, but definitely good. Overall I really liked this place. I would love to try the sweet potato fries. I will be going back to try other things.
(4)
K M.
Based upon many visits. About time I get around to reviewing a place I frequent. A buncha y'all are hungry and want to go out but one wants chicken, one wants fish, one wants beef and one wants salad, or mexican. So this is where we wind up as a catch-all cause they offer all of these, and offer them well. Setting is nice inside or out - and the patio on chilly nights is warmed by new fire lamps which use less energy than the old flying-saucer-head heat lamps and are more pleasing to look at - basically a fire in a cylinder. The fish dishes are usually creative and fresh. Steak is good. Salads are excellent. If you are having trouble figuring out where to eat, you might want to give this place a try.
(4)
Jimmy M.
Never have I been to a pet friendly place until now. My wife and I found this place on a website called bringfido.com , which has pet friendly hotels, restaurants, and attractions. While our apartment complex was doing some renovations that everyone had to be out, we decided to check this place out. Nestled in the middle of a mock wild west town adds something to the atmosphere but it also takes away from ease of seeing it from the road. Once we finally found the restaurant all of the tables that were outside had a little reserved sign on them. After going inside and asking if we can sit outside we found out that they just put those there to give their waitstaff a heads up that someone is sitting outside. I think it would be better to just have a sign saying please come inside to be seated would have been less confusing that seeing reserved signed on all of the tables outside. After we sat down and ordered a bus boy brought out a fancy water bowl and some dog treats for our dog. Seeing that totally surprised me. The food here was pretty good, nice to get out and try but nothing to special. One thing that got to me was that they didn't have a kids section on the menu, which I thought was weird for a restaurant in the middle of a tourist attraction. They did have a verbal one but they didn't have much for kids. If you have a well behaved dog and want to get them out and about for one reason or another, check this out.
(4)
Susan O.
Despite the initial upset of my friend not arriving till way later than she planned to, the wait staff and I got together on our orders and their service. I ordered their house chili with cornbread plus water and later coffee. The chili was yummy - topped with sour cream, grated cheese, and sliced green onions. The cornbread included chopped jalapenos, or green chiles, or something of the sort; the portion was ample. My friend had the Salmon Nicoise salad, which she enjoyed; she said that the salmon was cooked just right. She had to ask for bread, which looked like epi bread (I didn't have any as my chili and cornbread were plenty). We both finished with coffee, which was OK. All in all, the food tasted good and looked attractive. The service was somewhat sporadic. I would return to try some of the other dishes. I arrived at 11:45 am, and the place filled up fast once noon arrived. A number of people had made reservations. The patio seemed to be the preferred place to eat so that a table wasn't available to us. The other options were the garden and inside the building, and I decided to eat inside. The patio would be pleasant, and it's obvious that you have to reserve a table in advance if you want to eat there.
(4)
Susan M.
I was hoping for better, but it's ok. Enjoyed relaxing time at minimum.
(3)
J. Y.
I was there on a weeknight when they weren't too busy. Everything took forever. I ordered a burger medium-well. It arrived charred black on the outside and dull gray on the inside with absolutely no flavor. The bun was dry and ordinary. I have no desire to try it a second time.
(2)
Tuyen C.
If you've lived as long as I have (my beard is reaching the floor as I write this LOL), you'll find it heart warming when things remain the same over the years (well more or less), especially with the ever changing world we live in nowadays. Dakota Cafe is one of those things that remains (actually its food to be exact) mostly unchanged since I was there over 5 years ago. The ambiance and food quality are both very pleasing. The menu is unique with things such as couscous with figs as a side to grilled salmon, which is what I ordered. My friends had Hanger Steak and Sea Bass, which looked as good as they tasted. I would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant to friends and family, especially to those out of towners to show off what Tucson has to offer. We were there on a Saturday night and the place was not packed. That suits me fine. In fact, that suits me perfectly. I believe the reason being that this place is rather pricey compared to your run of the mill dining establishments. Not only that, the portion is on the lighter side which would leave most of not all wanting for more. Yours truly included. Now if you know how much I eat and the level of disdain I have for buffet restaurants, you would not believe that I would ever complain about portions. But I do at Dakota Cafe. And this was also the sentiment from my dining companion; two of whom are small women. So ... consider yourself informed should you decide to try DC for dinner. Other than that, not a bad thing can be said about their food. I decided to give DC a 4-star rating. Quality is always better than quantity. The fact that I, too, have become accustomed to the American dining portion is not their fault (or is it?). But I also have to disclose that I am not looking forward to returning there any time soon; simply because I don't have a senile millionaire uncle who thinks I am his only son.
(4)
Steve B.
There's a reason Dakota Cafe has maintained it's place among Tucson's very best restaurants year after year for longer than I can remember. The Traildust Town location, fun and festive, is one but ultimately is all about the food. The soups du jour are always tasty. If you're lucky you'll stumble in when they're serving the Muligatawney - sublime! Their salads are varied and fresh. Their Cobb is the best I've ever had. The entrees range from tacos and burgers to pastas to prime cut steaks and fresh fish. They don't always bang it out of the park - I've had a burger that wasn't cooked the way I ordered it once - but over all the menu presents creative recipes with high quality ingredients, well executed. Thumbs up!
(4)
Kendra F.
I am definitely a fan of Dakota! Having dined here about 5 times, I can honestly say that it deserves a 4-star review and if you find yourself on the eastside of town, you should definitely eat here. The atmosphere is great! I love it! Traildust Town is unique and quaint and simply fun. If it's not too hot, or if the misters are going, sit on the patio and enjoy the periodic gun fire from Pinacle Peak. Enjoy the apricot tea! It is amazing! The staff has always been kind and attentive and knowledgeable. I've never had to wait for a table, but it's never seemed deserted either. The food is decent. If the food were spectacular, I would give it 5 stars, but it is simply decent. It always seems fresh and healthy, but there's just nothing special about it. To conclude, please dine at Dakota, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
(4)
David P.
Great place for dog lovers. Bring your pooch and eat on the patio. Not only do they let you bring your dog, but they bring out a water dish and a treat for your dog. None of the dogs on the patio were misbehaving. Please don't ruin it by bringing your dog if it is not trained. OK now about the restaurant... Food and service was good and prices were more than reasonable. I had a blue cheese burger with fries. Oops on the diet, but it well worth the calories. They do have more healthy food, but it was my turn for something sinful. A friend of mine got the Pork Tacos and they looked great. This restaurant is located in an old west theme park like mini village, but would do get a lot of business without the tourist trap surroundings. That being said, this is a great place to bring newcomers and kids. Gun fights are scheduled through out the day. Train rides are also available. A menu is available on-line: dakotacafeandcatering.com
Went here for New Years Eve dinner. Reasonable prices, quaint atmosphere and a menu to please all palates. I was really pleased they were able to split the cost of our bottle of wine three different ways. I had the blackened tilapia and it was really nice with the fresh berry salsa on top. This would be a place I would take my family to when they come to visit.
(4)
Carrie B.
We went on a Friday afternoon with our kids hoping to catch a good glimpse of Trail Dust Town. This restaurant seemed to be the busiest thing there that afternoon with most of the shops being closed. There were tons of business meetings going on. Almost every table was full. It was a bustling local cafe. We got the crab cakes for an appetizer, pasta, burgers & tacos for lunch. Everything was tasty and came to us in a timely fashion. Attentive & not overly fussy servers. We were impressed and will probably go back sometime. Would love to try taking our pooch for the special patio treatment sometime :)
(3)
Heidi C.
This is my grandma's favorite restaurant. She likes it because it has stayed basically the same since it was first built. You're not going to get anything that wow's you but the food is fairly good and the waiters are nice, if not quick. There is indoor seating, outdoor garden seating and front porch seating, all with nice ambiance. At our most recent visit, we went on a Friday night but the restaurant was very quiet, I'd say about 1/2 full at most. Between us we ordered a shrimp-veggies-pine-nut pasta, braised pork tacos, and pan-seared beef tenderloin. The tenderloin had an enormous piece of gristle running through it and when we pointed it out, they made us a new piece in about 10 minutes, but didn't comp the meal which I was surprised at. Overall the food is good but nothing special - I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but if you are in Trail Dust Town it's worth a try.
(3)
Erin H.
I visit Tucson often and have eaten here several times. In fact in most cases it has been the go to destination right off the plane because it's so great to sit outside on their patio - with nice options regarding sun exposure ;) I haven't brought a dog, but think it's cool that you can outside. The decor inside is great too. On my most recent visit the waitstaff were great - speedy and attentive. The food is tasty and they have nice ice tea. The restaurant is also location in a cool kitschy old west style "complex" for want of a better word. There are other restaurants here and some shops I think. Dakota fits nicely, but still maintains its own vibe.
(4)
Michael L.
Went here the other day. The burgers were expensive so I expected something amazing. I ordered it medium, but when it arrived, there was no pink. Normally, I wouldn't care, but if I'm paying $10 for a burger, I expect it to be amazing, so I asked the waitress for a new one. I got rev. 2 of said burger. Took a small bite. It was pretty much bloody all the way to the outside. It didn't even look cooked from the outside in retrospect. I couldn't deal with this. I politely asked for another. Third try, it was very well done again (no pink), but watery as well. I didn't care at this point because my dad was already finished with his meal. Helpful staff, and decent fries save it from 1 star. They could have given me the burger for free or at least a desert or something.
(2)
Rachel S.
Well, I walked in with my two sons, one 7 the other 2 , and the hostess looked at them like they were an infectious disease.........ordered calamari and a Caesar salad, it wad all very tasty, service satisfactory, all but miss hostess with an attitude. Next time we'll try the other place in tdt.
(3)
Bob N.
Caesar salad was pretty much without flavor. Real Caesar should really KICK. Coffee rubbed pork roast was super excellent, but I didn't order that. My partner did and I nibbled off his plate. My scallops were rubbery - sure sign of having been overcooked. But the risotto patty that was in the center of the plate was exquisite. So, a real mixed bag, overall. Service was friendly and prompt - no complaints there.
(3)
Joel B.
Ordered the chicken enchilada and ate about 4 bites. Some of the worst food I have ever had
(1)
Toni M.
We just happened upon this place around lunch time when we were driving around. Alan caught sight of Pinnacle Peak, an old time joint he remembered fondly because they cut off ties of men unwary or foolish enough to wear them in. We went to check it out but it was only open for dinner. Not too far away was the Dakota Cafe, so we parked and walked in. We were seated promptly but it took a while for a waitress to acknowledge us. The hostess walked by, asked it we'd been attended to yet and when we said we hadn't, sent our waitress. From then on things went quickly. We were brought iced tea and when we told the waitress we'd be sharing the grilled flank steak salad and a tuna salad sandwich she brought us both small plates to make the sharing easier. The steak salad was amazing, w/ medium rare slices of steak, pieces of grilled asparagus, grated cheese, fried onions and house-made dressings on the side, a citrus vinaigrette for me and a creamy Southwest dressing for Alan. The tuna salad was made w/ celery and dates and not a lot of mayonnaise, although they did spread extra mayonnaise on the bread, which Alan scraped off. The sandwich came w/ fries or fresh fruit, so we opted for the fruit, a rather boring assortment of cantaloupe, honeydew and pineapple chunks. There's a lovely garden patio w/ a fountain and a covered patio in front of the restaurant, which is where we sat. Inside are booths and tables. It's a nice, interesting old building. The weather was sunny and warm, very pleasant. If we lived here we'd be back.
(4)
Jessica R.
Another great lunch at the Dakota Cafe! I had a house salad and the shrimp enchiladas. This is of my favorite lunch ever!
(5)
Georgia R.
Oooh, this place is one of my faves. When I have to come to Tucson on biz, you can always find me here for lunch, dinner or possibly even both. The reason I love it ever so much is because it's very vegetarian friendly. Meaning many of the menu items were actually created without meat, opposed to the countless times I've had to ask for a turkey sandwich with no turkey, chicken fettucine with no chicken, a moons over my hammy with no hammy...you get the picture. My personal favorite menu items- ** Lavosh pizza ** Spinach melt ** Bowtie pasta ** Caesar salad They have great desserts and coffee drinks too!
(4)
Shawn C.
Tried Dakota for the first time tonight and was happily surprised! Their menu isn't the biggest, but the food was fresh, well seasoned and the service was extremely fast! If you don't mind dealing with the "festivities" of Trail Dust Town, make sure you give Dakota a try!
(4)
Scott H.
A really pleasant spot. I wasn't totally wowed by my Spinach Melt and fries, but others seemed really pleased with their choices, despite being a large and varied group. The staff was attentive and friendly. The patio looked inviting, though we were inside hiding from late summer heat.
(4)
Susan R.
Eating at Dakota Cafe has to be one of the best dinning experiences I've had in Tucson! Great food & friendly staff! I especially love the patio and the fact you can bring your dog with you! The wait staff will bring your dog fresh water and a dog biscuit! Great place all around (notice I'm using the exclamation point way too much, but the deserve it)!
(5)
Boo R.
The location in an odd Western-style mini theme park must help bring traffic in, but the Dakota Cafe could make it anywhere in town. Because of the nearby shops, I suppose that there is a bit of an extra attraction for visitors to the city. I stopped in on my own one evening and sat at the bar to have the Dakota Salad, which turned out to be a pleasant creation of chicken and a variety of fresh greens. I spoke with the owner for awhile and learned that it had been under her care for many years. The atmosphere is casual, but a little bit on the upscale side and things are priced accordingly. Nice outdoor seating and friendly staff. Consistently good health inspection reports from the county.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Tue, Wed, Thu Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Mark S.
OK... here's the story behind how we ended up at Dakota Café - My wife and I spontaneously decided to go out to dinner. We decided on Zinburger. Driving up Grant, I was not paying attention and missed the entrance to Zinburger. If you know the area and know Grant road during rush hour, you know it's no easy task to just turn around and get back. Quick thinking necessary for Plan B. And the winner was, obviously, Dakota Café. That's out of the way. On to the review part. We enter and the place is mostly empty. We decide to sit on the patio since it was a nice evening. The patio is a nice place to sit as it overlooks the grounds of Trail Dust Town. You can hear the sights and sounds of Trail Dust Town and see people walking around, kids playing and the like. It's a pretty relaxing spot. We order our drinks. Mine a martini ($8) and my wife a cosmo ($8). In the mood for burgers, I am excited to see that they have a Kobe burger ($14) on their menu. When we set out for Zinburger, I already had that on my mind, so it's a no-brainer for me. My wife orders the same thing. We both opt for the bleu cheese ($.75 extra) on our burgers. Drinks arrive and we chat. My martini was fine, but not great. I did enjoy the blue cheese jalapeño olive but was disappointed that they only gave me one. My wife said her cosmo was strong. It did appear to be heavy on the vodka and light on the cranberry juice. She just likes the way I make them. Our burgers arrive next to a pretty generous pile of nice, crispy fries. All the right stuff came with the burgers... lettuce, tomato, red onion and a pickle. If we had asked I am sure they could have provided some sort of killer sauce, but all that was offered were the usual condiments of ketchup, mustard and mayo. A good housemade mayo or aioli would have shot this burger to the top of my list. As is, it is one of the best burgers I have had in town. The one oddity we encountered on this visit was our server. I will bet he said a total of twenty words during the whole visit. We did not get bad service, but nearly everything set on the table was delivered without even a word. It was just kind of strange for a place like this... or anywhere. The burger was good enough that I would return for that alone. Hopefully our next server is human and not an automaton.
(4)Chris C.
The setting for Dakota is relaxing and very pleasant but the service is poor. No check for water or anything else. No bread served and food was just ok. This was a great place to eat at one time, they need to work on service and improve the test of the food.
(2)Elyse P.
Came here for brunch this morning and it was delicious! This was my first time - the whole Trail Dust Town is a bit of a turn off for me - but the patio really is lovely, the food was excellent, and the $5 mimosas were the cherry on top. I ordered the eggs benedict with pesto hollandaise sauce, red peppered bacon, and home fries. I wish the food had been a touch hotter, but the flavors were right on. I hadn't had anything to eat that morning - saving space for brunch - and couldn't even finish - very filling. I will definitely be back. My mouth is watering just thinking of that eggs benedict.
(4)David A.
Always a solid choice. My burger was undercooked last time but this was a rare occasion (HAHA- get it?).
(4)Peg P.
Traildust Town is a really sweet little place to visit. If I recall the history, it was a movie set built for a Glenn Ford western. The Dakota Cafe is one of the places where you can grab a bite to eat. I had the crabcake bites (photo) and while it was tasty, it was a little too greasy for me and the texture was too soft. I don't think I'll order them again.There are definitely other items I'd like to try. My partner, however, had the portebello sandwich and loved it. To quote her, "It was an inspired and complex blend of flavors that went together perfectly." It had roasted peppers, eggplant, hervarti dill cheese, spinach, and red pepper spread on a ciabatta roll. The fries what came with it were crispy and hot. All in all, a nice lunch.
(4)Rachel D S.
It was great! They are dog friendly on the patio, provide gourmet biscuits and filtered water. It's was casual and relaxing with great food options. I loved their salad! We are going to make it our weekly ritual.
(5)Jim H.
After a disappointment at the last visit., I was pleased with the food and service on this visit. Thanks to management for restoring the old favorites and getting service back.
(4)Char C.
So sad - my girlfriend and I hadn't been in a long time and was really looking forward to a great lunch...the portabella mushroom sandwich was very disappointing. It normally comes with beautiful orange and yellow sweet peppers - this time is was all chopped up and charred and dried. We will not return - it was not worth the money, not when there are a lot of other, much better places to go to. You lost two loyal women :(
(1)Robert N.
My wife and I have eaten there on several occasions for lunch and will happily go back. She orders fish and it's beef for me. Other commenters have mentioned slow service, and I don't disagree. Food, atmosphere, and *quality* of the service has always been good. Update: a few nights after the above review, we went for dinner on a Saturday night with family. Wow, service wasn't just slow, it was horrendous. Removed a star. 1) one of the four orders were not placed-we were not told what was going on for almost 5 mins after the other three meals were on the table. We all were just waiting and the staff had disappeared. 2) the food delivery person was clueless 3) finished the meal (tasty!) before waiter came by to check on us. 4) drinks remained empty until you flagged someone down 5) please, no Heinz in a glass bottle, especially an almost empty bottle. Is that a trick you play on customers you don't like? 6) slow service, more than usual Free dessert was provided.
(3)Sarah C.
Today feels like a good day to vent about my bad calamari experience at Dakota Bar & Grill. A few weeks back, famished and nervously meeting up with an ex, I ordered a glass of wine. We sat on the patio, which always has a nice atmosphere. After about an hour or catching up, and regretfully, missing out on "Happy Hour", we decided to take the plunge and pay full price for the calamari to share. A sound word of advice: be sure to ask your server, "Will this appetizer be enough to SHARE?". In hindsight, this could have saved me from the worst calamari of my life. Let me preface this with - I'm a fan of calamari. Give me those golden fried rings and a ramekin of red sauce, any dip. I'll take them lightly dusted with panko bread crumbs, battered, or naked. I'm usually a pleased patron anytime I order this presumably fuss-free dish. When the words left my lips, "The calamari, please," my thoughts wandered to King Fisher's calamari - BEST. IN. TOWN. Anytime you select calamari from the list, you're pretty much guaranteed a generous portion. Squid is a bargain! What arrived to our table was a joke. I literally felt insulted. A lettuce leaf holding five, puny, tiny, nickel-sized rings (and very fried - so much so that it was hard to even stab at them with a fork). That's it! FIVE. The plate was a small saucer plate - perfect for a teacup. It was ridiculous to even pick at one, feeling really hungry, and realizing, we'd been bamboozled for over $9. Let's do the math. That's almost $2 a piece. This had me so disturbed and downright angry that I took my complaint straight to the owner. I've never done this before. I'm not a complainer. I hardly ever have the gall to speak up about a bad food experience at the restaurant. The owner (and I am now just learning that it's under new ownership and apparently he's one of a few of the new owners) practically waved me away as he was bellied-up to the bar, drinking his brew and barely making eye contact as I explained how disturbing the baby portion of calamari was. He blamed it on the cook, saying "Yeah, maybe we should look into that." His lack of concern was even more insulting, because I was very polite about it all. He offered no resolution or real apology. Needless to say, I went back to King Fisher the next week for what I call, "The Calamari Redemption." I don't think I will return to Dakota Café again when I know where my bread is buttered and the calamari is a dream. A fine establishment that treats their patrons like gold and dishes out calamari for four - even if you're just one hungry girl sitting next to your ex on date number two - laughing about how bad the calamari was at the place up the road last week.
(1)Janie S.
We always bring visitors here or if the dogs feel like an outing . We love to see the old west town atmospheres and dine outside today the misters were on and a slight breeze. I love the scallop salad; butslsornjoy their breakfast offerings on weekends. My husband goes for their burgers and green corn tamale and my cousin loves tvemac and cheese . Happy hour is great here but service is very uneven!
(4)Betsy B.
This restaurant is located in Trail Dust Town which has some interesting places to look at if you have a wait to get into the restaurant. I The restaurant had good food and is a good place for a family visit though I've been there with friends as well. They have a variety of food including beef, chicken, fish, and vegetarian dishes. Their salads are fresh and good. The entrees were all good and the kids enjoyed the children's menu items. There is outdoor seating and even when it is cooler, there are heaters outside. All of us enjoyed our meal and would return again.
(4)Jeff W.
Our experience here was very good. We saw all the negative reviews but decided to give it a try anyway. Our waitress was new, but she did a wonderful job. She even had a bowl of water brought out for our dog. Drinks were delivered promptly and the menu has some great items. I ordered the Dakota burger with sweet potato fries. Great burger! My wife had a salad that was good as well. Good food, good service, nice place.
(5)John F.
We've been eating at Dakota Cafe for 24 years and it has always been exceptional. Unfortunately it has come to an end. We've tried 3 times over the last 6 months with tonight being the final time. We came in tonight and were seated in the back next to a couple with a baby. When I asked to be moved, the host said all the booths were reserved. I knew this was not true as we had our 12 year old son with us and it was obvious they wanted children in the back. It took 15 minutes for a waitress to come over to the table because they were too busy congregating at the bar. We ordered 2 diet cokes and to my amazement, the waiter brought out 2 plastic bottles of diet coke. I guess we were lucky there weren't 4 of us there because we would have had a 2 liter bottle sitting on the table. We placed our order (2 chicken bow tie pastas & a 1/2 rack of ribs) and waited for 37 minutes. I understand we were probably waiting a little longer because of the ribs, but when our food finally came out, the chicken bow tie pastas were luke warm at best and the flavor was not what we have grown accustomed to. When we were leaving I checked the booths that we were told had reservations on all of them. 3 out of the 5 large booths and 6 out of the small booths were still empty. I knew they were lying. I know this business recently sold and we are sad that the service & food are progressing downward. If the old owners are reading this, thank you for 22 years of great food. If the new owners are reading this, you have a problem that can be remedied. I hope you realize it and take the necessary steps to bring back the quality & standards Dakota Cafe has been known for.
(2)Ttkim K.
I would say a nice place to eat but their food juz like a fast food place. I ordered spinach melt and fresh fruits but trust me its not fresh at all.
(2)Jamie M.
How can you reserve all of your seats? Terrible idea. No room for walk-in customers. The lady at the front also had a bad attitude. Well, if you don't want our money, then you won't get it. This place is not recommended.
(1)Kimberly P.
Service was aweful, we were ignored throughout most of the dinner. Food was decent but not amazing.
(1)John R.
A little disappointing. Everything I have seen under seasoned. the soup of the day was a curried carrot soup with little flavor of each. I ordered the blackened salmon hoping for a big burst of flavor but was disappointed there also. Seasoned fries were rubbery and not very seasoned. I've enjoyed lunch here very much several time. Maybe it was just they or I was having a bad day
(2)Melinda C.
Mom wanted to eat here. She'd heard it was really good from my sister-in-law. Remind me not to listen to my SIL for restaurant choices... I was surprised that they had hostess for lunch. This was well into May and well after 'winter visitor' season. I should have expected this to be loftier than we usually had for lunch and pricier too. Since it was lunch time there weren't a lot of lights on in the restaurant. I suppose that was so you couldn't see the food that well. I ordered the white chicken enchilada. Read: dry. Very dry. There was a lot of white meat chicken, a little bit of cheese and barely any sauce. I gave Mom my tomatillo salsa because it was hot for me to eat. For those of you don't know, I'm allergic to peppers. Mom had the fish tacos with a cilantro lime rice. She liked the tacos, but the rice was mushy and had too much cilantro. She likes cilantro, but this was too much for her. I'm glad Mom enjoyed it, but I know I won't be going back there. I'm not into high-brow Mexican food.
(2)David K.
This place was a great surprise. The atmosphere was casual sheek. Great patio, but I liked the dining room. Great sandwich. I had the Cuban that was very good. Someone else in my party had the Turkey Sandwich which was amazing. And the vegetarian option was over the top. The restaurant sits inside a little western town that is fun for the kids. When visiting Tucson, put this place on your list.
(5)Desiree D.
Great patio area. I went there the first time for Sunday brunch and loved the ambiance. Their menu was so so, but I loved the location in the old west town and their cocktails were pretty good. The second time I went, I made a reservation for my daughter and myself for mother's day. They sat me at the worst place possible. Not only did I not get a place on the patio, but they sat me inside right next to the kicken door. It was also freezing cold inside the restaurant. Needless to say, we just got up and went to another restaurant. The third time I went for a work function. It took a half hour to get drinks and 90 minutes to get food. They manage large groups very poorly. So unless you go when its dead or just for drinks, I do not recommend nor will I be going back. The thing I hate is that it has a great location and venue, but they really need to work on their boring menu and substandard service.
(2)Kathy N.
It's been probably two years since I've eaten at Dakota and it's as good as I remember. Went with two girlfriends for an escape-the-workday lunch. We thought the patio would be nice since they have misters but within 3 minutes of being seated we asked to move indoors. The humidity is killer today! Or could it be that we're three menopausal women? No! I don't accept my age so it's obviously the humidity, right? Aaaaannyway....our server was understandable and helped us move. My girls R & K both ordered the Waldorf salad as it's a favorite for both but K added a small bowl of the soup of the day - sweet potato bisque. I tried the chicken chutney salad and it was gorgeous; a beautiful display of sliced cantaloupe, strawberries and avocado sat atop a bed of greens with a tasty chicken salad in the center. It was served with a couple of slices of delicious date bread. Punched my clean plate club card on this one! Probably shouldn't wait another two years before heading back to Dakota since it's just a few minutes from work.
(4)David C.
French toast bacon with eggs on the side was fantastic. I had the pork barbecue which was also delicious, service was unbelievably fabulous. Overall a fantastic dining experience for a midday meal.
(5)Michael L.
Firstly I will say that the front of the house was very accommodating. I started out with a reservation for 8, then changed it to 12, then changed it to 16! No issues whatsoever but they didn't have seating accommodations for our entire party. No problem though as we sat in the same vicinity. The food was rustic but good. Several people had ribs which were "fall off the bone tender" and beef stroganoff which I tried it and it was tasty. Personally I had the scallops over risotto and it was very good. The ambiance is also very rustic but it's set in kind of an old west area. There's a covered wagon, a shooting gallery, a mine shaft, a jail - lots of things to keep you occupied if you're early or need to walk around after eating. Kinda cute. I'd come back again, perhaps for lunch and sit outside.
(4)Doug W.
Decent fare, lousy service. The food is great, it took us about an hour and forty-five minutes from getting seated to paying our bill. They were clearly understaffed, but most businesses have back up staffers they can call! Typical Tucson terrible service.
(2)Karen B.
Wow, So disappointing! I have eaten at Dakota Bar and Grill many times and have had wonderful experiences and great dinners. This place has really gone down hill. Tonight I took my son to dinner and the food was horrendous. I ordered the crab cake for a starter and the famous chicken enchilada for an entree. The crab cake was disgusting and I sent most of it back. It tasted like burned oil and was saturated with the burned oil beyond anything I've ever tasted before served over a handful of bagged, cut cabbage. I'm not sure what it was made of but I'm pretty sure it wasn't real crab. Just terrible and borderline even edible. I was hoping for something better with the enchilada but is that CANNED chicken in there? I have to admit I have never had canned chicken before but i also have never had chicken that resembled what was in that enchilada so I'm kind of guessing here. I have made many, many chicken enchiladas with leftover chicken but what was in this one was beyond any leftover chicken I've ever seen or tasted. What color is that orangeish, brownish, yellowish chicken with the strangest texture I've ever encountered and tasted like something chicken-flavored. Disgusting, and I sent it back too. The service was great but the waiter oddly never asked why I was sending my food back uneaten and I didn't want to embarrass my teenaged son so I kept quiet. Just terrible. I won't be going back to Dakota. I seriously just cannot believe the meal I was served there tonight. Prison food? What the heck was that?
(1)Kendra F.
I am definitely a fan of Dakota! Having dined here about 5 times, I can honestly say that it deserves a 4-star review and if you find yourself on the eastside of town, you should definitely eat here. The atmosphere is great! I love it! Traildust Town is unique and quaint and simply fun. If it's not too hot, or if the misters are going, sit on the patio and enjoy the periodic gun fire from Pinacle Peak. Enjoy the apricot tea! It is amazing! The staff has always been kind and attentive and knowledgeable. I've never had to wait for a table, but it's never seemed deserted either. The food is decent. If the food were spectacular, I would give it 5 stars, but it is simply decent. It always seems fresh and healthy, but there's just nothing special about it. To conclude, please dine at Dakota, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
(4)David P.
Great place for dog lovers. Bring your pooch and eat on the patio. Not only do they let you bring your dog, but they bring out a water dish and a treat for your dog. None of the dogs on the patio were misbehaving. Please don't ruin it by bringing your dog if it is not trained. OK now about the restaurant... Food and service was good and prices were more than reasonable. I had a blue cheese burger with fries. Oops on the diet, but it well worth the calories. They do have more healthy food, but it was my turn for something sinful. A friend of mine got the Pork Tacos and they looked great. This restaurant is located in an old west theme park like mini village, but would do get a lot of business without the tourist trap surroundings. That being said, this is a great place to bring newcomers and kids. Gun fights are scheduled through out the day. Train rides are also available. A menu is available on-line: dakotacafeandcatering.com
(4)Pam W.
Went here for New Years Eve dinner. Reasonable prices, quaint atmosphere and a menu to please all palates. I was really pleased they were able to split the cost of our bottle of wine three different ways. I had the blackened tilapia and it was really nice with the fresh berry salsa on top. This would be a place I would take my family to when they come to visit.
(4)Carrie B.
We went on a Friday afternoon with our kids hoping to catch a good glimpse of Trail Dust Town. This restaurant seemed to be the busiest thing there that afternoon with most of the shops being closed. There were tons of business meetings going on. Almost every table was full. It was a bustling local cafe. We got the crab cakes for an appetizer, pasta, burgers & tacos for lunch. Everything was tasty and came to us in a timely fashion. Attentive & not overly fussy servers. We were impressed and will probably go back sometime. Would love to try taking our pooch for the special patio treatment sometime :)
(3)Heidi C.
This is my grandma's favorite restaurant. She likes it because it has stayed basically the same since it was first built. You're not going to get anything that wow's you but the food is fairly good and the waiters are nice, if not quick. There is indoor seating, outdoor garden seating and front porch seating, all with nice ambiance. At our most recent visit, we went on a Friday night but the restaurant was very quiet, I'd say about 1/2 full at most. Between us we ordered a shrimp-veggies-pine-nut pasta, braised pork tacos, and pan-seared beef tenderloin. The tenderloin had an enormous piece of gristle running through it and when we pointed it out, they made us a new piece in about 10 minutes, but didn't comp the meal which I was surprised at. Overall the food is good but nothing special - I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but if you are in Trail Dust Town it's worth a try.
(3)Toni M.
We just happened upon this place around lunch time when we were driving around. Alan caught sight of Pinnacle Peak, an old time joint he remembered fondly because they cut off ties of men unwary or foolish enough to wear them in. We went to check it out but it was only open for dinner. Not too far away was the Dakota Cafe, so we parked and walked in. We were seated promptly but it took a while for a waitress to acknowledge us. The hostess walked by, asked it we'd been attended to yet and when we said we hadn't, sent our waitress. From then on things went quickly. We were brought iced tea and when we told the waitress we'd be sharing the grilled flank steak salad and a tuna salad sandwich she brought us both small plates to make the sharing easier. The steak salad was amazing, w/ medium rare slices of steak, pieces of grilled asparagus, grated cheese, fried onions and house-made dressings on the side, a citrus vinaigrette for me and a creamy Southwest dressing for Alan. The tuna salad was made w/ celery and dates and not a lot of mayonnaise, although they did spread extra mayonnaise on the bread, which Alan scraped off. The sandwich came w/ fries or fresh fruit, so we opted for the fruit, a rather boring assortment of cantaloupe, honeydew and pineapple chunks. There's a lovely garden patio w/ a fountain and a covered patio in front of the restaurant, which is where we sat. Inside are booths and tables. It's a nice, interesting old building. The weather was sunny and warm, very pleasant. If we lived here we'd be back.
(4)Jessica R.
Another great lunch at the Dakota Cafe! I had a house salad and the shrimp enchiladas. This is of my favorite lunch ever!
(5)Georgia R.
Oooh, this place is one of my faves. When I have to come to Tucson on biz, you can always find me here for lunch, dinner or possibly even both. The reason I love it ever so much is because it's very vegetarian friendly. Meaning many of the menu items were actually created without meat, opposed to the countless times I've had to ask for a turkey sandwich with no turkey, chicken fettucine with no chicken, a moons over my hammy with no hammy...you get the picture. My personal favorite menu items- ** Lavosh pizza ** Spinach melt ** Bowtie pasta ** Caesar salad They have great desserts and coffee drinks too!
(4)Shawn C.
Tried Dakota for the first time tonight and was happily surprised! Their menu isn't the biggest, but the food was fresh, well seasoned and the service was extremely fast! If you don't mind dealing with the "festivities" of Trail Dust Town, make sure you give Dakota a try!
(4)Scott H.
A really pleasant spot. I wasn't totally wowed by my Spinach Melt and fries, but others seemed really pleased with their choices, despite being a large and varied group. The staff was attentive and friendly. The patio looked inviting, though we were inside hiding from late summer heat.
(4)Susan R.
Eating at Dakota Cafe has to be one of the best dinning experiences I've had in Tucson! Great food & friendly staff! I especially love the patio and the fact you can bring your dog with you! The wait staff will bring your dog fresh water and a dog biscuit! Great place all around (notice I'm using the exclamation point way too much, but the deserve it)!
(5)Boo R.
The location in an odd Western-style mini theme park must help bring traffic in, but the Dakota Cafe could make it anywhere in town. Because of the nearby shops, I suppose that there is a bit of an extra attraction for visitors to the city. I stopped in on my own one evening and sat at the bar to have the Dakota Salad, which turned out to be a pleasant creation of chicken and a variety of fresh greens. I spoke with the owner for awhile and learned that it had been under her care for many years. The atmosphere is casual, but a little bit on the upscale side and things are priced accordingly. Nice outdoor seating and friendly staff. Consistently good health inspection reports from the county.
(4)Kate L.
Dakota Cafe has been around a long time, and I hope it stays that way! Nothing against Pinnacle Peak, but if you want a good meal and to hang around Trail Dust Town (a super cute little old western "street" that's a great place to take out of towners), I think Dakota is your best option. My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner here... 9 years ago! However, the last time we were there we had a few problems... While the food has been good over the years, my last time eating there was awful... the hamburger I ordered came out raw. Not "undercooked"... I took a big mouthful and the meat was raw in the middle. But it says something about a place when they try to make it right, correct? The server took away the item (and removed from my bill, which should go without saying) and brought me some chili free of charge. At that point I was too grossed out to really eat anymore, but I took the chili home and it was decent the next day. All their staff was friendly and helpful. Overpriced? Yeah, I won't argue that. Dakota, I wish you had a broader selection of meal items and prices. There is usually only a handful of choices (but always something new and adventurous, if you're into that sort of thing!) and it's usually around $15-20 a plate. My husband and my mom enjoyed their meals. I recall there was a very limited kids menu for my 1 year old; I wouldn't call Dakota "kid friendly" unless they are older and slightly adventurous. Ambiance is great, lovely but small, trendy decoration and warm inviting lighting. On nice evenings you can sit out on their wonderful patio. On the evening we were there, there was live jazz music on the patio. After dinner, I enjoy strolling through Trail Dust Town... Check out the old fashioned "Shooter's Alley" with the air guns--very cute. On weekends they have live stunt shows, which is fun too. Give Dakota a chance... despite my last bad experience there, I believe they want to provide a good meal and atmosphere for their customers. But maybe cut into your hamburger and check it out before biting in?
(4)Greg B.
We made a reservation for 15 people at Dakota. They put us in outdoor seating IN LATE NOVEMBER. Did they notify us when the reservation was made that only outdoor seating was available for larger groups? No. We were all huddling around the propane heaters as gusts of wind blew through. Aside from the cold weather, the food was not impressive. My daughter's grilled cheese sandwich was burned on the outside with unmelted cheese on the inside. My crab cakes were very fishy and too salty. The tortilla soup was goopy. Our entire group agreed - we wish we had eaten elsewhere. We won't be back.
(2)Susan O.
Despite the initial upset of my friend not arriving till way later than she planned to, the wait staff and I got together on our orders and their service. I ordered their house chili with cornbread plus water and later coffee. The chili was yummy - topped with sour cream, grated cheese, and sliced green onions. The cornbread included chopped jalapenos, or green chiles, or something of the sort; the portion was ample. My friend had the Salmon Nicoise salad, which she enjoyed; she said that the salmon was cooked just right. She had to ask for bread, which looked like epi bread (I didn't have any as my chili and cornbread were plenty). We both finished with coffee, which was OK. All in all, the food tasted good and looked attractive. The service was somewhat sporadic. I would return to try some of the other dishes. I arrived at 11:45 am, and the place filled up fast once noon arrived. A number of people had made reservations. The patio seemed to be the preferred place to eat so that a table wasn't available to us. The other options were the garden and inside the building, and I decided to eat inside. The patio would be pleasant, and it's obvious that you have to reserve a table in advance if you want to eat there.
(4)Susan M.
I was hoping for better, but it's ok. Enjoyed relaxing time at minimum.
(3)J. Y.
I was there on a weeknight when they weren't too busy. Everything took forever. I ordered a burger medium-well. It arrived charred black on the outside and dull gray on the inside with absolutely no flavor. The bun was dry and ordinary. I have no desire to try it a second time.
(2)Alana J.
Breakfast today led us to the Dakota Cafe. I hadn't been since I was 16, and my fiancee, Richard had never been but loves Trial Dust Town. We walked in and were seated by a very busy looking woman. We ordered the tomato bruschetta as an appetizer and I ordered Eggs Benedict with tomatoes instead of bacon and fresh fruit. Richard ordered the meat ball sandwich and we both had iced tea to drink. Our bruschetta came out, and and was two tortillas with way more tomatoes than basil or cheese. For me, a tortilla with tomatoes was maybe not worth eight dollars. I had been expecting something really inspired when I saw the price, and we were both disappointed. Our food came out very shortly after our appetizer; we weren't even halfway done with it. My eggs Benedict came with a pesto hollandaise, which was delicious! The home fries were uninspired, they were just potatoes in cubes with some onions thrown in, but the eggs Benedict itself is my new favorite in Tucson. I don't eat meat, but I did try bread with the sauce from Richard's sandwich and it had a little spiciness to it without being overwhelming. He said the meatballs tasted hearty, juicy and flavorful. The server was very sweet and prompt to fill our glasses. I think I would have given this place four stars if I felt I got a better value for my money. $12 for Eggs Benedict and I was hoping there would be better sides.
(3)Corey D.
Let me preface this by saying that dinner was completely overshadowed by the fact that I was sitting next to legendary dance and movement innovator Anna Halprin. Don't know her? Look her up. With that said, Dakota was ok. I wasn't blown away by my burger and found it a little extreme to have to pay $1.50 for three slices of avocado. I mean really? At $9 the burger which was fine at best was already a bit pricey, but tack on seventy-five cents for each topping and a buck fifty for premium add ons and it just wasn't really worth it in the end. Anna had a flaky white fish wrapped around a crab stuffing that looked divine. Super rich and super creamy which meant a super no go for me to even taste. I'd go back. The menu is pretty big and there were a few salads I'd consider. Know Before You Go: They are great at holding tables, so get a group of four or five and let them know when you call that you want to sit in a bay window. The views outside of the grounds are pretty unique and more interesting than the odd mash up of contemporary/Greek/Aztec interiors inside.
(3)Steve R.
Long time Dakota Patron here. But tonight I was introduced to the "New" Dakota Fries. THE BEST shoestring style Pomme Frites! Try them next time your in.
(4)Cake A.
The website won't allow reservations. The patio needs a swamp cooler or a fan that works. Decent service. Allows dogs. Miss the lobster salad.
(3)Susan C.
Always great food, I love the Dakota salad. The patio is awesome, and I can bring my dogs out on the patio. Good food and dog friendly, doesn't get any better!
(5)Jobe R.
Strolled in and sat down at the copper bar to fill my throat with a neat bourbon an Blantons fit the bill... Decided to try the calimari and it turned out spicy yummy crispy all at once... Just what I was looking for! But the gentlemen behind the bat had the personality of a field mouse. Asked about a signature cocktail n he looked at me with a complete blank stare. While I was sitting at the bar t seperate groups of people shoewed up n no one met them to be seated, one group of 6 almost left! Food good, service weak... That is about what I got!
(4)Carianne C.
Dakota is a great place to go if you are entertaining a large group or older family members - everyone will find something that makes them happy. It is not the most adventurous menu, but the food is very good. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars.... Went last night with my mom, and splurged on a steak, a cup of the New Mexico onion soup, and a glass of malbec. The steak was good, but the green peppercorn/brandy sauce was bland and did not add anything to the plate except extra calories. The steak itself was cooked perfectly, and so large that I took half home. It was served with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus. Mom had a cobb salad that she enjoyed greatly. The service was friendly, but we ended up sitting for A LONG TIME once our meal was done, waiting for boxes and a check. The restaurant was very busy, and I think our server had tables both inside and on the patio. Quaint a cozy - I'll keep it on my list of good places to take my mother.
(3)Brenda G.
Large party of 10 celebrating birthdays at DC last night. Food was great, a little pricey, service was lacking once our drinks and food was brought. The waitress never returned and we had to ask the host for assistance. It was busy but not an excuse. Another defect was that when the checks were brought it was not disclosed that they had already added gratuity. I am aware that this is common but I believe it should be disclosed. Have always enjoyed DC and will return, just not often. $50 for one person to have salad and wine is extreme.
(3)Amanda B.
Enjoyed dinner here on Saturday night. The patio was busy but there was no one inside. Our server was very attentive and quick, but the food was slightly on the slow side. Appetizer: Grilled Shrimp, wrapped in bacon. The shrimp were large and the bacon was great (when isn't bacon great?). The best part was the spicy dipping sauce it came with. I actually kept the dipping sauce to use with my salmon entree I ordered... I ordered the wild salmon, stuffed with crab and shrimp. I thought it would just be crab and shrimp stuffed into the salmon, but it was actually a stuffing with crab and shrimp in it. The stuffing was good, as was the salmon. With the stuffing the amount of food was very large. The veggies were veggies. Good and edible. The mashed potatoes were really good. I am pretty sure they had sour cream in them which makes them even better. My husband got the braised short ribs with the merlot sauce. I really liked the sauce they came in. He ate everything... which actually isn't saying much. I tasted the ribs, thought they were pretty good. Not quite excellent, but definitely good. Overall I really liked this place. I would love to try the sweet potato fries. I will be going back to try other things.
(4)K M.
Based upon many visits. About time I get around to reviewing a place I frequent. A buncha y'all are hungry and want to go out but one wants chicken, one wants fish, one wants beef and one wants salad, or mexican. So this is where we wind up as a catch-all cause they offer all of these, and offer them well. Setting is nice inside or out - and the patio on chilly nights is warmed by new fire lamps which use less energy than the old flying-saucer-head heat lamps and are more pleasing to look at - basically a fire in a cylinder. The fish dishes are usually creative and fresh. Steak is good. Salads are excellent. If you are having trouble figuring out where to eat, you might want to give this place a try.
(4)Jimmy M.
Never have I been to a pet friendly place until now. My wife and I found this place on a website called bringfido.com , which has pet friendly hotels, restaurants, and attractions. While our apartment complex was doing some renovations that everyone had to be out, we decided to check this place out. Nestled in the middle of a mock wild west town adds something to the atmosphere but it also takes away from ease of seeing it from the road. Once we finally found the restaurant all of the tables that were outside had a little reserved sign on them. After going inside and asking if we can sit outside we found out that they just put those there to give their waitstaff a heads up that someone is sitting outside. I think it would be better to just have a sign saying please come inside to be seated would have been less confusing that seeing reserved signed on all of the tables outside. After we sat down and ordered a bus boy brought out a fancy water bowl and some dog treats for our dog. Seeing that totally surprised me. The food here was pretty good, nice to get out and try but nothing to special. One thing that got to me was that they didn't have a kids section on the menu, which I thought was weird for a restaurant in the middle of a tourist attraction. They did have a verbal one but they didn't have much for kids. If you have a well behaved dog and want to get them out and about for one reason or another, check this out.
(4)A M.
It was Mother's Day & made a spontaneous decision to eat at Dakota. We made last minute reservation for 3pm. When we walked in the place was 2/3 empty. The women who worked up front were nice enough but took them a few to find our name on the list (we had just called for pete's sake!). Then gave us a table way in back when the front was 2/3 empty. Ok, its Mom's day, others may have made reservations before us. But when we sat down we waited for 15min & nothing....till one of the ladies who worked up front just happened to walk by. We asked her if any of the waiters even knew we were there. She then got a waiter for us. One would think that once seated, a waiter would have been alerted shortly thereafter by the woman who seated us? Well, stuff happens. But when our food finally came, (i ordered crispy fish tacos) the portion was puny and NOT at all, in any way shape or form, CRISPY! The fish tasted a little "fishy" & not in a good way. Bummer, thinking this place was going to have great food. I dont think i will go out of my way to come back.
(2)Cheryl M.
What a cozy lunch place! I have never been to Dakota given its location. Unfortunately the east side isn't convenient for me but on this specific day, I was needing lunch and Yelped the best and closest and Dakota is what I got! It quite the yummy and flavorful lunch! I ordered the beef brisket sandwich with french fries. I think the beef brisket was a bit too saucy. I'm not too into sloppy sandwiches, but it was still good and the brisket was very tender. The real show stopper, however, were the french fries!! HOLY COW those things are good!! Cooked just right with a crispy outside, just the way I like them! In fact I ate so many that I couldn't finish my sandwich. I do believe these have become my new favorite fries in Tucson. The menu items all looked great! I really had a hard time deciding what to get, which is always a good sign, and my assumption by the ratings and by the busyness during lunch, that it's ALL good! I wish I lived closer...I would go more often!
(4)Alma B.
Ate here a while back and really enjoyed the experience. Tried taking a friend last night. Only to find that the place was closed. At first I thought they had closed for good. Which would have been a bummer, apparently they close sunday nights, which is understandable. It would be a good idea to post the restaurant hours in a place that's visible. If it wasn't for a visit to their website today, I would have never known. There were other large groups wondering the same thing.
(3)Nancy S.
food is good, but i have one complaint. as a vegetarian, i sometimes order salads without the meat. today i ordered the waldorf salad and asked the waiter if they could substitute a grilled portobello mushroom for the chicken. no problem..until i got the bill. not only was i charged for the chicken, but there was an additional $1.50 for the substitution! FAIL! when i questioned the waiter, he said that's what his manager told him to do.
(4)Tuyen C.
If you've lived as long as I have (my beard is reaching the floor as I write this LOL), you'll find it heart warming when things remain the same over the years (well more or less), especially with the ever changing world we live in nowadays. Dakota Cafe is one of those things that remains (actually its food to be exact) mostly unchanged since I was there over 5 years ago. The ambiance and food quality are both very pleasing. The menu is unique with things such as couscous with figs as a side to grilled salmon, which is what I ordered. My friends had Hanger Steak and Sea Bass, which looked as good as they tasted. I would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant to friends and family, especially to those out of towners to show off what Tucson has to offer. We were there on a Saturday night and the place was not packed. That suits me fine. In fact, that suits me perfectly. I believe the reason being that this place is rather pricey compared to your run of the mill dining establishments. Not only that, the portion is on the lighter side which would leave most of not all wanting for more. Yours truly included. Now if you know how much I eat and the level of disdain I have for buffet restaurants, you would not believe that I would ever complain about portions. But I do at Dakota Cafe. And this was also the sentiment from my dining companion; two of whom are small women. So ... consider yourself informed should you decide to try DC for dinner. Other than that, not a bad thing can be said about their food. I decided to give DC a 4-star rating. Quality is always better than quantity. The fact that I, too, have become accustomed to the American dining portion is not their fault (or is it?). But I also have to disclose that I am not looking forward to returning there any time soon; simply because I don't have a senile millionaire uncle who thinks I am his only son.
(4)Steve B.
There's a reason Dakota Cafe has maintained it's place among Tucson's very best restaurants year after year for longer than I can remember. The Traildust Town location, fun and festive, is one but ultimately is all about the food. The soups du jour are always tasty. If you're lucky you'll stumble in when they're serving the Muligatawney - sublime! Their salads are varied and fresh. Their Cobb is the best I've ever had. The entrees range from tacos and burgers to pastas to prime cut steaks and fresh fish. They don't always bang it out of the park - I've had a burger that wasn't cooked the way I ordered it once - but over all the menu presents creative recipes with high quality ingredients, well executed. Thumbs up!
(4)Erin H.
I visit Tucson often and have eaten here several times. In fact in most cases it has been the go to destination right off the plane because it's so great to sit outside on their patio - with nice options regarding sun exposure ;) I haven't brought a dog, but think it's cool that you can outside. The decor inside is great too. On my most recent visit the waitstaff were great - speedy and attentive. The food is tasty and they have nice ice tea. The restaurant is also location in a cool kitschy old west style "complex" for want of a better word. There are other restaurants here and some shops I think. Dakota fits nicely, but still maintains its own vibe.
(4)Michael L.
Went here the other day. The burgers were expensive so I expected something amazing. I ordered it medium, but when it arrived, there was no pink. Normally, I wouldn't care, but if I'm paying $10 for a burger, I expect it to be amazing, so I asked the waitress for a new one. I got rev. 2 of said burger. Took a small bite. It was pretty much bloody all the way to the outside. It didn't even look cooked from the outside in retrospect. I couldn't deal with this. I politely asked for another. Third try, it was very well done again (no pink), but watery as well. I didn't care at this point because my dad was already finished with his meal. Helpful staff, and decent fries save it from 1 star. They could have given me the burger for free or at least a desert or something.
(2)Sarah L.
Dakota gets an "A" for effort and for service, but unfortunately- the overall execution wasn't what we had hoped it would be... My husband and I had a quiet Friday night dinner tonight at Dakota. We didn't have a reservation, but were seated immediately at a cozy, small two seat booth in the far corner of the restaurant- opposite the entrance to the kitchen. This 'cozy' two seat booth felt a bit too cozy, and unfortunately it wasn't the best view in the restaurant- having to watch every server come in and out of the kitchen...That and a view of the wall- I think I ended up with just about the worst seat in the house. Seating arrangements aside, we started with a glass of Malbec/Syrah from Argentina, which for $7 per glass was smooth, full bodied, and well rounded. We shared a Caesar salad ($10). The Caesar dressing was flavorful, but the Romano cheese wasn't impressive, and tasted like it came from a grocery store shredded cheese container. The acoustic guitarist was a nice touch, although I couldn't see him from my vantage point (facing the wall). I ordered the seared Ahi Tuna ($20). It was flavorful and a decent size portion. Even though the waitress asked how I wanted it prepared (and I said rare), it was too rare for my liking (seemed like sashimi to me). It was served with rosemary potatoes and sautéed spinach. The potatoes and spinach were dripping with a buttery sauce, and were my favorite parts of the meal! I could have just eaten the potatoes and spinach, and been a happy camper! As it was (with my Ahi tuna being too rare), I gave half of the Ahi to my husband in exchange for a bite of his NY steak. Sadly, the NY steak ($24.50) was not a good choice... The cut was rough (the grain was not cut like a NY- more like a sirloin). Plus it was way too tough. (It tasted like chopped steak to me). My husband had ordered it cooked medium rare, but it was more like medium-well. It was served with a Chimichuri sauce, which was pretty flavorless. The waitress was ever so gracious, and she asked if he wanted to send it back, but he chose not to. Our waitress, Claudia made the overall experience at Dakota very pleasant. If it weren't for her, I don't know if they'd be getting 3 stars. Despite the sub-par steak, Claudia's attitude remained positive and upbeat. She knew my husband wasn't happy with his entree, and she offered to buy us dessert. SWEET!!! I'm not one to turn down a free dessert. Per her suggestion, we ordered the mud pie, which is chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce, chocolate cake, whipped cream, and peanuts. When she described it, it sounded like it would be on a huge plate, but somehow they managed to put all this taste into a little ramekin- amazing! In my opinion this delicious dessert made up for the steak not being to our liking. I feel like we would give Dakota another try, and I would love to have Claudia wait on us again. Her winning attitude more than made up for the issues we had with the food. We had a groupon, which essentially saved us $12. Our check came out to $82 with tax and tip, after subtracting the groupon. $82 for one salad, two entrees, two glasses of wine, and a bottle of Pelligrino. OUCH!!! Sorry Dakota, I know you just changed the menu, and you are putting forth a nice venue with live music- but unless the food gets better, your prices are just too high for Tucson.
(3)Rachel S.
Well, I walked in with my two sons, one 7 the other 2 , and the hostess looked at them like they were an infectious disease.........ordered calamari and a Caesar salad, it wad all very tasty, service satisfactory, all but miss hostess with an attitude. Next time we'll try the other place in tdt.
(3)Bob N.
Caesar salad was pretty much without flavor. Real Caesar should really KICK. Coffee rubbed pork roast was super excellent, but I didn't order that. My partner did and I nibbled off his plate. My scallops were rubbery - sure sign of having been overcooked. But the risotto patty that was in the center of the plate was exquisite. So, a real mixed bag, overall. Service was friendly and prompt - no complaints there.
(3)Joel B.
Ordered the chicken enchilada and ate about 4 bites. Some of the worst food I have ever had
(1)Cathi J.
I have eaten at the Dakota Cafe off and on for years and have really enjoyed the food, the outdoor dining, and the service. My brother-in-law came for a visit so I thought this restaurant would be a good choice for dinner. I was wrong. I did not know until we got to the restaurant that it was under new ownership. . The food and service were not as good as it used to be. I don't think this restaurant is equipped to handle large parties. There were 14 of us. The meals did not come out at the same time or close to it. We sat around waiting for the others in our party to be served while our food was getting cold. We finally decided to eat. I ordered the macadamia chicken skewers with a side of cornbread. My cornbread came out after I had eaten most of my chicken. What amazed me is that the hamburgers were served about 20 minutes after everything else was served. My niece ordered a hamburger well done that had to be redone because the cook had put barbecue sauce on it. When her burger finally came everyone had finished eating and the burger was bloody. A server took it back and it appeared to have been finished in the microwave. My sister informed the server that my niece's meal needed to be taken off the bill. She reminded him again. He proceeded to try to take my niece's meal away that she was still trying to eat. My sister went inside to discuss the bill, food, and service with the manager. She had a disagreement with the server about my niece's burger. He told her that my niece was eating it so he believed we should pay for it. The manager was easy to deal with. She took 25% off of the entire bill and comped my niece's meal. I don't fully hold the server responsible for the food coming out piece meal but I believe a more experienced server would have handled the situation better. One of my sister's said the Chicken Marsala was ok but not great. Another sister said the White Chicken Enchiladas were not as good as they have been in the past. My brother-in-law said his dinner was just ok. On the other hand the people in our party who had the hamburgers said they were good. If you go to the Dakota I would recommend you not go with a large party and read the reviews others have posted. I wish I had done so because I would have chosen another restaurant.
(2)Shik D.
I don't often get out for Sunday brunch but now that I've been to Dakota for brunch this might change. Every time I have been here it's been good. I like the setting and the live music is decent (not really loud). I love the patio. Portions are reasonable and the food has been consistently good. The Bloody Mary's were fantastic and so was the brunch. The burrito I ordered was served with an actual fresh red chili sauce! Totally rad! I will definitely go back, though it does seem to attract an older crowd so you might think about getting there early when they open.
(5)Stacy A.
Went to Dakota Cafe with another couple, sitting outside on patio. Service was horrible considering there were only a few people there. Table short a set of silverware which we "borrowed" from another table. Tea glasses and water never refilled. Patio was not busy - one other table with 4 people at it. Inside only had two tables occupied. We had to ask for bread for the table. Food arrived after what seemed to be a long time. Food was bland and boring. Salmon way overcooked. Small portions. Server never checked back to see how the food was. I got up and looked for our waiter who was busy doing nothing, so we could order some bread pudding. He came back and left our bill, which my husband immediately signed so we could get out of there after dessert. Our waiter left the dessert on our table, took the signed charge slip and disappeared. The bread pudding was so hard, dried out and overcooked we couldn't eat it. I took the bread pudding and started searching for our waiter again to complain about it - couldn't find him. Told another waiter - he said he would give it to the chef but nothing was done. No one came back to offer to take it off our bill and rerun the charge, and no one offered to bring us a different dessert. We hadn't been to Dakota in a few years. Now we definitely won't ever go back.
(1)Karen B.
I've been here three times, I think, most recently for Easter brunch. I've yet to be disappointed. The menu is as inventive as it is well-prepared, the staff is pleasant, flexible and efficient, and the location--Trail Dust Town--always makes me smile. On an Easter Sunday when the wait elsewhere was quoted at 60 minutes, we got right in, with a table on the covered patio. My friend and I both had lamb barbacoa tacos (in my case without the tortillas), with orange jicama slaw. Where else would you even find that combination of flavors? My dad, meanwhile, had a less adventurous choice: a generous slice of smoked Gouda quiche with green salad. It looked great! Prices are reasonable, the service is good, and the ambience is pleasant indoors and out--indoors as a peaceful upscale restaurant, outdoors with views of Trail Dust Town, with all its kitschy Wild West charm. The patio of the Dakota Cafe is also one of the few eateries in Tucson one can visit with a dog or two. I've been meaning to go there with my two dogs for quite a while now. Maybe next weekend....
(5)David H.
Great value and nice location. I believe it's right on the grounds of some museum (tourist attraction). Went with my daughter and mother. I had the shrimp enchilada. Nice baby shrimp is a tasty cream sauce. My mother had the hangar steak for the first time ever and fell in love with it. Tender and juicy. My daughter had the meatloaf. She thought it was great and very different from what we're used to. She mentioned it had a southwestern spice which made it quite enjoyable.
(4)Kathy M.
I've been here for 45 minutes. After 15 min. I finally got up to ask for service. It appears there is one waiter for the entire patio. Ordered the burger. Good size, otherwise pretty bland and boring. The server actually asked how I would like it cooked. Ordered med. rare. It was very overcooked....gray meat. One small very soggy piece of lettuce with what appeared to be an insect hole in it. Fries average. Server never checked back to ask how everything was. I had to get up to find him so I could pay my bill. Don't waste your precious time and money. My guess, after reading the most recent reviews, is the change in ownership. Wish I had picked up on that before I ate there!
(1)John R.
A little disappointing. Everything I have seen under seasoned. the soup of the day was a curried carrot soup with little flavor of each. I ordered the blackened salmon hoping for a big burst of flavor but was disappointed there also. Seasoned fries were rubbery and not very seasoned. I've enjoyed lunch here very much several time. Maybe it was just they or I was having a bad day
(2)Karen B.
Wow, So disappointing! I have eaten at Dakota Bar and Grill many times and have had wonderful experiences and great dinners. This place has really gone down hill. Tonight I took my son to dinner and the food was horrendous. I ordered the crab cake for a starter and the famous chicken enchilada for an entree. The crab cake was disgusting and I sent most of it back. It tasted like burned oil and was saturated with the burned oil beyond anything I've ever tasted before served over a handful of bagged, cut cabbage. I'm not sure what it was made of but I'm pretty sure it wasn't real crab. Just terrible and borderline even edible. I was hoping for something better with the enchilada but is that CANNED chicken in there? I have to admit I have never had canned chicken before but i also have never had chicken that resembled what was in that enchilada so I'm kind of guessing here. I have made many, many chicken enchiladas with leftover chicken but what was in this one was beyond any leftover chicken I've ever seen or tasted. What color is that orangeish, brownish, yellowish chicken with the strangest texture I've ever encountered and tasted like something chicken-flavored. Disgusting, and I sent it back too. The service was great but the waiter oddly never asked why I was sending my food back uneaten and I didn't want to embarrass my teenaged son so I kept quiet. Just terrible. I won't be going back to Dakota. I seriously just cannot believe the meal I was served there tonight. Prison food? What the heck was that?
(1)Michael L.
Firstly I will say that the front of the house was very accommodating. I started out with a reservation for 8, then changed it to 12, then changed it to 16! No issues whatsoever but they didn't have seating accommodations for our entire party. No problem though as we sat in the same vicinity. The food was rustic but good. Several people had ribs which were "fall off the bone tender" and beef stroganoff which I tried it and it was tasty. Personally I had the scallops over risotto and it was very good. The ambiance is also very rustic but it's set in kind of an old west area. There's a covered wagon, a shooting gallery, a mine shaft, a jail - lots of things to keep you occupied if you're early or need to walk around after eating. Kinda cute. I'd come back again, perhaps for lunch and sit outside.
(4)Doug W.
Decent fare, lousy service. The food is great, it took us about an hour and forty-five minutes from getting seated to paying our bill. They were clearly understaffed, but most businesses have back up staffers they can call! Typical Tucson terrible service.
(2)David H.
Great value and nice location. I believe it's right on the grounds of some museum (tourist attraction). Went with my daughter and mother. I had the shrimp enchilada. Nice baby shrimp is a tasty cream sauce. My mother had the hangar steak for the first time ever and fell in love with it. Tender and juicy. My daughter had the meatloaf. She thought it was great and very different from what we're used to. She mentioned it had a southwestern spice which made it quite enjoyable.
(4)Cheryl M.
What a cozy lunch place! I have never been to Dakota given its location. Unfortunately the east side isn't convenient for me but on this specific day, I was needing lunch and Yelped the best and closest and Dakota is what I got! It quite the yummy and flavorful lunch! I ordered the beef brisket sandwich with french fries. I think the beef brisket was a bit too saucy. I'm not too into sloppy sandwiches, but it was still good and the brisket was very tender. The real show stopper, however, were the french fries!! HOLY COW those things are good!! Cooked just right with a crispy outside, just the way I like them! In fact I ate so many that I couldn't finish my sandwich. I do believe these have become my new favorite fries in Tucson. The menu items all looked great! I really had a hard time deciding what to get, which is always a good sign, and my assumption by the ratings and by the busyness during lunch, that it's ALL good! I wish I lived closer...I would go more often!
(4)Alma B.
Ate here a while back and really enjoyed the experience. Tried taking a friend last night. Only to find that the place was closed. At first I thought they had closed for good. Which would have been a bummer, apparently they close sunday nights, which is understandable. It would be a good idea to post the restaurant hours in a place that's visible. If it wasn't for a visit to their website today, I would have never known. There were other large groups wondering the same thing.
(3)Steve R.
Long time Dakota Patron here. But tonight I was introduced to the "New" Dakota Fries. THE BEST shoestring style Pomme Frites! Try them next time your in.
(4)Cake A.
The website won't allow reservations. The patio needs a swamp cooler or a fan that works. Decent service. Allows dogs. Miss the lobster salad.
(3)Nancy S.
food is good, but i have one complaint. as a vegetarian, i sometimes order salads without the meat. today i ordered the waldorf salad and asked the waiter if they could substitute a grilled portobello mushroom for the chicken. no problem..until i got the bill. not only was i charged for the chicken, but there was an additional $1.50 for the substitution! FAIL! when i questioned the waiter, he said that's what his manager told him to do.
(4)Susan C.
Always great food, I love the Dakota salad. The patio is awesome, and I can bring my dogs out on the patio. Good food and dog friendly, doesn't get any better!
(5)Jobe R.
Strolled in and sat down at the copper bar to fill my throat with a neat bourbon an Blantons fit the bill... Decided to try the calimari and it turned out spicy yummy crispy all at once... Just what I was looking for! But the gentlemen behind the bat had the personality of a field mouse. Asked about a signature cocktail n he looked at me with a complete blank stare. While I was sitting at the bar t seperate groups of people shoewed up n no one met them to be seated, one group of 6 almost left! Food good, service weak... That is about what I got!
(4)Betsy B.
This restaurant is located in Trail Dust Town which has some interesting places to look at if you have a wait to get into the restaurant. I The restaurant had good food and is a good place for a family visit though I've been there with friends as well. They have a variety of food including beef, chicken, fish, and vegetarian dishes. Their salads are fresh and good. The entrees were all good and the kids enjoyed the children's menu items. There is outdoor seating and even when it is cooler, there are heaters outside. All of us enjoyed our meal and would return again.
(4)Jim H.
After a disappointment at the last visit., I was pleased with the food and service on this visit. Thanks to management for restoring the old favorites and getting service back.
(4)Char C.
So sad - my girlfriend and I hadn't been in a long time and was really looking forward to a great lunch...the portabella mushroom sandwich was very disappointing. It normally comes with beautiful orange and yellow sweet peppers - this time is was all chopped up and charred and dried. We will not return - it was not worth the money, not when there are a lot of other, much better places to go to. You lost two loyal women :(
(1)Robert N.
My wife and I have eaten there on several occasions for lunch and will happily go back. She orders fish and it's beef for me. Other commenters have mentioned slow service, and I don't disagree. Food, atmosphere, and *quality* of the service has always been good. Update: a few nights after the above review, we went for dinner on a Saturday night with family. Wow, service wasn't just slow, it was horrendous. Removed a star. 1) one of the four orders were not placed-we were not told what was going on for almost 5 mins after the other three meals were on the table. We all were just waiting and the staff had disappeared. 2) the food delivery person was clueless 3) finished the meal (tasty!) before waiter came by to check on us. 4) drinks remained empty until you flagged someone down 5) please, no Heinz in a glass bottle, especially an almost empty bottle. Is that a trick you play on customers you don't like? 6) slow service, more than usual Free dessert was provided.
(3)Sarah C.
Today feels like a good day to vent about my bad calamari experience at Dakota Bar & Grill. A few weeks back, famished and nervously meeting up with an ex, I ordered a glass of wine. We sat on the patio, which always has a nice atmosphere. After about an hour or catching up, and regretfully, missing out on "Happy Hour", we decided to take the plunge and pay full price for the calamari to share. A sound word of advice: be sure to ask your server, "Will this appetizer be enough to SHARE?". In hindsight, this could have saved me from the worst calamari of my life. Let me preface this with - I'm a fan of calamari. Give me those golden fried rings and a ramekin of red sauce, any dip. I'll take them lightly dusted with panko bread crumbs, battered, or naked. I'm usually a pleased patron anytime I order this presumably fuss-free dish. When the words left my lips, "The calamari, please," my thoughts wandered to King Fisher's calamari - BEST. IN. TOWN. Anytime you select calamari from the list, you're pretty much guaranteed a generous portion. Squid is a bargain! What arrived to our table was a joke. I literally felt insulted. A lettuce leaf holding five, puny, tiny, nickel-sized rings (and very fried - so much so that it was hard to even stab at them with a fork). That's it! FIVE. The plate was a small saucer plate - perfect for a teacup. It was ridiculous to even pick at one, feeling really hungry, and realizing, we'd been bamboozled for over $9. Let's do the math. That's almost $2 a piece. This had me so disturbed and downright angry that I took my complaint straight to the owner. I've never done this before. I'm not a complainer. I hardly ever have the gall to speak up about a bad food experience at the restaurant. The owner (and I am now just learning that it's under new ownership and apparently he's one of a few of the new owners) practically waved me away as he was bellied-up to the bar, drinking his brew and barely making eye contact as I explained how disturbing the baby portion of calamari was. He blamed it on the cook, saying "Yeah, maybe we should look into that." His lack of concern was even more insulting, because I was very polite about it all. He offered no resolution or real apology. Needless to say, I went back to King Fisher the next week for what I call, "The Calamari Redemption." I don't think I will return to Dakota Café again when I know where my bread is buttered and the calamari is a dream. A fine establishment that treats their patrons like gold and dishes out calamari for four - even if you're just one hungry girl sitting next to your ex on date number two - laughing about how bad the calamari was at the place up the road last week.
(1)Janie S.
We always bring visitors here or if the dogs feel like an outing . We love to see the old west town atmospheres and dine outside today the misters were on and a slight breeze. I love the scallop salad; butslsornjoy their breakfast offerings on weekends. My husband goes for their burgers and green corn tamale and my cousin loves tvemac and cheese . Happy hour is great here but service is very uneven!
(4)Kathy M.
I've been here for 45 minutes. After 15 min. I finally got up to ask for service. It appears there is one waiter for the entire patio. Ordered the burger. Good size, otherwise pretty bland and boring. The server actually asked how I would like it cooked. Ordered med. rare. It was very overcooked....gray meat. One small very soggy piece of lettuce with what appeared to be an insect hole in it. Fries average. Server never checked back to ask how everything was. I had to get up to find him so I could pay my bill. Don't waste your precious time and money. My guess, after reading the most recent reviews, is the change in ownership. Wish I had picked up on that before I ate there!
(1)Jeff W.
Our experience here was very good. We saw all the negative reviews but decided to give it a try anyway. Our waitress was new, but she did a wonderful job. She even had a bowl of water brought out for our dog. Drinks were delivered promptly and the menu has some great items. I ordered the Dakota burger with sweet potato fries. Great burger! My wife had a salad that was good as well. Good food, good service, nice place.
(5)John F.
We've been eating at Dakota Cafe for 24 years and it has always been exceptional. Unfortunately it has come to an end. We've tried 3 times over the last 6 months with tonight being the final time. We came in tonight and were seated in the back next to a couple with a baby. When I asked to be moved, the host said all the booths were reserved. I knew this was not true as we had our 12 year old son with us and it was obvious they wanted children in the back. It took 15 minutes for a waitress to come over to the table because they were too busy congregating at the bar. We ordered 2 diet cokes and to my amazement, the waiter brought out 2 plastic bottles of diet coke. I guess we were lucky there weren't 4 of us there because we would have had a 2 liter bottle sitting on the table. We placed our order (2 chicken bow tie pastas & a 1/2 rack of ribs) and waited for 37 minutes. I understand we were probably waiting a little longer because of the ribs, but when our food finally came out, the chicken bow tie pastas were luke warm at best and the flavor was not what we have grown accustomed to. When we were leaving I checked the booths that we were told had reservations on all of them. 3 out of the 5 large booths and 6 out of the small booths were still empty. I knew they were lying. I know this business recently sold and we are sad that the service & food are progressing downward. If the old owners are reading this, thank you for 22 years of great food. If the new owners are reading this, you have a problem that can be remedied. I hope you realize it and take the necessary steps to bring back the quality & standards Dakota Cafe has been known for.
(2)Ttkim K.
I would say a nice place to eat but their food juz like a fast food place. I ordered spinach melt and fresh fruits but trust me its not fresh at all.
(2)Jamie M.
How can you reserve all of your seats? Terrible idea. No room for walk-in customers. The lady at the front also had a bad attitude. Well, if you don't want our money, then you won't get it. This place is not recommended.
(1)Kimberly P.
Service was aweful, we were ignored throughout most of the dinner. Food was decent but not amazing.
(1)Melinda C.
Mom wanted to eat here. She'd heard it was really good from my sister-in-law. Remind me not to listen to my SIL for restaurant choices... I was surprised that they had hostess for lunch. This was well into May and well after 'winter visitor' season. I should have expected this to be loftier than we usually had for lunch and pricier too. Since it was lunch time there weren't a lot of lights on in the restaurant. I suppose that was so you couldn't see the food that well. I ordered the white chicken enchilada. Read: dry. Very dry. There was a lot of white meat chicken, a little bit of cheese and barely any sauce. I gave Mom my tomatillo salsa because it was hot for me to eat. For those of you don't know, I'm allergic to peppers. Mom had the fish tacos with a cilantro lime rice. She liked the tacos, but the rice was mushy and had too much cilantro. She likes cilantro, but this was too much for her. I'm glad Mom enjoyed it, but I know I won't be going back there. I'm not into high-brow Mexican food.
(2)David K.
This place was a great surprise. The atmosphere was casual sheek. Great patio, but I liked the dining room. Great sandwich. I had the Cuban that was very good. Someone else in my party had the Turkey Sandwich which was amazing. And the vegetarian option was over the top. The restaurant sits inside a little western town that is fun for the kids. When visiting Tucson, put this place on your list.
(5)Desiree D.
Great patio area. I went there the first time for Sunday brunch and loved the ambiance. Their menu was so so, but I loved the location in the old west town and their cocktails were pretty good. The second time I went, I made a reservation for my daughter and myself for mother's day. They sat me at the worst place possible. Not only did I not get a place on the patio, but they sat me inside right next to the kicken door. It was also freezing cold inside the restaurant. Needless to say, we just got up and went to another restaurant. The third time I went for a work function. It took a half hour to get drinks and 90 minutes to get food. They manage large groups very poorly. So unless you go when its dead or just for drinks, I do not recommend nor will I be going back. The thing I hate is that it has a great location and venue, but they really need to work on their boring menu and substandard service.
(2)Kathy N.
It's been probably two years since I've eaten at Dakota and it's as good as I remember. Went with two girlfriends for an escape-the-workday lunch. We thought the patio would be nice since they have misters but within 3 minutes of being seated we asked to move indoors. The humidity is killer today! Or could it be that we're three menopausal women? No! I don't accept my age so it's obviously the humidity, right? Aaaaannyway....our server was understandable and helped us move. My girls R & K both ordered the Waldorf salad as it's a favorite for both but K added a small bowl of the soup of the day - sweet potato bisque. I tried the chicken chutney salad and it was gorgeous; a beautiful display of sliced cantaloupe, strawberries and avocado sat atop a bed of greens with a tasty chicken salad in the center. It was served with a couple of slices of delicious date bread. Punched my clean plate club card on this one! Probably shouldn't wait another two years before heading back to Dakota since it's just a few minutes from work.
(4)Rachel D S.
It was great! They are dog friendly on the patio, provide gourmet biscuits and filtered water. It's was casual and relaxing with great food options. I loved their salad! We are going to make it our weekly ritual.
(5)David C.
French toast bacon with eggs on the side was fantastic. I had the pork barbecue which was also delicious, service was unbelievably fabulous. Overall a fantastic dining experience for a midday meal.
(5)Stacy A.
Went to Dakota Cafe with another couple, sitting outside on patio. Service was horrible considering there were only a few people there. Table short a set of silverware which we "borrowed" from another table. Tea glasses and water never refilled. Patio was not busy - one other table with 4 people at it. Inside only had two tables occupied. We had to ask for bread for the table. Food arrived after what seemed to be a long time. Food was bland and boring. Salmon way overcooked. Small portions. Server never checked back to see how the food was. I got up and looked for our waiter who was busy doing nothing, so we could order some bread pudding. He came back and left our bill, which my husband immediately signed so we could get out of there after dessert. Our waiter left the dessert on our table, took the signed charge slip and disappeared. The bread pudding was so hard, dried out and overcooked we couldn't eat it. I took the bread pudding and started searching for our waiter again to complain about it - couldn't find him. Told another waiter - he said he would give it to the chef but nothing was done. No one came back to offer to take it off our bill and rerun the charge, and no one offered to bring us a different dessert. We hadn't been to Dakota in a few years. Now we definitely won't ever go back.
(1)Karen B.
I've been here three times, I think, most recently for Easter brunch. I've yet to be disappointed. The menu is as inventive as it is well-prepared, the staff is pleasant, flexible and efficient, and the location--Trail Dust Town--always makes me smile. On an Easter Sunday when the wait elsewhere was quoted at 60 minutes, we got right in, with a table on the covered patio. My friend and I both had lamb barbacoa tacos (in my case without the tortillas), with orange jicama slaw. Where else would you even find that combination of flavors? My dad, meanwhile, had a less adventurous choice: a generous slice of smoked Gouda quiche with green salad. It looked great! Prices are reasonable, the service is good, and the ambience is pleasant indoors and out--indoors as a peaceful upscale restaurant, outdoors with views of Trail Dust Town, with all its kitschy Wild West charm. The patio of the Dakota Cafe is also one of the few eateries in Tucson one can visit with a dog or two. I've been meaning to go there with my two dogs for quite a while now. Maybe next weekend....
(5)Cathi J.
I have eaten at the Dakota Cafe off and on for years and have really enjoyed the food, the outdoor dining, and the service. My brother-in-law came for a visit so I thought this restaurant would be a good choice for dinner. I was wrong. I did not know until we got to the restaurant that it was under new ownership. . The food and service were not as good as it used to be. I don't think this restaurant is equipped to handle large parties. There were 14 of us. The meals did not come out at the same time or close to it. We sat around waiting for the others in our party to be served while our food was getting cold. We finally decided to eat. I ordered the macadamia chicken skewers with a side of cornbread. My cornbread came out after I had eaten most of my chicken. What amazed me is that the hamburgers were served about 20 minutes after everything else was served. My niece ordered a hamburger well done that had to be redone because the cook had put barbecue sauce on it. When her burger finally came everyone had finished eating and the burger was bloody. A server took it back and it appeared to have been finished in the microwave. My sister informed the server that my niece's meal needed to be taken off the bill. She reminded him again. He proceeded to try to take my niece's meal away that she was still trying to eat. My sister went inside to discuss the bill, food, and service with the manager. She had a disagreement with the server about my niece's burger. He told her that my niece was eating it so he believed we should pay for it. The manager was easy to deal with. She took 25% off of the entire bill and comped my niece's meal. I don't fully hold the server responsible for the food coming out piece meal but I believe a more experienced server would have handled the situation better. One of my sister's said the Chicken Marsala was ok but not great. Another sister said the White Chicken Enchiladas were not as good as they have been in the past. My brother-in-law said his dinner was just ok. On the other hand the people in our party who had the hamburgers said they were good. If you go to the Dakota I would recommend you not go with a large party and read the reviews others have posted. I wish I had done so because I would have chosen another restaurant.
(2)Shik D.
I don't often get out for Sunday brunch but now that I've been to Dakota for brunch this might change. Every time I have been here it's been good. I like the setting and the live music is decent (not really loud). I love the patio. Portions are reasonable and the food has been consistently good. The Bloody Mary's were fantastic and so was the brunch. The burrito I ordered was served with an actual fresh red chili sauce! Totally rad! I will definitely go back, though it does seem to attract an older crowd so you might think about getting there early when they open.
(5)Mark S.
OK... here's the story behind how we ended up at Dakota Café - My wife and I spontaneously decided to go out to dinner. We decided on Zinburger. Driving up Grant, I was not paying attention and missed the entrance to Zinburger. If you know the area and know Grant road during rush hour, you know it's no easy task to just turn around and get back. Quick thinking necessary for Plan B. And the winner was, obviously, Dakota Café. That's out of the way. On to the review part. We enter and the place is mostly empty. We decide to sit on the patio since it was a nice evening. The patio is a nice place to sit as it overlooks the grounds of Trail Dust Town. You can hear the sights and sounds of Trail Dust Town and see people walking around, kids playing and the like. It's a pretty relaxing spot. We order our drinks. Mine a martini ($8) and my wife a cosmo ($8). In the mood for burgers, I am excited to see that they have a Kobe burger ($14) on their menu. When we set out for Zinburger, I already had that on my mind, so it's a no-brainer for me. My wife orders the same thing. We both opt for the bleu cheese ($.75 extra) on our burgers. Drinks arrive and we chat. My martini was fine, but not great. I did enjoy the blue cheese jalapeño olive but was disappointed that they only gave me one. My wife said her cosmo was strong. It did appear to be heavy on the vodka and light on the cranberry juice. She just likes the way I make them. Our burgers arrive next to a pretty generous pile of nice, crispy fries. All the right stuff came with the burgers... lettuce, tomato, red onion and a pickle. If we had asked I am sure they could have provided some sort of killer sauce, but all that was offered were the usual condiments of ketchup, mustard and mayo. A good housemade mayo or aioli would have shot this burger to the top of my list. As is, it is one of the best burgers I have had in town. The one oddity we encountered on this visit was our server. I will bet he said a total of twenty words during the whole visit. We did not get bad service, but nearly everything set on the table was delivered without even a word. It was just kind of strange for a place like this... or anywhere. The burger was good enough that I would return for that alone. Hopefully our next server is human and not an automaton.
(4)Chris C.
The setting for Dakota is relaxing and very pleasant but the service is poor. No check for water or anything else. No bread served and food was just ok. This was a great place to eat at one time, they need to work on service and improve the test of the food.
(2)Elyse P.
Came here for brunch this morning and it was delicious! This was my first time - the whole Trail Dust Town is a bit of a turn off for me - but the patio really is lovely, the food was excellent, and the $5 mimosas were the cherry on top. I ordered the eggs benedict with pesto hollandaise sauce, red peppered bacon, and home fries. I wish the food had been a touch hotter, but the flavors were right on. I hadn't had anything to eat that morning - saving space for brunch - and couldn't even finish - very filling. I will definitely be back. My mouth is watering just thinking of that eggs benedict.
(4)David A.
Always a solid choice. My burger was undercooked last time but this was a rare occasion (HAHA- get it?).
(4)Peg P.
Traildust Town is a really sweet little place to visit. If I recall the history, it was a movie set built for a Glenn Ford western. The Dakota Cafe is one of the places where you can grab a bite to eat. I had the crabcake bites (photo) and while it was tasty, it was a little too greasy for me and the texture was too soft. I don't think I'll order them again.There are definitely other items I'd like to try. My partner, however, had the portebello sandwich and loved it. To quote her, "It was an inspired and complex blend of flavors that went together perfectly." It had roasted peppers, eggplant, hervarti dill cheese, spinach, and red pepper spread on a ciabatta roll. The fries what came with it were crispy and hot. All in all, a nice lunch.
(4)Kate L.
Dakota Cafe has been around a long time, and I hope it stays that way! Nothing against Pinnacle Peak, but if you want a good meal and to hang around Trail Dust Town (a super cute little old western "street" that's a great place to take out of towners), I think Dakota is your best option. My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner here... 9 years ago! However, the last time we were there we had a few problems... While the food has been good over the years, my last time eating there was awful... the hamburger I ordered came out raw. Not "undercooked"... I took a big mouthful and the meat was raw in the middle. But it says something about a place when they try to make it right, correct? The server took away the item (and removed from my bill, which should go without saying) and brought me some chili free of charge. At that point I was too grossed out to really eat anymore, but I took the chili home and it was decent the next day. All their staff was friendly and helpful. Overpriced? Yeah, I won't argue that. Dakota, I wish you had a broader selection of meal items and prices. There is usually only a handful of choices (but always something new and adventurous, if you're into that sort of thing!) and it's usually around $15-20 a plate. My husband and my mom enjoyed their meals. I recall there was a very limited kids menu for my 1 year old; I wouldn't call Dakota "kid friendly" unless they are older and slightly adventurous. Ambiance is great, lovely but small, trendy decoration and warm inviting lighting. On nice evenings you can sit out on their wonderful patio. On the evening we were there, there was live jazz music on the patio. After dinner, I enjoy strolling through Trail Dust Town... Check out the old fashioned "Shooter's Alley" with the air guns--very cute. On weekends they have live stunt shows, which is fun too. Give Dakota a chance... despite my last bad experience there, I believe they want to provide a good meal and atmosphere for their customers. But maybe cut into your hamburger and check it out before biting in?
(4)Greg B.
We made a reservation for 15 people at Dakota. They put us in outdoor seating IN LATE NOVEMBER. Did they notify us when the reservation was made that only outdoor seating was available for larger groups? No. We were all huddling around the propane heaters as gusts of wind blew through. Aside from the cold weather, the food was not impressive. My daughter's grilled cheese sandwich was burned on the outside with unmelted cheese on the inside. My crab cakes were very fishy and too salty. The tortilla soup was goopy. Our entire group agreed - we wish we had eaten elsewhere. We won't be back.
(2)Alana J.
Breakfast today led us to the Dakota Cafe. I hadn't been since I was 16, and my fiancee, Richard had never been but loves Trial Dust Town. We walked in and were seated by a very busy looking woman. We ordered the tomato bruschetta as an appetizer and I ordered Eggs Benedict with tomatoes instead of bacon and fresh fruit. Richard ordered the meat ball sandwich and we both had iced tea to drink. Our bruschetta came out, and and was two tortillas with way more tomatoes than basil or cheese. For me, a tortilla with tomatoes was maybe not worth eight dollars. I had been expecting something really inspired when I saw the price, and we were both disappointed. Our food came out very shortly after our appetizer; we weren't even halfway done with it. My eggs Benedict came with a pesto hollandaise, which was delicious! The home fries were uninspired, they were just potatoes in cubes with some onions thrown in, but the eggs Benedict itself is my new favorite in Tucson. I don't eat meat, but I did try bread with the sauce from Richard's sandwich and it had a little spiciness to it without being overwhelming. He said the meatballs tasted hearty, juicy and flavorful. The server was very sweet and prompt to fill our glasses. I think I would have given this place four stars if I felt I got a better value for my money. $12 for Eggs Benedict and I was hoping there would be better sides.
(3)Corey D.
Let me preface this by saying that dinner was completely overshadowed by the fact that I was sitting next to legendary dance and movement innovator Anna Halprin. Don't know her? Look her up. With that said, Dakota was ok. I wasn't blown away by my burger and found it a little extreme to have to pay $1.50 for three slices of avocado. I mean really? At $9 the burger which was fine at best was already a bit pricey, but tack on seventy-five cents for each topping and a buck fifty for premium add ons and it just wasn't really worth it in the end. Anna had a flaky white fish wrapped around a crab stuffing that looked divine. Super rich and super creamy which meant a super no go for me to even taste. I'd go back. The menu is pretty big and there were a few salads I'd consider. Know Before You Go: They are great at holding tables, so get a group of four or five and let them know when you call that you want to sit in a bay window. The views outside of the grounds are pretty unique and more interesting than the odd mash up of contemporary/Greek/Aztec interiors inside.
(3)A M.
It was Mother's Day & made a spontaneous decision to eat at Dakota. We made last minute reservation for 3pm. When we walked in the place was 2/3 empty. The women who worked up front were nice enough but took them a few to find our name on the list (we had just called for pete's sake!). Then gave us a table way in back when the front was 2/3 empty. Ok, its Mom's day, others may have made reservations before us. But when we sat down we waited for 15min & nothing....till one of the ladies who worked up front just happened to walk by. We asked her if any of the waiters even knew we were there. She then got a waiter for us. One would think that once seated, a waiter would have been alerted shortly thereafter by the woman who seated us? Well, stuff happens. But when our food finally came, (i ordered crispy fish tacos) the portion was puny and NOT at all, in any way shape or form, CRISPY! The fish tasted a little "fishy" & not in a good way. Bummer, thinking this place was going to have great food. I dont think i will go out of my way to come back.
(2)Carianne C.
Dakota is a great place to go if you are entertaining a large group or older family members - everyone will find something that makes them happy. It is not the most adventurous menu, but the food is very good. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars.... Went last night with my mom, and splurged on a steak, a cup of the New Mexico onion soup, and a glass of malbec. The steak was good, but the green peppercorn/brandy sauce was bland and did not add anything to the plate except extra calories. The steak itself was cooked perfectly, and so large that I took half home. It was served with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus. Mom had a cobb salad that she enjoyed greatly. The service was friendly, but we ended up sitting for A LONG TIME once our meal was done, waiting for boxes and a check. The restaurant was very busy, and I think our server had tables both inside and on the patio. Quaint a cozy - I'll keep it on my list of good places to take my mother.
(3)Brenda G.
Large party of 10 celebrating birthdays at DC last night. Food was great, a little pricey, service was lacking once our drinks and food was brought. The waitress never returned and we had to ask the host for assistance. It was busy but not an excuse. Another defect was that when the checks were brought it was not disclosed that they had already added gratuity. I am aware that this is common but I believe it should be disclosed. Have always enjoyed DC and will return, just not often. $50 for one person to have salad and wine is extreme.
(3)Amanda B.
Enjoyed dinner here on Saturday night. The patio was busy but there was no one inside. Our server was very attentive and quick, but the food was slightly on the slow side. Appetizer: Grilled Shrimp, wrapped in bacon. The shrimp were large and the bacon was great (when isn't bacon great?). The best part was the spicy dipping sauce it came with. I actually kept the dipping sauce to use with my salmon entree I ordered... I ordered the wild salmon, stuffed with crab and shrimp. I thought it would just be crab and shrimp stuffed into the salmon, but it was actually a stuffing with crab and shrimp in it. The stuffing was good, as was the salmon. With the stuffing the amount of food was very large. The veggies were veggies. Good and edible. The mashed potatoes were really good. I am pretty sure they had sour cream in them which makes them even better. My husband got the braised short ribs with the merlot sauce. I really liked the sauce they came in. He ate everything... which actually isn't saying much. I tasted the ribs, thought they were pretty good. Not quite excellent, but definitely good. Overall I really liked this place. I would love to try the sweet potato fries. I will be going back to try other things.
(4)K M.
Based upon many visits. About time I get around to reviewing a place I frequent. A buncha y'all are hungry and want to go out but one wants chicken, one wants fish, one wants beef and one wants salad, or mexican. So this is where we wind up as a catch-all cause they offer all of these, and offer them well. Setting is nice inside or out - and the patio on chilly nights is warmed by new fire lamps which use less energy than the old flying-saucer-head heat lamps and are more pleasing to look at - basically a fire in a cylinder. The fish dishes are usually creative and fresh. Steak is good. Salads are excellent. If you are having trouble figuring out where to eat, you might want to give this place a try.
(4)Jimmy M.
Never have I been to a pet friendly place until now. My wife and I found this place on a website called bringfido.com , which has pet friendly hotels, restaurants, and attractions. While our apartment complex was doing some renovations that everyone had to be out, we decided to check this place out. Nestled in the middle of a mock wild west town adds something to the atmosphere but it also takes away from ease of seeing it from the road. Once we finally found the restaurant all of the tables that were outside had a little reserved sign on them. After going inside and asking if we can sit outside we found out that they just put those there to give their waitstaff a heads up that someone is sitting outside. I think it would be better to just have a sign saying please come inside to be seated would have been less confusing that seeing reserved signed on all of the tables outside. After we sat down and ordered a bus boy brought out a fancy water bowl and some dog treats for our dog. Seeing that totally surprised me. The food here was pretty good, nice to get out and try but nothing to special. One thing that got to me was that they didn't have a kids section on the menu, which I thought was weird for a restaurant in the middle of a tourist attraction. They did have a verbal one but they didn't have much for kids. If you have a well behaved dog and want to get them out and about for one reason or another, check this out.
(4)Susan O.
Despite the initial upset of my friend not arriving till way later than she planned to, the wait staff and I got together on our orders and their service. I ordered their house chili with cornbread plus water and later coffee. The chili was yummy - topped with sour cream, grated cheese, and sliced green onions. The cornbread included chopped jalapenos, or green chiles, or something of the sort; the portion was ample. My friend had the Salmon Nicoise salad, which she enjoyed; she said that the salmon was cooked just right. She had to ask for bread, which looked like epi bread (I didn't have any as my chili and cornbread were plenty). We both finished with coffee, which was OK. All in all, the food tasted good and looked attractive. The service was somewhat sporadic. I would return to try some of the other dishes. I arrived at 11:45 am, and the place filled up fast once noon arrived. A number of people had made reservations. The patio seemed to be the preferred place to eat so that a table wasn't available to us. The other options were the garden and inside the building, and I decided to eat inside. The patio would be pleasant, and it's obvious that you have to reserve a table in advance if you want to eat there.
(4)Susan M.
I was hoping for better, but it's ok. Enjoyed relaxing time at minimum.
(3)J. Y.
I was there on a weeknight when they weren't too busy. Everything took forever. I ordered a burger medium-well. It arrived charred black on the outside and dull gray on the inside with absolutely no flavor. The bun was dry and ordinary. I have no desire to try it a second time.
(2)Tuyen C.
If you've lived as long as I have (my beard is reaching the floor as I write this LOL), you'll find it heart warming when things remain the same over the years (well more or less), especially with the ever changing world we live in nowadays. Dakota Cafe is one of those things that remains (actually its food to be exact) mostly unchanged since I was there over 5 years ago. The ambiance and food quality are both very pleasing. The menu is unique with things such as couscous with figs as a side to grilled salmon, which is what I ordered. My friends had Hanger Steak and Sea Bass, which looked as good as they tasted. I would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant to friends and family, especially to those out of towners to show off what Tucson has to offer. We were there on a Saturday night and the place was not packed. That suits me fine. In fact, that suits me perfectly. I believe the reason being that this place is rather pricey compared to your run of the mill dining establishments. Not only that, the portion is on the lighter side which would leave most of not all wanting for more. Yours truly included. Now if you know how much I eat and the level of disdain I have for buffet restaurants, you would not believe that I would ever complain about portions. But I do at Dakota Cafe. And this was also the sentiment from my dining companion; two of whom are small women. So ... consider yourself informed should you decide to try DC for dinner. Other than that, not a bad thing can be said about their food. I decided to give DC a 4-star rating. Quality is always better than quantity. The fact that I, too, have become accustomed to the American dining portion is not their fault (or is it?). But I also have to disclose that I am not looking forward to returning there any time soon; simply because I don't have a senile millionaire uncle who thinks I am his only son.
(4)Steve B.
There's a reason Dakota Cafe has maintained it's place among Tucson's very best restaurants year after year for longer than I can remember. The Traildust Town location, fun and festive, is one but ultimately is all about the food. The soups du jour are always tasty. If you're lucky you'll stumble in when they're serving the Muligatawney - sublime! Their salads are varied and fresh. Their Cobb is the best I've ever had. The entrees range from tacos and burgers to pastas to prime cut steaks and fresh fish. They don't always bang it out of the park - I've had a burger that wasn't cooked the way I ordered it once - but over all the menu presents creative recipes with high quality ingredients, well executed. Thumbs up!
(4)Kendra F.
I am definitely a fan of Dakota! Having dined here about 5 times, I can honestly say that it deserves a 4-star review and if you find yourself on the eastside of town, you should definitely eat here. The atmosphere is great! I love it! Traildust Town is unique and quaint and simply fun. If it's not too hot, or if the misters are going, sit on the patio and enjoy the periodic gun fire from Pinacle Peak. Enjoy the apricot tea! It is amazing! The staff has always been kind and attentive and knowledgeable. I've never had to wait for a table, but it's never seemed deserted either. The food is decent. If the food were spectacular, I would give it 5 stars, but it is simply decent. It always seems fresh and healthy, but there's just nothing special about it. To conclude, please dine at Dakota, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
(4)David P.
Great place for dog lovers. Bring your pooch and eat on the patio. Not only do they let you bring your dog, but they bring out a water dish and a treat for your dog. None of the dogs on the patio were misbehaving. Please don't ruin it by bringing your dog if it is not trained. OK now about the restaurant... Food and service was good and prices were more than reasonable. I had a blue cheese burger with fries. Oops on the diet, but it well worth the calories. They do have more healthy food, but it was my turn for something sinful. A friend of mine got the Pork Tacos and they looked great. This restaurant is located in an old west theme park like mini village, but would do get a lot of business without the tourist trap surroundings. That being said, this is a great place to bring newcomers and kids. Gun fights are scheduled through out the day. Train rides are also available. A menu is available on-line: dakotacafeandcatering.com
(4)Sarah L.
Dakota gets an "A" for effort and for service, but unfortunately- the overall execution wasn't what we had hoped it would be... My husband and I had a quiet Friday night dinner tonight at Dakota. We didn't have a reservation, but were seated immediately at a cozy, small two seat booth in the far corner of the restaurant- opposite the entrance to the kitchen. This 'cozy' two seat booth felt a bit too cozy, and unfortunately it wasn't the best view in the restaurant- having to watch every server come in and out of the kitchen...That and a view of the wall- I think I ended up with just about the worst seat in the house. Seating arrangements aside, we started with a glass of Malbec/Syrah from Argentina, which for $7 per glass was smooth, full bodied, and well rounded. We shared a Caesar salad ($10). The Caesar dressing was flavorful, but the Romano cheese wasn't impressive, and tasted like it came from a grocery store shredded cheese container. The acoustic guitarist was a nice touch, although I couldn't see him from my vantage point (facing the wall). I ordered the seared Ahi Tuna ($20). It was flavorful and a decent size portion. Even though the waitress asked how I wanted it prepared (and I said rare), it was too rare for my liking (seemed like sashimi to me). It was served with rosemary potatoes and sautéed spinach. The potatoes and spinach were dripping with a buttery sauce, and were my favorite parts of the meal! I could have just eaten the potatoes and spinach, and been a happy camper! As it was (with my Ahi tuna being too rare), I gave half of the Ahi to my husband in exchange for a bite of his NY steak. Sadly, the NY steak ($24.50) was not a good choice... The cut was rough (the grain was not cut like a NY- more like a sirloin). Plus it was way too tough. (It tasted like chopped steak to me). My husband had ordered it cooked medium rare, but it was more like medium-well. It was served with a Chimichuri sauce, which was pretty flavorless. The waitress was ever so gracious, and she asked if he wanted to send it back, but he chose not to. Our waitress, Claudia made the overall experience at Dakota very pleasant. If it weren't for her, I don't know if they'd be getting 3 stars. Despite the sub-par steak, Claudia's attitude remained positive and upbeat. She knew my husband wasn't happy with his entree, and she offered to buy us dessert. SWEET!!! I'm not one to turn down a free dessert. Per her suggestion, we ordered the mud pie, which is chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce, chocolate cake, whipped cream, and peanuts. When she described it, it sounded like it would be on a huge plate, but somehow they managed to put all this taste into a little ramekin- amazing! In my opinion this delicious dessert made up for the steak not being to our liking. I feel like we would give Dakota another try, and I would love to have Claudia wait on us again. Her winning attitude more than made up for the issues we had with the food. We had a groupon, which essentially saved us $12. Our check came out to $82 with tax and tip, after subtracting the groupon. $82 for one salad, two entrees, two glasses of wine, and a bottle of Pelligrino. OUCH!!! Sorry Dakota, I know you just changed the menu, and you are putting forth a nice venue with live music- but unless the food gets better, your prices are just too high for Tucson.
(3)Pam W.
Went here for New Years Eve dinner. Reasonable prices, quaint atmosphere and a menu to please all palates. I was really pleased they were able to split the cost of our bottle of wine three different ways. I had the blackened tilapia and it was really nice with the fresh berry salsa on top. This would be a place I would take my family to when they come to visit.
(4)Carrie B.
We went on a Friday afternoon with our kids hoping to catch a good glimpse of Trail Dust Town. This restaurant seemed to be the busiest thing there that afternoon with most of the shops being closed. There were tons of business meetings going on. Almost every table was full. It was a bustling local cafe. We got the crab cakes for an appetizer, pasta, burgers & tacos for lunch. Everything was tasty and came to us in a timely fashion. Attentive & not overly fussy servers. We were impressed and will probably go back sometime. Would love to try taking our pooch for the special patio treatment sometime :)
(3)Heidi C.
This is my grandma's favorite restaurant. She likes it because it has stayed basically the same since it was first built. You're not going to get anything that wow's you but the food is fairly good and the waiters are nice, if not quick. There is indoor seating, outdoor garden seating and front porch seating, all with nice ambiance. At our most recent visit, we went on a Friday night but the restaurant was very quiet, I'd say about 1/2 full at most. Between us we ordered a shrimp-veggies-pine-nut pasta, braised pork tacos, and pan-seared beef tenderloin. The tenderloin had an enormous piece of gristle running through it and when we pointed it out, they made us a new piece in about 10 minutes, but didn't comp the meal which I was surprised at. Overall the food is good but nothing special - I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but if you are in Trail Dust Town it's worth a try.
(3)Erin H.
I visit Tucson often and have eaten here several times. In fact in most cases it has been the go to destination right off the plane because it's so great to sit outside on their patio - with nice options regarding sun exposure ;) I haven't brought a dog, but think it's cool that you can outside. The decor inside is great too. On my most recent visit the waitstaff were great - speedy and attentive. The food is tasty and they have nice ice tea. The restaurant is also location in a cool kitschy old west style "complex" for want of a better word. There are other restaurants here and some shops I think. Dakota fits nicely, but still maintains its own vibe.
(4)Michael L.
Went here the other day. The burgers were expensive so I expected something amazing. I ordered it medium, but when it arrived, there was no pink. Normally, I wouldn't care, but if I'm paying $10 for a burger, I expect it to be amazing, so I asked the waitress for a new one. I got rev. 2 of said burger. Took a small bite. It was pretty much bloody all the way to the outside. It didn't even look cooked from the outside in retrospect. I couldn't deal with this. I politely asked for another. Third try, it was very well done again (no pink), but watery as well. I didn't care at this point because my dad was already finished with his meal. Helpful staff, and decent fries save it from 1 star. They could have given me the burger for free or at least a desert or something.
(2)Rachel S.
Well, I walked in with my two sons, one 7 the other 2 , and the hostess looked at them like they were an infectious disease.........ordered calamari and a Caesar salad, it wad all very tasty, service satisfactory, all but miss hostess with an attitude. Next time we'll try the other place in tdt.
(3)Bob N.
Caesar salad was pretty much without flavor. Real Caesar should really KICK. Coffee rubbed pork roast was super excellent, but I didn't order that. My partner did and I nibbled off his plate. My scallops were rubbery - sure sign of having been overcooked. But the risotto patty that was in the center of the plate was exquisite. So, a real mixed bag, overall. Service was friendly and prompt - no complaints there.
(3)Joel B.
Ordered the chicken enchilada and ate about 4 bites. Some of the worst food I have ever had
(1)Toni M.
We just happened upon this place around lunch time when we were driving around. Alan caught sight of Pinnacle Peak, an old time joint he remembered fondly because they cut off ties of men unwary or foolish enough to wear them in. We went to check it out but it was only open for dinner. Not too far away was the Dakota Cafe, so we parked and walked in. We were seated promptly but it took a while for a waitress to acknowledge us. The hostess walked by, asked it we'd been attended to yet and when we said we hadn't, sent our waitress. From then on things went quickly. We were brought iced tea and when we told the waitress we'd be sharing the grilled flank steak salad and a tuna salad sandwich she brought us both small plates to make the sharing easier. The steak salad was amazing, w/ medium rare slices of steak, pieces of grilled asparagus, grated cheese, fried onions and house-made dressings on the side, a citrus vinaigrette for me and a creamy Southwest dressing for Alan. The tuna salad was made w/ celery and dates and not a lot of mayonnaise, although they did spread extra mayonnaise on the bread, which Alan scraped off. The sandwich came w/ fries or fresh fruit, so we opted for the fruit, a rather boring assortment of cantaloupe, honeydew and pineapple chunks. There's a lovely garden patio w/ a fountain and a covered patio in front of the restaurant, which is where we sat. Inside are booths and tables. It's a nice, interesting old building. The weather was sunny and warm, very pleasant. If we lived here we'd be back.
(4)Jessica R.
Another great lunch at the Dakota Cafe! I had a house salad and the shrimp enchiladas. This is of my favorite lunch ever!
(5)Georgia R.
Oooh, this place is one of my faves. When I have to come to Tucson on biz, you can always find me here for lunch, dinner or possibly even both. The reason I love it ever so much is because it's very vegetarian friendly. Meaning many of the menu items were actually created without meat, opposed to the countless times I've had to ask for a turkey sandwich with no turkey, chicken fettucine with no chicken, a moons over my hammy with no hammy...you get the picture. My personal favorite menu items- ** Lavosh pizza ** Spinach melt ** Bowtie pasta ** Caesar salad They have great desserts and coffee drinks too!
(4)Shawn C.
Tried Dakota for the first time tonight and was happily surprised! Their menu isn't the biggest, but the food was fresh, well seasoned and the service was extremely fast! If you don't mind dealing with the "festivities" of Trail Dust Town, make sure you give Dakota a try!
(4)Scott H.
A really pleasant spot. I wasn't totally wowed by my Spinach Melt and fries, but others seemed really pleased with their choices, despite being a large and varied group. The staff was attentive and friendly. The patio looked inviting, though we were inside hiding from late summer heat.
(4)Susan R.
Eating at Dakota Cafe has to be one of the best dinning experiences I've had in Tucson! Great food & friendly staff! I especially love the patio and the fact you can bring your dog with you! The wait staff will bring your dog fresh water and a dog biscuit! Great place all around (notice I'm using the exclamation point way too much, but the deserve it)!
(5)Boo R.
The location in an odd Western-style mini theme park must help bring traffic in, but the Dakota Cafe could make it anywhere in town. Because of the nearby shops, I suppose that there is a bit of an extra attraction for visitors to the city. I stopped in on my own one evening and sat at the bar to have the Dakota Salad, which turned out to be a pleasant creation of chicken and a variety of fresh greens. I spoke with the owner for awhile and learned that it had been under her care for many years. The atmosphere is casual, but a little bit on the upscale side and things are priced accordingly. Nice outdoor seating and friendly staff. Consistently good health inspection reports from the county.
(4)