Delicious and surprising. Dont think this place is at all a "hotel" restaurant. Because its not peeps. If i lived here instead of SoCal id come here weekly for the happy hour, views of the city at night, and good trendy but not pretentious vibe. You can totally bring your kids here, have a girl friend evening, dinner with the hubs etc. Dinner taking an account out. Blah blah.. And i dont know why the westin map shows it like miles away because its literally a 2-3 min walk from the lobby. Recap: -great service -cool decor -delicious food that is whimsical, bold, amazing flavor combinations. I felt like i was eating in west hollywood, san francisco in a lovely yet trendy not stuffy eatery. - had the "small" wedge salad and the meat and cheese board then washed it down with an IPA -seriously wish i had room for dessert because its all homemade, seasonal and so should restaurants be The topper which I wish i knew prior is they infuse their own vodkas, put it in barrels and its delivered via their tap.. What? Yup pretty cool. I will for sure come back for those bad boys! Good job! Well done! Only suggestion as I was sitting at the bar and could see all your restaurant " business" going on in the back. Id put a swinging door there or frosted panels or something. This adds nothing to see all the behind the scene action and actually takes away from the image and vibe im sure that you are going after. (Update owner commented and said hes ordering an door based on the comments.. Pretty cool !!)
(5)
Elyse P.
The waitress was great. Attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. The food and drinks were good - fresh and flavorful ingredients. The view was beautiful. When we walked in, no one was there to greet us. Several staff members walked past and smiled, but didn't offer to help. My husband, having never been here before asked me if we had accidentally come in the back door. It was an uncomfortable length of time before the greeter appeared and seated us. We sat on the patio - no misters and the fans were off. It was late July in Tucson. Eek. There were four of us and three of us got our plates. The fourth came out a minute or so later without explanation. We all enjoyed our meals, but $15 for a sandwich and a potato chips seems a little pricey. I give Poppy Kitchen a solid three stars.
(3)
Juan S.
This place was great. I went with my girl on Valentine's Day and the special they had was 2x$90 included an appetizer to share, individual house salads, individual entree and a dessert to share. We ordered the Cheese Block to start and kr had fresh cut Salami (Delicious), a piece of Salmon cooked to perfection (amazing flavor), caramelized grapes, small pieces of brie and parmesan cheese, big flour toasted tortilla, and some boiled eggs. We mixed the flavors and they were amazing. I ordered the Ribeye steak with sparragus on a bed of cream corn EVERYTHING was amazing. And she ordered the Luis's Homemade Pasta with mushrooms; that was FANTASTIC. Best pasta we have ever tried. Finally dessert Red Velvet cake was so great we ate it all. Not too sweet and not too light, just perfect. We want to go back for Brunch on the weekend!
(5)
L S.
Went for Mothers Day and was seriously underwhelmed. It was okay, but not worth the $75 of the original bill, or the $60 we paid after a locals discount for hubby, kiddo, and myself. (BTW, if you're local military without local drivers license, just ask for the manager or show your library card.) There was nothing glaringly wrong that I could point out to a manager, but it seemed like it was shooting for the moon and just missed, in a hundred different ways. As you pull in covered parking, the restaurant is to your left, west off the main entrance. I'd made reservations (it was one of the only restaurants not booked for 11am on Mother's Day, which should have been my first clue), but the hostess seemed very unprepared for our arrival five minutes early. I had specified a table with a view and warned we'd need at least one high chair in the reservation. The poor teenager took us outside, to a table with NO umbrella or shade whatsoever. View? Great. Thinking? None. I had a toddler and a baby with me, and would rather NOT fry them. When I voiced that this table was unacceptable because there was NO shade, she took us inside and seated us at the most awkward, uncomfortable table she could find (well within view of some awesome COVERED patio seating that remained empty our entire visit). The table itself reminded me of an old door put on a foldable-table frame. You can't slide your legs under it at all - there's a metal crossframe in the way. To put it bluntly, that table needs to be reserved for people who just want to have a place to rest drinks while they're standing around, and never given to a family with a high chair. So... drinks. I tried the coffee martini, and it was NOT good. The waiter did give me a heads up they were out of espresso, so I asked that it be made with strong, regular coffee. Apparently folks don't know how to make strong coffee in this joint. Luckily, hubby liked it. He got to finish it. The food was okay, but servings were small. I'm pretty sure my toddler's dish had the most food on it. We usually get something savory and something sweet, then split the orders between us at a brunch place. We did that here, and still ordered something else at the end of it. It's definitely a pretty drive to the Westin, and a pretty view. But I doubt they could entice me back here. It was not worth the money. At all.
(2)
Seth P.
Salad was salty, canned vegetables with canned sogginess, undercooked food and meat... Don't waste your money.
(2)
Colt L.
I really do like this place. I love the location. I love the beautiful view of Tucson and the mountains. I love the food. I've been here three times. First time, I had a Groupon that was an amazing deal. Second time I came during the happy hour and had a burger. Yum! The most recent visit was for brunch. My wife had a Groupon for it. I had the steak and eggs. The steak was cooked a perfect medium rare. The only problem? Their potatoes were way too salty. Server was very helpful, full of suggestions and nice. I'd definitely recommend this place to others!
(4)
Alissa M.
My fiance and I visited last Wednesday night to use a Groupon I had purchased. Everything started off well- we were seated quickly, brought delicious popcorn to snack on, and our waitress was prompt with coming to take drink orders. For an appetizer, we ordered the Crispy Goat Cheese. I was a little hesitant because I'm not a goat cheese fan, but this was amazing! I would probably come back just to have this. For our main courses, I ordered the Duck Breast and my fiance got the Chicken Sammie. Their Chicken Sammie is always something different, and this particular night, it was fried chicken with kung pao sauce and side of Asian coleslaw. Unfortunately, it took quite a while for our main courses to come. This is where Poppy really lost points. I get that mistakes happen, but during the whole time we waited, our waitress only came by once to acknowledge the delay/apologize, and that wasn't until right before the food was on its way. I would have been much happier if she acknowledged the delay much sooner- I really thought we might have just been forgotten about. When the food finally came out, everything was good. My duck breast was perfectly cooked, but the fried rice was too salty and greasy. My fiance's sandwich was delicious! The sauce was tangy, with a slight kick. He is a super picky eater, and even he loved it! He's not a big vegetable fan, which meant I got to eat his coleslaw, and that was really good too. We already had one dessert coming thanks to the Groupon, but as a gesture for the delay, the waitress offered us a second dessert. We ordered the carrot cake and the brownie ice cream sandwich. GET THE CARROT CAKE! I cannot emphasize how good it was. I was stuffed, and I don't think I could have inhaled that thing any faster. The brownie sandwich was a monstrous portion! It was good too (especially the whipped cream), but incredibly rich. We ended up taking most of it home for leftovers. It actually somehow ended up tasting less rich when we ate it the next night. And it was just as good, if not better, eating it for leftovers. Overall, I was happy with the food, but the service was such a disappointment that it kind of tainted the evening. We arrived at Poppy's at 6:30 and left at 8:15, and most of that time was spent waiting for our food. I would probably come back to Poppy's, but I can't say that it will be anytime soon. TL;DR: food was good, service was really slow.
(3)
Susan I.
We were staying at the Weston and Poppy's Kitchen is right there. Food was good...when we eventually got it, but we had to continuously pursue servers to get any attention. They seemed overwhelmed by the number of diners..and forgot about those of us who sat outside. Still very friendly.
(3)
Rich Y.
One look at the menu and you immediately think, "I'll have one of everything." My table started with the fried goat cheese as it was the most "out there" item in the starters. Crispy on the outside and creamy and cheesy on the inside. From there, we moved on to Fish #2, which was swordfish that day. The accompaniment of mashed potatoes, green beans, and pineapple meant you got all the right flavors in your mouth. Next was the pork "porterhouse" with potato latkes, house applesauce, creme fraiche, Brussels, and house bacon. The latkes tasted as good as the ones from my neighbor, who uses her Polish grandmother's recipe. We finished with the seafood gumbo. The roux was not too thick or heavy and the sausage, chicken, and seafood were cooked perfectly. We also had a side of duck fried rice. The rice was fried nicely, it was very duck-y in a good way, and it wasn't too salty. Our waitress then described the desserts and we settled on the house carrot cake with vanilla ice cream. After one bite of that, we immediately called her back to order the chocolate tres leches cake. We were going to add the peanut butter and jelly ice cream cookie sandwich but figured that would put us over the top - we eat a lot, but we'll draw the line at seven courses for now. The carrot cake is highly popular and for good reason. It's spongy and has almost a souffle-like texture. The fried cinnamon carrots on top are worth the price of admission alone. If you're contemplating dessert but don't think you quite have enough room, ask politely to see if you can get some fried cinnamon carrots. Fried cinnamon carrots. Fried cinnamon carrots. The more you say it, the better it sounds. Your favorite Jax (Ice Water!), Abbey, and Gio cocktails are here along with a stellar wine list, beer selection, and full bar. Service is superb and the atmosphere is lively without being overbearing. Brian, Ginny, Pete, and the team at Poppy Kitchen have created a winner. This is a definite boost to the local Tucson cuisine. Rich's recommendation: one of everything. Seriously. You could make a persuasive argument for everything on the menu.
(5)
Sunshine M.
Took my man here for his bday due to the good reviews on Yelp as well as it was part of a better reviewed Jax Kitchen. Never been there tho, so Ican't really compare. We asked to be seated in the patio area for the view... It was beautiful! I love lights and then they also had candles on the table.. It was pretty romantic the patio was pretty brightly lit to be super romantic. We went on a chilly night with a lot of wind... We asked to be moved to a table closer to the heaters and they were very accommodating :) The servers were great very helpful and super nice but our food did take a long time to arrive. I got the moscato...nom! For our entrees we decided on Jack's steak and Crispy Salmon. The plates were both so good! I mainly got the steak. First of all... Bone marrow butter!! So mouthwateringly delicious. It made every bite of my steak so creamy and I just can't get enough. Yummmm! And the steak it self was a ribeye steak. It was huge! 13oz to be exact. Not as fatty as I want it to be but the bone marrow butter made up for that. Oh it was wrapped with pancetta... Which is pretty much fancy bacon. It was salty... Definitely meant to be eaten with the steak for extra flavor. For the sides, it came with cheesy purple potato gratin. It was kinda weird I must say.. The top part was has a creamy potato taste but the bottom was burnt. Not sure if they did that on purpose or just burnt my plate on accident but i like the burnt parts of that side. The carrots were well carrots, It looks like the roasted them. This dish was very hearty... Maybe add something lighter and citrusy? To balance out the creamy milky flavor? Either way still pretty good! To the crispy salmon, i had half of it. It was nicely seasoned and cooked to perfection. The skin was crispy and the salmon itself was soft and juicy. Didn't have much of the wild mushroom risotto but it tasted pretty flavorful as well. Spinach was good but I should have tried the balsamic glaze. For dessert, we tried the carrot cake. It was so raved about on yelp and even our assistant server recommended it. Well...it tasted fresh and healthy... I'm not very big on the carrot cake that's probably why I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have...but it was still good! One thing to make it better in my opinion... More scoops of the cream cheese Ice cream... Ours just melted into the cake. Overall it was a great experience! Def wanna come back :) Next time I wanna sit inside because walking out I noticed that the inside dining room looks pretty great too.. Maybe by the window for the view still?
(4)
Tony S.
Being a fan of Jax's kitchen, i decided to go to Poppy's. The steak i had was perfectly cooked. The appetizer i ordered was called the meat/cheese tray i think? I was a little disappointed when there a few slices of deli meat. But, other than that, I was very impressed with their wait staff, very attentive!
(4)
Ramona L.
Guess we were lucky. I called to make a reservation, did as I was instructed per their answering machine message and have yet to hear back. Even indicated it was my husband's birthday. I had read reviews that their service was bad.....no kidding. We will be celebrating his birthday at Vivace. Perhaps I was lucky that they didn't return my phone call.
(1)
Jane G.
I love this restaurant! We sat inside the restaurant, but the views of the city from the patio are beautiful. I recommend sitting out there, but it'll probably be a little toasty during the summer months. The bar is great too! The atmosphere is laid-back with dim lighting. I had the kobe burger, which was a little salty. However, the raspberry gimlet (drink) was delicious! Definitely an enjoyable experience!
(4)
Duy N.
After the dust has settled, and all the ecstatic reviews have been made, I had my turn at assessing Poppy, aka Jax / The Abbey. As a preface, I though both the Abbey and Jax were ok, but simply were not in the class of great food. I like the family concept, and I genuinely like Metzger's philosophy, but things just don't carry out that well. Let's start with cocktails. There is really nothing new here. All the same as Jax and Abbey. Why can't we get a refreshed menu for cocktails? The Jax Ice Water is ok, it's refreshing, it's lemony, it's a good summer drink. But this is not a true cocktail bar. I got a Manhattan which was ok, but too light on the vermouth. For appetizers we got fries and the chopping board. basically charcuterie. The apple butter was interesting. 2 cheeses. Saloumi. An egg. Some nuts. Decent, but probably not worth the money. Reilly's does charcuterie way better. Fried were ok. I got the grilled octopus salad. It was ok. Had some goat cheese, watermelons in it. The octopus was grilled with some kind of marinade, which took away from the octopus flavor that you'd expect in other restaurants. My entree was the Pork Porterhouse. They did a fairly good job on this one, medium rare as I asked. The potato hash underneath was good. Brussel sprouts were good, but I've had better. Ambiance was nice, but for the location in a resort, I'd expect better views from the window. Everything is covered by large plants outside. Service was good. So, my assessment? Just like the Abbey and Jax, I like the idea, but the execution was only ok. Nothing I'd come back for. And why not refresh the menu? There's so much opportunity especially being a restaurant associated with the Westin La Paloma. By all means not a five star. Four star if you're being nice.
(3)
Kelsey W.
Poppy kitchen was one of the first places we tried when relocating to the area. We liked it so much we decided to go again for our NYE pre-party dinner and it didn't disappoint. From the stunning views of Tucson and the night skyline to the delicious ever changing menu poppy is a great place to go with a group of friends or even some out of town guests as it's located at La Paloma Westin. We started with a smooth Bordeaux and the chopping block appetizer (which has a TON of food on it!) After a round of oysters we went with the rib-eye and one of their changing salads. Everything came out beautiful and was amazing. I can't wait to go back and try something else.
(5)
Stephanie G.
We decided to dine at poppy kitchen last night and used the groupon we purchased online a few weeks ago . The groupon is a great option and allowed us to try out an appetizer, entree, dessert and wine . We ordered the fried goat cheese . It was served with some toasted bread . The appetizer was delicious but I would preferred if instead of three cheese balls maybe four could be served . The odd number made it hard to share . We both ordered the kobe beef burger . It was delicious . The best part of the meal was the carrot cake . It was served hot with ice cream on top . It was light and satisfying not leaving a heavy feeling after the meal . The one thing I have to complain about is I ordered an Samuel smiths oatmeal stout and received a small glass I would preferred a pint glass . Overall it was enjoyable experience and service was good
(4)
Tera E.
I was definitely stoked to see a Groupon available for Poppy Kitchen because it had been on my list of places to try since we found out it was opening at the Gio Taco Elite event. You can't really beat $50 for an appetizer, two glasses of wine, two entrees and dessert, especially at a restaurant at the Westin. We really enjoyed the view from the restaurant and want to check out the patio next time. If we didn't already have wine included with the groupon we definitely would have taken advantage of their half price wines on Sunday deal. To start we tried the steak tartar but it was really hard to decide on one "snack". We definitely enjoyed it but next time I think we'll try something else. After we finished the tartar and ordered our entrees we were quickly brought out what we assumed were our plates but as soon as we looked at them and realized they weren't, the person who dropped them off was gone. We flagged down our waiter and told him we didn't order them so he took them away. Not a big deal, mistakes happen... but then I saw him take the food and serve it to who it was intended for. I don't know much about regulations in the food industry but I don't think it was right to serve food that had already been given to someone else. We obviously hadn't, but they would have had no idea if we had touched it before they took it back. At least we saw our entrees come directly from the kitchen. I had the duck which was really tasty. The skin wasn't as crispy as it could have been but still good. The fried rice was really unique. I asked the waiter what kind of rice they used in it and all he could remember is "volcanic.. something" so I'm not sure what they use in it but I liked it. Not your traditional "fried" rice but overall had good flavor. I did have to eat around some large chunks of fat from the duck confit though. Fiance ordered the seafood gumbo and although it wasn't much to look at, he devoured his whole plate. It had a nice spice to it, lots of different proteins and the okra on top was a nice touch. As far as plating goes, it might be nice to put the rice on top instead of underneath. The only disappointment with the gumbo was when my fiance found some cartridge/bone in a spoonful. Not very appetizing. The highlight of the night was the made to order carrot cake. It was served piping hot in a small cast iron skillet and topped with a delicious cream cheese ice cream. Next time we won't be sharing one because we were literally fighting over bites! Loved everything about it. Next time I might just order three - one for my app, entree and dessert. Overall, Poppy Kitchen was good but I wasn't blown away due to a few missteps. I'd like to make it our there again to try a few more dishes, sit on the patio and have that delicious carrot cake again. I also believe they recently started a Saturday brunch - I'd like to see the menu for that and possibly check it out.
(4)
Leah B.
We dined with a large group for dinner on a Friday night. I was very excited to try Poppy's as I enjoy many of Brian's other restaurants. We started with the watermelon octopus salad, which sounded interesting. It had nice fried onion strings, watermelon chunks, and nicely seasoned fried octopus. However, my dinner was nothing to write home about. I chose the salmon over a bed of mushroom risotto. The salmon was mostly tasteless, which is odd as its always flavorful. The risotto itself was heavy, but good, however the mixture of the beet/balsamic reduction was too sweet and didn't pair well with the savory mushrooms. Others around the table seemed to enjoy the gumbo and short ribs, so I may come back and try those to up my review.
(3)
Ray H.
My girlfriend and I recently enjoyed fine dining here and thus completed the Tucson Metzger Family/Jax Kitchen dining trilogy (which also included Gio Taco and The Abbey Eat and Drink). We used the Groupon (two glasses of wine, one appetizer, two entrees, and one desert), which is an excellent value. For our appetizer (or snack, as they call it), we enjoyed the steamed mussels. The steamed mussels were pretty awesome, being served in a broth with chorizo, corn, and olives. You can also get these with fries (which we did) and it's almost like eating a main course. The portions for both the mussels and fries were pretty generous. Our main courses consisted of the chicken sammie for my girlfriend and a Kobe burger for myself. The chicken sammie was pretty tasty and it's an item on their menu that changes, so you never know which part of the chicken (leg, breast, etc...) you're getting or what is on the sandwich. The Kobe burger was okay- a solid burger, but not mind blowing. For dessert, we had a butternut squash sundae, which was amazing! The service was pretty great. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Enjoying a lovely sunset during our dinner added to what was already an enjoyable fine dining experience. It is highly likely that we will return here.
(4)
Jenna K.
We took a big group of 15 here (all with separate checks) and the staff was super accommodating. The food is playful and tasty, and I appreciate that they offer skinny cocktails. My only complaint is that I wish they offered more low carb small plates or appetizers. I would love to go back for brunch some day or fried chicken on Wednesdays!
(4)
G T.
Went here for dinner for a friend's birthday! The restaurant is located at the Westin Hotel. The staff were very pleasant and accommodating! The foods were delicious.
(4)
Heather R.
Having been to Poppy once before for brunch (which was AMAZE!), we decided to try it out for a triple date night with some friends. We ordered the goat cheese and the mussels with fries as appetizers. Both were outstanding. They have a great wine selection. Some of us drank wine, some beer, and some the Jax water. Everyone loved their drinks! For entrees, we tried the gumbo, salmon, and short ribs. Everyone cleaned their plates (and sneaked bites from their neighbor's plates when they weren't looking). We finished off by sharing the carrot cake and chocolate tres leches desserts both were amazing and there was a mini standoff for the last bite of each. Service was fantastic...attentive but not distracting. We will definitely be back soon!
(5)
Melissa W.
Love love love this place! The city views are amazing and the food is always delicious! Service is great, the GM Annie always makes us feel at home! We were happy to see Marissa, our server from The Abbey, had transferred to Poppy. We always feel so special any time we visit. My favorite dish, the salmon. Favorite dessert, torn between the carrot cake and the ice cream sammies!
(5)
Emily R.
I organize dining events for a local meetup group. This was a small post-Christmas brunch which I was looking forward to for some time. This restaurant has potential but I think the biggest problem we have here is disorganization and lack of training. There are plenty of people working here but they don't seem to work well together. We were seated outside with a party of six, despite there being plenty of room in the dining area for the entire two hours we were there. Reservations were cited but clearly they did not get the rush they'd been expecting. It was cold despite a small wall-mounted heater. This would be where a manager should explain why tables were empty inside while we froze outside :) Our request was met with annoyance, instead. I can deal with slow service and all in all, I wouldn't say that the service was slow. We were constantly refilled by those whose job it is to see that done but half of the plates came out timely while the other half watched us eat for about 5-10 minutes which, is not really great as far as service goes but we kept an open mind. The food was excellent overall, but it took four trips to our table before we were apparently deemed eligible to order. Over-hard and over-medium eggs had runny whites, and 1/4th of my steak (ordered medium-rare but arrived medium) was inedible due to gristle. Regardless, it all tasted great. The mussels and cuban coffee were fantastic. Everyone seemed happy with the food outside of a few hiccups. Servers didn't know which plate went to which person which is, again, livable but with other issues - it sort of compounded. We had a plate we didn't order brought over and later, a check dropped on our table that didn't belong to our party with a credit card in it (which is absolutely unacceptable). Surprisingly, our check arrived combined which... well, we really needed five. That's something a well-trained waitress will ask about before printing it. That took 20 more minutes to sort out. In the cold :P They were minor issues except it was a $20-30pp breakfast...and we expected better. Since I make reservations for groups of 5-55 at several local restaurants year round, value (not to be confused with cost) and overall experience are paramount when picking venues. I would return to Poppy Kitchen under new management but I probably won't be bringing groups there again.
(3)
Kenneth F.
I got food poisoning eating brunch here yesterday. I got the steak and eggs and it was about 1 hour and 45 minutes later, then almost an ER trip at 3:00am. I will never eat here again.
(1)
Jennifer M.
Entering the restaurant there was no clear host stand and it was difficult to pick out the staff since the attire is super casual for what seemingly tries to be a more upscale restaurant. The views from the patio are exceptional and the staff were friendly and accommodating. For appetizers I was disappointed that they were out of the pumpernickel bread that is featured in a couple of their appetizers. For main course options the menu seemed a bit odd and scattered among styles but maybe I just don't get the theme. Both my husband and I ordered the fish of the day - rainbow trout wrapped in bacon. My dish came out well prepared while my husband's bacon was still raw. The waitstaff and manager were quick to accommodate the oversight. The fish seemed very fresh but it was hard enjoy after the raw bacon presentation. Desert of warm vanilla bean beignets with panda cotta was the redeeming point of the meal for me. However, overall even with the 20% off for local Tucsonans this place is not on my list to revisit
(2)
Mia T.
A few weeks ago I went to Poppy's Kitchen. Other reviewers said that it was a good place for Brunch so we went to give it a try on a Sunday (I can only do brunch on the weekends.) There's no special "brunch" menu or special breakfast or lunch items being served for "brunch". The menu is the same menu used on the other days of the week. They do, however, have daily soups and chef specials. In my opinion, I don't think they have many breakfast options (I was craving breakfast food items) apart from your typical eggs and bacon or scrambles. I can make that at home. However, I am very gluten sensitive so my options were limited as well. They have no gluten free bread. I wish I could try the Baked French Toast. Anyway, I ended up ordering an appetizer, the Duck Confit Tacos. They are wonderful! They are three small tacos (corn tortilla). I ordered it twice so my dad could try them. He loved them! I would definitely go back for the duck tacos, anytime. They weren't chintzy. For the size of the tortilla they had a lot of duck meat. I was a Happy Camper. My dad ordered the Poppy Breakfast. He said, the eggs were cooked to order, the bacon was kinda cold, the potatoes where crispy but he wishes they had the skins on them, and the poppy/blueberry muffin was pretty good but cold. Not complaining. We went for brunch at 11 am. We made a reservation but it wasn't needed. There were only three other tables at the time. I like that the restaurant is filled with tons natural light and the light fixtures are pretty cool. We will go back to try their dinner options.
(4)
D L.
One of the worst dining experiences of my life. Service so bad I actually walked out of the restaurant and on TOP OF THAT they overcrged us for items we did not order. Absolutely horrible.
(1)
Jesse S.
Had a $55 Groupon weekend meal for two: + excellent service (all staff prompt and professional) + crispy goat cheese + fish no. 2 - ramekin that looks like a pet bowl with stale popcorn (reminds me of the Shanty pub) - choice of only two wines with the Groupon: Malbec we both selected had a slight vinegar taste - bed of greens the fish no. 2 came with had a bitter flavor, which I didn't like but my partner enjoyed - the chocolate tres leches cake was gross: the strawberries looked and tasted withered; we should have sent it back because it all tasted stale except for the almond whipped cream. - ambiance included a frequently raucous toddler, which was unpleasant when a chair was knocked down with a loud thud nearby. The bill without the Groupon deal would have been $84. We paid $55 for the Groupon, $17 for a 20% tip, and tax, which was approximately $80. Even with another $30 savings from Groupon, my partner and I would not return to this restaurant. In fact, we will not return to Poppy kitchen. The shockingly awful tres leches cake was the deciding factor. There are better restaurants in Tucson. I would much prefer to dine at the Cup Cafe or Feast. Don't bother with Poppy Kitchen unless you're at the resort and don't want to drive. Note: If you're interested in their happy hour specials, they won't honor those specials unless you're sitting at the bar or outside on the patio. For whatever reason, happy hour eligibility changes based on where you sit in the restaurant. How's that for an unusual policy?!
(2)
Danny B.
Cool feel and atmosphere. The bar looks cool and serves the full menu. I had the short rib and it was fantastic. I wasn't crazy about the cheesy grits but my wife liked them. The octopus salad was great. Crispy octopus so it wasn't chewy at all.
(5)
Lindsay R.
My friend and I went here last night for dinner and were very disappointed. Right after we were seated a gentlemen brought us waters and asked if we wanted any lemons or limes to go with them, I asked for lemons and never got them. After we got our waters, we did not have a waiter come to our table for a very long time. I don't know how long we sat there, but it was definitely too long. Other tables that were sat after us were getting service before us... Not cool. When our waiter came, he was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu so that's the only reason I'm giving two stars. While we were sitting waiting for our food we noticed all the other tables were getting popcorn, we never got any. Also, the food runner didn't seem to know what was going on, he tried bringing us food twice that wasn't ours, and then a glass of wine that wasn't ours. You could watch him walking around with plates of food, looking confused because he thought it went to a certain table but noticed that table already had their food, then he'd leave and come back to try again. Overall very unorganized. The food was good, but not the best I've had and in my opinion not worth the price. I wouldn't go back
(2)
Julie B.
I am disappointed in the fact that I cannot give Poppy Kitchen a great review. After loving The Abbey and Jax Kitchen we expected the same quality but it definitely fell short. We were seated at our table on Saturday night (having a reservation) and no one greeted us, offered us water, took a drink order for over 15 minutes!! No one even acknowledged us. My husband had to go to the hostess to ask if we had a server. After that we waited another 5 minutes. The crazy part is that is simply was not very busy. There were several empty tables. Once our server appeared she was awesome so that helped! She made some comments about how they had new kitchen staff, staffing issues, etc. Not good! The appetizer we ordered was the same one we usually ordered at the Abbey but it was weak in flavor and did not compare to what we were used to having . My husband ordered a latte and it again took a very long time to arrive and when it did we were told they were having problems with their espresso machine and she explained to us how it wasn't even a "real" espresso machine, just some tiny little thing they were having problems with. The good part.....the latte tasted awesome! So, later my husband ordered another, but we were then told they couldn't make more because of their machine!! Mother's Day was the following day and they did not have a working espresso machine. I feel sorry for anyone who went on Mother's Day because if our evening was any indication of what was going on there they were in for a bad experience! We shared the pot roast which was very good. Tender and very flavorful! We ordered dessert to go and it took forever!!!!! I diidn't look at my watch but it took 15-20 minutes. At one point the server came to the table to assure us she hadn't forgotten about us and that the cake was still in the oven!!!!! It seems like the problem isn't the food (although if they are going to serve food from their other restaurants, I feel it should be the same) the problem is the staffing and the kitchen. Timing was off all evening. Sorry to say we will not be back!
(2)
Dylan M.
Let me first say that I absolutely LOVE Poppy's sister restaurant, The Abbey (my top 3 restaurant in Tucson), so I came here with high hopes for dinner on my graduation. Unfortunately, Poppy didn't live up to the hopes I'd imagined. While the service was good and prompt, the menu and subsequent meals left much to be inspired. I felt there wasn't anything "new" or unique being offered here, honestly...just basically Jax Kitchen and The Abbey's menus rehashed with a couple spins on a few items here and there. The food I tried (street caramelos, pork porterhouse, and crispy salmon) seemed more "safe"/mainstream (read: BLAND) and less unique/edgy as the Abbey. Also, the overall vibe is somewhat uppity and exclusive, but the quality of the food doesn't quite deliver on the promise that is set by such a tone. I will say though that this is a fantastic location and is accompanied with beautiful vistas of the Tucson valley - hopefully they update the menu soon to offer a little bit more exciting options! ...maybe they keep it more mainstream to appeal to the tourists coming through La Paloma...?
(3)
Ashley W.
I'm very, very pleased with my dining experience at Poppy Kitchen. I'm always a little wary of eating at new restaurants. I like to wait a while for them to work out the kinks, but Poppy Kitchen nailed it. My boyfriend and I shared the oysters, kitchen salad, duck and steak entrees, tres leches cake, and each had a "the one" margarita. Oysters - I LOVE oysters. There is nothing more fun to eat. These were pretty large and had some great garnishes, including a bloody mary shot. I've had fresher, but they were great for Arizona and a fun way to start the meal. Kitchen salad - Mixed greens with a sherry vinaigrette, carrots, pomegranate seeds, red onion, and a bunch of other stuff. It was pretty tasty. Lots of flavor, almost a bit too much dressing, but it was so good I didn't mind. The pomegranate seeds were a great touch because they were colorful and crunchy. Duck - We ordered the duck medium rare, which the chef recommends, but we both would have preferred slightly more cooked. It still had great flavor and was really tender. Loved the crispy skin. It came with a really great fried duck confit red rice, which didn't really taste fried (not really oily) and had a great crisp to it. The sauce was fantastic. Steak - I never order steak at restaurants. It's usually too small or too hard to cut or too expensive. I'm SO glad we ordered the steak because it was freaking HUGE (glad we split it!), wrapped in pancetta, not fatty except just enough to make it juicy and tender. We got it medium rare, which was perfect. The steak came with baby carrots, which were ok. I love carrots and think these could be done a bit more tenderly. We subbed the cheddar polenta instead of the purple potato gratin and it was my favorite thing we ate. But I'm from the south and I love me some cheesy grits. :) The cocktails were solid. Love the orange flavor in the margarita. For desert we had tres leches cake. I really wanted the carrot cake, but after so many carrots in our meal I needed some chocolate. It was pretty good. Can't turn down kalua soaked strawberries :) Overall, you get what you pay for here. Great staff and cool ambiance to the restaurant.
(5)
Brianna H.
How exciting! Another amazing concept from Metzger Family Restaurant! I've been a long time fan of all his concepts, and was so excited to see what Poppy Kitchen was all about! Went for opening night and it was awesome! The view alone is worth the visit! And of course, the food did not disappoint! The tomato soup was DELICIOUS! It even had "mini grilled cheese" sandwiches, aka croutons, in it. I'm a tomato soup princess and this was amazing! I also tried the caramellos, mini, veggie quesadillas. So yummy! With fresh avocado and lime. The burger was cooked to perfection, with bacon and an egg on it. Never thought I'd be a fan of an egg on a burger, but after this burger, I can't imagine it without an egg everytime. For dessert, GET THE BAKED TO ORDER CARROT CAKE! I'm not kidding! This dessert is unreal! Even has cream cheese ice cream! The bar is super fun and intimate! Infusion cocktails are delicious and refreshing! I can't wait to come back for happy hour! Service was stellar, of course. Very friendly, yet casual and knowledgable servers. Congrats and awesome job to Brian and his staff! Will be back for sure, especially around sunset!
(5)
Sara L.
Wow...this place was EXCELLENT and completely unexpected. After several underwhelming meals in Tuscon, I was beginning to think I wouldn't find a great option. Well I was wrong. Poppy Kitchen over-delivered, and this is coming from someone who lives in Manhattan and dines on great cuisine regularly. For starters I had the Super Wedge Salad, which was a creative spin on your usual wedge. For dinner, I had a seasonal pumpkin pasta with brussel sprouts, squash, and other tasty things that was really delicious. And to cap off the night, I chose the pumpkin pie and it was sooo good. It was an individual pie just for me, with whipped cream on top. Yum! If I lived in the Tucson area I would come here on a regular basis.
(5)
Timothy H.
The view on the patio and from the tables or bar seats right inside, is pretty ridiculous! Go for sunset and get drinks and yummy food from the bar during happy hour! Burger with the egg and bacon is amazing! Tomato soup is delicious! Caramelos are a perfect compliment to a cold beer or house infusion. The chefs here really know how tondo comfort food. Also, the bartenders are hot and make great drinks! Go ask for Brie or Andria.
(5)
Hassan Y.
Brunch was delicious! The Groupon is worth it so buy em up! It's a great deal and we'd eat here even without the Groupon.
(5)
Bryan B.
Had the Kobe burger. Off the charts excellent. Fries were gourmet with garlic. It's the shnizzle
(5)
Dana F.
Had dinner last night and it was great. Started with the meat and cheese board. It had a little bit of everything and perfect to share. I had the "chicken Sammie". Open faced chicken cordon bleu was great. It was a huge portion with the homemade chips. My girlfriend had the pork and she loved it. Everything was perfect. For dessert we had the cookie Sammie's. They were ok- I wish the chocolate chip Cookies were soft. We also had the panna cotta. Wasn't my favorite but my girlfriend loved it. Overall a a great restaurant. Affordable wine selection, great decor and views. We will absolutely be back.
(5)
V S.
We went here because we used to like J Bar (the old restaurant here) and it was at our hotel. We all regretted this decision and wish we would have gone out and ate somewhere like Coronet, Spark Root or Zemams Ethiopian which we tried the previous days. I will start with the positive. The service was really good. Our waiter tried his best to overcome this restaurant's failures. We ordered a dozen oysters to start. After about 30 minutes, he came out and apologized and said that they were aggressively shucking in the kitchen to get the best oysters. That was honest but scary and the oysters were 25th percentile. Then the cheese board - worst I have seen. No slices of quality cheese but instead two types of processed crumbly cheese and some sort of moist junk that may have come out of a tube. The rest of the food was barely tolerable - almost everything deep fried and poor quality. What gives Westin? How do you go from a culinary chef like he last guy Janos to this? How are the reviews good here??
(1)
Andrew P.
Food: A+ Service: D I really liked everything about this place besides the service. They seemed very understaffed in the front of the house, granted it was a Sunday evening. I had the duck breast with duck confit fried rice and it was absolutely delicious. If you like duck, get this dish. My dad had the crispy salmon which was also fantastic. The appetizers we had were good, the fried goat cheese came with a fig jam that was to die for, and the mussels were a little bland. You also need to get the shrimp fritters. They were fantastic. Now to my favorite part of the entire meal, dessert. I am not a cake person, but I was told that I needed to order the carrot cake and I was told right. It was amazing, hands down the best carrot cake I've ever tasted. It had cream cheese ice cream instead of the traditional frosting, and came with some fresh fruit, which was a nice touch. Overall my experience was great, love the atmosphere, love love love the food. I would definitely go back.
(4)
Neil R.
I guess I arrive too early sat on the patio had the wait crew crew cleaning around us looked at the Internet menu before we arrived forget it no rib eye Kobe burger for $16 not a bad deal no Kobe burger still $16 what I had was good very limited menu going the way of Janos
(2)
Jenny C.
Even with good food this restaurant cannot get more than 3 stars because of its service. Yes it's new. Yes it's only been open a few weeks. Buuuut it's service is inexcusably awkward. I'm fairly certain we were forgotten because we chose to have drinks and an appetizer at the bar before we asked to be seated. We waited for at least 20 minutes at our table and then had someone we thought was a guest based on his outfit ask us if we were planning on ordering food. The food is good-not great. Cheese platter was nice but I've had better (47 Scott etc). Steak was good.... Sea bass was nicely cooked but very very salty. Drinks were good but not exceptional. I really wanted to love this place more. I'll give it a few months to figure itself out before patronizing again. Ps. Decor was confusing .. Mix of JBar and whatever was hip two years ago.
(3)
Jennifer L.
Well with much anticipation, we finally got to visit Poppy's. I had high hopes as I was very saddened to see Jax close and I'm happy to say that my hopes were not dashed. Let me begin by saying...carrot cake. Okay, more on that later. The location is in the La Paloma resort which makes it a little bit of a task to get to if you're in for a quick dinner. If you're not in a hurry (and hopefully you're not) it's worth the drive as it is a beautiful location. The restaurant itself is off to the side of the main entrance to the resort and boasts some gorgeous views of the city. Wine, beer and cocktail selections are varied and plentiful. Cocktails are well made and tasty. We started out with the Chopping Block (nice variation of charcuterie and accompaniments) and split a Wedge salad (classically served and tasty). We had the BBQ Short Ribs (tender, flavorful and the polenta was dreamy) and Luis' Pasta (sirloin/mushroom which was delicious and very rich). Then came dessert. Way too stuffed but after reading fellow Yelper's reviews we just had to do it. Wowie, wow, wow. It was a nicely spiced, dense cake made to order, served in a small cast iron skillet with a cream cheese ice cream and oh so decadent. What are those little crispy carrot thingies on top? Crack? What a great texture variation. Right on fellow Yelpers! Service was friendly and efficient. Brian Metzger did come around and even took us on a tour of his new place. The pride showed very much in his demeanor and it was well warranted.
(5)
Alan G.
These reviews are lies. Food is rubbish. We're a party of 6, and I write this at the table. We returned: ocopus salad, spinich, and didn't eat the burned out burger. Wine list is OK. Reminds me of "beer joint near college."
(1)
Cathy B.
We went to Poppy Kitchen with another couple last night. The jambalaya was rich and spicy. The portion was plentiful. I ordered the short ribs in a thai style curry sauce. The meat was tender and flavorful. I would order this again. The fritters that came with the dish were crispy, not greasy. We ordered the carrot cake in a cast iron skillet. It was really flavorful, but we thought it could have been cooked a bit more. It was described as gooey center and crispy on the outside, but we didn't have any crunch. We loved the lighting and the atmosphere was better than I originally thought it would be. Of course, the outside tables have great views of Tucson and the city lights. Our waiter, Marcus K, could not have been any better. Very attentive to our needs and a pleasant demeanor. We will be back.
(4)
Bee C.
I love this place. The atmosphere is fun and casual. It's a little bit hard to find, drive into the hotel parking lot and you'll see the restaurant off to the side. We ordered the watermelon, octopus salad as an appetizer. The bbq octopus didn't really go with the rest of the salad, I think it may have been better without it. I had the steak tartare-it was fantastic. The special chicken sandwich was amazing-maybe the best sandwich I've ever had. It had: chicken thigh, truffle dressed lettuce, pear and ham on a pretzel bun. Totally delightful. They had a bunch of local beer on tap and the margarita was great.
(5)
Ben C.
Great food. They have a lot of different dishes and have duck which I love. Monday is half price bottle night. How can you go wrong. Great staff too, very friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommended. Perfect for a date or the entire family. Good stuff.
(5)
Victoria T.
I thought that this would be a nice restaurant, but man was I wrong! First off, the service was beyond slow. They didn't check in with us often, it took a while to get a server, and the food took a long to cook. The whole visit was at least 1.5 hours. I've seen other restaurants with slow service, but nothing like this. I also asked if they could do a sparkling lemonade at the bar, I never ordered it, but they just brought it to me. They can't give me something and charge me for it if I don't specifically order it. The food was also overpriced and underwhelming. It wasn't terrible, but it could've been better. Who'd pay $26 for a piece of fish!? The employees here were also very rude. They weren't very nice to me and they didn't respect my requests. They also made demands at me, like, I accidentally stepped into an area, and they told me it was a private party when I didn't know. They didn't care enough to help me. Lastly, they charged me for something I didn't order. We ordered 1 fried chicken, but they charged us for 3. I was very upset and probably won't come back. Think twice before coming back. :(
(1)
Mary D.
We enjoyed a great dinner at poppy. We brought family friends from out of town and wanted to show Them a great time... You did not disappoint. We started with the Chopping Block; great selection of meats and cheeses. The added snacks were delicious! The Wedge is out of the world with pickled red onion, homemade pancetta, crisp heirloom tomato and creamy blue cheese. For dinner I enjoyed the Kobe Beef Burger which was prepared perfectly. It was topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, and an egg over easy. Other hits at the table include the Duck Breast, Housemade Pasta, and Seafood Gumbo. For dessert, we had the carrot cake with cream cheese ice cream (YUM!!!!!) and vanilla bean panna cota. Our fabulous server, Jes, was attentive, knowledgable, and we never went without anything. All and all a WONDERFUL experience and I cannot wait to go back!!
(5)
Elvis J.
I didn't enjoy my service that much but it might have been an off-nite...the history of this resort implies that they will be consistently good so I will give a chance again..had great times before so I expect I will again! Beautiful location and nicely set-up place...
(3)
Glenda G.
Hopefully this restaurant will rise to JAX Kitchen's standards. Cheese meat board appetizer very good. Luis' pasta special of spaghetti with shrimp and wine/cream sauce was overcooked and heavy with sauce. The fish special was trout with skin on and was excellent. Nightly recommended wine was also very good.
(3)
Marilyn B.
We ate at Poppy Kitchen on February 25. The food was okay but the service was the worst we have ever had. It's too bad too since we live within walking distance of the restaurant. They have a very small liquor selection as well, and at 6:30 they only had two servings of their supposedly famous chicken left. There were four of us and we all wanted to try the chicken. Oh well.
(3)
Molly H.
Last night we had a fabulous, decadent meal at Poppy. Going into it, I knew I would love it, but all my expectations were confirmed. First off, though I have to admit that the service was not great. We sat on the patio and several times we felt like we were forgotten about. We ordered drinks to start, but they took 20-25 minutes to come out. Also, there was no lighting on the patio and our candle blew out half way through. Some nice lighting on the patio would not detract from the view, but be very appreciated. Luckily, the service was the only disappointment. All of the food exceeded my expectations - and seeing as how we tried half the menu, that is quite a feat! The oysters to start were very fresh with a mignonette shaved ice. The duck conserva was also a treat and a huge portion. Though it could have come with more crisps. We tried the pork porterhouse, the gumbo, the duck, steak, and short rib. Everyone loved their food, but we were still good kindergartners and shared with each other. Dessert blew it all away. I made vulgar noises when I dug into the made-to-order carrot cake (with cream cheese ice cream!) and the tres leches cake. Yeah, it was a little awkward for my dining companions... Sunday was half off wine night too. So, that was a plus. But, really I think the prices are very fair. Even a couple dollars less than Jax. Which, when you consider that this space is one of the most coveted in the city, every cent is worth it. I will most certainly be back. I can't believe I didn't get to try "The One"! We have a date soon.
(4)
Elizabeth W.
The food was incredible but that carrot cake... I'm pretty sure I would accept bribes in the form of that carrot cake. Heaven. Absolute heaven.
(5)
Steven H.
Great restaurant! Went on a Monday and dined on the patio. Great service as well!! The carrot cake is amazing. Will definitely come again and recommend this restaurant to friends.
(4)
Gary H.
Please do your self a favor and get the muscles, to die for and spend a buck or two to get the baguette you will need it for the sauce, unless you throw all abandon out the the window and get them with house cut fries. Cocktails, beer, great food and awesome hospitality. Poppy kitchen has not only given Jack kitchen a most honorable representation but has taken the concept to another level. And do your self a favor no mater how full you are get the carrot cake! I won't spoil it for you, but Chef Wooters kills it!
(5)
S M.
Recently met up with large party of friends during reverse happy hour. For a Friday night, it did not seem too busy (granted we were seated in the large patio area, secluded from everyone else with gorgeous view of Tucson). Our servers were always attentive (but never annoying) to our group, especially Jes G : ) One of our friends brought her homemade carrot cake without any issues from the restaurant/servers (utensils/plates provided). I only ordered the refreshing Gio Punch and the highly recommended roasted veggie street caramelos, which were both delicious at super cheap HH prices. I also tried a few bites of my friend's pasta; I recall it being yummy with red sauce and sausage. I definitely will return again to try their other dishes and take advantage of their HH.
(5)
Zev R.
We had an excellent time here. The oysters were fantastic. We split the steak and the duck for our entrees. The duck was flavorful and as lean as duck can be. The steak was epic - and came topped with marrow butter. Desert was a tres chocolate cake - really, really good. That was topped with Kalua soaked strawberries. Can't wait to come back!
(5)
Carla B.
The food was really great and so was the service. We had the pistachio crusted goat cheese for appetizers it was delicious, just a little too garlicy for my taste- and I love garlic. For main I had the duck breast with duck fried rice and spinach. Perfection!! Just wonderfully juicy duck breast and a well seasoned fried rice. Next time.i am in town I will be there!
(5)
Wei L.
Food was good, but service was disorganized and slow. Suggest to improve the operation management.
(3)
Reese S.
You can't go wrong with this place. The happy hour is awesome. The food is great. The service is on point. The little piggy is a drink you must try. The patio view is very nice.
(5)
L K.
Loved the atmosphere at this gem located at La Paloma. Don't let the resort deter you, it's easy parking and convenient, and definitely not just for out of towners. I loved the short rib, but the best part was the carrot cake! Don't skip dessert!
(5)
Marja W.
Not good. Rude staff, tiny ramekin of popcorn. Don't bother
(1)
Judy S.
Had dinner last at Poppy's Kitchen last night. Very nice decor but we were very disappointed with the service. Server brought our drinks & then disappeared for 25 minutes. We finally ordered our dinner, they brought one meal & then we waited 10 min for the second meal to appear. I ordered a burger. The bun was cold ( like it had been frozen) & was white bun. Menu stated it was whole wheat. Fries were barely warm. My fellow dinner asked for bread to go with her soup & salad..Again 15 minutes later she got 4 small pieces of sandwich bread. It is pricey...$18.00 for a burger.. We will not return.
(2)
Ashley R.
My husband and I ate here a few weeks ago on a Friday night. The food was great, the ambiance was great, the only negative was the service was pretty slow. I think it took us about an hour to get our food after ordering- I had the short ribs (aaaaahhmazing) and he had the crispy duck (good, but very salty). I would love to come back because it's got a good vibe and the food was delicious...I just might eat a snack beforehand.
(4)
Remosmith S.
We had 6 4 diner. The short ribs were dry and tasteless. The diners were over priced and not up to a restaurant associatrd with a high end resort. I will not be back.
(1)
Paige S.
Just moved to Tucson and have heard great things about Poppy Kitchen. We sat outside to enjoy the beautiful sunset and surrounding vista, along with a great breeze this evening. The Happy Hour drink choices include a variety of house wines, TAP beers, and cocktails all at a great price. We skipped the snacks and decided to split a Kitchen Salad. My husband had the Ribeye Steak with Asiago Creamed Corn and Butter Poached Asparagus. Everything was fresh, cooked right, and tasted great. I had the Short Ribs in a Coconut Red Curry Braise (very mild) with Shrimp and Corn Fritters. It was supposed to include Thai Apple Slaw but I had a few thin slices of apple, which was fine. Not sure if this was an oversight but I didn't mind and never missed it. My short ribs were cooked to a wonderful soft consistency, fall-off-the-bone, no knife needed. We also split a dessert, the carrot cake with vanilla ice cream. It's cooked to order and arrives in a hot mini-skillet. Well worth the wait of about 15 minutes. All of our serves were attentive and helpful, especially Jessica and Marques. The hostesses were also knowledgeable and very welcoming as we arrived and departed. What a nice way to ease into Tucson. We definitely look forward to our next meal at Poppy Kitchen @ La Paloma!
(4)
Daniel B.
Ambiance and service - 5 Food - 4.5 Salad was too heavy on the beets. Sammy was delicious but not really a sandwich (the bread was unnecessary). Pasta special (gnocchi) was outstanding!
(5)
Phil K.
Great, pretty much what expected since this basically took Jax place. great food, drink, and desserts!!!!!!!
(4)
Hueneme R.
This place has a variety of items available on their menu for everyone. I had the ribeye (at $30, OUCH) and the food was great. The place can get a little loud during happy hour, but you can still hear all the other people at your table. The down side is you have to pay an additional resort fee, even if you don't stay there.
(4)
Jessie T.
Went last night while staying at the resort. My friend and I took ourselves and four kids during happy hour and stayed for dinner. This place was fabulous. The wait staff was excellent and today I'm still craving the salmon with carrot gratin meal I ordered. It was the best dish I've had in a very long time. I highly recommend this place and feel like going down to Tucson again to bring my husband to this place as I know he would love it. Restaurant had a nice vibe for a Tuesday night in Tucson during the summer. The only downside was the desserts didn't seem to measure up to the excellence of the rest of the meal. I will absolutely go back.
(5)
Scott M.
I must admit I was disappointed, we've ate at the Abbey on other occasions their food is great! Four of us in our party, made reservations for Sunday at 5: PM arrived on time and seated promptly. Staff was very good, explained the menu well. Started with Duck fried rice and Goat cheese appetizers, Duck rice was over cooked and salty, Goat cheese was "ok". Moved on to Kobe burgers and house fries, extremely salty. Please put away the salt shaker!!! Move on to the Swordfish, absolutely wonderful it saved the night. Carrot cake for dessert was also enjoyable. By the way, the facility is attractive and the views of Tucson at night are spectacular.
(3)
James L.
We have been to Poppy Kitchen on previous occasions for dinner and had very good food and service. Tried the Saturday brunch which was totally contrary to our other experiences. Ordered their special Bloody Mary and waited at least 15 minutes beyond the 10-15 minutes we waited for service for them to be brought to the table. The beverages were good, but nothing special. I ordered an omelet with bacon, sausage, caramelized onions and cheese. My partner ordered the steak and eggs. Again we waited an inordinate amount of time before the food was served. Both dishes were mediocre. Not bad, but nothing beyond ordinary. Maybe we had our sights set too high, because our dinner experiences at Poppy have been much more into the gourmet eclectic cuisine. Will we go back to Poppy Kitchen? Yes, but not for brunch.
(2)
Sheldon M.
It's been a while since we were there - very happy we went back. Food was delicious. Love their cheese and meat board. Had the cheeseburger- consistently delicious. Wife had chicken sandwich special which was very tasty. Staff wonderfully attentive and served with a smile. A joy to eat there. Plus they have the bar type shuffleboard out on the patio. You will be pleased.
(5)
Rob D.
We were sad when we heard that Jax was closing, and were a bit put off that it reopened further away from us. First suggestion would be please answer your phones. Did not like that there was just a recording. We were really looking forward to trying out Poppys one night but since we did not have the chance to see if you would still accept Jaxs gift certificates. So we sent a message via Facebook re this which was answered promptly. So on to our visit to Poppys. We visited on a Thursday night. Was nice to have the option of sitting on the porch. Very nice and quiet with nice views of the city. Menu was similar to the old Jax menu. But we felt that prices were higher for the same type of foods compared to before. Not sure about the way oversalted popcorn that was brought as soon as we sat down to our table. Service initially was prompt but delivery of food was quite slow, and a different person took dishes, then someone else brought bill, then our waitress came back to take our coupons. Then someone else picked up the bill. Not sure why we saw so many different people to assist us at the end. It just seemed discombobulated at the end of our meal. Missed seeing the same faces of the family that was always seen at Jax. It just seems like it is less of a family ran business than before. But food was still yummy. Not sure if we will visit as often as it is a bit further from us.
(4)
Angel L.
Breakfast special seemed like an omelet made with leftovers, something cool to do at home. Potatoes were crispy but cut into such small cubes I missed having something tender and fluffy inside, plus it's hard to put a fork into hard 1/2 inch dice. Don't pretend a half strawberry, a pineapple sliver and one orange slice make a side of fresh fruit. It's still a garnish. Final Tip: Don't sit at the bar; the bartender doesn't make a good waitress. OJ plus the breakfast special, never got the muffins and another waiter took pity & finally refilled my water. Good thing Gourmet Girls Gluten Free Bakery Bistro is on the way home.
(2)
Kelly A.
Late dinner at Poppy last night.....the service was excellent and the food was even better. Great atmosphere, food, and service. I'll be back for sure.
(5)
Tanja T.
Bought a Groupon and decided to try Poppy kitchen. We got there before our reservation but they seated us right away. The service was the best I have had in tucson! We started with the fried goat cheese. It was just okay until I added the olive tapenade then it was devine. We both ordered the BBQ short rib and are pretty sure we died and. Are in heaven! The rib is spicy but not hot. The polenta is tasty and the mushrooms are perfect. Unfortunately, I can't eat the carrot cake because I'm allergic to walnuts but we tried the ice cream Sammie's. Chocolate brownie with sea salt caramel ice cream and chocolate dipping sauce. I'm pretty sure we are in sugar comas! Kudos to all of the staff and thank you for the best meal I have had in a long time. I will be back!
(5)
Marc W.
I was here on Tuesday night and had a wonderful time with my wonderful date. We sat outside on the patio which as I have noted before has amazing views (especially at night). We started with the oysters which were succulent and sweet! For the mains she had the braised short rib which was fall-off-the-bone tender and I had the gumbo which was perfectly seasoned and enough for two meals (I have never seen anyone finish it in one sitting). For desert we had the carrot cake - normally I'm not a fan but many a yelper have said nothing but great things so I stepped outside my comfort zone and gave it a try - magnifić! The owner was around and chatted with my date and I for a bit and was kind enough to bring some ice cream sandwiches - thy were awesome too! Everything was on point, as one has come to expect from the Metzger lineup. To top it off they have a shuffleboard table out back with some flat screens which is awesome! We closed the place down and will definitely be back again...and again!
(5)
Stephanie H.
We sat on the patio overlooking one of the greens on the golf course. The ambience out there was great. Our server was very knowledgeable of the wines and specials of the day. We started with the crispy goat cheese appetizer. I am not a fan of goat cheese but this was very mild and the crispy outside was delicious. For our mains I got the Pork Porterhouse, it was amazing! The house made bacon is enough to keep me coming back. He got the fish special, it was eh. I am not sure mint is the correct herb to pair with fish. We also added a side of the duck fried rice, I could definitely live without eating that again. It was way overcooked and the flavor wasn't as great as we expected. For desert we had an ice cream Sammy. Salted caramel ice cream and strawberry preserves sandwiched between two chocolate chunk brownies. It was hard and difficult to eat but it tasted amazing. There are some things they need to work on but overall it was a great evening, we'll be back.
(4)
Steve V.
We have been to Poppy several times and with each visit we become more disillusioned. The service is slow and the food mediocre. We went in with high hopes but it appears this is on a rapid decline after just beginning.
(1)
Kathleen B.
Great service. Great food, great drinks. Great location. Go try it! You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Ruth J.
Kobe Beef done right! Everything is fresh and you can taste the difference fresh ingredients make. Delightful, Devine and Delicious.
(5)
Aura C.
I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the food as much as I did. The watermelon caprese salad was wonderful. I could eat that all day long! I had the steak with the au gratin potatoes. Loved that as well. Didn't love my cosmo. I'll try something different to drink next time.
(4)
Morgan J.
Last night I checked out poppy with a few friends and once again had a great experience! The hostesses promptly greeted us and our server, Jess was quick and knowledgable! Sadly they were out of their IPA on happy hour but instead we all ordered a white IPA which was pleasantly good! I actually preferred it to the IPA on draft! As for the food we ordered a quesadillas, the steak, and duck. They were all pretty good! The potatoes that came with my steak were my favorite part of the meal, they were to die for. The steak itself was alright, just a bit too fatty for my taste. Otherwise, everything was excellent.. It came as ordered, was timely, and each staff member who visited out table was more than pleasant!
(5)
KS S.
We had a great experience. We started our Saturday night out here with a couple of drinks. Brandon and Josh were behind the bar and were very attentive and made awesome drinks. We did not eat this night but on another occasion I had went here for their brunch which was an amazing menu and I had a hard time deciding what to have. I ended up having the bagel lox and they didn't skimp on anything. It was big and delicious! I can't wait to go back and try dinner! 5 stars!!
(5)
Alexis S.
This has to be one of the best brunch places in Tucson. Seriously it is a hidden gem. Their french toast has to be the best french toast I have ever had in my life, it is a cross between a french toast and a bread pudding and it's to die for!! I highly highly recommend this restaurant. The food is amazing and the service is svn better. The view from the patio is beautiful and a great place to enjoy a beautiful Tucson day!
(5)
Leila L.
This is one of the best restaurants in Tucson, and probably THE best restaurant in the Foothills area. It could afford to be overpriced, and snooty, but it is neither of those things. Poppy offers exceptionally good food for reasonable prices (especially with the Local 20 discount). Poppy has a casual family-friendly atmosphere. It is the only resort restaurant I know of with shuffleboard. Poppy has a beautiful patio with one of the best views in Tucson. Everyone should be eating here! For some reason, a lot of Metzger restaurants have opened only to close in Tucson over the last few years. I have grieved every closing--Gio Taco and Jackson Tavern were two of my favorite places, and they both closed way too quickly. Poppy has a lot to offer, and I hope it stays open for a good long while. Current recommended menu items: chicken under a brick, and the crispy salmon. You really can't go wrong with any of the appetizers, but the chef's board here is particularly good. The carrot cake is probably the most lauded dessert, and for good reason--it really is that delicious! Fantastic cocktail, beer, and wine selection. My only complaint is that there aren't more beers available on tap. I love this place so much, I plan to celebrate my birthday here this year; you should too!
(5)
Brett B.
Was just having dinner here and all of a sudden there was screaming that stopped everything in the restaurant. The person who identified himself as the "manager/owner" started screaming right in the middle of the restaurant "what the f**k are you doing you f***ing idiot. What the f**k do you think this is? You don't walk off the f***ing line to go to the bathroom. What the f**k? People in the restaurant told him to knock it off and stop and he responded by saying "well you haven't got your food yet have you?" - Implying he would do something to their food. He started yelling at the customers in the restaurant and then people started walking out. He then said "it's your choice to leave not mine". The staff then started walking around apologizing for his outburst like it was a normal thing. I have never witnessed such poor behavior and the wait staff did confirm he was part owner. I would never come back here. For the owner to imply he would contaminate someone's food for calling him out on deplorable behavior is absolutely disgusting. What a poor business man. It was disheartening to all but especially the families with children in the restaurant.
(1)
Hailey E.
Had appetizers and drinks here about a week ago with a friend, we both agreed that the happy hour was amazing as they have their tap cocktails for $5. We tried about 4-5 different cocktails and were very pleased with them. All delicious! I especially loved their margarita and my friend loved the raspberry cosmo. We also got the happy hour cheeseburger which was delicious and only $6! We tried a couple other apps which were delicious as well. The decor was really cool, contemporary and cute. Service was a little slow at first but that didn't last. We sat on the patio and enjoyed the amazing views. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Chan H.
Strong drinks :) Amazing service and view! They give you popcorn to munch on while you wait. I love popcorn!!! We had the goat cheese and the mussels for appetizers. Both were good but I've had better mussels... For entrees, we ordered the duck breast and the seasonal fish (trout wrapped in bacon in a chili sauce). BOTH WERE SO GOOD but I was so full. Can't wait to come back.
(4)
JoieDeVivre T.
I checked into the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, starving! So when I saw that the menu of the Poppy Kitchen had Oysters on a Half Shell, I was sold. Calling them several times - no answer! I was forced to leave a message but luckily a Josh returned my call timely. I indulged and ordered a full dozen Oysters, with the Watermelon Caprese salad as an afterthought. Luckily, that afterthought saved me otherwise I would have remained hungry! The oysters were full of broken shells... I mean, several broken pieces of shell for every bite. It was almost like the "chef" didn't know how to shuck the bivalves properly. Worse, they didn't rinse them or whatever because in addition to the broken shells, the oysters were so SALTY I couldn't eat them. Lastly, the add insults to injury, the oysters were served without any lemons, no sauces, NOTHING! I had to use the vinegar from my Caprese salad to tamper down the taste of salty bivalve. WORST oysters ever! Really disappointed since this is a hotel attached to a 5 star resort. The 3 star Yelp rating is me being generous. I'm only doing so to credit them for the fact that they delivered to my room and that the Watermelon Tomato Caprese salad was light and tasty and was just heavenly for a hungry (though waistline conscious) traveler.
(3)
Sumie S.
Awful. This is the second year in a row that this place has disappointed. Ordered the pasta and did not get it until everyone else had already finished eating. I was never give an explanation why my food was running behind, just an "I don't know" from the waiter. The first thing that you learn while working in customer service is that "I don't know" is NEVER an acceptable response. Then when I brought it to the attention of other staff I was given a list of excuses that ranged from they were "busy", there was a convention at the hotel, and there was a band out on the patio. You are a restaurant on the grounds of a resort!! Crowds on a Friday night cannot be a new concept! Extremely disappointed in the service and food. Needless to say, when we return to the resort next year for our annual trip, we will be seeking a delicious meal elsewhere.
(1)
Monica F.
Eat delicious, fancy, filling food in a comfortable atmosphere specializing in offering a fun twist on something you already like. Plus, unlike some other expensive restaurants, Poppy Kitchen gives you a lot of food for your money. We started with duck confit tacos and fried goat cheese. Yum! The tacos were juicy and with nice contrasts of sweet and savory. The cheese was just melt-in-your-mouth perfect, with a nut crust, on toast point, with, I think, fig jam. Hubby ordered the pot roast and I had the steak. I thought his pot roast a bit chewy but he liked it a lot and ate the entire plate. My steak was delicious; it was so thick it almost felt slightly underdone but the center seemed warm so I guess it was medium rare. It came with asparagus, perfectly cooked, and more figs, I think, and some nicely done but not super exciting potatoes, sliced thin and reassembled into a rectangle. After the appetizers I could only finish half my meal (I reheated the other half in a skillet full of butter for breakfast the next day and it was even better). None of the desserts really excited us so we skipped dessert since we were already full. On our way out the owner came over to say hello and recognized us even though we only met him one time 9 months ago. Total pro!
(4)
Jim S.
Sorry, Poppy. We were huge fans of the Abbey, and of Poppy Kitchen during its first few months of operation. Always had great food. But alas, nothing gold can stay - the Abbey has closed, and Poppy has gone way downhill. I was such a fan that I waited three visits to write this review. Sadly, during those three visits the food has been truly bad. Visit 1 - went for happy hour and got the burger. Frankly it was dry and boring. Visit 2 - got the board and the fish of the day. The fish was well cooked but it was served with a sickly sweet sauce (pomegranate, if I recall correctly). The board was honestly hilarious - grocery store cheese and a few thin slices of meat. Visit 3 - got the gumbo, which was an old favorite. It tasted overly salty and burned. Poppy has a fantastic location with great views and service has always been excellent. With this potential, I will likely give them one more chance in hopes they can get their act together on the food.
(2)
Nikky P.
I am sad to say that I was not impressed with our meal. I feel there are many other quality restaurants in Tucson that are more affordable that offer better food. We've been eating at Jax for years, got to The Abbey from time to time, and have visited Gio, so we felt it was time to tryout Poppy. The location at La Paloma is very pretty, and the interior of the restaurant has been done well. The servers were all friendly and the girl we had knew everything about the menu which was great. We shared the Steak Tartare as a starter. This was the best part of the meal. The tartare was not ground all the way down to a pulp, and they had left some actual pieces of meat almost whole which was good. It was seasoned really well and came with pickled veggies- all good. We didn't get any bread or popcorn/chips like the other tables..but we didn't notice until we we half way done with our mains. I had the duck breast which was served over duck friend rice with mustard greens. The duck was cooked perfectly, but the rest of the plate wasn't nice at all. The fried rice had a very heavy wild rice type grain that was too hard for my taste. The mustard greens were not very interesting. Usually when you order the duck at the Metzer restaurants it comes with really wonderful accompaniments. Not so much this type. I did not enjoy the plate at all despite the duck being cooked very well. My husband had Fish No. 2- which was trout on a crustini served with gazpacho. This sounded odd to me, but he ordered it anyways and immediately realized that the pairing of cold gazpacho with warm fish was very unpleasant. The protein again was cooked nicely..but the temperature differences were not nice. For dessert we had the carrot cake which came with freeze dried carrots and a cream cheese ice cream. The cake was served in skillet which was a nice idea, but since the cake kept coking while it was on the table, it did get a bit on the dry side. Ice cream and freeze dried carrots were really yum. I was excited to try Poppy....glad we did, but we will not be back.
(2)
Mollie G.
The food is quite sophisticated, but can be simplified to your taste! The entire staff was super friendly!! Our waiter (Curtis??) was amazing!! My son commented that he was the nicest person we have met in Arizona! He was amazing and would go back to Poppy just for his service alone! The wine and beer list was large with great choices! We were very pleased with our visit and food! The service made the visit though!!
(5)
Sharon H.
The brunch here was pretty good, though just unimpressive compared to what I was expecting, especially for the overall snazziness of the location and the website. The place itself is fairly swanky, with fairly nice views, though we got stuck with a view of the parking garage. Do take a gander around the Westin property though, since the view behind the pools of the mountains is very charming. They do have a pretty impressive brunch cocktail menu, so if that's what you're looking for after a long week, then it may be worth a try! But otherwise, the food menu was fairly simple, not much that we wanted to try or that tasted better than ordinary. Baked French toast was very dense and heavy. The Poppy Breakfast with eggs and potatoes was fairly standard. The Veggie Egg White Scramble was a standard omelet, slightly bland. I would've given it 4 stars if it were a casual breakfast diner, but for what they're going for they could definitely use a menu revamp. Service was very good and friendly. Check it out for a nice view, swanky atmosphere, some morning pick-me-ups, but not necessariy for unique food.
(3)
Donna W.
Went here with friends with the Groupon. It was definitely a good deal, we got two appetizers, four entrees, and two desserts along with four glasses of wine for $99. For the appetizers we got the roasted veggie carmelos and the chopping block. The veggie carmelos were very sweet and delicious. The chopping block was underwhelming. It had two slices of meat, two pieces of cheese, some dates and nuts and a mini jar of pickled vegetables. I feel like it would've been more successful if there were more cheese and meat variety. For the entree, I got the Fish No 2, which was ahi tuna in miso broth. The miso broth was amazing and I really enjoyed the veggies, tofu and mushrooms on the side. The fish however was just very dry. I was surprised that they did not ask how I wanted the ahi tuna cooked. The desserts saved the day! We had the brownie and the carrot cake. The dessert portions are huge and both came with ice cream. It was the best part of the meal. TLDR: Poppy kitchen is really good for dessert and some appetizers. Come for happy hour.
(4)
Cindy A.
My husband and I visited Poppy for brunch as I had purchased a Groupon. The food and service were wonderful and the ambiance was so relaxing that we decided to extend our brunch visit to afternoon cocktails and a few games of shuffleboard on their patio. (Happy Hour starts at 10am on Saturdays!) What we ordered: I had the salmon board and my husband had the steak and eggs. Both dishes were absolutely fantastic and presented beautifully on the plate! I could almost hear my taste buds cheer with every bite I took. P.S. Their bloody mary's are killer and a small meal in itself!
(5)
Woody M.
The food was above average. The service was as well. We had the pot pie (had lots of pepper) and was tasty. My partner had the chopped salad which she termed "very good!" Other than the noise level (very high inside) this is a nice place. Great views from the patio. Worth sitting outside, weather permitting! Cheers!
(3)
Adam P.
Wanted. The fugitive who 'hijaxed' jax kitchen and replaced it with this inferior imposter. It is literally criminal what they did to this place. I will not go back. At least not for a very long time. This was not like the jax kitchen I knew and loved. The move was not good for them. So disappointing. This was not a matter of needing to work a kink or two out. This was total failure. Service was slow, disorganized and forgetful. Bad timing. The food wasn't that good either, poor plating, poor presentation and the entrees over cooked. The whole night was a fire drill. Half an hour just to get our drinks in front of us. And even then they were short poured glasses of wine served in hot glasses. Salads came out incorrect and had to wait forever to get the right salad out and when it finally did it was obvious it was thrown together haphazard. Even had wrong components in it. I will say the steak tartare was good as always, only bright spot on the night. Finally got the entrees, we both had fish #2 and they were both overcooked, dried out and stringy and again poorly plated. Looking at our two dishes the plating and components were inconsistent, light on some components and heavy on others. Dish didn't make sense either, large pineapple chunks, why not make a chutney at least. Peanuts got lost and ended up making no sense. Again a chutney solves all that. And the shrimp in the risotto I could tell by taste was frozen and old. I had to throw the towel in and pass on dessert, after two hours I just couldn't take anymore. I can overlook a couple things or even slow service if it's good food but the food wasn't even good enough to make up for any of it. Total fail. I really do hope they figure it out and turn things around and I want to see them be successful. We know they are capable of so much better and is in part why I hold them to a high standard. Do what we know you can do!
(2)
Michael R.
I ordered my food and they gave me horrible proportions, and the food took at least 40 minutes to be prepared. In the beginning the waiter gave us one little bowl of popcorn for my entire family and I to eat! One small piece/sliver of fried chicken on large stale white roll (Very poor quality as well). Had that fast food feeling the next day. The prices are too high as well! I will never come back again! NEVER!. Drive anywhere but do not eat in the resort.
(1)
Ron R.
Bravo Poppy! I really enjoyed the food here. My wife and I had the blue cheese wedge to start. Everything was fresh and on point. I loved the big chunks of bacon compared to the bacon bits you usually get. We also loved their Kobe burger. It's not your typical burger which was nice for a change. The Kobe meat was cooked perfectly and their house made beet juice pickle gave it that zing that I've never tasted before. Perfect! I'll be back:)
(5)
Kelly C.
Located in the grounds of the Westin La Paloma, Poppy's has a nice view out over the city both from inside and the patio. The food was priced high for the quality. I ordered the special salad with beers, mixed greens, goat cheese and orange. It was drenched in the dressing and has pieces of goat cheese the size of golf balls which wasn't very appetizing. The baked corkscrew side pasta had some spice from red pepper flakes but otherwise wasn't very exciting. My husband order the steak which was a small portion of steak with generous sides of potato. The highlight was the skillet carrot cake for dessert which came out warm and melted in your mouth.
(2)
Katie P.
Delicious! Others have put it more eloquently than me below, so I'll keep it short and sweet. Went with a group of 6 after a pool day at La Paloma, and I'm fairly sure we ordered ever item on the menu. Everything was impressive and absolutely to die for! Our waiter was so knowledgable (I recognized him from Jax, so I know he's a MFR pro), and made fantastic recommendations for wine pairings. We had fries, fish, duck, the soup of the day (like matzo ball soup), crispy goat cheese, the charred octopus salad (OH MY GOSH SO GOOD), the seafood gumbo and two desserts! The carrot cake was by far the most amazing dessert! We were there for over 2 hours (yes, the food takes some time to cook), but it was such a fun evening! This restaurant has gorgeous views of Tucson, and would make a wonderful date night or special occasion restaurant. I highly recommend you try it, if only once, because it's really something special!
(5)
Andrew W.
I went for valentines day, so I should have expected it to be as busy as it was. Even with a reservation, we waited well past our allocated time. I'm sure the setting was stressful for the workers, but seeing the manager stress over his hostesses (who were seemingly doing fine) just added to my stress, being within earshot of them. We did their special for two at $90. It included an appetizer, two salads, two entrees, and a dessert to split. The salads were weak, just really simple/nothing special. I wish we had the choice to pick a salad from the menu and not the pre-selected one (the octopus salad was really enticing, would have loved to try that). Many of the entrees we wanted were already sold out. However, the beignets with the espresso custard for dessert was the perfect end to the evening. If I were to go back on a normal day with my freedom of choice for my salad (yes I was bitter), I wold have had a much better experience. So why did I still rate this place so highly? It was cool. The environment was modern and fun. Whereas some places greet you with breadsticks, Poppy gave us tomato basil popcorn. I didn't know that was a thing, but I would swear by it now. The real redeeming factor was actually our server. Her name is "Dahi" (like "ahi" with a D). She was very warming and amicable. Single-handedly, she made our experience personal and memorable. I would go back just to have her serve us...and maybe for the happy hour. It seemed pretty affordable.
(4)
Maureen O.
Came to this adorable restaurant multiple times while staying at the La Paloma for work, kept coming back because the food was so good and so unique! I tried each salad, all really tasty and could easily have been a fully satisfying meal on their own. The staff was super friendly and welcoming, chatting with me often since I was sitting alone. Work travel can be dull sometimes, but this place was a bright spot! Also, whatever their Pandora station is, it's on point.
(5)
Joseph L.
Okay, have to admit Its not going to give them 5 stars this time, why? I guess I just got spoiled by The abbey through out the years. Don't get me wrong. I am still a fan but what can Metzger's family do next to top themself is not gonna be a easy task....bigger wine list? better coffee? Everything is just as good as what you expect from The abbey and jax. But the carrot cake boy that carrot cake was crazily good, I guess I might had used some foul language when they asked us how was the desserts.. Sorry Brian. If you live by west side of the town and think The abbey is little to far for you. Poppy Kitchen is well~you get the idea. And the view is pretty sweet btw!
An incredible view, such a great spot and tasty food. You must try the duck tacos and the pecan crispy goat cheese crostini. Happy hour was 50% off all cocktails so my wife and I jumped into the Boom Blueberry and "The One"Margarita. Appetizers were $3 off. By far the best part of our experience was the staff so professional and welcoming, specifically our server Dahee, incredibly friendly and such a great attitude and a nice smile to boot. bravo to all!
(4)
Tali Z.
Staying at the Westin La Poloma for a conference and found Poppy Kitchen. This place is delicious! We LITERALLY ate here every night. The food is amazing (top pics are the shrimp chili rellenos, watermellon caprese salad, and the flatbread.) Also, their berry infused drinks on tap are so good. We were there when they were filling the tap, and they actually do infuse the berries in-house for about a month. The happy hour specials we're great - $3 beers and $5 infused tap drinks. They even had great food specials for happy hour - $5 tacos and $6 burger. Lastly, the brunch was so yummy! A bit in the pricier brunch side if you are also drinking, but man was it filling. And the brunch drinks are just as amazing. The bloody mary was one of the best I've had. I'm all about the "fixings" in my bloody mary's, and they didn't dissapoint; olive, cheese, coctail onion and salami. So good I actually asked for a second of just the "fixings!" The staff was super friendly and on their A game. The bartenders Brandon and his sister Kaylee were both so nice and sweet! Really a lovely team - personable, helpful... it's refreshing to have such great service. I honestly can't say enough good things about this place!
(5)
Adrienne K.
We went back again and had another amazing brunch! The bread pudding French toast was once again phenomenal and now they grill it to give it a great crunch! The daily special was Huevos Rancheros and it was super yummy. We again started with a board and while it was different from last time it was still wonderful. We especially enjoyed the pickled veggies and the fig jam. What made this meal special was one of our servers, Dahe. She was so sweet and friendly and she made sure everything was just right. We enjoyed chatting with her and we appreciated her dedicated service. The view was again beautiful and the Cuban coffee made by Seth was a fantastic way to finish the meal.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Parking : Valet, Garage, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Coat Check : No Smoking : Yes Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Jodi M.
Delicious and surprising. Dont think this place is at all a "hotel" restaurant. Because its not peeps. If i lived here instead of SoCal id come here weekly for the happy hour, views of the city at night, and good trendy but not pretentious vibe. You can totally bring your kids here, have a girl friend evening, dinner with the hubs etc. Dinner taking an account out. Blah blah.. And i dont know why the westin map shows it like miles away because its literally a 2-3 min walk from the lobby. Recap: -great service -cool decor -delicious food that is whimsical, bold, amazing flavor combinations. I felt like i was eating in west hollywood, san francisco in a lovely yet trendy not stuffy eatery. - had the "small" wedge salad and the meat and cheese board then washed it down with an IPA -seriously wish i had room for dessert because its all homemade, seasonal and so should restaurants be The topper which I wish i knew prior is they infuse their own vodkas, put it in barrels and its delivered via their tap.. What? Yup pretty cool. I will for sure come back for those bad boys! Good job! Well done! Only suggestion as I was sitting at the bar and could see all your restaurant " business" going on in the back. Id put a swinging door there or frosted panels or something. This adds nothing to see all the behind the scene action and actually takes away from the image and vibe im sure that you are going after. (Update owner commented and said hes ordering an door based on the comments.. Pretty cool !!)
(5)Elyse P.
The waitress was great. Attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. The food and drinks were good - fresh and flavorful ingredients. The view was beautiful. When we walked in, no one was there to greet us. Several staff members walked past and smiled, but didn't offer to help. My husband, having never been here before asked me if we had accidentally come in the back door. It was an uncomfortable length of time before the greeter appeared and seated us. We sat on the patio - no misters and the fans were off. It was late July in Tucson. Eek. There were four of us and three of us got our plates. The fourth came out a minute or so later without explanation. We all enjoyed our meals, but $15 for a sandwich and a potato chips seems a little pricey. I give Poppy Kitchen a solid three stars.
(3)Juan S.
This place was great. I went with my girl on Valentine's Day and the special they had was 2x$90 included an appetizer to share, individual house salads, individual entree and a dessert to share. We ordered the Cheese Block to start and kr had fresh cut Salami (Delicious), a piece of Salmon cooked to perfection (amazing flavor), caramelized grapes, small pieces of brie and parmesan cheese, big flour toasted tortilla, and some boiled eggs. We mixed the flavors and they were amazing. I ordered the Ribeye steak with sparragus on a bed of cream corn EVERYTHING was amazing. And she ordered the Luis's Homemade Pasta with mushrooms; that was FANTASTIC. Best pasta we have ever tried. Finally dessert Red Velvet cake was so great we ate it all. Not too sweet and not too light, just perfect. We want to go back for Brunch on the weekend!
(5)L S.
Went for Mothers Day and was seriously underwhelmed. It was okay, but not worth the $75 of the original bill, or the $60 we paid after a locals discount for hubby, kiddo, and myself. (BTW, if you're local military without local drivers license, just ask for the manager or show your library card.) There was nothing glaringly wrong that I could point out to a manager, but it seemed like it was shooting for the moon and just missed, in a hundred different ways. As you pull in covered parking, the restaurant is to your left, west off the main entrance. I'd made reservations (it was one of the only restaurants not booked for 11am on Mother's Day, which should have been my first clue), but the hostess seemed very unprepared for our arrival five minutes early. I had specified a table with a view and warned we'd need at least one high chair in the reservation. The poor teenager took us outside, to a table with NO umbrella or shade whatsoever. View? Great. Thinking? None. I had a toddler and a baby with me, and would rather NOT fry them. When I voiced that this table was unacceptable because there was NO shade, she took us inside and seated us at the most awkward, uncomfortable table she could find (well within view of some awesome COVERED patio seating that remained empty our entire visit). The table itself reminded me of an old door put on a foldable-table frame. You can't slide your legs under it at all - there's a metal crossframe in the way. To put it bluntly, that table needs to be reserved for people who just want to have a place to rest drinks while they're standing around, and never given to a family with a high chair. So... drinks. I tried the coffee martini, and it was NOT good. The waiter did give me a heads up they were out of espresso, so I asked that it be made with strong, regular coffee. Apparently folks don't know how to make strong coffee in this joint. Luckily, hubby liked it. He got to finish it. The food was okay, but servings were small. I'm pretty sure my toddler's dish had the most food on it. We usually get something savory and something sweet, then split the orders between us at a brunch place. We did that here, and still ordered something else at the end of it. It's definitely a pretty drive to the Westin, and a pretty view. But I doubt they could entice me back here. It was not worth the money. At all.
(2)Seth P.
Salad was salty, canned vegetables with canned sogginess, undercooked food and meat... Don't waste your money.
(2)Colt L.
I really do like this place. I love the location. I love the beautiful view of Tucson and the mountains. I love the food. I've been here three times. First time, I had a Groupon that was an amazing deal. Second time I came during the happy hour and had a burger. Yum! The most recent visit was for brunch. My wife had a Groupon for it. I had the steak and eggs. The steak was cooked a perfect medium rare. The only problem? Their potatoes were way too salty. Server was very helpful, full of suggestions and nice. I'd definitely recommend this place to others!
(4)Alissa M.
My fiance and I visited last Wednesday night to use a Groupon I had purchased. Everything started off well- we were seated quickly, brought delicious popcorn to snack on, and our waitress was prompt with coming to take drink orders. For an appetizer, we ordered the Crispy Goat Cheese. I was a little hesitant because I'm not a goat cheese fan, but this was amazing! I would probably come back just to have this. For our main courses, I ordered the Duck Breast and my fiance got the Chicken Sammie. Their Chicken Sammie is always something different, and this particular night, it was fried chicken with kung pao sauce and side of Asian coleslaw. Unfortunately, it took quite a while for our main courses to come. This is where Poppy really lost points. I get that mistakes happen, but during the whole time we waited, our waitress only came by once to acknowledge the delay/apologize, and that wasn't until right before the food was on its way. I would have been much happier if she acknowledged the delay much sooner- I really thought we might have just been forgotten about. When the food finally came out, everything was good. My duck breast was perfectly cooked, but the fried rice was too salty and greasy. My fiance's sandwich was delicious! The sauce was tangy, with a slight kick. He is a super picky eater, and even he loved it! He's not a big vegetable fan, which meant I got to eat his coleslaw, and that was really good too. We already had one dessert coming thanks to the Groupon, but as a gesture for the delay, the waitress offered us a second dessert. We ordered the carrot cake and the brownie ice cream sandwich. GET THE CARROT CAKE! I cannot emphasize how good it was. I was stuffed, and I don't think I could have inhaled that thing any faster. The brownie sandwich was a monstrous portion! It was good too (especially the whipped cream), but incredibly rich. We ended up taking most of it home for leftovers. It actually somehow ended up tasting less rich when we ate it the next night. And it was just as good, if not better, eating it for leftovers. Overall, I was happy with the food, but the service was such a disappointment that it kind of tainted the evening. We arrived at Poppy's at 6:30 and left at 8:15, and most of that time was spent waiting for our food. I would probably come back to Poppy's, but I can't say that it will be anytime soon. TL;DR: food was good, service was really slow.
(3)Susan I.
We were staying at the Weston and Poppy's Kitchen is right there. Food was good...when we eventually got it, but we had to continuously pursue servers to get any attention. They seemed overwhelmed by the number of diners..and forgot about those of us who sat outside. Still very friendly.
(3)Rich Y.
One look at the menu and you immediately think, "I'll have one of everything." My table started with the fried goat cheese as it was the most "out there" item in the starters. Crispy on the outside and creamy and cheesy on the inside. From there, we moved on to Fish #2, which was swordfish that day. The accompaniment of mashed potatoes, green beans, and pineapple meant you got all the right flavors in your mouth. Next was the pork "porterhouse" with potato latkes, house applesauce, creme fraiche, Brussels, and house bacon. The latkes tasted as good as the ones from my neighbor, who uses her Polish grandmother's recipe. We finished with the seafood gumbo. The roux was not too thick or heavy and the sausage, chicken, and seafood were cooked perfectly. We also had a side of duck fried rice. The rice was fried nicely, it was very duck-y in a good way, and it wasn't too salty. Our waitress then described the desserts and we settled on the house carrot cake with vanilla ice cream. After one bite of that, we immediately called her back to order the chocolate tres leches cake. We were going to add the peanut butter and jelly ice cream cookie sandwich but figured that would put us over the top - we eat a lot, but we'll draw the line at seven courses for now. The carrot cake is highly popular and for good reason. It's spongy and has almost a souffle-like texture. The fried cinnamon carrots on top are worth the price of admission alone. If you're contemplating dessert but don't think you quite have enough room, ask politely to see if you can get some fried cinnamon carrots. Fried cinnamon carrots. Fried cinnamon carrots. The more you say it, the better it sounds. Your favorite Jax (Ice Water!), Abbey, and Gio cocktails are here along with a stellar wine list, beer selection, and full bar. Service is superb and the atmosphere is lively without being overbearing. Brian, Ginny, Pete, and the team at Poppy Kitchen have created a winner. This is a definite boost to the local Tucson cuisine. Rich's recommendation: one of everything. Seriously. You could make a persuasive argument for everything on the menu.
(5)Sunshine M.
Took my man here for his bday due to the good reviews on Yelp as well as it was part of a better reviewed Jax Kitchen. Never been there tho, so Ican't really compare. We asked to be seated in the patio area for the view... It was beautiful! I love lights and then they also had candles on the table.. It was pretty romantic the patio was pretty brightly lit to be super romantic. We went on a chilly night with a lot of wind... We asked to be moved to a table closer to the heaters and they were very accommodating :) The servers were great very helpful and super nice but our food did take a long time to arrive. I got the moscato...nom! For our entrees we decided on Jack's steak and Crispy Salmon. The plates were both so good! I mainly got the steak. First of all... Bone marrow butter!! So mouthwateringly delicious. It made every bite of my steak so creamy and I just can't get enough. Yummmm! And the steak it self was a ribeye steak. It was huge! 13oz to be exact. Not as fatty as I want it to be but the bone marrow butter made up for that. Oh it was wrapped with pancetta... Which is pretty much fancy bacon. It was salty... Definitely meant to be eaten with the steak for extra flavor. For the sides, it came with cheesy purple potato gratin. It was kinda weird I must say.. The top part was has a creamy potato taste but the bottom was burnt. Not sure if they did that on purpose or just burnt my plate on accident but i like the burnt parts of that side. The carrots were well carrots, It looks like the roasted them. This dish was very hearty... Maybe add something lighter and citrusy? To balance out the creamy milky flavor? Either way still pretty good! To the crispy salmon, i had half of it. It was nicely seasoned and cooked to perfection. The skin was crispy and the salmon itself was soft and juicy. Didn't have much of the wild mushroom risotto but it tasted pretty flavorful as well. Spinach was good but I should have tried the balsamic glaze. For dessert, we tried the carrot cake. It was so raved about on yelp and even our assistant server recommended it. Well...it tasted fresh and healthy... I'm not very big on the carrot cake that's probably why I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have...but it was still good! One thing to make it better in my opinion... More scoops of the cream cheese Ice cream... Ours just melted into the cake. Overall it was a great experience! Def wanna come back :) Next time I wanna sit inside because walking out I noticed that the inside dining room looks pretty great too.. Maybe by the window for the view still?
(4)Tony S.
Being a fan of Jax's kitchen, i decided to go to Poppy's. The steak i had was perfectly cooked. The appetizer i ordered was called the meat/cheese tray i think? I was a little disappointed when there a few slices of deli meat. But, other than that, I was very impressed with their wait staff, very attentive!
(4)Ramona L.
Guess we were lucky. I called to make a reservation, did as I was instructed per their answering machine message and have yet to hear back. Even indicated it was my husband's birthday. I had read reviews that their service was bad.....no kidding. We will be celebrating his birthday at Vivace. Perhaps I was lucky that they didn't return my phone call.
(1)Jane G.
I love this restaurant! We sat inside the restaurant, but the views of the city from the patio are beautiful. I recommend sitting out there, but it'll probably be a little toasty during the summer months. The bar is great too! The atmosphere is laid-back with dim lighting. I had the kobe burger, which was a little salty. However, the raspberry gimlet (drink) was delicious! Definitely an enjoyable experience!
(4)Duy N.
After the dust has settled, and all the ecstatic reviews have been made, I had my turn at assessing Poppy, aka Jax / The Abbey. As a preface, I though both the Abbey and Jax were ok, but simply were not in the class of great food. I like the family concept, and I genuinely like Metzger's philosophy, but things just don't carry out that well. Let's start with cocktails. There is really nothing new here. All the same as Jax and Abbey. Why can't we get a refreshed menu for cocktails? The Jax Ice Water is ok, it's refreshing, it's lemony, it's a good summer drink. But this is not a true cocktail bar. I got a Manhattan which was ok, but too light on the vermouth. For appetizers we got fries and the chopping board. basically charcuterie. The apple butter was interesting. 2 cheeses. Saloumi. An egg. Some nuts. Decent, but probably not worth the money. Reilly's does charcuterie way better. Fried were ok. I got the grilled octopus salad. It was ok. Had some goat cheese, watermelons in it. The octopus was grilled with some kind of marinade, which took away from the octopus flavor that you'd expect in other restaurants. My entree was the Pork Porterhouse. They did a fairly good job on this one, medium rare as I asked. The potato hash underneath was good. Brussel sprouts were good, but I've had better. Ambiance was nice, but for the location in a resort, I'd expect better views from the window. Everything is covered by large plants outside. Service was good. So, my assessment? Just like the Abbey and Jax, I like the idea, but the execution was only ok. Nothing I'd come back for. And why not refresh the menu? There's so much opportunity especially being a restaurant associated with the Westin La Paloma. By all means not a five star. Four star if you're being nice.
(3)Kelsey W.
Poppy kitchen was one of the first places we tried when relocating to the area. We liked it so much we decided to go again for our NYE pre-party dinner and it didn't disappoint. From the stunning views of Tucson and the night skyline to the delicious ever changing menu poppy is a great place to go with a group of friends or even some out of town guests as it's located at La Paloma Westin. We started with a smooth Bordeaux and the chopping block appetizer (which has a TON of food on it!) After a round of oysters we went with the rib-eye and one of their changing salads. Everything came out beautiful and was amazing. I can't wait to go back and try something else.
(5)Stephanie G.
We decided to dine at poppy kitchen last night and used the groupon we purchased online a few weeks ago . The groupon is a great option and allowed us to try out an appetizer, entree, dessert and wine . We ordered the fried goat cheese . It was served with some toasted bread . The appetizer was delicious but I would preferred if instead of three cheese balls maybe four could be served . The odd number made it hard to share . We both ordered the kobe beef burger . It was delicious . The best part of the meal was the carrot cake . It was served hot with ice cream on top . It was light and satisfying not leaving a heavy feeling after the meal . The one thing I have to complain about is I ordered an Samuel smiths oatmeal stout and received a small glass I would preferred a pint glass . Overall it was enjoyable experience and service was good
(4)Tera E.
I was definitely stoked to see a Groupon available for Poppy Kitchen because it had been on my list of places to try since we found out it was opening at the Gio Taco Elite event. You can't really beat $50 for an appetizer, two glasses of wine, two entrees and dessert, especially at a restaurant at the Westin. We really enjoyed the view from the restaurant and want to check out the patio next time. If we didn't already have wine included with the groupon we definitely would have taken advantage of their half price wines on Sunday deal. To start we tried the steak tartar but it was really hard to decide on one "snack". We definitely enjoyed it but next time I think we'll try something else. After we finished the tartar and ordered our entrees we were quickly brought out what we assumed were our plates but as soon as we looked at them and realized they weren't, the person who dropped them off was gone. We flagged down our waiter and told him we didn't order them so he took them away. Not a big deal, mistakes happen... but then I saw him take the food and serve it to who it was intended for. I don't know much about regulations in the food industry but I don't think it was right to serve food that had already been given to someone else. We obviously hadn't, but they would have had no idea if we had touched it before they took it back. At least we saw our entrees come directly from the kitchen. I had the duck which was really tasty. The skin wasn't as crispy as it could have been but still good. The fried rice was really unique. I asked the waiter what kind of rice they used in it and all he could remember is "volcanic.. something" so I'm not sure what they use in it but I liked it. Not your traditional "fried" rice but overall had good flavor. I did have to eat around some large chunks of fat from the duck confit though. Fiance ordered the seafood gumbo and although it wasn't much to look at, he devoured his whole plate. It had a nice spice to it, lots of different proteins and the okra on top was a nice touch. As far as plating goes, it might be nice to put the rice on top instead of underneath. The only disappointment with the gumbo was when my fiance found some cartridge/bone in a spoonful. Not very appetizing. The highlight of the night was the made to order carrot cake. It was served piping hot in a small cast iron skillet and topped with a delicious cream cheese ice cream. Next time we won't be sharing one because we were literally fighting over bites! Loved everything about it. Next time I might just order three - one for my app, entree and dessert. Overall, Poppy Kitchen was good but I wasn't blown away due to a few missteps. I'd like to make it our there again to try a few more dishes, sit on the patio and have that delicious carrot cake again. I also believe they recently started a Saturday brunch - I'd like to see the menu for that and possibly check it out.
(4)Leah B.
We dined with a large group for dinner on a Friday night. I was very excited to try Poppy's as I enjoy many of Brian's other restaurants. We started with the watermelon octopus salad, which sounded interesting. It had nice fried onion strings, watermelon chunks, and nicely seasoned fried octopus. However, my dinner was nothing to write home about. I chose the salmon over a bed of mushroom risotto. The salmon was mostly tasteless, which is odd as its always flavorful. The risotto itself was heavy, but good, however the mixture of the beet/balsamic reduction was too sweet and didn't pair well with the savory mushrooms. Others around the table seemed to enjoy the gumbo and short ribs, so I may come back and try those to up my review.
(3)Ray H.
My girlfriend and I recently enjoyed fine dining here and thus completed the Tucson Metzger Family/Jax Kitchen dining trilogy (which also included Gio Taco and The Abbey Eat and Drink). We used the Groupon (two glasses of wine, one appetizer, two entrees, and one desert), which is an excellent value. For our appetizer (or snack, as they call it), we enjoyed the steamed mussels. The steamed mussels were pretty awesome, being served in a broth with chorizo, corn, and olives. You can also get these with fries (which we did) and it's almost like eating a main course. The portions for both the mussels and fries were pretty generous. Our main courses consisted of the chicken sammie for my girlfriend and a Kobe burger for myself. The chicken sammie was pretty tasty and it's an item on their menu that changes, so you never know which part of the chicken (leg, breast, etc...) you're getting or what is on the sandwich. The Kobe burger was okay- a solid burger, but not mind blowing. For dessert, we had a butternut squash sundae, which was amazing! The service was pretty great. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Enjoying a lovely sunset during our dinner added to what was already an enjoyable fine dining experience. It is highly likely that we will return here.
(4)Jenna K.
We took a big group of 15 here (all with separate checks) and the staff was super accommodating. The food is playful and tasty, and I appreciate that they offer skinny cocktails. My only complaint is that I wish they offered more low carb small plates or appetizers. I would love to go back for brunch some day or fried chicken on Wednesdays!
(4)G T.
Went here for dinner for a friend's birthday! The restaurant is located at the Westin Hotel. The staff were very pleasant and accommodating! The foods were delicious.
(4)Heather R.
Having been to Poppy once before for brunch (which was AMAZE!), we decided to try it out for a triple date night with some friends. We ordered the goat cheese and the mussels with fries as appetizers. Both were outstanding. They have a great wine selection. Some of us drank wine, some beer, and some the Jax water. Everyone loved their drinks! For entrees, we tried the gumbo, salmon, and short ribs. Everyone cleaned their plates (and sneaked bites from their neighbor's plates when they weren't looking). We finished off by sharing the carrot cake and chocolate tres leches desserts both were amazing and there was a mini standoff for the last bite of each. Service was fantastic...attentive but not distracting. We will definitely be back soon!
(5)Melissa W.
Love love love this place! The city views are amazing and the food is always delicious! Service is great, the GM Annie always makes us feel at home! We were happy to see Marissa, our server from The Abbey, had transferred to Poppy. We always feel so special any time we visit. My favorite dish, the salmon. Favorite dessert, torn between the carrot cake and the ice cream sammies!
(5)Emily R.
I organize dining events for a local meetup group. This was a small post-Christmas brunch which I was looking forward to for some time. This restaurant has potential but I think the biggest problem we have here is disorganization and lack of training. There are plenty of people working here but they don't seem to work well together. We were seated outside with a party of six, despite there being plenty of room in the dining area for the entire two hours we were there. Reservations were cited but clearly they did not get the rush they'd been expecting. It was cold despite a small wall-mounted heater. This would be where a manager should explain why tables were empty inside while we froze outside :) Our request was met with annoyance, instead. I can deal with slow service and all in all, I wouldn't say that the service was slow. We were constantly refilled by those whose job it is to see that done but half of the plates came out timely while the other half watched us eat for about 5-10 minutes which, is not really great as far as service goes but we kept an open mind. The food was excellent overall, but it took four trips to our table before we were apparently deemed eligible to order. Over-hard and over-medium eggs had runny whites, and 1/4th of my steak (ordered medium-rare but arrived medium) was inedible due to gristle. Regardless, it all tasted great. The mussels and cuban coffee were fantastic. Everyone seemed happy with the food outside of a few hiccups. Servers didn't know which plate went to which person which is, again, livable but with other issues - it sort of compounded. We had a plate we didn't order brought over and later, a check dropped on our table that didn't belong to our party with a credit card in it (which is absolutely unacceptable). Surprisingly, our check arrived combined which... well, we really needed five. That's something a well-trained waitress will ask about before printing it. That took 20 more minutes to sort out. In the cold :P They were minor issues except it was a $20-30pp breakfast...and we expected better. Since I make reservations for groups of 5-55 at several local restaurants year round, value (not to be confused with cost) and overall experience are paramount when picking venues. I would return to Poppy Kitchen under new management but I probably won't be bringing groups there again.
(3)Kenneth F.
I got food poisoning eating brunch here yesterday. I got the steak and eggs and it was about 1 hour and 45 minutes later, then almost an ER trip at 3:00am. I will never eat here again.
(1)Jennifer M.
Entering the restaurant there was no clear host stand and it was difficult to pick out the staff since the attire is super casual for what seemingly tries to be a more upscale restaurant. The views from the patio are exceptional and the staff were friendly and accommodating. For appetizers I was disappointed that they were out of the pumpernickel bread that is featured in a couple of their appetizers. For main course options the menu seemed a bit odd and scattered among styles but maybe I just don't get the theme. Both my husband and I ordered the fish of the day - rainbow trout wrapped in bacon. My dish came out well prepared while my husband's bacon was still raw. The waitstaff and manager were quick to accommodate the oversight. The fish seemed very fresh but it was hard enjoy after the raw bacon presentation. Desert of warm vanilla bean beignets with panda cotta was the redeeming point of the meal for me. However, overall even with the 20% off for local Tucsonans this place is not on my list to revisit
(2)Mia T.
A few weeks ago I went to Poppy's Kitchen. Other reviewers said that it was a good place for Brunch so we went to give it a try on a Sunday (I can only do brunch on the weekends.) There's no special "brunch" menu or special breakfast or lunch items being served for "brunch". The menu is the same menu used on the other days of the week. They do, however, have daily soups and chef specials. In my opinion, I don't think they have many breakfast options (I was craving breakfast food items) apart from your typical eggs and bacon or scrambles. I can make that at home. However, I am very gluten sensitive so my options were limited as well. They have no gluten free bread. I wish I could try the Baked French Toast. Anyway, I ended up ordering an appetizer, the Duck Confit Tacos. They are wonderful! They are three small tacos (corn tortilla). I ordered it twice so my dad could try them. He loved them! I would definitely go back for the duck tacos, anytime. They weren't chintzy. For the size of the tortilla they had a lot of duck meat. I was a Happy Camper. My dad ordered the Poppy Breakfast. He said, the eggs were cooked to order, the bacon was kinda cold, the potatoes where crispy but he wishes they had the skins on them, and the poppy/blueberry muffin was pretty good but cold. Not complaining. We went for brunch at 11 am. We made a reservation but it wasn't needed. There were only three other tables at the time. I like that the restaurant is filled with tons natural light and the light fixtures are pretty cool. We will go back to try their dinner options.
(4)D L.
One of the worst dining experiences of my life. Service so bad I actually walked out of the restaurant and on TOP OF THAT they overcrged us for items we did not order. Absolutely horrible.
(1)Jesse S.
Had a $55 Groupon weekend meal for two: + excellent service (all staff prompt and professional) + crispy goat cheese + fish no. 2 - ramekin that looks like a pet bowl with stale popcorn (reminds me of the Shanty pub) - choice of only two wines with the Groupon: Malbec we both selected had a slight vinegar taste - bed of greens the fish no. 2 came with had a bitter flavor, which I didn't like but my partner enjoyed - the chocolate tres leches cake was gross: the strawberries looked and tasted withered; we should have sent it back because it all tasted stale except for the almond whipped cream. - ambiance included a frequently raucous toddler, which was unpleasant when a chair was knocked down with a loud thud nearby. The bill without the Groupon deal would have been $84. We paid $55 for the Groupon, $17 for a 20% tip, and tax, which was approximately $80. Even with another $30 savings from Groupon, my partner and I would not return to this restaurant. In fact, we will not return to Poppy kitchen. The shockingly awful tres leches cake was the deciding factor. There are better restaurants in Tucson. I would much prefer to dine at the Cup Cafe or Feast. Don't bother with Poppy Kitchen unless you're at the resort and don't want to drive. Note: If you're interested in their happy hour specials, they won't honor those specials unless you're sitting at the bar or outside on the patio. For whatever reason, happy hour eligibility changes based on where you sit in the restaurant. How's that for an unusual policy?!
(2)Danny B.
Cool feel and atmosphere. The bar looks cool and serves the full menu. I had the short rib and it was fantastic. I wasn't crazy about the cheesy grits but my wife liked them. The octopus salad was great. Crispy octopus so it wasn't chewy at all.
(5)Lindsay R.
My friend and I went here last night for dinner and were very disappointed. Right after we were seated a gentlemen brought us waters and asked if we wanted any lemons or limes to go with them, I asked for lemons and never got them. After we got our waters, we did not have a waiter come to our table for a very long time. I don't know how long we sat there, but it was definitely too long. Other tables that were sat after us were getting service before us... Not cool. When our waiter came, he was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu so that's the only reason I'm giving two stars. While we were sitting waiting for our food we noticed all the other tables were getting popcorn, we never got any. Also, the food runner didn't seem to know what was going on, he tried bringing us food twice that wasn't ours, and then a glass of wine that wasn't ours. You could watch him walking around with plates of food, looking confused because he thought it went to a certain table but noticed that table already had their food, then he'd leave and come back to try again. Overall very unorganized. The food was good, but not the best I've had and in my opinion not worth the price. I wouldn't go back
(2)Julie B.
I am disappointed in the fact that I cannot give Poppy Kitchen a great review. After loving The Abbey and Jax Kitchen we expected the same quality but it definitely fell short. We were seated at our table on Saturday night (having a reservation) and no one greeted us, offered us water, took a drink order for over 15 minutes!! No one even acknowledged us. My husband had to go to the hostess to ask if we had a server. After that we waited another 5 minutes. The crazy part is that is simply was not very busy. There were several empty tables. Once our server appeared she was awesome so that helped! She made some comments about how they had new kitchen staff, staffing issues, etc. Not good! The appetizer we ordered was the same one we usually ordered at the Abbey but it was weak in flavor and did not compare to what we were used to having . My husband ordered a latte and it again took a very long time to arrive and when it did we were told they were having problems with their espresso machine and she explained to us how it wasn't even a "real" espresso machine, just some tiny little thing they were having problems with. The good part.....the latte tasted awesome! So, later my husband ordered another, but we were then told they couldn't make more because of their machine!! Mother's Day was the following day and they did not have a working espresso machine. I feel sorry for anyone who went on Mother's Day because if our evening was any indication of what was going on there they were in for a bad experience! We shared the pot roast which was very good. Tender and very flavorful! We ordered dessert to go and it took forever!!!!! I diidn't look at my watch but it took 15-20 minutes. At one point the server came to the table to assure us she hadn't forgotten about us and that the cake was still in the oven!!!!! It seems like the problem isn't the food (although if they are going to serve food from their other restaurants, I feel it should be the same) the problem is the staffing and the kitchen. Timing was off all evening. Sorry to say we will not be back!
(2)Dylan M.
Let me first say that I absolutely LOVE Poppy's sister restaurant, The Abbey (my top 3 restaurant in Tucson), so I came here with high hopes for dinner on my graduation. Unfortunately, Poppy didn't live up to the hopes I'd imagined. While the service was good and prompt, the menu and subsequent meals left much to be inspired. I felt there wasn't anything "new" or unique being offered here, honestly...just basically Jax Kitchen and The Abbey's menus rehashed with a couple spins on a few items here and there. The food I tried (street caramelos, pork porterhouse, and crispy salmon) seemed more "safe"/mainstream (read: BLAND) and less unique/edgy as the Abbey. Also, the overall vibe is somewhat uppity and exclusive, but the quality of the food doesn't quite deliver on the promise that is set by such a tone. I will say though that this is a fantastic location and is accompanied with beautiful vistas of the Tucson valley - hopefully they update the menu soon to offer a little bit more exciting options! ...maybe they keep it more mainstream to appeal to the tourists coming through La Paloma...?
(3)Ashley W.
I'm very, very pleased with my dining experience at Poppy Kitchen. I'm always a little wary of eating at new restaurants. I like to wait a while for them to work out the kinks, but Poppy Kitchen nailed it. My boyfriend and I shared the oysters, kitchen salad, duck and steak entrees, tres leches cake, and each had a "the one" margarita. Oysters - I LOVE oysters. There is nothing more fun to eat. These were pretty large and had some great garnishes, including a bloody mary shot. I've had fresher, but they were great for Arizona and a fun way to start the meal. Kitchen salad - Mixed greens with a sherry vinaigrette, carrots, pomegranate seeds, red onion, and a bunch of other stuff. It was pretty tasty. Lots of flavor, almost a bit too much dressing, but it was so good I didn't mind. The pomegranate seeds were a great touch because they were colorful and crunchy. Duck - We ordered the duck medium rare, which the chef recommends, but we both would have preferred slightly more cooked. It still had great flavor and was really tender. Loved the crispy skin. It came with a really great fried duck confit red rice, which didn't really taste fried (not really oily) and had a great crisp to it. The sauce was fantastic. Steak - I never order steak at restaurants. It's usually too small or too hard to cut or too expensive. I'm SO glad we ordered the steak because it was freaking HUGE (glad we split it!), wrapped in pancetta, not fatty except just enough to make it juicy and tender. We got it medium rare, which was perfect. The steak came with baby carrots, which were ok. I love carrots and think these could be done a bit more tenderly. We subbed the cheddar polenta instead of the purple potato gratin and it was my favorite thing we ate. But I'm from the south and I love me some cheesy grits. :) The cocktails were solid. Love the orange flavor in the margarita. For desert we had tres leches cake. I really wanted the carrot cake, but after so many carrots in our meal I needed some chocolate. It was pretty good. Can't turn down kalua soaked strawberries :) Overall, you get what you pay for here. Great staff and cool ambiance to the restaurant.
(5)Brianna H.
How exciting! Another amazing concept from Metzger Family Restaurant! I've been a long time fan of all his concepts, and was so excited to see what Poppy Kitchen was all about! Went for opening night and it was awesome! The view alone is worth the visit! And of course, the food did not disappoint! The tomato soup was DELICIOUS! It even had "mini grilled cheese" sandwiches, aka croutons, in it. I'm a tomato soup princess and this was amazing! I also tried the caramellos, mini, veggie quesadillas. So yummy! With fresh avocado and lime. The burger was cooked to perfection, with bacon and an egg on it. Never thought I'd be a fan of an egg on a burger, but after this burger, I can't imagine it without an egg everytime. For dessert, GET THE BAKED TO ORDER CARROT CAKE! I'm not kidding! This dessert is unreal! Even has cream cheese ice cream! The bar is super fun and intimate! Infusion cocktails are delicious and refreshing! I can't wait to come back for happy hour! Service was stellar, of course. Very friendly, yet casual and knowledgable servers. Congrats and awesome job to Brian and his staff! Will be back for sure, especially around sunset!
(5)Sara L.
Wow...this place was EXCELLENT and completely unexpected. After several underwhelming meals in Tuscon, I was beginning to think I wouldn't find a great option. Well I was wrong. Poppy Kitchen over-delivered, and this is coming from someone who lives in Manhattan and dines on great cuisine regularly. For starters I had the Super Wedge Salad, which was a creative spin on your usual wedge. For dinner, I had a seasonal pumpkin pasta with brussel sprouts, squash, and other tasty things that was really delicious. And to cap off the night, I chose the pumpkin pie and it was sooo good. It was an individual pie just for me, with whipped cream on top. Yum! If I lived in the Tucson area I would come here on a regular basis.
(5)Timothy H.
The view on the patio and from the tables or bar seats right inside, is pretty ridiculous! Go for sunset and get drinks and yummy food from the bar during happy hour! Burger with the egg and bacon is amazing! Tomato soup is delicious! Caramelos are a perfect compliment to a cold beer or house infusion. The chefs here really know how tondo comfort food. Also, the bartenders are hot and make great drinks! Go ask for Brie or Andria.
(5)Hassan Y.
Brunch was delicious! The Groupon is worth it so buy em up! It's a great deal and we'd eat here even without the Groupon.
(5)Bryan B.
Had the Kobe burger. Off the charts excellent. Fries were gourmet with garlic. It's the shnizzle
(5)Dana F.
Had dinner last night and it was great. Started with the meat and cheese board. It had a little bit of everything and perfect to share. I had the "chicken Sammie". Open faced chicken cordon bleu was great. It was a huge portion with the homemade chips. My girlfriend had the pork and she loved it. Everything was perfect. For dessert we had the cookie Sammie's. They were ok- I wish the chocolate chip Cookies were soft. We also had the panna cotta. Wasn't my favorite but my girlfriend loved it. Overall a a great restaurant. Affordable wine selection, great decor and views. We will absolutely be back.
(5)V S.
We went here because we used to like J Bar (the old restaurant here) and it was at our hotel. We all regretted this decision and wish we would have gone out and ate somewhere like Coronet, Spark Root or Zemams Ethiopian which we tried the previous days. I will start with the positive. The service was really good. Our waiter tried his best to overcome this restaurant's failures. We ordered a dozen oysters to start. After about 30 minutes, he came out and apologized and said that they were aggressively shucking in the kitchen to get the best oysters. That was honest but scary and the oysters were 25th percentile. Then the cheese board - worst I have seen. No slices of quality cheese but instead two types of processed crumbly cheese and some sort of moist junk that may have come out of a tube. The rest of the food was barely tolerable - almost everything deep fried and poor quality. What gives Westin? How do you go from a culinary chef like he last guy Janos to this? How are the reviews good here??
(1)Andrew P.
Food: A+ Service: D I really liked everything about this place besides the service. They seemed very understaffed in the front of the house, granted it was a Sunday evening. I had the duck breast with duck confit fried rice and it was absolutely delicious. If you like duck, get this dish. My dad had the crispy salmon which was also fantastic. The appetizers we had were good, the fried goat cheese came with a fig jam that was to die for, and the mussels were a little bland. You also need to get the shrimp fritters. They were fantastic. Now to my favorite part of the entire meal, dessert. I am not a cake person, but I was told that I needed to order the carrot cake and I was told right. It was amazing, hands down the best carrot cake I've ever tasted. It had cream cheese ice cream instead of the traditional frosting, and came with some fresh fruit, which was a nice touch. Overall my experience was great, love the atmosphere, love love love the food. I would definitely go back.
(4)Neil R.
I guess I arrive too early sat on the patio had the wait crew crew cleaning around us looked at the Internet menu before we arrived forget it no rib eye Kobe burger for $16 not a bad deal no Kobe burger still $16 what I had was good very limited menu going the way of Janos
(2)Jenny C.
Even with good food this restaurant cannot get more than 3 stars because of its service. Yes it's new. Yes it's only been open a few weeks. Buuuut it's service is inexcusably awkward. I'm fairly certain we were forgotten because we chose to have drinks and an appetizer at the bar before we asked to be seated. We waited for at least 20 minutes at our table and then had someone we thought was a guest based on his outfit ask us if we were planning on ordering food. The food is good-not great. Cheese platter was nice but I've had better (47 Scott etc). Steak was good.... Sea bass was nicely cooked but very very salty. Drinks were good but not exceptional. I really wanted to love this place more. I'll give it a few months to figure itself out before patronizing again. Ps. Decor was confusing .. Mix of JBar and whatever was hip two years ago.
(3)Jennifer L.
Well with much anticipation, we finally got to visit Poppy's. I had high hopes as I was very saddened to see Jax close and I'm happy to say that my hopes were not dashed. Let me begin by saying...carrot cake. Okay, more on that later. The location is in the La Paloma resort which makes it a little bit of a task to get to if you're in for a quick dinner. If you're not in a hurry (and hopefully you're not) it's worth the drive as it is a beautiful location. The restaurant itself is off to the side of the main entrance to the resort and boasts some gorgeous views of the city. Wine, beer and cocktail selections are varied and plentiful. Cocktails are well made and tasty. We started out with the Chopping Block (nice variation of charcuterie and accompaniments) and split a Wedge salad (classically served and tasty). We had the BBQ Short Ribs (tender, flavorful and the polenta was dreamy) and Luis' Pasta (sirloin/mushroom which was delicious and very rich). Then came dessert. Way too stuffed but after reading fellow Yelper's reviews we just had to do it. Wowie, wow, wow. It was a nicely spiced, dense cake made to order, served in a small cast iron skillet with a cream cheese ice cream and oh so decadent. What are those little crispy carrot thingies on top? Crack? What a great texture variation. Right on fellow Yelpers! Service was friendly and efficient. Brian Metzger did come around and even took us on a tour of his new place. The pride showed very much in his demeanor and it was well warranted.
(5)Alan G.
These reviews are lies. Food is rubbish. We're a party of 6, and I write this at the table. We returned: ocopus salad, spinich, and didn't eat the burned out burger. Wine list is OK. Reminds me of "beer joint near college."
(1)Cathy B.
We went to Poppy Kitchen with another couple last night. The jambalaya was rich and spicy. The portion was plentiful. I ordered the short ribs in a thai style curry sauce. The meat was tender and flavorful. I would order this again. The fritters that came with the dish were crispy, not greasy. We ordered the carrot cake in a cast iron skillet. It was really flavorful, but we thought it could have been cooked a bit more. It was described as gooey center and crispy on the outside, but we didn't have any crunch. We loved the lighting and the atmosphere was better than I originally thought it would be. Of course, the outside tables have great views of Tucson and the city lights. Our waiter, Marcus K, could not have been any better. Very attentive to our needs and a pleasant demeanor. We will be back.
(4)Bee C.
I love this place. The atmosphere is fun and casual. It's a little bit hard to find, drive into the hotel parking lot and you'll see the restaurant off to the side. We ordered the watermelon, octopus salad as an appetizer. The bbq octopus didn't really go with the rest of the salad, I think it may have been better without it. I had the steak tartare-it was fantastic. The special chicken sandwich was amazing-maybe the best sandwich I've ever had. It had: chicken thigh, truffle dressed lettuce, pear and ham on a pretzel bun. Totally delightful. They had a bunch of local beer on tap and the margarita was great.
(5)Ben C.
Great food. They have a lot of different dishes and have duck which I love. Monday is half price bottle night. How can you go wrong. Great staff too, very friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommended. Perfect for a date or the entire family. Good stuff.
(5)Victoria T.
I thought that this would be a nice restaurant, but man was I wrong! First off, the service was beyond slow. They didn't check in with us often, it took a while to get a server, and the food took a long to cook. The whole visit was at least 1.5 hours. I've seen other restaurants with slow service, but nothing like this. I also asked if they could do a sparkling lemonade at the bar, I never ordered it, but they just brought it to me. They can't give me something and charge me for it if I don't specifically order it. The food was also overpriced and underwhelming. It wasn't terrible, but it could've been better. Who'd pay $26 for a piece of fish!? The employees here were also very rude. They weren't very nice to me and they didn't respect my requests. They also made demands at me, like, I accidentally stepped into an area, and they told me it was a private party when I didn't know. They didn't care enough to help me. Lastly, they charged me for something I didn't order. We ordered 1 fried chicken, but they charged us for 3. I was very upset and probably won't come back. Think twice before coming back. :(
(1)Mary D.
We enjoyed a great dinner at poppy. We brought family friends from out of town and wanted to show Them a great time... You did not disappoint. We started with the Chopping Block; great selection of meats and cheeses. The added snacks were delicious! The Wedge is out of the world with pickled red onion, homemade pancetta, crisp heirloom tomato and creamy blue cheese. For dinner I enjoyed the Kobe Beef Burger which was prepared perfectly. It was topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, and an egg over easy. Other hits at the table include the Duck Breast, Housemade Pasta, and Seafood Gumbo. For dessert, we had the carrot cake with cream cheese ice cream (YUM!!!!!) and vanilla bean panna cota. Our fabulous server, Jes, was attentive, knowledgable, and we never went without anything. All and all a WONDERFUL experience and I cannot wait to go back!!
(5)Elvis J.
I didn't enjoy my service that much but it might have been an off-nite...the history of this resort implies that they will be consistently good so I will give a chance again..had great times before so I expect I will again! Beautiful location and nicely set-up place...
(3)Glenda G.
Hopefully this restaurant will rise to JAX Kitchen's standards. Cheese meat board appetizer very good. Luis' pasta special of spaghetti with shrimp and wine/cream sauce was overcooked and heavy with sauce. The fish special was trout with skin on and was excellent. Nightly recommended wine was also very good.
(3)Marilyn B.
We ate at Poppy Kitchen on February 25. The food was okay but the service was the worst we have ever had. It's too bad too since we live within walking distance of the restaurant. They have a very small liquor selection as well, and at 6:30 they only had two servings of their supposedly famous chicken left. There were four of us and we all wanted to try the chicken. Oh well.
(3)Molly H.
Last night we had a fabulous, decadent meal at Poppy. Going into it, I knew I would love it, but all my expectations were confirmed. First off, though I have to admit that the service was not great. We sat on the patio and several times we felt like we were forgotten about. We ordered drinks to start, but they took 20-25 minutes to come out. Also, there was no lighting on the patio and our candle blew out half way through. Some nice lighting on the patio would not detract from the view, but be very appreciated. Luckily, the service was the only disappointment. All of the food exceeded my expectations - and seeing as how we tried half the menu, that is quite a feat! The oysters to start were very fresh with a mignonette shaved ice. The duck conserva was also a treat and a huge portion. Though it could have come with more crisps. We tried the pork porterhouse, the gumbo, the duck, steak, and short rib. Everyone loved their food, but we were still good kindergartners and shared with each other. Dessert blew it all away. I made vulgar noises when I dug into the made-to-order carrot cake (with cream cheese ice cream!) and the tres leches cake. Yeah, it was a little awkward for my dining companions... Sunday was half off wine night too. So, that was a plus. But, really I think the prices are very fair. Even a couple dollars less than Jax. Which, when you consider that this space is one of the most coveted in the city, every cent is worth it. I will most certainly be back. I can't believe I didn't get to try "The One"! We have a date soon.
(4)Elizabeth W.
The food was incredible but that carrot cake... I'm pretty sure I would accept bribes in the form of that carrot cake. Heaven. Absolute heaven.
(5)Steven H.
Great restaurant! Went on a Monday and dined on the patio. Great service as well!! The carrot cake is amazing. Will definitely come again and recommend this restaurant to friends.
(4)Gary H.
Please do your self a favor and get the muscles, to die for and spend a buck or two to get the baguette you will need it for the sauce, unless you throw all abandon out the the window and get them with house cut fries. Cocktails, beer, great food and awesome hospitality. Poppy kitchen has not only given Jack kitchen a most honorable representation but has taken the concept to another level. And do your self a favor no mater how full you are get the carrot cake! I won't spoil it for you, but Chef Wooters kills it!
(5)S M.
Recently met up with large party of friends during reverse happy hour. For a Friday night, it did not seem too busy (granted we were seated in the large patio area, secluded from everyone else with gorgeous view of Tucson). Our servers were always attentive (but never annoying) to our group, especially Jes G : ) One of our friends brought her homemade carrot cake without any issues from the restaurant/servers (utensils/plates provided). I only ordered the refreshing Gio Punch and the highly recommended roasted veggie street caramelos, which were both delicious at super cheap HH prices. I also tried a few bites of my friend's pasta; I recall it being yummy with red sauce and sausage. I definitely will return again to try their other dishes and take advantage of their HH.
(5)Zev R.
We had an excellent time here. The oysters were fantastic. We split the steak and the duck for our entrees. The duck was flavorful and as lean as duck can be. The steak was epic - and came topped with marrow butter. Desert was a tres chocolate cake - really, really good. That was topped with Kalua soaked strawberries. Can't wait to come back!
(5)Carla B.
The food was really great and so was the service. We had the pistachio crusted goat cheese for appetizers it was delicious, just a little too garlicy for my taste- and I love garlic. For main I had the duck breast with duck fried rice and spinach. Perfection!! Just wonderfully juicy duck breast and a well seasoned fried rice. Next time.i am in town I will be there!
(5)Wei L.
Food was good, but service was disorganized and slow. Suggest to improve the operation management.
(3)Reese S.
You can't go wrong with this place. The happy hour is awesome. The food is great. The service is on point. The little piggy is a drink you must try. The patio view is very nice.
(5)L K.
Loved the atmosphere at this gem located at La Paloma. Don't let the resort deter you, it's easy parking and convenient, and definitely not just for out of towners. I loved the short rib, but the best part was the carrot cake! Don't skip dessert!
(5)Marja W.
Not good. Rude staff, tiny ramekin of popcorn. Don't bother
(1)Judy S.
Had dinner last at Poppy's Kitchen last night. Very nice decor but we were very disappointed with the service. Server brought our drinks & then disappeared for 25 minutes. We finally ordered our dinner, they brought one meal & then we waited 10 min for the second meal to appear. I ordered a burger. The bun was cold ( like it had been frozen) & was white bun. Menu stated it was whole wheat. Fries were barely warm. My fellow dinner asked for bread to go with her soup & salad..Again 15 minutes later she got 4 small pieces of sandwich bread. It is pricey...$18.00 for a burger.. We will not return.
(2)Ashley R.
My husband and I ate here a few weeks ago on a Friday night. The food was great, the ambiance was great, the only negative was the service was pretty slow. I think it took us about an hour to get our food after ordering- I had the short ribs (aaaaahhmazing) and he had the crispy duck (good, but very salty). I would love to come back because it's got a good vibe and the food was delicious...I just might eat a snack beforehand.
(4)Remosmith S.
We had 6 4 diner. The short ribs were dry and tasteless. The diners were over priced and not up to a restaurant associatrd with a high end resort. I will not be back.
(1)Paige S.
Just moved to Tucson and have heard great things about Poppy Kitchen. We sat outside to enjoy the beautiful sunset and surrounding vista, along with a great breeze this evening. The Happy Hour drink choices include a variety of house wines, TAP beers, and cocktails all at a great price. We skipped the snacks and decided to split a Kitchen Salad. My husband had the Ribeye Steak with Asiago Creamed Corn and Butter Poached Asparagus. Everything was fresh, cooked right, and tasted great. I had the Short Ribs in a Coconut Red Curry Braise (very mild) with Shrimp and Corn Fritters. It was supposed to include Thai Apple Slaw but I had a few thin slices of apple, which was fine. Not sure if this was an oversight but I didn't mind and never missed it. My short ribs were cooked to a wonderful soft consistency, fall-off-the-bone, no knife needed. We also split a dessert, the carrot cake with vanilla ice cream. It's cooked to order and arrives in a hot mini-skillet. Well worth the wait of about 15 minutes. All of our serves were attentive and helpful, especially Jessica and Marques. The hostesses were also knowledgeable and very welcoming as we arrived and departed. What a nice way to ease into Tucson. We definitely look forward to our next meal at Poppy Kitchen @ La Paloma!
(4)Daniel B.
Ambiance and service - 5 Food - 4.5 Salad was too heavy on the beets. Sammy was delicious but not really a sandwich (the bread was unnecessary). Pasta special (gnocchi) was outstanding!
(5)Phil K.
Great, pretty much what expected since this basically took Jax place. great food, drink, and desserts!!!!!!!
(4)Hueneme R.
This place has a variety of items available on their menu for everyone. I had the ribeye (at $30, OUCH) and the food was great. The place can get a little loud during happy hour, but you can still hear all the other people at your table. The down side is you have to pay an additional resort fee, even if you don't stay there.
(4)Jessie T.
Went last night while staying at the resort. My friend and I took ourselves and four kids during happy hour and stayed for dinner. This place was fabulous. The wait staff was excellent and today I'm still craving the salmon with carrot gratin meal I ordered. It was the best dish I've had in a very long time. I highly recommend this place and feel like going down to Tucson again to bring my husband to this place as I know he would love it. Restaurant had a nice vibe for a Tuesday night in Tucson during the summer. The only downside was the desserts didn't seem to measure up to the excellence of the rest of the meal. I will absolutely go back.
(5)Scott M.
I must admit I was disappointed, we've ate at the Abbey on other occasions their food is great! Four of us in our party, made reservations for Sunday at 5: PM arrived on time and seated promptly. Staff was very good, explained the menu well. Started with Duck fried rice and Goat cheese appetizers, Duck rice was over cooked and salty, Goat cheese was "ok". Moved on to Kobe burgers and house fries, extremely salty. Please put away the salt shaker!!! Move on to the Swordfish, absolutely wonderful it saved the night. Carrot cake for dessert was also enjoyable. By the way, the facility is attractive and the views of Tucson at night are spectacular.
(3)James L.
We have been to Poppy Kitchen on previous occasions for dinner and had very good food and service. Tried the Saturday brunch which was totally contrary to our other experiences. Ordered their special Bloody Mary and waited at least 15 minutes beyond the 10-15 minutes we waited for service for them to be brought to the table. The beverages were good, but nothing special. I ordered an omelet with bacon, sausage, caramelized onions and cheese. My partner ordered the steak and eggs. Again we waited an inordinate amount of time before the food was served. Both dishes were mediocre. Not bad, but nothing beyond ordinary. Maybe we had our sights set too high, because our dinner experiences at Poppy have been much more into the gourmet eclectic cuisine. Will we go back to Poppy Kitchen? Yes, but not for brunch.
(2)Sheldon M.
It's been a while since we were there - very happy we went back. Food was delicious. Love their cheese and meat board. Had the cheeseburger- consistently delicious. Wife had chicken sandwich special which was very tasty. Staff wonderfully attentive and served with a smile. A joy to eat there. Plus they have the bar type shuffleboard out on the patio. You will be pleased.
(5)Rob D.
We were sad when we heard that Jax was closing, and were a bit put off that it reopened further away from us. First suggestion would be please answer your phones. Did not like that there was just a recording. We were really looking forward to trying out Poppys one night but since we did not have the chance to see if you would still accept Jaxs gift certificates. So we sent a message via Facebook re this which was answered promptly. So on to our visit to Poppys. We visited on a Thursday night. Was nice to have the option of sitting on the porch. Very nice and quiet with nice views of the city. Menu was similar to the old Jax menu. But we felt that prices were higher for the same type of foods compared to before. Not sure about the way oversalted popcorn that was brought as soon as we sat down to our table. Service initially was prompt but delivery of food was quite slow, and a different person took dishes, then someone else brought bill, then our waitress came back to take our coupons. Then someone else picked up the bill. Not sure why we saw so many different people to assist us at the end. It just seemed discombobulated at the end of our meal. Missed seeing the same faces of the family that was always seen at Jax. It just seems like it is less of a family ran business than before. But food was still yummy. Not sure if we will visit as often as it is a bit further from us.
(4)Angel L.
Breakfast special seemed like an omelet made with leftovers, something cool to do at home. Potatoes were crispy but cut into such small cubes I missed having something tender and fluffy inside, plus it's hard to put a fork into hard 1/2 inch dice. Don't pretend a half strawberry, a pineapple sliver and one orange slice make a side of fresh fruit. It's still a garnish. Final Tip: Don't sit at the bar; the bartender doesn't make a good waitress. OJ plus the breakfast special, never got the muffins and another waiter took pity & finally refilled my water. Good thing Gourmet Girls Gluten Free Bakery Bistro is on the way home.
(2)Kelly A.
Late dinner at Poppy last night.....the service was excellent and the food was even better. Great atmosphere, food, and service. I'll be back for sure.
(5)Tanja T.
Bought a Groupon and decided to try Poppy kitchen. We got there before our reservation but they seated us right away. The service was the best I have had in tucson! We started with the fried goat cheese. It was just okay until I added the olive tapenade then it was devine. We both ordered the BBQ short rib and are pretty sure we died and. Are in heaven! The rib is spicy but not hot. The polenta is tasty and the mushrooms are perfect. Unfortunately, I can't eat the carrot cake because I'm allergic to walnuts but we tried the ice cream Sammie's. Chocolate brownie with sea salt caramel ice cream and chocolate dipping sauce. I'm pretty sure we are in sugar comas! Kudos to all of the staff and thank you for the best meal I have had in a long time. I will be back!
(5)Marc W.
I was here on Tuesday night and had a wonderful time with my wonderful date. We sat outside on the patio which as I have noted before has amazing views (especially at night). We started with the oysters which were succulent and sweet! For the mains she had the braised short rib which was fall-off-the-bone tender and I had the gumbo which was perfectly seasoned and enough for two meals (I have never seen anyone finish it in one sitting). For desert we had the carrot cake - normally I'm not a fan but many a yelper have said nothing but great things so I stepped outside my comfort zone and gave it a try - magnifić! The owner was around and chatted with my date and I for a bit and was kind enough to bring some ice cream sandwiches - thy were awesome too! Everything was on point, as one has come to expect from the Metzger lineup. To top it off they have a shuffleboard table out back with some flat screens which is awesome! We closed the place down and will definitely be back again...and again!
(5)Stephanie H.
We sat on the patio overlooking one of the greens on the golf course. The ambience out there was great. Our server was very knowledgeable of the wines and specials of the day. We started with the crispy goat cheese appetizer. I am not a fan of goat cheese but this was very mild and the crispy outside was delicious. For our mains I got the Pork Porterhouse, it was amazing! The house made bacon is enough to keep me coming back. He got the fish special, it was eh. I am not sure mint is the correct herb to pair with fish. We also added a side of the duck fried rice, I could definitely live without eating that again. It was way overcooked and the flavor wasn't as great as we expected. For desert we had an ice cream Sammy. Salted caramel ice cream and strawberry preserves sandwiched between two chocolate chunk brownies. It was hard and difficult to eat but it tasted amazing. There are some things they need to work on but overall it was a great evening, we'll be back.
(4)Steve V.
We have been to Poppy several times and with each visit we become more disillusioned. The service is slow and the food mediocre. We went in with high hopes but it appears this is on a rapid decline after just beginning.
(1)Kathleen B.
Great service. Great food, great drinks. Great location. Go try it! You won't be disappointed.
(5)Ruth J.
Kobe Beef done right! Everything is fresh and you can taste the difference fresh ingredients make. Delightful, Devine and Delicious.
(5)Aura C.
I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the food as much as I did. The watermelon caprese salad was wonderful. I could eat that all day long! I had the steak with the au gratin potatoes. Loved that as well. Didn't love my cosmo. I'll try something different to drink next time.
(4)Morgan J.
Last night I checked out poppy with a few friends and once again had a great experience! The hostesses promptly greeted us and our server, Jess was quick and knowledgable! Sadly they were out of their IPA on happy hour but instead we all ordered a white IPA which was pleasantly good! I actually preferred it to the IPA on draft! As for the food we ordered a quesadillas, the steak, and duck. They were all pretty good! The potatoes that came with my steak were my favorite part of the meal, they were to die for. The steak itself was alright, just a bit too fatty for my taste. Otherwise, everything was excellent.. It came as ordered, was timely, and each staff member who visited out table was more than pleasant!
(5)KS S.
We had a great experience. We started our Saturday night out here with a couple of drinks. Brandon and Josh were behind the bar and were very attentive and made awesome drinks. We did not eat this night but on another occasion I had went here for their brunch which was an amazing menu and I had a hard time deciding what to have. I ended up having the bagel lox and they didn't skimp on anything. It was big and delicious! I can't wait to go back and try dinner! 5 stars!!
(5)Alexis S.
This has to be one of the best brunch places in Tucson. Seriously it is a hidden gem. Their french toast has to be the best french toast I have ever had in my life, it is a cross between a french toast and a bread pudding and it's to die for!! I highly highly recommend this restaurant. The food is amazing and the service is svn better. The view from the patio is beautiful and a great place to enjoy a beautiful Tucson day!
(5)Leila L.
This is one of the best restaurants in Tucson, and probably THE best restaurant in the Foothills area. It could afford to be overpriced, and snooty, but it is neither of those things. Poppy offers exceptionally good food for reasonable prices (especially with the Local 20 discount). Poppy has a casual family-friendly atmosphere. It is the only resort restaurant I know of with shuffleboard. Poppy has a beautiful patio with one of the best views in Tucson. Everyone should be eating here! For some reason, a lot of Metzger restaurants have opened only to close in Tucson over the last few years. I have grieved every closing--Gio Taco and Jackson Tavern were two of my favorite places, and they both closed way too quickly. Poppy has a lot to offer, and I hope it stays open for a good long while. Current recommended menu items: chicken under a brick, and the crispy salmon. You really can't go wrong with any of the appetizers, but the chef's board here is particularly good. The carrot cake is probably the most lauded dessert, and for good reason--it really is that delicious! Fantastic cocktail, beer, and wine selection. My only complaint is that there aren't more beers available on tap. I love this place so much, I plan to celebrate my birthday here this year; you should too!
(5)Brett B.
Was just having dinner here and all of a sudden there was screaming that stopped everything in the restaurant. The person who identified himself as the "manager/owner" started screaming right in the middle of the restaurant "what the f**k are you doing you f***ing idiot. What the f**k do you think this is? You don't walk off the f***ing line to go to the bathroom. What the f**k? People in the restaurant told him to knock it off and stop and he responded by saying "well you haven't got your food yet have you?" - Implying he would do something to their food. He started yelling at the customers in the restaurant and then people started walking out. He then said "it's your choice to leave not mine". The staff then started walking around apologizing for his outburst like it was a normal thing. I have never witnessed such poor behavior and the wait staff did confirm he was part owner. I would never come back here. For the owner to imply he would contaminate someone's food for calling him out on deplorable behavior is absolutely disgusting. What a poor business man. It was disheartening to all but especially the families with children in the restaurant.
(1)Hailey E.
Had appetizers and drinks here about a week ago with a friend, we both agreed that the happy hour was amazing as they have their tap cocktails for $5. We tried about 4-5 different cocktails and were very pleased with them. All delicious! I especially loved their margarita and my friend loved the raspberry cosmo. We also got the happy hour cheeseburger which was delicious and only $6! We tried a couple other apps which were delicious as well. The decor was really cool, contemporary and cute. Service was a little slow at first but that didn't last. We sat on the patio and enjoyed the amazing views. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Chan H.
Strong drinks :) Amazing service and view! They give you popcorn to munch on while you wait. I love popcorn!!! We had the goat cheese and the mussels for appetizers. Both were good but I've had better mussels... For entrees, we ordered the duck breast and the seasonal fish (trout wrapped in bacon in a chili sauce). BOTH WERE SO GOOD but I was so full. Can't wait to come back.
(4)JoieDeVivre T.
I checked into the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, starving! So when I saw that the menu of the Poppy Kitchen had Oysters on a Half Shell, I was sold. Calling them several times - no answer! I was forced to leave a message but luckily a Josh returned my call timely. I indulged and ordered a full dozen Oysters, with the Watermelon Caprese salad as an afterthought. Luckily, that afterthought saved me otherwise I would have remained hungry! The oysters were full of broken shells... I mean, several broken pieces of shell for every bite. It was almost like the "chef" didn't know how to shuck the bivalves properly. Worse, they didn't rinse them or whatever because in addition to the broken shells, the oysters were so SALTY I couldn't eat them. Lastly, the add insults to injury, the oysters were served without any lemons, no sauces, NOTHING! I had to use the vinegar from my Caprese salad to tamper down the taste of salty bivalve. WORST oysters ever! Really disappointed since this is a hotel attached to a 5 star resort. The 3 star Yelp rating is me being generous. I'm only doing so to credit them for the fact that they delivered to my room and that the Watermelon Tomato Caprese salad was light and tasty and was just heavenly for a hungry (though waistline conscious) traveler.
(3)Sumie S.
Awful. This is the second year in a row that this place has disappointed. Ordered the pasta and did not get it until everyone else had already finished eating. I was never give an explanation why my food was running behind, just an "I don't know" from the waiter. The first thing that you learn while working in customer service is that "I don't know" is NEVER an acceptable response. Then when I brought it to the attention of other staff I was given a list of excuses that ranged from they were "busy", there was a convention at the hotel, and there was a band out on the patio. You are a restaurant on the grounds of a resort!! Crowds on a Friday night cannot be a new concept! Extremely disappointed in the service and food. Needless to say, when we return to the resort next year for our annual trip, we will be seeking a delicious meal elsewhere.
(1)Monica F.
Eat delicious, fancy, filling food in a comfortable atmosphere specializing in offering a fun twist on something you already like. Plus, unlike some other expensive restaurants, Poppy Kitchen gives you a lot of food for your money. We started with duck confit tacos and fried goat cheese. Yum! The tacos were juicy and with nice contrasts of sweet and savory. The cheese was just melt-in-your-mouth perfect, with a nut crust, on toast point, with, I think, fig jam. Hubby ordered the pot roast and I had the steak. I thought his pot roast a bit chewy but he liked it a lot and ate the entire plate. My steak was delicious; it was so thick it almost felt slightly underdone but the center seemed warm so I guess it was medium rare. It came with asparagus, perfectly cooked, and more figs, I think, and some nicely done but not super exciting potatoes, sliced thin and reassembled into a rectangle. After the appetizers I could only finish half my meal (I reheated the other half in a skillet full of butter for breakfast the next day and it was even better). None of the desserts really excited us so we skipped dessert since we were already full. On our way out the owner came over to say hello and recognized us even though we only met him one time 9 months ago. Total pro!
(4)Jim S.
Sorry, Poppy. We were huge fans of the Abbey, and of Poppy Kitchen during its first few months of operation. Always had great food. But alas, nothing gold can stay - the Abbey has closed, and Poppy has gone way downhill. I was such a fan that I waited three visits to write this review. Sadly, during those three visits the food has been truly bad. Visit 1 - went for happy hour and got the burger. Frankly it was dry and boring. Visit 2 - got the board and the fish of the day. The fish was well cooked but it was served with a sickly sweet sauce (pomegranate, if I recall correctly). The board was honestly hilarious - grocery store cheese and a few thin slices of meat. Visit 3 - got the gumbo, which was an old favorite. It tasted overly salty and burned. Poppy has a fantastic location with great views and service has always been excellent. With this potential, I will likely give them one more chance in hopes they can get their act together on the food.
(2)Nikky P.
I am sad to say that I was not impressed with our meal. I feel there are many other quality restaurants in Tucson that are more affordable that offer better food. We've been eating at Jax for years, got to The Abbey from time to time, and have visited Gio, so we felt it was time to tryout Poppy. The location at La Paloma is very pretty, and the interior of the restaurant has been done well. The servers were all friendly and the girl we had knew everything about the menu which was great. We shared the Steak Tartare as a starter. This was the best part of the meal. The tartare was not ground all the way down to a pulp, and they had left some actual pieces of meat almost whole which was good. It was seasoned really well and came with pickled veggies- all good. We didn't get any bread or popcorn/chips like the other tables..but we didn't notice until we we half way done with our mains. I had the duck breast which was served over duck friend rice with mustard greens. The duck was cooked perfectly, but the rest of the plate wasn't nice at all. The fried rice had a very heavy wild rice type grain that was too hard for my taste. The mustard greens were not very interesting. Usually when you order the duck at the Metzer restaurants it comes with really wonderful accompaniments. Not so much this type. I did not enjoy the plate at all despite the duck being cooked very well. My husband had Fish No. 2- which was trout on a crustini served with gazpacho. This sounded odd to me, but he ordered it anyways and immediately realized that the pairing of cold gazpacho with warm fish was very unpleasant. The protein again was cooked nicely..but the temperature differences were not nice. For dessert we had the carrot cake which came with freeze dried carrots and a cream cheese ice cream. The cake was served in skillet which was a nice idea, but since the cake kept coking while it was on the table, it did get a bit on the dry side. Ice cream and freeze dried carrots were really yum. I was excited to try Poppy....glad we did, but we will not be back.
(2)Mollie G.
The food is quite sophisticated, but can be simplified to your taste! The entire staff was super friendly!! Our waiter (Curtis??) was amazing!! My son commented that he was the nicest person we have met in Arizona! He was amazing and would go back to Poppy just for his service alone! The wine and beer list was large with great choices! We were very pleased with our visit and food! The service made the visit though!!
(5)Sharon H.
The brunch here was pretty good, though just unimpressive compared to what I was expecting, especially for the overall snazziness of the location and the website. The place itself is fairly swanky, with fairly nice views, though we got stuck with a view of the parking garage. Do take a gander around the Westin property though, since the view behind the pools of the mountains is very charming. They do have a pretty impressive brunch cocktail menu, so if that's what you're looking for after a long week, then it may be worth a try! But otherwise, the food menu was fairly simple, not much that we wanted to try or that tasted better than ordinary. Baked French toast was very dense and heavy. The Poppy Breakfast with eggs and potatoes was fairly standard. The Veggie Egg White Scramble was a standard omelet, slightly bland. I would've given it 4 stars if it were a casual breakfast diner, but for what they're going for they could definitely use a menu revamp. Service was very good and friendly. Check it out for a nice view, swanky atmosphere, some morning pick-me-ups, but not necessariy for unique food.
(3)Donna W.
Went here with friends with the Groupon. It was definitely a good deal, we got two appetizers, four entrees, and two desserts along with four glasses of wine for $99. For the appetizers we got the roasted veggie carmelos and the chopping block. The veggie carmelos were very sweet and delicious. The chopping block was underwhelming. It had two slices of meat, two pieces of cheese, some dates and nuts and a mini jar of pickled vegetables. I feel like it would've been more successful if there were more cheese and meat variety. For the entree, I got the Fish No 2, which was ahi tuna in miso broth. The miso broth was amazing and I really enjoyed the veggies, tofu and mushrooms on the side. The fish however was just very dry. I was surprised that they did not ask how I wanted the ahi tuna cooked. The desserts saved the day! We had the brownie and the carrot cake. The dessert portions are huge and both came with ice cream. It was the best part of the meal. TLDR: Poppy kitchen is really good for dessert and some appetizers. Come for happy hour.
(4)Cindy A.
My husband and I visited Poppy for brunch as I had purchased a Groupon. The food and service were wonderful and the ambiance was so relaxing that we decided to extend our brunch visit to afternoon cocktails and a few games of shuffleboard on their patio. (Happy Hour starts at 10am on Saturdays!) What we ordered: I had the salmon board and my husband had the steak and eggs. Both dishes were absolutely fantastic and presented beautifully on the plate! I could almost hear my taste buds cheer with every bite I took. P.S. Their bloody mary's are killer and a small meal in itself!
(5)Woody M.
The food was above average. The service was as well. We had the pot pie (had lots of pepper) and was tasty. My partner had the chopped salad which she termed "very good!" Other than the noise level (very high inside) this is a nice place. Great views from the patio. Worth sitting outside, weather permitting! Cheers!
(3)Adam P.
Wanted. The fugitive who 'hijaxed' jax kitchen and replaced it with this inferior imposter. It is literally criminal what they did to this place. I will not go back. At least not for a very long time. This was not like the jax kitchen I knew and loved. The move was not good for them. So disappointing. This was not a matter of needing to work a kink or two out. This was total failure. Service was slow, disorganized and forgetful. Bad timing. The food wasn't that good either, poor plating, poor presentation and the entrees over cooked. The whole night was a fire drill. Half an hour just to get our drinks in front of us. And even then they were short poured glasses of wine served in hot glasses. Salads came out incorrect and had to wait forever to get the right salad out and when it finally did it was obvious it was thrown together haphazard. Even had wrong components in it. I will say the steak tartare was good as always, only bright spot on the night. Finally got the entrees, we both had fish #2 and they were both overcooked, dried out and stringy and again poorly plated. Looking at our two dishes the plating and components were inconsistent, light on some components and heavy on others. Dish didn't make sense either, large pineapple chunks, why not make a chutney at least. Peanuts got lost and ended up making no sense. Again a chutney solves all that. And the shrimp in the risotto I could tell by taste was frozen and old. I had to throw the towel in and pass on dessert, after two hours I just couldn't take anymore. I can overlook a couple things or even slow service if it's good food but the food wasn't even good enough to make up for any of it. Total fail. I really do hope they figure it out and turn things around and I want to see them be successful. We know they are capable of so much better and is in part why I hold them to a high standard. Do what we know you can do!
(2)Michael R.
I ordered my food and they gave me horrible proportions, and the food took at least 40 minutes to be prepared. In the beginning the waiter gave us one little bowl of popcorn for my entire family and I to eat! One small piece/sliver of fried chicken on large stale white roll (Very poor quality as well). Had that fast food feeling the next day. The prices are too high as well! I will never come back again! NEVER!. Drive anywhere but do not eat in the resort.
(1)Ron R.
Bravo Poppy! I really enjoyed the food here. My wife and I had the blue cheese wedge to start. Everything was fresh and on point. I loved the big chunks of bacon compared to the bacon bits you usually get. We also loved their Kobe burger. It's not your typical burger which was nice for a change. The Kobe meat was cooked perfectly and their house made beet juice pickle gave it that zing that I've never tasted before. Perfect! I'll be back:)
(5)Kelly C.
Located in the grounds of the Westin La Paloma, Poppy's has a nice view out over the city both from inside and the patio. The food was priced high for the quality. I ordered the special salad with beers, mixed greens, goat cheese and orange. It was drenched in the dressing and has pieces of goat cheese the size of golf balls which wasn't very appetizing. The baked corkscrew side pasta had some spice from red pepper flakes but otherwise wasn't very exciting. My husband order the steak which was a small portion of steak with generous sides of potato. The highlight was the skillet carrot cake for dessert which came out warm and melted in your mouth.
(2)Katie P.
Delicious! Others have put it more eloquently than me below, so I'll keep it short and sweet. Went with a group of 6 after a pool day at La Paloma, and I'm fairly sure we ordered ever item on the menu. Everything was impressive and absolutely to die for! Our waiter was so knowledgable (I recognized him from Jax, so I know he's a MFR pro), and made fantastic recommendations for wine pairings. We had fries, fish, duck, the soup of the day (like matzo ball soup), crispy goat cheese, the charred octopus salad (OH MY GOSH SO GOOD), the seafood gumbo and two desserts! The carrot cake was by far the most amazing dessert! We were there for over 2 hours (yes, the food takes some time to cook), but it was such a fun evening! This restaurant has gorgeous views of Tucson, and would make a wonderful date night or special occasion restaurant. I highly recommend you try it, if only once, because it's really something special!
(5)Andrew W.
I went for valentines day, so I should have expected it to be as busy as it was. Even with a reservation, we waited well past our allocated time. I'm sure the setting was stressful for the workers, but seeing the manager stress over his hostesses (who were seemingly doing fine) just added to my stress, being within earshot of them. We did their special for two at $90. It included an appetizer, two salads, two entrees, and a dessert to split. The salads were weak, just really simple/nothing special. I wish we had the choice to pick a salad from the menu and not the pre-selected one (the octopus salad was really enticing, would have loved to try that). Many of the entrees we wanted were already sold out. However, the beignets with the espresso custard for dessert was the perfect end to the evening. If I were to go back on a normal day with my freedom of choice for my salad (yes I was bitter), I wold have had a much better experience. So why did I still rate this place so highly? It was cool. The environment was modern and fun. Whereas some places greet you with breadsticks, Poppy gave us tomato basil popcorn. I didn't know that was a thing, but I would swear by it now. The real redeeming factor was actually our server. Her name is "Dahi" (like "ahi" with a D). She was very warming and amicable. Single-handedly, she made our experience personal and memorable. I would go back just to have her serve us...and maybe for the happy hour. It seemed pretty affordable.
(4)Maureen O.
Came to this adorable restaurant multiple times while staying at the La Paloma for work, kept coming back because the food was so good and so unique! I tried each salad, all really tasty and could easily have been a fully satisfying meal on their own. The staff was super friendly and welcoming, chatting with me often since I was sitting alone. Work travel can be dull sometimes, but this place was a bright spot! Also, whatever their Pandora station is, it's on point.
(5)Joseph L.
Okay, have to admit Its not going to give them 5 stars this time, why? I guess I just got spoiled by The abbey through out the years. Don't get me wrong. I am still a fan but what can Metzger's family do next to top themself is not gonna be a easy task....bigger wine list? better coffee? Everything is just as good as what you expect from The abbey and jax. But the carrot cake boy that carrot cake was crazily good, I guess I might had used some foul language when they asked us how was the desserts.. Sorry Brian. If you live by west side of the town and think The abbey is little to far for you. Poppy Kitchen is well~you get the idea. And the view is pretty sweet btw!
(4)Rob L.
Very good food... Very, very slow service Hit Poppy's for dinner with colleagues and friends on a Monday night. Decor is a cross between Texas Roadhouse and a typical Mexican restaurant. Nice staff greeted us and we sat quickly. Ordering was quick, but then the staff disappeared and half our table waited a tad over 20 minutes for food. No refills on drinks during that time, as well. Once food arrived, they had some orders issues-- who got the rare versus the medium steaks, one fish entrée was cold on one side, and the side was incorrect on another. It was almost 40 minutes until we saw the waitress, again. Or colleagues at the table one over were done by the time I went and spoke with the staff (after a friend had five minutes prior) to get a service person. Went ahead with dessert when she did arrive and the Carrot Cake dish they do was amazing for all five of us who ordered it! In sum, steak was tasty, dessert was worth a visit, location is nice, and service is slower than the reproductive habits of turtles. Three stars is most fair.
(3)JJ L.
An incredible view, such a great spot and tasty food. You must try the duck tacos and the pecan crispy goat cheese crostini. Happy hour was 50% off all cocktails so my wife and I jumped into the Boom Blueberry and "The One"Margarita. Appetizers were $3 off. By far the best part of our experience was the staff so professional and welcoming, specifically our server Dahee, incredibly friendly and such a great attitude and a nice smile to boot. bravo to all!
(4)Tali Z.
Staying at the Westin La Poloma for a conference and found Poppy Kitchen. This place is delicious! We LITERALLY ate here every night. The food is amazing (top pics are the shrimp chili rellenos, watermellon caprese salad, and the flatbread.) Also, their berry infused drinks on tap are so good. We were there when they were filling the tap, and they actually do infuse the berries in-house for about a month. The happy hour specials we're great - $3 beers and $5 infused tap drinks. They even had great food specials for happy hour - $5 tacos and $6 burger. Lastly, the brunch was so yummy! A bit in the pricier brunch side if you are also drinking, but man was it filling. And the brunch drinks are just as amazing. The bloody mary was one of the best I've had. I'm all about the "fixings" in my bloody mary's, and they didn't dissapoint; olive, cheese, coctail onion and salami. So good I actually asked for a second of just the "fixings!" The staff was super friendly and on their A game. The bartenders Brandon and his sister Kaylee were both so nice and sweet! Really a lovely team - personable, helpful... it's refreshing to have such great service. I honestly can't say enough good things about this place!
(5)Adrienne K.
We went back again and had another amazing brunch! The bread pudding French toast was once again phenomenal and now they grill it to give it a great crunch! The daily special was Huevos Rancheros and it was super yummy. We again started with a board and while it was different from last time it was still wonderful. We especially enjoyed the pickled veggies and the fig jam. What made this meal special was one of our servers, Dahe. She was so sweet and friendly and she made sure everything was just right. We enjoyed chatting with her and we appreciated her dedicated service. The view was again beautiful and the Cuban coffee made by Seth was a fantastic way to finish the meal.
(5)