Thursday 14th of April 2011 10:02:54 PM

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The Scottsdale location of Arriba looks like a normal size chain restaurant from the outside but, when you enter, you realize how sprawling and maze-like it is. There are several rooms, all decorated with goofy, cheesy Mexican items. The type of stuff you get at the little store in Nogales right by the border and it turns out to be made in China. It reminds me more of Denver's famous Casa Bonita than any other place in the Valley.
They only had one house beer when we came, even though the menu had at least five listed. It made me think that they may be phasing the brewing out. The beer was awful.
But then the food came, and that was probably worse. It's this bastardized New Mexican cuisine, sort of like if On the Border had a "Santa Fe style" restaurant. Everything on the menu sounded good, with descriptions of fantastic flavor combinations, but everything was bland and kind of soupy.
I'm glad I at least went here to try it, but now you don't have to.

Tuesday 28th of October 2008 09:50:13 AM

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Stopped by on a Saturday morning when I was looking for breakfast with a beer. It’s a pretty typical Mexican restaurant combined with a small brewery (Casa Arriba Brewing Co). The dining area includes both booth and table seating plus a small bar area toward the rear with 3 house brew taps, some imports & BMCs and several cooler doors for bottled brews. I enjoyed both the Tio Ramon Bock and the (very dark) Amber house brews with my Mexican breakfast. There is a small “brewing room” visible through glass windows. I talked briefly with the morning manager who said there are several Arriba locations in the Phoenix area that have small breweries on-site.