Best Contemporary American Restaurants in Mesa

From the hostess to our server, the service at Gertrude’s was phenomenal. We went for brunch to celebrate my husband’s birthday, and we were pleasantly surprised with a lovely birthday card from the staff and dessert. It was an appreciated touch that my husband was excited to put the card on the fridge, including the envelope which one of the staff members personally drew a special design on. The food was also delicious. I highly recommend the hot mess breakfast - the sauce was immaculate! If you’re making at stop at the garden, definitely add Gertrude’s to your food stop.

Cafe Monarch in Scottsdale provides an unforgettable dining experience, even though we had a small hiccup at the start. We arrived for our reservation and had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated, which was a bit frustrating given that I was dressed in “dinner” heels. IYKYK. However, once we were seated, everything more than made up for the delay. We opted for the prix fixe menu, which was an absolute delight. The blood orange salmon aguachile, braised lamb, venison, shrimp, and ahi tuna were all bursting with flavor. I had the filet mignon, while my boyfriend enjoyed the Japanese Wagyu, which was truly exceptional—unbelievably tender and flavorful, cooked to absolute perfection. The sauces and sides were perfectly balanced, and my picky eater boyfriend couldn’t get enough of everything! We also added oysters and caviar to start, which were so fresh and crisp, and charred octopus, which was cooked to perfection with a lovely char but still wonderfully tender. For dessert, the chocolate strawberry cake was a showstopper—beautifully presented and delicious, with the Valentine's theme executed flawlessly. The cocktails were beautifully crafted, each with a perfect balance of flavors and a nice kick. If you enjoy wine, the pairings were spot on, and I was also impressed by their unique selection of zero-proof drinks, which my boyfriend really enjoyed. The service was impeccable throughout the meal. Even with the minor seating delay at the beginning, the staff’s attention to detail and hospitality made the experience one to remember. Highly recommend Cafe Monarch for a special evening out—it’s truly a Scottsdale gem!

Second time here, once again a winner. We even ended up with the same server, Torrey, and she also was once again fantastic! We were there for the Valentine's Day pre-fixe menu and enjoyed it immensely. We had the chopped salad, clam chowder, meatloaf (amazing!!) and bananas foster bread pudding. Walked out pleasantly full, not grossly overstuffed, with some leftover meatloaf for a weekend lunch -and it is excellent as leftovers. We will keep coming back!

Beautiful restaurant and wonderful view. The front of house was amazing. My wife was feeling cold and really wanted to have the dinner indoors even though our reservation was for outdoors. They moved and set up a small table inside for us. That is so sweet and honestly made our Valentine’s Day. We were ecstatic and had an amazing dinner. The food was good and the service was attentive too. We were really happy and will be back again soon. We’re already planning our next celebration there!

General consensus from the party were outstanding. Appetizers were next level which included the bone marrow, bluefin tartare and the king crab stuff oysters. It really set the tone for the rest of the mains. Service was great from the staff and kept the tables clear and drinks full. The only exception to the meal was some of the mains. Over cooked and undercooked steaks that appeared to have been sitting for some time. Coming from a place where we have world class steak, the inconstancy we experienced was disappointing given the prices charged and what precluded this portion of the meal which many raves about. Overall pleasure and happy to recommend.