Pallets Food and Bar

SPOILER ALERT: The music and TV ruined everything! More details at end of review.
My husband and I were craving sushi but didn’t want to spend much, so we thought this place looked promising. It looks like it has the potential to be really cool. The open-​air restaurant with wood pallet-​covered walls gave a unique atmosphere. The restaurant is in a prime location, next to lots of great places on Roosevelt — so we expected it to be on par with these places that we love.
Sadly though, we did not enjoy our experience. The sushi was fine — nothing remarkable, but did the job for the price we paid. The complimentary miso soup was better than some others I’ve had. We somehow awkwardly ended up with two waitresses, who both didn’t seem to know that the other was already taking care of us. One would drop by moments after the other just had. Our first waitress seemed annoyed by us when we told her the second one had just taken our order. We honestly didn’t know who was supposed to be helping us!
The real downfall though, was the combination of 2 – 3 different music sources playing different (bad) music at the same time, along with 2 TVs playing different shows with the volume up (neither of which I wanted to watch). The restaurant is pretty small and we were the only ones sitting inside… so we could hear ALL these different media sources at the same time. It was really annoying. At one point, Shaggy (the annoying hip hop guy from the 90s) was playing from one stereo, Backstreet Boys was playing from another, and Bad Grandpa (the Jackass movie) was playing on the TV right above us. PLEASE, do NOT show Bad Grandpa while I’m eating dinner. And limit your music to just one song playing at a time (preferably better music than Destiny’s Child and Creed… both of which we also heard).
Honestly, this music thing ruined any otherwise positive experience we might have had dining. We were both a bit hungry after our sushi, and probably would’ve ordered another roll or two at that point. But by the end of our meal, we were so annoyed by the music & Bad Grandpa that we wanted to get out of the restaurant as soon as we could.
Again, this restaurant really does have potential to be something great and successful. But the first thing that needs to be fixed is atmosphere — simply by correcting the awful music situation that literally drove us away.

Went back here again last night. Had been a little deterred when we tried to come a couple of Wednesdays ago only to find, through the unapologetic and off-​putting comment of the alleged owner, that they had closed hours earlier than their Unilocal and Yahoo results reflected, but chalked it up to summer hours and a bad night. When we stopped in yesterday, however, we learned that Pallets recently changed ownership and management and is revamping its menu — and apparently its service. Although it was our server’s first night, she couldn’t find the sweet and sour mix after we ordered our initial cocktails (something we found out after waiting long enough for her to search the entire premises with a fine-​toothed comb), eventually made my husband a mouth-​puckering-​ly poor excuse for a whiskey sour, and could barely comprehend our order. She had to be corrected twice, although she did ultimately get it right (thank goodness we didn’t try to ask for any substitutions!). After the food came out (and we got up to get our own soy sauce), she was very pleasant and attentive and kept our water glasses constantly filled. The disappointment at that point, however, spread to the food. To start, octopus tempura was painfully chewy and flavorless. Having no menu beyond the sushi at this point, we were restricted to rolls and a short list of nigiri and sashimi, none of which was memorable. The three specialty sushi rolls we ordered were duller than we remembered, although the presentation gave us high hopes. Salmon roe didn’t have the same pop or salty goodness we expected after finding it at other Valley locations. We left several pieces on our plates as we paid the check and left.
It really bums us out that this restaurant is going downhill because it used to be a real neighborhood gem. Hopefully this is just a transition phase, but we’ll have to have a reason to come back to find out.

A great sushi happy hour menu with good drafts to choose from!
They forgot to give us silverware or napkins… and the staff stood around and chatted at each other rather than pay much attention to us that were dining.
Will return to give another chance, but only slightly optimistic about getting better service!

Myself and two friends came here to only get terrible service, comically bad. Our appetizer showed up two hours after we ordered it, after we had eaten our meal, and after we had asked to cancel it. And they still charged us for it.
Almost none of the adult beverages on the menu were available.
We all got food poisoning too.
Baffled this place is still open.

Lovely place to enjoy the fine Phoenix weather as their patio is killer. We lingered over a long lunch on a Saturday, enjoying very pleasant service by Megan. This is a people watching place. It certainly was during lunch, I can only imagine during nighttime fun.
With our Unilocal check-​in we scored a sweet 15% off our bill (excluding alcohol). The edamame was a generous sized portion and the regular rolls (spicy tuna and california) were filling.
Our party was lucky to nab a picnic table, which seats 4 to 6 adults. Pallets provides copious overhead coverage which is nice. We were able to enjoy being outside, without melting. I’m not sure if there are misters by the bar area or not. But we were quite comfortable in the shade.
We parked behind the restaurant. It’s good to know there’s a destination for four-​wheeled modes of transportation (if you’re coming from outside of the downtown area).
Oh! And they were serving PBR :)
Two bucks. Can’t beat that for a draft.

Its been over a year now since I would first come to Pallets, and it has only gotten worse. Broken plastic bar stools, half of the tap selection they used to have, disaster of a liquor selection, and a strange new room that is supposedly under construction. Where did the swings go? :(Check-​in and you get 15% off… Sure! Show your next Unilocal review to your server and get 10% off… This is actually printed on the back of their menu? Seems like bribery to me.
We sat at the bar, and our bartender Amy leaned against the POS while I yelled our food order over the music, instead of coming over to take the order. As if we were inconveniencing her. She then complains to the bar guests about getting stiffed, how she apparently works for free, and has been there all day. (Worded politely) We all have those days, but that is not how the service industry works. Save it for closing when customers aren’t around to hear you complain about the place we are trying to spend our money at. Key word, trying. My friends and I wanted to get our food,
finish our drinks and close out ASAP!
I get it, the sloppy beer/​liquor selection, tacky misspelled menus and broken furniture is not her fault, but the extremely awkward and uncomfortable dining/​drinking experience was.
As always, I enjoyed the sushi and pup friendly patio. And the polite and accommodating food runner/​server guy! That makes for 2 stars, instead of one.

4 stars for exceptional service! My waitress was so friendly and welcoming, wish I would remember her name. I ordered the pad Thai, which had a different sauce than I was used to but I love that it had way more veggies than your standard dish. Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, and more. I love their peanut sauce! Their spring rolls could use more shrimp, less sprouts, but the mint is a nice touch. Their sushi is pretty good too, and they’ve got solid lunch specials and happy hour deals.

They should not be serving Phở on their menu. I wanted to like this place
Mso I went back to give it another shot because they are open til 10 and serve phở. (Most Vietnamese places don’t stay open past 8:30) the servers (both times) were very nice and attentive. The phở was just not right. In any way. The «rare» beef is not rare, it’s actually so over done it’s too chewy to eat. I literally couldn’t even swallow this beef, it was like chewing on rubber. The broth is not how phở is really made, it tastes like a powdered mix or something. The noodles didn’t even seem quite right. Maybe it’s because the broth was watery and just bland. I’ve had the phở twice now … It was not just bad. It was just not Phở. I won’t be back for the phở.

Tried this food last night, sat there for 15 minutes before a waiter spoke with us/​acknowledged us. We were given a laminated sheet with sushi roll names by the person who sat us, it looked like we were supposed to check the ones we wanted off with a dry erase marker, however we didn’t get one… And being first time customers, it would be nice to know the descriptions of what’s actually in the «Las Vegas» roll or «wave runner». A young man then approached us and asked us if we wanted something to drink, I finally felt a bit acknowledged (it was Friday evening and I was thirsty!) but when I asked him if there was a drink menu he simply asked me «well what do you want to drink?» I told him I didn’t know because I didn’t know what was available!
It felt like an endless circle of disappointment. The only reason we didn’t leave and that I’m giving the place 2 stars is because the waitress we eventually got (I should have caught her name but she was a short Latina lady) she was amazing! Very attentive and checked in on us often. Gave her a good tip, I hope she got to keep it because her coworkers sucked.
Food wise– eh. I got stomach pains but the Vietnamese sandwich was pretty good considering I hadn’t had one in so long!
One last thing, the bathroom is a little weird, sink is in a hallway (where servers are always walking in and out) and the floor was flooded/​super slippery… That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Probably won’t go back… at least I got a nice beer. Eventually. Lol.

Alright, here we go. Pallets at Canvas: blech, my stomach cringes and turns to even waste my time writing a review for this place, but if you are a casual passer by or visiting the area you deserve to know the truth.
First the good: The location. I mean really it is a good location, 3^rd & Roosevelt I mean come on. (That’s all I have on the good).
The Bad: The location — I know I know, that was supposed to be good. But really, what the location really is, is sooooo typical. My biggest complaint about Pallets is how ‘On purpose’ it is. Its too perfectly located at the corner of 3^rd and Roosevelt, not first, not 4^th and just south, but perfect. God only knows what some venture capital investment company who owns this place paid for that spot. That alone rubs me the wrong way and makes feel gross for even going there once.
The distressed look. Listen, this place is super new, yet the sign of the building, the wood inside, the concrete floors are all distressed like some lame @$$ 10K grandfather clock.
The bike racks outside… Ugh don’t get me started. Listen, its Downtown Phoenix. We get it, the bike culture exists and is growing. Post-​hipsters with their brand new bought all put together fixies, Sunday Funday crowds on their beach cruisers etc. But instead of just putting a bike rack out front you have to have them built into the shape of bicycles, then painted bright neon colors so that from afar way off people can see, «ooh this is cool place to ride bikes too.» I feel like puking even thinking about them.
The food: Neo Asian fusion with bits of Sushi inspired by Japan, Korean food, and some obvious Thai choices. The problem here again is its so obvious. People that love thai food, I mean really love it don’t get Pad Thai! People that love Korean food, like really love it don’t get Steak and Broccoli, and people that love Sushi don’t American Rainbow Rolls.
So if you’re visiting do not sold on the location, use Unilocal to help you find some real gold mines in fabulous downtown Phoenix, there are plenty, but skip this joint just like I will be forever as well.

Contrary to some of the previous reviews, I think that this place is absolutely great! The venue itself has a lot of character and provides a nice atmosphere to dine in as well as casually sip on drinks in a bar/​sushi bar setting.
The food in particular has a very unique fusion for many of the Asiatic countries, providing dishes for any patron to enjoy. I am personally fond of their combination Vietnamese sandwich. IMHO it is the best sandwich in Phoenix. Fresh cilantro, pickled veggies and a sizable amount of grilled beef, pork and chicken. Their soups are right on the money– however, from experience it is much better when eaten there rather than ordered for pick up.
They have come a long way since opening with their happy hour options, and have a good variety of beers on tap. Some remodeling seems to be in process with a separate libations bar next to the beer ‘island’ bar, and an area offset for those who wish to smoke!
Having seen some staff turnover, it seems management is getting their act together of having good servers and bartenders. But what I am most excited for is the prospect of having a new live music venue to watch shows and local artists perform! According to their public notice– they have received zoning approval by the city to host more shows, later in the evening!
Given its location, it’s odd how more people don’t frequent this place. Granted, with competitors who have a strong following very close by, it shows that the only thing missing from Pallets is a distinguishing factor that makes them unique! I think with the pursuit of their new music platform, the crowd following is only going to rise! If I could have given it 4 and a third or 4 and a half stars I most likely would have, but in the end the sandwich takes the cake. Sooo delicious.
TL;DR
Awesome restaurant with delicious food and good drink specials, in an up and coming area of metro Phoenix. Paired with a unique atmosphere, excellent location and ample space, Pallets has a lot going for them and the opportunity to grow seems on par with the area. The only thing missing to make this a solid 5stars is a crowd. It’s nice going out to a lively place to meet new people, but the following just isn’t there yet. I don’t doubt that come a year from now the place will have found their core patrons and the jovial atmosphere will follow.

I like phở in here. Very light and fresh

Everything I loved about this place is now gone. Let me explain…
–good food: some fish was mushy, the shrimp on our rainbow roll was DRY.
–fun bartenders and staff that have great service. They are gone. Things in my drink that shouldn’t be, like some kind of syrup in my coke. I’m not sure the glass was washed.
–the entire charm of this place
NOT returning again.

Was here last night, briefly. The server did not take orders in the order that people got there which was frustrating! We waited about 20 minutes and then left.
The crowd is very young, the music is typical club stuff and it has the feel of a 12 year olds party where they found their parents liquor. Very disorganized, would not recommend for a bar.
I have not tried their food yet.

We stopped here specifically for drinks and to check out what was here since the Canvas building has been empty and desolate for so long.
What we found was a quiet little Japanese restaurant complete w/​sushi bar. When we walked in we were told that we could sit anywhere. We chose a small table inside since the outside bar window werent open. Along w/​their extensive food menu, they offer a good selection of beer, w/​some local flavor splashed in, and sake.
I love what theyve done w/​recycled wood in this place. Its everywhere. It looks really good and not at all pretentious. The bathrooms remind me of something out of a low budget horror movie though. Mind you, they were clean, the individual «stalls» are just very long and the doors go all the way to the floor w/​a light switch inside. Just go check it out, youll see exactly what I mean.
We had a great hour or so here before we decided it was time to resume our crawl. The staff was very friendly, one guy even kept coming over and razzing my friend for rooting for the Spurs.
Id definitely recommend this place for drinks, but hey try the food too! Let me know how it is since we’d already eaten.

I am still out on this one. I’d love to give it 2 ½. Yes, there are LOTS of flies and they need to do something about it (upside down 2 liter bottles with sugar water?). It’s annoying but I like the look of the place.
The menu was sooooo confusing. I am not a huge asian food eating guy, but I couldn’t figure out what to order. I finally told my waiter I wanted something with chicken that was spicy. He said I should get the Kung Pao Chicken, so I asked what was in it. He said he’d go check. Ten minutes later another guy came out and asked if I needed anything. I asked again, and he told me. Then he took our order.
We also wanted beer and they a few nice crafts there, so I asked about one. He literally said «um, it’s dark and it’s light.» Seriously? I was so annoyed. My lady got her tofu meal and she said it was very good.
The service isn’t good. The food was tasty. They have good beers, but I’d research online after getting there instead of asking. And be ready for the flies.

This review is only regarding the beer selection as it’s the only thing I had:
What’s with all the pale ales? I like how MUCH you have on tap, but would it hurt to branch out for those of us who don’t like (actually, hate) pale ales?

This young and budding restaurant is primed for great weather. The open concept bar feels like it’s been plucked straight from San Diego. They have a great selection of craft beers on tap with local wines to boot.
Given the soft opening, they are still running friendly and timely service. They have an interesting concept of sushi and Vietnamese food out of the same kitchen. Only thing that could top the Phở and hand roll duo would be a Pu Pu Platter. The sushi bar is kicking out at full capacity, but still adding to the Vietnamese.
Have eaten here twice and been happy with the quality for the dishes. Have tried the Lemongrass Chicken, Vermicelli with egg rolls, Fried Rice with pork, and the Pandora roll.
Will definitely be back to try the hammock chairs on the patio.

Come for the creative reuse of pallets; stay for the personal sized hammocks. And the 20-​or-​so beers on tap.
I was walking back the to train after picking up some baby kale and noticed the hammocks and thought, «What a crazy random happenstance!» After ordering a beer, employee Stephanie and I sat in two of those hammocks while she went over the menu. It’s Japanese and Vietnamese inspired, but not all the items are currently available. Their soft opening was the 15^th and I think they’re still looking for their groove. Nonetheless, the «heart attack» was a jalapeño delight. Stuffed with crab and deep fried: Goodness! The octopus was a tad chewy, but I love octopus so I ate it. I want to go back for the phở. And to work my way through the beer selections.

For Bar Only:
Situated in the former «Canvas» location it’s a perfect venue for outdoor drinking!
The staff appears to be family and/​or professional servers … Top notch service!