The Main Ingredient Ale House And Café

Cute location in a converted house. At times a bit loud due to the game being on. We were seated immediately and our host was attentive. We ordered the Sheridan with a salad, the Jive Turkey with chips and the Coney dog with chips to go. We also had the TMI Lemonade cocktail which was delicious. Our food arrived promptly and we were silent with the exception of commenting on how good everything tasted. We took home half of our meals because we wanted to have desert. The salted caramel ice cream and the Triple chocolate brownie were amazing. We already knew we would definitely be back as there were other items on the menu that we want to try. This is absolutely a great place to dine and I am sure fun to hang out at the bar!

Best BLT I’ve ever had hands down!!! Good service and great atmosphere, they also have a great selection of draft beers.

Enjoy coming here to sit outside and enjoy a few beers. The artichoke heaven is my favorite of anywhere I have been. The atmosphere is quiet and enjoying and the staff is always excellent. All day happy hour on Monday is my favorite! :)

Wanted to like it because it’s a stones throw away. However I ordered the Mac n cheese that looked and tasted so gross I had to return it. Came out in a perfect square, blazing hot (microwave hot) and was oozing grease, not fresh at all. Not only that but the service wasn’t great, almost non existent. Didn’t opt out for a replacement meal as my husband was not to keen on his dish either.

My friends and I usually go here after hiking. Or for lunch.
If you like to eat a beautifully flavored sandwich with a extremely refreshing Sonoran White Ale, then this is the place for you.
The atmosphere is like a quiet house. Though the outside is refreshing, going inside the house feels like you’ve been invited to your decently wealthy uncle’s house for a bite to eat.
I got the BLT this time and the bacon is thick cut, smokey and crunchy with a slight chew. In other words, perfection.

Went here with my boyfriend and his dad for dinner on a Tuesday night. I had been here once before but it had been a while. I love the concept of this place being in an old home, and it’s super cute inside.
The waitstaff were all super nice and helpful, the drinks were cheap and the food is pretty good. We ordered a meat and cheese plate appetizer and I had a salad, which was huge, for dinner.
I would definitely recommend this place to anyone, but I would probably suggest that you sit outside on the patio. The music was a bit loud and I felt like I had to talk louder than normal in order for people to hear me. I never do understand why restaurants will play music that is loud during dinner hours, but maybe that’s just my opinion.

Overall outstanding food. I had The Sheridan hot sandwich and it was mouth watering. Our server provided excellent recommendations and was very friendly. Very cool atmosphere both inside and outside. This was my first time here and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be back again for sure.

My first time visiting this place. I usually don’t leave reviews after one trip, except for places that excel at service and food. Coming back for sure.

Hit this place up for lunch, great location and really friendly staff. Our buddy is a beer guy, so came here for him. I had the Coney Dog, with the homemade mustard. Damn good. Wifey have the Cheesy Chicken Tortilla soup, this was great. Our buddy said the beers were great too.

I feel fortunate to have The Main Ingredient Ale House in my neighborhood. To be walking and biking distance from this little gem is so convenient!
I’ll start off with the amazing awesomeness– Happy Hour! All day Happy Hour on Monday and I believe 11am-​6pm Tuesday-​Sunday. All cocktails from the bar are half off ($ 4 Crown on the rocks). They have a small but solid selection of craft beers on draft, those are priced at $ 2.50 on happy hour, so money!
I’ve frequented The Main Ingredient multiple times, and I’ve been hooked on Courtney’s Cobb Salad ($ 10)!! It’s the only entrée I’ve ordered each and every trip, it’s so damn good, just order it and thank me later! The home made ranch dressing is the reals, it’s so mouth watering and really elevates the salad to the next level.
The TMI toast was good, but I think the toast was a little to crispy. The delicious jalapeño spread would be more enjoyable with something a little less crunchy in my humble opinion, still enjoyable nonetheless.
The outdoor, dog friendly patio is also what makes The Main Ingredient so pleasant. If you’re in the area or looking for a nice spot to grab a few drinks and enjoy some great food, don’t hesitate to make your way down.

Love this place. I’ve never had anything I didn’t enjoy, but the green chili stew and the TMI toast are among my favorite things to get. Service is always good, and the atmosphere at night is really nice and romantic. Its also a great spot for lunch. There is a nice selection of wine, cocktails and beers, and it is in a great location!

This was my first visit, but I will definitely be back!
The appetizers were awesome (we had the Artichoke Heaven and TMI), the prices were more than fair, JJ took great care of us, and the space is ADORABLE! It feels like you are over at a friend’s house :)
I can’t wait to go back! :)

As a rule delicious but don’t come during rush as service suffers. I’be been known to wait 20 minutes. It’s noisy inside for those who have tender ears.

Found in a little house on the corner of Sheridan + 7 Street. Parking lot outside with about 14 spaces. This restaurant is very bright and cheerful with lots of cool art on the walls and soothing music playing in the background to make this experience relaxing and very inviting. The menu has a really good mixture of salads, sandwiches and specialty foods. Our waiter JJ was very knowledgeable about the menu, and very helpful. Our food came hot and smelling delicious. my husband got the chili and I got the steak sub. My husband who is very critical about his chili said it was made to perfection. Okay my steak sandwich was not a Philly cheesesteak like you get in Philadelphia but it was still delicious. Would I go back to this restaurant you betcha. I did forget to mention that outside they have a perfect seating arrangement for sitting outside and enjoying the Arizona weather. They are open Monday through Thursday till 11 p.m.. Friday and Saturday they are open till midnight. And on Sunday they close at 9.

An «ale house» with just 8 taps. Hmmm. Should have been a red flag.
Mac ‘n cheese with mild green chiles. Sounded good. But wasn’t. Came out in a slab, like an dry serving of lasagna. Really dry. And not really hot, just lukewarm.
The Cobb salad was good though. I’d have refused to pay if they had screwed that up.
Not a place I will come back to.

Quaint old house! Guacamole was yummy. I ordered a side with the tacos. Alberto was a friendly and attentive server. We appreciated his service. A nice place to hang with friends or in my case, my hubby. Nice music. A must try. We’ll be back!

Love this neighborhood and all the eateries in the area, including Main Ingredient! This is a house that was converted into a restaurant, but you can still see the layout of the home with the rooms being separated. I ordered the veggie sandwich & Mac & cheese which was amazing! Love the beer selection here too! Good prices, great food, and excellent customer service! You won’t be disappointed coming to this cozy restaurant!

Really cute restaurant on 7^th street that’s sits on the corner with both available seating inside and a cute patio outside. I came for a late dinner with a group of friends, so we sat outside on a very chilly night. One of the managers was kind enough to start a fire pit for us! Two thumbs up for them! The servers were very nice and attentive to a big group.
Good variety of craft beers and food. I ended up going with a panini that was very tasty and filling. Will definitely come back and try out more of the menu!

Its quite embarrassing reading some of these pretentious reviews from my fellow Unilocalers. The Main Ingredient is what Arizona needs in terms of Downtown establishments that arent looking to impress anyone and theyre quite comfortable with their own identity.
In short summary; if you’re not a TRUE hip hop fan and favor the god awful sounds of Fetty Wap, 2Chainz, etc, this isnt the place for you. Strictly Atmosphere, MF Doom, etc being played over the speakers.
Dont even look at the menu; in what may sound like a safe choice, The Mac & Cheese is to DIE for. Ive gone broke ordering three plates one time (TRUE STORY).
And to wash it all down, choose from any number of solid draft beer choices on tap. Theyre typically the first to have out of market and/​or seasonal brews. Back before Pumpkin Porter became the popular behemoth that it is today, I could always count on Main Ingredient to have it on tap 1^st.
ENJOY!!!

I had the green chile stew. It was amazing! The good spicy kick with an amazing broth. I love this place it’s regular staple in my business lunches downtown.

I love this place. Kristen is absolutely wonderful and the food is always delicious. The atmosphere is so unique and cool.

I love this place. It has a cool vibe, great food, fun staff and (I leaned this last night) awesome all day happy hour on Mondays! I’m completely sold on the green chile stew, but have loved everything I’ve tried there as well.

DOWN TOWN GEM! That’s what this place is. The renovated 1920s bungalow turned restaurant is so perfect. We stepped inside this place, and as it was darling inside, it just turned into patio weather that day. And for me… That’s the only option when you have a nice patio with patio seating still available. So we sat at a long kind of bar top outside to look out on the down town street corner. They have a place to give your dog a drink, a place to park your bike, and all kinds of down town goodies. They had a nice selection of craft beers. They were on Happy Hour. It seemed to me that they are always on happy hour. But I didn’t find a happy hour menu. We were just please that when we got the bill they were much cheaper than what was posted on the drink menu. The food menu was filled with delicious, and different options. We decided to do one a little out of the ordinary, and one staple dish. The first meal was their Cash Money… house-​made cashew butter, Red Pepper-​Cabernet Jelly, & banana, on sourdough. It was a great spin on a traditional PB&J. Makes me want to experiment at home. I do think that next time I will ask for a little extra Red– Pepper-​Cabernet Jelly though. The second dish we got was The Acapulco Cheesesteak… juicy roast beef, Oaxacan cheese, griddled red pepper & red onion, cilantro, & house-​made chipotle mayo, on baguette. This is THE BEST Cheesesteak I have EVER HAD. My husband agreed. And he is a Cheesesteak fanatic. That cheese, with those perfectly cooked red peppers, and that chipotle mayo… You CAN NOT go wrong. And after all that, the bill was not bad at all. We were pleasantly surprised. We cant wait to go back and try more.

Been here a few times and really like it. Chill vibe with a nice patio area. Parking here can be difficult, small lot and the neighborhood nearby is usually pretty full too.
Beer selection here is usually good. They don’t have a lot of taps, but usually have a beer or two I haven’t seen before which is rare. Beer on tap is always reasonably priced too, don’t think I have paid more than $ 5 and I know I have gotten beers I paid $ 7-​$ 8 for at other places.
Food is really good. The BLT I got here was the best I have ever had. Amazing bacon and really fresh avacado. I’ve come with a big group before and not one person had anything but rave reviews for what they ordered. The Mac and Cheese and Griddled Cheese were both highly recommended by multiple people.

This place rocks. They are pretty damn consistent in high quality. Super chill vibe with cozy tables and walls decorated with 90s hiphop vinyl. Dog owners will enjoy a well misted dog friendly patio.
The griddled cheese is excellent for a quick bite. During the week they have 2.50 beers (decent selection of 8 on draft) until late afternoon. The olives are another favorite.

It was my first time at this restaurant and my expectations were high due to the Unilocal reviews. I arrived for happy hour. The parking lot is small but we managed to find a spot. We walked in to what I felt was a frat house with a whole bunch of tables. There was so many people, I was overwhelmed and I didn’t know how to guide myself to a seat or a host.
I see a girl standing to what seemed to be a waitress and she tells me it is open seating. Ok… It looks like there was one small table in the corner for two and I take it. Right away, I hated it! The sun was beaming through the window and I can feel myself get hotter and sweatier as I wait for some hospitality. A guy drops off menus and doesn’t say one word. The corner felt so dirty, there were at least three or four flys nesting on the windows, and I was very uncomfortable.
I look over the menu and the drink menu is pretty good but the food menu is really limited. While waiting, we hear either rap or rock music blaring, but it seemed like the speakers were blown. The waitress finally arrives and I order the Peach Bellini, the TMI toast and the artichoke dip. Happy hour prices are for drinks only — bummer…
The appetizers arrived at least five minutes before our drinks which I thought was weird — shouldn’t the drinks come first? The artichoke and toast was nothing great and the drink was super strong! Am I at a college party? I sure feel like I’m at one. There was no A/​C on and there was a fan going so it was pretty muggy.
Anyway, the flys could not stop bugging us especially since our appetizers arrived and by that time with two sips of my drink, I wanted to head out the door. I didn’t even want to wait for the waitress to come back to order the popular sandwiches.
We finally see our waitress, ask for our check, paid and never looked back.

Still a big fan. Happy hour continues to be a great deal with half price cocktails, half off pints, and $ 4 house wine. West coast is still great if you like rum. Key Limetini is amazing — so refreshing, so delicious, and strong. A couple of these will knock your socks off. TMI lemonade is also great. I could rotate between all three drinks all day, but common sense tells me this isn’t the best idea I’ve ever had.
Chips and salsa are great and a bit spicy. TMI toast sounds great but I thought the cream cheese dip was bland and not worth the calories. Sophie’s salad is delish. Veggie quesadila is also really good and comes with a nice side of salsa and guacamole. Griddled cheese is so great — my husband likes adding bacon to make it even more hearty and delicious. BLT is also good, and veggie sandwich is yummy. I am not a big fan of the jive turkey sandwich — the meat is super dry, and there’s too much of it. The sandwich kinds of falls apart and makes a big mess, and trying to piece it back together isn’t really worth it.
Service and prices are good. Parking is pretty ample, although during happy hour it can be hard to grab a spot. Overall, still quite good!

Very cool place nestled inside an older house where you dine in the living room, dining room and a bar area set off to the side. It has a relaxing feel like you’re hanging at a buddies house and the lighting is just perfect.
The music yesterday was unfortunately all over the place from rap to older musical icons but it was generally good. I just don’t like rap but that is a personal choice. It might also be a bit loud for some as it was for me but only when more rap like tunes were on so again perhaps it is just my tastes. As the evening progressed the music seemed to mellow a bit which was welcome but happy hour times seem to be a little too «in yo face» for me.
I’ve been here three times and usually gravitate to the BLT which has the best bacon on it I’ve ever had. It is almost more like a soft jerky than bacon and the flavor of the sandwich is sublime. The menu is quite diverse and everything is reasonably priced and well portioned. I was not able to finish my BLT and I am a pretty big eater.
I found a new beer which was Stone’s Delicious IPA which is aptly named. Wow this is a good brew and unlike many of the Stone brews, does not knock you upside the head with a truckload of intense flavor. It is well balanced IPA similar to a Deschutes fresh squeezed ipa or a Green Flash IPA. Terrific!!!
Service was good though I have been outside when it was a little slow. The bartender was on top of everything which was where we dined last night. Parking can be a little crowded but considering the area there really are no solutions. Overall a very cool place with a great vibe.

I was in here with a friend for lunch the other day and really enjoyed the experience. It wasn’t too hot yet so we sat on the front porch. There was a cute stray cat that hangs around and was fun to interact with during our meal.
We started with the artichoke dip which was very good. I also had the Acapulco cheesesteak sandwich which was nice and spicy.
They have a decent craft beer selection and happy hour prices for most of the day.

Both times I’ve visited The Main Ingredient, it was Mainly a disappointment.
This is based on two main things.
Thing 1:
Nothing on the food menu on either visit jumped out, making me feel, Oh I Have To Have That!
I had the Jive Turkey on my first visit and the Cash Money on my second. Both were good sandwiches but again neither made me yearn to come back in a hurry…
Thing 2:
The service is average at best, in fact, on our second visit the service… errr… server was awful. I side stepped from saying all the service was bad because actually the bus staff were great. They were attentive, friendly, and kept asking if we wanted our waters refilled.
Our server on the other hand, never put in our appetizer ordered and overall just seemed flighty and was inattentive. After a while, when she realized she hadn’t put in the order she came over and apologized, but it was downhill from there. I don’t know if she was embarrassed or what, but she then got even less attentive. They weren’t busy either… It was just bad…
As far as the vibe, I like the old house reused as a restaurant atmosphere. Although both times we’ve eaten here, we didn’t sit inside, but instead chose the patio.
Overall, an okay place. It’s worth checking out once, but this second visit will more than likely be my last.

We heard about the fantastic Happy Hour prices extended all day on Monday, so decided to check it out. The restaurant is housed in an old home in downtown Phoenix. We sat at a table on the patio. The menu is made up of sandwichs and appetizers, a small selection of wine and beers, including some craft options.
The staff was friendly and made us feel welcome.

Friends and I stumbled in here seeking shelter. This is Arizona and we desperately needed some air conditioning. (Never, ever move outside of «winter». Ok?)
Ponying up to the bar area I studying the food menu. Overwhelmed by the salad and sandwich options I opted for the soup of the day. (I was ravenous but had already consumed my bread components for the day.) I’m happy to report that soup is served waaaay faster than sandwiches (Ha ha ha! to my friends.) The mushrooms were large and the the soup was not a heavy bisque as I feared. My belly was fully.
If you’re in the market for a sandwich the portions are HUGE. I’d go back for those. Patio space here is made for people watching. The bar, although cozy, is filled with charming regulars who clearly know each other well. One chap pointed out where the purse hooks were located. (I won’t tell you the borderline inappropriate joke shared. I laughed. It’s that kind of place.)
There’s a television above the bar. Nothing obtrusive. My only surprise was being presented with an open bottle of Canada Dry seltzer when I asked for soda water. I’m not adverse for paying for it. I would have just appreciated being asked. Neat place to hang out at.