The Strand

Good inexpensive lunch stop. Great food. Never had a problem getting seated during the lunch rush. We go pretty regularly and will continue to.

My office ended up choosing The Strand to have our post holiday luncheon here. I’ve been here before and never had an issue until now. There were 11 of us who were able to make the reservation we made in advance. When I made the reservation with specifics the host said they can accommodate our needs. We had two tables. At the table I was sitting at we had no issues. I told the waitress that we had previously asked if separate checks were fine and that we were doing that. She said ok no problem. I’ve had the lobster mac and cheese there which is delicious. I wanted to try something new this time. I opted for the pomodoro. When my food arrived it look delicious because it was plated so well. First bite no so good… it was very much flavorless! I had to add lots of salt. I had a few of the other women try it and they said it was very bland! We noticed our other table seem to be having problems but couldn’t tell what was going on. After our lunch I asked one of the ladies how her lunch was. She said her meat came out burnt on the salad and the other women’s lunch were not good either. Their chicken was cold and the noodles were over cooked. She then began to tell me that the waitress stared to bring out their bill without asking if they wanted anything else. They told the waitress they wanted to order dessert. That didn’t sit well with the waitress as she began to cop an attitude with them. After that she brought the bills again and this time the bills were wrong. When they brought it to her attention she told them «separate checks are a privilege». She was really rude to them. When we were leaving I asked the waitress why she would say the comment about separate checks. She blew up at me as if it were my fault. I told her that the restaurant had no issues with doing separate checks as I had previously cleared that. She stared yelling at me then rudely threw her hands in my face and snubbed me! I asked for my bill back to remove her tip for what she had just done to me as I didn’t appreciate it! She threw the bills down in front of me and told me to find it! I did and I removed my tip! She continued to yell and throw her hands in my face! While all of this was going on there was a man standing next to us working behind the bar. He was witnessing the entire incident go down. All he said was «that’s enough». I’m not sure who he was saying that to. I walked out pissed! My coworker called the restaurant to speak with the manager. He got on the phone and introduced himself by the name Adam. Come to find out that was the man/​manager who was witnessing the incident and not stopping his employee from acting the way she did! Great managing skills Adam! To top it off he also said the «waitress» we we had who was rude and the one yelling at me was also a manager! I would put her name on here but she refused to give me her name. Adam continued to tell my coworker that she walked out and quit! Good! Someone like that who treats customers the way she did doesn’t need to represent a restaurant in my opinion! Overall I give this restaurant a bad rating due to the horrible customer service and bland tasting food! Would never go back! Would never recommend to anyone! Much better places downtown to eat at!

We walked in after a Suns game and it was 9:30 P.M., which was almost closing time. The service was great, our waitress didn’t make us feel rushed at all. I ordered the caprese as an appetizer, which was so tasty, it must have been the balsamic vinaigrette they used. For my entrée I chose the lasagne and it was perfect! I’ve had lasagne in Rome and in Florence and this was very similar in taste. I’d love to go back and try more of their menu.

I took my brother and his GF for dinner.
Food:
Calamari appetizer: good amount to split between three, nice crunch and tasted fresh.
Creamy Alfredo w/​chicken: my brother ordered it, I tried it. Very creamy. He finished it all.
Salmon and Grilled Vegetable: I ordered this, the salmon was so flavorful and juicy. Really enjoyable meal. I don’t usually like salads, but this hit the spot after all the holiday carbs.
Pomodoro: the GF got this. I didn’t try it, but she said it was good.
Drinks:
Cabernet Sauvigon — I love wine, I ordered it to expand my brother’s palette… we switched drinks and he really liked the cucumber martini.
2 Cucumber Crush Martinis: I tried it, soo yummy. It was strong, but still had flavor. Hit all around!
Ambiance: loved the decorated walls and interesting lighting fixtures. We were the only ones there for a while until a family came in. It’s a hidden gem.
$ 100 for three people!!? Yes, definitely worth a try, I will have to take others there when I go back in town.

The calamari we ordered was cold and the food was just very bland. I don’t suggest coming here.

On New Year’s Day my niece and I came after our ice skating date.
I’ve passed by this place a few times and we where happy they where open on this holiday.
My niece had their cheese pizza and I had their meatball strand! She gave this place a good two thumbs up.
On my end, I liked the meatballs very much. Unfortunately, the spaghetti was over cooked and the bread and pesto they bring out was cold and the pesto a little runny.
All in all, not bad and we left with our bellys full!

Service was very friendly and laughed at all my jokes! I got the Old Negroni to drink which is very strong and a preferred taste, but I loved it. To eat I had the Crab Linguini which changed my life, it’s very savory and spicy, AMAZING!

Horrible experience!!!
–waited 15 mins for a waitress
–Sangria taste like water
–Alfredo taste like hamburger helper
On top of that the manager wanted to do nothing to make our first experience better!
We will never back!!!

We needed a quick place to eat before watching the Suns game nearby and we stumbled upon The Strand. We were seated right away and the service was quick and efficient! We decided to order the Lobster Mac and Cheese to share since I wasn’t that hungry. The portions were not generous but it was enough to satisfy our appetites.
There was so much cheese in our dish and the flavor was good, but not great. The restaurant was packed with high energy and lots of people and I could see it was a great place to mingle.
For me and my husband, I don’t think we would seek out this restaurant specifically just to have dinner since we already have a list of restaurants we would be happy to drive to and dine at. However, if you’re in the area and want Italian, check it out!

Ordered butternut squash ravioli
It was great but oily
The entrée quickly came out and it was super busy which is always a red flag to me
Chicken Parmesan came out cold
Waitress was awesome sent it back
Next one came out just as fast
They basically shoved it in the oven so it came out hot but the breading was super soggy. Basically sliding off the chicken in a pasty clump.
I wouldn’t eat here again
Service was amazing which is why I gave it two stars
Food not so much

Great service, excellent location and interesting drinks!
This is a small restaurant within CityScape. My first visit was during the Urban Ale Trail in September, but we just got beer, no food.
I went with a friend to grab some late night dinner on a Sunday night. I ordered a quinoa vegetable-​based dish. It was better than I expected with some interesting spice. The friend ordered some kind of marinara-​based noodles and they were ok, but typical. The drinks were delicious.
The server returned often and was friendly.

Great service, I’ve been here twice; had the Chicken Parmesan on one occasion and Fetucinne w/​Alfredo Sauce on another.

Wonderful service. Great food. Love the ambiance. the only reason for only four stars is that the hostess was clearing and wiping tables which was causing a backup at the very small entrance. They were wonderfully accommodating for two without reservations in a busy Saturday night. I would definitely recommend this place any night. Just make reservations to be safe!

I’ve been coming to The Strand on a regular basis for the last two years. My overall impressions are good, consistent pasta, salads and entrees. The interior of the place is modern, clean and welcoming. The bar is huge and very well organized. Drinks are decent but don’t expect any «craft cocktails» here. The staff is always friendly and service is quite speedy.
If you’re downtown and looking for a solid place to eat, don’t pass this by.

Honestly this place is such a hidden gem. It’s so good! We got the Tortellini, Seafood Linguini, and Lobster Mac n Cheese. Let me tell you, it was all delicious. They have happy hour too and the Frozen Margarita hit the spot. If you’re in downtown Phoenix, go to CityScape and check out The Strand! Don’t forget to get your parking validated.

This is from an email I sent the restaurant last night:
I am staying in town for business and visited your restaurant for dinner tonight. I know that some servers dislike a party of one for dinner, but Analicia is not one of them. She and another woman enthusiastically greeted me at the host stand, even though it was a slow Monday night (no baseball game in town tonight.)
Analicia was attentive and friendly, quickly bringing me my drink and then my entrée. She saw that I was reading so she checked in with me periodically but was never intrusive. When I asked for a box to take the rest of my lobster mac and cheese — which was delicious — back to my hotel, she took the plate and packaged it up for me. She even gave me an iced tea to go.
Terrific food and fabulous employees will bring me back to your restaurant whenever I’m in town. Please thank Analicia and the rest of your staff for making me feel welcome tonight.

Tried this downtown restaurant w/​my 2 colleagues for some Italian fare for lunch last week.
The Strand not only has a clever name, but is situated in a great location for folks who work/​live downtown, or enjoying a concert/​baseball game, etc.
The décor is unique and well-​planned, as it’s not too bright to create a sort of «cool mystery» vibe. The hanging light fixtures are VERY unique and add dramatic flair!
We didn’t dine, but did pick up our lunches at the bar to go. I ordered the grilled salmon with grilled veggies, and my peers had chicken w/​pasta.
I anxiously got back to work and was bummed that my salmon was WAY overcooked. I tried to continue eating, but it was near impossible for the dry flaky mass to pass my throat successfully. I picked around the fillet and ate my veggies which were awesome!
I probed my peers for their experience. They both loved their pasta and were left feeling fat-​n-​sassy!
Despite the dry salmon, I will give them another shot.

The first thing I noticed was that the décor was very cute. The light fixtures had a noodle looking fabric hanging down. I also liked that they were able to accommodate large parties.
Okay let’s talk food! I ordered pasta that the server described as a sauce that was a mixture between Alfredo and spaghetti sauce. I felt the dish needed more sauce. I also thought it would have more veggies based on how it was described. I must say what it lacked in flavor they made up in portions. However, if you don’t love it doesn’t matter how big the portion.

I came here as part of the Downtown Phoenix Wine Walk. We got free brushetta and tried some qines and sangrias.
Brushetta was aoo good… the tomatoes were seas9ned to perfection. And their house wine was a great pairing. I was not dissappoonted at all. And will definitely be back!

It was just… aight.
Came here before watching Dave Chappelle perform at Comerica Theatre. There was also a Phoenix Suns game that same night. I was surprised that we were seated so promptly given that other restaurants around were majorly busy. There was a good amount of people there but service was prompt and our waitress wasn’t too overbearing.
Honestly, I don’t remember what I ordered only because it was mediocre. Whatever it was tasted bland… well, more like blahhhh… and for the amount of money we spent, definitely not worth it.
I think this spot has a lot of potential. I mean, it’s in a great location, in the middle of the hustle and bustle of downtown Phoenix but the menu and its items could use some improvement. I think I’ll just stick to Arrogant Butcher next time (right next door).