Saddle Ranch Chop House

This place is out of business as of Monday morning. The staff were called that morning and to not come in as the owner is closing the doors.
What a douche thing to do… oh wait it is in Old Town, so par for the course…

I don’t know why people keep insisting on coming here, but rest assured if there is a birthday, anniversary, or promotion someone will enthusiastically suggest Saddle Ranch as the venue to celebrate.
Maybe it’s the mechanical bull… but for me watching some 19 year old ride the bull while some 40 year old dude wearing an affliction shirt and years of regret shouts inappropriate things at a girl young enough to be is daughter is more the makings of a To Catch a Predator episode rather than a good time.
I know it’s not the service… I’ve been to multiple locations, and this one multiple times, and I can tell you it isn’t the service. Unless your favorite type of beer is an empty one, then this is your joint.
Must be the cotton candy. Yes, that’s it. If you really need some cotton candy and the Arizona State Fair isn’t in town then I suggest Saddle Ranch.

Located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale, we enjoy bringing friends and relatives here. Self parking is a mess here, so I use the valet service that’s at the front of the restaurant. It’s 100x easier than trying to find parking yourself.
The restaurant is huge and offers indoor & outdoor seating as well as seating on the 2^nd level. We’ve always dined in the main dining room on the 1^st floor. Here are some of the menu items I’ve had:
Sweet Potato Fries, $ 8.99
Jalapeño Mac n Cheese, $ 10.99
Black Truffle Mac n Cheese, $ 13.99
Spinach & Artichoke Dip, $ 10.99
BBQ Burger, $ 12.99
Filet, $ 29.99
I have to say that both their Jalapeño and Black Truffle Mac n Cheese dishes are some of the best Mac n Cheese dishes I’ve ever had. They’re a must have with every meal when we’re here.
The Sweet Potato Fries and Spinach & Artichoke Dip are average. The BBQ Burger is amazing… very juicy and sloppy with the BBQ Sauce dripping out of the sides of the Burger when I bite into it… yum!
The Filet is above average… I wouldn’t say it’s one of the best I’ve had though. Although I order it slightly Medium Well, I think they leave it on too long because it comes out more on the well side than I prefer. Most really good Steakhouses will get it right for me.
The atmosphere here is loud and fun. There’s a mechanical bull if that’s your deal… on weekend nights, it’s comical to watch the drunks jump on it. On a few of our visits the server gave us complimentary Cotton Candy for dessert. They’re known for that… it’s very good and always a pleasant surprise when we get it.
Return Factor — 90%

Bravo, Saddle Ranch, bravvooo!!!
Went here for dinner on 3.17.13. It was pretty crowded (as it was delightfully warm and a holiday), but our 3-​person party was seated within a couple of minutes. We were seated on the patio and it was perfect! Good place to people watch too.
Service was friendly and prompt. We all ended up w/​some sort of burger (get the «Original» — soooo heavenly!). I did end up taking some of my burger (due to large volume) home w/​me. They have a nice recipe for their hamburgers. And, they got my order right — bloody rare! Yay!
And, the best part? Free green apple cotton candy for dessert at our table? I love it! It was a bit sweet for my liking but I did enjoy poking holes in our spun sugar «torch». You guys are great! I’ll be back for sure. You have won my heart!
** NOTE: It would be awesome to include baby/​wet wipes while being served the cotton candy at the end — that way you’re not walking away w/​a sticky mess of hands. ;)

Had never been here before. Was just walking by (looking in at the fenced patio), and if it weren’t for the hostess standing out on the sidewalk inviting me to take a closer look inside, I probably would have kept walking. I stepped into the main building entrance where I was again greeted, this time by Ashley (a server) who told me about the place, the mechanical bull, the specials, even some of the buildings history. I felt right at home and decided to take a seat and txt my friend to join me. After she arrived, we were welcomed by the GM (Rob) who came to our table with a tasty treat (his complements) and he spent a good 5 minutes answering our queries about the building, it’s history, the company, their other locations, etc.
This place is AWESOME. I mean, it’s already a cool place, but the people that take care of you here make the experience unforgettable.
Great service and a fun experience.
Highly recommended evening of fun.

I came here for a work event. This place almost defies description, but I will do my best. The atmosphere is a really weird blend of Carnival meets rodeo, swallowed by a steakhouse.
Somehow when I walked in, I missed that they have mechanical bull. Then I was sitting with my co-​workers when alarms went off and people were yelling, and some rocket scientist was riding a mechanical bull. Lol It was very entertaining.
Drinks are ok. They serve wine in these weird plasticy unbreakable wine glasses, which seems suitable considering the mechanical bull, however I really dislike drinking wine from plastic.
I ordered fish tacos which were delicious and sampled some yummy ribs on the appetizer plate. Afterward, they brought us a giant martini glass with freshly made cotton candy. yum.
I will definitely come back, but bringing my husband with me next time.

Just had brunch here on Christmas Day.
Not typical bar food.
Got the breakfast sandwich. Hash browns perfectly crispy.
Husband got chicken n’ biscuits. Yum!
Heavy on the vodka in the cocktails. Love this place!

This our third visit from out of town. First was just after the opening during Super Bowl 42
Always good
Great service and food
Perfect melting pot to meet people

Love their salads. A bit pricey. Fun party atmosphere at all of their locations in AZ. Make sure you wear pants so you can ride the bull before dinner! Great Cotten candy on your birthday!

Pretty cool-​looking bar. Of course, it’s cowboy themed and what’s says cowboy than a cool mechanical bull?!
Really nice atmosphere, came here with two colleagues for drinks (not food) on a Friday night around 11 p.m. Despite the nice atmosphere, plenty of places to sit and stand, and the mechanical bull, there wasn’t a whole lot of people in the bar which isn’t a bad thing since the bar was easy to access, but it seems like this place is more of a sit down/​casual drink spot. Might need to try to come back on a Saturday night to see if there’s more life.
With that said, I would probably come back here to try out their food too and enjoy a beer. I haven’t tried the bull yet (I would need some more drinks before going up in front of everyone haha) but it’s definitely a nice addition to the ranch!

Over the years I have been to Saddle Ranch many times for lunches, date night, or when family is in town and it is always a consistent and great meal for any occasion. I’ve tried a bunch of their food and it is always good with HUGE portion sizes, I have never been home without a to-​go box!!! After almost every meal our table has been served a complementary 3 foot tall tower of Cotten Candy! Very friendly staff!
The one meal I really miss that was recently removed from their menu was the Country Fried Steak. If owners are reading this review, please… please…pleassseee put it back on the menu! k thanks ;)
Also, if you have never taken a bull by the horns… or in this case a mechanical bull… you’ve got to ride the bull for some great country fun!!!

This place is disgusting. Too many married or just plain old single men hovering around the mechanical bull with their cameras in hopes they’ll see a women’s tits flop out or land on their lap.
Overpriced drinks, creepy artificial bartenders and too many old perverted men who haven’t been laid in some time or hope to cheat on their wifey and kids.

We decided to do a little bar hopping and started here… It was full of fabulous people and in Giants gear! Wuuhuu! People were riding the bull, music was playing people were laughing, drinking, eating and having a great time. This experience was way better than the one I had at Universal, California.
We ordered drinks only… munchies not kicked in yet.
The Sweet Tea served in that big carafe was very good. It’s 13.00 bucks but well worth it! Cheers!

Definitely a fun place to go with a group. There is a large bar and they are usually very accomidating if you are with a good amount of people. The main attraction at Saddle Ranch is the bull riding ring. Even if you’re not taking part in it, it is still amusing to watch others give it a try.
I wouldn’t say the food is amazing, but I thought the sandwich and fries I had hit the spot and were reasonably priced.
Also, I have been here for bloody marys on a Sunday and enjoyed sitting outside with some drinks.

Nice bartenders. My group spent a small fortune on drinks and the bartenders gave us a round of Christmas shots for free.
Food was gross though, I will not eat that crap again.

I have been here a few times for lunch but never by choice. It is a top pick for team lunches since it is right around the corner from my office building and they can easily accommodate a large group. Despite what you make have heard (or seen) about Saturday nights, this place is really slow during the day, especially in the low tourist season. It is kind of a cool place with the funky western décor and the whole urban cowboy thing going on but I just really don’t care for the food. It is a pretty boring menu and overall they seem to choose quantity over quality and that just doesn’t do it for me.
So, why three stars you ask? Well, I went here tonight for Happy Hour and actually had a pretty good time. The appetizers were very tasty (quesadillas and onion rings for me) and everyone commented on how good the drinks were. And everything was half price! I got a giant size glass of Stella Artois (they have it on tap) so I was pretty happy. The friendly bartender kept the party going with some free shots. Albeit they were «girly» ones, more sugar than alcohol, but hey we did all have to drive home after all. Well, not me actually; fortunately, I car pool.

**THREE SOLID STARS FOR THE SADDLE RANCH**
We met our group here for the party bus and enjoyed an average brunch which included bottomless mimosas.
I personally drank 10.
Didn’t realize that there was a bull to ride. The ATM machine charged me $ 3.50 for the transaction fee which I thought was BULL.
ORDERED:
*SCRAMBLED EGGS as a side — Tasted overcooked and sloppy.
*BANANA NUT FRENCH TOAST — Not the kind that would make me jizz in my golf skirt, but it was OK. The bananas were not ripe and the flavors were meh. There were three slices and we finished two.
With the 10 mimosas, the day did get better.
I wouldn’t recommend this place for brunch. Maybe for the bar and the bull.

Let me just start by saying the 4^th star I’m giving this place is based on when I used to come here (we’re talking over 2 yrs ago) every now and then for breakfast or lunch when I was still living in AZ. I just glanced over the menu and it pretty much looks the same, so I’m assuming the food is just as good (breakfast and lunch-wise…not sure about dinner). I used to love the breakfast burritos here and they used to have this FABULOUS lunch special I’m not sure if they offer anymore ($ 3.99 for half a wrap, salad or soup AND a soda!).
This review is mostly for Saddle Ranch as a bar/​night club (which is more like 3 stars). As far as I’m concerned this place is A-​Ok. It’s not my favorite place to go to in Scottsdale, but you can certainly do much worst. I was just in Scottsdale recently visiting family & friends and popped in here for a couple drinks on a Friday night and it was pretty much just as I remembered it.
The one thing I really like about this place is that it’s big! The patio is large, there’s a lot of seating around the bar, there’s booths, and there’s an upstairs with plenty of tables. It’s no secret that Scottsdale is full of douchebags so it’s nice to know if you’re sitting/​standing near one (or several) there’s plenty of places within the same bar you can relocate to.
To be honest, besides the mechanical bull (which I’ve never been on) there’s nothing about Saddle Ranch (for better or for worst) that really stands out for me and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The crowd is often pretty mixed (douches, cougars, bachelorette parties, ASU students, middle-​aged couples having a «night out,» etc…). I can’t think of any particular drink specials this place offers, but the vodka/soda’s I had the last time I was here were pretty strong, so that’s good!
If you’re someone who’s anti-​Scottsdale you probably won’t like this place. If you’re someone who wants the most Scottsdale-​like experience possible there are places more douchey than this. If you’re in Old Town, like alcohol (who doesn’t?) and doesn’t mind a large mix of people Saddle Ranch is a pretty good spot!

We stopped here during one of our many Old Town Scottsdale bar crawls. Imagine at least 50 people dressed in Santa (reindeer, snowmen, Mr. and Mrs. Claus) suits invading this place.
Many of our friends rode the mechanical bull to loud cheers from the crowd. One of my friends was lucky enoguh to meet and flirt with the manager. She was treated to a huge yellow cotton candy feast and a dish of blueberries. I should be so lucky.
Saddle Ranch has a large interior with an outdoor patio (for the smokers, but not for the people who want fresh air because of the stinkin’ smokers).
We’ll be back, so stay tuned for the next bar crawl and our crazy antics. You should be so lucky.

I’ll start off by saying that Saddle Ranch Chop House is one of the few places open on Sunday around 3pm… that’s how we ended up eating a late lunch /​early dinner there. I called Arcadia Farms, Orange Table, Sugarbakers, and Bandera with no such luck… so, Saddle Ranch came to the rescue in that sense.
I was with 2 girlfriends and we all decided that it was probably ‘first a bar, then a restaurant’ based on the food we had. 2 of us shared a cobb salad and a veggie burger, and the other had one of the chicken wraps. Cobb salad — eh… (maybe it would’ve been better with tomato but because of the recent scare, no tomato for us!) Veggie burger — not so much — pretty bad but we dressed it up with avocado, lettuce, ketchup, and mustard. We did have the sweet potato casserole as a side and that was delicious — on the sweet side though so be warned!
I did notice a decent size breakfast menu and of course the bull that was resting during the time we were there… he probably had a rough night the night before!
Service was just ok… waitresses (and I do say waitresses because they are all women) are all showing their midriffs and a little bit ditzy. It took awhile to get drink refills and to pay our bill, but it was fine.
There you have it… 3 stars for Saddle Ranch for now. I’ll be back for the beer tower (not the food) if and when i return!