Best Contemporary American Restaurants in Waterfront

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!

We had the perfect Valentine’s Dinner date! I called because we were runnning a few minutes late but luckily we pulled into one of the 5 parking spots at the restaurant. The hostess and gentleman were both pleasant and to my delight seated us in front of the best table on the patio in my opinion. I had seen this table on IG and had requested it on my notes on open table. I was told when I confirmed my reservation, the previous week, that the table most likely would not be available because of the rain predicted for that day and that it was Valentine’s and couldn’t be guaranteed? That really made my evening when we were seated there after all that!!! The weather was perfect for patio dining and the ambiance charming. My husband had the Branzino and I had the Sea Bass. Both were excellent. Our waiter Cameron was attentive as well as the entire staff. We had the chocolate dessert which was good but I felt the desserts could have been better considering the upscale menu. Think Lon’s at Hermosa Inn). I loved the history of the restaurant/home and how it was built in 1939 and one of the oldest residences in Scottsdale. Overall we had a lovely Valentine’s dinner and would recommend this restaurant.

Always treated warmly and graciously like a guest at someone's home. The food is beyond compare and Arcadia Farms remains one of our special day treats!

Went to the Herb Box with a party of four for a pre-dinner show at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Can definitely recommend. I'm the vegan of the group, and the vegan options were superb. Additionally, a couple of us no longer drink, and HB's mocktails were quite good. The restaurant can get a little loud, and when there was a rush of people they could've used some extra servers to help out, but those are minor nits. Would come back here again for sure.