Deer Valley Airport Restaurant
702 W Deer Valley Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85027
Deer Valley Airport Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Phoenix for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
702 W Deer Valley Rd
Phoenix, AZ, 85027 - Phone (623) 582-5454
- Website https://www.deervalleyairportrestaurant.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :6:30 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Jacob E. G.
I have been going hear since I was born. My family and I have developed a bond with the staff here and I always feel welcomed here. The restaurant has a good atmosphere that fits the concept of a airport. They have these nice plane figures hanging off of the ceiling all around the restaurant. You get a nice view of the runway for the planes so you can watch them take off or land. I absolutely love their French toast. The only problem I have with the food is the bacon at the buffet could at times be over cooked.
(4)Travis M.
So far so gross. I brought my little girls to see planes and eat on Sunday. We opted for the "buffet". Almost no salad bar. The ham was old and floating in water which rendered it tasteless. The eggs were overcooked. The home fries were well done, cold and hard. The chicken fried steak was OK. Pancakes were rubbery. For 10.99 a plate the food was subpar. If it were not for my girls being so excited over the planes I would give it zero.
(1)Marisa S.
I don't really come here for the food. It is not bad, but it is not anything to write home about, however, during Christmas, it is such a fun time to see Santa land on a Helicopter, my twins go crazy. I will probably have a couple more years of "believe" time, so I need to milk it. It was a little crazy, but well worth their happy little faces. My little girl keeps telling everyone now that Santa is "really real" because she saw him and touched him. She actually almost mugged him, she was hanging from one of his sleeves, almost taking his bell. I will definitely come back next year.
(3)Analise H.
My daughter likes this restaurant because of the planes. However, last week we went for the breakfast buffet on the weekend and had a very bad experience. After getting biscuits and gravy from the buffet I found a long hair all in my gravy when I was back at the table, I literally didn't want to eat anymore. I went up to the buffet again for my child and saw they had either added more gravy to the pot or switched it out. This all happened after we had been given our check and our waiter never came back after I found the hair, which is fine, we were almost done and it was busy. When I went to the counter to pay I was asked how everything was and I told the woman, who's always the cashier there about the hair. She then asked me if I told the waiter and I explained that he hadn't come back. I understand this is a buffet and the hair may very well been from another customer. However, it was the total unprofessional manner in which the cashier chose to act that actually gave me a bad experience. She continued to act as if everything was my fault because I didn't notify my waiter and she continued to lecture me about it without apologizing for the situation or offering anything to make it better. She left a worst taste in my mouth than the hair.
(1)Valerie M.
Came here for a meeting of the Working Dog Club of Arizona. Accidentally left my purse and didn't realize this until I was across town. Called and spoke to Brittany and confirmed it was still there, sped across town again to pick it up. Arrived about 20 minutes after making the call. Was pleased I was able to get my purse back. Was NOT the least bit pleased to find my payment for a previous day judging assignment had been depleted by 20%. Hmm. Now who would have done that?! Thanks so much for staying there so I could retrieve my purse. A small compensation would have made its way into my hands had there not already been money missing. Who knew they had a "finders fee"?! Extremely disappointed since this club plans to meet at this location monthly. I will be making a call in the morning. Will also encourage the club to put further consideration into meeting elsewhere.
(1)Kimberly M.
We went here for Father's Day this year. It was busy but we were seated rather quickly. This place is amazing with the ambiance , food , and wait staff. The wait staff is friendly and helpful. Always making sure of what we need. The food that was ordered was fast and delicious. The two of us who had buffet's , the buffet's were yummy and had a wide selection of breakfast food. I can't say enough of how great the food and people are there. It keeps us coming back for more.
(5)Isabel G.
We went here on Sunday to have their prime rib special. It was decent, just needed a dash more salt. Overall our experience was enjoyable. The staff was very friendly and helpful, especially with my 2 year old nephew. They gave him some crayons and paper to keep him preoccupied =). The staff checked in on us pretty often which was nice. My friend had their pecan pie and she said it was really good. And if you like planes, there are a slew of them hung on the ceiling which I thought was really neat! I think we'll probably come here again since its so close.
(3)Mike W.
When we arrived around 3pm the place was pretty deserted. We asked to site outside so we could watch the planes but were told do to a recent storm, the tables and chairs were damaged. We ordered a couple kid meals and they didn't come with drinks. The staff was accommodating and was able to give sauces on the side. I got a burger and it was just a normal burger. Nothing to write home about but it served it's purpose. I heard an older couple complaining the potatoes were not seasoned and overcooked. The staff also accommodated them without questioning. They have tons of model planes hanging from the ceiling which is a pretty cool feature. Overall the place was just average and only gets a three star vote from me.
(3)Patrick D.
Great place for kids or aviation fans. My 3 year old son enjoyed a pancake in the shape of Mickey and devoured two slices of bacon. I enjoyed a vegetable omelet but the home fries stole the show. Overall, a fun experience.
(4)Ian H.
Dear Deer Valley Restaurant, Please add the following to your ingredients list. 1. Salt 2. Pepper Thank you. Sincerely, Our taste buds Food was bland, clam chowder had the consistency of mashed potatoes, had to ask for my soup after wandering around the buffet for about 5 minutes looking for a kettle or something. Buffet area was disorganized, not well lit, and needed a good cleaning. Will give breakfast a chance.
(2)Jim B.
Their Fried Chicken is just awesome! Try the Chicken Rice soup on Sunday's as it is the best i've had. Great food, great service, great location. This is a must go restaurant that has great food with a great atmosphere for the whole family. They have a great viewing space outside for watching planes. My kids love it. They are great with kids. The staff and ownership know and say hello to people by first name so they must have a lot of regulars. Bring the kids. I even saw a huge private room for big parties or events which is always nice to know.
(5)Chris C.
So this is a place, with food. That much cannot be denied. But you know what? It's a small airport restaurant, and if you're flying in for a $100 hamburger, then a $100 hamburger you can have. And patty melts. And salads. And whatever other Sysco-type delights you might expect. (It was even prime rib night when we were there, but as it was 20 minutes til closing time, I thought better of it.) I had a perfectly reasonable patty melt myself, and I enjoyed it. The service was really nice, and the views out the window of the evening traffic on approach were phenomenal. Plus, *tons* of model airplanes hanging from the ceiling in the dining area, which was a fun touch.
(3)Leanna A.
In all honesty, the people who rated this place 1 star because they ordered steak and fish at a small airport restaurant deserve a slap to the back of the head. Of course the steak, fish and seafood is going to suck. Come on people. You're at a SMALL AIRPORT RESTAURANT. This isn't Mastro's, nor is it Sky Harbor where you can actually find modified versions of fine dining restaurants. This place is average. Not terrible, not great. Average. My boyfriend took me here on a Friday night because he knows how much I love airplanes. It was a really cute idea. The place was for the most part empty, aside from the glassed off section of the restaurant that was filled with senior citizens who seemed to be attending a seminar. The only thing about going at night is that the windows of the restaurant have a massive glare and it is very hard to see the planes outside when it's dark. Service is so-so. She came, took our drink orders and came back to take our food orders. My boyfriend got the grilled cheese with fries and I got the club sandwich with sweet potato fries (add $.99). The food was decent. The grilled cheese, though, was remarkably small. The fries that came with it were obviously the frozen wedge kind but my boyfriend will eat any type of fries, whether frozen or not. My sandwich wasn't bad. My only complaints would be that the tomato was a bit too ripe and the meats were cut a bit thick. Nothing you can't work around though. The sweet potato fries were actually REALLY good. They didn't seem to be the frozen kind and were cooked perfectly and had a great taste. Both items came with a large pickle spear as well. The prices were somewhat okay. The grilled cheese was around $5/6 and the club sandwich was $9.99 I believe, plus the extra buck for sweet potato fries (worth it!). So. Long story short. Don't come to this restaurant expecting a five star steak. You won't get it here. But if you're looking for a casual restaurant setting with food similar to a Coco's or Denny's type, come here. Plus you get to watch the airplanes, and look at their hundreds of model planes hanging from the ceiling.
(3)Nick N.
This is for the fried chicken entree. There are very few decent restaurants in north phx and the airport has always had a decent breakfast and lunch. The same cannot be said for the $16.45 half of light fried chicken. The size of the of the pieces would hardly pass for a quarter at most places. I really like the restaurant and will be back, but not for supper.
(1)Anita E.
Reasonable price for a good breakfast. Great place to bring the kids they have lots of cool airplanes flying in & out..
(4)Nick B.
Typical diner setting. The food definitely fits in under the quality curve.....service was average.
(2)Michael J.
I love that you can have breakfast and watch the planes take off and land and the food isn't bad either.
(4)Lorelle L.
Terrible, terrible food. I asked for the steak salad done medium. Only a very small portion of the steak was cooked properly and there were tons of slimy lettuce leaves. I didn't expect much from this place but it disappointed even more. My husbands fries were undercooked and they ran out of Mac and cheese for my son. The service was kind of weird, not the best and by the end of the night one of the bus boys was sleeping in one of the booths. Only reason we went here was because we were in a rush. Would never come here again except for soda (which was flat) and maybe the dessert.
(2)Janelle B.
Great place! We had to wait a little bit for our food, but it was worth it! I had chicken fried steak & eggs & the gravy was wonderful & very well seasoned! The steak was tender & crispy on the outside. Loved the home fries, wonderfully crispy. My husband had the BBQ burger, which was very moist & delicious. We'll definitely be back!
(4)Melissa B.
Great wifi. Cool airplanes on the ceiling. The lobby next to the restaurant is great for casual business meetings. It is a little on the pricy side for meals. The view of the runway and planes is nice. It seems to always be busy during lunch. I will be going back.
(4)Richard B.
This is one of our favorite places for breakfast, especially on Sunday morning. They serve the BEST huevos rancheros in town. Service is great and prices are unbeatable. I saw a number of people criticizing the restaurant for the steaks or other evening meals. Can't comment on other meals but the breakfasts are the best around.
(5)Jeff E.
Close by so its very convenient for a good meal. Its also a great place to relax and watch the planes come in. The meal are nice in size and the price is right!! Give it a try!!
(4)Xista G.
Pros: -View of planes coming and going on the air strip -Cheap & decent food (by "decent" I mean Denny's type food) -Interior looks freshly renovated -Very casual Cons: -Servers seem a bit busy (We both ordered club sandwiches w/ fries)
(3)Marvin A.
If not for the aircraft landing and taking off, you'd be crazy to eat here. Prices are about the same as Denney's. Cleanliness, really needs to be improved. Wait Staff, isn't very efficient. Apart from the menu, they do offer a Sunday Breakfast Brunch.
(2)Paul V.
I don't see the need to ever go to this place unless you are flying in or out of the Deer Valley Airport and you just got off the longest flight in the history of flights and there was no food on board. The buffet is just kinda gross. They advertise a fish fry on Wednesdays and Fridays, but I don't see how they feel confident standing by their advertised fish fry. It's just kinda gross. The fried cod was too breaded and the fish didn't seem fresh or prepared right. The lasagna was good, but not worth revisiting this place for. I also sampled the shrimp cocktail (which was ok, but may have given me the shits), fried shrimp (bleh), fried chicken (ok), their soups (weren't very good), chocolate cake (crappy and stale tasting), rice pudding (barely ok), and the table bread was fresh and nice (so stock up on that shit). Oh, and not a fan of their salad bar either really. Sorry Deer Valley Airport restaurant (although really I think you should be apologizing to me), but I'll never be coming back.
(1)Lisa V.
Let me just start by saying I am not super particular about my breakfast joints. To me, breakfast is breakfast. But this place did not hit the mark. When we got there it was packed, which is always a promising sign. We ordered standard breakfast fare, waffles, eggs, bacon, and coffee. The coffee was probably the worst cup I've ever had. The food was greasy and tasteless. My syrup pot had smeared butter and food remnants all over it from the last diner, but they still brought it out to me. The coffee carafe was filthy. I couldn't hardly stomach eating much of my meal, and couldn't get out of there fast enough.
(1)Diego S.
We all make mistakes, its part of being human. Only some people learn from their mistakes while others don't. Well if you know someone in your neighborhood like this, one of those priceless Darwinian gems whose mugshot routinely shows up on the 10 o'clock news, the guy or girl who you suspect is selling dope to all the kids on your street, I strongly urge you to recommend this place to them. Not because I want to gawk at them in the next booth. I don't. And not because I think they deserve DVA restaurant's outstanding breakfast and lunch specials. They don't. It's because this place draws law enforcement officials like shit draws flies. And they don't even sell donuts!
(4)Lady G.
Cool place. Great chicken fried steak and their omelets are tasty. The staff was so friendly! Went there on a Saturday morning and had a nice time.
(5)James S.
We keep going back because our son loves it. Loves to watch the planes take off and land. Beyond that not sure why we go. Most of the food is low quality frozen processed food, not much fresh here. Avoid on a Friday night. The fish buffet reeks really bad. I would for sure stay away from the salad bar. One time I saw salad literally floating in water. We often to have send something back because they didn't micro it long enough and it is cold. The service has always been decent. I've noticed over the 3-4 years we've been going there the numbers dwindling. A little updating a revised fresher menu and that place would be hopping.
(2)Greg G.
Nestled in the heart of the North Valley you will find the Deer Valley Air Port. It is a quaint little airport for non-commercial traffic. There is a variety of aircraft on display and little propeller driven planes are constantly coming and going. This what the romance of flight is all about! Now imagine, if you will, a charming little restaurant with an aviation theme amidst this backdrop of mountains and planes. Complete with outdoor dining and an observation deck to watch the planes taxi and land. Sounds like a nice place, right? Sounds like you'd have to work pretty hard to #&ck up a place with that much natural atmosphere and beauty. Right? Well they did! The food is crappy and the service is non-existent. The price is right in line with Chili's, Friday's, Applebee's, etc. But the service is way off the mark and when I saw the all you can eat fish buffet I almost barfed. In order to get the attention of our wait staff I had to stand by my table and wave my arms violently as if to take flight, and scream "MISS MISS MA'AM MISS HEY LADY YO MISS MA'AM!" She saw me and tried to duck away. Finally when I left the table to track her down, other patrons prevented her escape - all I wanted was silverware, napkins, a straw, and some condiments for our table as they make eating the food she just dropped off much easier. No one ever came by for refills on our drinks. THE BOTTOM LINE: The intrinsic charm of the airport can not be beat but skip the restaurant. Go to the Subway across the street and take your sandwiches to the Observation Deck at the Deer Valley Airport. You'll pay less than half as much, get better service, better food, and you still get all of the romance of flight.
(2)Trevor E.
Great place for an early breakfast. Good value, good service, and airplanes!
(4)Beca W.
Decent food, great prices! Staff is friendly. We go there to see the planes take off and land. My son loves it. Desserts are delish. There's always a coupon to be found online for the food. I'd recommend using one just in case your experience isn't great.
(3)Albert H.
Amazed that this place stays in business. Well, maybe not. People like to look at planes sometimes, and I suppose that any sort of food & service will do as long as you can look at the planes. Then there's the airport employees who don't want to drive somewhere for lunch, and of course the pilots who need something convenient. And I'm not sure why, but a lot of retired folks seem to frequent the small airport restaurants such as this one. Food was mediocre diner breakfast food. My server could barely hear, had a raspy smoker's voice, and seemed to ignore me on several occasions. I inquired about the omelette vs. the pancakes, and the reply was basically whatever you feel like. So I ordered the omelette and then was immediately told that the pancakes looked good today. WTF? Prices are high for what you get - you're paying for the view of the planes, not the food.
(1)Justin E.
Had breakfast there today. The pros were the service and the view. It was cool watching the planes and helicopters taking off and landing. The servers were also very helpful and friendly. The food was average. Something like I would expect from a chain breakfast joint. Probably won't be back.
(3)Mike B.
I am not one to totally trash a business, because I understand that once in a while even the best run business can have a off night, but I can honestly say this was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had, and I have no problem at all posting my review. We went there for the "All you can eat fish Fry" only because we saw an ad and had coupons. While it was a buffet, it was not "all you can eat" as the food was not replenished enough. The food was cold, and they didn't have your typical "fish fry" dishes like cole slaw, french fries, mac and cheese. Instead there was a horrendous selection of lasagna, some sort of stuffed pork dish, stuffing, gravy and some sort of pudding item for dessert. On top of all that, the staff was rude. We had to wait for 5 minutes for the cashier, who when she finally cashed us out didn't ask us how the food was, or engage in any sort of pleasantries. Stay away from this join, far away.
(1)Joe A.
Have been going here for years and usually eat here at least once a month. The airplane views are great and the food is above average. There is a good reason its packed for b-fast and lunch, and thats because everyone likes it here! Give it a try for yourself and see! Oh yea, the french dip is great as are the Greek foods!
(4)Daren C.
DVAP.... You have to go at least once in your life. It really is a neat place with alot of history. The service is great, it appears to be family run. The food is good. Better then Dennys but not as good as Mimi's. I had the all u can eat of beef ribs, lasagna, meat loaf, cat fish, chicken, mashed and diced potatoes, stuffing, rice, homemade apple pie, etc and salad bar. I know I am missing a bunch of stuff they had but you get the drift. They run specials on Prime rib and stuff so you might want to call to see what they are serving the night you go.
(3)laura b.
i've been here many times. the thing that sets this restaurant apart from others is the view. the restaurant is located in the small airport. you sit by large glass windows and have a clear view of the surrounding mountains and small planes that are coming and going. i go here on two specific nites. tuesdays & wed's. tuesday, they have an all you can eat buffet. their ribs are very good and also on the buffet were catfish (a rarity on a buffet) and stuffed bell peppers among other things. all three of these are my favorites. buffet is about $9.00 . on wed's, this is an all you can eat rib nite, $9.00. the ribs are good. they give you plenty of sides, bread, soup, and a salad bar, all for the one price. i've always liked the food and service. i love the view. if you get there before dinner, there is an airport giftshop so you can look around and pick up a gift for someone. they have a full menu including breakfast and a kids menu. go for the ribs or buffet nite. either way, you'll get the ribs. oh yeah, they also have an old fashioned glass case that revolves holding big pies and big cakes. good stuff. they also have outdoor seating so you actually sit right along where the planes are parked and close to the runway.
(4)Thomas J.
I hesitate to include this restaurant as one of my big favorites, but the truth is I eat here probably 15 times a month. Located at the Phoenix, Deer Valley Airport. It is a fairly big airport restaurant. Food is fine, but the location and the people are great. Especially for kids or people interested in airplanes.
(3)John J.
I've eaten here 3 times and I kick myself for going back the other 2 times. The first time it was terrible. It was fish and chips and there was nothing but heavy batter, you had a hard time finding the fish, it must have been thin as a sheet of paper. But I gave it a second chance, figuring it might have been a bad day for the cook. So this time a got adventurous and had a rib-eye steak. What a disaster, it was cooked dry, so overly done I couldn't cut it with a knife. I asked for medium-rare. So, convinced I would not ever go back, until my neighbor begged me to go with her and again, terrible food. This place I would never recommend to anyone and I made it very clear to my neighbor I would not be returning.
(1)James S.
Unlike other posters we have always had good service. We don't do the buffets-not really their thing and they should stop. I would also avoid the salad bar. The food is below average but not awful. You could kind of say it is a Denny's type diner. If you are looking for fresh and healthy this probably isn't your place. I go there for my indulgence once in awhile of chicken fried steak. Our kids really like it because of the airplanes. It is more of a thing to do then a place to eat. We go 4-5x a year but would never make it a regular thing. I think if they improved food quality and spruced the place up a little bit they could have a real gem. If you want hamburgers or other diner food not a bad place..They also use canned veggies-I don't think Denny's still does that. They should use frozen or fresh-don't understand why they don't.
(2)Jay C.
After reading other reviews..I decided I should go ahead and voice my opinion of the place as well. I would never have thought it would cost $25 for lunch for 2. Couple of burgers, beverages and they charge for fries and onion rings. I can't recall anywhere I have been that charges to add on fries and rings. A bacon cheeseburger is $7.99 and adding onion rings brings ya to over $10. Rediculous! The burger patty wasn't even a quarter of a pound if that. Food served warm, not hot :( The portion of fries is fair but 5 onion rings for $2.19? Cleanliness of the place needs work. Condiments on table dirty..ketchup empty etc. I would say Denny's has this place beat for quality and value. When ordering with the server a customer should be informed of additional charges. Even though it says it at the BOTTOM of the menu. You can say I would like that with onion rings, but they will just say SURE. No mention of additional charge. Thumbs down
(1)Amy L.
I've eaten at DVAR before, but didn't remember much about it. Went last night with my son and boyfriend. It's pretty average. I would stay away from the salad bar. It was a very bare-bones type of affair. The soup was tasty, not at all like the canned stuff that they usually serve at diner places.The prime rib was a bit fatty, but the leg of lamb was superb. I would go back just for that.
(3)Marcus D.
I'm an aviation nut and I LOVE airports. I just need to learn to not eat at them. I give this place high marks for the service, and their menu is so "punny" it's painful (yet amusing) to read. And, they have about 100 small model airplanes hanging from their ceiling......reminds me of the room I dreamed of living in as a youth. The breadth of their menu is amazing. Burgers, countless sandwiches, chicken fried steak, regular steak, about 10 different types of fish. (really? fish?) Do you think they fly it in? The one thing that all the dishes have in common is their mediocrity. Just really, really not good at all. My bun was dry...the meat reminded me of the frozen patties you can buy at Costco. Judging from the looks of horror I saw on the faces of our group, I was not alone. Two members of our party actually ordered fish dishes, to my disbelief. Brave souls. So, sorry DVAR. You are my first "2 star" rating. I really DID want to like you.
(2)Kasia J.
Ok so this place is small and looks like an old diner/restaurant but it's so good. Every time I go I get the chicken tenders and I can't get enough. I go back there just when I'm in the mood for good chicken tenders. The fries aren't the best, but also good. Everyone I've been here with hasn't complained about the food, from the breakfast to country fired steak they are yummy!
(4)Andrew K.
I've eaten here a number of times over the years. Clean enough, friendly staff, fun location. I'll be glad when they inevitably go out of business, though. The food is about on par with Denny's, which is to say, not good at all. I give the other star for the location. They have outdoor seating when it's nice out, you can sit and watch the planes take off and land. Fun stuff. This could be a great place, once they get ownership who's willing to throw all the recipes out the window and start over from scratch with higher quality food. If you have to eat here, try a special. If you wanna go to check out the airport, maybe try getting coffee. They're busy at lunchtime. I will willingly eat their breakfasts, that's about it.
(2)Gwen G.
About the quality you would expect from a Denny's but it's nice to watch the planes take off and land.
(3)Kevin B.
Great to take the kids and see the planes. Their breakfast is good.
(4)Harley R.
My family just had the Easter buffet and it was OUTSTANDING! Fresh scrambled eggs, french toast, sausages, fresh fruit, etc. All just plane good. Wait staff was friendly and efficient as always. One waiter we haven't seen in almost a year and he remembered us. We sat outside so the kids, teenagers, could watch the planes go by.
(5)Mandy H.
I'm not a fan of buffets in general, so I ordered from the menu. The omelet I got was no better than what you'd get at waffle house. The service was pretty good, but the waitress seemed a little stressed even though it wasn't that busy. I love to go here, because I have a 2-year-old that loves all things aviation. Being able to watch planes take off and land while you eat breakfast is a fun experience. The food and service could be better for what you pay.
(2)John P.
The only good breakfast buffet's I've had are connected to 4 and above star hotels,come in at over double the price and usually have to dress up better than you would do here. Entrance was chaotic and it took time to work out who was going to issue a number for the queue which looked formidable yet we were seated in under 10 minutes. The buffet was a mixed-bag of good for the type food and phoning it in. The corn beef has is institutional and tasteless without assistance , the breakfast potatoes were not greasy , gravy was good enough to embarrass the biscuit. Pancakes decent, hot syrup a nice touch, and fruit selection fresh enough. Service was good for a full-house and they drop off a coffee pot for you which probably explains why it's good, e.g, get your own food and drink. Barring the planes I wouldn't go out of our way to eat here but you can't divorce them from in this case. Like 2 for food +1 for location.
(3)Tony T.
Here's the deal - I live nearby and often walk over with my young son for breakfast...he loves the planes and I get some exercise. Now I have read all of these reviews and know exactly what and who each person is commenting on - it's funny because I have felt the same way on a few occasions! Go there for a breakfast special of 2 eggs, bacon, hash browns & toast - all for under 5.00 bucks - order water & watch the planes! That is it!! By all means DO NOT order anything else on that menu!! DO NOT eat the numerous buffets, fish frys, prime rib, or any other coupons specials they entice you with - YOU WILL REGRET IT! Nasty! Again, the best and only value is the cheap two egg special and watch the planes with the kids (I'm lucky because my boy like the special too) ...anything else here is a punishment. PS - The service seems to have gotten a little better lately .... however, it was so bad before, just stopping by your table now seems like a blessing...It's a shame - this place could be soooo cool if they just tried a little...
(2)Steve T.
I've been eating here since the early 90s, and it's never really changed. It's always been just average food. It was actually a little better when it was a greasy airport dive, because they didn't have to impress anyone. It was always full of grubby, hungry pilots. Now they've renovated a few times and their prices reflect it. We went there a few weeks ago so the kids could watch the planes. I got the buffet, which was alright. My wife ordered french toast and scrambled eggs. Instead of eggs there was some yellow, folded thing on her plate. She tasted it and said it was gross, so i just loaded up the scrambled eggs from the buffet and gave them to her. One decent thing is that they'll let little ones share the buffet with adults, so you don't have to buy a meal for them. It was still pricey for the quality of food, even with a coupon. My wife surmised that they charge a premium for the view. We'll stick with cracker barrel next time for breakfast. Cheaper and much, much tastier.
(2)Robin G.
I like this place for breakfast. The buffet is pretty good. They have all the breakfast favorites including corned beef hash, scrambled aggs and chorizo, french toast, home fries, biscuits and gravy, etc... Price is not bad for $8.99 a person. It's always busy and the service has been pretty good. They have two large dining rooms and can accommodate large parties and private groups. They also have a very extensive pie and cake selection. You can order pies for the holidays. It's not a fancy place but the food is good and the view of the runway and planes is a great change of pace!
(3)Rebecca S.
Literally everything about our meal was awful. Service was awful ... I ended up re-filling my own soda, obtaining my own condiments, etc. after multiple requests to our server. The salad bar was disgusting, dirty and the fixins looked old, canned and low quality and tasted even worse. Desserts were in a spinning case like you would see at a greasy spoon in the middle of Nebraska and looked like a 5-year-old's cooking project. Chicken was dry, ribs were dry, everything was dry and tasteless. And, no alcohol. Not even beer! The bill was dirt cheap, so the damage was minimal, but still don't bother! There are plenty of other restaurants, including Taco Bell, that are far better in the vicinity.
(1)joe i.
I used to frequent this restaurant years and years ago. I was a student at the Deer Valley airport, and eventually a flight instructor as well. It was a great location with awesome views. The food was always descent the the service was great. Nothing too exciting, but a great place.
(3)P. M.
What every you do don't come here for the dinner buffet, my goodness do they even look at it after the lunch crowd. Seriously it was nasty. What I gather was meatloaf was gray, the popcorn shrimp was all but dust, the broccoli had been there steaming so long that it turned to mush and the tarter sauce had a top layer of yellow. At 12.95 it was a huge waist of money, When we told the waitress she said she had not looked at the buffet, that's wonderful and when we told the manager she took off 5.00. Yeah right like we are coming back for that mess, photos attached, yikes
(1)Kathryn W.
This is a great place to go for breakfast or lunch especially if you enjoy small planes. The burgers are REAL burgers, not those 1/4 inch pressed cardboard things! I LIKE 'em!!! It's a cozy place and has a nice large room that can be reserved for parties or meetings. Parking is not a problem. There are lots of pies and cakes, too, if you have room for dessert!
(4)Becky B.
Dear God, I felt like Gordon Ramsay on "Kitchen Nightmares," although I didn't say the F word out loud and storm out. I was quietly appalled. My husband and I both ordered the filet mignon. The steak was a MISsteak as my husband eloquently said. It looked like it was run over by one of those planes outside the window, then left in a bush, wiped off, heated up, and THEN served with canned mushrooms (ack!) and wrapped in what was some sort of mystery meat ... bacon? The "vegetable medley" was two carrots, two broccoli florets, and the rest were stalks. Obviously from a can. My husband's mashed potatoes made him scared. Literally. He said they tasted like "a trip to the ER." The salad bar tasted of despair. What was really weird was that the family seated next to us was raving about everything. Maybe they just came from Sizzler. Overpriced and underwhelming. Even if you are IN the Deer Valley Airport, go across the street to Culver's.
(1)Ron P.
Good food and great view!
(3)Sharon G.
I've always been attracted to airports. I love that you can watch the planes land and take off while dining. You can also view the colorful hot air balloons and the beautiful Arizona sunset while eating supper at the Deer Valley Airport Restaurant. The food was ...meh, but the company and view spectacular. I'll be back.
(4)William M B.
The Saturday and Sunday buffet is quite tasty. It is all you can eat and well prepared. The fruit is fresh and cut just right. The pancakes are light and fluffy ... Ahhh the Blintzes YUMMY! I think I will go back tomorrow. Thanks to the staff, it was very good.
(5)Mike T.
Good old fashion american diner type restaurant. the $10.99 small prime rib special is a pretty good place to start it's not Ruth Chris, but it is a pretty good meal for a reasonable price salad bar is usually a 2dollar add on. And, worth the 2 bucks. pasta, various beans and bean salad, cheese, and all of the most common salad fixings. they have a specials menu on their website that shows what to expect for the month. I have never been disappointed with breakfast. All of the normal diner type choices available. Desserts are all house made and good. Pie and coffee.. with a great view of the airports runway. Maybe skip the spaghetti or some of the fried food. Like Fried Chicken, as the cooks could use some training on overcooking and temp control. even the quality of the chicken itself left plenty to be desired. But, the chicken fried steak and gravy happened to be pretty good. The service has always been very good.. Give the Pepper Steak a try if it's on the specials menu for the day.. Best thing I've had there. It, was excellent....
(3)Rose F.
My sis and I love this place. Great food at a good price. Can't beat their steak specials. The servers have always been fast and nice. The salad bar has a nice selection too.
(4)Thomas F.
This is an airport restaurant, hopefully that is obvious from the name. I open with that sentence because there are reviewers on here (see the "MIsteak" review) that are obviously way too sophisticated for this restaurant and must have stopped by on their way home to an overpriced debt-hole in Snobsdale thinking they were at Ruth Chris. So, back to the restaurant. The food is good, but usually not great. I had the breakfast buffet one morning and thought it was great, but every other visit has just been good. The food is just part of the experience here. This restaurant is located at the busiest general aviation (general aviation just means no scheduled passenger service) airport in the country. For aviation geeks like me, this place rocks for a big reason - there is a deck above the restaurant that has speakers playing the real-time exchanges between ATC and the pilots. I think that is neat but, like I said before, I'm a huge aviation geek. If you want a restaurant with entertainment after the meal, try this place out.
(4)Cloey K.
Their breakfast is actually not bad. Pancakes could be better. It was packed but we got seated right away. All the kids love it here. If you go here for other than breakfast, you may not like it.
(4)A B.
If you like to watch airplanes while you are having breakfast, lunch or dinner then this place is for you. I was there today after not dining there for a long time and the restaurant was packed and it was loud. I joined two friends for lunch and I admit t is nice to have a view of the runway and planes taking off and landing since like airplanes ! I had the gyro sandwich and it was good as usual. I find it kind of pricey at $ 8.89 for the sandwich only. Sides are additional. The menu is quite comprehensive and I like the fact that you can have breakfast all day. The wait staff is always very courteous and efficient. They run many specials and there is also a salad bar. Why only three stars...? I find the restaurant to be kind of pricey!
(3)Melissa B.
Great wifi. Cool airplanes on the ceiling. The lobby next to the restaurant is great for casual business meetings. It is a little on the pricy side for meals. The view of the runway and planes is nice. It seems to always be busy during lunch. I will be going back.
(4)Richard B.
This is one of our favorite places for breakfast, especially on Sunday morning. They serve the BEST huevos rancheros in town. Service is great and prices are unbeatable. I saw a number of people criticizing the restaurant for the steaks or other evening meals. Can't comment on other meals but the breakfasts are the best around.
(5)Jeff E.
Close by so its very convenient for a good meal. Its also a great place to relax and watch the planes come in. The meal are nice in size and the price is right!! Give it a try!!
(4)John J.
I've eaten here 3 times and I kick myself for going back the other 2 times. The first time it was terrible. It was fish and chips and there was nothing but heavy batter, you had a hard time finding the fish, it must have been thin as a sheet of paper. But I gave it a second chance, figuring it might have been a bad day for the cook. So this time a got adventurous and had a rib-eye steak. What a disaster, it was cooked dry, so overly done I couldn't cut it with a knife. I asked for medium-rare. So, convinced I would not ever go back, until my neighbor begged me to go with her and again, terrible food. This place I would never recommend to anyone and I made it very clear to my neighbor I would not be returning.
(1)James S.
Unlike other posters we have always had good service. We don't do the buffets-not really their thing and they should stop. I would also avoid the salad bar. The food is below average but not awful. You could kind of say it is a Denny's type diner. If you are looking for fresh and healthy this probably isn't your place. I go there for my indulgence once in awhile of chicken fried steak. Our kids really like it because of the airplanes. It is more of a thing to do then a place to eat. We go 4-5x a year but would never make it a regular thing. I think if they improved food quality and spruced the place up a little bit they could have a real gem. If you want hamburgers or other diner food not a bad place..They also use canned veggies-I don't think Denny's still does that. They should use frozen or fresh-don't understand why they don't.
(2)Jay C.
After reading other reviews..I decided I should go ahead and voice my opinion of the place as well. I would never have thought it would cost $25 for lunch for 2. Couple of burgers, beverages and they charge for fries and onion rings. I can't recall anywhere I have been that charges to add on fries and rings. A bacon cheeseburger is $7.99 and adding onion rings brings ya to over $10. Rediculous! The burger patty wasn't even a quarter of a pound if that. Food served warm, not hot :( The portion of fries is fair but 5 onion rings for $2.19? Cleanliness of the place needs work. Condiments on table dirty..ketchup empty etc. I would say Denny's has this place beat for quality and value. When ordering with the server a customer should be informed of additional charges. Even though it says it at the BOTTOM of the menu. You can say I would like that with onion rings, but they will just say SURE. No mention of additional charge. Thumbs down
(1)Justin E.
Had breakfast there today. The pros were the service and the view. It was cool watching the planes and helicopters taking off and landing. The servers were also very helpful and friendly. The food was average. Something like I would expect from a chain breakfast joint. Probably won't be back.
(3)Albert H.
Amazed that this place stays in business. Well, maybe not. People like to look at planes sometimes, and I suppose that any sort of food & service will do as long as you can look at the planes. Then there's the airport employees who don't want to drive somewhere for lunch, and of course the pilots who need something convenient. And I'm not sure why, but a lot of retired folks seem to frequent the small airport restaurants such as this one. Food was mediocre diner breakfast food. My server could barely hear, had a raspy smoker's voice, and seemed to ignore me on several occasions. I inquired about the omelette vs. the pancakes, and the reply was basically whatever you feel like. So I ordered the omelette and then was immediately told that the pancakes looked good today. WTF? Prices are high for what you get - you're paying for the view of the planes, not the food.
(1)Xista G.
Pros: -View of planes coming and going on the air strip -Cheap & decent food (by "decent" I mean Denny's type food) -Interior looks freshly renovated -Very casual Cons: -Servers seem a bit busy (We both ordered club sandwiches w/ fries)
(3)Kevin B.
Great to take the kids and see the planes. Their breakfast is good.
(4)Harley R.
My family just had the Easter buffet and it was OUTSTANDING! Fresh scrambled eggs, french toast, sausages, fresh fruit, etc. All just plane good. Wait staff was friendly and efficient as always. One waiter we haven't seen in almost a year and he remembered us. We sat outside so the kids, teenagers, could watch the planes go by.
(5)Thomas J.
I hesitate to include this restaurant as one of my big favorites, but the truth is I eat here probably 15 times a month. Located at the Phoenix, Deer Valley Airport. It is a fairly big airport restaurant. Food is fine, but the location and the people are great. Especially for kids or people interested in airplanes.
(3)Mike B.
I am not one to totally trash a business, because I understand that once in a while even the best run business can have a off night, but I can honestly say this was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had, and I have no problem at all posting my review. We went there for the "All you can eat fish Fry" only because we saw an ad and had coupons. While it was a buffet, it was not "all you can eat" as the food was not replenished enough. The food was cold, and they didn't have your typical "fish fry" dishes like cole slaw, french fries, mac and cheese. Instead there was a horrendous selection of lasagna, some sort of stuffed pork dish, stuffing, gravy and some sort of pudding item for dessert. On top of all that, the staff was rude. We had to wait for 5 minutes for the cashier, who when she finally cashed us out didn't ask us how the food was, or engage in any sort of pleasantries. Stay away from this join, far away.
(1)Joe A.
Have been going here for years and usually eat here at least once a month. The airplane views are great and the food is above average. There is a good reason its packed for b-fast and lunch, and thats because everyone likes it here! Give it a try for yourself and see! Oh yea, the french dip is great as are the Greek foods!
(4)Daren C.
DVAP.... You have to go at least once in your life. It really is a neat place with alot of history. The service is great, it appears to be family run. The food is good. Better then Dennys but not as good as Mimi's. I had the all u can eat of beef ribs, lasagna, meat loaf, cat fish, chicken, mashed and diced potatoes, stuffing, rice, homemade apple pie, etc and salad bar. I know I am missing a bunch of stuff they had but you get the drift. They run specials on Prime rib and stuff so you might want to call to see what they are serving the night you go.
(3)Mandy H.
I'm not a fan of buffets in general, so I ordered from the menu. The omelet I got was no better than what you'd get at waffle house. The service was pretty good, but the waitress seemed a little stressed even though it wasn't that busy. I love to go here, because I have a 2-year-old that loves all things aviation. Being able to watch planes take off and land while you eat breakfast is a fun experience. The food and service could be better for what you pay.
(2)John P.
The only good breakfast buffet's I've had are connected to 4 and above star hotels,come in at over double the price and usually have to dress up better than you would do here. Entrance was chaotic and it took time to work out who was going to issue a number for the queue which looked formidable yet we were seated in under 10 minutes. The buffet was a mixed-bag of good for the type food and phoning it in. The corn beef has is institutional and tasteless without assistance , the breakfast potatoes were not greasy , gravy was good enough to embarrass the biscuit. Pancakes decent, hot syrup a nice touch, and fruit selection fresh enough. Service was good for a full-house and they drop off a coffee pot for you which probably explains why it's good, e.g, get your own food and drink. Barring the planes I wouldn't go out of our way to eat here but you can't divorce them from in this case. Like 2 for food +1 for location.
(3)Tony T.
Here's the deal - I live nearby and often walk over with my young son for breakfast...he loves the planes and I get some exercise. Now I have read all of these reviews and know exactly what and who each person is commenting on - it's funny because I have felt the same way on a few occasions! Go there for a breakfast special of 2 eggs, bacon, hash browns & toast - all for under 5.00 bucks - order water & watch the planes! That is it!! By all means DO NOT order anything else on that menu!! DO NOT eat the numerous buffets, fish frys, prime rib, or any other coupons specials they entice you with - YOU WILL REGRET IT! Nasty! Again, the best and only value is the cheap two egg special and watch the planes with the kids (I'm lucky because my boy like the special too) ...anything else here is a punishment. PS - The service seems to have gotten a little better lately .... however, it was so bad before, just stopping by your table now seems like a blessing...It's a shame - this place could be soooo cool if they just tried a little...
(2)Marcus D.
I'm an aviation nut and I LOVE airports. I just need to learn to not eat at them. I give this place high marks for the service, and their menu is so "punny" it's painful (yet amusing) to read. And, they have about 100 small model airplanes hanging from their ceiling......reminds me of the room I dreamed of living in as a youth. The breadth of their menu is amazing. Burgers, countless sandwiches, chicken fried steak, regular steak, about 10 different types of fish. (really? fish?) Do you think they fly it in? The one thing that all the dishes have in common is their mediocrity. Just really, really not good at all. My bun was dry...the meat reminded me of the frozen patties you can buy at Costco. Judging from the looks of horror I saw on the faces of our group, I was not alone. Two members of our party actually ordered fish dishes, to my disbelief. Brave souls. So, sorry DVAR. You are my first "2 star" rating. I really DID want to like you.
(2)Kasia J.
Ok so this place is small and looks like an old diner/restaurant but it's so good. Every time I go I get the chicken tenders and I can't get enough. I go back there just when I'm in the mood for good chicken tenders. The fries aren't the best, but also good. Everyone I've been here with hasn't complained about the food, from the breakfast to country fired steak they are yummy!
(4)Andrew K.
I've eaten here a number of times over the years. Clean enough, friendly staff, fun location. I'll be glad when they inevitably go out of business, though. The food is about on par with Denny's, which is to say, not good at all. I give the other star for the location. They have outdoor seating when it's nice out, you can sit and watch the planes take off and land. Fun stuff. This could be a great place, once they get ownership who's willing to throw all the recipes out the window and start over from scratch with higher quality food. If you have to eat here, try a special. If you wanna go to check out the airport, maybe try getting coffee. They're busy at lunchtime. I will willingly eat their breakfasts, that's about it.
(2)Gwen G.
About the quality you would expect from a Denny's but it's nice to watch the planes take off and land.
(3)Steve T.
I've been eating here since the early 90s, and it's never really changed. It's always been just average food. It was actually a little better when it was a greasy airport dive, because they didn't have to impress anyone. It was always full of grubby, hungry pilots. Now they've renovated a few times and their prices reflect it. We went there a few weeks ago so the kids could watch the planes. I got the buffet, which was alright. My wife ordered french toast and scrambled eggs. Instead of eggs there was some yellow, folded thing on her plate. She tasted it and said it was gross, so i just loaded up the scrambled eggs from the buffet and gave them to her. One decent thing is that they'll let little ones share the buffet with adults, so you don't have to buy a meal for them. It was still pricey for the quality of food, even with a coupon. My wife surmised that they charge a premium for the view. We'll stick with cracker barrel next time for breakfast. Cheaper and much, much tastier.
(2)Robin G.
I like this place for breakfast. The buffet is pretty good. They have all the breakfast favorites including corned beef hash, scrambled aggs and chorizo, french toast, home fries, biscuits and gravy, etc... Price is not bad for $8.99 a person. It's always busy and the service has been pretty good. They have two large dining rooms and can accommodate large parties and private groups. They also have a very extensive pie and cake selection. You can order pies for the holidays. It's not a fancy place but the food is good and the view of the runway and planes is a great change of pace!
(3)Rebecca S.
Literally everything about our meal was awful. Service was awful ... I ended up re-filling my own soda, obtaining my own condiments, etc. after multiple requests to our server. The salad bar was disgusting, dirty and the fixins looked old, canned and low quality and tasted even worse. Desserts were in a spinning case like you would see at a greasy spoon in the middle of Nebraska and looked like a 5-year-old's cooking project. Chicken was dry, ribs were dry, everything was dry and tasteless. And, no alcohol. Not even beer! The bill was dirt cheap, so the damage was minimal, but still don't bother! There are plenty of other restaurants, including Taco Bell, that are far better in the vicinity.
(1)joe i.
I used to frequent this restaurant years and years ago. I was a student at the Deer Valley airport, and eventually a flight instructor as well. It was a great location with awesome views. The food was always descent the the service was great. Nothing too exciting, but a great place.
(3)Amy L.
I've eaten at DVAR before, but didn't remember much about it. Went last night with my son and boyfriend. It's pretty average. I would stay away from the salad bar. It was a very bare-bones type of affair. The soup was tasty, not at all like the canned stuff that they usually serve at diner places.The prime rib was a bit fatty, but the leg of lamb was superb. I would go back just for that.
(3)Beca W.
Decent food, great prices! Staff is friendly. We go there to see the planes take off and land. My son loves it. Desserts are delish. There's always a coupon to be found online for the food. I'd recommend using one just in case your experience isn't great.
(3)Janelle B.
Great place! We had to wait a little bit for our food, but it was worth it! I had chicken fried steak & eggs & the gravy was wonderful & very well seasoned! The steak was tender & crispy on the outside. Loved the home fries, wonderfully crispy. My husband had the BBQ burger, which was very moist & delicious. We'll definitely be back!
(4)Paul V.
I don't see the need to ever go to this place unless you are flying in or out of the Deer Valley Airport and you just got off the longest flight in the history of flights and there was no food on board. The buffet is just kinda gross. They advertise a fish fry on Wednesdays and Fridays, but I don't see how they feel confident standing by their advertised fish fry. It's just kinda gross. The fried cod was too breaded and the fish didn't seem fresh or prepared right. The lasagna was good, but not worth revisiting this place for. I also sampled the shrimp cocktail (which was ok, but may have given me the shits), fried shrimp (bleh), fried chicken (ok), their soups (weren't very good), chocolate cake (crappy and stale tasting), rice pudding (barely ok), and the table bread was fresh and nice (so stock up on that shit). Oh, and not a fan of their salad bar either really. Sorry Deer Valley Airport restaurant (although really I think you should be apologizing to me), but I'll never be coming back.
(1)Lisa V.
Let me just start by saying I am not super particular about my breakfast joints. To me, breakfast is breakfast. But this place did not hit the mark. When we got there it was packed, which is always a promising sign. We ordered standard breakfast fare, waffles, eggs, bacon, and coffee. The coffee was probably the worst cup I've ever had. The food was greasy and tasteless. My syrup pot had smeared butter and food remnants all over it from the last diner, but they still brought it out to me. The coffee carafe was filthy. I couldn't hardly stomach eating much of my meal, and couldn't get out of there fast enough.
(1)Diego S.
We all make mistakes, its part of being human. Only some people learn from their mistakes while others don't. Well if you know someone in your neighborhood like this, one of those priceless Darwinian gems whose mugshot routinely shows up on the 10 o'clock news, the guy or girl who you suspect is selling dope to all the kids on your street, I strongly urge you to recommend this place to them. Not because I want to gawk at them in the next booth. I don't. And not because I think they deserve DVA restaurant's outstanding breakfast and lunch specials. They don't. It's because this place draws law enforcement officials like shit draws flies. And they don't even sell donuts!
(4)laura b.
i've been here many times. the thing that sets this restaurant apart from others is the view. the restaurant is located in the small airport. you sit by large glass windows and have a clear view of the surrounding mountains and small planes that are coming and going. i go here on two specific nites. tuesdays & wed's. tuesday, they have an all you can eat buffet. their ribs are very good and also on the buffet were catfish (a rarity on a buffet) and stuffed bell peppers among other things. all three of these are my favorites. buffet is about $9.00 . on wed's, this is an all you can eat rib nite, $9.00. the ribs are good. they give you plenty of sides, bread, soup, and a salad bar, all for the one price. i've always liked the food and service. i love the view. if you get there before dinner, there is an airport giftshop so you can look around and pick up a gift for someone. they have a full menu including breakfast and a kids menu. go for the ribs or buffet nite. either way, you'll get the ribs. oh yeah, they also have an old fashioned glass case that revolves holding big pies and big cakes. good stuff. they also have outdoor seating so you actually sit right along where the planes are parked and close to the runway.
(4)P. M.
What every you do don't come here for the dinner buffet, my goodness do they even look at it after the lunch crowd. Seriously it was nasty. What I gather was meatloaf was gray, the popcorn shrimp was all but dust, the broccoli had been there steaming so long that it turned to mush and the tarter sauce had a top layer of yellow. At 12.95 it was a huge waist of money, When we told the waitress she said she had not looked at the buffet, that's wonderful and when we told the manager she took off 5.00. Yeah right like we are coming back for that mess, photos attached, yikes
(1)Kathryn W.
This is a great place to go for breakfast or lunch especially if you enjoy small planes. The burgers are REAL burgers, not those 1/4 inch pressed cardboard things! I LIKE 'em!!! It's a cozy place and has a nice large room that can be reserved for parties or meetings. Parking is not a problem. There are lots of pies and cakes, too, if you have room for dessert!
(4)Thomas F.
This is an airport restaurant, hopefully that is obvious from the name. I open with that sentence because there are reviewers on here (see the "MIsteak" review) that are obviously way too sophisticated for this restaurant and must have stopped by on their way home to an overpriced debt-hole in Snobsdale thinking they were at Ruth Chris. So, back to the restaurant. The food is good, but usually not great. I had the breakfast buffet one morning and thought it was great, but every other visit has just been good. The food is just part of the experience here. This restaurant is located at the busiest general aviation (general aviation just means no scheduled passenger service) airport in the country. For aviation geeks like me, this place rocks for a big reason - there is a deck above the restaurant that has speakers playing the real-time exchanges between ATC and the pilots. I think that is neat but, like I said before, I'm a huge aviation geek. If you want a restaurant with entertainment after the meal, try this place out.
(4)Cloey K.
Their breakfast is actually not bad. Pancakes could be better. It was packed but we got seated right away. All the kids love it here. If you go here for other than breakfast, you may not like it.
(4)A B.
If you like to watch airplanes while you are having breakfast, lunch or dinner then this place is for you. I was there today after not dining there for a long time and the restaurant was packed and it was loud. I joined two friends for lunch and I admit t is nice to have a view of the runway and planes taking off and landing since like airplanes ! I had the gyro sandwich and it was good as usual. I find it kind of pricey at $ 8.89 for the sandwich only. Sides are additional. The menu is quite comprehensive and I like the fact that you can have breakfast all day. The wait staff is always very courteous and efficient. They run many specials and there is also a salad bar. Why only three stars...? I find the restaurant to be kind of pricey!
(3)Greg G.
Nestled in the heart of the North Valley you will find the Deer Valley Air Port. It is a quaint little airport for non-commercial traffic. There is a variety of aircraft on display and little propeller driven planes are constantly coming and going. This what the romance of flight is all about! Now imagine, if you will, a charming little restaurant with an aviation theme amidst this backdrop of mountains and planes. Complete with outdoor dining and an observation deck to watch the planes taxi and land. Sounds like a nice place, right? Sounds like you'd have to work pretty hard to #&ck up a place with that much natural atmosphere and beauty. Right? Well they did! The food is crappy and the service is non-existent. The price is right in line with Chili's, Friday's, Applebee's, etc. But the service is way off the mark and when I saw the all you can eat fish buffet I almost barfed. In order to get the attention of our wait staff I had to stand by my table and wave my arms violently as if to take flight, and scream "MISS MISS MA'AM MISS HEY LADY YO MISS MA'AM!" She saw me and tried to duck away. Finally when I left the table to track her down, other patrons prevented her escape - all I wanted was silverware, napkins, a straw, and some condiments for our table as they make eating the food she just dropped off much easier. No one ever came by for refills on our drinks. THE BOTTOM LINE: The intrinsic charm of the airport can not be beat but skip the restaurant. Go to the Subway across the street and take your sandwiches to the Observation Deck at the Deer Valley Airport. You'll pay less than half as much, get better service, better food, and you still get all of the romance of flight.
(2)Trevor E.
Great place for an early breakfast. Good value, good service, and airplanes!
(4)Marvin A.
If not for the aircraft landing and taking off, you'd be crazy to eat here. Prices are about the same as Denney's. Cleanliness, really needs to be improved. Wait Staff, isn't very efficient. Apart from the menu, they do offer a Sunday Breakfast Brunch.
(2)Lady G.
Cool place. Great chicken fried steak and their omelets are tasty. The staff was so friendly! Went there on a Saturday morning and had a nice time.
(5)James S.
We keep going back because our son loves it. Loves to watch the planes take off and land. Beyond that not sure why we go. Most of the food is low quality frozen processed food, not much fresh here. Avoid on a Friday night. The fish buffet reeks really bad. I would for sure stay away from the salad bar. One time I saw salad literally floating in water. We often to have send something back because they didn't micro it long enough and it is cold. The service has always been decent. I've noticed over the 3-4 years we've been going there the numbers dwindling. A little updating a revised fresher menu and that place would be hopping.
(2)Lorelle L.
Terrible, terrible food. I asked for the steak salad done medium. Only a very small portion of the steak was cooked properly and there were tons of slimy lettuce leaves. I didn't expect much from this place but it disappointed even more. My husbands fries were undercooked and they ran out of Mac and cheese for my son. The service was kind of weird, not the best and by the end of the night one of the bus boys was sleeping in one of the booths. Only reason we went here was because we were in a rush. Would never come here again except for soda (which was flat) and maybe the dessert.
(2)Becky B.
Dear God, I felt like Gordon Ramsay on "Kitchen Nightmares," although I didn't say the F word out loud and storm out. I was quietly appalled. My husband and I both ordered the filet mignon. The steak was a MISsteak as my husband eloquently said. It looked like it was run over by one of those planes outside the window, then left in a bush, wiped off, heated up, and THEN served with canned mushrooms (ack!) and wrapped in what was some sort of mystery meat ... bacon? The "vegetable medley" was two carrots, two broccoli florets, and the rest were stalks. Obviously from a can. My husband's mashed potatoes made him scared. Literally. He said they tasted like "a trip to the ER." The salad bar tasted of despair. What was really weird was that the family seated next to us was raving about everything. Maybe they just came from Sizzler. Overpriced and underwhelming. Even if you are IN the Deer Valley Airport, go across the street to Culver's.
(1)Ron P.
Good food and great view!
(3)Sharon G.
I've always been attracted to airports. I love that you can watch the planes land and take off while dining. You can also view the colorful hot air balloons and the beautiful Arizona sunset while eating supper at the Deer Valley Airport Restaurant. The food was ...meh, but the company and view spectacular. I'll be back.
(4)William M B.
The Saturday and Sunday buffet is quite tasty. It is all you can eat and well prepared. The fruit is fresh and cut just right. The pancakes are light and fluffy ... Ahhh the Blintzes YUMMY! I think I will go back tomorrow. Thanks to the staff, it was very good.
(5)Mike T.
Good old fashion american diner type restaurant. the $10.99 small prime rib special is a pretty good place to start it's not Ruth Chris, but it is a pretty good meal for a reasonable price salad bar is usually a 2dollar add on. And, worth the 2 bucks. pasta, various beans and bean salad, cheese, and all of the most common salad fixings. they have a specials menu on their website that shows what to expect for the month. I have never been disappointed with breakfast. All of the normal diner type choices available. Desserts are all house made and good. Pie and coffee.. with a great view of the airports runway. Maybe skip the spaghetti or some of the fried food. Like Fried Chicken, as the cooks could use some training on overcooking and temp control. even the quality of the chicken itself left plenty to be desired. But, the chicken fried steak and gravy happened to be pretty good. The service has always been very good.. Give the Pepper Steak a try if it's on the specials menu for the day.. Best thing I've had there. It, was excellent....
(3)Rose F.
My sis and I love this place. Great food at a good price. Can't beat their steak specials. The servers have always been fast and nice. The salad bar has a nice selection too.
(4)Jacob E. G.
I have been going hear since I was born. My family and I have developed a bond with the staff here and I always feel welcomed here. The restaurant has a good atmosphere that fits the concept of a airport. They have these nice plane figures hanging off of the ceiling all around the restaurant. You get a nice view of the runway for the planes so you can watch them take off or land. I absolutely love their French toast. The only problem I have with the food is the bacon at the buffet could at times be over cooked.
(4)Travis M.
So far so gross. I brought my little girls to see planes and eat on Sunday. We opted for the "buffet". Almost no salad bar. The ham was old and floating in water which rendered it tasteless. The eggs were overcooked. The home fries were well done, cold and hard. The chicken fried steak was OK. Pancakes were rubbery. For 10.99 a plate the food was subpar. If it were not for my girls being so excited over the planes I would give it zero.
(1)Marisa S.
I don't really come here for the food. It is not bad, but it is not anything to write home about, however, during Christmas, it is such a fun time to see Santa land on a Helicopter, my twins go crazy. I will probably have a couple more years of "believe" time, so I need to milk it. It was a little crazy, but well worth their happy little faces. My little girl keeps telling everyone now that Santa is "really real" because she saw him and touched him. She actually almost mugged him, she was hanging from one of his sleeves, almost taking his bell. I will definitely come back next year.
(3)Analise H.
My daughter likes this restaurant because of the planes. However, last week we went for the breakfast buffet on the weekend and had a very bad experience. After getting biscuits and gravy from the buffet I found a long hair all in my gravy when I was back at the table, I literally didn't want to eat anymore. I went up to the buffet again for my child and saw they had either added more gravy to the pot or switched it out. This all happened after we had been given our check and our waiter never came back after I found the hair, which is fine, we were almost done and it was busy. When I went to the counter to pay I was asked how everything was and I told the woman, who's always the cashier there about the hair. She then asked me if I told the waiter and I explained that he hadn't come back. I understand this is a buffet and the hair may very well been from another customer. However, it was the total unprofessional manner in which the cashier chose to act that actually gave me a bad experience. She continued to act as if everything was my fault because I didn't notify my waiter and she continued to lecture me about it without apologizing for the situation or offering anything to make it better. She left a worst taste in my mouth than the hair.
(1)Kimberly M.
We went here for Father's Day this year. It was busy but we were seated rather quickly. This place is amazing with the ambiance , food , and wait staff. The wait staff is friendly and helpful. Always making sure of what we need. The food that was ordered was fast and delicious. The two of us who had buffet's , the buffet's were yummy and had a wide selection of breakfast food. I can't say enough of how great the food and people are there. It keeps us coming back for more.
(5)Valerie M.
Came here for a meeting of the Working Dog Club of Arizona. Accidentally left my purse and didn't realize this until I was across town. Called and spoke to Brittany and confirmed it was still there, sped across town again to pick it up. Arrived about 20 minutes after making the call. Was pleased I was able to get my purse back. Was NOT the least bit pleased to find my payment for a previous day judging assignment had been depleted by 20%. Hmm. Now who would have done that?! Thanks so much for staying there so I could retrieve my purse. A small compensation would have made its way into my hands had there not already been money missing. Who knew they had a "finders fee"?! Extremely disappointed since this club plans to meet at this location monthly. I will be making a call in the morning. Will also encourage the club to put further consideration into meeting elsewhere.
(1)Isabel G.
We went here on Sunday to have their prime rib special. It was decent, just needed a dash more salt. Overall our experience was enjoyable. The staff was very friendly and helpful, especially with my 2 year old nephew. They gave him some crayons and paper to keep him preoccupied =). The staff checked in on us pretty often which was nice. My friend had their pecan pie and she said it was really good. And if you like planes, there are a slew of them hung on the ceiling which I thought was really neat! I think we'll probably come here again since its so close.
(3)Mike W.
When we arrived around 3pm the place was pretty deserted. We asked to site outside so we could watch the planes but were told do to a recent storm, the tables and chairs were damaged. We ordered a couple kid meals and they didn't come with drinks. The staff was accommodating and was able to give sauces on the side. I got a burger and it was just a normal burger. Nothing to write home about but it served it's purpose. I heard an older couple complaining the potatoes were not seasoned and overcooked. The staff also accommodated them without questioning. They have tons of model planes hanging from the ceiling which is a pretty cool feature. Overall the place was just average and only gets a three star vote from me.
(3)Patrick D.
Great place for kids or aviation fans. My 3 year old son enjoyed a pancake in the shape of Mickey and devoured two slices of bacon. I enjoyed a vegetable omelet but the home fries stole the show. Overall, a fun experience.
(4)Ian H.
Dear Deer Valley Restaurant, Please add the following to your ingredients list. 1. Salt 2. Pepper Thank you. Sincerely, Our taste buds Food was bland, clam chowder had the consistency of mashed potatoes, had to ask for my soup after wandering around the buffet for about 5 minutes looking for a kettle or something. Buffet area was disorganized, not well lit, and needed a good cleaning. Will give breakfast a chance.
(2)Jim B.
Their Fried Chicken is just awesome! Try the Chicken Rice soup on Sunday's as it is the best i've had. Great food, great service, great location. This is a must go restaurant that has great food with a great atmosphere for the whole family. They have a great viewing space outside for watching planes. My kids love it. They are great with kids. The staff and ownership know and say hello to people by first name so they must have a lot of regulars. Bring the kids. I even saw a huge private room for big parties or events which is always nice to know.
(5)Chris C.
So this is a place, with food. That much cannot be denied. But you know what? It's a small airport restaurant, and if you're flying in for a $100 hamburger, then a $100 hamburger you can have. And patty melts. And salads. And whatever other Sysco-type delights you might expect. (It was even prime rib night when we were there, but as it was 20 minutes til closing time, I thought better of it.) I had a perfectly reasonable patty melt myself, and I enjoyed it. The service was really nice, and the views out the window of the evening traffic on approach were phenomenal. Plus, *tons* of model airplanes hanging from the ceiling in the dining area, which was a fun touch.
(3)Nick B.
Typical diner setting. The food definitely fits in under the quality curve.....service was average.
(2)Michael J.
I love that you can have breakfast and watch the planes take off and land and the food isn't bad either.
(4)Leanna A.
In all honesty, the people who rated this place 1 star because they ordered steak and fish at a small airport restaurant deserve a slap to the back of the head. Of course the steak, fish and seafood is going to suck. Come on people. You're at a SMALL AIRPORT RESTAURANT. This isn't Mastro's, nor is it Sky Harbor where you can actually find modified versions of fine dining restaurants. This place is average. Not terrible, not great. Average. My boyfriend took me here on a Friday night because he knows how much I love airplanes. It was a really cute idea. The place was for the most part empty, aside from the glassed off section of the restaurant that was filled with senior citizens who seemed to be attending a seminar. The only thing about going at night is that the windows of the restaurant have a massive glare and it is very hard to see the planes outside when it's dark. Service is so-so. She came, took our drink orders and came back to take our food orders. My boyfriend got the grilled cheese with fries and I got the club sandwich with sweet potato fries (add $.99). The food was decent. The grilled cheese, though, was remarkably small. The fries that came with it were obviously the frozen wedge kind but my boyfriend will eat any type of fries, whether frozen or not. My sandwich wasn't bad. My only complaints would be that the tomato was a bit too ripe and the meats were cut a bit thick. Nothing you can't work around though. The sweet potato fries were actually REALLY good. They didn't seem to be the frozen kind and were cooked perfectly and had a great taste. Both items came with a large pickle spear as well. The prices were somewhat okay. The grilled cheese was around $5/6 and the club sandwich was $9.99 I believe, plus the extra buck for sweet potato fries (worth it!). So. Long story short. Don't come to this restaurant expecting a five star steak. You won't get it here. But if you're looking for a casual restaurant setting with food similar to a Coco's or Denny's type, come here. Plus you get to watch the airplanes, and look at their hundreds of model planes hanging from the ceiling.
(3)Nick N.
This is for the fried chicken entree. There are very few decent restaurants in north phx and the airport has always had a decent breakfast and lunch. The same cannot be said for the $16.45 half of light fried chicken. The size of the of the pieces would hardly pass for a quarter at most places. I really like the restaurant and will be back, but not for supper.
(1)Anita E.
Reasonable price for a good breakfast. Great place to bring the kids they have lots of cool airplanes flying in & out..
(4)Joe A.
Have been going here for years and usually eat here at least once a month. The airplane views are great and the food is above average. There is a good reason its packed for b-fast and lunch, and thats because everyone likes it here! Give it a try for yourself and see! Oh yea, the french dip is great as are the Greek foods!
(4)Daren C.
DVAP.... You have to go at least once in your life. It really is a neat place with alot of history. The service is great, it appears to be family run. The food is good. Better then Dennys but not as good as Mimi's. I had the all u can eat of beef ribs, lasagna, meat loaf, cat fish, chicken, mashed and diced potatoes, stuffing, rice, homemade apple pie, etc and salad bar. I know I am missing a bunch of stuff they had but you get the drift. They run specials on Prime rib and stuff so you might want to call to see what they are serving the night you go.
(3)Mandy H.
I'm not a fan of buffets in general, so I ordered from the menu. The omelet I got was no better than what you'd get at waffle house. The service was pretty good, but the waitress seemed a little stressed even though it wasn't that busy. I love to go here, because I have a 2-year-old that loves all things aviation. Being able to watch planes take off and land while you eat breakfast is a fun experience. The food and service could be better for what you pay.
(2)John P.
The only good breakfast buffet's I've had are connected to 4 and above star hotels,come in at over double the price and usually have to dress up better than you would do here. Entrance was chaotic and it took time to work out who was going to issue a number for the queue which looked formidable yet we were seated in under 10 minutes. The buffet was a mixed-bag of good for the type food and phoning it in. The corn beef has is institutional and tasteless without assistance , the breakfast potatoes were not greasy , gravy was good enough to embarrass the biscuit. Pancakes decent, hot syrup a nice touch, and fruit selection fresh enough. Service was good for a full-house and they drop off a coffee pot for you which probably explains why it's good, e.g, get your own food and drink. Barring the planes I wouldn't go out of our way to eat here but you can't divorce them from in this case. Like 2 for food +1 for location.
(3)Tony T.
Here's the deal - I live nearby and often walk over with my young son for breakfast...he loves the planes and I get some exercise. Now I have read all of these reviews and know exactly what and who each person is commenting on - it's funny because I have felt the same way on a few occasions! Go there for a breakfast special of 2 eggs, bacon, hash browns & toast - all for under 5.00 bucks - order water & watch the planes! That is it!! By all means DO NOT order anything else on that menu!! DO NOT eat the numerous buffets, fish frys, prime rib, or any other coupons specials they entice you with - YOU WILL REGRET IT! Nasty! Again, the best and only value is the cheap two egg special and watch the planes with the kids (I'm lucky because my boy like the special too) ...anything else here is a punishment. PS - The service seems to have gotten a little better lately .... however, it was so bad before, just stopping by your table now seems like a blessing...It's a shame - this place could be soooo cool if they just tried a little...
(2)Analise H.
My daughter likes this restaurant because of the planes. However, last week we went for the breakfast buffet on the weekend and had a very bad experience. After getting biscuits and gravy from the buffet I found a long hair all in my gravy when I was back at the table, I literally didn't want to eat anymore. I went up to the buffet again for my child and saw they had either added more gravy to the pot or switched it out. This all happened after we had been given our check and our waiter never came back after I found the hair, which is fine, we were almost done and it was busy. When I went to the counter to pay I was asked how everything was and I told the woman, who's always the cashier there about the hair. She then asked me if I told the waiter and I explained that he hadn't come back. I understand this is a buffet and the hair may very well been from another customer. However, it was the total unprofessional manner in which the cashier chose to act that actually gave me a bad experience. She continued to act as if everything was my fault because I didn't notify my waiter and she continued to lecture me about it without apologizing for the situation or offering anything to make it better. She left a worst taste in my mouth than the hair.
(1)Kimberly M.
We went here for Father's Day this year. It was busy but we were seated rather quickly. This place is amazing with the ambiance , food , and wait staff. The wait staff is friendly and helpful. Always making sure of what we need. The food that was ordered was fast and delicious. The two of us who had buffet's , the buffet's were yummy and had a wide selection of breakfast food. I can't say enough of how great the food and people are there. It keeps us coming back for more.
(5)Jim B.
Their Fried Chicken is just awesome! Try the Chicken Rice soup on Sunday's as it is the best i've had. Great food, great service, great location. This is a must go restaurant that has great food with a great atmosphere for the whole family. They have a great viewing space outside for watching planes. My kids love it. They are great with kids. The staff and ownership know and say hello to people by first name so they must have a lot of regulars. Bring the kids. I even saw a huge private room for big parties or events which is always nice to know.
(5)Chris C.
So this is a place, with food. That much cannot be denied. But you know what? It's a small airport restaurant, and if you're flying in for a $100 hamburger, then a $100 hamburger you can have. And patty melts. And salads. And whatever other Sysco-type delights you might expect. (It was even prime rib night when we were there, but as it was 20 minutes til closing time, I thought better of it.) I had a perfectly reasonable patty melt myself, and I enjoyed it. The service was really nice, and the views out the window of the evening traffic on approach were phenomenal. Plus, *tons* of model airplanes hanging from the ceiling in the dining area, which was a fun touch.
(3)Jacob E. G.
I have been going hear since I was born. My family and I have developed a bond with the staff here and I always feel welcomed here. The restaurant has a good atmosphere that fits the concept of a airport. They have these nice plane figures hanging off of the ceiling all around the restaurant. You get a nice view of the runway for the planes so you can watch them take off or land. I absolutely love their French toast. The only problem I have with the food is the bacon at the buffet could at times be over cooked.
(4)Travis M.
So far so gross. I brought my little girls to see planes and eat on Sunday. We opted for the "buffet". Almost no salad bar. The ham was old and floating in water which rendered it tasteless. The eggs were overcooked. The home fries were well done, cold and hard. The chicken fried steak was OK. Pancakes were rubbery. For 10.99 a plate the food was subpar. If it were not for my girls being so excited over the planes I would give it zero.
(1)Marisa S.
I don't really come here for the food. It is not bad, but it is not anything to write home about, however, during Christmas, it is such a fun time to see Santa land on a Helicopter, my twins go crazy. I will probably have a couple more years of "believe" time, so I need to milk it. It was a little crazy, but well worth their happy little faces. My little girl keeps telling everyone now that Santa is "really real" because she saw him and touched him. She actually almost mugged him, she was hanging from one of his sleeves, almost taking his bell. I will definitely come back next year.
(3)P. M.
What every you do don't come here for the dinner buffet, my goodness do they even look at it after the lunch crowd. Seriously it was nasty. What I gather was meatloaf was gray, the popcorn shrimp was all but dust, the broccoli had been there steaming so long that it turned to mush and the tarter sauce had a top layer of yellow. At 12.95 it was a huge waist of money, When we told the waitress she said she had not looked at the buffet, that's wonderful and when we told the manager she took off 5.00. Yeah right like we are coming back for that mess, photos attached, yikes
(1)Valerie M.
Came here for a meeting of the Working Dog Club of Arizona. Accidentally left my purse and didn't realize this until I was across town. Called and spoke to Brittany and confirmed it was still there, sped across town again to pick it up. Arrived about 20 minutes after making the call. Was pleased I was able to get my purse back. Was NOT the least bit pleased to find my payment for a previous day judging assignment had been depleted by 20%. Hmm. Now who would have done that?! Thanks so much for staying there so I could retrieve my purse. A small compensation would have made its way into my hands had there not already been money missing. Who knew they had a "finders fee"?! Extremely disappointed since this club plans to meet at this location monthly. I will be making a call in the morning. Will also encourage the club to put further consideration into meeting elsewhere.
(1)Isabel G.
We went here on Sunday to have their prime rib special. It was decent, just needed a dash more salt. Overall our experience was enjoyable. The staff was very friendly and helpful, especially with my 2 year old nephew. They gave him some crayons and paper to keep him preoccupied =). The staff checked in on us pretty often which was nice. My friend had their pecan pie and she said it was really good. And if you like planes, there are a slew of them hung on the ceiling which I thought was really neat! I think we'll probably come here again since its so close.
(3)Mike W.
When we arrived around 3pm the place was pretty deserted. We asked to site outside so we could watch the planes but were told do to a recent storm, the tables and chairs were damaged. We ordered a couple kid meals and they didn't come with drinks. The staff was accommodating and was able to give sauces on the side. I got a burger and it was just a normal burger. Nothing to write home about but it served it's purpose. I heard an older couple complaining the potatoes were not seasoned and overcooked. The staff also accommodated them without questioning. They have tons of model planes hanging from the ceiling which is a pretty cool feature. Overall the place was just average and only gets a three star vote from me.
(3)Patrick D.
Great place for kids or aviation fans. My 3 year old son enjoyed a pancake in the shape of Mickey and devoured two slices of bacon. I enjoyed a vegetable omelet but the home fries stole the show. Overall, a fun experience.
(4)Ian H.
Dear Deer Valley Restaurant, Please add the following to your ingredients list. 1. Salt 2. Pepper Thank you. Sincerely, Our taste buds Food was bland, clam chowder had the consistency of mashed potatoes, had to ask for my soup after wandering around the buffet for about 5 minutes looking for a kettle or something. Buffet area was disorganized, not well lit, and needed a good cleaning. Will give breakfast a chance.
(2)Leanna A.
In all honesty, the people who rated this place 1 star because they ordered steak and fish at a small airport restaurant deserve a slap to the back of the head. Of course the steak, fish and seafood is going to suck. Come on people. You're at a SMALL AIRPORT RESTAURANT. This isn't Mastro's, nor is it Sky Harbor where you can actually find modified versions of fine dining restaurants. This place is average. Not terrible, not great. Average. My boyfriend took me here on a Friday night because he knows how much I love airplanes. It was a really cute idea. The place was for the most part empty, aside from the glassed off section of the restaurant that was filled with senior citizens who seemed to be attending a seminar. The only thing about going at night is that the windows of the restaurant have a massive glare and it is very hard to see the planes outside when it's dark. Service is so-so. She came, took our drink orders and came back to take our food orders. My boyfriend got the grilled cheese with fries and I got the club sandwich with sweet potato fries (add $.99). The food was decent. The grilled cheese, though, was remarkably small. The fries that came with it were obviously the frozen wedge kind but my boyfriend will eat any type of fries, whether frozen or not. My sandwich wasn't bad. My only complaints would be that the tomato was a bit too ripe and the meats were cut a bit thick. Nothing you can't work around though. The sweet potato fries were actually REALLY good. They didn't seem to be the frozen kind and were cooked perfectly and had a great taste. Both items came with a large pickle spear as well. The prices were somewhat okay. The grilled cheese was around $5/6 and the club sandwich was $9.99 I believe, plus the extra buck for sweet potato fries (worth it!). So. Long story short. Don't come to this restaurant expecting a five star steak. You won't get it here. But if you're looking for a casual restaurant setting with food similar to a Coco's or Denny's type, come here. Plus you get to watch the airplanes, and look at their hundreds of model planes hanging from the ceiling.
(3)Nick N.
This is for the fried chicken entree. There are very few decent restaurants in north phx and the airport has always had a decent breakfast and lunch. The same cannot be said for the $16.45 half of light fried chicken. The size of the of the pieces would hardly pass for a quarter at most places. I really like the restaurant and will be back, but not for supper.
(1)Anita E.
Reasonable price for a good breakfast. Great place to bring the kids they have lots of cool airplanes flying in & out..
(4)Nick B.
Typical diner setting. The food definitely fits in under the quality curve.....service was average.
(2)Michael J.
I love that you can have breakfast and watch the planes take off and land and the food isn't bad either.
(4)Becky B.
Dear God, I felt like Gordon Ramsay on "Kitchen Nightmares," although I didn't say the F word out loud and storm out. I was quietly appalled. My husband and I both ordered the filet mignon. The steak was a MISsteak as my husband eloquently said. It looked like it was run over by one of those planes outside the window, then left in a bush, wiped off, heated up, and THEN served with canned mushrooms (ack!) and wrapped in what was some sort of mystery meat ... bacon? The "vegetable medley" was two carrots, two broccoli florets, and the rest were stalks. Obviously from a can. My husband's mashed potatoes made him scared. Literally. He said they tasted like "a trip to the ER." The salad bar tasted of despair. What was really weird was that the family seated next to us was raving about everything. Maybe they just came from Sizzler. Overpriced and underwhelming. Even if you are IN the Deer Valley Airport, go across the street to Culver's.
(1)Ron P.
Good food and great view!
(3)Sharon G.
I've always been attracted to airports. I love that you can watch the planes land and take off while dining. You can also view the colorful hot air balloons and the beautiful Arizona sunset while eating supper at the Deer Valley Airport Restaurant. The food was ...meh, but the company and view spectacular. I'll be back.
(4)William M B.
The Saturday and Sunday buffet is quite tasty. It is all you can eat and well prepared. The fruit is fresh and cut just right. The pancakes are light and fluffy ... Ahhh the Blintzes YUMMY! I think I will go back tomorrow. Thanks to the staff, it was very good.
(5)Mike T.
Good old fashion american diner type restaurant. the $10.99 small prime rib special is a pretty good place to start it's not Ruth Chris, but it is a pretty good meal for a reasonable price salad bar is usually a 2dollar add on. And, worth the 2 bucks. pasta, various beans and bean salad, cheese, and all of the most common salad fixings. they have a specials menu on their website that shows what to expect for the month. I have never been disappointed with breakfast. All of the normal diner type choices available. Desserts are all house made and good. Pie and coffee.. with a great view of the airports runway. Maybe skip the spaghetti or some of the fried food. Like Fried Chicken, as the cooks could use some training on overcooking and temp control. even the quality of the chicken itself left plenty to be desired. But, the chicken fried steak and gravy happened to be pretty good. The service has always been very good.. Give the Pepper Steak a try if it's on the specials menu for the day.. Best thing I've had there. It, was excellent....
(3)Rose F.
My sis and I love this place. Great food at a good price. Can't beat their steak specials. The servers have always been fast and nice. The salad bar has a nice selection too.
(4)Kathryn W.
This is a great place to go for breakfast or lunch especially if you enjoy small planes. The burgers are REAL burgers, not those 1/4 inch pressed cardboard things! I LIKE 'em!!! It's a cozy place and has a nice large room that can be reserved for parties or meetings. Parking is not a problem. There are lots of pies and cakes, too, if you have room for dessert!
(4)Thomas F.
This is an airport restaurant, hopefully that is obvious from the name. I open with that sentence because there are reviewers on here (see the "MIsteak" review) that are obviously way too sophisticated for this restaurant and must have stopped by on their way home to an overpriced debt-hole in Snobsdale thinking they were at Ruth Chris. So, back to the restaurant. The food is good, but usually not great. I had the breakfast buffet one morning and thought it was great, but every other visit has just been good. The food is just part of the experience here. This restaurant is located at the busiest general aviation (general aviation just means no scheduled passenger service) airport in the country. For aviation geeks like me, this place rocks for a big reason - there is a deck above the restaurant that has speakers playing the real-time exchanges between ATC and the pilots. I think that is neat but, like I said before, I'm a huge aviation geek. If you want a restaurant with entertainment after the meal, try this place out.
(4)Cloey K.
Their breakfast is actually not bad. Pancakes could be better. It was packed but we got seated right away. All the kids love it here. If you go here for other than breakfast, you may not like it.
(4)A B.
If you like to watch airplanes while you are having breakfast, lunch or dinner then this place is for you. I was there today after not dining there for a long time and the restaurant was packed and it was loud. I joined two friends for lunch and I admit t is nice to have a view of the runway and planes taking off and landing since like airplanes ! I had the gyro sandwich and it was good as usual. I find it kind of pricey at $ 8.89 for the sandwich only. Sides are additional. The menu is quite comprehensive and I like the fact that you can have breakfast all day. The wait staff is always very courteous and efficient. They run many specials and there is also a salad bar. Why only three stars...? I find the restaurant to be kind of pricey!
(3)Lorelle L.
Terrible, terrible food. I asked for the steak salad done medium. Only a very small portion of the steak was cooked properly and there were tons of slimy lettuce leaves. I didn't expect much from this place but it disappointed even more. My husbands fries were undercooked and they ran out of Mac and cheese for my son. The service was kind of weird, not the best and by the end of the night one of the bus boys was sleeping in one of the booths. Only reason we went here was because we were in a rush. Would never come here again except for soda (which was flat) and maybe the dessert.
(2)Janelle B.
Great place! We had to wait a little bit for our food, but it was worth it! I had chicken fried steak & eggs & the gravy was wonderful & very well seasoned! The steak was tender & crispy on the outside. Loved the home fries, wonderfully crispy. My husband had the BBQ burger, which was very moist & delicious. We'll definitely be back!
(4)Melissa B.
Great wifi. Cool airplanes on the ceiling. The lobby next to the restaurant is great for casual business meetings. It is a little on the pricy side for meals. The view of the runway and planes is nice. It seems to always be busy during lunch. I will be going back.
(4)Richard B.
This is one of our favorite places for breakfast, especially on Sunday morning. They serve the BEST huevos rancheros in town. Service is great and prices are unbeatable. I saw a number of people criticizing the restaurant for the steaks or other evening meals. Can't comment on other meals but the breakfasts are the best around.
(5)Jeff E.
Close by so its very convenient for a good meal. Its also a great place to relax and watch the planes come in. The meal are nice in size and the price is right!! Give it a try!!
(4)Paul V.
I don't see the need to ever go to this place unless you are flying in or out of the Deer Valley Airport and you just got off the longest flight in the history of flights and there was no food on board. The buffet is just kinda gross. They advertise a fish fry on Wednesdays and Fridays, but I don't see how they feel confident standing by their advertised fish fry. It's just kinda gross. The fried cod was too breaded and the fish didn't seem fresh or prepared right. The lasagna was good, but not worth revisiting this place for. I also sampled the shrimp cocktail (which was ok, but may have given me the shits), fried shrimp (bleh), fried chicken (ok), their soups (weren't very good), chocolate cake (crappy and stale tasting), rice pudding (barely ok), and the table bread was fresh and nice (so stock up on that shit). Oh, and not a fan of their salad bar either really. Sorry Deer Valley Airport restaurant (although really I think you should be apologizing to me), but I'll never be coming back.
(1)Lisa V.
Let me just start by saying I am not super particular about my breakfast joints. To me, breakfast is breakfast. But this place did not hit the mark. When we got there it was packed, which is always a promising sign. We ordered standard breakfast fare, waffles, eggs, bacon, and coffee. The coffee was probably the worst cup I've ever had. The food was greasy and tasteless. My syrup pot had smeared butter and food remnants all over it from the last diner, but they still brought it out to me. The coffee carafe was filthy. I couldn't hardly stomach eating much of my meal, and couldn't get out of there fast enough.
(1)Diego S.
We all make mistakes, its part of being human. Only some people learn from their mistakes while others don't. Well if you know someone in your neighborhood like this, one of those priceless Darwinian gems whose mugshot routinely shows up on the 10 o'clock news, the guy or girl who you suspect is selling dope to all the kids on your street, I strongly urge you to recommend this place to them. Not because I want to gawk at them in the next booth. I don't. And not because I think they deserve DVA restaurant's outstanding breakfast and lunch specials. They don't. It's because this place draws law enforcement officials like shit draws flies. And they don't even sell donuts!
(4)Greg G.
Nestled in the heart of the North Valley you will find the Deer Valley Air Port. It is a quaint little airport for non-commercial traffic. There is a variety of aircraft on display and little propeller driven planes are constantly coming and going. This what the romance of flight is all about! Now imagine, if you will, a charming little restaurant with an aviation theme amidst this backdrop of mountains and planes. Complete with outdoor dining and an observation deck to watch the planes taxi and land. Sounds like a nice place, right? Sounds like you'd have to work pretty hard to #&ck up a place with that much natural atmosphere and beauty. Right? Well they did! The food is crappy and the service is non-existent. The price is right in line with Chili's, Friday's, Applebee's, etc. But the service is way off the mark and when I saw the all you can eat fish buffet I almost barfed. In order to get the attention of our wait staff I had to stand by my table and wave my arms violently as if to take flight, and scream "MISS MISS MA'AM MISS HEY LADY YO MISS MA'AM!" She saw me and tried to duck away. Finally when I left the table to track her down, other patrons prevented her escape - all I wanted was silverware, napkins, a straw, and some condiments for our table as they make eating the food she just dropped off much easier. No one ever came by for refills on our drinks. THE BOTTOM LINE: The intrinsic charm of the airport can not be beat but skip the restaurant. Go to the Subway across the street and take your sandwiches to the Observation Deck at the Deer Valley Airport. You'll pay less than half as much, get better service, better food, and you still get all of the romance of flight.
(2)Trevor E.
Great place for an early breakfast. Good value, good service, and airplanes!
(4)Beca W.
Decent food, great prices! Staff is friendly. We go there to see the planes take off and land. My son loves it. Desserts are delish. There's always a coupon to be found online for the food. I'd recommend using one just in case your experience isn't great.
(3)Justin E.
Had breakfast there today. The pros were the service and the view. It was cool watching the planes and helicopters taking off and landing. The servers were also very helpful and friendly. The food was average. Something like I would expect from a chain breakfast joint. Probably won't be back.
(3)Albert H.
Amazed that this place stays in business. Well, maybe not. People like to look at planes sometimes, and I suppose that any sort of food & service will do as long as you can look at the planes. Then there's the airport employees who don't want to drive somewhere for lunch, and of course the pilots who need something convenient. And I'm not sure why, but a lot of retired folks seem to frequent the small airport restaurants such as this one. Food was mediocre diner breakfast food. My server could barely hear, had a raspy smoker's voice, and seemed to ignore me on several occasions. I inquired about the omelette vs. the pancakes, and the reply was basically whatever you feel like. So I ordered the omelette and then was immediately told that the pancakes looked good today. WTF? Prices are high for what you get - you're paying for the view of the planes, not the food.
(1)Xista G.
Pros: -View of planes coming and going on the air strip -Cheap & decent food (by "decent" I mean Denny's type food) -Interior looks freshly renovated -Very casual Cons: -Servers seem a bit busy (We both ordered club sandwiches w/ fries)
(3)Marvin A.
If not for the aircraft landing and taking off, you'd be crazy to eat here. Prices are about the same as Denney's. Cleanliness, really needs to be improved. Wait Staff, isn't very efficient. Apart from the menu, they do offer a Sunday Breakfast Brunch.
(2)Lady G.
Cool place. Great chicken fried steak and their omelets are tasty. The staff was so friendly! Went there on a Saturday morning and had a nice time.
(5)James S.
We keep going back because our son loves it. Loves to watch the planes take off and land. Beyond that not sure why we go. Most of the food is low quality frozen processed food, not much fresh here. Avoid on a Friday night. The fish buffet reeks really bad. I would for sure stay away from the salad bar. One time I saw salad literally floating in water. We often to have send something back because they didn't micro it long enough and it is cold. The service has always been decent. I've noticed over the 3-4 years we've been going there the numbers dwindling. A little updating a revised fresher menu and that place would be hopping.
(2)Mike B.
I am not one to totally trash a business, because I understand that once in a while even the best run business can have a off night, but I can honestly say this was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had, and I have no problem at all posting my review. We went there for the "All you can eat fish Fry" only because we saw an ad and had coupons. While it was a buffet, it was not "all you can eat" as the food was not replenished enough. The food was cold, and they didn't have your typical "fish fry" dishes like cole slaw, french fries, mac and cheese. Instead there was a horrendous selection of lasagna, some sort of stuffed pork dish, stuffing, gravy and some sort of pudding item for dessert. On top of all that, the staff was rude. We had to wait for 5 minutes for the cashier, who when she finally cashed us out didn't ask us how the food was, or engage in any sort of pleasantries. Stay away from this join, far away.
(1)Marcus D.
I'm an aviation nut and I LOVE airports. I just need to learn to not eat at them. I give this place high marks for the service, and their menu is so "punny" it's painful (yet amusing) to read. And, they have about 100 small model airplanes hanging from their ceiling......reminds me of the room I dreamed of living in as a youth. The breadth of their menu is amazing. Burgers, countless sandwiches, chicken fried steak, regular steak, about 10 different types of fish. (really? fish?) Do you think they fly it in? The one thing that all the dishes have in common is their mediocrity. Just really, really not good at all. My bun was dry...the meat reminded me of the frozen patties you can buy at Costco. Judging from the looks of horror I saw on the faces of our group, I was not alone. Two members of our party actually ordered fish dishes, to my disbelief. Brave souls. So, sorry DVAR. You are my first "2 star" rating. I really DID want to like you.
(2)Kasia J.
Ok so this place is small and looks like an old diner/restaurant but it's so good. Every time I go I get the chicken tenders and I can't get enough. I go back there just when I'm in the mood for good chicken tenders. The fries aren't the best, but also good. Everyone I've been here with hasn't complained about the food, from the breakfast to country fired steak they are yummy!
(4)Andrew K.
I've eaten here a number of times over the years. Clean enough, friendly staff, fun location. I'll be glad when they inevitably go out of business, though. The food is about on par with Denny's, which is to say, not good at all. I give the other star for the location. They have outdoor seating when it's nice out, you can sit and watch the planes take off and land. Fun stuff. This could be a great place, once they get ownership who's willing to throw all the recipes out the window and start over from scratch with higher quality food. If you have to eat here, try a special. If you wanna go to check out the airport, maybe try getting coffee. They're busy at lunchtime. I will willingly eat their breakfasts, that's about it.
(2)Gwen G.
About the quality you would expect from a Denny's but it's nice to watch the planes take off and land.
(3)Kevin B.
Great to take the kids and see the planes. Their breakfast is good.
(4)Harley R.
My family just had the Easter buffet and it was OUTSTANDING! Fresh scrambled eggs, french toast, sausages, fresh fruit, etc. All just plane good. Wait staff was friendly and efficient as always. One waiter we haven't seen in almost a year and he remembered us. We sat outside so the kids, teenagers, could watch the planes go by.
(5)Steve T.
I've been eating here since the early 90s, and it's never really changed. It's always been just average food. It was actually a little better when it was a greasy airport dive, because they didn't have to impress anyone. It was always full of grubby, hungry pilots. Now they've renovated a few times and their prices reflect it. We went there a few weeks ago so the kids could watch the planes. I got the buffet, which was alright. My wife ordered french toast and scrambled eggs. Instead of eggs there was some yellow, folded thing on her plate. She tasted it and said it was gross, so i just loaded up the scrambled eggs from the buffet and gave them to her. One decent thing is that they'll let little ones share the buffet with adults, so you don't have to buy a meal for them. It was still pricey for the quality of food, even with a coupon. My wife surmised that they charge a premium for the view. We'll stick with cracker barrel next time for breakfast. Cheaper and much, much tastier.
(2)Robin G.
I like this place for breakfast. The buffet is pretty good. They have all the breakfast favorites including corned beef hash, scrambled aggs and chorizo, french toast, home fries, biscuits and gravy, etc... Price is not bad for $8.99 a person. It's always busy and the service has been pretty good. They have two large dining rooms and can accommodate large parties and private groups. They also have a very extensive pie and cake selection. You can order pies for the holidays. It's not a fancy place but the food is good and the view of the runway and planes is a great change of pace!
(3)Rebecca S.
Literally everything about our meal was awful. Service was awful ... I ended up re-filling my own soda, obtaining my own condiments, etc. after multiple requests to our server. The salad bar was disgusting, dirty and the fixins looked old, canned and low quality and tasted even worse. Desserts were in a spinning case like you would see at a greasy spoon in the middle of Nebraska and looked like a 5-year-old's cooking project. Chicken was dry, ribs were dry, everything was dry and tasteless. And, no alcohol. Not even beer! The bill was dirt cheap, so the damage was minimal, but still don't bother! There are plenty of other restaurants, including Taco Bell, that are far better in the vicinity.
(1)joe i.
I used to frequent this restaurant years and years ago. I was a student at the Deer Valley airport, and eventually a flight instructor as well. It was a great location with awesome views. The food was always descent the the service was great. Nothing too exciting, but a great place.
(3)Amy L.
I've eaten at DVAR before, but didn't remember much about it. Went last night with my son and boyfriend. It's pretty average. I would stay away from the salad bar. It was a very bare-bones type of affair. The soup was tasty, not at all like the canned stuff that they usually serve at diner places.The prime rib was a bit fatty, but the leg of lamb was superb. I would go back just for that.
(3)Thomas J.
I hesitate to include this restaurant as one of my big favorites, but the truth is I eat here probably 15 times a month. Located at the Phoenix, Deer Valley Airport. It is a fairly big airport restaurant. Food is fine, but the location and the people are great. Especially for kids or people interested in airplanes.
(3)John J.
I've eaten here 3 times and I kick myself for going back the other 2 times. The first time it was terrible. It was fish and chips and there was nothing but heavy batter, you had a hard time finding the fish, it must have been thin as a sheet of paper. But I gave it a second chance, figuring it might have been a bad day for the cook. So this time a got adventurous and had a rib-eye steak. What a disaster, it was cooked dry, so overly done I couldn't cut it with a knife. I asked for medium-rare. So, convinced I would not ever go back, until my neighbor begged me to go with her and again, terrible food. This place I would never recommend to anyone and I made it very clear to my neighbor I would not be returning.
(1)James S.
Unlike other posters we have always had good service. We don't do the buffets-not really their thing and they should stop. I would also avoid the salad bar. The food is below average but not awful. You could kind of say it is a Denny's type diner. If you are looking for fresh and healthy this probably isn't your place. I go there for my indulgence once in awhile of chicken fried steak. Our kids really like it because of the airplanes. It is more of a thing to do then a place to eat. We go 4-5x a year but would never make it a regular thing. I think if they improved food quality and spruced the place up a little bit they could have a real gem. If you want hamburgers or other diner food not a bad place..They also use canned veggies-I don't think Denny's still does that. They should use frozen or fresh-don't understand why they don't.
(2)Jay C.
After reading other reviews..I decided I should go ahead and voice my opinion of the place as well. I would never have thought it would cost $25 for lunch for 2. Couple of burgers, beverages and they charge for fries and onion rings. I can't recall anywhere I have been that charges to add on fries and rings. A bacon cheeseburger is $7.99 and adding onion rings brings ya to over $10. Rediculous! The burger patty wasn't even a quarter of a pound if that. Food served warm, not hot :( The portion of fries is fair but 5 onion rings for $2.19? Cleanliness of the place needs work. Condiments on table dirty..ketchup empty etc. I would say Denny's has this place beat for quality and value. When ordering with the server a customer should be informed of additional charges. Even though it says it at the BOTTOM of the menu. You can say I would like that with onion rings, but they will just say SURE. No mention of additional charge. Thumbs down
(1)laura b.
i've been here many times. the thing that sets this restaurant apart from others is the view. the restaurant is located in the small airport. you sit by large glass windows and have a clear view of the surrounding mountains and small planes that are coming and going. i go here on two specific nites. tuesdays & wed's. tuesday, they have an all you can eat buffet. their ribs are very good and also on the buffet were catfish (a rarity on a buffet) and stuffed bell peppers among other things. all three of these are my favorites. buffet is about $9.00 . on wed's, this is an all you can eat rib nite, $9.00. the ribs are good. they give you plenty of sides, bread, soup, and a salad bar, all for the one price. i've always liked the food and service. i love the view. if you get there before dinner, there is an airport giftshop so you can look around and pick up a gift for someone. they have a full menu including breakfast and a kids menu. go for the ribs or buffet nite. either way, you'll get the ribs. oh yeah, they also have an old fashioned glass case that revolves holding big pies and big cakes. good stuff. they also have outdoor seating so you actually sit right along where the planes are parked and close to the runway.
(4)