Restaurant Review: Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Glendale, Arizona

Are you looking for a tropical getaway in the Phoenix, Arizona area? Then you need to visit Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Restaurant in the trendy Westgate City Center. Situated next to the WaterDance Plaza and Fountain, it is the perfect destination to feel island happy in Phoenix, Arizona!

Décor:

The restaurant's Caribbean décor helps set the mood for fun. A beach themed map of Glendale, a replica of Jimmy's float plane, a lighthouse, pelicans, sea creatures, scuba diving gear, surf boards and tropical colors all add to the experience of island dining. Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Restaurant provides seating on two floors with a balcony upstairs overlooking the fountain and plaza down below as well as outdoor patio seating downstairs with an upfront and personal feel of the WaterDance Fountain. The fountain is the centerpiece of Westgate City Center and at 5:00PM daily it is synchronized to Jimmy Buffett music. The fountain was the highlight of the dining décor experience for me. We sat fountain side on the outdoor patio watching the dancing water, beautiful colors and listening to Margaritaville.

Service:

I have read other reviews where people had to wait a very long time for service and some even left the restaurant before being served. Such was not the case for us. We went on a Friday night and were seated immediately and served well. The restaurant was not packed full but was busy. The hostess and server were friendly and the food cooked to perfection.

Menu:

The dining offerings are bountiful with choices of starters such as Peel and Eat Shrimp, Volcano Nachos and their signature appetizer; Crab, Shrimp and Mushroom dip. You may also want to try a soup or side as a starter. Tortilla Soup or a House Cesar Salad along with 6 other salad entrees provides many dining choices on a lighter side. They have a specialty menu with seven plates including Jerk Salmon and a Mahi Mahi Platter. Eight Grill Plates are offered which include Jerk Chicken and a Sirloin and Shrimp combo. I had the Grilled Ribeye with ancho-chili rub. That rub was awesome. I had never tasted anything like it before. It was very delicious and grilled to order. The sandwich and burger menu is extensive and comes with French fries or you may substitute onion rings. Prices were fair with most entrees ranging between $14.95 and $24.95. Here is a link to the menu.

Maragritas:

This would be my one area of negativity. I ordered the "Who's to Blame" margarita for $6.75 and it was served in a small plastic cup, on the rocks. I was disappointed in what I received for the money spent. Although I am sure if a person was to take advantage of Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Happy Hour, they would not be disappointed. Happy Hour is Monday through Friday 3:00PM to 5:00PM and Sunday through Thursday 9:00PM to close. They offer drink specials along with appetizer specials during Happy Hour. Here is a link to the drink menu and a link to the Happy Hour menu.

Entertainment:

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville is not only a restaurant but a form of entertainment too. You can play games on flat screen TV's, people on stilts walk around and make you look twice, you can shop in Smuggler's Hold gift shop and there is live music almost every weekend. Here is a link to the event calendar.

General:

Address: Margaritaville Glendale
6751 N Sunset Blvd, Suite E109, Glendale, AZ 85305
Phone: 623-772-0011

Hours: Margaritaville, Glendale is open 11:00AM to 1:00AM Sunday through Thursday and until 2:00AMon Friday and Saturday nights.

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Restaurant is family friendly, so they allow all ages most of the time. Except on Friday and Saturday nights, and event nights, you have to be 21 and over after 11:00PM. The restaurant then takes on a night club atmosphere.

Recommendation:

If you want a enjoyable island themed night out or even a tropical lunch away from the mundane workday, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Restaurant is a dining experience you don't want to miss. And if time allows after relaxing at the beach you can catch a movie at the AMC Theaters just across the way in Westgate City Center.

Sources:
http://www.margaritavilleglendale.com
http://phoenix.about.com
http://www.westgatecitycenter.com