T. Cook's
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Valet
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
18 Reviews for T. Cook's
Sorry to say but I remember this as being better the last time I was there years ago. I had a group of 20 for a team dinner and have to say I was not really impressed for the price. The best part of the dinner was the wine. The waiter was very knowledgeable about wines and made some great recommendations, at a mid-range price, for such a large group and as much as we were consuming. If I had to do over, I would have taken my team off site for a dinner somewhere else.
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I've been for an anniversary and for a rare "all the sisters are together" dinner - and both times the cost was utterly ridiculous, and I didn't regret a single penny.
My recommendation is to recognize that the menu shifts in order to offer seasonal selections; and call ahead to find out what's on the chef's tasting menu. Get that, and if you don't like the sound of what's on it, wait a couple months and call back. Everything we've ever had here has been perfectly prepared, professionally presented in appropriate time frames, and utterly delicious. The tasting menu consistently offers a variety of tastes so that it's difficult to be at all disappointed.
It's not someplace I would *ever* consider not planning for; it's a lot of money and it's not just dinner; it's a commitment to an evening where you just concentrate on the food and the company you keep.
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Took my boyfriend and family here for Sunday brunch
Ambiance of the place is impressive
Brunch consists of a menu and a buffet
The buffet is on the smaller side, but the quality of the items present were very good
A few items available on the buffet were:
Scones
Pain du chocolat
Some sort of egg fritatta with veggies
King crab legs and claws
Shrimpies
Seafood gazpacho martinis
Cheeses
Smoked salmon
Different pasta salads
Then they had a dessert spread which was very impressive (alas, almost every item contained nuts, which I'm allergice too :( )
We all ordered items off of the menu, then piled the buffet on top of that
So we had a LOT of food
It was all very, very, very good.
I gauge all buffets on the Bellagio buffet.
So, on my Bellagio buffet rating system, this place gets 4 stars!
(Bellagio is the only one that holds the 5 star rating in my meager mind)
Ta da!
Go there for brunch!
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Way too overpriced for the quality of food! I have been there two times and unfortunately I was disspointed both times.
The first time I went for an anniversary. The food was alright, but certainly not 5 star quality. The wine was pretty good, but the waiter was a little snooty about it. Granted we don't know much about wine, but that was precisely why we asked for a recommendation. He acted like we were some loosers for not knowing each wine by name.
The second time I was there was for mother's day, when I was pregrant. I wanted to give them another chance, but it was once again quite dissapointing. The quality of the food is disproportionate to the price and the service was once again pompous and almost discriminatory. I realised we were the only non-white people at that place, but come on, you can't refill our water glasses when you pass us by to refill at the next table? We sat with empty water glasses for almost 15 minutes. That's not service, especially for what you pay!
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As a rule, I avoid hotel restaurants. However, I am pleased to break my rule for T. Cook's at the Royal Palms Resort.
Look no further than T. Cook's for the best place in Phoenix for a romantic dinner with your sweetie. This place is tops in terms of atmosphere. The grounds of the Royal Palms Resort are impeccable and the whole place has the vibe of a genteel estate you wish was handed down from generation to generation in your own family. This place oozes Old World/Spanish Colonial charm in a good way.
Arrive a few minutes early and stroll the grounds before your dinner. Check out the courtyard and the reflecting pool. It's amazing to think that before this place underwent a multi-million dollar renovation, there was a pink heart-shaped pool on the grounds. The kitsch is gone and this grand dame has been returned to her 1920s grace.
Given the spectacular setting, T. Cook's doesn't have to be as good as it is. The BF and I have enjoyed several fine meals at this restaurant. The decor of the restaurant is lovely, of course. Check out the palm tree that grows up through the roof. The room features colonial Spanish architecture, a vaulted ceiling and ubiquitous Old World elegance. The service is also graceful and relaxed.
As for the food, the real surprise is the seafood is at T. Cook's. In fact, the very best seafood I have eaten in Phoenix has been at T. Cook's. I am always a sucker for lobster bisque and the version at T. Cook's is top notch. It's lush and silky and every bit as indulgent as lobster bisque should be. The scallops are also outstanding and perfectly prepared. I'm not one to order fish as my entree very often, but the BF and I have done that at T. Cook's with wonderful results. Try the seafood here, it's truly spectacular.
T. Cook's is very proud of its fire-roasted specialties and the fireplace is gorgeous and really adds to the atmosphere. One time our waiter suggested we try the Mediterranean paella with the optional lobster tail and claw. This was the one main dish we would not order again. The paella tasted like it sat around partially cooked and then they just warmed it over the fire when we ordered it. I'd never order this dish again, but I would not let this stand in my way of coming back to T. Cook's, either.
One time we tried the Cream Cheese Brulee because it's T. Cook's signature dessert. It's a caramel cheesecake and vanilla creme brulee served with fresh berries and guava sauce. Unfortunately, it was sickly, sickly sweet. I'm not a huge fan of creme brulee in general and this one didn't alter my opinion. However, other desserts were much better.
Stop by the Lounge at T. Cook's for an after-dinner aperitif. The atmosphere is very cozy and this place is hopping many nights.
T. Cook's also has the Delos Room for private dining. This would be a fabulous place for an intimate dinner with up to 12 friends. What a great place for a milestone birthday or anniversary celebration.
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I have been frequenting T'cooks bar for 6 years now. The core of the staff has remained the same, which is quite uncommon in the food and beverage world. There is a bartender / bar manager / all around good guy, by the name of Jason, that u must ask for....don't tell him I sent ya ;-) Jeremy and Eric back him up on busy evenings and his nights off. The food at this joint is at first glance small portions but I assure you, hungry will not be in your vocab upon completion of any entree. My favorite, and it is back on the menu, is the lobster tortilini. It is not cheap but it is so friggin' worth it! paired with a nice white wine or if you've got some more hair on yur b@!!s than I do, maybe something stronger. They've got every brand and make of gasoline you could ever hope for. When finished be sure to have some cream cheese brulee with an espresso martini. Talk about a little jolt of a libation...this will get your eyes poppin' for sure...
T'Cooks is the top notch eating outlet in the Royal Palms Resort. And if you have not already heard about the architecture and landscaping on the resorts 9 acres...be sure to take a little stroll.
If your with a date, this place is a sure fire closer! If you can't close here...just go home and stop dating altogether.
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One of the most impressive spots in town.
Lunch is a luxury experience - the grounds are amazingly beautiful, and the menu surprisingly affordable. Try this for an inexpensive way to really impress a business client.
For dinner they will take your shorts, though it is certainly worth it if you desire a truly memorable, elegant evening. Life is too short - try this restaurant soon!
I have yet to stay here (Royal Palms hotel) - but it is definitely on my list of 1001 things to do before I expire.
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Before you freak out at the 2 star rating, let me explain myself. My scale usually goes like this - 3 stars is average (duh), a place I wouldn't necessarily put effort into going to but I wouldn't be totally disappointed if somehow I wound up there. 2 stars would be somewhere I likely wouldn't return and wouldn't recommend to others. For what T Cooks is trying to be, it is not worth a return trip for me. Not that the food, decor, service, or anything was that terrible, but for the price there are far better fine dining establishments. There is absolutely no reason to choose T Cooks or allow others to choose it.
Ok - so this review is based solely on my experience at the wine bar/lounge area and not the actual restaurant. I was meeting a group of friends here for a cozy cocktail before we all took off to our various locations of origin for the holidays. On a Tuesday night at 7, the lounge area was PACKED. I couldn't believe it. I arrived with my husband and there was only one other person from our party at the bar. So I scouted the place out and swooped in like a hawk when I saw a party vacate a nice plush couch in the back corner.
The decor is very cozy - wood fireplaces going, low lighting, oak tables, plush couches, beautiful patio - very Spanish villa. But I guess that this place used to be a Spanish-villa influenced private estate, so no surprise there.
So after being seated, we waited for a server. And waited. We noticed only one server in the entire lounge, and people were literally lining up to talk to her, either to get her attention or to simply put in orders. It turned out she was the only server for the whole lounge! That's not her fault, but that is definitely some poor management right there.
We ordered some food off the lounge menu and some drinks and proceeded to enjoy ourselves with our friends over the course of the next 3 hours. I started with the Pinot Grigio and my husband had the 007 martini (or the James Bond martini? something like that). Both were good. For food, we selected the calamari in aioli, the charcuterie plate, and the tenderloin burger. The calamari was interesting to say the least - the aioli was very watery and almost mayo-y, kind of like cole slaw. Um, ok? The tenderloin burger was very plain. The boursin cheese was creative but it didn't do much to help. The applewood smoked bacon could best be described as stale - it was extremely brittle, almost hurt to bite into. It wasn't even that it was "crispy" because even when bacon is properly prepared crispy it's still a little chewy.
The charcuterie plate never came.
Over the 3 hours, the crowd died down and we were able to enjoy a little more relaxing atmosphere. But the service never improved. Rarely did the server return to our table to check on us. One of our friends ordered a tenderloin burger much later in the night, and it took almost 45 minutes to get to him. After our first drinks, I ordered the Sauvingon Blanc and my husband the Russian Valley Pinot Noir. The SB tasted like pickle juice and my husband exclaimed that it was potentially the worst PN he had ever had.
At the end of the night we got the check. $117. For a mediocre burger, strangely prepared calamari, a cocktail, a beer, and 4 glasses of wine between my husband and I (two of which were terrible).
Not worth it.
Worse, out of curiosity I took a look at the regular restaurant menu. 3 entrees with mushrooms (I hate mushrooms), 1 with duck (to which I'm allergic), and 2 were seafood (based on the calamari, I wouldn't go for the seafood).
So there is absolutely nothing here I would eat. No reason to return, whatsoever.
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Normally, I would reserve 5 starts for something that I had been back to, but I'm not sure when I'll be back in Phoenix and the meal we had was really stellar.
Courteous staff, relaxed for a formal place, and all of the food was delicious.
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This place is way too expensive for the mediocre food served to you. It's not bad, but certainly not worth the price or the hype. T cooks needs to take cooking lessons, and an introductory course in pricing strategy at a respectable business school. If you're going to push a premium price, it better be a premium product.
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T. Cooks is one of my favorite restaurants in Scottsdale, and I don't know if it's because it's part of one of the nicest hotels there or what. I like the atmosphere and attentiveness of the wait staff, and I could drink by the gallon that pesto sauce thing they give you for the bread. I had the best gnocchi in the world there, but since their menu changes all the time, it's a crap shoot whether or not I'll ever have that again. I like it because since I'm so not into dressing up for dinner unless I have a super hot date, it's okay to go somewhat biz casual. The strawberry salad is good, and I can't even remember what I had for dessert, but whatever it was, it was delicious. People have complaints about the prices, but I say have business meetings there!
So this was my first stop on my trip to Phoenix. After muchos yelpers recommendations and reading some of the decent reviews I decided to bring my group to this place. The Royal Palms is a gorgeous resort and the building and restaurant are very beautiful. I called the day of to get a reservation for 6 and to my delight there was no prob getting one. Some of the people in my party were not used to such fine dining, but since they were with a professional I told them not to worry. Plus the menu really didn't scream out anything to crazy. We were seated in the center of the dining room under neath this giant metal sculpture. It took about 10 minutes for our waiter to finally approach us , but after that he was attentive and pleasant for most the meal. I was really excited to enlighten some of the people I was with about dining like this. Although I did not believe the food to be up to what some people on here have claimed. I found the food to be very bland, uninspired, and boring. I felt bad because I felt I was cheating the people I was with out of a great first fine dining experience. This place was seriously nothing special. The service really saved a bad meal. Now the desserts. I had heard of the pastry chef before and was excited to see what he had to offer. We ordered every dessert on his menu besides the cheese tasting. I don't know about y'all but I am sick of seeing creme brulee on menus!!! When I saw that he had CB on the menu I was already disappointed. Creme Brulee is such a cop out! I will say that the dessert plate ups were nice. He did a lot of sugar work and interesting tuille cookie shapes. Overall I wish I could give this place a 2.5 for their service only. Way overrated according to the reviewers and a little out dated.....
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We were staying at the Royal Palms for a couple of days and everyday we would have breakfast at T Cooks. It was delicious.
Most memorable the frittata with artichokes and sundried tomates.
Dinner wasn't so great - I wouldn't recommend. The dishes were too strongly flavored for the ingredients. I had a mushroom soup that I couldn't finish - it was way to intense. Also had a monkfish wrapped with bacon which is normally a great combo but I'm not sure what oil they fry with or what amount they used, the dish was over powered and the freshness of the ingredients were lost.
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I really wanted to love this place. It came highly recommended by Yelpers and a personal friend who used to live nearby, so we were excited to check it out. Set in the Royal Palms, you walk through a lovely garden to get to the restaurant. It was raining the day we went, so we coudln't sit outside, but I'm sure it's beautiful.
We started with a couple glasses of wine, and the charcuterie plate. My bf loves cured meats, and we often order a similar appetizer at one of our favorite restaurants close to home. So we were terribly disappointed to be served a plate with only a couple slices of maybe 4 different meats, a small slice of pate, sliced pickles, a bit of mustard. That's it? For $13? The bread was served with some delicious pesto, but quite a bit of it, considering there were only 2 of us.
For entrees, bf ordered the seared scallops, and I had the short rib. His tasted fine to me, but I only had 1 bite. Halfway through the meal, he thought it smelled like BO, and couldn't finish it. Mine was ok, really nothing to write home about. Maybe we didn't order the right things, but we just were not impressed.
Service was great all the way through, thus the 3 stars. For me, the food wasn't bad, but nothing spectacular, as it should have been for the prices. Not sure what I was missing, but I just couldn't say this was a great experience.
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I have been here too many times to count. My family and I come here for every special occasion... graduation, Christmas, birthdays. The food is excellent and the service is always superb. What I love about the Royal Palms and T Cooks is the outdoor seating areas. In the winter time it is great because they have these nooks with fireplaces and seating so you can have drinks by the fire.
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Excellent service from a New Jersey born bartender. Jason has been manning the bar at T Cooks for seven + years and certainly knows his clientele. Locals and hotel guests fill the lobby on a nightly basis and the live piano playing is icing on the cake.
An even better treat than the live piano is the creme brulee cheesecake topped off with an espresso martini. However, start your night off with a glass of wine and any appetizer from the shrimp sliders to the foie gras. The fresh bread and pesto sauce is delicious, but don't fill up on it... save room for your choice of paella, scallops, filet, or duck - you can't go wrong. Even the $14 bleu cheese mushroom burger melts in your mouth.
The resort itself is a secret 9 acre gem hidden in the heart of Phoenix. The unique old world architecture and lush grounds are the most romantic in the city... what other resort do you know that has a 'Director of Romance' on staff?
Check it out... you will not be disappointed.
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This restaurant knows exactly how to make your tastebuds dance. The food was top notch and the service, impeccible. The duck and foie gras...to die for. Our server was so great and offered the perfect suggestions. We had polished off our bottle of wine before dessert and I hesitantly declined an after dinner drink. The waiter must of sensed this because upon my return from the ladies room to our table my husband informed me that our server brought me a complimenary drink.
The ambience was romantic and I hope to return soon.
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Quite possibly the most exquisite gastronomical delight you will ever partake in. My wife and I went here for our anniversary, and it was our best.
I highly recommend you call ahead and be very clear if you are planning on dining to celebrate a special occassion (particularly one that has to do with romance). I did, and I'm glad of it.
This place is the cat's meow.
I highly recommend the duck.
The staff actually took it upon themselves to wish us a happy anniversary (and actually wrote it on our dessert plates!), and even took (and gave us) a souvenir picture to remember the evening.
Ambience and service is amazing.
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