Yesterday our office had another lunch at Waldo’s BBQ, which I think is definitely one of the best BBQ places around. Not only is the food great but the atmosphere is very original and fun with vintage signs and sawdust on the floor. Almost all of us ordered pulled beef, chicken, or pork sandwiches served with your choice of several sides they offer. I had the pulled pork sandwich with fries. The meat is cooked to perfection and extremely tender. They also offer skillets of their famous BBQ sauce along with the meals, which I put a generous amount of on my sandwich and used for dipping. The drinks are also served in large glass jars and are big enough that you don’t need to order refills. I would suggest any of their sandwiches and other skillet dishes they offer. Not only is it  great BBQ but it is priced well. I look forward to our next lunch there!

First Impressions

Tom’s is a slightly more upscale barbecue establishment than many, with dark-tinted windows, with tinting removed just enough to let the neon lights shine out, large flat-screens on several walls, and a general clean atmosphere.  A large amount of Chicago-themed sports merchandise on one wall makes Tom’s feel like it’s halfway to becoming a sports bar.

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Non-First Impressions

Given the neighbourhood occupied by Waldo’s BBQ– the “senior-citizen” part of Mesa, where the average age is 92 and the average vehicle speed is 12 mph (with blinker on), it’s not surprising that very little changes at Waldo’s.  The walls are still caked with a large number of old signs, primarily agricultural and pig-themed.  The floor is still covered with sawdust.

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I decided to try something different.

I chose a large chicken sandwich, and it was so damp with grease that the lower bun was starting to fall apart as I lifted it for a first bite.  By ~80% of the way through the sandwich, both sides of the bun were becoming unpleasantly mushy.  This can only reasonably be eaten via knife and fork.

They retooled the sweet-potato fries since the last time I was there– more solid and surprisingly reminiscent of normal potato fries.

I will also mention that our waitress seemed reasonably competent– getting all our orders right, although she did have to make several trips, probably due to some side dishes being ready late.

Overall, I wasn’t stunned, but I have to write the chicken sandwich off as an iffy choice.

Many of my friends have talked very highly of the Gecko Grill in Gilbert as a great place for a good mexican lunch. So when our food crew chose the infamous lunch destination, I was  excited to try it out.

My First Impression

“Wow, this place is busy,” is what came to my mind first as I walked into the waiting area. Then I realized that the waiting area is only designed for two people. Traffic  in and out seemed to be a little chaotic but the wait  time was not very long for such a large party. The hostess was quick to seat us and bring out menus. If you like eating at a small but busy Mexican style cafe, than this is the perfect place for you. There are many colorful southwest decorations on the walls, with straw covered booths around the sides for more private dining. I must say that the place was very busy wilt only a couple of tables left empty.

The Food

I was impressed with the variety of many traditional Mexican dishes and finger foods along with South Western BBQ plates. Though, with small restaurants like this, I always question the authenticity of their “Traditional Mexican Food.” I ordered the South Western Burrito Lunch Special which I thought was reasonably priced at $5.99. There were many other menu items and specials to choose from as well.

I began my meal with free bottomless fresh chips and a couple of salsa and bean dipping choices  The salsa was definitely store bought and out of the bottle which provided an comfortable familiar taste. My South West Burrito came served on a small plate with garnish. the buritto wrapped  with a combination of diced grilled seasoned chicken marinated in a mild red sauce, Spanish rice, south west stile corn, Charo beans, and a good crisp bead of lettuce, sour cream, and cheese. I liked the tastes and the textures of this burrito. However, I did not taste the South West in the South West Burrito. What I ate was a good and hearty burrito that had mild spices giving it a good taste for anyone to enjoy that is fearful of heartburn from hot foods. I have never had corn in a burrito before, but it added a sweet taste that was enjoyable.  The sour cream and cheese did not cancel out any of the other ingredients flavors which so many Mexican restaurants tend to do. I was good “gringo” style Mexican food at a good value.

Service

Our server was prompt and very friendly through the entire meal. There was a matter of having an extra meal sent to us that no one ordered from our party, but that happens to busy lunch cafe sometimes. Even though the service staff seemed to be young teens, our meals came quick and hot without complaints. The general atmosphere seemed to be that everyone was having a good time.

Gecko Grill I would say is a good place to get a filling meal with your friends and family in a casual environment.  The prices are decent for the amount and quality of food you receive with prompt and friendly service.

Ratings    1 to 5 Stars

Atmosphere: 3 Stars

Food: 3 Stars

Service: 3 Stars

9 out of a possible 15 Stars

When I heard our chosen lunch destination on Friday was Waldo’s BBQ in Mesa I was ready.  I have been to Waldo’s before and always enjoy a good pulled pork sandwich.  I had recently visited the new San Tan location and left with a feeling of disappointment, so I was hoping for the Mesa location to make up for my last visit.  It didn’t.  We had a large group and they crammed us into our seats.  We needed one more table to be comfortable.  Just like my last visit the food was not hot.  One of the most important pieces of a BBQ sandwich is the BBQ sauce.  Waldo’s serves there sauce in an iron skillet.  This doesn’t work well with large groups.  I want my own sauce.  I thought about asking the waitress for my own but she didn’t seem to interested in any type of special requests.  Although our waitress was not very friendly she did serve everybody at the same time and kept the drinks filled.  I gave Waldo’s 2 chances and I don’t think they deserve a 3rd.  The eating quarters were crammed, the waitress was unfriendly, and whenever she brought our food she slapped it on the table.  I went to Waldo’s to enjoy my lunch and eat a good pork sandwich; not to be seated and served like a pig in a trough.

We’ve been to Waldo’s plenty of times in the past.  The Web-Op team goes about once every other month.  However, this friday we decided to make it our destination for our end of the week lunch.  It was the same ol’ Waldos experience.

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Last Friday we all piled into Waldo’s BBQ for our traditional weekly lunch. You may remember our trip to Joe’s Real BBQ a while back, but this week it was time for a different BBQ. I’ve always been a fan of Waldo’s BBQ and have always thought of it to be the best place to get BBQ. The reasons are simple - its affordable yet quality food. Other places either have one or the other, high prices or crappy food. Waldo’s got it all right and under control. (more…)

First Impressions

Waldo’s has been on Main, near Greenfield, for as long as I’ve lived in Mesa.  It shares a strangely ancient looking strip mall with a touristy knick-knack shop and a discount tile dealer.

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First Impressions

It’s difficult to put a proper bead on eating at AJ’s. In the most basic sense, you’re sitting on patio furniture in front of a supermarket. But at the same time, it’s the fancy supermarket in the comparatively nice Dana Park area. (more…)