Gertrude's by Tarbell's

This was a nice experience while visiting the Desert Botanical Gardens. Our food was good, but the service was questionable. We had reservations and were seated immediately, but we did not see our server for at least 10 minutes (no greeting, no water) and that was after we said something to the hostess. Apparently, there was a mixup in personnel. The avocado fries were outstanding!

New ownership, new chef, new menu, new staff. At first I was expecting the menu I so loved. I can say the new line up hits the mark. The polenta is out of this world! For my main dish I ordered the short ribs with risotto. 10/10 I would order it again. Then it means I’ll have to return for the rest of the menu.

It was a perfect evening. We sat outside in the back patio very pleasant. New owner/menu. We are going to have to get useto it. I would say clean food. Smaller portions. Slightly disappointing they removed some items, but as I say we'll keep giving it a try. If at all possible, please bring back the fried cauliflower with the thai sauce. 🙏 The service was excellent. I would expect to pay a little more for clean food, so the price was fair. Overall, we really enjoyed it. We will be. back. Try the Cha Cha Mouche. It will turn your cheeks red. 😃

Had dinner here on a recent trip to the Desert Botanical Garden. Was very pleasantly surprised! The food was delicious, the ambience was great, and our waiter Nick's recommendations were on point. Highly recommend the Green Chile Pork, the Grilled Fish Tacos, and as an appetizer, the Avocado Fries with Cilantro Verde Aioli. And do make a reservation in advance, especially if the weather is nice and you want patio seating. It's worth it!

Beautiful restaurant, great place to refresh after touring the gardens! All the staff was lovely, the bartender Adam was particularly kind and helped me pick out what to have. The avocado fries were so good and then I had the pulled tacos-so good! Great prickly pear marg too!

Their tacos are so unique. Especially the sides. I ordered mushroom tacos. The taste is so good with pickled onions and dressing. I ordered a non-alcoholic drink that is having the cactus ingredient. It’s great.

Beautiful patio. The food was interesting and different, but could use a few tweaks to get it to 5 stars. Portions were on the smaller side. We got a cocktail, duck confit, short rib risotto and bunuelos for dessert. The duck was non traditional confit and crispy, but could have used some more seasoning, salt probably. Overall, good not great. The short ribs were very tasty when paired with the avocado risotto. But the risotto itself was very cheese/avocado heavy and strong tasting and it would have been better if there was less risotto and they added another side to the dish to give another flavor profile to balance things. The bunuelos I'd skip next time... it was basically a chip-like fried tortilla cut into wedges with cinnamon and sugar. The dipping chocolate was essentially just a watery hot chocolate, didn't stick to the chips well and didn't give it much of a chocolate flavor. Would have been better if they'd just gone with a churro and some thick hot chocolate instead. The cocktail was pretty good.

I’ve been to the Phoenix Botanical Gardens a number of times, and I’m really embarrassed to say that I never even knew Gertrude’s was here, and that I could have an upscale dining experience at such an affordable price point. Our server was awesome, and the Tamales plate was absolutely fire. Everything was so fresh, and the ingredients were thoughtfully combined. I was expecting museum cafeteria and I got fine dining (minus the pomp and circumstance that the rich love to get off to). Forgive my crude comments, y’all, and give Gertrude’s a chance. Enjoy the garden, devour a delicious meal, and impress your significant other with your superior tastes.

When I heard they were closing I had my husband take me for breakfast one last time after our walk. My go to has been the scones and gravy breakfast. One of the best outdoor locations for dining.

I am going to give Gertrude's a 3. We came on Mother's Day (we made reservations) and my mom was very overheated from being outside. We asked them if she could sit down while we waited for our reservation. They told us no, there are no seats to sit in the small lobby, even though there were open seats in the bar. We went to the bar and got her a water and tried to move her to one of the open seats- which was not acceptable because it was part of the restaurant. We had a party of 5 so were eventually seated - guess what- outside. In the winter I am sure this is a lovely place to go. I would not recommend ever going their as soon as it hits 100. Side note- the food is really good here. Service is just lacking.

Gertrude's Garden, Gertrude's, and Goodies the atmosphere was very open and airy. They have indoor and outdoor seating. After forcing my love to walk around the desert botanical garden in the heat, I knew indoor was the way to go. Calming music at a low level. Calm and relaxing vibes. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. We stopped in after a couple hours of walking the Desert Botanical gardens. We ordered the Korean corn cheese. Not what we expected. I think in my head I was thinking cheese curds situation lol It was very flavorful and very tasty. A bit difficult for my husband to eat since he only has use of his non dominate hand, so we decided to get another appetizer. Would I order it again? Honestly, I would have ordered another appetizer if it weren't for my picky husband lol so I guess the question would be more when I eat it again? Yes, but if I came back, I would definitely give other appetizers a chance to satisfy my taste buds first. I did convince him to try the elote fritters. This was husband approved. Good mix of flavor and textures. I did cut them in half and let them cool a little bit first. For drinks my husband got the Phoenix brewing monsoon West Coast IPA and I got the Cactus Cosmo. Top 3 cosmos I've ever had!! It was light and refreshing. The flavors went well together, nothing overpowered itself. Easy to navigate my husband in a wheelchair through the space. The staff held the door open for us and they shifted a table and removed a chair for us to be able to sit easy. We used the restrooms by the Garden entrance. There was a wheelchair friendly stall which is great for persons with walkers or who can transfer themselves. A little tight for me to work with my husband but we just left the door open. IYKYK

Gertrude's use to be one of my very favorite places to eat. I looked forward to enjoying a meal there during my visits to the botanical gardens. The food was always fresh and tasted amazing - truly farm to table with a flair. We visited this evening (10-17-25) under the new management, Gertrude's by Tarbell's and it was a disappointing experience. Nothing about my salmon dish was farm to table. The fish was undercooked and laid upon a pile of spring mix salad with no flair or special twist. My companion's food was okay, but not great. The server also forgot to bring our cocktails prior to the food being served. Not the biggest deal, but we usually like to enjoy our drinks before we eat. I do not recommend this new concept. It is no longer worth my money or time to eat there when there are much better offerings in the valley.

This looked lovely on the website. We were going to the botanical gardens and needed to grab lunch so we decided to try it out. We had to wait because we did not have reservations, but it wasn't a long wait. It seems people eat early lunch at this place. Service was just okay. The waiter was new so he didn't know very much. I'm always surprised that waiters don't try and learn more about the menu that they're serving. I ordered the blue cheese with bread appetizer. The waiter knew it was to be my lunch. There's no way one person should eat that much blue cheese. It was quite good, but it is definitely an appetizer to share. My friend got the noodles. He didn't realize till the end that they hadn't mixed it and the sauce was all at the bottom. He did not enjoy his meal. If you like hamburgers, that seems to be the thing to order. The salads looked small, but the hamburgers looked impressive. Maybe we just ordered the wrong things.

For being inside of the Desert Botanical Garden this restaurant is pretty good. I'm not dying to go back to Gertrude's but I might grab a bite to eat here if I was planning to visit the botanical garden. It does a good job of being a good spot with a large patio and open space to grab some food before or after walking around the garden. There is also a large bar that dominates most of the indoor space. The service was pretty fast and our waitress was pretty nice. We started off with the hummus and really loved it. The hummus had a great flavor and we really liked that it was served with veggies and tortilla chips. I tried the lemonade which is a special version with berry and basil. It was really good. My mom also liked the watermelon green tea. I got a Caesar salad for my main dish and wasn't too thrilled with it. The Caesar dressing wasn't very good but the salad was fresh.

Pleasantly surprised. My MIL made a reservation for a bday celebration dinner. On the way, I looked it up on Yelp and was a bit weary, thinking of all the other options. But they did not disappoint. At all. We had a table of 10. Our server, Mary, was exceptional. Honestly, one of the best servers I have ever had. She was on top of it, never forgetting a thing and often going the extra mile for my two kiddos. Our food was all great. This was my biggest worry and I was very satisfied. You must order the fried cauliflower. WOW, I could have just eaten that. Is was THE BEST. Kiddos had a burger and chicken tenders. Both were happy. Hubby got the burger and I had the salmon. Kiddos got some cookies and ice cream for dessert. Truly, everything was delicious. The view on the patio is beautiful. We were lucky to have perfect spring weather. Id highly recommend this place. Entrees a bit pricy but great spot for a special evening.

We had reserved this restaurant as we had tickets to see the luminary lights at the botanical garden and this was pretty convenient. My sister set up the reservation and the only spot that was left was 3:30 PM, which is fine since this event is so popular. The space itself is actually beautiful. Includes both an indoor and an outdoor Seating set up. If it is a nice day really try to get an outdoor seating. My sister ordered a rice noodle bowl and it was suggested that she had a shrimp protein, my husband had the Gertie burger with fingerling potatoes, and I went with the farmer soup, which happened to be a chicken pozole tonight. My sister said her rice noodle bowl was very good, husband said his burger was just OK and I had to send my chicken soup back as it was cold when it arrived. They did let me know that somehow the steamer was shut off on the soup so they appreciated the fact that I avoided issues with other patrons tonight and eventually my soup came back to the table and it was hot. I will say that it is missing radish, which is what I put on my Pozole at home. I did not sense any spiciness to the dish, but she did tell me it is medium spicy so there is a very good chance that it is and I just didn't sense it. This is a very busy time of year for this restaurant so service was a little slow, but we can definitely tell this place is super popular If you have leftovers, they are willing to store it until after you stroll the luminary lights and you can pick it up on your way out

After about three hours of walking around the botanical garden, my husband and I were very hungry and decided to try Gertrude's. The staff are nice and they were able to seat us promptly, even though we had no reservation. We ordered the fried cauliflower and shishito peppers. The portion was quite large--more than enough for two. However, the agave sambal drizzle was a bit overwhelming and too spicy for my taste. For drinks, we ordered two cosmopolitans, but they weren't chilled and were far too sweet, which was a disappointment. As for entrées, I ordered the burger with a GF bun, while my husband got the rice noodles. The burger was pretty good, but the potatoes were dry and flavorless. The rice noodles, on the other hand, were unappetizing--they tasted as though they had been soaked in vinegar, which didn't pair well with the sweetness of the dish. We ate the grilled chicken but couldn't finish the meal. Overall, this place is overpriced for the quality of the food. We paid around $90, and I'm sad to say it wasn't worth it.

Make Reservations, Did I say "Make Reservations"! Ambiance is Great. Katheryn our Server was Phenomenal and very accommodating. Love the Food and Drinks.

I was with 3 other friends. We were there on their advertised "Open Night". We had reservations. Chef Tarbell was filming with Channel 10. Service was slow. We were the 2nd table to be seated. Then a single...and awhile later 2 adults. Our flatware was plastic along with a paper napkin..plastic glasses and bamboo paper plates. We asked about the setting. The settings had not arrived..or the dish washer. The food was good. But did not stand out. The burger was ok...but not worth the money...Presentation was not inviting. Our food was delivered 45 minutes after it was ordered. The other tables had all been served. All the meals were cool. I sent mine back to reheat. The others didn't want to bother. We asked for salad dressing. It never came. I got up and asked about it. Oops they forgot. That happened a previous time on a request. Both desserts were ordered. The Mexican fritters with chocolate... 2 fried tortillas(one burnt with black char) covered in cinnamon sugar.The Chocolate was served in a paper cup. There was only 2 waiters. The Date pudding was good. Only 6 tables were occupied. Chef Mark Tarbell went to each of the other 5 tables..He walked by our every time.. I have been to his other restaurant. Met him several times when he was starting out in the 90s. He is a wonderful person. We felt snubbed. There was no Grand Opening. It was changed to a soft opening. After spending $200.00 w/tip. We were debating on ever returning. Brunch was not offered yet. We were very disappointed in this Mark Tarbell venture. We wish him and Gertrude's success. Sorry Chef Mark.

Went to DBG to have an evening walk and admire the Light Bloom show. We decided we were hungry and wanted to have dinner: made it just in time for the last seating of the night. It was a nice, pleasant evening, so we sat outside, had cocktails as usual then ordered the food; mine was - you guessed it - the wild boar that fell off the bone, so tender and good, although for me it lacked in salt overall. The boar isn't as 'gamey' as other wild-caught meat, so I would have liked more condiment in the cook of the cabbage and potatoes. The few leftovers were brought home, so I made soup by adding borlotti beans and onions. As much as desserts were so very tempting this time we didn't order any. Our server Elisa ( Eliza?) was fun and helpful so she made the dinner even nicer! Thanks for another nice evening:)

I love coming to Gertrude's, I also love it in part since I really love the botanical gardens. I've been for brunch, lunch, and dinner and I enjoy the food and drinks on both menus, they offer a nice twist on food like breakfast fried rice, breakfast pizza, breakfast enchiladas, lamb mole enchiladas, etc. The atmosphere is great in the middle of the gardens and the glassware is even special.

Stopped by after night visited to Dessert Botanical Garden. Loved the night time, great weather seating outside with all the glowing lights. Great services, great cocktails, just okey foods. Glad to stopped by to try.

Spent a lovely evening walking through the botanical garden with the lights and had to top off the night with a great meal. To say we were starving is an understatement and the burger and braised boar did not disappoint! I had the boar and it was so tender, didn't need a knife and the root vegetables were cooked perfectly, and the brown gravy was delicious. The service was excellent, she was thoughtful and gave us great suggestions. They do change their menu depending on the season. That being said I would love to go back and try more of their items!

Trying to get out of the blazing sun, we stepped into Gertrude's to get some shade and sustenance. We were rewarded with both. We didn't have a reservation and the next table had a 1.5 hr wait for brunch on a Sunday around noon. So we grabbed a couple of chairs at the bar. The bartender was busy but very attentive and the food arrived quickly. We got the breakfast fried rice which looked like a work of art, the lentil chop bowl, and the berry basil lemonade. All three were delicious. Special mention of the lemonade which was tangy and refreshing after being in 100 degree weather. Haven't had wild rice in fried rice before and now I wish more places served it! For the lentil bowl, we asked for extra dressing because we thought it was a bit dry, albeit still tasty. We finished every last bite and sip of all three dishes. Ambiance is bright and airy, lots of light. If you're planning on dining here, make a reservation, otherwise you better hope the bar is free!

Went to the botanical gardens for the first time with my fiancée last week and we shared some mole lamb enchiladas. This was so flavorful! The whole menu looked delicious. I'm looking forward to another visit.

Make sure to make reservations. It was so busy nobody could get a table, even the bar didn't have seats. Keep it mind it was during the light event at the Desert Botanical Garden. We ordered this cauliflower appetizer other reviews posted about and they were correct, it was delicious. My BF ordered a mole enchilada dish and I ordered a dish with boar meat. Both were very good but its definitely the appetizer I couldn't get over. We were seated outside, I made the reservation for outdoor seating so we could still see some of the displays for the light event. The table was lovely, had no problems with bugs and it was overall a really nice experience.

We had low expectations since this is inside the botanical gardens aka a tourist attraction. But the food was so good and unique! The tofu appetizer was delicious, I ate the whole thing! The seasoning was great and the sauce was a good pairing. We shared the tamales, it was definitely enough for two people. It was slightly spicey, but very good. The sides were also good. Nice atmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating. Fast and super friendly service.

Scone & gravy is one of the best breakfasts I have had! Elder Empress specialty cocktail was delicious also. Service was great, as there was 7 of us on the patio, as well as the ambiance. Look forward to returning as this was my 1st time.

Love the outdoor dining option when making a restaurant. Nice atmosphere and good food/service.

First impression, great setting in door and out, placed by the entry of the Phoenix Botanical Garden. Love that everything on the menu is organic and the server knew her stuff, made great recommendations. This was a Monday afternoon, late lunch with the family. I'd like to come back for their Sunday brunch to check out that menu! Great service, but be careful "it's yummy" certified.

Gertrude's is excellent! We visited on a Monday in spring, so the garden was pretty busy. We put our names in for a table right away, and the wait was around 1hr 15mins. They have a large patio + indoor dining space + bar top. We ordered the hummus (pretty good - 8/10), and I ordered the burger. It was really nice to be able to sub for a GF Bun, with veggies on the side. The seasonal veggies were amazing! Our server was nice, and the ambiance inside the garden is beautiful..

This Great Restaurant was nestled in the Desert Botanical Garden in Tempe. Food was delicious and the service was great. We will be back again. Such a beautiful eatery connected to the Gift Shop. A Must Try.....

I was with a group of 5 friends. Two of us enjoyed their meal - root salad, curry chickpeas, grilled chicken. For three of us, our food was not rememberable - tamales, clams, grilled vegetables. The atmosphere - sitting on the patio surrounded by native succulents plants was amazing. The service was excellent. Still weighing if I will return for a second try.

When planning our return trip to the Desert Botanical Gardens, lunch at Gertrude's was a must. We ate here 5 years ago during the pandemic and it was such a wonderful experience that we were so excited, and today was one of the high lites of our trip. We had reservations and were seated out on the covered patio, it was a beautiful day and the temps were low. Our server Jeff was on top of things and explained some of the seasonal offerings. We were curious about the Korean corn cheese. Happy surprise, roasted corn mixed with melted cheese and then topped with wonton strips, gochuchung-honey and a wasabi aioli. My entree was the roasted corn tamale with poblano crema and refried black beans. I got the smaller portion meal which was a smart thing since the appetizer filled us up quickly. The food and service at Gertrude's is top notch and we will be stopping by again during our next trip to Phoenix.

It's been a minute since I've eaten here.. I had the mole enchiladas and I tried the steak and taters.. great steak.. mole can be a tricky dish.. but mine was spectacular.. it was a Friday night.. started quiet but got very loud .. yet good ambiance.. the service was terrific.. it's nice.. but not hoytee toytee .. it is on the small side.. so make reservations.. it gets busy fast.. I enjoyed it immensely... and of course the garden is gorgeous as always ...

What a fabulous spot! With the low reviews on Yelp, I was kind of skeptical... but we had. It was a great experience, and I loved the food. Only dinging a star for our server who was cold/not friendly. We sat inside. It was spacious, and I didn't feel like I was listening to strangers conversations next to me. I ordered the green chili burger, which was honestly one of the best burgers I've had in a long time. It came with fingerling potatoes. I ended up getting a side of ranch to pair. I also ordered their good berry lemonade - but either needed some more sugar or a little bubbly, something like ginger beer or sparkling water.

Let's start with the amazing service... our server was Bryce. He was an absolute dream. Greeted us with a smile and a laugh, was attentive the entire time we were there. Made an excellent recommendation for drinks as well. Try the Garden 'Rita! Not too sweet, not too spicy, refreshing and delicious. We also enjoyed the Caesar salad with grilled chicken. Perfection! They do not skimp on the chicken either. We finished our evening with a walk around the garden at sunset. What a perfect little girls night. I will definitely be back!

We had a very nice dinner on the patio while we waited for sunset. I started with the Elder Empress cocktail which had a great flavor. It was small but packed a powerful punch. We weren't very hungry so we ordered two small plates that turned out to be pretty big. The Elote Fritters were delicious and the serving was large. The Fried Cauliflower with Shishito peppers was also really good, but maybe a little spicy for some people. The patio was covered with both heaters and fans so it would be pleasant in most weather. Our server was really friendly and nice and our food arrived quickly. Definitely a nice break between touring the garden and getting some sunset pictures.

Dined here on a whim and was extremely happy. The service, food, overall quality and choice of cocktails was all excellent. We sat outside under the heaters which was plenty warm enough however it would be even more spectacular when the weather is warmer.

Everything was amazing! The food was great. Our server, Naomi, was/is amazing! She was personable, professional, informative, and fun! Charity, one of the chefs, made some of the best appetizers I've had in a while! The combination of food, service, and location, made for a really great evening. Thanks so much!

This restaurant has a beautiful setting with outdoor seating. The staff is very professional, accommodating and kind. The menu has a unique selection of entrees. We tried the burger, noodles with tofu and the corn tamales. The noodles were fantastic and the tofu was cooked perfectly. The burgers were a huge portion and were enjoyable. The tamales were just so and didn't wow anyone. We did try the famous gin drink and it was delicious and refreshing! It is a beautiful pink shade with a breathtaking orchid for presentation. This restaurant was a nice treat and the attached gift shop has wonderful items to purchase and give as gifts. The gardens are magnificent and are just a peaceful place.

I love coming here for a late lunch on a beautiful Arizona day. Enjoy lunch out on the patio surrounded by nature. They actually have a pretty decent breakfast.

Stopped by for lunch after a trail! They estimated a 30 minute wait but we got seated in 20. Service was great, quick and friendly! Cauliflower-delicious! Some nice kick from the peppers but cooked perfectly and a great blend of sweet and spicy. Elote fritters- cooked perfectly, nice crunch but also soft inside. The crema was a great component as well. Corn tamales- probably should've only ordered one but went for two! They're a good size, cooked well and nice flavor. I wish the sauce was a little spicy but it was still tasty. The veggies were good but a little bit of an after thought and the beans had a slight kick which was great! Overall we had a great experience! This is not a cheap place though so be prepared to spend some money but the food and service are excellent

Came in for lunch during the week and was able to get sat immediately. The food is great! The drinks are also delicious. The ambiance is really pretty and fitting for the gardens. Service was prompt and personable. Overall a wonderful meal.

We ate brunch here while waiting for our flight. The Sonoran Benedict was amazing! And the banana bread French toast was the best we've had! Considering the views, it was very reasonably priced. A definite must try!

Highly recommend reservations for this restaurant! They can easily be made on OpenTable. We ate outside and despite it being a chilly evening, the heat lamps made it a pleasant experience. We started with the carrot & beet hummus, which was good and a reasonable size to share between the 5 of us (4 adults & 1 toddler). I thought the berry basil lemonade was perfect- not too sweet and the flavors shined through. My corn tamales were DELICIOUS as were my beans and veggie medley (although unexpectedly spicy!). My husband ordered a mole dish and liked it as well, although he said it was pretty spicy too. My toddler devoured his cheese quesadilla (nothing special there), but it came with a large portion size of fruit too, which was nice. For dessert, we shared the donuts, which came with prickly pear, chocolate, and caramel dipping sauces- sooo yummy! Note that if you bring a stroller, you will have to leave it at the front entrance.

Being a DBG member, this surprisingly was my first time at Gertrude's! I did make a reservation for a Saturday morning for two adults and noted that there may be a toddler joining us as well (you never know if plans might change with a toddler). The hostess seemed a bit peeved about the toddler and gave a bit of attitude, even after we had said he could sit in a lap if a high chair could not be accomodated. After a short wait, we were seated at a two person table with a high chair. Our server was very friendly and took great care of us. The space is airy and while busy, did not feel too overly crowded. Ordering off the brunch menu, I was surprises to see so many vegan/vegetarian and GF options. Vegan options do require an upcharge. I opted for the huevos ranchero scrample. It was delicious and hit the spot after a morning of strolling in the garden. Everything was well seasoned and a delicious blend of flavors. I thought the portion was decent and I felt satiated afterwards. I'd love to come back and try lunch or other brunch menu items!

Absolutely fantastic restaurant at the entrance of the botanic garden. The patio of the place is a perfect place to relax in a peaceful landscape, although there is an indoor seating, too. The relatively limited menu has delicious, a bit upscale options. I heard that the slow-cooked boar is one of the favorites so I ordered it. I understand why it is so popular; it is a tasty and tender, quite special treat. There is no need to purchase entrance to the actual garden, but next time, I'll aim to combine the experiences.

Outstanding 5 star We just visited here last weekend. We had the scone and gravy it was delicious the best breakfast I've had in a long time. The photo with the scrambled egg over it. We also had the lentil chop bowl the 4th photo. They paired very nicely together. Our server Oberon was a delight, very efficient kind and he sang happy birthday. Would seem to be we had front row seats to an opera. What a delightful day we had for my birthday brunch, beautiful memory. Definitely will go back there again because I want that scone and gravy breakfast again. Then take a stroll in the Botanical Gardens and walk off your calories

I absolutely love Gertrude's: from the exceptionally gracious service, excellent food, and exquisite patio dining - I love coming here and make it a point to save time when I visit the gardens so I can have a meal here. I highly recommend. Pro note: make reservations no matter what time of year! So e of my faves include: the bread - yes, the bread! Cauliflower appetizer. Salads here are amazing.

Amazing ambience, great service. Had the Elote fritters which were so delicious!! Didn't get a pic because we all enjoyed them too quickly. Then the salmon with a mango risotto that was cooked well. Lots of great flavors in both. The cauliflower and shishito peppers were ok. Just tasted like sweet Thai chile sauce. I will still be back whenever I'm at DBG!

Beautiful restaurant with beautiful people. Bethany was our server and she was so sweet we adored her! We came for the cauliflower and elote balls. They were amazing and Bethany even surprised us with the most amazing birthday desert. We can't wait to come back again!! Thank you!!

I was at the gardens today for an expo. I am a Customer Service manager at several valley venues and today's lunch experience would have been a training field trip for my newbies on what not to do when serving a guest. Restaurants are suppose to be welcoming places. I get staffing issues but there are still ways to overcome that and how one should act when working in an eatery or public venue. Being this is a much talked about place valley wide and it is inside the DBG I expected so much more. I was seriously disappointed by my experience here today. My first time in. Bad first impression. I usually do not judge harshly but this was bad all around. They have a lot of work to do. First off, when I went in no one was at the host stand for a good 5 minutes. That is way too long from a customer service standpoint to not be greeted. Again, being a service worker, I am forgiving. But the hits kept coming. When I finally got to the hostess stand I was told there was no where to sit and I should just sit at the bar. Weird, there were tons of empty tables and a half sat patio. Shrug, okay maybe they are reserved even though they remained open for over an hour of my visit. I dislike sitting at the bar to eat but I chose to stay since I needed food due to the heat. I was told to take any seat at the bar even though there was not one clean. The hostess should know at all times how many seats are open there if providing it as an option. I sat at a dirty seat the only one left. Strange. When I sat the bartender seemed annoyed by my presence and he made negative comment about the hostess. Not okay. That is a big no no from me and my pet peeve. Never throw your cohorts under the bus like that. I ended up pre-cleaning the table up for the staff which I don't usually mind having served for years in my younger days but it added to my annoyance. He kept saying how slammed they were but they really didn't seem that busy for that type of excuse. As far as in the weeds goes. There were plenty of open tables and no line. All those tables remained open the entire time I was there. And I saw plenty of wait staff around. When I have served before I have been in the weeds and it did not look anything like this. Maybe they are a few tables equals busy type of establishment. If so then I would have expected much better service. The unfriendly bar tender took my order and presented me with a check before I even got my food. Ummmmmm! I eat out all the time and never once has this happened to me. Weird to me. Also, he never once checked on me as I ate and drank for refills. Wow! The woman sitting next to me never even got her food. She was late for her class and had to take her food to go. I was shocked he did not offer her a refund or a discount. She literally sat there an hour waiting for a simple salad that was prepped for at least 20 minutes and undelivered. Sheesh! Maybe that is why they try to get you to prepay. Ha! I get mistakes happen but really? The kitchen is two feet away from him. I was ready to advocate for her to get a refund or credit or free dessert or anything. All the guy said was, "sorry i was slammed." Again not cool! She was way too nice about it, considering the place is not cheap. haha This place advertises they are open for breakfast and lunch only but maybe that is a mistake since there were no breakfast items on the menu at all and the menu seemed to have all dinner type of items on it. Maybe they have another menu? I was not offered one. Very limited menu and I did not really see many lunch items, no sandwiches. limited small plates. I chose the Hummus plate which was no impressive and did not taste good to me. Very bland. Not evenly spiced, few veggies, and a small handful of chipsI I have had many Hummus plates at many places for half the cost and this was just not very good. It was the cheapest thing on the menu but not really worth it. I did see a few salads flying by and they looked really good. My guess is salads are the way to go here. Very few choices on the menu to be honest. I guess if you are stuck on one of their dishes you really like you might like it here and be a return diner. The man who delivered my meal was very friendly. He was the only staff member that was and that made me feel welcome. To be honest, I felt very awkward and uncomfortable here. Very unwelcomed as a guest. It was so very odd. I doubt I would ever go back. Other Yelpers and even my friends seem to like it and have rated it good but they are old reviews. Sorry Gertrudes a big fail today. The gardens are lovely of course no issue there.

We have been to Gertrude's a few other times, before it went under "Tarbells" ownership and we enjoyed the experience and the food! This time, (9/28/25), our waiter was excellent and said they were "upscaling" the place. That's what the new ownership was to do. Well, we were served with plastic cups, utensils and paper bowls. We ordered and it took a long time to receive our food. The portions were sad compared to the price. My wife's Cesar salad was the size of a side salad and we paid an entree amount for it..., and it was underwhelming. (Lettuce and Cesar dressing). She expected cornbread as it lists in the menu, but was like a cracker... I asked for no salt on my fries and they still put salt on them, although I was reassured they did not have salt on them when they brought them out. They obviously put any other salt they had onto my burger, as it was really salty! The manager, did remake the fries and take the burger off our bill, but the experience was not good, compared to before. The manager blamed this on a "soft" opening. They have a grand opening in October. I would have thought they would have went out of their way to get it right, before the hard launch. Disappointing, as we loved Gertrude's menu before new ownership.

We went for a late breakfast and walk through the desert botanical garden. The service for our group of 5 was fast and efficient- made some spot on recommendations for the prickly-pear margarita and Sonoran eggs Benedict. Both were delicious! We also had the sausage hash, BLT and quiche. All very good (quiche was a tad dry) but still very good. We split the cannolis and donut holes with caramel, chocolate and prickly-pear jam dipping sauces for dessert Really good! The proximity and views of the garden made you feel like you are dining right in the green part of the desert. Would love to come back sometime when in PHX area again.

Came here for a nice date night. The gardens are great and the review has nothing to do with that. I ordered the prickly pear martini which tasted like it came from the cheapest prickly mix ever. The Brie and chorizo app was okay. Both of are burger were also okay. Canned green chile.. wouldn't this place be great if it hired a local chef to operate the restaurant with local ingredients not store bought/canned items? Only if I could be in charge..

This location is special as the only restaurant in the botanical gardens in southern Scottsdale with rare opportunities to see the Arizona Ballet outside. The boar is a must have as It falls off the bone and the flavors dance on your tongue. The beef filet does not disappoint. The tamales are as close to homemade as you can get and the black beans set a contrast in textures. The chocolate tart was dense and delicious. Great selection of adult beverages.