Pa'La Wood Fired Cooking

I visited Pa’La Downtown on a Friday night for my friend’s birthday dinner. Overall, my experience was underwhelming, and I’m not sure if I’ll return to this specific location, though I might try their 24th Street location in the future. For tapas, we tried the Kurobuta Pork Belly ($18). The dish came with four pieces of sliced pork belly (two per skewer) and root vegetables. Unfortunately, the saltiness was way too strong. The seasoning was only on the surface, and it overwhelmed the bite. By the second and last piece, there was nothing left on the plate to balance the extreme saltiness. Perhaps a slightly larger portion of root vegetables or a side to complement it would have helped, but as served, it was difficult to enjoy. Next, I tried the Bucatini Carbonara pasta ($28). I have to be honest. It was extremely disappointing. Before visiting, I had seen photos and reviews online and was excited when I saw it was on the daily menu board, but the pasta was BLAND. Even after mixing in the Parmesan cheese and taking a bite with the guanciale, the dish tasted bland. We had to chase down someone for salt to finish the dish. The guanciale pieces were very small and didn’t add enough flavor, and overall, the dish felt underwhelming. On the special menu that night, the Wood-Fired Branzino ($48) with shiso chimichurri, Romano beans, and einkorn was sold out by the time we tried to order. Instead, we went with the Miso Black Cod ($42), recommended by our waiter. This dish was exceptional. The cod was cooked perfectly, the miso flavor was fantastic, and I really enjoyed the ancient grains it was served on. The portion was on the smaller side, about 5 ounces, but it was excellent. The service was amazing. I cannot remember the server's name, but he was tall, dark-haired, very knowledgeable about the wines, and incredibly friendly. The wine list and drink menu were decent. The ambience is nice, but the inside was extremely loud, so if you’re looking for a quiet dinner, I’d recommend visiting during a less busy time. Parking was convenient, with two garages nearby, and Pa’La validates for two hours, though you’ll want to be mindful of charges beyond that. Overall, while the Miso Black Cod was a highlight, the pork belly and carbonara were disappointing, leaving me unsure if I’d return to this location. I may give the other location a try in the future.

A great experience! The upper room is much more quiet and you can see live jazz on the weekends. The plateware is hand made and the food is chef prepared. The staff was very friendly, and our server was knowledgeable in the entire menu. I chose to let the server prepare the menu by giving a budget and he did an amazing 8 course meal! This is a great place and I highly recommend it!

I can't stop thinking about this place! In early October, I reserved a spot at Pa'la Downtown for my partner's birthday. Knowing how much he and I both love unique, multicultural food, I knew Pa'la would be a great place to visit. It serves tapa-style meals, with a blend of Mediterranean and Japanese style dishes, so you can try a variety of cuisine in one sitting. This is a spot for the most adventurous of eaters; I would not recommend coming here if you're not prepared to expand your palette. I am not a picky eater, yet I was even a little intimidated by some of the items on the menu. Each dish tasted heavenly. My favorites included the pork lettuce wraps, beef tartare, and branzino filet. My partner was a big fan of the bone marrow, but by the time that arrived, I was so stuffed I could only have a little bite. The service was incredible, with a kind woman leading us upstairs and not having us wait long to be seated. We had a proper introduction to the menu, along with a special birthday cheesecake. The ambiance was lovely; even with the live jazz band, it didn't feel as overwhelmingly loud as I expected. There were mostly couples around us, and one huge group taking photos of what seemed to be another birthday celebration. I highly recommend Pa'la Downtown! The staff gave my partner and I a night we'd never forget, and I'm already thinking of excuses to drive over an hour back to Phoenix so I experience it all over again.

The food was exquisite and the wine was top notch. What was unexpected was the ambience with the live jazz, which was very relaxing. The selection from the menu was very surprising and the prices very reasonable for the quality. We would recommend and come back again!

Fantastic experience. Had a little issue with the reservation as we came in for the Tuesday 8 course special. They said they would do it so very happy to experience that. All the dishes were well prepared, delicious, cooked to perfection. Wine pairing was great, both red and white to complement the fish and meats. They validate parking at the Center across the street.

So delicious! All the food options looked great but we settled with just a few because we definitely plan to come back. The ambiance was nice, the food was delicious and the drinks were awesome! Make sure you ask for Jeff… he’ll be sure you’re taken great care of!

Pa’La never disappoints. It’s our favorite restaurant. We’ve been to many high end restaurants all over the world, including a couple Michelin Star, and Pa’La is still our number one. They deserve a Michelin. Request the omakase coursed meal (not on the menu but always available) and prepare for the best meal of your life! Pro tip: request Wagyu to be apart of one of your courses. Best wagyu we’ve ever had. Request upstairs seating on the weekends for live jazz entertainment and wonderful ambiance.

We had a fantastic experience at Pa'La Wood Fired Cooking. The staff is exceptionally knowledgeable, both about the food and the wine, and genuinely enthusiastic about helping you find the right pairings. The wine list is huge and impressively diverse, with selections you do not often see, including wines from Slovenia and Lebanon, which was a real highlight. They were very accommodating with allergies and individual preferences, taking the time to ensure everyone at the table felt comfortable and well cared for. The atmosphere works well for groups of all sizes, whether an intimate dinner or a larger gathering. Between the thoughtful service, outstanding wine program, and overall experience, this is a place we would happily return to and strongly recommend.

I'd been wanting to check out Pa'La for a while so I was excited to see they were participating in restaurant week. Pa'La means "for the people." The food is a combination of Mediterranean, South American, and Japanese flavors. Their menu changes daily because they use fresh ingredients at their peak. Their normal menu is set up like tapas and smaller bites, meant to be shared to experience a variety of flavors. They recommend about 4-5 plates per person. The restaurant week menu is a different style, with the starter, entree, and dessert for one person. Pa'La's chef does a lot of open wood-fire grilling and we also learned they do a Japanese style 'fireside' cooking called 'robatayaki.' The restaurant has a down stairs, along with a small bar and patio seating. Then upstairs is a lounge with a larger bar. The Upstairs Lounge is a vibe! They have live jazz music Thursday - Saturday nights. It's dimly lit, swanky, and a total mood. The rectangle bar has a red octopus mural on the ceiling, very unique. We had a reservation for upstairs. The hostess who sat us was great. We saw two open tables closer to the jazz band as she walked us to our table in the back. We asked if we could make a switch. She ended up moving us, which was fantastic. She also gave us the drink menu, food menu, showed us where to scan the QR code for specials, and told us about restaurant week, giving us that menu as well. That was great considering other places we've been for restaurant week haven't offered that menu and some even act annoyed you want to order from that menu, which is wild! If that's the case the restaurant shouldn't be participating in restaurant week! We went with another couple. 3 of us did the restaurant week menu and then my husband ordered a few different items off the regular menu. Our server was intense about the menu. He was super knowledgeable and excited about the ingredients, methods, and cuisine. We are all foodies so it was great, but for other people it could be a bit overwhelming since it was a lot of information. We started with some fun cocktails and they brought us the most delicious complimentary focaccia bread with olive oil. We ordered Olives with Smoked Chili Almonds and 1/2 Dozen Oysters off their regular menu to share at the table. I had the Ocean Trout Tartare, the Wood-Fired Branzino, and the Yuzu Mousse Cake. The Trout Tartare was delicious and served with Tallow chips. I loved it was Trout and not the typical Tuna. The Branzino was flaky and smoky. It was served with grains and a gremolata. I really enjoyed it. The Yuzu Mousse Cake was just okay. I like lemon and grapefruit tart flavors but I didn't love the mousse. My friend had the Burrata and enjoy it, but it did come with a lot of bread for the amount of burrata served. She had the Bucatini with Maitake Mushrooms and it was delicious. Her husband had the Iberico Pork Ribs in a Miso Maple Glaze and loved it. My husband had the Kurobuta Pork Belly with Sour Plum BBQ Sauce and Pickled Root Vegetables. He loved the flavor combination. He had the Mussels with Chorizo and more of that yummy focaccia bread to dip in the sauce. He also tried the Japanese Sweet Potato with Cilantro and Chili Crunch, so good! We had wine with dinner and then decided to try a bottle of their saki after dinner. Kind of random but we all loved the little light on the table. It was perfect for the ambiance and also came in handy when we wanted to read the menu better or for pictures. We will definitely be back. I want to try their octopus and also want to do their "Table," 8 course communal dinner with wine on Tuesdays. They offer this at both the downtown location and their 24th street location. The idea of a cozy long table sharing amazing food, wine, and conversation sounds so interesting and fun! Pa'La is a hybrid of flavors, a must try!!!

My friend made us dinner reservation with our husbands for restaurant week. We had a great experience, food was excellent and the service was top notch. We sat upstairs in the lounge near the jazz players. It was a very cozy and romantic atmosphere. Their restaurant week menu was $55 per person for appetizer, entree and dessert. For my appetizer I ordered their burrata. There was way too much bread for the amount of burrata and I felt like the bread was way too thick. This dish was ok. For my entree, I ordered their bucatini mushroom pasta, this was fantastic. Bucatini pasta is a thick, spaghetti-like pasta with a hollow center. This is not a pasta I see often at a restaurant. I loved it and highly recommend this dish! For my dessert, I picked their yuzu mouse cake. It was light and fluffy. It tasted a little like key lime pie. I enjoyed it! Our service was great, our waiter was very detailed and he did have a lot of information to share about the restaurant and menus.

I don't know where to start, made reservations for my husband bday and we got front row seats to the jazz player. Very friendly and welcoming as soon as you walk in everyone is ready to greet you. There was so many different food and drinks I wished I could pick all of it but the portions we got was enough for us. I had the Rock Shrimp and it was delicious my husband got the Mussels and delicious as well. The server we got was Pablo (if I'm not mistaken) he was amazing explain to us the menu and drinks. Super friendly and made us feel like royalties ( I might be exaggerating but that's how we felt). The jazz was a plus for us the music wasn't even that loud enough that you can't even have a conversation but music was great, we will definitely go back and try more food. I highly recommend to try special occasions or just something out of your comfort zone and try them out. I didn't take any pic due to we were enjoying our time but maybe next time I'll take pics.

We came here for the live music and supposedly amazing and fresh food. It's okay. The service was decent and seated us at the bar without reservations. The food tasted good but it is very pricey and is tapa style so it's hard to justify the cost. The bucatini carbonara was just okay probably would skip. My favorite were the sweet potatoes but 3 slices was about $13-14. Overall a fun time just to hang out but we did go out for tacos after just cause it felt short.

My fiancé and I came to Pa'La for an early dinner prior to a show downtown. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess and everyone who we spoke with was very kind and helpful. We were highly impressed by everything we had!!! Would highly recommend the tartar with squid ink bread and the sweet potato dish. We also had a carbonara special and ribs. Everything was delicious and bursting with flavor!

I give this place a 4.5 stars The only reason is, it did take a a while for them to provide me with my food. Other than that, the people were friendly, helpful, and very attentive. We came to check on me and see how my food was and I was like well. I don't have any food. If you're looking for a delicious fancy restaurant, this is a place to go. The menu changes often, so probably what I won't be available in a couple of weeks or days. Overall, but I enjoyed my favorite part. Was the mussels. I had never tried them, but the sauce it came, and was delicious. The ribeye was also good The meat was cooked. Perfection melted in your mouth. The only thing I didn't really like is all the garnish that was on top. It was in big fan of that. The other two items that I really enjoyed was the pork Valley and the sweet potato. I don't know what they put on it, but it worked really well. There was much more. I wanted to try, but it is pretty pricey. So, hopefully in my next visit. I'll stop by again and see what else they have on the menu.

Overall wonderful experience. We were seated at a table right by the door and asked about a booth but they were all filled up so the hostess asked if we wanted a high top instead by the kitchen, which was very nice and cool! We had two servers take care of us and they explained the menu very well, very knowledgeable about all the elements of each dish and their allergens. There is a lot gluten free.. except there is no gluten free grain at all?? For instance, the cod has ancient grains with gluten but they have no rice that's gluten free at all. There's foccacia but no gf bread. So that was disappointing because a carb helps with a balanced meal. A lot of the gluten free was red meat which I don't eat so overall I was more limited hence the four stars - the grain got me... I wasn't going to pay $42 for a meal with no grain. And no chicken dishes? Odd. I ended up getting the wild u10 shrimp and Japanese sweet potato. The shrimp came with only four pieces - they were large but for $29... just expect to spend more money here if you want to be full. The shrimp was very tasty though! It had great flavor from the ginger and garlic and it was fresh and light yet packed a slight heat. Very juicy. The sweet potato also only came with three slices for $13. It was once again however, pretty outstanding flavor wise. The skin had a nice crunch while the flesh was pillow-y and delicate but still packed heat with the chili crunch. They are very good about providing adequate sauce. Also the sweet potato came out over 5 minutes before my shrimp, not sure if that's normal or something happened in the kitchen. My boyfriend got the special which was an egg pasta with pesto, cherry tomatoes, and shrimp. He said the pasta was outstanding - you could tell it was homemade - and he even liked the pesto and he's not a big pesto fan. He said the shrimp was nice And tender. He agreed the portion was small for the price but we both recognize we pay for high quality.

Pa'La was excellent. After getting stranded due to a missed connection at PHX, i booked a hotel downtown and found this gem. I started with a glass of wine and then decided to order off their daily specials listed on the chalk board. This place is serious about their steaks. They even have an Iberico pork steak, which I expect to be quite good. But, I ordered the crudo, which was comprised of trout. And a 5 oz branzino. These fish dishes were tasty. I had an excellent server (sorry, forgot good name). So it was a great way to spend an unexpected evening in Phoenix.

Again, such a lovely experience at Pa'la with amazing food and service. We ordered the beef tartare as an appetizer which was sooo good, don't let the black bread or raw meat stray you away from trying. I was hesitant to order but loved it! For entrees, we ordered the NY Strip and Flank Steak. I will say the NY strip was better than the flank. I found the flank to be a bit too salty but the New Strip was perfect balance of flavor. The sweet potatoes were so yum, slightly spicy but not overwhelming. We came here for our anniversary and it was so sweet that each person that sat us, served us or said bye to us wished us a happy anniversary!! They gave us a Tres Leches cake which was so delicious as well. Can't wait to be back

A friend recommended this spot, so I had to come check it out--and I'm glad I did! I ordered the beef tartare, the wood-fired octopus, the Japanese sweet potato, and one of their desserts. The tartare was fresh and flavorful, the octopus had a great char with just the right amount of smokiness, and the sweet potato was such a unique and comforting dish. Dessert tied it all together and was the perfect finish to the meal. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was attentive without being overbearing. Overall, it was a great experience, and I'd definitely come back to try more dishes!

I had my 50th birthday celebration last weekend with a group of 15. It was amazing and my guests loved the food, service and vibe. I first went there a year ago on a date (well that didn't work out) and I knew this is the vibe I wanted. Ana who coordianted my special day and server Joey (sp?) was amazing and went over and beyond. The food was fabulous and I can't recommend this place for any special event you have (upstairs is my jam)!!

This is a great bar and restaurant! The cocktail's were all superb, and the food was solid. We ate a selection of appetizers including the beef tartar, and oysters. We were not disappointed. The environment was perfect, classy, upscale with a vibrant busy urban vibe. The bartenders were very friendly, helpful and entertaining. Definitely will return.

Easily one of my favorite restaurants in Phoenix. My friend and I ordered the beef tartare, Japanese sweet potato, and miso cod. Everything was delicious and perfectly portioned. We left full but not uncomfortable. Ambience was also great. I love that you can watch the light rail go by if you're facing the doors. We didn't get a chance to go upstairs because we had to meet a friend at a different location, but we will definitely be back to check it out. And will just be back in general.

Great place at downtown Phoenix to enjoy dinner with friends. The tapas menu are really affordable and tasty. Love the Fire-grilled octopus, pork belly, and Japanese sweet tomatoes with chilly oil. The house red Cabernet from Chile was really good. It is kind of pricy for dinner entrees.

Best Mediterranean fine dining experiemce. Great service. Exceptional food. Live music. It's such a fun and delightful time here. The food is refreshing to eat. Very clean eating and simple ingredients. Temperature of the food was perfect and presentation was appealing. Friendly staff really makes it that much more a great time. The atmosphere is intimate yet lively with the live music. Friday's and Saturday's is the time to dine and catch the entertainment.

I have been wanting to come here for years & finally made it. Host and hostesses were 5 star as well as all of our servers. Never skipped a beat with superb fine dining service. Jazz trio entertains upstairs, with an impressive wine cellar and intimate dining room. Ambiance is classy but not stuffy. The chef here spent a decade at one of my other faves, Roka Akor. So I knew it would be great but THIS great?! This amazing restaurant has such delectable food, it had me dreaming about it. Unique sourced ingredients are used & their menu is always changing. Everything I ate was literally a party in my mouth. So much so, we ordered most of the appetizers twice. The complimentary focaccia bread, the tenderly soft kurobuta pork belly was sinfully delicious, as was the woodfired octopus & fresh burrata. Saying I cannot wait to return is an understatement.

From the moment we walked in, I knew this place was special. The staff at the host station was warm and welcoming, and patient as we wandered away to look at the offerings at the bar. We were a party of four, and I had made reservations for the upstairs jazz lounge for dinner. For a second I thought I had made a mistake because the downstairs (where we entered) looked really inviting. The surprise is that there is no bad choice. The jazz lounge has a more intimate vibe and the band was really enjoyable. We had great music that wasn't too loud, so we were able to easily converse. Once we were seated, Pablo, our server/guide for the evening, came over to introduce himself and give us an overview of the drink menus to start us off. I was unaware of how expansive and impressive their wine list is. If you are even slightly interested in wine don't miss this place! Every menu item has notes, so you don't need to be a sommelier to pick out something to try. Our drink orders in, Pablo explained three menu ordering options. The first is off the à la cart menu and blackboard specials, the next is a price fixed omakase menu with the chef preparing their choices for you (about 10 courses), or you can have your server select for you within a price point you choose. Before we even selected, we all agreed that we're going to come back so we can try different styles of ordering. Ultimately, we went with the à la cart menu. Dishes are served tapas style, small dishes designed for sharing. We chose eight dishes, but the highlights were definitely the octopus, which was unbelievably tender, the pork belly, which I will be dreaming about for quite a while, the Japanese, sweet potato, which I can't explain, but you have to try, and the mussels which were amazingly sweet. I also would not shy away from the blackboard specials. We had the bucatini carbonara. It was delicious and fresh, and having just been in Italy, very authentic. I can't recommend this place enough. If you were looking for a fun evening with friends, or really nice date night, make a reservation soon! Either floor is a good choice.

What an amazing experience! From the time that we walked in until the time that we left, the service was absolutely outstanding! The hostess that sat us gave us a thorough description of the menu and seated as promptly. And our server, Jeff, was also phenomenal! He was extremely knowledgeable about all of the ingredients of each dish, and that was impressive! Now onto the food because the food was fabulous! I started with the octopus and my husband had the pork belly. My girlfriend had the muscles and they just simply melt it in your mouth! My main entrée was miso card. I wasn't a big fan of the flavor miso but the fish was cooked to perfection. My husband had the whole Bronzino fish and he absolutely loved it! Oh yeah, and to top it off, the live jazz was spot on! We were still able to have a good conversation and enjoy live music because it was not too loud. We sat upstairs so that we could hear the live music. I can't wait to go back. Again the food was fabulous. The service was outstanding, and the atmosphere was a definite vibe that was most enjoyable!

What a disappointment. Our expectations were for a great experience. We were immediately put on the back foot when after ordering a draft beer, we were told that there were no draft beers available due to a mechanical issue. And there were only two bottle choices. We had a nice chat with the bartender and then ordered a couple of starters, the olives and pickled anchovies. Both came quickly. The olive app was laughable. The kitchen opened the fridge and dropped 15 cold green olives in a bowl. There was no attempt to warm or season them. No presentation whatsoever. Just 15 cold olives for $6. Just embarrassing for Pa'la. The anchovies were adequate, served with tiny tasteless pastry rings. Their website menu showed anchovies and almonds for $8 but they had removed that offering and we had $13 anchovies without almonds instead. This was an underwhelming experience from start to finish. Just awful.

General manager Gilles described Pa'La as "for the people" and that it certainly is. I felt so welcomed and valued even the first time I dined at Pa'La for happy hour. There is a cozy yet spacious bar upstairs and live music on Fri-Sat. Some of my favorites were the squid ink milkbread, anchovies, and Randy's killer espresso martini (ask him what the secret ingredient is!). I most recently dined at Pa'La again after several happy hours because I noticed they were rated as "dine fearlessly" (highest rating) on the Seed Oil Scout app (a movement to map out restaurants that care for their customers by cooking with healthy and natural oils) which is aligned with a new lifestyle/diet I am following. I sent an email requesting a special accommodation for my dietary needs and Gilles and Chef Jason jumped right on it with enthusiasm. We had the most outstanding Omikase experience. Every course was crafted with such attention to detail and care for my diet. Modifications were made with ease. Chef Jason made numerous appearances at our table and engaged with us throughout the evening. For the first time in about 6 months, my anxiety about dining out melted away and I was able to enjoy the ambiance, the flavors, and my company without having to worry if I was going to accidentally eat something that I wasn't supposed to or wondering if I was ruining the night (for my company and the staff) by asking countless questions about ingredients. Some of my favorites were the tartare on sweet potatoes, trout, anchovies (of course), shishito peppers, and ribeye (even though everything was my favorite!). We've been back since and everyone remembered us, even our server Brittany. We joked that we felt like royalty here because we were treated so well, but really it is a privilege to dine at Pa'La and know Gilles, Jason, and Brittany. They are the true stars and they make Pa'La so special.

What a special place. From the moment you walk in you just get all the good vibes. Gorgeous decor, friendly faces, impeccable menu. We came in pretty last minute and the wonderful owner was able to seat us with a little creative arrangements. Everyone was so kind and friendly. The drinks are very creative and yummy but the menu... ah, the menu. So wonderful and delicious. We will definitely be back on our next trip to the Phoenix area!

Saturday night jazz!!! What else is there to say? Plus the food is delicious. We got 3 plates to share and loved it!

What an amazing place! I was excited to come after reading about the live Jazz band. I was trying to figure out where to sit to be close to the Jazz band. I was looking online but couldn't find it and I tried calling, but no answer. So I made a reservation in the dining room. If you want to be by the band, reserve the lounge room. I get there and explained to the GM. He checked to see if there was availability but there was not. But he kept alert and he did get us a table at the end by the band for dessert. It was fun. Also the GM (Giles Kolakowski) who was amazing and attentive recommended some delicious wine from France after telling him that my fav wine was from that country. He took really good care of us and made us feel special. Our server was super sweet and loved her energy ( shout out to Samantha)! We ordered appetizers, entrees and sides for sharing. Everything was delicious, cooked to perfection and on another level. I have not one single criticism to say. I will definitely be back. Every time I have a guest over visiting me from out of town, this place will be on my itinerary every time. If you have not been, make sure you make the time to experience it. You will not be disappointed.

Our first time here we got the octopus, shishito peppers, steak tartare, Japanese sweet potato, and pork belly. Everything was phenomenal. The service was 10/10 and the staff was so welcoming and attentive! We felt well taken care of and will definitely be returning.

Pa' La downtown is one of my absolute favorite restaurants. I had my 4 year anniversary last night and I had the most magical experience! Seriously, the staff made my night so special. I set up a reservation with Gilles and the staff rolled out the red carpet for my evening. All of the servers told us Happy Anniversary and made us feel like celebrities! We had the warm olives and nuts along with the charred octopus for appetizers. I highly suggest this combination. We had the Tomahawk steak for dinner, it was absolutely incredible! We also enjoyed a side of squash cooked to perfection. My partner is sober and for the grand finale they brought us a complementary glass of champagne and non alcoholic champagne for her. This is the first time any restaurant has added this level of service and details. I was truly touched. We both were so filled with joy and gratitude for the level of service we received. We devoured the flan and ice cream, it was literally a party in my mouth! Pa 'la is a fantastic spot for a date night, girls night out, special work events. Oh and they have live jazz on Tuesdays. Thank you for making my anniversary one I will never forget! Truly blessed!

The food was absolutely amazing full of flavor and cooked to perfection. But what really stood out was the customer service! The staff was welcoming, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. Definitely coming back and highly recommend to anyone looking for great vibes, great people, and even better food!

Tonight was our first time here, and my wife and I chose it for date night. They did not let us down. We started with oysters, which were fresh and delicious. Next, we tried their smoked Brussels sprouts--absolutely incredible. We also enjoyed a few different types of cocktails. What's great is that all the cocktails are the same price, so you can just focus on what you like to drink without worrying about the cost. For our main dish, we shared the ribeye, which was perfectly cooked and tender. We also had sweet potatoes on the side--so delicious. I highly recommend making a reservation to ensure you get a spot. You don't want to miss out. We're already planning to come back for my birthday or another special event.

Absolutely phenomenal. My entire group I was with loved everything. I honestly can't remember the last time I raved about a restaurant like this! We did tapas style and tried the Beef tartar, Octopus, Sweet potatoes, Pork belly, Iberico pork, the Pasta special, the house Focaccia, the Shishito peppers, the cod, and we got the cheesecake and chocolate torte dessert. They have an amazing happy hour every day 5-630 and also all day Sunday and live jazz on weekends. Our server, Ana, was also fantastic in giving recommendations. I can't wait to go back.

If cozy vibes and global bites had a baby, it'd be this Phoenix gem. Pala Wood Fired cooking is serving up Mediterranean, South American and Japanese vibes all on one menu--think global flavors, local ingredients, and serious wood-fired magic. The space is warm and cozy, the staff treats you like royalty, and the menu? It's a rotating lineup of shareable small plates that basically demand you try everything. We're talking tapas-style bites that are packed with flavor and creativity. While nothing totally blew my mind, everything was really solid--fresh, flavorful, and beautifully done. Heads up: their menu changes depending on what's fresh and in season, so don't get too attached to any dish you see here (RIP to the ones that got away). But if you're looking for a place that feels a little special without being stuffy? Pa'La's your girl. Five stars, wood-fired and well-deserved.

I keep coming back for the creative, delicious meals and of course the live music. PA'LA delivers on all fronts for a great downtown experience. The servers are attentive and the jazz flows on the weekends. Get a table in the upstairs lounge for better listening! The murals on the wall and ceilings are awesome, as is the wonderful smell of wood fired cooking; PA'LA is a must hit!

We just had the most amazing experience here. I treated my husband to date night and this place was a real treat. The staff were amazing from the moment we walked through the door. I made a reservation for the second floor and they had a live jazz band playing, this really set the vibe. The food was to die for! Note that they have a rotating menu so you might not have the option to try what we did. We started with the shishito peppers and pork belly, and oh myyyyy both were so dang flavorful. Then we had the pleasure of indulging in the miso black cod and NY strip steak, which were absolute heaven. I didn't get a chance to take a pic of the food, only my cocktail. I had the carjillo which is like an espresso martini with tequila. I really liked it. We can't wait for another date night here!!

Delicious. Food options were good, very expensive and small portions, but food was a 5/5, prices 4/5, ambiance 5/5, staff amazing and out of this world. Had such a great experience.

Pa'La Downtown was originally the birthday dinner destination but we were skeptical about the menu. Once we got there the ambiance was nice enough but the menu left a lot to be desired. Maybe we didn't get the concept so we decided on two cocktails. The live jazz was really nice and so was our server and the drinks had a kick to them.

Out of the three restaurants we visited during this weekend this was my favorite! The ambiance was a mix of Italy meets modern feel. Loved the pictures of Sorrento, and the jazz music for dinner! The service was amazing! The food on point! Was very happy to have a little birthday cheesecake too!

I went here for dinner on Mother's Day to celebrate. I was immediately greeted and seated. When I arrived, there weren't a lot of people but the space quickly filled up with other parties. The waitress was so sweet and down to earth. I wish I remembered her name! She took pictures of me after when I asked and she went the extra mile by providing some lighting. It was nice. I got the Japanese sweet potato appetizer, then I got the octopus for my first course, prime NY strip steak cooked medium rare for my main course, and the chocolate peanut butter torte for dessert. Everything was SO GOOD and well-made. The sweet potato appetizer was my fav and in my opinion, is a must try! I also got a margarita and some other drink that has blackberry and whiskey. It was reminiscent of an old fashioned. I was also served complimentary bread. The place was clean and well-kept, including the bathroom. They have a really pretty wine wall as well. I will be back for the communal dinner that they host on Tuesdays! My only suggestion is that when you are doing a special menu for a holiday, maybe consider not serving a dessert with peanuts although I feel like they would accommodate someone who may have an allergy because the waitress did ask me if I had any allergies or sensitivities. I thought that was considerate.

Came here for the first time last night for an anniversary. We were really excited about the live jazz, but left disappointed when there wasn't any. It's possible that we needed to request seating on the second floor, but even then, we didn't hear any music coming from up there. If that is the case, I think that should be listed on the website or even asked upon arrival. Our server was friendly, but seemed rushed and stressed--likely due to being understaffed. It affected the experience, especially when we had to ask for water refills more than once as well as waiting a decent amount of time for our check. As for the food: * The wood-fired octopus was okay. The salad underneath was overly vinegary and kind of overpowered the dish. * The mussels were one of the highlights--the broth they came in was delicious, though the mussels themselves were on the smaller side. * The Argentine flank steak was definitely the standout. Perfectly cooked and packed with flavor. * The asparagus was good, nothing too memorable. * The Wagyu fat potatoes were the biggest letdown. Undersalted and bland, they tasted more like boiled potatoes with a few olives tossed in. It was also frustrating that the dishes didn't come out together--we ate our sides without the meat and the meat without the sides, which took away from the overall meal. I had planned to take pictures of this dining experience but once I was disappointed by the octopus, I stopped. so this would be the only picture I have. I love the concept of combining Mediterranean and Asian influences, but it felt like the execution missed the mark. Not a terrible experience, but not one I'd return for.

I gave Pa'la another try and it was PHENOMENAL! That's the quality and experience that I was expecting the first time so I'm so glad I went back to try it again. They hit it out of the park! If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. Pros 1.Both my husband and I had the omakase and I'm so glad we did because we were able to try sooooo many different things. It's well worth the price for the quality of food and super fresh ingredients. 2. Our server, Brittany, was so sweet and helpful, and the manager (didn't get her name) made the dinner more than a dinner - it was an experience! 3. We sat upstairs this time and really enjoyed the atmosphere. I love that it feels like a place that would be in NYC, where I'm from. Felt very comfortable, lounge like, romantic and sexy. 4. All of the food tasted so fresh, beyond tasty, and you can tell there was a lot of thought, love and creativity put into each dish. 5. The foie gras was sweet and savory, smooth, and perfectly balanced. 6. The wagyu was melt-in-your-mouth delicious! 7. The bucatini with seafood was so creamy and delicious. Comfort food. Love the addition of uni. Yumm so darn good. Cons None, nada, NA Cannot wait to go back. Going to book a reservation right after I finish writing this review. I'm still dreaming about our experience and want to experience it over and over again.

Came here for a birthday dinner. The upstairs ambiance was nicer than downstairs in our opinion. Our server explained tapas to us after we had told him we came here specifically for tapas. We thought a lot of the dishes were good like the octopus and bone marrow but the monkfish had a smell to it that seemed like it was not fresh. For the cost, I expected a bit more

Pa'La has a location on 24th and one downtown. 2 total separate vibes, 2 amazingly separate experiences. We had dinner at the downtown location upstairs Saturday night with live jazz. Our service was extraordinary our food was delicious and the ambiance was amazing. This location is quite nice and made for a wonderful date night out.

Beautiful ambiance...so sexy and soft. The service was amazing and so personalized. Our cocktails were delicious and refreshing, recommended from our server Alex. I will go back again and again, just for happy hour. The place is so pleasant and comfortable.

My boyfriend and I love coming here! The scallops were so buttery and melt in your mouth. I was in heaven. Oysters are good since and mignonette is my favorite here! Summer squash was quite delicious our server recommended we get that side dish. My boyfriend got a bone in steak and was cooked perfectly to his liking. The vibes here are on a different level for Phoenix. Jazz music on the weekends is such a romantic touch! I love how I feel like I am in a different city when you step into Pa'La. Being able to see the Chefs prepare you're fresh food is something I love. I don't love how close the tables are to other guests but it is a smaller building and they make do with what they have. We get sat right away every time and are treated with respect and hospitality as every restaurant should with their guests!

Food and Ambiance was fair nothing to say oh my god about. We were on the seconded floor and the jazz was great, the service was the problem, it seems the wait staff forget about your order, and you have to keep reminding the staff about your food. Eat on the first floor and have drinks on the second to listen to the jazz, you will have a better experience. Kitchen is on the first floor! Sorry but it was a so-so restaurant, and we will not go back. It is not that good of a restaurant and the kitchen is not big enough to handle and serve more than 20 people. The hype is total BS

Very nice restaurant but I felt a bit underdressed. I didn't know it was kind of a fine dining scene. I was looking more into the food menu hehe. Anyway, the vibe is more of a late date night scene. My family and I went for dinner (party of 7) and we had my nephew come along (he is 2 years old). He was well behaved so it was good. We were seated upstairs. There are stairs to go up in the dining area but for me, temporarily walking with a cane, super glad they had an elevator. But that elevator took forever lol I do love the menu and the food choices we had ordered however, it was just a small plate. Would love to order more though and perhaps try other cocktails and perhaps the NY strip steak (which they ran out of last night- Sunday) for next time. Also there was one food- photo un-named (a server came to our table and set it down but we didn't order the food, so it came to us by mistake) but our waitress that night apologize but still told us to try because it's really good (which it was!) and it didn't get charge on our check They do validate parking for 2 hrs. We parked right across (Chase bank)

Tried Pa'la for the first time and loved it. We chose to be sat at the cellar and I'm happy we did because it was beautiful. Our server was very attentive and friendly, and all of the food we ordered were delicious. This was also the most convenient and perfect spot for dinner before heading to a concert at the Footprint center, which was only a 2-3 minute walk. We will definitely be coming back!

Celebrated my husband's 50th birthday. Pablo was amazing we had a party of 9 with a toddler. He was very patient and kind. Food was a 10 out of 10 and the Jazz band was phenomenal. We will be back for sure.

We had a party of 8. Our table was ready upon arrival. We only had one server and he was absolutely amazing and attentive to all of our needs. On to the food. Literally every dish that we had was so good that we would finish it and order another. I'm not kidding. The food was so good that we asked our server if we could meet the chef. To our surprise, the chef actually came out and we showered him with gratitude and compliments. I officially have a favorite restaurant in downtown Phoenix. I can't wait to go back!

This restaurant and service is exceptional and will definitely be back . My husband and I had the oysters and mussels which the flavors of the two plates were magnificent . We went on Thursday when they had jazz music playing which was beautiful! Standing ovation to this whole establishment

I saw a post on Instagram for Friday Night jazz music and had to go check it out. I've been to Pa'La before but this was the first time upstairs. It has a completely different vibe than downstairs. It's much more dark and moody with some really cool murals on the walls and ceiling. Our server was great but food came out in such a weird order and not together at all. The complimentary focaccia bread was a nice touch. My steak was delicious. Both our mains came out first, but not together and then the broccolini came out right at the end so you didn't even really get to eat everything together. Our server apologized for the delay and comped one of our glasses of wine for our troubles. I will definitely go back on a different Friday night for a glass of wine and to listen to the music.

My wife and I were downtown to watch a show and decided to try this place for dinner. We had reservations and were seated in a nice quiet area upstairs near the beautiful glass wine cellar. We originally were going to try the restaurant week menu but ended up going with their standard menu. It's Tapas style so we shared each plate. We started with the Bone marrow, Octopus and pork belly. The were all fantastic. Such great flavors! We finished off the meal with Japanese Sweet Potatoes and the Flat Iron steak. Both were to die for. The flat iron steak was so tender and had an amazing beef flavor. They also have a great wine list. We had a fantastic GSM from the Rhône region of France. Paired perfectly with the food that we ordered.