Yavapai Restaurant

The best patio view you’ll ever get. The food and drinks are very good. Service was right on. Thanks Yavapai!

This restaurant was overall very delicious. The service was great. The resort is under renovations right now, so they converted a large conference room with high ceilings into a restaurant. The views of the red rocks are still nice, but not every seat in the restaurant is great. When the renovations of the original location are finished, it’ll be even more spectacular.
We first went here for dinner. Our waiter was appropriate and made some wonderful suggestions. I started with the abalone appetizer, which was delicious. It was like a fried calamari on a bed of we’re-not-sure-what-but-it-was-delicious. Next, I had the short rib. It was a bit dry, which is why I did not give the full 5 stars. But when I dipped it into the cauliflower pureed, it was better. The white cheese mac and cheese was SO GOOD. My husband had the lamb chops, which he liked. I thought it was a bit on the salty side, but was impressed by the large portions. My father had the sea bass that was «simply prepared.» They placed one piece of fish on a huge plate, which made the fish look very small. So the presentation could use a little bit of work. Lastly, we finished with the pumpkin cheesecake dessert, which was light and decadent.
We returned for the breakfast buffet. It was only $ 21! The service again was amazing. The selection was quite good. There was an omelet/​egg station, smoked salmon, oatmeal, fresh fruit, fresh baby waffles, etc. The hot dishes included scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon and potatoes. We were very satisfied.
Overall, I recommend this restaurant.
The service is great, food is good.

We traveled from Phoenix to see Sedona with my visiting mother-​in-​law. She had always wanted to stay at the Enchantment resort so was excited to lunch at Yavapai.
The setting was pretty however we ate inside so the view wasn’t as spectacular. I had to change my seat from facing a wall to the facing the outdoors. That should have been taken care of without my need to make a change.
The lunch selections were ok– I was surprised that there were not more inventive choices besides the buffalo burger. My mother-​in-​law and I had the salad with chicken and green goddess dressing. The portion was generous and the salad tasty but nothing special. My husband enjoyed the buffalo burger but again, nothing special. The most unusual item we ordered were the cactus fries which were very good. They came with two dipping sauces that were flavorful. We mistakenly ordered coffee which came lukewarm and cost $ 4 a cup. Ridiculous.
Our server was good but stretched way too thin. She was running inside and outside serving her tables.
The bill was $ 82 with the tip! Seemed exorbitant for a meal that was just ok.

I wanted to love this place because I had heard so many wonderful things about it, but alas, I was disappointed. It just wasn’t the fine dining experience it should have been.
The good:
–Amazing view
–Dined outside
–All sides were delish
–Great bread basket
–Nice bottles of wine
–Good dessert selection
The bad:
–Waiters are amateur, barely able to describe their dishes
–Heat lamp is too hot and can only be set to one temperature
–Fish special was disgusting
–Service was not polished what so ever!

2 stars for the view. Truly breathtaking.
Service was OK.
The veggie (more like ONLY carrot) burger was terrible and the flat-​bread pizza almost inedible. I’m talking no flavors, nothing unique and nothing remotely memorable. In fact we didn’t finish either of our plates.
I want to stay at Enchantment but can’t because their restaurant is not up to par and driving into town for food is a trek. To Yavapai: Take a cue from the other restaurants in Uptown Sedona and prepare food that can be palatable.
Note: We were here for lunch a few days ago and I have been for dinner previously (before Unilocal days) and the food was also very average during dinner. Their Prickly Pear signature drink was really one of the worst tasting drinks I’ve ever had.

This is my first review as I normally don’t write reviews. However, I felt obliged to write this review because this was one of the worst meals my wife and I have ever had to endure. Enchantment is meant to be an exclusive high end resort. I stayed their several years ago and wanted to return for a meal because the resort is in the most beautiful setting. After a hike nearby my wife and I decided to have lunch there.
I started with the Napole chips as I wanted to see how prickly pear leaves should be prepared. I liked the consistency by there was so much salt on them I could not eat the chips. Next I ordered their hamburger medium and my wife ordered the veggie burger. Mine looked and felt like a disc, well over cooked and more salt than you can imagine. The veggie burger was salty and soggy, and to be accurate, inedible. When we looked closely at our food we could see the salt crystals on the surface of the food.
I consider this quality of food for the price they charge (five star prices) an insult. Guess they will never see me again.

Cheap food greasy, expensive

A truly great brunch on Sundays. Spendy, about $ 30 per person, but by the end of the meal you’ll think that is a great value. They use Nueske’s bacon; for bacon connoisseurs, that says it all. A lot of variety on the brunch. A few times when I have been at the brunch, service was very poor, one of the few restaurants where I have dined where I have told the manager on the way out that they should fire our waiter. But it was the same really bad waiter we were getting stuck with each time. Last couple of times I was there, the bad waiter was gone, and service was quite good.
Highly recommend the brunch. It will make you happy. It will also make you think that $ 30 is a quite reasonable price for breakfast. Of course they have a lot of items which are not ‘breakfast’; which gives you decent choices and provides a happy lunch for you as well.
Note: Reservations are required.

We decided to check out Yavapai while on vacation. The view was absolutely breathtaking. You are literally surrounded by the red rock mountains as you dine on the patio. If nothing else, it gets 4 – 5 stars for the view!
I think we were the only ones to order wine that afternoon. The sommelier did an excellent job on the wine menu. She organized all the wines by regions and sub-​regions, making it easy to pick your wine of choice. We’re normally Bordeaux drinkers but thought we’d try something different that afternoon. After an extensive conversion about our palates, the sommelier made a few recommendations. She also recommended dishes to accompany her recommendations. The food and wine pairing was well done. I wouldn’t normally order pork ribs, but it was an excellent choice for the Spanish Priorat. The pork ribs didn’t have enough sauce for my taste, but the meat was so tender it fell off the bone.
The service was pretty slow, but I enjoyed it. Meals are made to be savoured. Also, when you’re on vacation, time is meaningless. :)

Went here for sunday jazz brunch. My sister referred us to go here for their unlimited champagne, mimosa, & great food. She forgot to tell us how much though. Maybe she didn’t want to scare us. We didn’t know until we got the bill. Total bill for 2 ppl inc tip was over $ 100.
Love the made to order omelet, dessert table, caviar and smoke salmon and DRINKS! Jazz band wasn’t bad either. What’s great about this place is even though its expensive place you can still come down for brunch wearing shorts & sneakers. We were dressed to go hiking that day.
FYI…if you are not staying at the resort, you DEFINITELY need to make reservation 1^st. They wouldn’t let this 1 couple in cuz they were full. Also, they will replace your used utensils with new ones when they take your dirty plates away.

Exclusive, Expensive, Extraordinary Food and Service with a View! We had hiked around the resort on the Boynton Canyon Trail. The cottages blended into the surroundings.
I found the Dine in Sedona Special at the end of June. This allowed us to dine at the most formal of the restaurants without selling our children.
We sat inside, since the outside tables were full. From the window seating we could view the light dimming over the red rocks.
We had the restaurant mostly to ourselves, so the service was attentive. We ordered a Chardonnay to accompany our meal. It was lovely.
I had a French onion soup surround in an apple squash sweetness and a wild chip garnish that begged to be dipped. Unique and intricate presentation and flavors started our adventurous meal. I love duck and theirs was cooked to perfection and served over baby bok choy. As an extra, I order a sweet potato risotto which was sweet and cream. My husband ended up eating most of it. Every time I went to take a little on my fork, another section had disappeared.
The dessert plate was filled with chocolates, mousses and other trinkets of the divine.
This is a place that allows time to slow down. Food and friends may be savoured slowly together.

Came here twice during our visit to Sedona. The first time was for my bf’s birthday dinner. We sat outside and had cocktails soaking in the magnificent views. Very romantic. We opted for the prix fixe menu and everything we ate was delicious. The next day we came back for their brunch which was out of this world! The selection was enormous! crab, caviar, ommelettes, bacon, fruit, pastries and ofcourse mimosas! We were in food heaven. I would love to come back here.

Wonderful experience! Called to make reservations, Donald at the desk asked if there was any particular occasion — it was our 1 year anniversary. We arrived an hour later for our reservation and were promptly seated at the table Donald had reserved for us. The table was in the perfect place, right dead-​center of the giant panoramic windows. Too bad it was 8.30PM and there was nothing to see :(
I had never been to such an upscale restaurant before and was unsure how to handle everything. I informed my extremely friendly and helpful waited that Id need some coaching — he was happy to help with a smile on his face the whole time. I wasnt embarrassed in the least! LOL…
They comped us a petite little sample appetizer. I enjoyed the Filet Mignon. My girlfriend enjoyed Buffalo and Quail Sausage. Both of our meals were absolutely delicious. We were then given a beautiful little dessert for FREE for our anniversary.
I know, I know. My inexperience is evident. Sorry guys, I was raised on McDonalds and Pizza Hut!
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Yavapai and would happily recommend it to all!

Best Brunch! Great View!!!
Ok, $ 44 does sound a lot for Brunch… but it was a Champaign Brunch that was worth every penny. I think we tried everything!!!
Cavier, shrip, and crap legs were not disappointing. Great bacon, crispy and thick. Omlettes were made to order with fresh items such as Avocado! My friend loved the secret receipe cinnamon waffles. Assorted salads and cheese plates. Beef Wellington, salmon, the menu goes on and on!!! Finish everything off with a great desert collection, which included chocolate covered strawberrys and a yummy pecan tart.
This brunch is tailored for adults and not kids. Considering it was an adult vacation we were quite pleased and look forward to coming here again on our next visit!

Good food, great service and a very, very nice ambiance. But I stress that the food is just good, not spectacular. If you are a serious foodie, just tune your expectations and go to enjoy the incredible red rock views. And in a town with a lot of incredible red rock views, theirs is a stand out.

Our experience at Yavapai was spectacular. We at there on a very quiet Sunday night – there were literally only 4 tables taken. So we got great service. We both had very nice salads. The main courses were very ambitious, and it lived up to their ambition. I had an antelope dish, that also had quail, banana chips, sauce, ravioli, etc. So, pretty busy, but the antelope was delicious, and the other stuff was too. My wife had a somewhat simpler fillet dish which was also very good. The wine by the glass recommendations were very nice, and the dessert was killer.
One of the best things about the Yavapai is probably the view from the huge windows, but it was dark and cloudy when we ate, so we could only see occasional outlines of the rocks. So brunch or lunch would probably be even better.
Yes…this place is very expensive. Main course are almost all $ 40 or more, except for a couple of vegetarian dishes. But it worked for us.

Have stayed at Enchantment several times over the past 2 years. However, we probably won’t anymore. There reason– their restaurants suck. And having to drive all the way in to town for every meal is a pain in the ass.
This place is billed as a 5-​star resort. I just don’t buy it. A 5 star resort should have 5 star dining. Enchantment certainly does not.
The brunch we had at Yavapi earned 3 stars.
The service earned 1 star. Dined here for brunch and our waiter came to our table once the entire time. Considering that the place was practically empty, our waiter didn’t die or get abducted by aliens, and that this place is supposed to be a 5-​star resort, I can’t fathom a reason for the awful service.
There is no excuse for a resort of this (purported) caliber ever serving 3 star food or providing some of the worst service for a restaurant of any price range.

3.5 stars includes excellent service.
We took the mother in law here for her 60^th bday brunch and was treated very well by the staff. Everyone was courteous and professional and that made me so envious for those who were actually staying at the resort.
The brunch buffet spread was delicious with constant champagne ($ 34.95 per person) and eager smiles from the staff.
The 180 panoramic views from the restaurant were amazing. The mother in law was very pleased.
A Sedona must.

Before I left for my road trip through the Southwest, my gay boyfriend insisted I go to some restaurant in Sedona. I promptly forgot its name and much to my surprise, we ended up at his recommended restaurant by luck of fate.
We had decided to give up our 8:30 p.m. reservations at a busy steakhouse on the main drag because were were starving and Yavapai said they would take us at 6:15.
Driving to the Enchantment Resort where Yavapai is located was an exciting ride. It was like seeing a different side of Sedona. Once we arrived, we went through «high» security to get in. They have a check-​in point where they take down your license plate number and go through how to get to the resort in much detail.
There’s a tiny putting lawn leading up to the front entrance. Cute!
Walking in, the front desk were helpful to direct us to the restaurant and the host immediately took us to our table. Unfortunately, the blinds were broken so we didn’t get a view of the red rocks. We did have to ask for black napkins since we were wearing dark clothing and were given red napkins. Hmmm, interesting.
After ordering, the manager helped us take pictures outside just as the sun was hitting the rocks giving off a most beautiful glow.
I had a good vodka tonic ($ 8– Absolut is their well) and enjoyed my spinach salad. It had a fabulous dressing that went well with the pancetta in the salad ($ 10). My friend didn’t like her mushroom and lobster bisque however as it was really a mushroom soup that was earthy, it competed with the delicate lobster. Our other friend seemed to enjoy her gnocchi appetizer.
I chose the buffalo tenderloin ($ 40) which came with half a quail stuffed with quail sausage. The dish came with a sweet potato rissoto that took some getting used to but eventually, I came to appreciate it. I liked the swiss chard and other veggies that came with the dish as well.
My friends seemed okay with their meals; a seabass that was a tiny bit on the salty side– my friend complained it was overly-​breaded but I didn’t really taste it. Our other friend seemed to like her vegetarian risotto pinwheel dish (that looked like some tortilla wrapped up around nothing tasty to me).
The waitress was very observant to note that our friend was vegetarian from her choices and asked her if she ate seafood or not. It turned out our amuse bouche featured seafood so she wanted to make sure she could eat it.
I have to say the service was friendly but not spectacular. The waitress said she would change out the soup for my friend if she didn’t like it but she never came by to check if she liked it. And never really came by to ask if we liked our food. The bussers were on top of it though providing water refills and bread quickly.
We weren’t going to get dessert but our friend really wanted to try the banana bread pudding which turned out to be more bread than pudding. The butter pecan ice cream it came with was fantastic. Very rich and perfectly sweet.
Overall, I liked my meal and would love to stay at this resort in the future.
Total bill: $ 225 after tax and tip for three

Well, there is one reason to have dinner at this restaurant — it’s the incredible scenery. The best place is outside on the patio where you’re facing an unbelievably impressive red rock wall, that — if timed right — will be illuminated by the setting sun. It’s like sitting in front of a gigantic IMAX screen.
The food on the other hand can’t quite compete with the visual spectacle. It’s very expensive, so I am expecting it to be above average. Unfortunately, it isn’t. The asparagus soup (on the bland side) arrived cold, the (otherwise nice) buffalo — which we ordered rare — came well done. Our daughter tried their $ 27 vegetarian dish, which featured home-​made but tasteless and dry tofu with equally tasteless vegetables. The sea bass had way too much salt on it — but — to say something positive — their deserts were quite exquisite, especially their wonderful home-​made pineapple ice-​cream.
The service was the worst we ever had in a restaurant. Our (slow) waiter kept disappearing. We ordered a glass of wine which he kept forgetting to bring. It finally came with the dessert — at least it was on the house, but still.
Would I still recommend going there? Yes, for the scenery. It’s that spectacular. Just lower your expectations with the food and you might be pleasantly surprised with some of their dishes.