Old Town Gringos, occupying the space formerly known as Dos Gringos, touts itself as “Scottsdale’s best patio bar.”
It would be tough to envision Old Town without this fun and familiar haunt, which is the go-to destination for cold patio drinks in hot and sunny Arizona. With two levels of space, indoor and outdoor seating, rooftop cabanas and an atrium style center with multiple bars throughout, this casual spot is great for hanging out and relaxing with your amigos really anytime.
The bar menu at OTG offers the usual Southwestern suspects: an array of craft, local and Mexican beers, a tequila list and various margaritas, ranging from the classic OTG House Margarita (it’s recommended) to some with unique twists like Harry’s “Holy Cow” Margarita. The latter is similar to a traditional margarita, but made with raspberry liquor, which we loved.
As for food, OTG’s menu features Mexican food staples that you can count on if you’re craving familiarity; their Burrito and Fajitas were both recommended as being really great versions of these classics. However the menu is also peppered with unique items that keep it exciting if you are looking to go a little off the beaten path (which, we do!). We decided to try a balance of classic and unexpected.
To start, we ordered the Nachos, Papa style: where golden, crispy tater tots replace the usual tortilla chips. What a fantastic swap! Piled high with black beans, pico de gallo, melted queso, guacamole and sour cream (no beef as we ordered vegetarian), these are possibly the most perfect hangover food out there. In addition to the nachos, we ordered the Elote Dip – a thick and creamy blend of cotija cheese sauce, grilled corn, tangy lime and chile powder served with a heaping pile of crunchy tortilla chips. We look forward to coming back for this sweet and spicy twist on traditional Mexican street corn.
For main courses, we opted for a Taco Platter for our classic selection, featuring three tacos of your choice alongside a generous portion of rice and beans. Out of Green Chile Chicken, Grilled Shrimp and Carne Asada, the Carne Asada was the favorite for its smoky grilled flavor. For the unexpected, we tried OTG’s Mexican Cheeseburger. Not your gringo’s burger, this one features a pork chorizo and angus beef blend patty smeared with Elote Dip and topped with pepperjack cheese and fresh jalapeno slices. It was rich, flavorful, spicy, creamy, tangy and zesty all at once. Get it with a side of rice and beans, crinkle cut fries or (more) tater tots.
If we had any room left after devouring the aforementioned spread, we would have opted for OTG’s only dessert offering that also happens to sound both simple and incredible: Churros & Ice Cream.
There’s more to be explored here that you probably haven’t tried before if you’ve typically popped in on bar crawls or for Coronas. Bring your out of town guests for a “unique to Arizona” bar and restaurant experience, chill with friends for midday brunch (and try their Tots & Chorizo Bacon Gravy!), enjoy live music some evenings, or grab casual happy hour almost any night of the week. The casual spot offers plenty of great deals: Taco Tuesday specials all day every Tuesday, super reasonable happy hour specials from 4-7pm every weeknight besides Saturday, and if you’re feeling muy especial you can order up a Dirty Carlos anytime and receive a can of PBR, shot of Jameson and a cigarette for $9 (ay carumba).
Pro tip: OTG’s amazing patio is also dog-friendly, so when looking to escape the heat with your pup, come grab a cold one here.
Get hours, full menu and more at oldtowngringos.com.