Elote is a must eat dining experience in Sedona. Chef Jeff has created most amazing flavors based on his own time in Oaxaca. And don't forget the cookbook. Importantly if you don't want to wait in line you can order takeout at certain times. Great margaritas too.
Teresa L.
I was so mislead when I saw the name of this restaurant. I thought this place would just have different types of elotes but it doesn't. It just has one type of elote as an appetizer and a full menu full of other things amazing sounding options. This fancier restaurant is looks like it is always packed with lines. And it has good reason to be! So be prepared to have a 1+ hour wait. Even ordering to go took awhile. I honestly only ordered their $10 elote appetizer because that is what I was in the mood for. That alone was AMAZING. But my table ordered some other food like short ribs, enchiladas, and pulled pork. Everything smelled and looked delicious. I'm going to come here again and get a full meal next time!
Neelysf
Some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had! I had the Elote Appetizer, followed by the Smoked Chicken Enchiladas, finished off with a taste of the Mexican Chocolate Pie. Everything was absolutely delicious....trust me you won’t leave disappointed!!
Kristina B.
Arrived around 4:15PM on a Saturday and that was the perfect time. Less than 3 minutes after 10 cars (I kid you not) pulled in. We were about 3rd in line and we were already seated at a booth with the most beautiful view by 4:50PM. Water was ready at the table with complimentary chips and salsa arriving shortly after. Here's what we had: Elote - OMG! Yum! Probably my favorite dish of the night. The slices of lime on the side was perfect! Loved the cotija cheese! Corn Crusted Scallops - Got this for my entree after reading several reviews. To be honest, it was not for me at all. I didn't like how sweet it was - but that's just personal preference. I wish I had gotten the Chipotle Shrimp instead. Pastel de Elote - We got their special sweet corn dessert and it was really good! Overall, I just didn't like my entree. I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt as everything else was really good. Service was top notch, the food was fast and the view was amazing. I hope to try them again in the future!
Corey A.
This review could be summarized by two words: Go. Here. The lamb adobo is one of the greatest dishes I have ever eaten ; the first bite literally brought tears to my eyes. Smoky, sweet, falling-off-the-bone perfection. Picasso ; Mozart ; Elote head chef Jeff Smedstad ; artists worthy of reverence and worldwide admiration. The white truffle corn soup was decadent and delicious. The complementary chips & salsa were tasty, and the salsa refills were timely. The rice & beans were relatively forgettable, but my fiancee replaced the rice + beans for a vegetables rajas offering with no upcharge, and she was delighted with that dish. "Jeff's Margarita" was the only thing that wasn't absolutely transcendant. Server (Omar) was knowledgeable and personable. Location was nothing special, given that we arrived after sundown and missed whatever views might have been available, but I understand that they are moving to a new location that will hopefully do justice to the unbelievable quality of the food.
Jennifer B.
Saturday night at a no-reservation restaurant prepare to "wait" as part of the experience (they open at 5, and even if you get in line at 4:30...you still wait at least an hour). Feels more like an epically long line at Disneyland...which feels at odds with the zen-like atmosphere of Sedona. The pictures on-line made the restaurant look Ah-mazing, however once you experience the exhausting wait and batter your taste buds with seasoned popcorn & margaritas the ambiance inside feels disappointing and unexceptional (our view was of a parking lot). Dim lighting, lots of browns and yellows (sort of a 70's vibe of colors). First you wait in line to get a buzzer- hint...send someone in your party to the line on the LEFT of the stairs to wait in line for the bar AND send a third person to land shark some outdoor seating to sit at while consuming your bar drink & popcorn (who wants to keep standing while holding a margarita, buzzer & popcorn bowl? Humans are not built like an octopus ). We were rookies and waited in 3 lines . Overall led to a stressful experience and the time did not pass quickly. The corn app (aka Mexican street corn) was good- but my memories of my street corn in a styrofoam cup in Mexico was still better. We went with the server's suggestion of truffled scallops & pork cheeks, while mama got the smoked chicken enchilada (too smoky and average on taste). The Mexican chocolate pie was more like a frozen pie...would have preferred it to be more like a pudding pie (whenever a chocolate pie is frozen it reminds me of a chain restaurant's mud pie). Other tip- order the "special" margarita (usually $8) as it is larger and better than their Jeff margarita (sort of small) or the pricey $25- 100 year old tequila margarita (also small and just ok). Overall the food is very good...but the crazy lines & waiting sort of ruins a restaurant outing when on vacation. Is the food worth that wait experience...I would say no. Is the food worth the price with NO wait- yes, although you would probably have to go mid-week during a snowstorm to avoid the wait. It seems Elote is an experience set to torture the tourists (even when visiting during a random weekend in February).
John Welk
Very long wait to get a table (almost 3 hours), but once seated great food and service!
Deena S.
This place is absolute fire. The elote, fried goat cheese balls, bison short ribs and pork carnitas were perfection. I would not have changed a since facet of any of those dishes, and the serrano margaritas were also noteworthy. The live mariachi band had my toes tappin'. Absolutely will be back the next time we're in town.
mamahamill5057
We knew we would have a wait(90+ minutes) BUT this restaurant is worth the wait! Service & food was outstanding.
Matt D.
As a man from New England, great Mexican food is not all too abundant in the area. Coming to the southwest, however, has been a true blessing. The experience I had at Elote Cafe was out of this world, the best Mexican food I have ever tasted. We ordered the Elote and shredded beef quesadilla special to start. The creamy, rich flavors of the Elote were excellent paired with the tasty fire roasted corn. Pairing well with the elote, the shredded beef quesadillas were phenomenal. The beef melted in your mouth with tremendous taste and flavor. Out of this world! For entrees I ordered the chicken enchiladas. The enchiladas came with a green sauce and onions/crema on top. So good!
Everything says they close at 9. Yes, we were rushing there and walked in about 8:35. But the door was locked. No dinner for us. Clearly closing time is FLEXIBLE.
BoardingPassDC
Excellent Mexican food. Best restaurant in Sedona! It’s very popular with residents and travelers. So plan for the wait, grab a Margarita, and enjoy a meal that you will remember. Great service by knowledgeable, fun, and attentive wait staff. An experience not to miss.
getsgo
Glad they're moving to a bigger location. Wait time too long for dinner and drinks. No real place to relax while waiting for your table. We left since we did not want to wait 2 hours.
Lynn Jacomet
Very well prepared food- “fancy Mexican “ to some people. Everything was fresh. Delightful melding of flavors. Vegetarian and gluten free friendly. Excellent service. We arrived at 4:30 on a Saturday to get in line for the 5:00pm opening, ( reservations not accepted ), we were seated by 5:15 or so. It was worth the wait. Keep that in mind when visiting. I would highly recommend this restaurant. They are moving to a new location in April; last service at current location is 2/22/2020.
Sharon Johnston Peretz
This restaurant was recommended by a travel vlogger. It was our favorite place to eat while on vacation in Sedona. The Elote appetizer is a must have, as well as the Chorizo fundido, wonderfully spicy and delicious. We had wonderful Margaritas and Sangrias but the food was outstanding. Tonight's special was the brisket Enchiladas. I will remember this place for when I return. Even the desserts where delectable.
Elote is a must eat dining experience in Sedona. Chef Jeff has created most amazing flavors based on his own time in Oaxaca. And don't forget the cookbook. Importantly if you don't want to wait in line you can order takeout at certain times. Great margaritas too.
I was so mislead when I saw the name of this restaurant. I thought this place would just have different types of elotes but it doesn't. It just has one type of elote as an appetizer and a full menu full of other things amazing sounding options. This fancier restaurant is looks like it is always packed with lines. And it has good reason to be! So be prepared to have a 1+ hour wait. Even ordering to go took awhile. I honestly only ordered their $10 elote appetizer because that is what I was in the mood for. That alone was AMAZING. But my table ordered some other food like short ribs, enchiladas, and pulled pork. Everything smelled and looked delicious. I'm going to come here again and get a full meal next time!
Some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had! I had the Elote Appetizer, followed by the Smoked Chicken Enchiladas, finished off with a taste of the Mexican Chocolate Pie. Everything was absolutely delicious....trust me you won’t leave disappointed!!
Arrived around 4:15PM on a Saturday and that was the perfect time. Less than 3 minutes after 10 cars (I kid you not) pulled in. We were about 3rd in line and we were already seated at a booth with the most beautiful view by 4:50PM. Water was ready at the table with complimentary chips and salsa arriving shortly after. Here's what we had: Elote - OMG! Yum! Probably my favorite dish of the night. The slices of lime on the side was perfect! Loved the cotija cheese! Corn Crusted Scallops - Got this for my entree after reading several reviews. To be honest, it was not for me at all. I didn't like how sweet it was - but that's just personal preference. I wish I had gotten the Chipotle Shrimp instead. Pastel de Elote - We got their special sweet corn dessert and it was really good! Overall, I just didn't like my entree. I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt as everything else was really good. Service was top notch, the food was fast and the view was amazing. I hope to try them again in the future!
This review could be summarized by two words: Go. Here. The lamb adobo is one of the greatest dishes I have ever eaten ; the first bite literally brought tears to my eyes. Smoky, sweet, falling-off-the-bone perfection. Picasso ; Mozart ; Elote head chef Jeff Smedstad ; artists worthy of reverence and worldwide admiration. The white truffle corn soup was decadent and delicious. The complementary chips & salsa were tasty, and the salsa refills were timely. The rice & beans were relatively forgettable, but my fiancee replaced the rice + beans for a vegetables rajas offering with no upcharge, and she was delighted with that dish. "Jeff's Margarita" was the only thing that wasn't absolutely transcendant. Server (Omar) was knowledgeable and personable. Location was nothing special, given that we arrived after sundown and missed whatever views might have been available, but I understand that they are moving to a new location that will hopefully do justice to the unbelievable quality of the food.
Saturday night at a no-reservation restaurant prepare to "wait" as part of the experience (they open at 5, and even if you get in line at 4:30...you still wait at least an hour). Feels more like an epically long line at Disneyland...which feels at odds with the zen-like atmosphere of Sedona. The pictures on-line made the restaurant look Ah-mazing, however once you experience the exhausting wait and batter your taste buds with seasoned popcorn & margaritas the ambiance inside feels disappointing and unexceptional (our view was of a parking lot). Dim lighting, lots of browns and yellows (sort of a 70's vibe of colors). First you wait in line to get a buzzer- hint...send someone in your party to the line on the LEFT of the stairs to wait in line for the bar AND send a third person to land shark some outdoor seating to sit at while consuming your bar drink & popcorn (who wants to keep standing while holding a margarita, buzzer & popcorn bowl? Humans are not built like an octopus ). We were rookies and waited in 3 lines . Overall led to a stressful experience and the time did not pass quickly. The corn app (aka Mexican street corn) was good- but my memories of my street corn in a styrofoam cup in Mexico was still better. We went with the server's suggestion of truffled scallops & pork cheeks, while mama got the smoked chicken enchilada (too smoky and average on taste). The Mexican chocolate pie was more like a frozen pie...would have preferred it to be more like a pudding pie (whenever a chocolate pie is frozen it reminds me of a chain restaurant's mud pie). Other tip- order the "special" margarita (usually $8) as it is larger and better than their Jeff margarita (sort of small) or the pricey $25- 100 year old tequila margarita (also small and just ok). Overall the food is very good...but the crazy lines & waiting sort of ruins a restaurant outing when on vacation. Is the food worth that wait experience...I would say no. Is the food worth the price with NO wait- yes, although you would probably have to go mid-week during a snowstorm to avoid the wait. It seems Elote is an experience set to torture the tourists (even when visiting during a random weekend in February).
Very long wait to get a table (almost 3 hours), but once seated great food and service!
This place is absolute fire. The elote, fried goat cheese balls, bison short ribs and pork carnitas were perfection. I would not have changed a since facet of any of those dishes, and the serrano margaritas were also noteworthy. The live mariachi band had my toes tappin'. Absolutely will be back the next time we're in town.
We knew we would have a wait(90+ minutes) BUT this restaurant is worth the wait! Service & food was outstanding.
As a man from New England, great Mexican food is not all too abundant in the area. Coming to the southwest, however, has been a true blessing. The experience I had at Elote Cafe was out of this world, the best Mexican food I have ever tasted. We ordered the Elote and shredded beef quesadilla special to start. The creamy, rich flavors of the Elote were excellent paired with the tasty fire roasted corn. Pairing well with the elote, the shredded beef quesadillas were phenomenal. The beef melted in your mouth with tremendous taste and flavor. Out of this world! For entrees I ordered the chicken enchiladas. The enchiladas came with a green sauce and onions/crema on top. So good!
Restaurantji Recommends
Everything says they close at 9. Yes, we were rushing there and walked in about 8:35. But the door was locked. No dinner for us. Clearly closing time is FLEXIBLE.
Excellent Mexican food. Best restaurant in Sedona! It’s very popular with residents and travelers. So plan for the wait, grab a Margarita, and enjoy a meal that you will remember. Great service by knowledgeable, fun, and attentive wait staff. An experience not to miss.
Glad they're moving to a bigger location. Wait time too long for dinner and drinks. No real place to relax while waiting for your table. We left since we did not want to wait 2 hours.
Very well prepared food- “fancy Mexican “ to some people. Everything was fresh. Delightful melding of flavors. Vegetarian and gluten free friendly. Excellent service. We arrived at 4:30 on a Saturday to get in line for the 5:00pm opening, ( reservations not accepted ), we were seated by 5:15 or so. It was worth the wait. Keep that in mind when visiting. I would highly recommend this restaurant. They are moving to a new location in April; last service at current location is 2/22/2020.
This restaurant was recommended by a travel vlogger. It was our favorite place to eat while on vacation in Sedona. The Elote appetizer is a must have, as well as the Chorizo fundido, wonderfully spicy and delicious. We had wonderful Margaritas and Sangrias but the food was outstanding. Tonight's special was the brisket Enchiladas. I will remember this place for when I return. Even the desserts where delectable.