Binkley's Restaurant Restaurant Review

6920 E. Cave Creek Rd. (Tom Darlington Rd.) Send to Phone

Chef-owners Kevin and Amy Binkley bring classically influenced Modern American cuisine to the cowboy town of Cave Creek.

Binkley's Restaurant is one of our 2012 Hot 10 Phoenix/Scottsdale Restaurants | Top 10 Phoenix/Scottsdale Food Rating Restaurants | Top 10 Phoenix/Scottsdale Special Occasion Restaurants |

Cuisine

Modern American

Open

Dinner Tues.-Sun.

Features

Private room(s)
Full bar
Reservations suggested
Outdoor dining
Parking lot
Resort casual

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Dining room at Binkley's Restaurant, Cave Creek, AZ

Infamous for its cowboy bars, cowboy steaks and social muddle of real and rhinestone cowboys, rowdy Cave Creek gained instant culinary stature when Binkley's came to town. It's a breadbox, devoid of flashy design but filled with maturity and warmth. Although the paintings by local artists add color to the always-crowded dining room, the real bling comes from chef-owner Kevin Binkley's French-entrenched menu with modern American (sometimes eclectic) twists. Multi courses in miniature unfurl, tickling and teasing the taste buds like tempting window displays. The parade of dishes flows, limitless in their expression, whimsical and stylized. With the help of his wife and partner Amy (a chef in her own right), the French Laundry-trained chef executes a seasonal menu rich in local ingredients, printed daily. For an overview of what this talented fellow can do, try the four-, five- or six-course tasting menus. Binkley will often shock you with offbeat ingredients (cardoons) or surprise you with unexpected bites (chicharones).

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Hands Down Best Restaurant in AZ by tysonf on 09/02/2011

I grew up in AZ working in fine dining. I worked at Vincents on Camelback in its heyday. I worked at Roxand, Christophers etc. In San Diego I worked at Mille Fleur (top 25 in the nation), and Bertrand at Mr A's, and Tapenade. That said, never have I been to or worked in a restaurant with service this truly excellent. Now, I am a soldier that is going to deploy very very shortly and I wanted to take my wife out on a last date maybe ever. ANd we're in town from Texas visiting my mom one last time before I leave. So I put a lot of thought and research into where we were going to eat. And I put a lot of hope in my expectations and others experiences as well. Quite funny the way it started, we arrived an hour b/f our reservation about ten minutes before they opened b/c my wife and I hadn't moved out watches or clocks back from TX time. Without flinching they sat us in the waiting area and got us a drink and then sat us very shortly at a charming table. From the hostess to the wine steward to the amazing bussboy, and the nice young lady that replaced silver and took our dishes to the food runners to the delightful server/waitress it was the best sevice we've had ever! And I know good service. It was better than Mary Elaines at their best - and those guys are my friends. The food was absolutely extaordinary. We ordered the 5 course taster menu (where you each get to choose which dishes from the ala carte menu you'd like to taste). I had prawn, foie gras, John Dory (which is my favorite fish and to see it on any menu makes me giggle with joy), lamb, and cheese plate. My wife had wild boar, sweetbreads, lobster, quail and a cheese plate as well (btw the cheeese plate server was truly a joy to be served by.) Now to list all those foods just seems like a list of food. But every course had an lucious amuse bouche between (and they use sodium alginate and calcium chloride to make it EXTRA exciting). Everything was so carefully and lovingly thought out on every plate that we were in BLISS the whole time and we left on a cloud of deep gratitude and satisfaction. BTW I didn;t mention that they use liquid nitrogen on the martinis and the strawberry margarita was the freshest we've had. Also, I don't drink so I had Iced tea which was delicious and served very thoughtfully with a lemon, and orange, some simple syrup and a side of extra tea just in case by an act of God the servers didn't see your need for an immediate refill (which seemimgly would take an act of God.) Truly though, God has blessed the work of this chef's and these workers hands. And I will tell you that if I die in combat in a few weeks or in 10 months I will certainly die knowing that I've had the best meal of my life hands down totally satisfied. When I get back in a year our first stop will be to Binkleys to celebrate. On not to forget the humility of the genius behind the reins, they invited us to see the kitchen and the chef said that he wanted to meet me (b/c I am a soldier) and he said "I'm just a cook". Well if you're just a cook then we must be in heaven my friend. I can't thank them enough for such a wonder filled dining experience. _________________ Live everyday as if it were your last - one day you'll be right.