New Restaurant Review: Call Her Martina (Old Town Scottsdale)

If you have lived in Arizona long enough you have probably heard the old saying that some of the best restaurants in Arizona are located in strip malls and shopping centers. You may also have heard people say that there really are not many “good” Mexican restaurants in the valley ether. Although this has changed over time, last Saturday night we discovered great new Mexican dining in a shopping mall while eating at Old Town Scottdale’s newest high-end Mexican restaurant “Call Her MARTINA.”

So maybe one of the old sayings is still true.

Located in the Scottsdale Waterfront in suite 165 (7135 E Camelback Rd) in the same complex between Sauce and Olive and Ivy, Call Her MARTINA opened last Wednesday and after recently eating there, we quickly learned it provides something unique and a welcome change to the typical chain restaurants we have grown accustomed to. When you first walk in, you will notice modernly authentic architecture along with a steady stream of music reminding us of a hip restaurant feel you would commonly find in trendy areas of LA, NYC, or Las Vegas. The restaurant felt “alive,” different, and well-staffed by people who seemed pretty passionate about their work. They also seemed passionate about soccer on the TV above the bar as well…referring to it as “football” like I would expect from authentic people as part of the experience.

The menu started with an assortment of mixed drinks and quality tequilas served in higher-end glassware and professionally presented. The menu, although not extensive, ranged from numerous guac appetizers, various taco options, unique sides, steak and seafood, and limited salads. The ribeye tacos and dip were some of the best I have ever had – anywhere! We sat next to another couple who ordered the burger with wedge fries that we ended up ordering for ourselves because they looked so good…and they were. We also saw people raving about the various tuna dishes as well. In short, there seemed to be something for all tastes here and after seeing the dishes coming out, we would have ordered damn near all of them if we could have eaten that much.

Prices were very reasonable compared to a night-out at the local steak houses and the portions were easy to control. This is higher-end Mexican and not fill up your face and roll out the door traditional Mexican food. The quality is excellent. In fact, I commented to my wife that after going to The Mission for many years now, this is better – which is saying a lot! It was that good.

After chatting with some of the workers, we quickly learned that this was anything but a chain. It is a family owned and operated restaurant whose owners came from Sorona Mexico. Not only did they bring the look of home with them, but they also sourced back some of their staff and food like their signature ribeye from Sorona as well. They call their food “Mexican with a twist” which after eating there I would call Modern High-Quality Mexican that Scottsdale has needed for a long time now. I know – It is not as catchy as their description but if you have lived here long enough you what I mean.

There are very few high-quality “authentic” dining experiences left in America and yes, true to form for Arizona, this one is in a shopping center…again. But if you are looking for a fun and vibrant dining experience with high-end Mexican food at decent prices served by people that seem passionate about working there, then this is your place.

Call Her MARTINA is not large in size and includes around a half dozen additional tables for outdoor seating on the walk out front as well. My guess is as word gets out, which it will, you might be hard pressed at walking in without a reservation here. So make sure to call ahead or book a reservation on their website at https://callhermartina.com.

So, if you are looking for a high-quality dining at a unique, authentic, and lively change to many of the most popular dining experiences in Old Town and at around half the price, make sure to check out Call Her MARTINA. You will be glad you did – we were!

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