a downtown place worth visiting. after reading several reviews, i would like to offer a slightly different opinion regarding this establishment and its surroundings.
my first visit to downtowntucsonwas disappointing and left me with an opinion that this area of town was quite literally a dump. the streets were dirty, buildings seemed neglected, and overall the characters walking around were not pleasant.
however, after reading about maynards in a magazine, i convinced myself to give this downtown area a second try and it changed my view of downtown tucson.
we had dinner at maynards on a friday night around 7pm and were able to grab a table without reservations. we started the evening with two draft beers and an order of their mussels in white wine broth with pommes frites. it was the best representation of mussels i've experienced out west here compared to restaurants in dc and nyc. after the appetizer, we enjoyed the special of rainbow trout over asparagus and potato pancakes and it was also delicious. the food didn't seem like they were "trying too hard," rather it seemed that they were fusing french cuisine with american/southwest cuisine. after our entrees we enjoyed delightful turtle sundae that included all organic ice creams, chocolate, nuts, and whipped creams. each menu item we had was absolutely delicious.
i agree that this place is pricey and is comparable to having dinner in las vegas, dc, or nyc, but there's a reason for their abnormal price. this place uses all organic or naturally raised ingredients and promotes sustainability within the restaurant industry. unfortunately, in order to do such thing, the costs are very high and must be passed on to the consumer.
as for the service, i mentioned that we were able to grab a table without a reservation and the hostesses were very friendly and helpful. our waiter was also very knowledgeable and attentive about our menu choices and service, especially the bus boys that were always alert and present. furthermore, i learned through a discussion with our waiter that it took him some time to earn the right to become a waiter at the "front of the house." he earned his job as a waiter by spending time in the "back of the house" working his way to the top and learning about the way the food is prepared, which ingredients were used, and how everything tasted. he certainly earned his stripes and wasn't preaching "fluff" that normal waiters do in order to push customers out, plus he was very proud to work at this restaurant. with this said, the customer service at this place was outstanding compared to every other experience in south arizona. i'm not sure what the problem is, but it's very hard to find quality customer service at restaurants in arizona. do they skip this step of training?
as for the decor and the surroundings, the reconstruction of a train depot creates an interesting atmosphere for people to socialize and relax. no expense was spared and the history about the train depot makes this place even more intriguing.
bottom line, if you want a new experience of french/american cuisine that boasts local products and organic ingredients topped with attentive customer service, then this is an excellent choice for an evening in downtown tucson.