southern rail

good food slooow service. went for mother's day brunch, food was fresh and delicious after waiting 45 min for it. sangria was delicious. would return if had a lot of time to spend.

southern rail is top on my scale!. kudos to chef justin beckett, southern rail’s foodist awards 2013 top chef who made it food and wine’s places to eat in phoenix and zagat’s #1 of 11, not to mention #8 restaurant on seftel’s top 10 and his staff! but the awards are meaningless lest the eatery equals the significance of the honors – and by jove the “rail” does just that. since moving to the area, i had been hankering for some really good comfort vittles, refreshing southern cuisine that is, and restaurant week helped make that happen! our weekly date night at the southern rail recently was started with a fantastic local wine, a lawrence dunham vineyards viognier 2012. a wine rendition bringing back memories of the lush viogniers we enjoyed while living in virginia. this version is full bodied yet with a lush and easy character are expressed the apparent longer growing seasons in arizona. with the wine, we began the incredible tastings with their cornbread muffins made with black pepper and honey butter – an incredible muffin. for starters, we gave in to ordering “rail’s” appetizers of a great tasting and extremely well prepared fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese and pea tendrils and their smoked chicken and andouille gumbo ya ya with white rice and green onions – a fanciful rendition of a southern standard. i loved every single spoonful – i was sorry it was gone so soon. for the main courses, my wife thoroughly enjoyed the grand mama’s meatloaf – my wife summing it up best said... “this has been the best meatloaf i’ve ever had!” meanwhile, i had the brilliantly prepared portion of cider brined pork loin served over brown butter whipped nicely sweet potatoes, sided by very nicely prepared collard greens – no, not vinegary. we both enjoyed a sampling of their home-made “super” creamy grits. so much enjoyed, that i can honestly say, i cannot remember when was the last time i had them this good. i even asked for the recipe nicely, but was courteously denied access to it – ‘bummer’! we finished off the meal with an order of beignets with powdered sugar. i must say though, that of the total delightful dinner extravaganza, only the beignets were not what we expected – but nobody can be perfect! for anyone who has a love of southern cuisine, whether as comfort food or nouveau cuisine, southern rail will astonish your taste buds. the location is a fabulous piece of restoration, redesign and history along with a comfortable, homey and yet modern atmospheric approach that is desirable, laid-back, and aesthetically pleasing to both the ambiance and comfort! the initial views on approaching the location, is as if reaching a circa 1950’s new drive-in-style structure, but once inside, everything from the incredible bar area, to the tables and seating areas, not to mention their airy and nicely landscaped and appointed outdoor area are fabulous and appealing. their desire to combine great food, great atmosphere, great service and great ambience has been flawlessly accomplished, and reserves us the right to continue to frequent this chef’s masterpiece. chef beckett and staff, please continue to amaze the gourmét and the novice of your splendid artistry, as we plan to continue to enjoy it. gástro ecléctico rates southern rail at the top of the heap. bon appétit ya’ll!

i started arizona restaurant week off with a bang by eating at southern rail. located inside the newton (former home of the beef eaters) and right off the valley metro light rail path, sr has become a popular dining destination for valley foodies. it has an open kitchen and a large size patio/bar area. its rustic-style, nostalgic decor that gives off a warm, hospitable feel. the food has an american southern theme to it with flavors inspired by dishes from georgia to alabama to mississippi. they also have an award-winning wine list along with a selection of local craft beers.

while this place has the coolest atmosphere, it lacks in a variety of areas. waited 45 minutes for a sandwich today. the place was half empty and now i know why. our server was a nameless stranger! saw her once in 45 minutes to say our food should be right out. 25 minutes later the manager was apologizing. i've never been afraid to drink my drink for fear of not getting a refill. a all around horrible outting for my mothers birthday/mother's day lunch. the food wasn't amazing either. if the food was worth the wait- i'd be less harsh. sadly it was a disappointment all around.

jambalaya sunday

the patio was packed so we sat inside which is still pretty much outside in a comfy booth. we could clearly hear the terrific band just in a quieter atmosphere. my husband got the seafood packed jambalaya and i got my favorite shrimp and grits, wonderfully creamy with large perfectly cooked shrimp. as we ate we kept seeing large plates of fried chicken so we ordered some to take home to my sons which they raved about. normally we would have had their excellent beignets or brioche bread pudding for desert but we were too full so put off that pleasure for another visit.

i love the southern-influenced menu here and the commitment to arizona wine. on my last visit, it was a jazz and jambalaya sunday with $5 sazeracs.  we also shared fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese (tip: southern rail sells these to go in glass jars) and a great bottle of arizona rune wine suggested by the sommelier.

ok . . . went here for dinner based upon positive recommendations. i see from the reviews that it's mixed--some really like southern rail a lot, and some had poor experiences. for me, my partner, and other two friends our experience was fabulous. we all shared the house smoked trout appetizer and cornmeal fried okra with a cajun remoulade--both absolutely delicious! one minor gripe would be both appetizers were a smallish side and could use some delicious crackers or warm bread. wonderful nonetheless. the shrimp & tomato bisque with charred corn salsa was to die for. ordered the southern fried chicken (4 huge pieces), but the roasted potatoes i wanted in place of mashed (6 tiny marble-size buttered potatoes) and a 2-inch long piece of sweet corn on the cob was pretty good yet way over-priced at $20 for the entree. i make a killer southern fried chicken and this was good but nothing to call grandma about in north carolina. the smoked chicken & “biscuit dumplings” with mcclendon farms heirloom carrots, mushrooms, and fresh peas was wonderfully delicious, as was the seared scottish salmon with summer corn risotto and baby spinach. fabulous food, but again my only complaint would be portions are small and over-priced. my friend ordered a plate of powdered sugar, hot beignets for dessert--simply wonderful. these at $8 probably were the best buy, ironically. the wait service was outstanding and friendly. ambiance is wonderful. a very nice yet simple wine list of delicious local wines. at least for me and my friends and partner, we enjoyed the place. we'll definitely will be back, but maybe be better prepared to spend more than one probably should for what you get here.

terrible experience. the host was thoroughly unconcerned with us. never asked us where we would prefer to sit - indoors/outdoors, etc. the waitress was stunning and helpful but we disliked her recommendation. the kitchen made us wait for 30 minutes even though the place was empty (on easter!). the sticky bun was unevenly heated and dry in places.

this is a restaurant that won't be here in six months. a poorly managed, broken place treading water until bankruptcy.

ironically, we like beckets table and we love southern food. my entre was pretty good, but i won't be back.

funny story. we were sitting at a restaurant yesterday and i told my wife i was thinking of going to southern rail. a total stranger at the next table wheeled around and said don't go there! he recommended we go to clever koi. we did and had a superior experience. a place run by real professionals. but i am stubborn and decided that it's hard to mess up brunch. i was mistaken.

red beans and rice with grilles andouille. rather mediocre. the sausage was burnt and the beans weren't cooked all the way. the flavor itself wasn't impressive either.

warm and inviting. located along the light rail on camelback, a very nice interior and patio with warm fireplace. we arrived during social hour, and had wine, cup of gumbo, and the fried green tomatoes. the gumbo had a load of flavor could have been more spicy for my liking though. the fried green tomatoes had that corn meal texture, came with pimento cheese, which had a nice kick to them, and greens. instead of a large meal, as we were interested in the beignets. for our entree, we went with the tomato bacon onion tart, the crust was very flaky, and plump cherry tomatoes, along with the broccoli cauliflower leek & rice casserole which had a nice texture all combined together with more veggies than rice, enjoyed them both. dessert, was the beignets, familiar with cafe du monde, which are bite size, these are larger, and one can be shared by two persons. they are very good, and topped with the powdered sugar melted in our mouths. service was a little slow at first, since there was only one server on the patio, but we were in no hurry, and enjoyed the patio atmosphere. the staff took very good care of us, and made the afternoon very enjoyable.

a bit overpriced. just paid $20 for fried chicken that was mainly batter. nice atmosphere though.

totally didn't suspect what was on the inside from the outside. very cool local place with open air, indoor-outdoor seating. the outdoor area is especially inviting (weather permitting) with it's misters and grand fireplace. a great place for an appetizer, a meal or brunch, the food is fantastic and definitely reflects the southern flair it represents. the menu has many tempting offerings. we tried the blt salad, the biscuits and gravy and the gumbo. all were awesome (especially the gumbo). we'll definitely be back to try more!

smoking. we tried a number of plates and my favorite was the house smoked trout with pea cakes and tomato jam. the trout had a nice delicate smoke and the pea cake was tasty and the tomato jam had nice flavors in it and went really well with everything. my dinner of chicken and biscuit dumplings was too smokey for my taste but i note i can't handle much smoke. the dark meat chicken in it was good and the dumplings were plentiful and very good. my husband tried the smoked chicken and sausage gumbo. he tolerates smoke way more than i do and thought the gumbo was a little on the thin side and a little smokier than others he tried but still good.