Richardson’s Cuisine of New Mexico

This place cannot be beat on their green chile stew. It’s AMAZING. I eat here about 2 – 3 times a year (not often enough!) with friends and it is always fantastic.
I don’t eat a lot of meat and they will turn any menu item into a vegetarian item for you — happily. I never feel awkward ordering here. The meat I *have* had at Richardson’s is always perfectly tender and wonderful.
If you are downtown and looking for a good, warm, FUN meal — stop here.

Richardson’s is one of my Valley Favorites. I give them a 5 star for all of their meals, as I frequent Brunch on weekends, and dinner during the weekday. Their copper bars and Southwestern décor make for a fun atmosphere.
I can’t pass up their skewars nor green chile potatoes (GCP). I also love their smoked turkey enchilada’s and their Pasta Heidi (green chili linguine in a smoked cream sauce).
I check in on their specials frequently, and love their salmon (typically specials have it prepared with apple-​chile salsa, or pineapple salsa). There are always new preperations, but I’ve never been disappointed.
If you are planning to eat there during the weekday dinner hours (6−8pm) — call ahead for a reservation, or you will likely be waiting for awhile. Its worth the wait, but you should call just in case.

Cool tex-​mex with a twist.
–something for everyone, vegetarian, bargain hunter, splurger alike
–ideal for a romantic and private dinner out.
–dented polished copper tabletops fun to look at, but smell like a sweaty penny held too long in your hand on a hot summer day
–pewter plates (like the copper) are straight from rokerij up the street. rokerij serves salads on them ice cold, here they bake your dishes so they’re searing hot.
–whole beans were dry on outside from the roasting. unusual.
–red chili beef relleno platter serves 2. chili with nice spicyness, 4 out of 10 on the «globalthermonuclear» scale.
–shredded beef very flavorful and not overseasoned. NICE.
–they were out of the matanzas savignon blanc tonight (darn). big pet peeve and enough to cost a half-​star.
–dark room, no windows, candlelight and cool faux adobe half walls make you feel like you’re in your own little world at your table.
I’ve been waiting for the building and parking lot construction to be complete to try this old favorite again, and it was worth the wait. No more signature turquoise awning outside, but it’s in the same spot. We arrived for a «late» dinner at 8:30 and found the restaurant pleasantly sparsely peopled. Unfortunately the host was nowhere to be seen and I started to seat myself before someone noticed us.
I hate that I am considering asking more regularly if there is anything out of stock on the menu or other problems. I’d rather know up front so I don’t get excited about something I see. Tonight I saw one of my favorites, the Matanzas Savignon Blanc, and of course, they were out of it. That’s a ding. A pet peeve.
Very glad that the staff didn’t hover and seemed sensitive to our slow pace and chatty demeanor. Either that or he just plain forgot us several times and we happened not to mind it. I’m going with glass half full this time. The ambiance of the restaurant and relatively high volume on the music also helped to make our conversation private. This is a really nice place for a private-​time meeting or just to get away from it all.
I need to make more visits before I make «overall» statements about the food. revisit soon.

Just returned to Richardson’s after more than a decade — really — the place is just as good as ever. The food is OUTSTANDING. Spices are nicely balanced and there’s heat where there should be, and everything is a joy to look at – as well as eat.
Our waitperson was also GREAT. Very friendly, very laid back, and VERY helpful — great job on describing the fish dishes, by the way.
We ate TOO much — guac was great, stickers were tremendous. Chicken Chimayo was really something else. Asparagus, brussels sprouts, green chili potatoes. Chicken stuffed with spinach and asiago cheese — fantastic!
I had Pasta Heidi — tons of white meat chicken, nice heat to the pasta, nice creamy sauce. Tremendous!
Even the chicken quesadilla, presented simply on a wooden plate with two sauces, was a treat.
The prickly pear margaritas were also great — and BIG.
The flan finished off the whole thing. Too much!
We’d be back there tonight if we didn’t feel silly being in town for only two nights and eating at the same place both times…

I give Richardson’s 5 stars for their breakfast! We go here all the time for breakfast/​brunch on the weekends and almost always enjoy it thoroughly. Note: I do not eat dinner there, as there is not much of a vegetarian selection besides their pizza.
But back to their fabulous breakfasts…
I absolutely love their enchiladas & eggs dish. I normally order my eggs fried over medium, which are then set atop cheese enchiladas covered in chile (get the red if you’re vegetarian). The red chile is made just right, with the perfect amount of spiciness & flavor. The dish also comes served with delicious beans & potatoes.
The huevos rancheros are also damn good & are my number 2 pick.
The service is typically great. On one visit with some friends, we ordered a few prickly pear margaritas to start the day off right. When the drinks arrived and they didn’t even look purple, we complained and our waiter happily brought us some extra prickly pear juice.
On another occasion, my girlfriend ordered a Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary’s come with a shot of Mexi-​beer. When we were casually chatting with our waiter and told him that we didn’t like that type of beer, he swapped it out with a Chimay shot for free!
We love the food and they always treat us right, so we’ll keep coming back.

I won’t go back to Richardson’s or Dick’s Hideaway because of the attitude of the owner. The man is not a nice person and don’t let him ever hear you say anything negative, period. JJ G. says not to get comfortable. The staff is better about not making sure you are on your way as soon as your finished than it used to be. Abu J received an email from the owner telling him he is a «loser and a moron» when he reviewed the adjoining Dick’s Hideaway, in a way he (the owner) didn’t like. I won’t support this man by going back to his establishment.
I should tell you a plus about Richardson’s. Since they passed the law about no smoking in restaurants, you can know smell the food. It used to be you were hit by a wall of stale cigarette smoke. Anything you wore in there had to be washed when you left it was so bad.
If you like New Mexico style mexican food, the place isn’t to bad. But why would I support a man… well, I could tell you having lived in the neighborhood quite a number of years. Suffice it to say there are other places to go (and I’m sure they’d have better parking).
I fully expect a hateful email from the owner. When I get it, I’ll post it.

Richardson’s is one of my top picks in the valley. This place has the best New Mexico cuisine I’ve tried so far, but I have to admit, the only place I’ve ever eaten at that was actually in NM was Taco Cabana, which is a fast food favorite of mine.
We went for brunch today and their breakfast/​brunch menu is fantastic. We had the chicken enchiladas with green sauce, two eggs, rice, and beans. It was enough food for two of us to split and leave feeling very satisfied. Their bloody mary’s are great, and at only five bucks apiece, are not a budget killer. Also, they come with a cool little beer chaser — I think it was Dos Equis or Tecate, I can’t remember which.
All told, we spent $ 23.00 plus tip. It was a very nice way to start our weekend.
Oh, one other Richardson’s tip — they always have specials posted on the boards, and although they tend to be pricey (think high 20’s to $ 30.00 for dinner) they are WORTH IT! I don’t usually order a special unless I really feel like spending money on food… but they’re a great treat every once in a while.

Really good New Mexican cuisine!
The décor was very typical Southwest with pastel colored walls and accents of Mexican and Native American art. The service was decent and they had a pretty good wine list.
I had the Carne Adovada plate, which was very good. The stew itself was savory and arrived as a very good portion… the pork was tender and full of flavor. The plate also came with rice and pinto beans — the beans were a nice side dish since they were a bit bland compared to the adovada and helped to balance the meal. Everything was served on a large flour tortilla and came with a tortilla on the side.
This is a great location to go to for a unique dining experience. Overall, most items on the menu aren’t very expensive so (the adovada was $ 15) so you can have a great meal without spending a lot.

Thank you for caring! It is very refreshing to know that business owners pay attention and want to know what the public is saying. An attitude of «the customer is always right» and wanting to keep loyal clients happy and coming back, is refreshing. Thank you for the apology!
(Again, can’t beat this food!)

I took my boyfriend out to a rare date-​night dinner at Richardson’s because it is right down the street from our apt. It was very dark, hard to read the menus, but was perfect for our semi-​romantic dinner. He was wary at first, because of the construction (especially the wobbly wooden plank leading the front door), but it was definitely love at first bite for us! YUM!
We were sat at the bar immediately, and got to skip the 45 minute wait for a table. The place cleared out all at once at 8:30, good for next time so we can have the restaurant to ourselves. I had the red chile alfredo pasta, which I ordered just for the bacon-​wrapped shrimp and was very happy (though full after 5 bites — super rich!) Mr. BF had a severe case of food-​envy going on. Sooo good.
My only wish was that there was a place to hang my coat, which was bulky enough on my lap to make eating neatly tricky, but other than that we will be returning without question. Oh and by the way… the male bartender is equally as quirky cute as the other!

$ 15 for a quesadilla, $ 12 for a glass of sangria and so-​so service. I mean, I like Richardson’s, the food is pretty delicious, but for chucks sake, why is it so expensive? It’s not so they can pay the electricity bill. I really don’t get it.
I’m going to get so much crap for this.

I am ready to update you to a five because the last three times I have been there, your service has been better, the huevos rancheros has been consistently perfect, I have never had to wait for a seat at the bar and I want to hug the cute new bartender because she is quirkily cute!
If you were still serving breakfast at 6pm, I would come eat you now.

Large portion of the pork. Can’t forget the Green Chili side dish, it was very unique and fluffy. I sat at the bar, so I didn’t a fill of the specials for the night. It wasn’t until I dug into the pork that I noticed a slew of seafood specials on the wall. The pork was very moist and did not suffer the overcooked dry pork dish that you may find at many other restaurants.
A very dark atmosphere, wish there were at least a little bit more light.

4 Stars.
Come here for the drinks if nothing else… After a couple of «Specials», you’ll be really feeling it!
Again, one of my ol’ haunts ten years ago. Richardson’s has changed very, very little in that amount of time. The cuisine that Richardson’s serves is supposedly New Mexican Mexican, but the entrees that I had reflected very little use of Chili Peppers which New Mexican cuisine is well-​known for.
The only evident physical change I could see was a smaller wait-​area where there was a few 3 – 4 person tables to sit at while you waited for your permanent booth was converted into a permanent table. Other than that, this was the same ol’ Richardson’s. One of the loudest, yuppiest crowds in all of Phoenix!
On the menu today…
Top Shelf Margarita Special (**** ½ $ 15.00) Don Julio Tequila, Prickly Pear, Orange Juice, and Lime Juice. Wow! Sweet and Toxic! With all the fruity ingredients… reminded me of a tropical drink.
Skewers (***** $ 15.00) Two Wood-​Grilled Chicken, Beef Tenderloin, Pork Sausages, served over Wood Oven Roasted Sweet Onions… on a bed of Barbecue Beans, Mexican Rice, Barbecue Dip, and a Mustard Dip on a Flour Tortilla Bed. Defined as an Appetizer on the Lunch Menu, we decided to share this dish as a side order. Beef was tender and succulent!
Green Chile Stew (*** ½ $ 14.00) Green Chile, Beef Tenderloin, Potatoes, and Carrots with Melted Cheddar Cheese over a Flour Tortilla. The most New Mexican of the entrees we had today… mainly because of the Green Chile which produced a serious bite to the Stew. Ruined, though, by the lack of knowledge of how to cook Carrots in a Stew! Carrots were almost raw… everything else in the Stew had been simmered for awhile, except for the Beef… Carrots provided a crunchiness that was distracting and not needed in a Stew.
Gumbo Pasta (** $ 16.00) Black Bean Linguine in a Pepper Cream Sauce with Jumbo Shrimp, Sausage, Chicken, and Roasted Peppers over a Flour Tortilla. This was supposed to remind you of Gumbo? The only ingredients that are vaguely Gumbo-​ish are just the Shrimp and the Sausage! NOT! Expected a lot more from this entrée.
Service (****) Our waitress was pulling a double shift… Afternoons at Richardson’s and Evenings at Rokerij (just up a few blocks on 16^th Street). She was prompt, efficient, and talkative. When the evening rolls around, though, I notice that service drops off considerably… but that can be rectified by just stopping your waitress as she walks by… Simple.
In summary, a 26 year-​old business that will last quite a few more decades. Recommended. Innovative entrees that work most of the time… but infrequently bombs, also.

Yeah, yeah, I know there are already like fifty-​something reviews for this place, most of them four or five stars, I don’t care. Here’s one more, another twig on the bonfire celebrating Richardson’s awesomeness…
The food’s the same awesome New Mexican cuisine as Dick’s Hideway around the corner, but eating here is a totally different experience. The dark pueblo interior with Native American rugs surrounding the high-​backed booths provides a great deal of privacy for you and your party. I recommend any and all of the seafood dishes — my favorites include the shrimp quesadilla and the scallops… OMG the scallops, so good when I think about ‘em they make me lose control and type text message shorthand like «OMG». Of course my friends constantly remind me that as much as I love the food here, I can’t truly appreciate it because I don’t eat the meat dishes, which, according to them, are even better. And they’re probably right. They usually are.
Went with a group of 6 last week, which seems to be about as large as the booths at Richardson’s can handle (for much larger groups there’s a private room available at Dick’s). Service was super friendly and extremely efficient. Yeah, it can be a little pricy depending on what you order, but in my opinion, totally worth it. Sometimes you gotta splurge.

After all of the great reviews (even non Unilocalers) I couldn’t wait to try this place out. My rack of lamb was not very tender, my brother-​in-​law thought his Santa Fe chicken was decent, but nothing to write home about, my husband LOVED his beef and pork rellenos. I did think the whole tavern like ambiance was great, good place to go to cool down and get away from all that Phoenix sunshine. They use big martini glasses and don’t fill them up. Big no-​no with martini drinkers. Use a smaller glass and fill the sucker up!!! Waiter was efficient, but don’t expect a lot of side talk which I attribute to the fact that this place is hopping. If you drink your alcohol with very little sweet stuff, avoid the pear margarita which everyone seems to rave about.
All in all, I will try this place again. They attract a good clientele which is always a plus and again the restaurant as a whole has a good vibe. Maybe next time I’ll just order my vodka straight up in a shot glass and get the guac and chips???

This is a wonderfully cozy restaurant with spicy, flavorful and unique dishes. Why do I love this place so much– almost all booth seating w/​throw pillows, candle light, and they advertise that they do not have booster seats or high chairs. It is always packed, you should probably make a reservation or good luck getting a table.
Try the elephant garlic appetizer– it’s kind of like chips and dip, but the elephant garlic takes the place of the chips. It is delicious and gooey. Of course, you might want to refrain if you are on a hot date.
I’ve had pasta and enchilada dishes, all wonderful. It’s not really traditional New Mexican, I think the menu just borrows ingredients and flavors and makes new creations. I like spicy food, so I personally wouldn’t say it is too spicy. But, all you wimps out there might!
This is a great place for a small group or a date (as long as you make a reservation). A true Phoenix treasure that you must try.

When I think of Richardson’s, I feel warm and cozy inside. I’ve been on several occasions and I love the atmosphere… I always have a good time at this hidden little gem of the city.
The ‘Cuisine of New Mexico’ is unique… they are known for their green chile potato as well as several other pork dishes. I usually go for the fish or seafood specials… they have a standard menu and then specials posted on chalk boards around the restaurant.
Most recently I enjoyed the blackened scallop appetizer as my entrée along with a huge house salad. The scallops were a little bit salty but cooked just right. They were served on a tortilla with rice, beans, and a yummy spicy sauce. Their salads are really tasty, and many of the entrée specials come with a starter salad. I went with a group of 4 and we had a couple of bottles of wine and a plain pizza as an appetizer to share. Needless to say, none of us had room for dessert!
Be prepared for a crowd whenever you go, but enjoy your company and the people around you. Call ahead and make a reservation if you can… if you do have to wait, sit at the bar or by the fireplace; you can’t complain once you have a drink in hand and the scent of the fire mixed with hot food and good energy. I’ll be back again soon, Richardson’s!

«So, Stephy, what do you feel like eating for dinner tonight?»
«Cozy!»
“Is Cozy a cuisine?“
It is at Richardson’s. Wow, talk about walking into a place and instantly feeling welcome, warm, cozy and yummy. Now let it be said, right here and now, that the whole «New Messico» food is not really up my alley. Tex Mex, do they call it? Newp, not my thing at all, but good hearty comfort food on a chilly night always sounds good and so we ventured on over to Richardson’s to see what they were cooking up.
But first… wine. (You can’t order food without wine, duh.)
So, we ordered a tasty bottle of Chilean red (imagine that, me, order a spicy red, nooo!!) and as the four of us waited for our table we looked over the menu and read the many specials up on the boards. Fish seemed to be the hot dish of the night, but once I saw one of my favorite words… SCALLOPS…it was kind of a no brainer as to what I was gonna order.
We then were seated in a super cozy booth in the back and after the four of us devoured the pizza app we ordered it was time to order the main attractions. The boys had Chimayo chicken and the carne adovada and Gabi K and I tried the scallop appetizer and the special scallop pasta. Sadly this is where the review goes south…
SALT. There’s a reason you often hear the word «pinch» next to «salt.» If it’s over done, yikes, it’s just gross and their blackened coating is like a salt lick. Which was sucha bummer, because those scallops were cooked to perfection, but after attempting to scrape off the blackening on 4 of them, I finally just gave up. Perhaps the way to go is to just ask for them grilled. I think they would be superb then, but stay away from the salty blackened option.
Other than that minor thing, I really enjoyed our experience here. The waiter was a great sport considering we had two comedians with us and put up with all of our silliness. The only other thing was the check sitch. I guess they don’t like to split a check more than 2 ways. Eventually they split ours 3 ways after persisting, so i might suggest asking ahead of time if they can split the bill if you are planning on anymore than two cards.
:)

The Sunday brunch is amazing
Their food is great, however, very spicy if there are any wussies reading this
At night, the restaurant tends to get PACKED, so be prepared for a little wait.
During happy hour, they sometimes give out free food!