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| - Ok, the first thing I want Yelp visitors to notice is that this is actually a 4-star restaurant if you deduct the infamous 1/13/09 night that inspired a half-dozen young professional women to logon and give this place one star. Don't get me wrong, I don't doubt their experience was negative, but personally, I don't think you should give one star or five stars to ANY place you have only visited once given that statistics suggest that your extraordinarily good or bad night might be the result of (un)happy coincidence, as opposed to a genuine reflection of the food and consistent service that a particular establishment is capable of.
That said, I have been to this place approximately 25 times dating back to the 90s, when the restaurant was a very humble dive known as "Taste of Mediterranean". And by humble, I mean humble, as in those awful backlit framed "paintings" with "moving" waterfalls in them and tacky fountains and lousy bathroom upstairs. The decor in the 90s was dreadful, but I tolerated it and kept coming back for the food.
Enter Y2K+5. Taste of Mediterranean burns down, and its proprietor (the NICEST owner/operator in Phoenix) decided to make a go of it and he essentially mortgaged his liver and lungs to rebuild this place with a decidedly modern feel. Yes, there is something to the criticism that the "Blue Moon Sports Bar" has an atmosphere inapposite to genuine sports bars. And yes, it is a minor miracle that the guys from Coors haven't sent the owner a "cease and desist" letter given the restaurant's name and the huge Blue Moon beer banners that often drape the exterior. But that's all I can really criticize here, because the food (and that's what you are interested in, right? The Food?) is absolutely FANTASTIC and markedly unique.
The Basmati rice preparation that comes with most combination meals remains untouchable, nobody in Phoenix even comes close, and the portions are heaping. All of the beef and chicken offerings - Kefte, Sultan, Shish, and the awkwardly appearing "Teriyaki" chicken are absolutely 5-star dishes. They have an American food section on the menu too, including sports bar burgers, but I never wander that far. But I bet they're good.
I think the neatest part about your Blue Moon experience will be your service. You see that tall, clean cut guy with the irrepressible smile taking your order? That's the owner/waiter/bartender, a true and wonderful classic successful (hopefully) immigrant from the Middle East, who is happy to speak to you at length about any topic that comes to mind - including how his (or your) business is going. Not a shred of pretentiousness in him, the attention your getting from him is sincere and he actually wants to hear about how crappy your life is going! I love it! You can tell in an instant that he wants your experience to be a good one, and to the extent he can influence that, he will (read: Heavy and strong liquor pours!)
PROS : 4.5 star FOOD, 4 star DRINKS, BIG-ARSE TV's tuned in to various MAJOR AMERICAN SPORTS (what?!?!?! No futbol?!?!?!), drink variety, menu diversity. Rarely packed in terms of capacity, so you get quick service. Located in underrated apart of Phoenix approaching the very well-known but very rarely visited Dreamy Draw. Hey, Spy Headquarters is only a half-block away! :) It's also a stone's throw from Carlos O'Briens if you chicken out in the parking lot and decide you need a name brand joint instead.
CONS: Parking is tight and counter-intuitive, but go ahead and park on the adjacent residential street. Really, no one cares if you park there. Only a matter of time before Coors lawyers try to shut him down or fairly obvious trademark infringement with the use of the name + the strategically placed huge Blue Moon beer banners, so get it while the gettin' is good!
So why not five stars? Simple: I honestly don't like Mediterranean food much. But if I did, this is the one truly reliable place to get it.
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