Myself and my girlfriend decided to come check out the new place after hearing about the atmosphere and outdoor environment. Being fans of Sam Fox in general, it was an easy risk to take on a Friday night with perfect weather. The place just opened so I expected it to be packed especially with the perfect 80 degree weather we had. Parking is a mild issue but they provide complimentary valet which is nice.
When we arrived we were told it would be an hour to an hour and a half wait which we were ok with. They use an app that alerts you via email and gives you a party count that updates as tables turn. I really liked this as we were able to roam and have some drinks out in the yard all while having a good idea of our tables ETA. I have read that some people have experienced reservation issues and unfortunately we witnessed this as well. As we were about to be sat, a group of 8 got there page and came to discover that the host made the reservation for two because she saw two people. I felt really bad for them knowing they waited just as long as us and that they would have a hard time getting a table for 8 right in the middle of the Friday night dinner rush.
Some have complained about the noise, it is loud but this isn't Maestros and you should know that. We don't have kids but I did like that it's a family environment, very cool concept that I would like to see in North Scottsdale. The crowd as a whole was very good as well, no hipsters, bros, dickheads, frat guys or yuppies. I really enjoyed the couple hours of drinking and eating we spent there and will return.
I'm not really going to get in to the food too much because it's nothing new if you have been to Culinary Dropout. The ribs, fried chicken, pretzels, and sandwiches are all good. I've never had a bad meal at Dropout, the menu holds no risk to most diners.
My overall summary, of all the Sam Fox restaurants this is the coolest/most enjoyable place in my eyes. I will return many times, despite it being a bit of a drive from North Scottsdale. If it weren't for the great environment, I would give it 4 stars simply for the stellar menu, but it really is as good as it gets for someone like myself.