Pa’La Downtown: A Tapas and Small Plates Haven in Phoenix, AZ

This is my favorite restaurant in the city! The entire team seems to be working by together with very little communication. It’s like they’re linked together, and the restaurant runs seamlessly. The customer service, the food, the ambiance, the drinks, etc. you cannot go wrong with this restaurant. I personally recommend going on a Friday or Saturday night and reserve your table for upstairs!

Grant was absolutely amazing. We had a large group of 20 people and he treated each of us like we were the only person in the restaurant. Drinks were always topped off, plates were taken as soon as we were done, desert menus brought at the perfect time. Food was great, drinks were amazing, and service was unforgettable

I can't stop thinking about this place! In early October, I reserved a spot at Pa'la Downtown for my partner's birthday. Knowing how much he and I both love unique, multicultural food, I knew Pa'la would be a great place to visit. It serves tapa-style meals, with a blend of Mediterranean and Japanese style dishes, so you can try a variety of cuisine in one sitting. This is a spot for the most adventurous of eaters; I would not recommend coming here if you're not prepared to expand your palette. I am not a picky eater, yet I was even a little intimidated by some of the items on the menu. Each dish tasted heavenly. My favorites included the pork lettuce wraps, beef tartare, and branzino filet. My partner was a big fan of the bone marrow, but by the time that arrived, I was so stuffed I could only have a little bite. The service was incredible, with a kind woman leading us upstairs and not having us wait long to be seated. We had a proper introduction to the menu, along with a special birthday cheesecake. The ambiance was lovely; even with the live jazz band, it didn't feel as overwhelmingly loud as I expected. There were mostly couples around us, and one huge group taking photos of what seemed to be another birthday celebration. I highly recommend Pa'la Downtown! The staff gave my partner and I a night we'd never forget, and I'm already thinking of excuses to drive over an hour back to Phoenix so I experience it all over again.

A great experience! The upper room is much more quiet and you can see live jazz on the weekends. The plateware is hand made and the food is chef prepared. The staff was very friendly, and our server was knowledgeable in the entire menu. I chose to let the server prepare the menu by giving a budget and he did an amazing 8 course meal! This is a great place and I highly recommend it!

Made a reservation for dinner upstairs in the jazz lounge. While our table wasn’t ready for a few minutes, we waited at the bar and ordered cocktails. The staff were all friendly, the ambience was nice and romantic, the wine list extensive and impressive, the food was delicious and flavorful. And our server Amal was fantastic! Highly recommend for smaller groups, especially for date night. Would absolutely dine here again when I’m in town next.

Fantastic experience. Had a little issue with the reservation as we came in for the Tuesday 8 course special. They said they would do it so very happy to experience that. All the dishes were well prepared, delicious, cooked to perfection. Wine pairing was great, both red and white to complement the fish and meats. They validate parking at the Center across the street.

The food was exquisite and the wine was top notch. What was unexpected was the ambience with the live jazz, which was very relaxing. The selection from the menu was very surprising and the prices very reasonable for the quality. We would recommend and come back again!

So delicious! All the food options looked great but we settled with just a few because we definitely plan to come back. The ambiance was nice, the food was delicious and the drinks were awesome! Make sure you ask for Jeff… he’ll be sure you’re taken great care of!