The Dish Bistro

I feel like I have died and gone to heaven when eating here. My loves: the bread and garlic butter, seared tuna small dish, the Ceasar salad, the duck, and the crème brule. And, I can wear blue jeans or my favorite dress and diamonds. It is very intimate, and you always know your food will be delicious. Yes, you end up talking to people next to you, but you have no idea who they are. You could be talking to a CEO or a miltary man, and they are all delightful. There is no discrimination. I love this place.

This has always been our favorite Tucson restaurant. However, our last two visits have definitely been below standard. Food has been uninspired at best and with some dishes actually poor. What has happened to the cooking here?
I will not return until I hear of improvement! What a shame, as we love this place! Reviews, please! Has anyone had the same experience?

I am truly in love the The Dish. Went there for my second time in a month. The QUIET atmosphere, friendly service and delicious food hard to beat. The spinach salad was outstanding as was the potato soup for starters. My husband & I had the chicken and I don’t know how they do it — moist, flavorful, perfect temperature and the mashed potatoes and vegetables just as perfect.
One of our friends had the tuna and another the lobster. There was not a bite left on their plates. For dessert we split a crème brûlée and a chocolate cake with a cherry sauce. No bites left on either of those plates either.
Over all experience simply delightful. What a great way to celebrate my birthday. Can’t wait to return.

Bistro food and atmosphere. Pick a bottle of wine before you sit down and it’s yours for the meal (with a fee attached). Creative meals that are classically delicious. This place is a real Tucson Gem.
I am a fan of mussels, but have not tried theirs in quite a long time. When I had previously the quality of the mussels themselves were underwhelming. This may have changed, but I will await further reviews of them here before considering trying them again.

$ 12 mussels and a glass of wine. The mussles are buttery and tender.
Friend ordered a Fancy Salad. It was actually a Simple salad with Fancy pricing. Thumbs down.
Stick to the mussles and wine deal.

Had my first dinner in Tucson for my birthday here, I had just moved to the city and my husband took me here to celebrate. It was incredible!
I had the special of the day which was fish and it was a stunning dish! My husband had duck raviolis and they were out of this world!
Make sure you have a reservation in advance since the place is tiny!
Will definitely return for another special occasion!

Nestled inside a wine shop, this spot is super intimate (as in extra cozy) with something thirty seats. The ambiance makes for a perfect date night. Peruse the the shop before dinner, but a bottle and take it to the table with you. The wine selection at the shop (also known as The Rum Runner) is impressively varied and well priced. Their Wine shop/​restaurant concept was one of the first to hit Tucson and they certainly do it well. On the food front, they’re Known for their Mussels, a definite must try. We enjoyed a bowl of those tonight. With a Caesar salad, fancy salad and the salmon dish. Everything was flavorful and well portioned, but a bit on the salty side. Wine by the glass is nicely priced. I love that their keep it real with their wine prices. So many restaurants in town mark up their wines to the point of of greed and that’s a major turn off. Two servers usually handle the floor an handle it well attentively. The Dish is a solid go-​to for locals and visitors alike.

I would definitely go back.
Been wanting to try this place for years and finally got a chance. And they didn’t disappoint.
I found the service to be very pleasant, helpful, attentive but not intrusive. All of the staff was courteous and pleasant.
Ambience was wonderful for a date night, great atmosphere in the wine shop with an urban feel but also felt like we could have been in Sonoma or Napa.
Was fun to be able to ‘shop’ for our dinner bottle in the store with lots of reasonably priced selections to choose from and added to the experience. And was a smooth process too, not clumsy like other places with the same setup. Just grabbed off the shelf and took it to our table and server was there promptly to serve.
The bread had a fun butter which is always an appreciated touch. The starter salads spinach and the fancy were fabulous, great flavors and much more than just an after thought on the menu. Really kicked off the dinner nicely.
Chicken was well prepared as was the ahi. Both dishes were well seasoned and had multiple components that really worked well together. The celery on the Ahi was just enough to add some needed crunch and texture and the avocado tempura was a creative, and tasty, touch that rounded out the dish nicely.
Portion sizes were just right. Courses were served and cleared at a perfect pace. Overall great dining experience. The menu left lots to look forward to so plenty of excuses to go back. Definitely need to go back for the mussels.
It is small so I would only go with reservations although it does look like they do their best to accommodate. But I saw a lot of negative comments on here that I think was a result of friction with patrons, and the need for the restaurant to manage tables and turn them over. I think you need to respect the restaurant’s need to turnover tables especially at such a small place. After all, with such good food we want everyone to enjoy and want them to stay in business! That said we were there for ~90 minutes and never felt rushed, check came without having to ask and at the appropriate time.
Thanks dish!

Decent food (I had a huge pork chop) in a wine store, how can this be bad? The Friday night the bf and I went, it was not crowded — one table sat empty for about 30 minutes. It’s small and we had reservations and they were able to seat us early because we were pretty hungry. The paella puck thingy was good too. The food was good, not great by any stretch.
You can buy any bottle of wine in the store to have with dinner for a $ 12 corkage which seems a bit high to me considering. Seems like a good place to try once.

I agree with the other reviewers that reservations are necessary. The room is very small, but that adds to the charm. Being in the back of a shop gives it a sort of speakeasy feel. The bartender/​waiter was very helpful in describing the wine selection, and we were very happy with the appetizers and dessert that we ordered: the salmon flatbread and artichoke/​polenta dish (still thinking about that one) and the black and white (coffee with liqueur and cream) with cookies. The store is fun to look around in, too, and I got some gourmet chocolates there.

Traveling in Tucson for work and I found The Dish Bistro on Unilocal.Don’t let the parking lot and wine store front fool you. There is a tiny bar and restaurant to the right when you walk in. I came solo on a Wednesday night at 7:30 and had to wait for a spot. Based on the other reviews, in retrospect I was lucky to even get a seat without a reservation!
The service at the bar was fairly good and the food was just okay. I had the salmon.

The Dish… A place so good that you almost want to tell NO ONE about it just to keep it all to yourself.
1) atmosphere: This has to be the hands down, most amazing atmosphere I have ever seen. It is intimate, dark, cozy and more amazingly, can barely seat 20 people, creating a one of a kind experience with the food, chef, and the significant other that is sure to be impressed. This creates a one of a kind experience that makes it feel that you have discovered something grand that no one else is even aware of, like your own secret Oasis away from the hurry and noise in most restaurants. 5 stars
2) taste: Some of the best craftsmanship in Tucson, started off with the mussels as an appetizer, The mussels were fresh and delicious, sauce creamy, and seasoned perfectly without overpowering the mussels. After we had the pan roasted chicken and the ahi tuna. The ahi was just as expected in a fine dining restaurant, fresh and delicious, but the chicken? my oh my, a glazed honey chicken that melted in your mouth, mash potatoes that reminded you of childhood, and cipollini onions. A combination that will tear your taste buds apart piece by piece like a roided out WWE wrestler with a machete and a taste for nerd.
After dinner we were too full for dessert, but fortunately not for a drink to go. we picked up a bottle of wine and went home to finish off the night. The restaurant in all its ambiance will be greatly remembered.

We had the secret password as we’d called ahead, which is essential at Dish because the hidey hole dining room is so teeny that you hardly have room to change your mind. The wine list is tremendously varied, and some excellent offerings by the glass are much less pricey here than elsewhere (Cake, Trefethen, and Rockus Bockus all under $ 10). The Mosel riesling hit it out of the park alongside the mussels in saffron sauce with big tomato and garlic chunks. The menu is a creative bistro mosh which includes crispy duck, pureed soups, and several decadent salads which all dovetail nicely with the outstanding wine list. The staff is articulate in describing the wines and I’ve never had poor service here. They gave us a heads up when we were dallying and the entire restaurant was ordering so that we’d not be left out. They’d earn a 4^th star if we had more room at the bar to spread out as we wound up buried in all of those extraneous plates, glasses, and cutlery with our wee little space. Delicioso!

1) Plan ahead. Get reservations, and don’t invite more than three people to come with you. Calling The Dish «intimate» is a stretch. The place seats very few people.
2) Save yourself for what is some of the best bistro cuisine you’ve ever eaten in a wine store… or anywhere else for that matter.
This place has sentimental value for me, dating back to the old location. In law school, when fine dining was a luxury, my friend and I would call ahead, sit at the bar on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday to get the mussel deal. Expertly steamed mussels and a glass of wine for $ 10. It’s now $ 12.50, but, hey, it’s still a good deal.
Now I go there with my mother. We always get the same thing, because if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. We split the artichoke appetizer (artichokes stuffed with mushrooms on a bed of truffle oil infused polenta) and the roasted chicken with cippolini onions and mashed potatoes. The restaurant always accommodates this request and we make up for splitting the meal by ordering wine. And they have great wine.
Make sure you try the bread and compound butter. It’s a wonderful treat.
Dessert, whether on a plate or in a glass, is a great way to round out the evening.
This is the kind of place where you can sit long into the night, listen to great music, drink wine, and enjoy your company as much as the food… if your company is really really good.

I met with a small group here recently to celebrate the birthday of one of our friends. We all sat at the bar and I would say that we were there on a good night because the service was pretty good, the atmosphere was nice a cozy, and the food was excellent.
My friend and I ordered the steamed mussels in saffron broth with diced tomato, garlic, and fresh oregano. Approximately seven other diners were at the bat during the time we were there and they all started with this dish, which should give you a clear idea of how popular it is. The portion size was plenty for two people, the mussels were cooked just right, and the broth was really yummy. I would say this is perhaps the best deal on the menu.
We also ordered pan-​roasted Chicken with brandied creminis, cipollini onions, grilled asparagus, and mashed potatoes layered over a sage & butter pan sauce. What impressed me most was how well the chicken was cooked. I suspect they brine it prior to cooking, because it was very moist and juicy and cooked evenly all the way through with no pink or dryness anywhere. All the veggies were cooked just right and the sauce was a great accompaniment.
Our dining companions were also please with all of there selections. Overall it was a great evening and a truly nice place to visit for a special occasion.

It was great to get back to the Dish again, and the experience was every bit as good as we remembered. The special was tempting (a big bowl of Saffron Mussels with a glass of wine for $ 11.50), but having just had mussels a night or two before, I opted instead for the Moulard Duck (peppercorn crust, braised red cabbage, crispy potato and blackberry sauce), which was excellent, as was my girlfriend’s roasted chicken.
So far, every meal we’ve had at the Dish has been great.

The Dish Bistro is a hidden gem!
Reservations are necessary because the dining area is very small and intimate. We arrived slightly before our reservation and found ourselves waiting about twenty five minutes before we were actually seated. Since the restaurant is actually attached to a wine shop, it was not hard to keep myself entertained by perusing the yummy wine and food selection. Unfortunately, I was starving upon our arrival so the wait keeps me from giving 5 stars. Next time I go, I’ll make sure that I am not ravenous and will be prepared in case there is a wait.
For an appetizer, the man and I shared the Goat Cheese Brûlée. My trainer would probably force me to do thirty extra sets if he knew how much of this I consumed. It was amazingly indulgent and I loved every bite! I also had the Fancy Salad (tomato, more goat cheese *hanging my head in shame*, pancetta and a sherry-​nutmeg dressing) which was good but I’m not sure that I would order it again. For our meals, I had the Celery Soup and hubs had the Ribeye. My soup was the ‘soup of the day’ and it was delicious. Hub’s steak and Gruyère ‘tots’ were amazingly tasty as well. Honestly, pretty much every single morsel of food from The Dish that night was perfection. Our server was warm, welcoming and attentive as well.
The next time I return, I HAVE to try the mussels. Someone at the table next to us ordered them and when they arrived, they smelled and looked amazing.

The Dish is lovely!
Definitely make a reservation before you go, as seating is very limited, if not inconspicuous. This gives the restaurant a certain sense of intimacy with the black and gold décor.
Food at the Dish is fantastic. The four of us loved our meals: soft shell crab in a cornmeal crust with green risotto, chicken with asparagus and mashed potatoes, the soup of the day, and the bowl of mussels (me!). The mussels were flavored with saffron and lemon and tomato. I was so in love with this dish I had to pause throughout the meal to reminiscence on how good it was. Oh, and I really enjoyed my glass of Malbec and Todd liked his dry rose.
The service did not knock my socks off, but really, the food was delicious, so I’ll just figure it was an off night for the Dish and service will improve when we go back :) :)

What a wonderful place! Love the Dish, and Rum Runner. Excellent selection of wine, cheeses, oils, chocolate and all sorts of other wonderful things!
…although, goodness! It would be so wonderful and much more inviting if one particular person would knock down the pretentious behavior even for a half day!
Anyway, moving on.
The bistro is lovely. Don’t let the small size fool you. And the employees know their wine and will do their best to help you find a good match for mere sipping or for a good pairing.
This place is great for a social with friends, an informal date night or a little getaway to the bar. For certain, try the steamed mussels. I have yet to find much better.

Okay, so I went here two weeks ago for dinner on a Saturday night. I did call the day before and make reservations. And thanks to Unilocal,knew what to expect when walking in to the Rum Runner.
We were seated right away. I love the intimate atmosphere this place has. There are maybe 8 tables and a bar.
Our server explained we could pick a bottle of wine from the Rum Runner and would be charged the $ 12 corking fee. I am totally okay with that because it still wasn’t as much markup as other restaurants charge. So, ordered an appetizer and went and picked a bottle of wine and brought it back to our table.
So, my date and I split everything… so here is what we ordered. We started with the steamed mussels. They brought out the order split for us, and it was huge! I couldn’t imagine eating that whole thing by myself. And yes, the server brought extra bread and said it was needed to get up all the good broth. He was right.
We then split the Fancy Salad. I love goat cheese and pancetta, so it was a winner in my book. Again, they brought it out split. So good.
For our main course we had the bacon wrapped pork medallions. The bacon that was wrapped around the perfectly cooked pork was awesome. And the edamame were so perfect with it.
For dessert we had the peanut butter heart. It is like a silky smooth peanut butter cup. It was a perfect ending to the meal.
I was so happy with the service and all the courses. I will definitely tell anyone to go here and will be back myself.