Critic's Review
Now Orange
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Canyon recently got a paint job. I like it better than the yellow.
Review 4/7/10
Canyon is a small place with a strong following that's owned by the same people who own Il Mulino next door. There are so many things wrong with it, yet its always crowded. Of course it doesn't take many people to make it feel crowded. Its a very loud place. Expect to wait an hour for a table.
They don't take reservations at Canyon. In fact its one of those places that sort of brags about having no happy hour and no reservations.
The bar area is small, yet its half the restaurant. The 10 seats fill quickly and you'll have to get here early to sit. Its uncomfortable standing around the bar. There isn't much room. The big thing here is the Prickly Pear Margarita. In fact, its the only thing they want you to drink, probably because they make so much margin on it. Its made by marinating the Prickly Pear cactus fruit in Tequila in theory, but when it comes as a syrup how do you really know how they make it? Its not unusual to see everyone at the bar drinking the same thing. There's no better evidence that people are sheep. If you want something else you'll have to settle. Their wine by the glass list is abysmal. For beer, you can get Heineken or Miller Lite. They have no drink menus. They make it painful for you to order anything other than a Prickly Pear.
They have 1 bartender for the entire restaurant, and its just not possible for her to handle it without frustrating at least half of the people. I guess this is another reason that they push the Prickly Pears; she just has to pour them from pre-made pitchers into glasses and it saves time.
The cuisine isn't really Southwestern; its more of a Florida Southwestern fusion. The menu here is dominated with seafood, which isn't generally part of authentic Southwestern Cuisine. But nobody will pay $18 for a bean and corn taco, so fish it is. The execution is good, but there's nothing extraordinary about it. Its good.
The word that best describes Canyon is Overrated. If your usual place is the Chicken Kitchen then it might live up to the hype. If you're used to better places you'll find the experience borderline rude. Of course there are always some babes at the bar, so factor that into your decision.
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