The Cowboy Club and adjoining The Arizona Room is a Sedona institution. It opened as the Oak Creek Tavern in 1946 and supposedly hosted movie stars in town filming their latest flicks. In 1956, the Cowboy Artists of America was formed here. But the Cowboy Club is also just plain fun. Expect to hear lively conversations while country music from the likes of Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood and Alan Jackson flows through the speakers. Holsters and other Western décor are on the walls. Once you’ve swung through the saloon-style front doors, you’ll spot a wood bar on your left that could have been out of a classic Western film. If you’d prefer, you also can take in scenic red rock views on the outdoor patio on AZ-89A.
The “high desert cuisine” and drinks rule. The margaritas are stellar. The signature Famous Cowboy − blanco tequila, triple sec, sweet and sour − was perfectly balanced and one of the best we’ve ever had. Look forward to generously sized portions. The Appetizer Sampler was decidedly Southwestern. Dig into tangy, crispy cactus fries, savory bison marinated in raspberry chipotle sauce, rattlesnake “sausage” that tastes like, well, sausage, and cilantro flatbread. The entire platter was served with three sauces: prickly pear, barbeque and our personal favorite, the thick, tangy Southwest peanut butter.
Red meat − and especially steaks − are the stars of the menu. Although we love the steaks here, we were pleasantly surprised by the vegetarian options too. We decided to enjoy the best of both worlds and ordered the Strawberry Spinach Salad topped with a skewer of steak. This generously sized salad was texture rich with candied pecans, strawberries, goat cheese, red onions that was all dressed in a fresh vinaigrette. The steak tasted candy-like: moist, juicy and chewy. We loved the contrast of both of these foods. We finished our meal with a decadent slice of chocolate cake topped with thick, rich chocolate frosting. We walked out feeling full, happy and glad we visited. − A Sedona Foodie
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