Q: positive

A: Best deli in town. Great for us ethnic types. I think even a goy would enjoy a little nosh here. The booths could be a bit more comfortable but I think if they were the nap that I want after the gigantic pastrami would come to easily. I will quit my kvetching and eat. Mangiare.

Q: positive

A: Eva's is a longtime family-owned restaurant business that has operated a location on Sunland Gin Rd for years. They recently built and opened a new location on Pinal Ave in Casa Grande. The first thing anyone would notice about the new location is the striking architecture and decor. There is a giant sculpture on the roof near the front entrance that is reminiscent of an onion dome but it is made of decorative glass and metal. The remainder of the building has other interesting decor and architecture; they really went all-out on this project and it shows. Words cannot do it justice. It's no Guggenheim, but it's definitely bound to become a Casa Grande landmark. When discussing the food and service, I have to begin by contrasting it with that of the older Sunland Gin location. The older location is borderline notorious for its slow service (although the food is worth it) and none of the waitstaff ever seemed particularly friendly to me. At the new location, they seem to have developed a new system for cranking out fresh food (same recipes) and, lo and behold, hiring friendly and efficient staff. Believe me when I say that Casa Grande is not known as a hub of good customer service, so this is no small accomplishment. From the smiles that welcome you when you walk in to the waitstaff, everyone is... great. I've been to the new location about 20 times and I've never had a bad experience. The food is exceptional. A lot of Mexican food is available in Casa Grande and the recipes at Eva's destroy all of it. Some of their house specialties can get a bit pricey, pushing the $20 price point. There are plenty of options for under $10, though. Since we have kids, I also judge a restaurant by their kids' menu--do they have some good, creative offerings there, or do they just shovel the same cheeseburger/chicken strips/mac 'n' cheese as everyone else? Eva's has an original and thoughtful kids' menu, and they will custom make anything you can describe. Does your rugrat want a tostada with guacamole, beans, and lettuce? No problem. Eva's also has live entertainment on weekends in the form of roaming mariachi bands and then a DJ later at night. There is a full bar area, a full dining room, and a smaller separate dining room that probably can be reserved for parties. There is an outdoor seating area as well with an outdoor fireplace. It's all gorgeous. If you're ever passing through on your way to or from Phoenix and Tucson, do yourself a favor.

Q: negative

A: When did Dave and Buster's become a daycare?? Everywhere you look, there are signs that say kids must be accompanied by an adult, but apparently no one was honoring that at 6PM on a Saturday. I couldn't even walk through the place without someone shoving me. AHHH! I get that Dave and Buster's is an arcade and that you're going there to play some games, maybe eat, and kill some time. When I last went there a few years ago, we there for my bachelor party, and while I'm sure we got into some shenanigans, I don't remember children running wild there. We were having adult beverages, playing games, and having a good time. This time, it was ridiculous. It isn't Chuck E. Cheese, yet that's how parents seem to be treating the place. On top of that, the customer service sucked. The place is gigantic, with tables and serving areas everywhere, yet on a Saturday at 6PM, the hostess told us (after interrupting us three times to chat with the other hostess) told us it would be a three hour wait, despite the fact that there were empty tables all over the dining room. I suspect this is a ploy to get you to play games and spend money until you're table is ready, but the food at Dave and Buster's is not worth a three hour wait on any day. The hostess told us we could be served right away if we went to the midway and found an empty table, so we attempted that. Most of those tables were empty with usually one or two adults at a giant empty table filled with coats who informed us that they needed the table because their kids would be back soon after playing games. Next, i engaged in the most rudest thing I've ever done- I began stalking tables where people were finishing up. I would walk up to people paying their check, ask if I could have their table when they were done, and they would inform me that there were already two or three people who asked them and I should get in line. Finally, we found a table and proceeded to spend two hours eating dinner. It wasn't because we ordered a lot of food- it was that the waiter took forever to bring our food out. He seemed to have no problem getting us fresh drinks, until we drank as much as we could and then asked for water. After that, he seemed to come around a lot less. I had the build your own chicken tacos, which comes on a giant plate with all kinds of fixings. The fixings were fresh, but the chicken was cold and dry, and the tortillas were dried out as well. For $14, it wasn't worth it. After dinner we proceeded to play games, which entails shoving people to get through areas and waiting in line to play anything. All in all, I didn't like my experience at Dave and Busters. I remembered it being a fun place to go and unwind as an adult. but between all the kids and the crappy service, can't recommend this place. If anyone asks me to go back, I may elect to stay home and poke my eyes with a fork.

Q: positive

A:
Best kids meals in town! We always order the junior bean and cheese burritos & yummy crinkle cut fries (but you can order chips instead). The kids meals also come with a cute mini-Churro and a bottled beverage--which is way too sweet for my taste so we ask for fountain drinks instead. And don't miss the ever-so-satisfying country breakfast burrito, which definitely feeds two!