While we didn’t eat in ALL of the restaurants in Quartzsite during our time there in December, we did check out several of them.  A few things that you might like to know about the restaurant scene in Quartzsite:

• Many of these establishments close during the offseason.
• Hours of operation, especially for the seasonal restaurants, seem to change as the season changes.  I suggest calling ahead to verify hours of operation.  I found the hours listed below on Google (except where noted) when writing this blog.
• Most restaurants close early.  You may want to adjust your mealtime if your normal dinner time is after 7:00. During our visit in December, we only found a couple of restaurants that aren’t fast-food chain restaurants open for service after 7:00.
• Keep in mind that, all over the country, it’s tough to hire restaurant staff these days.  I imagine that it’s even tougher when you add to this the population of the town and seasonality of the business.  IF you’re looking for five-star dining, you’re not in the right place.

These are the places where we ate out during our time in the area.  There isn’t a place listed that I absolutely wouldn’t go back to, although I’ve ranked them starting with my favorite.

#1 Silly Al’s Pizza (http://sillyalspizza.com/) – open from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily, this is the most happening place in town.  It also seems to be the only place in town that offers “late night” food year-round.  With live entertainment (and a dance floor) on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, we had a few meals here during our visit.  Neither of us ordered pasta, so I don’t have any comments about the quality of these dishes, but the pizza is very good, the salads, especially Al’s Special Salad, are generous, and sandwiches well-executed.  Additionally, they offer a full bar with a good selection of craft beers.   Service exceeded my expectations, with staff able to answer questions accurately about the current tap selections.  Silly Al’s was hands down our favorite place to go out in Quartzsite.

#2 Taco Mio (https://taco-mio.business.site/) – according to their website and their Google listing, they are open from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily., but one evening when we stopped around 7, we found them closing.  Quick service and good classic Mexican puts this near the top of my list.  I love Chiles Rellenos.  While I find it difficult to resist ordering them, I’m often disappointed.  The Chiles Rellenos here are delicious, stuffed with cheese and fried in a traditional egg batter.  These chiles oozed cheesy goodness.  Chips and salsa are a small upcharge, but good quality.  The marquee outside advertises all you can eat fish and chips which several people ordered at tables near us.  According to reviews I read, they offer beer and margaritas.  Our server didn’t offer this, and I never saw anyone drinking them.

#3 Quartzsite Yacht Club Restaurant Bar (http://www.quartzsiteyachtclub.com/) – open 12 noon – 7 p.m. (according to their FaceBook account, which seems to be much more accurate than the Google listing).  Closed most of the time that we were in Quartzsite over a dispute with their landlord, the restaurant appears to have reopened in time for the busy season.  We had lunch at the bar on our first day in town, and despite a few of the Karaoke singers, enjoyed our time.  We considered buying a membership but were thankful that we didn’t spend the money when we found the place closed for the rest of our time in town.  Omar, the bartender and owner’s brother, provided great service and good humor.

#4 Times 3 Family Restaurant – open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily in season.  This restaurant has a wider selection of foods to choose from, including a selection of Mexican foods and dinners available after 11 a.m.  Prices are very good, and portions are generous.  This place can accommodate a larger party and had several large groups when we were there.  These groups may have played a role in our order being missed either by the kitchen or our server, leading to a very long wait.  Once served, we found our burritos to be quite tasty.

#5 Grubstake Social Club (http://www.grubstakeaz.com/) – open from 11 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. daily.  If you love large portions for low prices, this might be your place.  Specializing in fried foods with an emphasis on fried seafood, burgers, and wings, and offering full bar service, this place will likely pack ‘em in during the busy season.  I ordered a double cheeseburger one night and, although I was hungry, couldn’t eat more than a single patty.  We watched as the waitress served the fried seafood platter to a neighboring table of two.  It was truly a heaping platter of food that they were packing up half of as we were heading out.  Note:  the menu featured on their website is similar to the menu the server presented us in December.

#6 Main Street Eatery – open 6:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. daily, offers prompt service, and good food.  I liked the chicken quesadilla that I had one afternoon.  Generously-portioned enough for me to offer a piece or two to Brian,  and leave fully satisfied.  A grilled chicken salad with toasted sesame dressing on another afternoon tasted great but had me looking for a snack a few hours later.  The collection of camels in this place is pretty amazing, and it’s connected to the laundromat, so if you’re looking for clean clothes and a full stomach, this might be your place.

#7 Mountain Quail Café (http://mountainquailcafe.com/) – open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.  A little off the beaten path of Main Street, this place serves up good food.  The tuna salad sandwich I ordered was unusual with what seemed to be pickle relish in place of the fresh celery and onion that I am used to seeing in tuna salad, but it tasted good.  Many people around us seemed to be eating breakfast foods despite the time of day.  Baked good offerings looked delicious.

#8 Fair Time Foods Family Restaurant – open 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., closed Sunday.  Breakfast is all you can eat buffet, but think “hotel lobby buffet included in your stay” food with powdered eggs, pre-cooked sausage, pancakes with warm chocolate pudding.  I enjoyed a bowl of chicken and dumplings for lunch one afternoon, and Brian had a corn dog that seemed to be fresh-battered before going in the fryer.  While we never returned for dinner,  they offer a program called “Seconds,” which is a rotation of a featured entrée each night throughout the week.  Diners, paying a flat rate for the entrée (lasagna, shepherd’s pie, meatloaf, etc.) served with appropriate side dishes, can have seconds.  It was unclear to me if dinners are brought to the table or served by way of their buffet.

#9 Sweet Darlene’s – Google listing has hours of operation currently set to open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.  However, these were not the hours when we were there.  Service is ok, and so is the food.  Having grown up near lots of great Jewish delis in the Detroit area, I should not have had high expectations of the Reuben sandwich featured on their menu.  For me, it was a disappointment, but not as much as the grilled ham and cheese sandwich that arrived with one lonely slice of American cheese and a couple of thin slices of ham.   Brian, the connoisseur of chili, said this was the best in town, and I also found it to be quite good.  The sweet breakfast rolls we purchased to take home were delicious and could send me back for more.

Also, in Quartzsite, if you’re looking for a fun place to enjoy a few adult beverages on a nice day, you might check out Beer Belly’s Adult Day Care (https://www.facebook.com/beerbellysquartzsite/).  Open 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily.  You can find this outdoor beer garden on the backside of the swapmeet off of Kuehn and Central Streets.  With a full bar, entertainment, and games, we enjoyed a Sunday afternoon visit.  A connected food truck appears to offer food sometimes, but not on the afternoon of our visit.  We would have gone back multiple times if they were open later, but I guess that’s why it’s a daycare.

And if you have time,  4 wheel drive, and a sense of adventure, you might check out The Desert Bar in Parker, AZ.   Click HERE to read more about our adventure to the area.