My family’s favorite places to dine in Downtown Phoenix | Jacy & Dakota

My family’s favorite places to dine in Downtown Phoenix | Jacy & Dakota

If you’re looking for a great place to eat with your family, look no further than Jacy & Dakota in Downtown Phoenix! This new restaurant offers a wide variety of food options that will please everyone in your group. They also have a great kid’s menu that is sure to keep the little ones happy. Plus, Jacy & Dakota is located in the heart of Downtown Phoenix, so you can enjoy all the sights and sounds this vibrant area has to offer!

My family’s favorite places to dine in Downtown Phoenix | Jacy & Dakota

Jacy & Dakota

Location: The Westin Hotel Downtown Phoenix

333 N Central Ave, Phoenix AZ

Phone: (602) 407-1114Jacy & Dakota review

Hours of Operation:

Breakfast

Mon–Fri 6:00 am–10:30 am

Sat, Sun 7:00 am–12:00 pm

Bar

Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm

Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–11:00 pm

Happy Hour

Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm

Dinner

Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm

 

Kid’s Menu? Yes! Kids are welcome at Jacy & Dakota with their parents or guardians. They can order off our menu for $12 per child. There are plenty of great options, including a grass-fed burger, chicken fingers, fries, mac & cheese, and more!

Vibe: Feels like you escaped the desert to Tulum

The atmosphere at Jacy & Dakota is laid-back and beachy, with white walls, wood accents, and string lights. It’s the perfect place to relax after a long day of sightseeing or shopping in Downtown Phoenix. You don’t realize you are blocks away from the sporting venues, across the street from the Tram, or even right next to the city bus stop. It’s incredible once you step inside the walls of

Jacy & Dakota Braised Pork Shank

Braised Pork Shank — the presentation is amazing!

Jacy & Dakota!

Price Range: $11-30

Jacy & Dakota offers something for everyone when it comes to a price point. You can find a great meal for under $30, or splurge on something special. No matter what you choose, you won’t be disappointed!

Dress Code: Casual Chic and Family Friendly

Menu: Made Sharable and Bite-Sized to be enjoyed by many or by yourself

Jacy & Dakota Beef Tip Tostadas

Beef Tip Tostadas with vegetarian and dairy free options

The menu at Jacy & Dakota is designed to be sharable. You can order a bunch of small plates and share them with your friends, or order a couple of larger plates and have your own feast! The menu is also bite-sized, so you can try lots of different items without getting full too fast. The menu is also designed to be gluten-free and vegetarian friendly, so there’s something everyone can enjoy! If you have an allergy, make sure to tell your server and the kitchen will accommodate the best possible or the service staff can make recommendations based on your dietary needs.

Don’t forget, you can host your parties with Jacy & Dakota, they can create a special menu for you, or you can pick and choose off of their menu. A few times a year, the menu is switched up to accommodate the local fresh fruits and vegetable offerings as well as the seasons.

On our visit, we enjoyed the Beef Tip Tostadas (Which Chef Brady made vegetarian and dairy-

Roasted Bone Marrow and Fried Green Tomatoes and Burrata

Roasted Bone Marrow and Fried Green Tomatoes and Burrata

free for me), Roasted Bone Marrow and Oxtail (Steve LOVED this one!), Fried Green Tomatoes and Burrata, Braised Pork Shank (the girls enjoyed the presentation of this one as well as Leila couldn’t get enough of it!), Three Sister’s Bowl off of the Eat Well Menu (Chef Brady created this recipe at Jacy & Dakota and now it’s served on all Westin menus nationwide!), and Apple Pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

If you would like to take a peek at their full menu options, they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which you can see here.

Blankets: Available for cooler winter nights and for cuddling by fire pits

Jacy & Dakota offers cozy blankets for guests to use on cooler winter nights. You can also enjoy a fire pit while you eat! What better way to keep warm than with delicious food and drinks? Such a fun, unique experience!

If you choose to not sit outside, indoor seating is also available. We chose to sit outside and the

Three Sisters Bowl

Three Sisters Bowl

girls thoroughly enjoyed being able to sit on a long couch and cuddle with a blanket. Not to worry — if you wondered if the blankets were cleaned, I also had the same concern and Chef Brady assured me they bring out clean, sanitized blankets to each guest and don’t put them back in rotation until they have been cleaned and sanitized again!

Desserts: Made in House by a Pastry Chef

The desserts at Jacy & Dakota are also made in-house by a pastry chef, and they are delicious! We enjoyed the house-made apple pie with a scoop of local Vanilla Ice Cream. The pie was just like my grandma used to make growing up, complete with the lattice crust!

Jacy & Dakota offers a wide variety of sharable, gluten-free, and vegetarian-friendly dishes as

favorite places to dine in Downtown Phoenix

Housemade Apple Pie and local AZ ice cream

well as delicious desserts. You can enjoy your meal outside at one of the fire pits or inside in the restaurant. No matter what you choose, Jacy & Dakota is an excellent choice for family dining downtown! Would you consider going to Jacy & Dakota when you visit Downtown Phoenix with or without your family?

Related: Arizona Favorites: A Guide to the Best Activities, Restaurants, & Places to Visit in Arizona

7 Bucketlist Destinations to Visit in Arizona

7 Bucketlist Destinations to Visit in Arizona

When it comes to awe-inspiring desert scenery, Arizona pretty much takes the cake.

Boasting some of the most iconic national parks in the country, six national forests, and a whopping thirty one state parks, it makes perfect sense if you’re feeling a bit defeated while plotting your Arizona itinerary. Seriously – How do you even choose where to go in a state that is pretty much a mecca for unparalleled views? 

From iconic landmarks to hidden gems that come in all shades of colors, these are the 7 destinations in Arizona you need to put on your travel bucket list. Not only will visiting these places give you a pretty well-rounded glimpse into the best this magical state has to offer, but they will also get you inspired to come back for more.

7 Bucketlist Destinations to Visit in Arizona

1. Sedona

Way, way back in time, geological forces created deep rifts into the Colorado Plateau and Sedona’s7 Bucketlist Destinations to Visit in Arizona majestic landscape was formed. With enormous desert spires lining the landscape, river canyons as far as the eye can see. And a maze of red rock formations, a visit to Sedona is as awe-inspiring as it can get.

The best part? Sedona can be explored in a million ways. For many, this region of Arizona is the ideal spot to get a pretty good introduction to desert hiking. But if you’re more into culture and heritage, there’s a wide array of museums and centers ready to be explored, too! 

A big plus of Sedona is its very close driving distance for those visiting the Phoenix valley. You can travel to Sedona and back to the valley in a day. And have ample time to explore, hike, eat, and come home without feeling like you have to rush!

2. The Wave

The Wave is probably one of the most intriguing places in the United States. Located right on the7 Bucketlist Destinations to Visit in Arizona border of Arizona and Utah, it may just be one of the most sought-after hiking trails in the entire world. 

What makes The Wave so unique, you ask? A rainbow of orange and rusty tone plastered all over the rocks. Which make the landscape resemble a sea of shimmering desert hues.

The Wave hike is only 6.4 miles long. But due to the conditions of the area and heat, it can get pretty strenuous even for expert hikers. Moreover, due to its popularity, it’s pretty difficult to snag permits to hike The Wave. So make sure you start planning your visit as early as possible as this is not a hike you can do spontaneously!

3. White Pocket

If you’re keen on checking out a hidden Arizona gem, White Pocket is just the hike you’re after!

If you couldn’t snag a permit to hike The Wave, White Pocket is a pretty good alternative (or addition) to your itinerary. Made up of whacky-looking Navajo sandstone formations, White Pocket is a sea of pink, orange, and red hues that will have you wondering if you were transported right into the heart of Mars.

4. Havasupai

Havasupai Arizona

7 Bucketlist Destinations to Visit in Arizona

Turquoise-colored water cascading down from bright red rocks is what make Havasupai one of Arizona’s most stunning places. Seriously, getting to swim in the turquoise blue waters with the road of the waterfalls echoing on the canyon walls will make you feel as though you’ve been transported into the movie Avatar.

The Havasu Canyon boasts five waterfalls in total: Mooney Falls, Beaver Falls, Havasu Falls, New Navajo Falls, and Fifty Foot Falls. Each one more strikingly gorgeous than the last. The best way to see them? By going on a hike! Even though hiking in the desert is quite a challenge, you’ll be able to stop at each waterfall to get refreshed. Which isn’t too shabby, if you ask me!

As a note, keep in mind that Havasupai is set on Native Land and is kept by the Havasupai Tribe. This means it’s extremely important to be respectful of their culture. And, if possible, learn a bit about their heritage. So you can better understand the land you’re walking on during your visit. Moreover, visiting Havasupai requires a permit that isn’t very easy to get. So try applying for it as early as possible to try to snag yours! 

** Havasupai hasn’t been reopened after the Pandemic. And probably won’t until at least summer of 2022 so take note of this when looking at this destination.**

5. Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim Section

Visiting the Grand Canyon may sound a little cliché. But the fact that it’s one of the most iconic sights in the USA. And a natural wonder if the world makes it a must-see in your Arizona bucket list.

If you’re the type of traveler who likes to do things a little differently and would much rather avoid the crowds, you’ll be delighted to know that you can totally visit the Grand Canyon and do things a little differently than most travelers do. While most visitors focus on the South Rim of the canyon, there are actually a ton of off-the-beaten-path trails and activities on the lesser-visited North Rim. This region of the park is considered a bit more adventurous and is often overlooked by tourists. Which means you’ll get to experience the Grand Canyon in a more secluded way!

If you visit Arizona in the winter and want to take a visit to the Grand Canyon, make sure to pack winter clothes. The elevation is much higher and winter happens quite a bit more than other areas of the state.

6. Antelope Canyon

Arizona is home to some seriously stunning slot canyons. And Antelope Canyon might just be theAntelope Canyon king of them all. This stunning canyon was created by harsh floods flowing into the cracks of sandstone in the area. Which created a spectacular swirl of colors that brim to life when light reflects off the rocks. With light beams brimming from high canyon walls, Antelope Canyon may just be one of the most photogenic sights in entire Arizona.

Plus, if you want to get off-the-beaten-path during your visit, you can also check out the lesser-visited adjoining canyon, Lower Antelope Canyon, which is just as stunning but is made up of narrower passageways, so you’ll find yourself twisting and turning to get through the walls. 

7. Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest National Park

7 Bucketlist Destinations to Visit in Arizona

Some 225 million years ago, heavy floods brought trees into the area. Time passed, volcanic eruptions covered the dead trees in silica-rich ash. And the logs were petrified and buried for centuries to come. Today, the logs have been exposed again. Making the entire scene looks like a rainbow of sparkly colors that will have your jaw dropping right on the ground.

A few must-dos while visiting Petrified Forest include checking out Crystal Forest, where colorful logs adorn the path, walking along the rim to check out the stunning views of the park’s Painted Desert, and hiking the alluring Blue Mesa Trail, where you’ll get to walk through badlands that look as they belong in a completely different planet. If you’re keen on a really spectacular sight, make sure you also walk down the Giant Logs Trail. Which does get a bit crowded but boasts a display of the largest logs in the park.

 

Moreover, if you’re interested in learning more about the region’s Native American heritage, make sure to pay Newspaper Rock a visit. While here, you’ll get to see a display of over 600 petroglyphs, some of which are as old as two thousand years!

 

I hope this list of the best destinations in Arizona helped you come up with the perfect road trip itinerary! Even though Arizona is home to a vast array of things to see, these seven spots are the perfect place to start getting a taste of Arizona’s desert magic.

 

Have you ever visited Arizona? I can’t lie, there are a few places on this list still on my own bucketlist! What are some other incredible destinations that are musts in everyone’s itinerary? Let me know your favorite spots in the comments section below!