Location: Payson
Top Restaurants in Payson
Arizona, United States Food Guide: 10 American food Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Payson
Best American restaurants nearby. Discover the best American food in Payson. View Menus, Photos and Reviews for American restaurants near you.. Payson is a town in northern Gila County, Arizona, United States. Its location puts it very near to the geographic center of Arizona. Payson has been called "The Heart of Arizona". The town is surrounded by the Tonto National Forest and has many outdoor activities year round. As of the 2010 census, the population of Payson was 15,301.
Things to do in Payson
10. Catfish Annie
Reviewed By Gleason L
I stopped in for gas and a snack and saw this place in the back corner. Well I smelled the catfish cooking FIRST and then I saw the source. There is a small seating area in the back corner and this wonderful lil stand selling SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH. I had to try some and it was AWESOME. Get it to go or sit down and enjoy your meal. Friendly Service and a Clean Eating area, at a very reasonable price. EXCELLENT SERVICE! WARM ATMOSPHERE! GREAT FOOD!
9. Zane Grey Country Barbecue at Kohl's Ranch Lodge
Overall Ratings
3 based on 133 reviews
Zane Grey Country BBQ is located inside Kohl's Ranch Lodge, near Tonto Creek in the largest Ponderosa Pine Forest in the world. Our menu is simple, authentic smoked "Barbecue & Great House Made Pizza."
Reviewed By 497janieg
The baby back ribs were extremely tender and the BBQ sauce was tangy and a little sweet. Delicious. Homemade biscuit was moist and served with honey and/or butter. The shoestring French fries are not my favorite but were tasty. The smoked brisket was plentiful and perfectly cooked. Same BBQ sauce. The Kohl slaw was different. Creamy withRaisins with a sweet flavor. The baked beans were ok but not special. Both dinners were large portions and we took home leftovers
8. Mikeâs Fish And Chips
Overall Ratings
4 based on 53 reviews
Reviewed By A R H
A quick stop for lunch at Mike's as I love Fish & Chips and the reviews were good. I was not disappointed! You order at the counter from an extensive list of fishy food and I went with the Fried Oysters with an order of Cod - both excellent - and the fish was as good as advertised. Great fries and and a nice selection of sauces, with the Tartar Sauce house made and really good. Malt Vinegar of course, plus a Spicy and Non-Spicy sauce with the spicy being up there on the heat scale! Clean, bright canteen setting with lovely staff - friendly chatty and informative on how their fish is sourced. One of the better Fish & Chip shops I have experienced in the US. Recommended.
7. The Pinon Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 78 reviews
Reviewed By enwagj
Over the years, my husband & I have been to this restaurant many times when owned & operated by the previous owner. This was our first visit with the current owner, AND cook, with it's current name, The Pinon Cafe. We went because our grandchildren just wanted to try something different from our usual "haunt". So glad we did!First, we all loved the painted signs in the windows stating, "We love our military & first responders". Entering the Cafe, we were promptly greeted by the nicest, friendliest hostess. The restaurant was PACKED, which is a good sign, & we got the last available table for 4.Our granddaughter ordered the child's pancakes & bacon breakfast while our grandson ordered the adult size, aptly named "The Elvis", a creation of French toast stuffed with peanut butter, topped with sautéed bananas & a chocolate drizzle. He actually made a good 'dent' on it!I ordered the pancakes with eggs & bacon & I was pleasantly surprised, & thrilled' to ACTUALLY GET over medium fried eggs, as 9 out of 10 times, over medium fried eggs come out as over easy or well done!! Ecstatic, actually!My husband ordered pancakes, eggs & bacon with a side of fresh fruit &, after talking to the hostess, also ordered a banana nut muffin. YUMMY!! It seems that their baker once worked at 'best bakery in town' some years ago before it closed. What a coup for the restaurant! The cinnamon roll is a real treat & large enough to feed all 4 of us (I only had a sample taste. We did opt to buy to bring home with us 2 banana nut & 2 blueberry Muffins for today's breakfast. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!The entire staff was friendly & very efficient, your coffee cup repeatedly refilled without waiting. Clean! We met the owner/chief cook & realized that we had met him before, when he was cook at the Creekside Restaurant in Christopher Creek, having his fantastic BBQ ribs!If you're hungry for a very good breakfast or lunch (not open for supper/dinner) AND enjoy interacting with the staff, definitely visit the Pinon Cafe!Just a note: both restrooms are clean & both are 'gender neutral' & only 1 person each.
6. Beeline Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 303 reviews
Reviewed By Paula O
This place is great! From the atmosphere to the staff to the food. The only drawback (and it's not really even a drawback) is they don't take credit cards, so bring cash. Prices are reasonable and again, the food and service were fantastic both times we ate there.
5. Crosswinds Grille
Overall Ratings
4 based on 142 reviews
Reviewed By OhWowMan
Breakfast was okay. Nothing spectacular. I had an omelette with green chili and cheese. The diced green chilis probably came from a can. The cheese had a waxy texture that you might expect from processed American cheese. The eggs were a bit overcooked. A pile of home fries and a side of toast accompanied my meal. Portions were plenty. We sat at a table with a nice view of the airport runway. Crosswinds was recommended for their pies. We viewed them in the pie case. Unfortunately, we craved breakfast, and we didnât eat dessert. Maybe next time!
4. Ms. Fitz 260 Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 239 reviews
Reviewed By Mark P
Don't just drive through Payson. Stop at Ms, Fitz! If you are a connoisseur of Reuben sandwiches, this is a must! They make their own sour kraut (adding apples) and an outstanding sauce for a wonderful new taste. Their fries are excellent (truly crispy and fresh) and the atmosphere is just what you want in a country cafe. The service was very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Their enthusiasm for their menu and the family feel they generate made this place an instant favorite. I even liked the female manikin riding a deer out front (quirky but cool)!
3. Macky's Grill
Overall Ratings
4 based on 308 reviews
Reviewed By SNG56
Went here for dinner based on reviews. Large menu so there's something for everyone. Started with a plate of onion rings/strings which were amazing, freshly made for sure. Then the patty melt and turkey avocado sandwich. Throughout people kept stopping by asking if everything was okay, refilling water, etc. Food was just terrific., prices reasonable. Really nice vibe. Definitely recommend.
2. Buffalo Bar & Grill
Overall Ratings
4 based on 337 reviews
Buffalo Bar & Grill, the place for great food & spirits. Local cuisine featuring awesome burgers including fresh ground Top Sirloin Burgers and Buffalo burgers. Specialty sandwiches like our favorites, the Sirloin Steak Melt and our collossal Pork Tenderl
Reviewed By nikkip209
This restaurant was recommended by friends who eat here whenever in Payson. We came for lunch after an early morning hike. There was plenty of seating available although it was full by the time we left. Server took our drink order (waters) and then disappeared. Two other servers stopped by to take our drink order and we explained that we just needed some water. It took over 10 min to get two waters. Staff seemed a bit disorganized in that multiple servers were coming by to take orders that had just been given to someone else. We werenât terribly hungry so each ordered the quesadilla appetizer (one with beef, one with chicken), and an order of onion rings. Food came in a decent time frame. Onion rings were good and quesadilla very full of ingredients. We had to take left overs home. No staff stopped by to see how our food was and we finally got a water refill just before we left. Restroom wasnât great but it wasnât dirty. Since we heard about this place because of its burgers, (quite the sandwich selection!) I would return to try their more signature items.
1. Fargo's Steakhouse
Overall Ratings
4 based on 500 reviews
Reviewed By Rollo P
Great menu and great restaurant -best or one of best in town. Service is super. Only downside: visited on a busy night for an anniversary dinner and only space available was on outdoor patio - which is dog friendly. The dogs were not friendly that night - growled and snapped and barked for about half of dinner.
