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Out and About In Scottsdale: Uncle Sam’s Has Hollywood Jim

Sedona's ST.com contributing writer, Hollywood Jim, and fan

Hi Folks! We all know how expensive it is these days to get the family out of the house, let alone feed them. My recent discovery in Scottsdale will have you and the kids eating out like it was the 1980’s all over again!


I don’t get to Phoenix often, so when my friend asked me to tag along to Scottsdale on a business matter, I was all too ready to drool from the car window at beautiful homes and awesome shopping meccas that spendy Scottsdale is known for. I wasn’t disappointed.



However, I secretly sighed a little when she mentioned lunch, knowing that my tuna budget was fit best for the Scottsdale dollar menu, but my curiosity peaked when passing by a diner with a long row of police motorcycles parked outside. I turned my head to my friend and said, “What’s up with all the police parked outside like a convention?” No sooner did I blurt that out when my former stock car driving friend pulled a u-turn and slid us into a parking spot. Hello, Uncle Sam!


Uncle Sam’s Restaurant is a true Americana eatery whose owner is from Philadelphia. The interior and exterior are all done up in the good ole red, white, and blue. The restaurant staff is friendly, and the restaurant is clean and orderly with an ambiance of eastern local pub meets western town hall.


I gave a silent Shout Out for dear old Uncle Sam’s after discovering that we arrived during its Happy Hour with its “Bailout Menu.” Prices cheap, food good. Great combo!

My tuna budget was going to order steak!


If you want an afternoon brew, Uncle Sam’s for you. Uncle Sam’s one dollar drafts had me belly up to the bar and place an order for a philly cheese steak hoagie–only $3.99 loaded with meat, cheese, peppers, onions, and mushrooms on a (yes, thank you) toasted roll with fries on the side. I’m old school, and in true Philadelphia-style, french fries must accompany this east coast favorite!


If you want to eat like it’s Thanksgiving everyday, Uncle Sam’s portions will meet holiday expectations! My Fat Tire draft (upgraded to the buck and a quarter beer) washed down the cheese steak and fries quite nicely. Two of us ate almost identical lunches and our entire bill came to just under seventeen greenbacks! Even the Golden Arches can’t beat that.


Uncle Sam’s had everything that a red white and blue diner can want without going all food channel with pricey selections. Check out the pizza, wings, hoagies, grinders, salads, calzones, chicken, stromboli, and even a lesser-priced kid’s menu! Order take-out or bring all your friends from one to a hundred–Uncle Sam’s has plenty of room and lots of flat screens to watch Sunday and Monday football games!


My one complaint? No blue cheese for the buffalo wings! Seems that the Philadelphia owner doesn’t like blue cheese, so won’t have it on the restaurant menu.


Take it from this New Yorker, Philly-man–a buffalo wing without blue cheese is like a New York bagel without cream cheese. Get your cheese on, Philly!



By the way, I saved enough money at lunch to shop a little in Scottsdale…okay, I browsed, but I had an awesome time anyway.


Uncle Sam’s has three locations: Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Peoria. Visit them online at www.unclesamsaz.com.  I’m all about eating well at a fair price, and if you have a favorite haunt Out and About Arizona that you want to share with readers, let us know.


Out and About Scottsdale with HollywoodJim@SedonaEye.com

1 Comment

  1. Sherlyn says:

    You have shed a ray of suhisnne into the forum. Thanks!

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