This Phoenix restaurant serves steak that's cheaper than a Big Mac meal. But is it good?
Angie's Prime Grill opened in north Phoenix on Oct. 16. A sister restaurant to Angie's Lobster, the new restaurant serves high-quality steak, chicken and lobster at fast-food prices.
Owners Tony and Roushan Christofellis' claim to fame was founding Salad & Go, the drive-thru salad chain that now has dozens of locations in multiple states. The couple sold that business in 2021 and opened Angie's Lobster later that year.
Angie's Lobster restaurant is named after Tony's mother, who died from cancer in 2020. The restaurant logo includes her signature as a mark of her legacy and the impact she had on her son. Tony said that losing his mother played a role in his dedication to focus on serving food made with organic ingredients at affordable prices, citing studies that have found that eating organic foods with fewer preservatives and chemicals can lower your risk of cancer and other illnesses.
After seeing the success of Angie's Lobster, Tony and Roushan decided to take their idea a step further and start offering other luxury foods like USDA prime top sirloin and organic chicken in addition to Maine lobster tails in a fast food format.
"We saw how important it was to people to have this access to this luxury food, when they never had access to it before," Tony said. "We get emails and messages from people saying, 'You've made my day.' When you don't grow up with money, and you don't have (the ability) to get the finer things in life that only the wealthy could afford, it really does a lot for them."
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What is Angie's Prime Grill like?
I visited the restaurant on the open day. The location on Lone Cactus Drive, the new restaurant is a bit hidden between warehouses that dwarf the restaurant in size. Thankfully, temporary signs were constructed with arrows pointing me to Angie's Prime Grill.
I had never been to Angie's Lobster, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from Angie's Prime Grill. The owners emphasized fresh, organic ingredients and high-quality meats at fast food prices, but I couldn't quite imagine how it would work until I tried it.
I went with a warm bowl with steak, served Mexican style minus the tortilla chips and a cold brew to drink. I decided to start with absolutely zero expectations and let the food speak for itself. I was pleasantly surprised by the mouthwatering, tender texture and savory flavor of the steak. Steak is one of my absolute favorite foods, so I'm picky, and I genuinely enjoyed Angie's.
When selecting the warm bowl, I imagined it would taste kind of like a Chipotle bowl, but I was wrong. The heirloom tomatoes and creamy cilantro lime sauce played a big role in bringing out the flavor of the steak and rounded out the bowl in a genuinely satisfying way.
The best part? Many options are gluten-free, including all of the dressings. Order either a warm bowl or a salad, and all the toppings are safe except for the tortilla chips and fried onions.
What's on the menu at Angie's Prime Grill?
The menu includes USDA prime top sirloin and organic chicken meals for $9.99 and Maine lobster tail meals for $10.99 that come served in a warm bowl with rice, in a grilled burrito or on top of a fresh salad.
Guests can choose between six flavor combinations to complete the bowl, burrito or salad:
Mexican: topped with fresh-cut corn, black beans, heirloom tomatoes, red onions, avocado, cotija cheese and tortilla chips with a creamy cilantro lime sauce.
Cobb: topped with a hard-boiled egg, freshly cooked bacon, red onion, heirloom tomatoes, avocado and blue cheese crumbles with a blue cheese sauce.
Greek: topped with Persian cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, red onions, kalamata olives, pepperoncini and feta cheese with a Greek vinaigrette.
BBQ: topped with fresh-cut corn, black beans, heirloom tomatoes, red onions, pepper jack cheese and fried onions with a BBQ ranch sauce.
Harvest: topped with grilled sweet potatoes, organic apples, candied pecans, dried cranberries, organic kale and feta cheese with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Seasonal apple and bacon: topped with organic apples, freshly cooked bacon, red onions, candied pecans, dried cranberries, organic kale and blue cheese crumbles with a maple balsamic vinaigrette.
The drink options (included with meals or $1.99 on their own) include: sodas, iced teas, lemonade, cold brew and Angie's house-made energy drinks.
How to visit Angie's Prime Grill
Angie's Prime Grill's first location is walk-up only, with tables available outside to sit and eat. The first drive-thru is expected to open in March 2024.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Details: 880 E. Lone Cactus Dr., Phoenix. angiesprimegrill.com.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix steakhouse Angie's Prime Grill serves fancy meals under $10
