Date Night Ideas in Tucson: Dinner at Lodge on the Desert and Giveaway

Are you looking for date night ideas in Tucson, Arizona?  If so, dinner at the restaurant at Lodge on the Desert is high on my list!  Because my husband and I have a preschool aged child, it’s rare for us to go on date nights.  However, when Lodge on the Desert, a historic boutique hotel in town, offered to host us for dinner in exchange for a review, I thought it would be a great opportunity to try something different.  All opinions and taste tests are my own, as usual 🙂  Whether its appetizers, entrees, dessert, and/or cocktails, the restaurant at Lodge on the Desert has it all.

Believe it or not, I’ve never been to Lodge on the Desert.  Which is a shame because I was missing out.  Lodge on the Desert is a historic hotel located in mid-town Tucson where western movie stars, like John Wayne, stayed the night when filming movies in town.  It has recently undergone renovations, and looks beautiful with its southwestern flair.  Listed below are reasons why I recommend dinner at Lodge on the Desert as a date night idea in Tucson!  And be sure to enter the giveaway at the end – Lodge on the Desert has graciously offered a $100 gift certificate towards dinner for 2 for one of my readers!

Date Night Ideas in Tucson:  Dinner at Lodge on the Desert

1.  The Location
2. The Atmosphere
3. The Food
4. The Dessert

The Location

Lodge on the Desert is a secret gem tucked away in midtown Tucson.  It’s not only close to the El Con Mall (a major shopping area in Tucson), but it’s also close to the Cinemark Movie Theatre which makes dinner and a movie convenient.  My husband and I chose to see the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie before going to dinner and it literally took us less than five minutes to drive to Lodge on the Desert from the movie theater.  The restaurant on site now has its own separate entrance from the parking lot, and is clearly marked with signs.

The Atmosphere

Even though Lodge on the Desert is located in a main part of town, it still feels very intimate.  The restaurant maintains a rustic and southwestern charm.  There are tables outside in a courtyard, as well as tables indoors for when the weather warms up.  I loved looking at the paintings on the wall – they fit in well with the southwestern theme, as do the vases.  As for service, our servers were very attentive, but not overbearing.  We didn’t feel rushed at all.

The Food

The menu has a variety of options, depending on one’s preference.  The chefs don’t hold back when it comes to portion size (our entrees were huge!), and the food is freshly cooked.  I’m a meat and potatoes kind of gal, so I ordered the Twice Cooked Prime Ribeye.  I’m still salivating over it.  While my husband also enjoys meat, he orders salmon whenever it’s available.  He said the salmon was delicious and seasoned appropriately.  He also ordered the Don Cadillac Margarita and declared it one of the best margaritas he’s ever tasted.

The Dessert

The dessert is a perfect way to end the evening.  There isn’t a fixed dessert menu but you can expect to find desserts like gelato, cake, and creme brûlée.  Be sure to ask your server for current offerings.  I ordered vanilla gelato, and my husband ordered creme brûlée, and both tasted delicious!

Giveaway

Lodge on the Desert has graciously offered a $100 gift certificate towards dinner for 2 for one of my readers!  Please enter the rafflecopter below.  The contest ends on June 9, 2017 at 12 am (Mountain Time), and I will notify the winner via email.  The winner will need to respond to my email within 48 hours, otherwise another winner will be selected.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway