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The Bottom Line
Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog in Phoenix is a smaller version of the original Cave Creek restaurant. No longer a tourist attraction, it's more of a neighborhood gathering place where you can get some great barbecue. A group of four of us went to lunch at Crazy Ed's. We shared an appetizer, had four entrees, and shared two desserts. It was a lot of food! Excluding beverages, tax and tip, the total came to about $17 per person.
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Pros
- Barbecue smoked on the premises
- Tasty tender meats, appealing sides
- Casual atmosphere
- A great place to not be on a diet!
Cons
- Website (as of July 2011) wouldn't make anyone want to visit this restaurant, but the menu is there.
- Vegetarian? There's not much for you here, but it is a BBQ place, after all.
- Not their fault, but location and phone numbers confusing for people that search the web.
- Location on Bell Road isn't exactly an upscale neighborhood.
Description
- Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog is located at 2527 E. Bell Road in Phoenix. Don't look for it in Cave Creek.
- You might hear Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog referred to as The Little Frog, now that it is smaller than when it was in Cave Creek.
- Want some beer with some oomph? Try Crazy Ed's Chili Beer.
- According to the menu, the only dress code is money in your pocket.
- Bring the kids, the parents, and anyone who likes a neighborhood joint with good food.
- Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog is open seven days per week for lunch and dinner.
Guide Review - Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog
There is quite a story behind behind Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog. Ed Chilleen and his wife were the owners of the original Satisfied Frog Restaurant in Cave Creek. It was a destination for tourists and locals alike. After a widely publicized dispute the Chilleens left the business in Cave Creek. The Satisfied Frog operated for a while (without Crazy Ed) but later closed. The Bell Road location is owned by the original Satisfied Frog-gers, the Chilleens. Ed was also the creator of Ed's Chili Beer and retains the rights to that product today. The original Cave Creek restaurant was kitschy, fun and the food was great. The Satisfied Frog that remained after the Chilleens left was kitschy without the good food. The smaller reincarnated version of the original Satisfied Frog is more like a neighborhood bar with really good food.
Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog still has an attitude. It starts at the front door, which is not in the front and might make you wonder if you shouldn't turn around and find another place to eat. The funny wall hangings and the cartoon-ish menus are here, but I miss the mason jars. The interior design is typical sports bar meets barbecue.
The food was outstanding. For a starter, we chose the Fried Green Chiles with a not-so-spicy ancho dipping sauce. Very nice. The Fried Chicken ($10), half a chicken in pieces, is one of their specialties, and it didn't disappoint our group. The burgers ($10) were very well received, and the BBQ platter was one of the best combo plates I've had locally, with beef ribs, pork ribs, pulled pork and sliced brisket. Of course, they smoke all their own meats. As a matter of fact, you'll pass the smoker on the way into the back door of of Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog, in the parking lot.
We had to try dessert so we packed up some of our food to go and ordered two desserts for the four of us -- one Death By Chocolate and One Strawberry Shortcake ($7 each). They aren't fancy -- simply cake with a lot of ice cream and with chocolate or strawberry sauce, but they were good! We couldn't finish those either....
If you're in the mood for some good BBQ in north Phoenix, I would definitely recommend it. It might not be a tourist attraction any more -- they wouldn't be able to fit too many tourists at this location! -- bit I'm glad that Crazy Ed opened this place.
All dates, times, prices and offerings are subject to change without notice.
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