Tequila Dinners are BACK at Scottsdale & Shea!

TEQUILA DINNERS, A TEQUILA EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER
One of our goals this year is to make tequila more approachable for our guests. We want you all to experience the excellence of this artisinal spirit! Not all tequila will take you back to that memory of slamming a shot and then the headache the next day. Some tequilas should be consumed as a shot, others mixed in a cocktail and others sipped neat. We want to take you along that journey and show you the difference! Walk you through the hand-crafted process and passion behind producing this spirit and share stories with you from some of the most famous tequila producers around the world.

Check out the information below and join us for an upcoming event! 
TEQUILA DINNERS
Cocktail hour starts at 6:00 pm, dinner to follow 
Tickets are $35 a person and guests enjoy

  • A Mexican Fresca
    • A hand-made tequila cocktail made with freshly squeezed lime juice, lemon juice, homemade squirt and tequila
    • Recipe brought to you from Guadalajara, Mexico
  • Four course Chef-Inspired menu complete with tequila expressions paired with each course 
  • A brand ambassador will co-host this event with us and share tequila education
  • Live entertainment 
    • Brought to you by Nick Hranek of B&B Music 
  • Upcoming Schedule 
    • Our 70th Anniversary Event with El Tesoro Tequila 
    • Dia de los Muertos Event with Don Julio Tequila 
    • Small-Batch & Handcrafted Event with Various Tequila Brands 

This events are truly a unique experience. We hope you will join us for the fun! 
Macayo’s Mexican Grill & Cantina 
11107 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, 85254

 

National Tequila Day!

Sunday, July 24th! Yes, this is a real holiday and you should definitely join us for it! We’re celebrating at all Arizona locations with Create Your Own Margaritas for $8.00!

Step 1: Select Your Premium Tequila: 1800 Reposado, Don Julio Blanco, Partida Blanco or Sauza Blue Reposado

Step 2: Choose Your Ingredients

Rim: Salt, Sugar or None

Muddle: Cilantro, Cucumber, Mint, Serrano, Strawberry, Watermelon 

Flavor: Desert Pear, Mango, Peach, Pineapple, Strawberry 

Float: Cointreau, Ginger Beer, Grand Marnier 

That’s right…it’s up to you! Don’t worry, you make the selections and our team takes care of the hard part – making it! See you all Sunday!

Macayo Cares, Macayo In Our Community

When Woody & Victoria Johnson first started their American dream in 1946 they promised each other that they would always give back to the community. As with their passion to delicious food with quality ingredients, that commitment to supporting our community remains the same today. Help us celebrate 70 years of supporting our community!

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The Phoenix Children’s Hospital Give-A-Thon falls on Wednesday, August 17th and Thursday, August 18th this year. We are proud to team up with this wonderful team in hopes of beating last year’s efforts of $1.47 Million!

$0.70 for 70 Years: Join us at any Arizona location Monday, August 1st through Thursday, August 18th as we will donate $0.70 of every Kid’s Meal sold! Help us help the kids! Our goal is to raise $7,000.

Incentive Gift Cards: Tune into KTAR News and Arizona Sports throughout the 19 Hour Simulcast for information on how to win a $20 Macayo Gift Card with your generous donations! We are providing these as gifts to everyone who pledges to give during designated segments.

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Another great opportunity to give back! September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and you can join the fight. Help us raise $50,000 for the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer on Saturday, September 24th.

Macayo Family Team: As we strive for our goal of $50,000 we’ve put together a team of over 200+ Macayo teammates, all accepting donations at our Macayo Family Donation page. Help us pledge for our efforts at the Walk/Run on September 24th. Join us and join the fight against Childhood Cancer.

Macayo’s Tequila Experiences!

TEQUILA EVENTS AT OUR SCOTTSDALE & MESA LOCATIONS 
One of our goals this year is to make tequila more approachable for our guests. We want you all to experience the excellence of this artisinal spirit! Not all tequila will take you back to that memory of slamming a shot and then the headache the next day. Some tequilas should be consumed as a shot, others mixed in a cocktail and others sipped neat. We want to take you along that journey and show you the difference! Walk you through the hand-crafted process and passion behind producing this spirit and share stories with you from some of the most famous tequila producers around the world. 

In order to do that, we’ve put together a few different events for you all to join us at! 

Tequila Cocktail Dinners 

Our Tequila Cocktail Dinners are not just your ordinary Tequila Dinner, these events are more of experience where guests can enjoy sampling different tequila expressions along with a four to five course Chef Inspired menu. 

  • Tickets vary from $20 to $40 per person, depending on the tequila brand and the menu and guests enjoy 
    • Four to five Chef Inspired menu complete with tequila expressions or cocktails paired with every course
    • Fun, tequila education provided by the tequila brand ambassador
    • Live entertainment  by Nick Hranek of B&B Music 

Tequila Happy Hours 

Our Tequila Happy Hours are a less formal event, where guests can join anytime during the event and mingle with other guests and the tequila ambassador 

  • Tickets vary from $10 to $20 per person, depending on the tequila brand and guests enjoy 
    • A tableside Mexican Fresca made with the silver or blanco tequila expression 
    • Samples of each tequila expression 
      • For example, the silver/blanco, reposado and anejo 
    • Chef Inspired appetizers
    • Fun, tequila education 
    • Live entertainment by Nick Hranek of B&B Music 

Event Schedule 

  • Scottsdale Tequila Experiences
    • Thursday, August 25th
      • Herradura Tequila Happy Hour
      • Between 5:00 and 7:00 pm
    • Saturday, September 24th
      • El Tesoro Tequila Dinner
      • Cocktail hour starts at 5:30 pm
    • Saturday, October 29th
      • Don Julio Tequila Dinner
      • Cocktail hour starts at 5:30 pm
    • Saturday, November 19th
      • Tequila Dinner featuring Small Batch, Handcrafted Brands
      • Cocktail hour starts at 5:30 pm
  • Mesa Tequila Experiences
    • Tuesday, July 26th
      • Azunia Tequila Cocktail Dinner
      • Cocktail hour starts at 5:30 pm
    • Tuesday, August 30th
      • Paradiso Tequila Dinner
      • Cocktail hour starts at 5:30 pm
    • Thursday, September 29th
      • Siete Leguas Tequila Happy Hour
      • Between 5:00 and 7:00 pm
    • Thursday, October 27th
      • Azunia Tequila Happy Hour
      • Between 5:00 and 7:00 pm
    • Thursday, November 17th
      • Siete Leguas Tequila Happy Hour
      • Between 5:00 and 7:00 pm

We hope you’ll join us at one of our upcoming events! Buy tickets online! 

Margarita de Macayo!

We’ve all enjoyed plenty of margaritas through the years. It’s a right of passage here in this great state of Arizona. In the last 70 years, we’ve estimated to have sold more than 20 million margaritas. Now let’s think about that…if our average margarita is 16 ounces and the average swimming pool is 14,500 gallons, that means in our seven decades as a staple of Arizona Mexican Cuisine, we have sold enough margaritas to fill 174.41 swimming pools!

Chips, salsa and a margarita – it’s an easy order (and one we love)! Through the years of original Margarita de Macayo has stood the test of time with the simple recipe of a great tequila and our Macayo Sweet and Sour. These days, more and more margarita recipes are being created and we are happy to be a part of the trend! Today, our Classic and Specialty margaritas look much different than the originals sold by Woody Johnson in the 50’s and 60’s. Different, but Sharisse Johnson, our CEO and Woody’s daughter, maintains that Woody would be over-the-moon with the innovations we have made during the last 15 years with our beverage program. Woody, himself, was a master innovator, and had one of the first frozen Margarita machines in Arizona.

“In the old days, most of our margaritas included our own Macayo’s Sweet & Sour,” said Johnson. “It was developed years ago, sold online and in-stores. We still use it today in our classic margaritas like the Texas Margarita, Arizona Sunset Margarita, Prickly Pear Margarita and Blood Orange Margarita. These are recipes that our guests have loved for years – would never want to change the flavor profile for them and disappoint our guests.”

A lighter, less sweet mix of sweet and sour stars in the new margaritas, however. And guests now are exploring new options, such as the Skinny Strawberry margarita, made simply with Casamigos Blanco tequila, fresh squeezed lime juice, and fresh strawberry puree. “The profile of skinny margarita consumers is actually different from what you would expect,” said Ashley Negron, Director of Marketing & Brand Management. “It isn’t always those who are watching their calories. Skinny consumers are actually those who are looking for a less sugary and sweet margarita – something a little more tart with a more prominent tequila flavor.”

Accordingly, Macayo’s has upped the bar – quite literally – with its tequila offerings. All the stores now serve superior brands like Herradura Silver and Espolon Reposado, while the Scottsdale location – the official test-kitchen/cantina for the brand – also serves ultra-premium labels like Tonala Anejo, Casa Dragones and Patron Anejo 7 Anos.

“One of our biggest goals is to make tequila more approachable,” Negron said. “Tequila is a very artisanal, handcrafted spirit, and when you try better quality tequilas, you can really taste the difference. A great tequila isn’t going to cause a headache the next day, either.”

With our long-popular Margarita of the Month program, we feature a different flavor and tequila, and those specials usually account for about 40 percent of total margarita sales, Johnson said. Those numbers confirm her idea that it was time to introduce bold new drinks.

Join us at any of our Arizona locations and enjoy a margarita today!

Cinco de Macayo!

    • Cinco FB Post JPEGIt’ the most wonderful time of the year! Well besides the November, December Holiday season…Cinco de Mayo is almost here and as we celebrate our 70th year, we could not be more excited!
    • Our 5 Days of Cinco de Macayo will be back in full affect from
    • May 1st to 5th with some awesome beverage specials!
    • We will also be inviting everyone to try a brand new enchilada plate, the Enchiladas Bandido! This delicious dish is the perfect opportunity to sample our homemade red chile, green chile pork stew and Baja spinach! Is your mouth watering yet?
    • Join us at one of our 12 Arizona locations!
    • Sunday, May 1st through Thursday, May 5th!

Throwing It Back to Fried Zucchini

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THROWBACK THURSDAY! This Thursday we’re throwing it back to our delicious Fried Zucchini! Currently featured on our Oldies from Woody special menu.
 
Have you tried these yet?! Pure bliss…
– Fresh zucchini, coin cut
– Battered in our seasoned flour
– Deep fried until golden brown
– Served with homemade Cilantro Ranch dressing
Good enough to stay on the menu? You tell us…

Flauta de Mexico

OLDIES FROM WOODY
1946: It all started with Woody & Victoria, two high school sweethearts who shared a passion and commitment to using fresh, quality ingredients in their signature, family recipes.
2016: Decades later, the commitment remains the same. Woody’s original recipes are still used to prepare our delicious, handcrafted Mexican food daily.
Celebrate Woody’s legacy and enjoy one of his original creations, still loved and requested by guests to this day!
One of the items Woody featured on his menus for year, the Flauta de Mexico. They’re just like taquitos…but for some reason even better! Two shredded chicken flautas topped with shredded lettuce, sour cream and guacamole. Served with rice and refried beans. We’re going crazy over these! You should too!

Macayo’s LIVE Salsa Challenge!

IT’S BACK! Tonight is the night! Round 2 of our annual Macayo’s Salsa Challenge is a LIVE Salsa Contest held at our Macayo’s Depot Cantina location! Congrats and good luck to the following participants who will be competing tonight:

  • Cristi, Hopper’s Hoppin’ Habanero Salsa
  • Darlene, Tropical Tequila Sunrise Salsa
  • Greg, Pineapple Salsa Verde
  • Sommer, Confetti Corn & Avocado Salsa
  • Steve, Macias Homemade Salsa

Not only do these contestants get to participate in the LIVE salsa contest, but they have also won FREE admission for themselves and a guest to our Cuervo Tequila Dinner in support of the Arizona Hemophilia Association.

PRIZES:

  • 1st place: Macayo’s for a year! And get to compete with us at this year’s My Nana’s Best Tasting Salsa Challenge on March 5th and 6th
  • 2nd place: $100 Macayo gift card
  • 3rd place: $50 Macayo gift card

Arizona Cocktail Week!

Who’s ready for Arizona Cocktail Week this month?! This year it runs from Saturday, February 13th to Sunday, February 21st and we are very excited to announce our participation at our Scottsdale & Central locations!

Macayo’s Mexican Grill & Cantina, 11107 N. Scottsdale Road, 85254

  • AZCW’s Paint the Town Red, $10 Cocktail & Small Bite
    • Enjoy our NEW! Mole Manhattan and your choice of a Rolled Taco or Roasted Albondigas
    • February 13th through February 21st
  • 1st Annual Top Shelf Tequila & Margarita Tasting, Official Cocktail Week event! 
    • Sunday, February 21st
      • Festivities will run from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm, guests can come as they wish!
    • Tasting is $40 a person, includes:
      • 9 Top Shelf Tequila Samples
      • 9 Handcrafted Cocktail Samples
      • Passed Chef Inspired Appetizers and Small Bites
      • Live entertainment
      • Fun tequila education
      • Games and giveaways!
    • This Tequila & Margarita Tasting will be an afternoon to remember! An afternoon full of amazing tequila, fun tequila education, delicious Chef Inspired menu items and plenty of fun! Help us close our Arizona Cocktail Week with a bang this year!

Macayo’s on Central, 4001 N. Central Ave, 85012

We hope you’ll join us for some of the fun!