Frank Sinatra supplies the welcome. Red velvet drapes set the scene. At Drake’s Hollywood in Scottsdale, dinner comes with main character energy and enough Old Hollywood glamour to warrant something better than your errand-running outfit.
White floral arrangements, dark wood paneling and marble and tile floors establish the mood. Lighting fixtures evoke the 1920s, while black-and-white photographs of movie, music and pop culture icons add a 1970s touch. Even the bar’s two discreetly placed TVs show programming in black and white. Commitment to the bit? Impeccable.
Leather-clad tables with nailhead trim complete the dressed-for-dinner aesthetic. Low lighting delivers a sultry kiss of romance and nostalgia, while painted scenes featuring Hollywood and music icons accent the perimeter booths.
“I think it’s a cool addition to Old Town,” says server Jeff Wang, whose impressive resume includes stints at Hotel Valley Ho and The Global Ambassador. His polished service and attention to detail fit the room as neatly as its tailored glamour.
The soundtrack follows suit: classic Hollywood tunes during the week, a more upbeat weekend mix and live piano on Sundays. Permission to linger, granted. But the atmosphere only gets a restaurant so far. Eventually, somebody has to nail the steak.
Steak your Claim
“We’re known here for our USDA Prime steaks,” Wang says. The lineup includes dry-aged and other cuts, with sides ordered separately. Japanese A5 wagyu offers an especially buttery, tender splurge.
Appetizers fall into two camps: Chilled Nosh and Warm Noms. Yes, we giggled at the fun appetizer titles. The former includes jumbo shrimp cocktail and beef carpaccio; the latter features Vin Scully Fries, Meatballs Troubadour and Lobster Escargot tucked into flaky puff pastry.
Cocktails bring their own choreography. Lemon Fizz and Honey Badger join tequila selections, tableside martini pours and an Old-Fashioned made with house-made vanilla syrup and Maker’s 46. When a cocktail glass loses its frost, servers swap it for a freshly chilled one. Apparently, even your drink gets a wardrobe change.
The menu accommodates several moods: an elevated cheeseburger, a steak deserving its close-up or pasta with leading-role ambitions. Honey Truffle Chicken and Salmon Diane, seared in sweet brown butter, broaden the cast.
Pasta La Vista, Baby
House-made pasta options include Crab Ravioli, Whole Lobster Pasta, Veal Cappelletti, Pesto Rigatoni and Truffle Bolognese. My favorite, Pasta Zaza, delivers spicy rigatoni with class and sass.
Dessert requires strategic planning. New York cheesecake, Dutch chocolate silk pie and The Royal Ice Cream Sundae compete with a 24-layer strawberry cake so ridiculously huge it practically needs its own reservation. Dessert cocktails offer another route to the closing credits.
Two private dining rooms provide quieter settings for intimate gatherings — or plotting your next industry power move.
With Sinatra on the soundtrack and velvet at the door, Drake’s makes dressing up for dinner feel like an occasion. Order accordingly.
Insider Takeaways
- Make an entrance: Red velvet, white florals and leather-upholstered doors set the mood.
- Start with bread: Noble Bread arrives with house-made French whipped butter and strawberry preserves.
- Pick your splurge: USDA Prime steaks, Japanese A5 wagyu and house-made pastas lead the lineup.
- Drink in the drama: Try a signature cocktail or tableside martini pour.
- Choose your soundtrack: Classic weekday tunes, upbeat weekends and live piano on Sundays.
For more information visit Drake’s Hollywood.
