Rainforest Cafe Tempe, Arizona: Go for the Experience, Not the Meal

The Rainforest Café at Arizona Mills in Phoenix / Tempe, Arizona offers more than a typical dining experience. Seating for this unique restaurant is located in a simulated rainforest, complete with leafy tree, vines, a beautiful waterfall and a variety of animatronic animals. Watch large, colorful fish swim around in huge fish tanks which are scattered throughout. About every 15 minutes a sudden thunderstorm rolls through the restaurant. Lightning flashes, thunder crashes and the animitronic animals respond with noise and movement. Monkeys swing in the vines overhead and the elephants twitch their ears and toss their heads.

The fun environment is perfect for families. The restaurant is far from quiet; between thunderstorms music plays rather loudly. This makes it quite difficult to carry on a conversation over dinner. However, it is perfect for children who find it a challenge to sit quietly in a restaurant. Families walk around the restaurant and take photos of the many animals and interesting sites so don't be surprised in someone stops next to your table to take a photo of something. We noticed the hosts were quite good about seating people near the animatronic animals, waterfall or fish tanks first, so you are likely to be seated near something of interest. The environment is a welcome diversion while waiting for food. We reviewed the restaurant at lunchtime when it was less than half full; however, we still waited 25 minutes for our food.