Tucked into an alley just off the main drag in Old Town Scottsdale, Beginner’s Luck reworks comfort food without turning it into a science project. Here you get a meal you can’t stop thinking about. The type you try to recreate at home a week later, only to realize you’re missing something.
Potato chips replace breadcrumbs on the mac, adding crunch and salt that sharpen the whole dish. The name starts to make sense the longer you sit with it. There’s nothing accidental about the cooking here, but there is a sense of curiosity and freedom, the freedom to question why mac and cheese needs breadcrumbs, or why Dole Whip should spice up chicken wings.
Behind it all is Chef Bernie Kantak, a longtime fixture in Scottsdale’s dining scene and the force behind Citizen Public House and The Gladly. His career includes Michelin recognition and multiple James Beard nominations.
The Vibe
Intimate and casual, with a compact bar at the heart of the room, Beginner’s Luck is designed for lingering. By day, sunlight spills into the narrow alley patio, warming the wooden tables and black woven chairs. At night, the vibe gets cozy. The lights dim. Candles flicker against bold, graphic artwork. The bar hums softly, and the space feels cocooned…