What it is
Diego Pops takes over a historic Southwestern pottery shop in Old Town and turns it into a playful, retro-colorful taco-and-tequila spot with an open kitchen and a big outdoor patio. The food is made fresh from scratch — classic and reinvented tacos, margaritas built on 1800 Blanco tequila, and the dish everyone actually orders: Brussels sprout nachos, which sounds like a joke on the menu until it shows up and disappears in five minutes.
It's a laid-back, no-pretense dining experience by design — not a scene like Toca Madera, more of a "grab a patio table, order a round of margs and a pile of tacos" kind of place. Happy hour runs all seven days (3-6pm): half off appetizers, $2 off beers, $6 house margaritas, $6 wine and sangria.
Why it works for the group
This is the low-key, high-fun meal that doesn't require anyone to dress up or plan around a reservation window. It's the site's official line that this is "the perfect spot for your birthday dinner or bachelorette party," and the vibe backs that up — playful decor, a patio built for groups, and a menu everyone can order off of without debate.
It slots in well as a pre-party dinner: fuel up on tacos and margaritas before heading into Old Town's bars, or use the happy hour window to keep the tab low if the budget's tight after a bigger splurge dinner earlier in the trip.
Planning tips
When to book: Diego Pops takes walk-ins well, but for a full bachelorette group, call ahead (480-970-1007) to reserve patio seating, especially Friday/Saturday evenings when Old Town traffic picks up. Weekday happy hour (3-6pm) is the easiest time to get a big table with no wait.
What to budget: $$ — tacos and shareable plates keep individual checks reasonable, and the $6 happy-hour margaritas make it easy to keep the group's bar tab down if you time it right.
Time to set aside: About 90 minutes covers a relaxed group dinner — long enough for a few rounds and the nachos, short enough that it works as a warm-up before a night out rather than the whole evening.
Good to know
- Where: 4338 N Scottsdale Rd, Old Town Scottsdale.
- Duration: ~90 minutes for dinner.
- Price: $$ (happy hour 3-6pm daily brings it down further).
- Hours: Sun 10am-10pm, Mon-Wed 11am-10pm, Thu 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 10am-midnight.
- Booking: Call ahead for groups; walk-ins welcome outside peak weekend hours.
- Good to know: Extended outdoor patio — request it for the full retro-Scottsdale atmosphere.
