Creekside American Bistro in Sedona

Creekside American Bistro is Chef Mercer Mohr’s casual, view‑driven spot above Oak Creek near Uptown Sedona, known for high‑country comfort food, big portions, and one of the better patios for red‑rock views.

Atmosphere and setting

• Located in Creekside Plaza at 251 AZ‑179, it overlooks Oak Creek with a big back patio facing the red rocks; many guests call it a great brunch or sunset lunch spot.
• The vibe is relaxed and friendly—more bistro than fine dining—with a full bar and dog‑friendly outdoor seating.

Food style and popular dishes

• The kitchen does chef‑driven American comfort food with Southwestern and global twists, using local ingredients: think chilaquiles, shrimp & grits, lamb lollipops, burgers, steaks, and creative salads and bowls.
• Breakfast/brunch favorites mentioned often include chilaquiles, shrimp & grits “San Francisco style,” traditional French toast or Belgian waffles with Nutella, the Sonoran breakfast burrito, and the Creekside All‑American Breakfast.
• Lunch/dinner standouts in reviews and on the menu include Normandy brie soup, jalapeño cornbread, lamb chop lollipops, hanger steak with chimichurri, shrimp & grits, ramen bowls, burgers, and salads.

Example pricing (current menu)

• Breakfast mains like French toast, waffles, omelets, burritos, and the All‑American run around $16–$17, while shrimp & grits is about $26.50.​
• Salads (Caesar, Mom’s garden salad, berry‑goat‑cheese salads) range roughly $11–$16.50 before adding protein.​
• Lunch/dinner entrées such as hanger steak, burgers, and other mains cluster from the high‑teens into the mid‑$30s (for example, hanger steak at about $34.95).

What guests say

• Reviews consistently praise the flavors and portion sizes and especially highlight the Normandy brie soup, WOW! chicken with grapes and almonds, lamb lollipops, shrimp & grits, jalapeño cornbread, and brunch chilaquiles.
• Service feedback is generally positive but can be mixed at busy times; many still call Creekside a “must‑visit” for brunch or a relaxed dinner with a view.

Creekside American Bistro’s prices are mid‑range for Sedona: most breakfast items are $16–$22, lunch salads and sandwiches $16–$22, and dinner entrées mostly mid‑$20s to mid‑$30s.

Breakfast prices (recent menu)

From their breakfast/brunch menus:

• Yogurt & granola parfait: $14.00
• Traditional French toast or crispy Belgian waffle with Nutella and bacon: $16.00
• Eggs on Toast, Breakfast Tacos, Broken Yolk Sandwich, Cheddar Cheese Omelet: $16.00each
• Sonoran Breakfast Burrito: $17.00
• Chilaquiles (cheela keeleez): $18.00–$19.00depending on version
• Huevos Rancheros: $19.00
• Creekside All‑American Breakfast (French toast, eggs, bacon or kielbasa, potatoes): about $17–$22depending on menu year.
• Shrimp & Grits “San Francisco style”: $26.50.​

Lunch and “brunchy lunch” prices

Sample prices from SinglePlatform and winter lunch menu:

• Onion rings: $11.95; truffle potato chips: $8.50; warm honey jalapeño cornbread: $11.95.
• Salads:
  • Classic Caesar (full): $15.50
  • Mom’s Garden Salad: $11.95
  • Roasted Beet Salad: $16.00
  • Wedge‑style salads and burrata salad: around $17.95–$21.95.​
• Add‑on proteins for salads (salmon, shrimp, petite filet, chicken): $12–$16depending on item.​
• Sandwiches (BLT, hot pastrami, Red Bird grilled chicken sandwich, Ahi tuna burger, etc.): mostly $15.50–$21.95.​

Dinner and larger plates

From current dinner‑style listings:

• Lamb chop lollipops (5): $28.95.
• Maryland blue crab cake: about $28.00.
• Seasoned seared & roasted hanger steak: $34.95.
• High Country Shrimp & Grits: $26.50.
• Pan‑fried pork tenderloin medallions, fish dishes with lemon‑caper butter, and similar mains usually land around mid‑$20s to mid‑$30s.

What to budget

Recent visitor reports line up with the menus:

• Breakfast: typically $12–$19 per entrée, ending up around $20–$25 per personwith coffee and tax.
• Lunch/dinner: entrée plus a drink usually totals $30–$45 per person, more if you add starters, shrimp & grits, or steak.

The dishes most often praised at Creekside American Bistro are the chilaquiles or French toast for breakfast, lamb chop “lolli‑pops,” Normandy brie soup, High Country Shrimp & Grits, Maryland blue crab cake, and Ahi Tuna Nachos.

Breakfast and brunch standouts

• Chilaquiles (with green chile sauce) and Huevos Rancheros are repeatedly called some of the best breakfasts in Sedona.
• Creekside All‑American Breakfast and the French toast combination plate (French toast, eggs, bacon or kielbasa) are popular hearty options.
• Shrimp & Grits “San Francisco style” with creamed leeks, crispy pork belly, and cheesy grits is a signature dish that many guests rave about even at brunch.

Starters and small plates to try

• Normandy Brie Soup with black truffle is singled out as exceptional and is listed as a “winter signature” item.
• Lamb Chop Lolli‑Pops (Korean‑style barbecue with spicy mint sauce, grilled watermelon, peanuts, and Asian slaw) are one of the most‑recommended dishes on both menus and in reviews.
• Ahi Tuna Nachos on crispy wontons with tuna tartare, mango, ginger, avocado, and ponzu are highlighted in features as a showpiece starter.
• Warm jalapeño cornbread often gets shout‑outs as a must‑order side, especially with shrimp & grits.

Best mains at lunch and dinner

• High Country Shrimp & Grits with crispy pork belly and cheesy white grits is consistently described as “to die for” and a house specialty.
• Maryland Blue Crab Cake (often served with soup and salad) appears frequently among “popular dishes” and is compared favorably to other top Sedona spots.
• Braised Short Rib with green‑chile grits and sherry mushrooms draws strong praise for tenderness and flavor.
• Lamb Adobo (Colorado lamb shank braised in red‑curry adobo) and the hanger steak or Steak Caprese are recommended if you want a richer meat entrée.
• Ramen noodle bowl with shrimp and pork belly, plus burgers like the Creekside Mushroom or Double Bacon Cheeseburger, are well‑liked for something more casual.

Chef Mercer Mohr is an award‑winning American chef, restaurateur, and founder of Mercer’s Kitchen Restaurant Group, which owns several well‑known Sedona restaurants including Mesa Grill Sedona, Creekside American Bistro, Rascal, and René at Tlaquepaque.

Training and early career

• He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, training in classic French cooking.
• Early in his career he opened restaurants around the U.S. for Hyatt, then became executive chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco (the Clift), where he was named “San Francisco Chef of the Year” and helped shape New American cuisine.

Later roles and move to Sedona

• Mohr later served as corporate executive chef for Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Company, opening a farm‑to‑table caviar café and overseeing sturgeon farming and caviar production.
• He eventually bought Creekside American Bistro in Sedona, then built a local group now known as Mercer’s Kitchen, which runs multiple red‑rock‑view restaurants and a catering/wedding business.

Style and awards

• His cooking style blends French technique with Southwestern and “high‑country comfort food,” emphasizing local ingredients, bold flavors, and generous portions.
• Honors include the Antonin Carême Medal, recognition from the James Beard Foundation, and multiple “Chef of the Year” awards, underscoring his status as a leading chef in Arizona and beyond.