Margaritaville Café set to open Nov. 20 at Westgate, Glendale AZ
During a recent visit to check on progress of his new restaurant in Glendale AZ, singer and original Parrot Head Jimmy Buffett told his staff that he was eager to see the finished product.
"He kept on repeating, 'I can't wait to come back when it's open,' " said the restaurant's general manager, Michael Taylor, who was with Buffett during the tour.
Arizona's first Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Café opens Nov. 20 at Westgate City Center. And Buffett is expected to be back in Glendale soon after to mingle with fans and test out menu items like Jimmy's Jammin' Jambalaya and the Calypso Mahi-Mahi.
His visit hasn't been scheduled yet.
Named for Buffett's eponymous song, Margaritaville has five other U.S. locations in popular tourist hangouts such as the Las Vegas Strip and Orlando's Universal CityWalk. Its opening in Glendale raises the profile of the Westgate entertainment district, which also is home to Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, the Yard House and Fox Sports Grill.
The 20,000-square-foot Margaritaville, near Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue, is spread out over two floors, with patio seating and a balcony overlooking Westgate's Jobing.com Arena and water fountain.
It seats nearly 500.
The restaurant is designed in a tropical-island motif: palm trees, booths inside fishing boats and a lighthouse atop the stage.
The upstairs dining room features a tiki-hut thatch roof, hanging chandeliers with a faux flame, and a floor embedded with beach towels, sand and seashells.
But the restaurant also has touch of the Old West. For example, its Western-theme bar will be decorated with rope lettering that reads "Cowboy in the Jungle."
"Every Margaritaville has a unique feel, but we want to try to adapt to the market and environment we're in and bring the local flair into our concepts," Taylor said.
Patrons can groove to live entertainment Tuesday through Saturday nights, with local bands like the Walk-Ins, Furious George and Who's Your Daddy supplying the tunes.
"We often like to say (Margaritaville) is more than a song or a restaurant brand. It's a lifestyle," Taylor said. "We're focused on the concept of escapism. We want people to put their troubles behind them and have a great time."
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