Diego Pops is a fun and modern Mexican restaurant located in Old Town Scottsdale, a walkable distance from the Scottsdale Fashion Square. Every menu item is a new take on a traditional Mexican dish. All dishes are fresh and made from scratch, something every customer can taste in what they order.
My roommates and some friends decided to visit Diego Pops on a Thursday to celebrate a birthday. We had been trying to find a time to go for a couple of months. Diego Pops is a very popular spot in Scottsdale and does not take reservations, which is one of the reasons we had not been able to go yet.
The Vibes
The best way to describe the environment of Diego Pops is how I would describe the food: fun and modern. The decorative theme of Diego Pops was a light wood with cream and a pop of color through wallpaper design and pillows. One wall was covered in pineapple designs. Another wall featured a neon sign which added to the atmosphere of the night.
Within Diego Pops, popular music with a good beat was bumpin’. The noise level within Diego Pops was high because of the amount of people and the music. If you are looking for a quiet intimate evening, this might not be the restaurant for that night. But if you are looking for a perfect spot for a girls night, this is the perfect place to laugh and talk about how amazing your tacos are.
One of the first things I noticed about Diego Pops was the variety of people there. There were older professionals, families, people watching sports at the bar, and girls nights all happening within the same area. Diego Pops is a restaurant that everyone can enjoy as long as you love some good guacamole.
The Food
Let’s start with the chips and guacamole. When I tell you this was the best guacamole I have ever had, I mean it. And I’ve had my fair share of guac before. Maybe it was the orange in the guacamole that gave it that extra flavor or the blistered jalapeño which gave it that extra kick. Either way it was delicious. I would suggest getting the guacamole during Happy Hour because then it is half off
My roommate ordered the Braised Pineapple Pork bowl with rice and beans. She also ordered a side of tortillas with it. The pineapple and pork were perfectly balanced. The savoriness from the pork and the tangy pineapple were the ultimate combination. One bite transports you to a beautiful tropical island, at least my one bite did.
My roommate ordered her bowl with refried beans, which added more of a thickness to the bowl, and white rice. She did note that she wishes she tried it with coconut rice. The bowl was enough food for two meals, so if you are on a budget, we highly suggest getting a bowl from Diego Pops. The Braised Pineapple Pork can also be ordered as tacos, which would be just as delicious.
Other members of our party order the Crispy Cod Fish Tacos. The Crispy Cod tacos come with guacamole, purple cabbage slaw, pickled onion, chipotle aioli, and crispy leek all on a flour tortilla. The tacos were absolutely adored by our friends and were thoroughly enjoyed.
I ordered the Breakfast Burrito, mainly because I had been craving a breakfast burrito for weeks. This burrito did not disappoint. I was most excited for the crispy potato and queso oaxaca. In my opinion, the best breakfasts involve potatoes so the fact that they included crispy potato in their burrito excited me. Now the queso oaxaca excited me because that is one of the only cheeses I enjoy. (Yes, I’m not the biggest cheese fan, but I love oaxaca and mozzarella).
While eating the burrito, my favorite parts were definitely the bacon and the potato. The scrambled eggs in the burrito seemed as though they were cooked flat like an omelet and then folded into the burrito, which I thought was extremely creative. I loved that the guacamole made a reappearance in my burrito. I thought the guacamole and the chipotle aioli added the perfect amount of kick. I would recommend this breakfast burrito to anyone who visits Diego Pops.
Old Town Scottsdale is the perfect place to walk around and find some new food spots. Diego Pops gave me the perfect taste of what to expect as I continue to explore the Scottsdale food scene. Next time you are in the Phoenix area, I highly recommend taking a drive to Scottsdale to try their tremendously fun tacos.