El Chorro

El Chorro is an Arizona destination for dining. They recently remodeled and added on to these historic old buildings. Mother's Day brunch and organic food/wine dinners from their own garden are famous there.

History

El Chorro was originally built as the
Judson School for Girls, developed
by John C. Lincoln in 1934 so his
daughter Lillian could attend school.
The school was purchased by Jan and
Mark Gruber in 1937 and converted to
a restaurant and lodge. Clark Gable,
Milton Berle and other prominent figures
visited the lodge in its early days. In the 1950s, the lodge became a favorite of Arizona families and local celebrities, including David Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Joe Miller started at the rustic, homey El Chorro
in 1952 as a bartender and his future wife,
Evie, was hired as a cocktailwaitress in 1954.
He and Evie purchased the lodge in 1973 and
over the years, expanded the restaurant’s
capacity from 70 to 200 seats. They also kept
the restaurant open year-round instead of
closing in the warmer months, which had
been the tradition until 1990.

MORE RECENT HISTORY
A noted Valley philanthropist and long-time
Paradise

Valley resident, Jacquie Dorrance,
acquired El Chorro in 2009 and was joined by
operating partners Kristy Moore and Tim Moore.
The restaurant and property were revitalized to
enhance the existing buildings and expand the
indoor-outdoor dining spaces and private dining
areas. The entire property has also been
updated with the latest technologies, including
new entertainment sound systems and Wi-Fi.

These are some pictures from last night: