What’s new in midtown Phoenix this week?
Cowboy Seafood opened Friday, October 9, 2026 at Park Central in midtown Phoenix (3112 N. Central Ave.). It pairs pecan-smoked barbecue with a full raw bar under one roof, from the team behind Common Ground Culinary.
By Dr. Kevin Shufford | October 11, 2026
If you’ve been waiting for midtown Phoenix to add another reason to head down Central Avenue, this is it. According to AZ Big Media, Cowboy Seafood officially opened its doors on Friday, October 9, and Hoodline confirmed the same Friday opening in its preview earlier in the week. That makes this one of the freshest openings in the Valley right now, and you’re getting the news within days of the doors swinging open.
The restaurant comes from fourth-generation restaurateur Christopher Collins and Common Ground Culinary, the hospitality group behind several Valley concepts. The idea is simple and a little bold: two kitchens in one space, one for smoke and one for the sea.
Surf on one side, smoke on the other
The smoke side is called Misfit BBQ Smoke Yard. Expect pecan-smoked St. Louis ribs, whole hog, prime brisket, honey-fire chicken wings, and burnt ends mac ‘n’ cheese. There’s also a big sharing platter called The Whole Truth if you’re bringing a group.
The surf side is Saltwater Saint Raw Bar. That’s where you’ll find oysters, an Old Bay shrimp cocktail, spicy tuna and blue crab California rolls, and a rotating seafood platter. Entrees include Alaskan halibut, blackened swordfish, Faroe Island salmon with a BBQ glaze, and Cajun Texas redfish, per AZ Big Media.
On the drink side, the cocktail list includes Smoke on the Water, Sweet Home Arizona, and Thunder Rolls, with wine and local beer on the menu too. A daily happy hour is part of the plan.
What to know before you go
Cowboy Seafood sits at 3112 N. Central Ave. inside Park Central. Hoodline, citing the restaurant’s own site, lists dinner service from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. AZ Big Media says lunch is part of the plan as well, and that weekend brunch is coming later, so check the restaurant’s website for current hours before you drive over.
Prices weren’t published in the opening coverage, so I can’t give you a number yet. With oysters, brisket, and halibut on one menu, plan on a sit-down dinner budget and not a quick bite. If you try it this week, you’ll be among the first in line, and the first weeks are when a new kitchen is still finding its rhythm, so give it a little grace on a busy Friday night.
Want to turn this into a full weekend out? Scottsdale’s free Fall Festival is October 17, and the Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Festival runs October 23 to 25.
New spots like this are one more reason midtown Phoenix keeps pulling people in. If you’re curious what it’s like to live near places like Park Central, that’s my world, and you can work with me here.
Sources: AZ Big Media (opening confirmed October 9, 2026), Hoodline (October 7, 2026), and Phoenix New Times.
Dr. Kevin Shufford holds a PhD in Communication and is a professor who teaches how to have healthy relationships, skills he brings to his real estate practice. As a licensed real estate agent and mortgage loan officer serving the Phoenix metro and Southern California, Kevin operates as The Property Professor under Real Broker and One Real Mortgage. Work with Kevin at thepropertyprofessor.blog or call 480-725-4658.
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