Phoenix’s dining scene has always had a little showmanship in it, but this is a different kind of star power. Around the Valley, current and former pro athletes are putting their names — and in some cases their actual kitchen chops — into restaurants that range from comfort food to polished dinner spots.
Big names, real menus
One of the best-known examples is Big Chicken, the restaurant Shaquille O’Neal opened in 2018. The concept leans into the kind of food that feels instantly familiar: chicken sandwiches and mac and cheese, built around the Hall of Fame star’s personal childhood favorites. In Arizona, the brand shows up in downtown Gilbert and at concessions stands inside ASU’s Mullett Arena and the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. That kind of reach says a lot about how athlete-backed food brands can move beyond novelty and settle into everyday Valley routines.
Chilte takes a different lane. Lawrence “L.T.” Smith played in the NFL before opening the restaurant inside the Egyptian Motor Hotel on Grand Avenue in 2023. The place has earned serious attention, and Smith landed in the semifinals for the James Beard Awards’ Emerging Chef category in 2025. The menu changes with the seasons, but moles and tacos keep showing up as popular choices. That mix of flexibility and consistency is part of what makes a restaurant feel alive instead of branded.
Sports bars, rooftop energy, and old-school Valley ties
Then there’s Majerle’s Sports Grill, which former Phoenix Suns player Dan Majerle opened in downtown Phoenix in 1992. It’s still the kind of place people think of when they want a sports-watching spot with a full menu, from burgers and nachos to wings, sandwiches and salads. In a city that takes both basketball and game-day food seriously, that combination has staying power.
Problem Lounge brings a more layered setup to Old Town Scottsdale. NFL player Deebo Samuel and chef Cleaz Hill are behind the three-story restaurant, hookah lounge and rooftop bar, and the menu goes well beyond bar food. Starters include lobster deviled eggs, surf and turf frites and grilled stuffed oysters, while the mains run from crab and shrimp pappardelle to rack of lamb and a 48-ounce Titan cut signature tomahawk. Dessert goes in a richer direction too, with peach cobbler, Basque cheesecake and butter cake.
What stands out across all of these spots is how different the athlete-to-restaurant path can look. Some names are attached to comfort food, some to upscale dining, and some to places that are as much about the scene as the plate. But together, they show how Phoenix keeps giving sports figures a second act that fits the Valley’s appetite for both competition and a good meal.
— Sloan Rivers
