Behind the Doors of The Ra Ra Room: Phoenix’s Secret Dining Gem

And when that door opens, the arena disappears.

Stepping inside feels like entering a different era. A glittering chandelier hangs above the marble bar, framed by tall ribbed columns that draw the eye upward as the room glows in warm, golden light. Leopard-print banquettes with soft fringe curve around the dining floor, while sweeping draped curtains in rich gold wrap the walls, giving the space a decadent, almost cinematic feel. Large framed photographs, including one of Frank Sinatra, hang against the folds of fabric, adding a sense of nostalgia to the room’s Art Deco glow. 

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This is not only a restaurant from Major Food Group (MFG), the global hospitality company behind Carbone, The Grill and Sadelle’s (to name a few); it is the first members-only private dining club inside a sports and entertainment venue, created in collaboration with Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Mat Ishbia and Player 15 Group. Opened in November 2024, The Ra Ra Room recently celebrated its first year and has already become one of the most intriguing places to dine in Arizona.

“I mean, the idea was to make sure that we were creating something absolutely unique and one-off in Phoenix,” he explains. With so many MFG locations around the world, it would have been easy to mirror an existing concept. Instead, the team insisted that The Ra Ra Room stand alone, with its own personality and its own style of service.

The result is part American steakhouse, part Italian restaurant, with a few Japanese-inspired touches in the seafood program. These influences are drawn from multiple MFG properties and merged into a single menu that feels familiar to fans of the group, yet still distinct to Phoenix. And while the food anchors the experience, the atmosphere is what transforms it.

“You walk through this kind of cinder block downstairs level zero area of a sports arena, and it looks very industrial,” LaPriore states. “And then you open the door, and you venture into this kind of, you know, Gatsby era.”

Inside, the décor leans into that Gatsby energy. Draped gold curtains, sculpted columns and plush seating give the room the feeling of an elegant private supper club. The bar itself could be a movie set, with backlit bottles stacked high and a fanlike ceiling treatment that radiates out over the space. It is no surprise that The Ra Ra Room was recognized with a Restaurant and Bar Design Award in the Luxury category this year.

Those dishes anchor a menu that also pulls from other Major Food Group favorites, including The Grill, Sadelle’s, Dirty French and ZZ’s Club. Raw bar selections like chilled lobster and king crab feel right at home next to sizzling shrimp scampi and a steakhouse burger.

There is also a quiet flexibility for guests with dietary preferences. The kitchen can prepare a cauliflower steak for vegan diners or a gluten-free version of the spicy rigatoni. At the same time, LoPriore is protective of the classics.

People often ask to add shrimp to that rigatoni. His response has become a running joke. “I have this long, long-running joke, which just says, ‘Hey, I can bring it for you, but I’m just going to bring it on the side.’ And [then] I’d say, ‘Well, you wouldn’t paint eyebrows on the Mona Lisa, would you?’” 

The Heart of The Ra Ra Room
Even in a setting built on exclusivity, glamour and celebrated cuisine, the staff is what gives The Ra Ra Room its heartbeat. Service here is not transactional; it’s relational. Members are greeted like regulars, even on their first visit. Captains remember names, favorite cocktails and life updates, creating a rhythm of familiarity that feels almost old-world. Conversations stretch beyond menus into families, birthdays and stories, the kind that turn service into connection.

“I think the staff. As a matter of fact, I know it’s the staff,” he expresses, after being asked what members appreciate the most beyond the menu. In a club built on design and culinary excellence, it’s the people delivering the experience who make it feel personal, grounded and worth coming back to.

The candy room captures something central to The Ra Ra Room. Beneath the chandeliers and attentive service, there is a thread of whimsy that keeps the night from ever feeling too serious. It is a reminder, elegant as the room may be, that you are here to enjoy yourself.

For Members Only
A membership to The Ra Ra Room costs $15,000 annually, and each membership covers two individuals. Beyond access to the club every Thursday to Sunday, members can also dine in during every Suns home game, select Mercury games and select concerts. Members can also reserve private dining rooms and get presale access to NBA, WNBA and concert tickets. Another unique perk is the ability to make reservations for guests without being present!

“You, as the member, don’t have to be present in order to send a guest. And that’s very unique when it comes to memberships,” LoPriore says. If a member calls to send a friend in for dinner while they are out of town, that guest is treated as if they belong to the club.

Those curious about a membership can find details and inquire on The Ra Ra Room’s website.