Harvey Weinstein spotted at Scottsdale restaurant before rehab

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Celebrities in Arizona for rehab is nothing new nowadays, but what is rare is spotting the celebrity out and about.

Harvey Weinstein is in the Scottsdale area, beginning rehab for sex addiction, but he had dinner with six friends, avoiding the typical hot spots in Old Town --instead opting for a low-key restaurant in a south Scottsdale strip mall -- Uncle Sal's, which is no stranger to notoriety.

Uncle Sal's has been a neighborhood favorite for nearly three decades. The wife of notorious mob hitman, Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano, opened it up in 1988. Gravano was released from an Arizona prison on parole in September after spending 17.5 years behind bars. He pleaded guilty to running a high-dollar ecstasy ring.

>>TMZ PHOTOS: Harvey Weinstein, Dinner Before Rehab in Arizona

"It is great Italian food. We've been dining there for years and years. Sal was a great owner. I'm sure that's why he chose it," said Cooper Merrill.

Now, another notorious name is shining the spotlight on the restaurant: Harvey Weinstein. The scandal-plagued film producer dined there on Thursday, then reportedly checked himself into a nearby sex addiction rehab facility on Friday. The name of that facility hasn't been released. Weinstein arrived in Scottsdale on Wednesday night and had been staying at the Phoenician resort.

"I was surprised to see him out at all," said Merrill. "I did think he would stay at a hotel and not be out in public."

According to TMZ, at first glance, you couldn't tell Weinstein was in the eye of a storm of sexual harrassment claims worldwide. One witness said, "He was acting normal, fine, like he didn't have a care."

Employees at Uncle Sal's declined to comment on their celebrity guest.

"Uncle Sal's is a staple here in Scottsdale. Everybody comes here. I'm sure he heard how great it was," said Merrill.

Weinstein is the latest celebrity to choose to attend rehab in Arizona. Tiger Woods, Selena Gomez, Whitney Houston and Kate Moss are among other famous names who have completed rehab stints here.