Brenna L
Google
I’ve been to Cafe El Tapatio several times before and have always had a good experience. I’ve even recommended it to friends in the past. The food has consistently been good, and this visit was no different. Everything we ordered was flavorful and came out quickly. Our waitress was also very kind and attentive throughout the night.
We had a reservation on a busy Saturday and were seated about 30 minutes late. We weren’t upset about it because we understood it was a busy night. Once we were seated, we ordered a pitcher of margaritas, an appetizer, entrées, dessert, and then another pitcher of margaritas after our waitress asked if we wanted another round. She told us multiple times to take our time and never made us feel rushed. We also weren’t sitting around stalling. Food and drinks were coming out consistently, and the pacing felt normal.
The manager stopped by our table three times over the course of our hour and 45 minute dinner to check on us. At the time we thought it was attentive, maybe just a little unusual given how often he came by.
The situation changed right at the end. Within two minutes of us paying, a couple of my friends got up to use the restroom before we left. The manager immediately walked over to me and said, “You guys have been sitting here for quite some time and we really need your table.” I explained that my friends were in the bathroom and we would be leaving as soon as they returned. About 90 seconds later, he came back, grabbed my friend’s half full margarita off the table, and told us we needed to get up and leave.
It was uncomfortable and completely unnecessary. I understand busy restaurants and table turnover, especially on a Saturday night, but we had not overstayed, especially considering we were seated late for our reservation. When I calmly expressed that frustration and mentioned I’ve worked in the service industry before, he just looked at me and didn’t say a word.
It’s disappointing because the food and our waitress were great. Unfortunately, the way the situation was handled at the end overshadowed the entire experience. I’ve recommended Cafe El Tapatio before, but after this visit, I won’t be doing that again.