Nilanj D.
Yelp
I like that this place has a laid-back and decidedly non-fancy atmosphere, while being surrounded by the often hoity-toity feel of most places in Scottsdale. As another reviewer said, you need to go out the back and through the garden patio for a restroom! But don't let that hold you back from coming here for an authentic Mexican meal. The fact that a place like this has been around for so long, without opting for some kind of fancy upgrades, suggests some really great continuity, community-building, and giving a feel for the name of the place - Old Mexico. As an added touch, the garden patio is really nicely decorated with a Dia de Los Muertos feel all around.
Food was solid - I got a fajitas platter and it was delicious. The chips and salsa were memorable. Nice crispiness, just enough salt, and they didn't leave my hands ultra greasy. Service was a bit slow, but the place was quite busy on a Saturday, which is very understandable.
One issue here is that if you come here with food allergies, you're on your own. The menu suggests you talk to your server about any allergies, but the typical response is that they 'can't be sure' or 'can't be responsible.' And I felt that as a direct result of those statements, your server won't care to remember your issue or do anything about it. As one example, I have a gluten problem so I asked for corn tortillas with my food - they came out with flour tortillas. I had to ask for corn ones. It took almost 7 minutes after asking to get new tortillas. That should take a few seconds, not 7 minutes. Maybe the server was busy and overwhelmed, but it's not like I was asking for a whole new plate of food. It's just grabbing another thing of tortillas, which they keep pre-wrapped in the back.
My final complaint is that they skimp on their tortillas. I already had to "send back" the flour tortillas, and then the server came out with 2 tortillas. For an $18 fajita plate. I asked for more tortillas and I got one.
Bottom line, come here for the feel. Come here when you've got time and patience, especially if it's the weekend. I think that "feel" also translates into service that's honest but not at your beck and call. And do not come here if you're worried about your allergies.