K T.
Yelp
We were quite disappointed with our first visit to this restaurant. After hearing rave reviews from friends, we were eager to try it out, especially since my boyfriend had made reservations to surprise me for my birthday. Upon arrival, we were seated promptly, but it took an unusually long time for anyone to greet us. Eventually, a friendly busboy noticed our confusion and brought us water.
After another ten minutes, our waiter finally approached to take our drink order. He didn't introduce himself, so we didn't catch his name, and since it was our first visit, we were hoping for some guidance on the menu. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. When our drinks finally arrived, he immediately asked if we were ready to order. My boyfriend had to look up the menu items since we aren't fluent in Spanish. I asked the waiter for recommendations, but he simply said, "the steak is good." Which steak? There were several options, and when I inquired further, he just replied, "They both are good"--without any descriptions or details.
The final straw came when he took my boyfriend's order for the aged ribeye without asking how he wanted it cooked. We were taken aback! Thankfully, we managed to flag down the busboy to inform our waiter about the cooking preference.
I understand it was a busy Saturday night, but it seems basic to ask how someone wants their steak cooked.
On a positive note, when our food arrived, it was hot, delicious, and served in generous portions--an interesting blend of Asian-inspired Mexican cuisine. The waiter checked in on us a little later, and when we said everything was fine, his response was a casual, "That's good." My boyfriend ordered another drink, but it took a long time to arrive.
Having worked in fine dining during college, I was surprised by the service quality. I didn't want to make a fuss since it was my birthday and my boyfriend had gone out of his way to make it special. The restaurant had a lovely atmosphere and the food was excellent, but the service left a lot to be desired. It really can make or break a dining experience, and unfortunately, this waiter fell short. The busboy, however, was a bright spot--he clearly knew what was going on and helped improve our experience.
We might consider returning in the future, but definitely not with that waiter. We did catch his name from the bill but won't mention it here. I understand that everyone can have an off day, but this was more than just a little mishap. We did tip the busboy separately, though we didn't catch his name--a tall guy with brown wavy hair who was very polite.