El Paso Mexican - Hickory

The service was TERRIBLE!! I rarely leave harsh reviews but I felt it necessary in this case. During our dinner, I had to get up after waiting patiently to ask for chips and salsa, then our food was brought to us and our waitress left so hastily that Icould not even ask her for silverware because we were never given any. On top of this, we asked for napkins and never receivedany. THEN, to top it off, I asked 3!!! separate waiters/waitresses for a tea refill and ALL THREE acknowledged and ignored. Wenever got tea. Although the service was awful, I will say that the food was good but not good enough to compensate for theservice.

We had an extremely disappointing experience at this restaurant for a family of four, especially considering the amount we spent. I had to ask the waitress multiple times for refills on our drinks and chips, and my husband ended up having to get extra napkins himself since she never checked on us. To make matters worse, my shrimp tacos were completely forgotten. The waitress only realized I was without food when she noticed that everyone else at our table had received theirs. When my meal finally arrived—well after the others had nearly finished—the shrimp was cold and tough. To top it off, the waitress just tossed our bill on the table and hovered over us as we paid, handing us the card reader without any courtesy. It seems like the owners prioritize profit over customer service and food quality.

We ordered food for our office, and unfortunately, it was disappointing. The food arrived cold, we received items we didn't order, and everything was carelessly assembled. When I called to express my concerns, the woman I spoke with was polite but informed me that there was nothing she could do about it. We spent nearly $50 on four orders, and for that amount, we expected better quality. Plus, the food came in aluminum containers, making it impossible to reheat. I won’t be returning here. I should have known better; this was my first visit in about six months. Last time, we dined on the patio and found dirty dishes left on tables and food scattered everywhere. The next morning, on my way to work, I couldn’t believe it—those same dishes were still there, along with our table! It seems they hadn’t even bothered to clean up. I'm pretty sure that’s a health violation, if not, it certainly should be! I advise caution if you decide to eat here.

The Mexican food here is decent; it's not bad, but I wouldn't particularly crave it when I know I can find better options at nearby restaurants. During my last visit, there was a change in servers halfway through my meal. When it was time to pay, the new server brought a handheld card reader to our table, swiped our cards in front of us, and then awkwardly asked how much we wanted to tip in front of everyone. It felt quite inappropriate.

I ordered Cuban sandwiches, and it seemed like I asked for tacos instead. They gave me bread, there was no milanesa, and it had carnitas, which fell apart every time I took a bite.