Right off the bat, you'll notice that some serious remodeling has been done that has given some life back to this once dated bar and grill. A few walls have been knocked down and some modern furniture has been acquired along with a multitude of large flat screen displays that are arranged more strategically than the monitors in Buffalo Wild Wings that resemble the control room from The Matrix. No kidding, I sat in a circular lounge car and could spin 360 degrees and still have a screen showing any sporting event I desired (even those obscure New Zealand LARPing tournaments) within 5 feet of my face. The bar has more drafts than anywhere in town with all the IPAs, Pilsners, Stouts, Domestics, Imports, Strong Ales, High Gravs, and Hefeweizens I've ever imagined. T-Mac prides itself on having great wings and they still are pretty fantastic and better than most places in town with a thicker, spicier buffalo sauce that has an clear edge over most competitors. The menu is pretty fleshed out as well for non-wing fans with all your typical bar items and apps you would expect from a place of this caliber but just order the wings and move on with your life.
In the first 15 minutes of enjoying this place, it was hard to find any real flaws. The waiter was kind and attentive. The food service was snappy and my wings were delicious. Hell, they even turned the volume on for the game I was watching that was only airing on an English soccer channel. But after a few harmonious minutes, I began to see something unravel that started to justify all the negative reviews I had read. After ordering a beer to a young gentlemen more interested in a talented young lady through the window at Panera Bread than listening to me or even writing down a single note from all four of my party's orders, the guy disappeared for a good 20 minutes only to reappear, ask for our drink orders a second time, and apologize insincerely. That's beyond pathetic and borderline negligent for a place with so much going for it.
I always try to give people in the service industry the benefit of the doubt, and to be honest, it didn't seem like the guy had much help for a packed Sunday lunch service with seating times probably at 15 minutes a table.
Manning the cathedral of beer that spans a good thirty feet long, a single bartender rushed around, likely doing his best, to fulfill all of the drink orders for the entire restaurant. That's pretty outrageous and indeed asking too much of a single man with two arms and one brain. So the issue with Taco Mac likely stems from severe understaffing and a lack of training for its employees. It's a real shame that such an attractive place with all the beer and amenities you could ask for currently offers such a lousy service. Maybe I just came at a bad time or there were extenuating circumstances, but I really hope this place gets its act together and starts meeting the high standards that it's food, atmosphere, and drinks have already set. Still worth a visit. 3 out of 5 stars. read more