My mother and I visited Taqueria for the first time, and unfortunately the experience was…read moredisappointing, not because of the food, but because of the lack of professionalism, training, and customer service.
Our server was friendly but clearly inexperienced and unfamiliar with the menu. She did not know the house tequila, could not recommend the restaurant's most popular entrée, and was not old enough to serve alcoholic beverages. To her credit, she tried to get answers by asking the bartender.
When I asked about the restaurant's top-selling entrée, the server did not know. The bartender, who also appeared to be the manager, recommended the mini tacos, which I ordered along with steak fajitas. The food took quite a while to arrive despite the restaurant being relatively slow, and my second margarita was also significantly delayed.
The real issue occurred when I received the check. My first margarita was priced under $6, while my second margarita, which was essentially the same drink, was charged at nearly double the price. When I asked about the difference, I was told the first drink was during Happy Hour and the second was not. That explanation made sense, and I had no issue with it.
However, I was also charged for extra tortillas. The server had never informed me there would be an additional charge. When I politely asked about it, the bartender/manager became defensive and argumentative. He repeatedly stated that I should have known extra items were not free. I explained that I had looked at the menu and did not see a tortilla charge listed anywhere and asked him to show me where the charge was disclosed. He searched the menu himself but could not find a listed price.
At that point, the server apologized and admitted she should have informed me of the additional charge. Instead of using the situation as a teaching moment, the bartender/manager waved off her apology and, in front of both me and the server, stated, "He's just trying to get something for nothing."
That comment was insulting, unprofessional, and completely inappropriate. The issue was never about the $2 charge. It was about transparency, communication, and customer service. As someone who works in the Food & Beverage industry, I viewed it as a simple opportunity to explain the charge, acknowledge the communication breakdown, and coach a young employee. Instead, I was treated as if I were trying to scam the restaurant over two dollars.
As an African-American customer, hearing a manager make a statement that I was "trying to get something for nothing" while dismissing a legitimate concern felt particularly offensive and carried implications that made the interaction even more troubling. Whether intentional or not, the comment reflected a lack of respect and professionalism that no guest should experience.
The server was polite and appeared willing to learn. My frustration is not with her. It is with a manager who chose confrontation over customer service, disrespect over resolution, and criticism over coaching. Restaurants earn their reputation through word of mouth, and unfortunately this experience left me feeling unwelcome, disrespected, and highly unlikely to ever return.