Hispanic Mechanic — Restaurant in Adelaide

We recently visited Hispanic Mechanic for a family birthday dinner, remembering the vibrant atmosphere and enjoyable food from years ago. Sadly, this visit was far from what we had hoped for. The restaurant was unusually quiet—eerily so compared to the buzzing energy of the neighbouring venue. The atmosphere was flat, and the service lacked warmth. Our main server gave off a disinterested, almost grumpy vibe, and despite requesting table water several times, it was never brought to us.

We ordered the Fiesta Banquet ($35pp) with an additional Vegetarian Enchilada dish. Unfortunately, the entire experience fell short—especially when compared to a recent visit to another Mexican restaurant where the food was bursting with flavour, freshness, and authenticity.

Here’s a breakdown of our meal: •Nachos: Disappointing. The chips were soggy and of poor quality, drenched in a sauce that tasted like a generic BBQ and taco sauce blend. Toppings (tomato, corn, beans) appeared to be straight from a can, with no seasoning or freshness. There was no guacamole or sour cream, and barely any cheese.

• Elote (Chargrilled Corn): Lacked any char, flavour, or balance. The lime was missing entirely, while the mayonnaise and cheese overpowered the dish. This was highly disappointing as this is what I always look forward to at a Latin American restaurant!

•Master Kim’s 5 Star Wings: Despite the name, these wings were cold, not crispy, and the chipotle gochujang sauce lacked depth. The wasabi mayonesa dipping sauce didn’t add much either.

Tacos (our group tried three kinds): Habanero Happiness (Beef Brisket): Although the brisket was tender and the tacos generously filled, the expected bold, rich flavours were missing. It seemed to rely on cayenne or chilli powder for heat rather than layered seasoning.

Crispy Kingfish: The fish resembled frozen fillets you’d find at a supermarket. The salsa was bland and didn’t appear freshly prepared.

Beef Cheek Taco: Once again, the meat was tender but underwhelming in flavour. The pico de gallo lacked seasoning, the lettuce wasn’t fresh, and the guacamole was barely there. Like the others, it relied heavily on cayenne-style heat rather than authentic Latin flavour.

•Vegetarian Enchiladas (additional $28.50): This was the most disappointing dish of all. Three small enchiladas, underwhelming in both portion and taste. The filling lacked cohesion and spice, and the overall flavour profile didn’t reflect what an enchilada should be—hearty, rich, and deeply satisfying. We finished it purely out of reluctance to waste the cost.

•Dessert – Ancho Chile Chocolate Brownie Bites: A huge letdown. It tasted like a store-bought frozen brownie—dry, bland, and poorly presented. Each plate had tiny bites with barely enough whipped cream for three people. There was no trace of the expected spiced, smoky, chocolate depth you’d associate with ancho chile.

Sadly, there was very little about this experience that reflected authentic Latin American food or culture. The food lacked heart, freshness, and seasoning, and the service gave no sense of hospitality or pride.

While it’s absolutely not about ethnicity or background, cultural cuisine carries identity and tradition. When a Latin American restaurant is operated and staffed entirely by individuals without a clear understanding or connection to the cuisine’s roots, it becomes evident in the food and the experience. Authenticity goes beyond a menu—it’s about flavour, care, and storytelling through food, none of which we found...

Very disappointed with our recent visit to this restaurant, which is such a shame as our previous visits were good. I made a reservation for a recent reunion with friends and was sadly disappointed from the time of taking our order until the time we left. A couple of friends had ordered their own individual meals whilst 3 of us chose to share a variety of dishes. The waiter then asked how we would like the food to come out and agreed that it would be best for the large slow cooked dishes to come last and ensure that when the first dishes arrived that we all had something to eat so no one was left with nothing, having to watch the rest of us eat. We were therefore quite shocked when the total opposite happened and a puzzled look being given by waiting staff when we questioned it. Our shock was further exacerbated by the fact that every dish we had was cold. Cold plates and cold food. We could maybe excuse this if the restaurant was busy and understaffed but this was clearly not the case.The group of friends I was dining with are all Diploma of Hospitality Business Mgt graduates, that’s where we know each other from so we know what hospitality is about. Sadly won’t be returning or recommending others to do the same. Didn’t appreciate being spoken to very rudely when I enquired about having a recent promotional discount applied. If you expect a copy of the email to be provided then you should explain this in your emailespecially given I used the book now link in the...

Appalling. We went here to celebrate my son’s birthday mentioned in the notes section of booking. On arrival there was no happy birthday greeting for my son and I’m afraid it all went downhill from there. We waited about 15 minutes for a bottle of sparkling water to arrive. Really? And then when it did it had a bottle top on it that needed to be removed by staff. When told staff that it needed to be removed so we could pour the water we were met with an apology “but I’m new here”. Really? to the management of this place. This is basic stuff!! We ordered cocktails which took about 40 mins to arrive despite requests for them to be made. One was a cider and could have been delivered straight away. Again we were given an excuse “the bar tenders called in sick”. There were ample staff on that could have expediated the drinks service. No accountability. We ordered nachos which despite being asked it be an entree, arrived with all the other food. The food was okay. The cocktails were nice when they eventually arrived. I asked if we could have a free drink for our inconvenience and it was obliged, but I didn’t feel any genuine apology for such bad service. And we were told “only one drink”. At no time was the menu or specials explained to us. It wasn’t busy, it was a Thursday night. The bill wasn’t cheap. I would recommend saving your money and trying the Italian joint next door. Much better vibe and probably much better service. Never again...