Si Señorita Forster — Restaurant in Forster

I attended Si Señorita in Forster with my family of four in the first week of December 2020. We were drawn to the lovely location, coupled with the fact that it is generally difficult to get Mexican wrong. It should be a relaxed, informal, if not an elaborate dining experience.

I'm afraid that Si Señorita in Forster failed on all fronts. The food was average, and the service was slow and lacking in any connection. However, the worst part of our Si Señorita experience was the rediculously over priced food and beverages.

A fitting metaphor for the outrageous pricing was the cocktail menu. Nothing special about the cocktail list, but when my cocktail was delivered, it came in a tiny glass which looked like it was borrowed from the owners parents kitchen set. Si Señorita felt that $18 for this tiny insult of a cocktail was appropriate.

Everything about this establishment wreaks of a rushed opening. There are far better dining experiences in Forster, with far better service and at a fraction of the cost this establishment charges.

Reply to owners response: Thank you for taking the time to respond to my review. Rather than email my feedback to your reply, I think it is important that I respond publicly so that others can make an informed decision about this establishment.

Response on service: I imagine that COVID will have had zero impact on the quality of service we experienced at this restaurant and I'm surprised that the owner cited this as a reason. We attended the restaurant in the first wek of December 2020 - there was zero COVID cases in Forster or surrounds at that time and none of the greater Sydney area was in lockdown. I'm therefore mystified how COVID impacted the quality or number of staff the restaurant used and I'm dissappointed this was cited as a reason for our experience.

Response on quality of food: I accept that commneting on food quality could be seen as a subjective opinion, but if the owner took time to examine the reviews of the restaurant closely, he would notice that I am not alone in my observation of the food quality. I suspect that many of the diners who comment on the quality of the food at this restaurant will have experienced quality Mexican cuisine elsewhere, and have drawn their comparisons accordingly. Perhaps further research by the owner on the menu offered needs to be undertaken.

Response on cocktails: My suggestion to the owner would be to undertake some research of comparable cocktails (size, pricing and presentation) by attending other licensed establishments in Forster. I'm sure by doing so he will reach a simialr conclusion...

Went out of town to try si senorita for my teenage daughters birthday. Spent a LOT and waited over an hour for any food, while the kids meals came out with starters the mains were even later which makes it hard to keep the younger kids busy. The mains were pretty much inedible. Everything bar one meal tasted overpoweringly of coriander which wasn't stated on the menu and drowning in red chillies. A simple burrito was cut into slices so it couldn't be eaten by hand, with the smallest drizzle of watery sour cream over the top, then garnished with a whole red chilli with more inside the burrito. We had to ask for serviettes and cutlery of which they were waiting on a dish washer so we got one fork to share. There was dirty cutlery on the floor how ever and no soap in the bathrooms to get the burning chilli off your skin. Id asked for a highchair in the booking but staff were too busy to ask about it and decided not to risk it with the lack of cleaning. We had 2 serves of chicken nachos once again coriander overload and we found less than 3 bits of chicken on each plate. Nice location if you can handle the hundreds of flies and pigeons coming in to poop. Overall not a great dining experience, obviously better for drinking and buying a snack or 2 once you have had a few. I would have complained in person but the staff were that preoccupied that I had to seek out staff to pay so we could get out of there. Mocktail was nice and chilli con carne nachos and the corn chip starter was nice but needed a spoon for dips as the bowls are so small the chips just break. Rest was awful...

Ignorance isn't bliss it is Si Senorita. Called in tonight for a meal and because of covid and their complete ignorance of the rules we were turned away. We live on the Central Coast but have not been there for three months as we have travelled to Cape York. We offered proof of this as we have done for the last 6 days, since the lockdown came into place, travelling south at from Byron Bay. All we got was no you can't come in. We have been in caravan parks, bars, restaurants, fish markets and shopping centres, all so very thankful that we were there as cancellation rates were through the roof. Yet when you come across people that only listen to respond rather than understand this is where you end up. I know these times are trying but for travellers legally adding to an already strained economy, ignorance of the rules is something none of us need. Well at least it crosses off one of the restaurant choices for us on our regular visits to Forster. So we came back to our caravan park 100 metres away that were stocked to have us here and spent the night chillin.

Thanks for the response, it is however totally incorrect. The staff asked for check-ins around Forster before the 21st of June which they explained was the cut off date. We were in Byron Bay at that time as I explained to them. There was no misunderstanding on my behalf only an incorrect enforcement of the rules on your behalf. In the last nine days your establishment has been the only problem between Byron and Forster. Ipso facto I can see exactly where the problem is. Fear not though it won't...