Hecho en Mexico (Hardware Lane) — Restaurant in Melbourne

Extremely disappointed and will never go to this chain of restaurants again! Attended on a Saturday afternoon with a group of 10 for their 'so called' Bottomless Brunch - $75 each for 1.5 hours. Didn't get any service for 20 minutes post the scheduled start time, but even then, we had to prompt them several times - when they finally spoke to us they advised we first had to pay (individually as we had organised to be able to split the bill when making the booking), which took another 15 minutes to do – why they couldn’t have told us this when we first arrived, who knows! What’s more, the Staff couldn't agree on the process for the bottomless-brunch, contradicting each other several time! So effectively half of the 1.5 hours was wasted through poor (incompetent) management. Service very slow, several of us received one drink in 50 minutes, for a bottomless session; prompting them at least half a dozen times before the 2nd drink came - not good enough! What’s more, the beer was not cold, had to put ice in it!! A couple of times the manager asked 'how it was going', we took opportunity to complain, he spoke to staff, BUT no change, in fact service got slower! Last straw was when a waitress advised us there was only 5 minutes left (of the 1.5 hours) for last drinks, we were still waiting for the last order which was over 15 minutes earlier! We did not react well (but did remain respectable to the waitress), she couldn't disagree with us, so decided to extend the time by 20 minutes - this did not cover the time that had been lost, but we accepted it begrudgingly as by that stage we had had enough and just wanted to get out. Worst part was the anxiety we all experienced, we are all easy going, but their poor service could not be ignored, so we were forced out of our comfort zones by having to complain and constantly having to prompt them! Food was ok, without being anything special, even though the staff were slow, they aren’t to blame, we blame the management and what seemed to be a lack of training, just no system at all – they shouldn’t advertise/promote a bottomless session if they aren’t able to deliver it. Worst restaurant...

Passed this place a few times heading back to my hotel - love Mexican food so I thought I’d give it a try . It was around 9pm on a wet Sunday evening I grabbed a rain jacket and ventured out into the weather. Hardware Lane has such an atmosphere it’s worth soaking it up , even in the bad weather . They do have inside and outside seating but the rain chose for me - inside it was . The music was quite loud - it’s definitely a party place - so it’s not the place to relax with a book ! But after a few drinks it’s easy to get into the party mood . I was sat quickly and offered some water , and a friendly staff member came over and explained the menu . The menu is quite extensive with a range of dietary options ( they have vegan , vegetarian and gluten free options) - and they also have a selection of margaritas, which is a favorite of mine . I was recommended the Tommy’s margarita- with Patron Reposado tequila,fresh lime and agave , with a chilli salt rim . It was a subtle mix of flavours and a fantastic combination- I loved this drink ! The wonderful waitress Ariana suggested I had another as it went down so easily- I must confess I had three ! I chose a chorizo and potato enchilada - the flavours again were wonderful and I enjoyed every mouthful. Until I googled this later writing this , I did not know it was a chain . It’s a good one , definitely recommend it . I took a Mexican Parmigiana back to my child in the hotel - they thought it was one of the best things they’d eaten on our trip . Pictures here aren’t too good because of the light - but it added to the ambiance . Shout out again to Ariana - service was amazing and couldn’t fault her . She made my night , so thank you so much . Would definitely...

Saw this place walking through the CBD. Looked authentic, though almost all “Mexican” food places here are far from it, but we stopped in anyhow.

I am a Mexican/American visiting from America, so I know Mexican food. Here we go.

Atmosphere- the place looks like a real Mexican restaurant, which as mentioned is what caught my attention. The music was a mix between reggaeton, Mexican, and American pop. So wasn’t a huge fan of that. But if you want that authentic look, it’s a good place to stop in.

Food- Here is where it gets tricky.

Nachos- Theses were actually very delicious, though far from being actual nachos. It was more of a guacamole with some melted cheese. But I would still highly recommend trying these out.

Chicken Enchilada- This was one of the better tasting enchiladas I have ever had, which is saying a lot being from a Mexican community. The sauce they use to top it off, really tied the whole thing together. The rice served with them however, were cold, and bland. It was like a rice pilaf, far from Spanish rice. The “frijoles” was not Mexican frijoles “refried beans” at all. It tasted horrible, and was like eating a can of baked beans.

Jalapeños Poppers- Loved the size of these poppers. The only issue I had with them was the tomato added. These are not meant to have tomato in them, it ruined the flavor.

Service- The waiters and hostess were very friendly. They spoke Spanish with me which was a comfort, it’s what made me have even higher hopes for the place. They made sure to come check on us multiple times during our meal.

Overall I would say it’s a pleasant experience for people who don’t have high hopes for authentic Mexican food. The food is very much...