El Santo de los Tacos — Restaurant in Victoria

Myself and seven friends dined here on NYE and were very disappointed with the service provided. The waiter took 15 minutes to take our drink order and we found ourselves needing to wave the waiter over several times throughout the night to order more drinks. The waiter also 'forgot' to put through a number of dishes we ordered with some meals being brought out 20 minutes later than others - was a very disjointed dinner. I am also not confident in the waiters basic knowledge of restaurant etiquette as we were asked if everyone was ready for their desserts after we had just raised one of the women had not yet received her main. We were assured the main would be coming and again asked if we minded the desserts being brought out now. We insisted we were happy to wait as the woman waiting for her entree had also ordered a dessert which we are sure she did not want to consume at the same time. In addition to the above, I was a little bit disappointed being gluten free and being told their were no GF dessert alternatives which was fine however later noticed other customers enjoying ice cream on our way out. The food was excellent however it was an overall very disappointing experience and will not...

The food was okay (though tiny piece of fish in the fish taco), but the service was less than average. Took a long time to get served and then the drinks (which were just glasses of wine) took over 20 minutes to come even though the restaurant was half empty. Biggest issue though was they seem to run out of things and not restock! When we first ordered drinks, the waiter advised that they were out of frozen margaritas and the pinot noir. Disappointed about the frozen margaritas, but our table settled for sangria. After one jug we tried to order another one to be told that had now run out. After our main meal we tried to order Churros, only to be told by the waiter they had "run out last week" (we were there on a Friday, so they had a full week to replenish stock or, hey, to learn to make their own - it is a restaurant afterall...). I wouldn't bother returning, there are better...

Love the food, atmosphere, and more often than not - the service. Though greatest issue with Mexican Republic Geelong is their inability to stick to their business hours. On various occasions, I've been denied on the phone with 'kitchens closed early for the night', or arriving to closed doors during what should be open hours. Worst experience was not long ago, whilst looking for a spot for dinner at a casual time of 8pm on a Saturday night, and the kitchen had closed, even though the restaurant is advertised as a late night eatery, and open until 11:30.

Sort out the opening hours issue, and business will boom because Mexican Republic is great, and just what the people of Geelong want.

To anyone else looking at eating there, be sure to call up to book your...