El Jardin — Restaurant in Edmonton

Emailed El Jardin over a week ago with no response, that was with them reaching out via email to ask how our experience is. Seems like it is just a generic email automatically sent out but no one actually reads them or cares to follow up. Unfortunate especially given our sub par experience. So will now post my email as a review:

We came to El Jardin around 5:45pm this past Sunday to grab dinner before the comedy show. We arrived and ordered promptly and were there well before the dinner rush. We have been to El Jardin many of times before and have had wonderful experiences. It has been one of our favourite restaurants and we have recommended you to many friends. This last visit we had was by far the worst experience we've ever have had, however we are thankful it was not our first time there or we would not be returning.

It seems that the food menu had been changed a bit since we were there last. We were excited to order our favourite appetizer, the gouda tequenos, however they are now made with mozzarella. We still ordered them, but it seems it was quite a downgrade, and we would not order them again. Our server also took away the serving plate with the dip still on it as my fiancé was just about to eat the last one, so we did not finish them. The breading seems very thick now and the cheese is nowhere near as flavourful. We are actually really devasted that the gouda tequenos are no longer a menu item. That was our main reasons for choosing to come there that evening prior to knowing the menu changed.

We also ordered the mojito ceviche which was really good, as it has been in the past. Our appetizers both came out before our drinks, a raspberry margarita and a Peroni. Our server, who seemed new, came back after 5 or so minutes to ask what kind of Negroni my fiancé wanted. We told her that it was a Peroni, a beer, where I motioned towards another couple who had the beer bottle on their table. 10 more minutes passed and the bartender delivered my margarita, which was good, and she also asked my fiancé what he had ordered for a drink. Again, we said a Peroni. Our server came back a few minutes later with a Peroni and had apologized, and then had to leave again before serving the beer because she couldn't open the bottle. She then told him that a second Peroni would be compensated.

We were then informed our main order would be delayed, no explanation why, and that she was sorry for the delay. Our tacos arrived, which now also with sides which we both thought were unnecessary to come with tacos, as we had already ordered appetizers and typically elsewhere there are no side dishes with tacos. We got fries and a salad. The salad was fine, but the fries seemed undercooked and were flavourless. The tacos were fine, however the tortillas all seemed to disintegrate and fall apart after the first bite, making a mess on the plate, and we don't recall that being an issue in the past.

Our server had asked us if we wanted any free dessert or shots to make up for our experience that evening, which we declined as we had a show to get to and did not want shots. We had been hoping that perhaps some kind of additional discount or compensation would be applied to our current bill, due to our not great experience, and not more items for free. When the bill was presented, which took a couple of trips to our table and back for the Interac machine to work properly, I noticed the 2 Peroni's on the bill. I pointed it out to her and she left again to get it discounted from the bill. Needless to say, we were disappointed overall and felt we overpaid for a lacklustre dining experience. The server apologized many of times but we just couldn't wait to leave after our time that we had there. It was one thing after another. We are...

Having previously enjoyed a fantastic experience at El Jardin a few weeks ago, I recommended it for this special occasion, but unfortunately, the service and mandatory tip policy left us thoroughly unsatisfied.

Upon arriving on a Monday night with a party of nine, we observed that the restaurant was about 65% full, with three waiters and a manager serving approximately eight tables. Regrettably, our experience took a downturn from the moment we arrived. It took 45 minutes to receive our drinks, and an additional hour just to place our appetizer order. Two forgotten drinks further prolonged the wait, and our waitress inquired about additional drinks only once throughout the two-hour duration of our visit.

Despite prearranging the celebration details, including bringing our own cake, the actual execution was far from satisfactory. The manager, who initially assured us of handling the cake presentation, disappeared without notice. After a 30-minute delay, we requested our waitress's assistance, only to be met with a disheartening response of not knowing the manager's whereabouts. The eventual arrival of the cake, after a total wait of over 40 minutes, was followed by an additional 20-minute wait for our bills.

While we understand and respect the mandatory tipping policy, the 20% rate felt exorbitant given the subpar service we experienced. Waiting 2.5 hours, enduring minimal attention from the staff, and being served only one drink and one appetizer were aspects that fell significantly short of our expectations. Despite expressing our concerns to the waitress, the response of "miscommunication about the cake" did little to alleviate our dissatisfaction.

It is disheartening to report that what could have been our go-to spot turned out to be a disappointing experience. The attitude and service we encountered were truly appalling. The perception that the mandatory tip rendered our table less of a priority was palpable, and it is regrettable that such a promising establishment left us with such a...

Mueve martini 5/5 This was a Mezcal martini. I don't see it on their website menu but it was fantastic. There was fruit in it which balanced really well with the smokiness of the Mezcal.

Pico de Gallo 1/5 Now, the menu did say it was chunky. But it was TOO chunky. I think each piece was an inch thick. Which in my opinion doesn't give the flavours an opportunity to meld together. Also makes it pretty hard to scoop a bit of everything onto a chip. It was also ice cold and completely flavorless. It had clearly been sitting in a fridge for a while. I'm of the firm opinion Pico de Gallo should be served at room temperature. I get it, they're a busy restaurant and need to batch-make things ahead of time. But pull some bowls out to sit on the counter ahead of your dinner rush so that they can come to room temp. It would also help to get the flavours to bloom and meld.

Blackened chicken tacos 4/5 Really solid

Carne asada tacos 5/5 Incredible! Hot tip - add cheese

Potatoes brava 4.5/5 I'm pretty sure the menu said these were supposed to be crispy? (It's not listed on the website menu so I can't be sure.) They were not crispy. They were just boiled potatoes basically. But the flavors of the seasonings and the sauce on top were fantastic.

Atmosphere 1/5 I remember sitting down and looking around and saying to my bf "wtf". It was just so bland and boring and looked unfinished? I'm not sure who designed the place but they should be retroactively fired. We sat at the back of the restaurant right beside the kitchen. Maybe the front is nicer but I didn't get a good look. The walls were grey. The floor was grey. The ceiling was grey. There was no artwork. The tables and seating had very plain lines and had nothing on them (a candle or two might be nice?). A couple fake plants were dotted around. But that was it. This is supposed to be a Mexican restaurant with a lush tropical garden theme, is it not? Nowhere to be found in the decor. They were also blasting incredibly loud club music which seemed like...