Frijoles — Restaurant in Niagara Falls

My partner and I decided that Mexican was the way to go for dinner. Our most recent "authentic" Mexican taco experience was in Vancouver (which was a 5+/5 experience). Besides, it's not often you find a "taco joint" that offers traditional masa harina tacos --- at least, not anywhere near Mexico.

The restaurant is clean, and set up in typical cantina style. The decor is a little confusing with a sombrero, and a couple of other Mexican-related trinkets, but then there is a plethora of posters from Southern California and Hawaii, which didn't really make a lot of sense.

The staff are friendly, making sure to greet the customers as they arrive and leave, and they seem to have a good time running the restaurant.

We tried two taco trio's; one with steak, one with pulled chicken, and a take-home burrito with shredded beef. If there is a consensus shared by my partner and I, STICK WITH THE STEAK!!! It is, without a doubt, AWESOME! The pulled chicken and shredded beef was actually, quite bland and under-seasoned. The rice on the burrito met the same fate; bland and under-seasoned for a Spanish-style rice. Unfortunately, Queso Fresco is not the cheese used, substituting mozzarella in it's place.

Plenty of traditional toppings available, so there is no excuse for not getting the right amount of textures in your burritos and tacos. The Pico de Gallo is crisp and not (as my partner would say) "smooshy." However, the guacamole is very bland.

Finishing sauce wise, we tried Chipotle/Lime on the steak taco, "Red Ringer" for the pulled chicken taco, and "White Lightning" for the shredded beef burrito. We like our spicy food "hot," (there's only a handful of restaurants that we've been to that can provide a stunningly spicy hot food with wonderful flavour - there is not a suicide chicken wing in Niagara Falls that cuts it ---- sorry, Niagara Falls), The "White Lightening"sauce, while tasty, had virtually no spicy "kick" at all.

Fortunately, Frijole's offers a post-counter offering of bottled hot sauces (all habanero-based) and adobo seasoning, which added the necessary seasoning and heat.

Value wise? Vancouver is likely one of the most expensive-to-live cities in Canada. Traditional masa harina taco's can be had for $12.50 for 4 "mix&match" tacos; Jarrito's (Mexican soft drinks) $2.50 each. Plus a free churro for dessert - somewhere in the neighbourhood of $40 (taxes and tip included). Frijole's tab was just under $58, and we were still hungry. Similarly, Frijole's is on par with food quality with a popular burrito chain - but food costs seem inflated by 18-20%. While we support local proprietors, especially if they use local sources (which we're not sure if Frijole's uses local sources), it's difficult to justify spending $58 on a meal and walking away hungry.

Clearly, there is a following for Frijole's as the restaurant was swarmed with about 20 patrons shortly after we received our order (there was only 3 people seated in the restaurant and 2 people placing orders when we arrived). Given the food value and overall experience, it's questionable as to whether we would...

Lack of quality control, and at this point they are just taking advantage of people.

I’ve loved Frijoles since they first opened on Portage road. I’ve supported their business a couple times of month, and when I moved an hour away I loved them so much I still chose to make the drive every other week. During the pandemic I supported their business and I chalked it up to that, that they were struggling for various reasons like many were. But it can’t be that anymore, and yesterday was the last frijoles burrito I will ever make the drive to eat again. I first visited the Portage road location, but they have the same guy in there that can’t make a burrito to save his life, so I left and went to the lundys lane location. When I started to order I realized they had upped their prices by controlling now many toppings you can put on your burrito. After paying for extra meat and toppings, I left with a burrito that was the same size as a regular burrito when they first opened. And once again it tasted nothing like they used to, just like many other times it has become a hit and miss, but these last few times it has been just disgusting and this time so salty I couldn’t finish it. Where is the quality control? The burritos are never consistent. The owner claims he makes everything himself then why is there no consistency? Why did I not recognize the burrito I ate as a Frijoles burrito? why did it taste like the meat was bathed a pot of salt water? I could deal with the price gouging if there was any sense of quality control but the fact that they are increasing their prices while their offerings are lacking, that’s a no for me. In the past 6 burritos just one has been good, at this point I’m the foolish one for believing they care about their customers. So...

Unfortunately since Covid this place has really gone downhill before when it was hippie girls with dreadlocks making your burritos they would be overfilling them and having great customer service. Since seeing the old lady and Indian guy every time I go there service and quality has GONEEEE down so bad. Definitely new owners The burritos are barely half full it looks like they’re trying to make them to be judged by a Michelin chef burritos are supposed to be full with ingredients not a few pieces of chicken with a couple pieces of jalapeño on top with a small sprinkle of cheese . Also if u go when the younger Indian guy is there be prepared to waiting 40 mins just for him to put topping in your burrito. They move at a snails pace. It’s a shame because this place used to be so good. The taste is still there but there’s just not enough to enjoy it it feels like just another chain burrito fast food place with workers who don’t care. I give them a year before shut down. They don’t even follow there hours of operation. The one on Lundys lane already closed And by reading the other reviews people feel the same you can tell they don’t care about customers because they’re not responding to any of the bad reviews trying to fix...