Mexican Amigos — Restaurant in Richmond Hill

I don't really understand how this place is receiving the ratings it did but I wanted to share our experience there and hopefully provide some constructive criticism.

Firstly, I was a bit taken aback by the fact that they don't have a lunch special on Friday considering the vast majority of the tables were unoccupied during the lunch hour. This would not be a weekend lunch pick for myself going forward considering their prices. This brings me to my second point, which is that the value for money of this restaurant is exceptionally poor. I will get to this a little bit later but there are other Mexican style food options in the area that offer a significantly better value (El Bocho).

The initial dish we ordered was the elotes. Two small pieces of grilled corn. They were standing up in a rather chaotic and zero seasoned feta. The corn itself was sticking to nothing and didn't have that char taste you associate with Mexican style street corn. I would strongly advise salt, lime, and chili sprinkled onto the corn itself. Rolling the corn in spices and getting the cojita to stick to it is imperative to get a good bite. This was just plain corn with a side of mashed up feta. Totally not worth the $8+ per stick of corn it costs after tax and tip.

Our mains arrived and I have to admit they were not much better. The black beans had no salt, no flavor, no texture. It was almost as if we were eating plain overcooked mashed potatoes. The rice was the same. I ordered the fish tacos which came out to $23.25 for 3 small-sized street tacos. The ones you would usually get on a $1 taco truck. Two-bites per taco. The fish was over fried, almost dried to the core (tasted like a cracker), the red onion was raw, the cilantro was mushy and black. It was less than spectacular for the price. Normally I would just chalk it up to a bad day in the kitchen but they didn't even bring it out with hot sauce or lime. At almost $4 per bite you would expect fresher fried fish, properly dressings on the tacos, and/or a decent size meal. I can't speak to my wife's food but she said the food lacked flavor and was not very good.

I've run restaurants before even worked with our family one in Mexico and I would say that this really feels like an owner that out of touch with the food quality and really doesn't care about anything but maximizing profit off of what few customer's are left. I would even be happy coming into the kitchen to show them some tips and tricks to really get that Mexican flare back into the food. Also I would drop those terrible metal trays for the soft shell tacos. Serve them flat, get fresher ingredients, and let them be tacos.

Overall I wouldn't go back, and if you're in the mood for some Mexican, head out to El Bocho just down the street. It's cheaper, better, and...

I used to drive past this place for a really long time until one day, I was craving Mexican food. It was between this place, and a newly opened one so I stopped by this place instead as it seems to have been a staple in Richmond Hill for quite some time.

-[MEXICAN BULLDOG 2.5 oz] $15.75 🍹 Their signature frozen margarita with a corona beer tipped into it 🍹 Flavors come in lime, mango, strawberry, pineapple, watermelon, or blue 🍹 I order this drink 8/10 times I come here because it's delicious, and worth it

-[CLASSIC CAESAR - DOUBLE] $15.75 🍅 Vodka + tabasco + worcestershire + fresh lime juice + clamato + salt + pepper 🍅 Another drink that I love ordering - their double doeen't taste too strong but definitely had double the alcohol in it haha

-[WET BURRITO w/FISH] $21.95 🌯 Baked flour tortilla filled with rice, refried black beans, salsa roja, cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole (and fish) // served with salad 🐟 The fish remains crispy even after topped with all the sauces mentioned above 🌯 Usually a large enough portion that it becomes two meals for me

-[LARGE AMIGO NACHOS] $19.25 🧀 Corn chips baked with refried black beans, cheese, salsa roja, pico de gallo, and jalapenos 🧀 We always order it with extra cheese because it makes it much better 🥑 I would not recommend paying extra for guac becauae the amount they provide isn't worth it for the price

-[HABANERO DIP] $13.25 🌶️ House made habanero salsa, refried black beans, chipotle salsa, cheese, pico de gallo, and guacamole all served with corn chips 🥵 This definitely has a kick to it so I get why right under the menu item, they wrote, "CAUTION: VERY HOT & SPICY" 🌶️ A really unique way to warm up on a cold day

-[QUESADILLA $10.50 w/SHRIMP $8] $18.50 🍤 Flour tortilla filled with three cheeses and shrimp - served with sour cream, chipotle, and pico de gallo 🍤 The quesadillas can be made with the fillings of: shredded chicken, ground beef, chorizo, veggies, grilled chicken, portebello mushroom, steak, pulled beef, fish, or shrimp! 🍤 Perfect for if you're looking for a lighter menu item to order - super crispy

📝 Make reservations in advance because this restaurant gets...

I ordered nachos to start and fish tacos for the main — and honestly, the experience went downhill before the food even arrived.

It was 29 degrees in October, so naturally, we wanted to sit on the patio. The greeter seemed unsure, and then a senior waitress loudly announced that the patio was “closed.” Odd, considering I could clearly see plates of food still out there and staff cleaning up. A simple explanation like “the patio closes at 6” would’ve sufficed, but instead, it came across as dismissive and unwelcoming.

When seated inside, I asked for an IPA (which is listed on tap). I was told they were out — at barely 6 p.m. That’s not just poor stock management, it’s poor hospitality. At this point, I couldn’t help but feel like we were being brushed off.

The fish tacos were bland and lacked any flavour, and when my plate was cleared, the server took my fork and didn’t replace it. A waitress was wandering table to table but never checked if I was okay or needed anything. I had to ask for another utensil myself.

Entertainment was advertised to start at 6:30 but didn’t begin until 6:45. Minor issue, but by now, it fit a pattern — everything felt careless and indifferent.

And here’s the kicker: as we were leaving, we noticed the patio was in fact open — with customers being served (photo attached). At that point, it was hard not to feel like we’d been deliberately turned away. Whether it was convenience, bias, or a judgment call about who’s a “big spender,” the message was clear — some guests matter more than others.

In this economy, when people still choose to dine out and support local businesses, the least a restaurant can do is show basic respect and gratitude. I’ve recommended this place before and wanted to showcase it to someone new, but this experience was embarrassing.

The only positives? The greeter was pleasant and the cilantro was fresh. That’s...