El Palenque Mexican Cuisine — Restaurant in Ash Flat

I had higher expectations as this is a more established Mexican restaurant. The hostesses was ok not too pleasant although I'm not quite sure if language was a barrier but she somewhat smiled as she showed us to our seats. There was no conversation even as I asked how her day was going. Our drink server was great! I don't think she understood what all we were saying either but her attitude and smile made up for it. She also checked on us periodically and asked "Everything ok? , or "More soda for you?" as we were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive. She was very pleasant and seemed happy to meet any requests that she understood. Now as for our server, I don't know how quite to explain how his overall conduct was. He seemed to be so bothered by the fact that we were waiting for 3 more people to arrive. As we were ready to order he seemed to almost roll his as he was walking up. I didn't see a need for it, he was just standing there waiting for us to be ready to order and from the time we arrived there was only 2 other parties, both with 2 people each and later a 1 person party arrived. There were 3 of us waiting for 3 more people, we weren't overly loud or needy. The whole time we were waiting we only had 1 chip refill and 2 of 3 drinks were refilled both waters, and ordered 1 appetizer. When we were ordering we still tried to be upbeat about it as my family was going back home out of state later that afternoon.But he just treated us rather poorly in his overall mannerisms and attitude. First was the rolling of the eyes, the deep exasperations while going around the table gathering orders.He wasn't very attentive as he was looking elsewhere while we were ordering as well as tried to take our menus because we ordered an appetizer while we were waiting which we shared when the rest of my family got there. He just said " Your done?" and tried to take our menus and when we ordered still got 2 orders completely wrong. I have had this server twice before and he always seems to have an attitude. I excused it before as it was just me and my friend but to be like that with my family especially my mom, that just has to be addressed. As well as speaking English in front of customers and not saying any negative remarks because we were there. Just because we speak perfectly good English doesn't mean we're not fluent in Español. I just always find it so rude when people do that. If I ever do speak another language I usually interpret what I've said. I usually tip very well despite how we may appear and maybe he thinks there's no tips in waiting on people like us but still there should be proper server etiquette regardless if one thinks they're getting tipped or not. The atmosphere was pretty uptight for being so few people in the restaurant. Just not only myself but my family did not feel welcomed as they did with other restaurants in the state. Also the air inside feels a bit clammy or sticky for it not being very humid outside, they might need better condensers for their a/c or get them serviced before summer hits. Other than that it was fairly clean in the main part of the restaurant and they were sweeping under our table while we were eating. I didn't see the restrooms so I can't speak on those, however the windows and glass doors could use more periodic cleaning. As with my family and friends, I do urge people to always check your cups before drinking out of them. Even going as far as wiping both the inside and outside of the rim, as most dishwashers don't or aren't able to target that part of the cups. You might be surprised what gets left on them. Not just at this place but everywhere a restaurant reuses cups and glasses. The food is ok taste wise. It comes in pretty large amounts, which for the price is fair. I don't like any cheese sauce in Mexican food as to us it isn't really authentic. I would rather they ofeered it in a bowl for the whole table to serve themselves when the food is served or as a side in a plastic cup. I most likely will not be returning to...

My recent visit to El Palenque Mexican Food in Ash Flat, AR, left me pleasantly surprised and satisfied. While it may not quite reach the heights of Tex Mex cuisine, it certainly holds its own and offers a delightful dining experience.

The food at El Palenque was flavorful and authentic, with generous portions that left me feeling fully satisfied. From the sizzling fajitas to the savory enchiladas, each dish was prepared with care and attention to detail.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was warm and inviting, with friendly staff members who made me feel right at home. It was clear that they take pride in their work and strive to provide excellent service to their customers.

While Tex Mex may still hold the crown in my book, El Palenque comes pretty close and is definitely worth a visit for anyone craving delicious Mexican cuisine in Ash Flat. I'll certainly be returning to satisfy my cravings...

My wife and I grew up on Mexican Food. We've tasted Utah, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Arizona styles. By far, Arizona is the best flavor and style. So my review is comparing it to all of those places where we have eaten. If you like Mexican food that is cooked close to the border of Mexico with that style and flavor, do not eat here! I am not sure what flavor this food is, but it is not Mexican food. Maybe Arkansas-Mexican Food would be more appropriate. It was bland, wrong spices, bad portions, high prices, just down right nasty! Now if you have not experienced Real Close to the Border American Mexican Food, this food may taste just right to you. But for those of us who grew up on a different style of Mexican Food, this is...