El Taco Grande — Restaurant in Batavia Township

I am only in town for a week and do not live here so I found the highest rated mexican restaurant in Batavia and figured you can't go that wrong with a local Mexican place... boy was I proven wrong!

For the main course, we ordered beef fajitas and they are dropped off without a word from the server on if we need anything else. The fajitas come out with just beans and rice and no side plate of pico de gallo, cheese, sour cream, etc. that is standard at every other Mexican restaurant I have ever ordered fajitas at. I asked the server (who it later turns out is the owner) if the fajitas come with sour cream and he says "No, it's in the menu what it comes with." he then proceeds to shove a menu in my face and walk away.

From my perspective, the server could have rectified the situation at that point by offering to bring the standard sides to the table. Instead the server just threw the menu at my face and walks away. At that point I am so disappointed in the entire dining experience that I go to the front of the restaurant and talk to the "Manager" and explain the poor service I just received.

During the conversation with the manager the hot head waiter comes over and interrupts our conversation and tells me "That's the way it is." and that they've "been open for 25 years."

At that point I tell the manager that I don't want the food and the server interrupts again and says that he is writing up my meal ticket. I ask the manager if the server is the owner, and he confirms. At that point I told the server/owner that I didn't want to pay for the terrible meal and lousy experience and the hot head says he will call the police. At that point I go get my wife to leave the restaurant and the owner is calling the police.

On the way out I pay the bill and just plan to dispute the charge with my credit card company later to deescalate the situation. After leaving the restaurant, the Batavia police show up and I chat with them for a bit. They let me know I could get a refund for the uneaten fajitas but I just decide to leave. The Batavia police officers were very friendly and genuinely shocked that the owner even called the police as well as the behavior of the owner over the entire situation.

I have never EVER had an experience quite like what I had at El Taco Grande. The only reason why I even wanted sour cream was to make the beef edible. From the only bite of steak I tried, it was super salty, chewy and just not a good meal.

Bottom Line: Food and service was terrible and to top it off the hot headed server/owner...

El Taco Grande has been a mainstay in Batavia for over 20 years. For the last two years-Jose who has been working at the restaurant for ages has been the owner and general manager. I’m telling you-this is hands down the most authentic and delicious Mexican Food you can find. Try the Biskek Taco or Camarones (Shrimp) Taco. The refried beans are out of this world and the guacamole and salsa’s they serve are absolutely fantastic. Finally I have to say a few words about this group. Support a phenomenal local business!!! Jose is a kind and genuine Batavian who cares deeply for his customers & treats them like family...like his own family. He also is extremely kind and gives so much to his amazing staff that consists of Mark (lead manager), Aiden, and Sophia. The kitchen staff has been around for decades plus too and always goes the extra mile. During the pandemic it has been Jose and Mark’s upmost goal to keep the staff and the customers safe. They have mandated and enforced masks all throughout and they comply 100 percent with state restrictions, which right now is take-out only. Sadly, the there are multiple eateries/bars in Batavia that are vehemently opposed to mandating masks (are flaunting pandemic restrictions which keep everyone safe) and are still staying open for indoor dining which ultimately hurts and punishes amazing establishments like El Taco who are just following the science and following the rules to keep our community safe. Mandating masks (or requiring staff to wear masks isn’t a political statement,) but multiple neighbors nearby don’t believe in Covid, and continue serving indoors and even more frustrating-they don’t wear masks. Jose since the beginning has followed the science and doctors and has everyone wearing masks and he does this because he loves his town and his customers and staff. I won’t go any further into this, but to sum up, if you want tremendous Mexican Food and drinks, if you want the best spot for curbside takeout for authentic Mexican Food, and if you want the best service (family-run, local Batavian’s) and if you want to enjoy fantastic and delicious food where they follow all restrictions including keeping everyone safe, you must come to El Taco Grande. Jose and Mark and family will take great care of you and you will have a memorable and amazing dinner! Support local-support El Taco Grande!!! Phenomenal regular...

We went here with friends of ours from the suburbs that told us that this place was 'kid friendly'. At first, it appeared that it was; as we approached the entrance a large family with three toddlers was exiting. When we got inside however, we got a completely different impression. There was a wait so we stood by the door and I approached the host because my friend had put our name in. I told him that we'd need a table that accommodated our stroller since our son had fallen asleep in there. The told me that strollers were not allowed in the restaurant. Incredulous I asked, "is there really no where in the restaurant, maybe in a corner, that you can put us?" Another man approached and said harshly, "fine, but you're going to have to wait longer because there are only two tables in the corner". I said, 'that's fine but if a corner table opens up you'll sit us there" to which he replied again, 'you're going to have to wait longer". At this point, fed up, and since I had scoped out the dining room before approaching the host and knew that they had two separate eating areas and thus (theoretically 8 corner tables) I replied harshly, "do you want me to walk you through the restaurant and point out to you the tables in the corner?". A third man (apparently named Carlos) chimed in at this point and said "Well you can't eat here honey". I'm hispanic so I'm highly attuned to the gender role differences and that machismo but that last comment drove me over the edge. I told him not to call me honey, that is was degrading to women to which he said, "have a good night" and I replied, "we will because we won't be eating here". I then proceeded to insult him in Spanish, and again in English, and left. Needless to say we will NEVER EVER attempt to eat here again. And if you have small kids or request that they might find mildly annoying I'm sure they'll treat you as badly as they treated us. In the hospitality business there is something called pragmatism that is REQUIRED so that even if you can't meet the customer's needs you can make them feel appreciated and like you are sorry and tried. This restaurant does not have...