El Charro Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Cartersville

We dined here as a family (3 adults + 1 child) and had one of the worst restaurant experiences we’ve ever encountered. The tacos 🌮 were inedible. they had a foul smell and tasted terrible.

Without any prior notice, our bill included an 18% gratuity, which was only removed after we questioned the management. The server’s behavior was equally disappointing. He explicitly told us the amount of tip we “should” write, despite the poor quality of the food. We left the tip we felt was fair, but as we were leaving, he made inappropriate remarks to his co-workers and laughed in front of us. An incredibly unprofessional and disrespectful gesture.

Poor food quality, lack of transparency in billing, and unacceptable customer service make this a place we will never return to and do not recommend to anyone.

Response to your reply

Your reply is misleading. We were moved only because the first table was swarming with mosquitoes but not as a favor. The tacos were never remade as you claim. You added an 18% gratuity without notice, and your server’s behavior demanding a specific tip, making remarks, and laughing with co-workers as we left, it was completely unprofessional.

Instead of taking ownership of these issues, you’ve chosen to accuse us of having “impossible expectations” and to dig into our review history, which has nothing to do with the facts of what happened at your restaurant that night. Our review was based solely on the poor food, unprofessional service, and lack of transparency in billing we personally experienced here.

If this is how you respond to genuine customer concerns, it only reinforces why we would not recommend this...

Wasn’t able to leave my house today because I needed to study for an upcoming exam. It’s cold and rainy and I love their tortilla soup, so decided I would DoorDash it. Placed an order and got a call from the driver saying the restaurant actually doesn’t participate with DoorDash and that I would need to contact DoorDash for a refund because they shouldn’t even be on the app. Finally got my refund sorted and my boyfriend was in town. I asked if he would pick up the order for me and told him I would pay over the phone if he would. I couldn’t give him my card because he was already in town. So I called to place the order, and told her I needed to pay over the phone because someone was picking it up for me. She tells me they can’t take card over the phone and that he would have to pay in person. The last time I placed a call in order with this restaurant, I was told it was REQUIRED to pay over the phone to place the order because they had too many customers calling in orders and never showing up to get them. So they were losing money. Which is totally fine, but to be told that now I can’t pay over the phone when I need to is absurd. And at this point I don’t even want the dang soup. So thanks for that. Unfortunately they’re the only Mexican restaurant in the area...

This place knocked our socks off on our very first visit!

The food was excellent. My husband said his fajita quesadilla was, hands down, the best he'd ever had. They didn't skimp on the filling, and it was extremely flavorful. It checked all the boxes for him. My carne asada was also delicious, and both of us were wowed by the rice and beans, of all things. They had great flavor and texture! We're so used to them being "meh" at most places that it took us by surprise.

Our server, Chriss, was a gem. Not only was he timely and mindful of our needs, he wanted us to let him know right away if anything wasn't to our liking. He truly seemed to want us to get the maximum enjoyment. He even made a point to get and remember our names. When we go back, we'll be asking for him!

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how much character this restaurant has, as well. The furniture was unique and incredibly comfortable, which is almost unheard of. Our high-top seats had a shelf for our feet to rest, and the backs were nicely cushioned. The drinking cups from the bar appeared to be hand-crafted clay pots/mugs. Much of the decor appeared custom and very well made.

In summary, El Charro has excellent food, service, and atmosphere. We will...