The Taco Depot II — Restaurant in Cedar Rapids

Went to go get a remake of tacos with my family. The place smelled like fabuloso floor cleaner. The girl working there Abby (she’s not a woman because she’s too immature and has zero class), was sitting at the bar with a coworker which was unprofessional, when she greeted us. We told her we came in for a remake of an order and that we were planning on sitting and eating it there. We told her there had been an issue with the first order and when we gave her a bit of information she said she was aware of what happened. She said give me a minute I have to make a phone call to someone and after a minute or so the guy she was sitting with said they were working on our order. Another minute or so later and she came out of the back and said “I spoke to the owner you talked to the manager before. You only complained about the chips and salsa. That’s all the owner is willing to make for you.” We told her we had not asked for anything else to be made just the chips and salsa but the manager we spoke to said he was going to remake our entire order because of the time and trouble to come all the way back to the restaurant and the interaction we had previously had with this rude girl Abby. She made the original order such an unpleasant experience. She started copping a real nasty attitude and said “This is the only thing the owners are going to do for you if you’re not going to get tacos then you can leave.” We asked her name and she said Abby and we said she was the one we told the manager about. We told her that she was the reason the order was getting replaced after her nasty attitude while we were placing the order. We got the salsa home and it smelled and tasted like she spiked it with alcohol. No one else there has ever treated us badly so we assume she is the one who spiked the salsa with alcohol. She started saying “I don’t care!” And we were like “Yeah we can tell.” Then she said “It doesn’t matter the manager is on vacation and the owners aren’t going to give you anything else”. We left at that point. We told her we were going to write reviews about this interaction. She said “I bet you will you’re making such a f…ing big deal out of some tacos.” If you see a white girl working at this taco depot turn around and walk away. Unless you want a nasty attitude with your food. Honestly I wouldn’t even trust the buttermints around her. We didn’t want to take the replacement chips and salsa because if we couldn’t see it being made we didn’t trust they were...

Taco Depot La Taqueria, 3801 1st Ave., Cedar Rapids – During a March 30 visit, an inspector cited the establishment for 14 serious, risk-factor violations. The inspector noted that a small refrigerator used for to-go orders was holding food at 50 degrees and he remarked that “none of the employees are checking the temperature of food or the coolers.” The inspector also observed employees dicing tomatoes with their bare hands, and reported that workers were scooping chips into dishes with their bare hands.

Raw ground beef was stored above whole-beef tongue and other meats inside a cooler, and cooked food — primarily meats and gravies – were stored uncovered inside a cooler next to a wall that was soiled. In addition, soiled knives were observed stored on a greasy knife holder; a “huge pot of cooked beans” was holding at 70 degrees and had been stored on the floor since the previous night; and cooked rice was stored in a “huge metal dish” since the previous night and measured 70 degrees.

Also, there were no date markings on several foods; none of the refrigerators had thermometers inside them; there was only one food thermometer on the premises with a food probe and it was not working; there was evidence of “large ants” inside an uncovered bulk container of sugar; the ice machine was unclean, sticky and was leaking water onto the floor, with food dishes placed underneath to collect the water; and floor tiles were missing at the entrance to the kitchen.

During a revisit on April 13, the inspector noted the food-probe thermometer was still not working; the new thermometers for the refrigerators were not working; the staff was continuing to leave the bins for sugar and salt uncovered, and there was evidence of “debris” in both containers. In addition, the findings of the March 30 inspection were not posted in view...

I had the worst experience at this restaurant tonight. They forgot over half of my pickup order. I didn’t realize until after I got home. I called to let them know what happened. They were apologetic and said we can come back and pick it up, and also offered a complimentary margarita. My parents left my house to get the food. Once they arrived they wanted to see the food we did get. 🤦🏻‍♀️ We had already unpacked that food and it was sitting on my table. The employee then accused my parents of being liars and scammers, because there was no way they forgot that much food. They sat in the drive up for 10 minutes and no body would come back to help them. They ended up going inside, and no body would help them there. They said they couldn’t find the manager. They were about to leave when an employee came out and handed them the food and didn’t say anything. They asked about the margarita and the employee said, “we would never have said that.” I was also trying to call the restaurant this whole time, only to be hung up on multiple times. At one point they told me I needed to talk to the owner because they saw on camera that I was handed the food. I was given 2 bags… and I was missing 16 tacos! How am I supposed to know how much food they package in each container?! I work for a small, local business and always try to support other small businesses. This left such a horrible taste in my mouth. I have never been made to feel like this just for trying to get what I paid for. Shame on you...