Ranchos Tres Cantina — Restaurant in City of North Tonawanda

For some time now, we've been eager to experience El Punto Mexican Cantina on Webster Street in North Tonawanda. Despite our repeated attempts, the obstacle of a lengthy wait for a table, often exceeding 45 minutes with no option for reservations, hindered our plans. However, we finally managed to secure a mid-week reservation at 4 pm, and to our pleasant surprise, there was no wait at all.

Upon entering, we were immediately struck by the fun and eclectic decor, highlighted by a prominent VW bus positioned in the center of the room. While certainly whimsical, it did monopolize a significant amount of space, equivalent to about five tables. Additionally, the video screens portraying a Mexican street scene outside added to the ambiance, though we found ourselves anticipating some form of interaction that never materialized.

Despite the restaurant being nearly empty, we were initially seated at what seemed to be the least desirable table in the establishment, a four-top adjacent to the staff bus stand, affording a direct view into the kitchen. However, upon requesting a change, we were promptly accommodated and relocated to one of the available booths. Unfortunately, it appeared that our concerns regarding table placement and overall dining experience weren't fully grasped by the staff.

The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the house margarita, priced at $10, which was expertly crafted and thoroughly enjoyable. However, we were taken aback by the exorbitant cost of a follow-up Diet Coke, priced at $5.

Our dining experience took a downward turn with the arrival of the table salsa, which sported an unusual brown hue and gritty texture, reminiscent of mashed black beans. Lacking any discernible heat, it failed to impress, despite being labeled as the fresh house tomato salsa. Additionally, the accompanying chips arrived cold and were packaged in a greasy, white paper bag, further diminishing their appeal.

Regrettably, the disappointment extended to the main course, with my trio of tacos—featuring chicken, beef, and shrimp—failing to meet expectations. Served on traditional corn tortillas, they were dominated by an excessive amount of cabbage drenched in lukewarm crema, with the protein offerings lacking in flavor and distinction. Notably absent from the table were salt, pepper, or hot sauce, necessitating a request for condiments. However, the house-bottled options provided—a jalapeno-coffee flavored sauce and a habanero-lime infused variant—failed to pique my interest, leaving me longing for the familiarity of Cholula or Franks Red Hot.

Conversely, the Chicken and Bean Burrito, priced at $18, offered a redeeming aspect to the meal. Generously portioned and expertly sauced, it served as a satisfying main course, despite the absence of traditional accompaniments such as rice.

In conclusion, while it's evident that considerable effort and investment went into the design and decor of this storefront restaurant, there remains room for improvement in terms of service training and product value. The staff, though well-intentioned, overlooked basic hospitality issues, resulting in a disappointing and lackluster dining experience overall. With a concerted focus on enhancing both service quality and valued menu offerings, El Punto Mexican Cantina hopefully has the potential to elevate its status among favorite...

Sat at the bar with my boyfriend around 10:30pm on a Saturday; it wasn’t very busy. Waited about 10 mins to place a drink order, then when we received our drinks one had blood-like substance on the side of the glass, as if the bartender cut his finger while making it. Took about 15 mins to get someone’s attention to replace the drink. During that 15 mins the bartenders were either talking or going back and forth to the kitchen to replace glasses at the bar. By the time the new drink came, one drink was already finished. No offer to make another drink when the fresh one was dropped off. Once the second drink was done, no offer for at least 20 mins asking if we needed more drinks. At that point, we were both staring at the bartenders hoping we’d get someone’s attention, but it felt like we were being ignored. We were going to order a second round of drinks, but after waiting so long we were both frustrated and just wanted to leave. To make it super obvious we started putting our coats on to leave, when we were then asked if we wanted more drinks or were all set. Stated we just wanted to pay and made it known the customer service was terrible, which then led to the bartender checking us out to say “I’m sorry both of these bartenders are getting fired and I’ll ensure a better experience next time.” Seems unprofessional to say that, customers don’t need to know about that.

The drinks were good and they did give us the one drink for free, which was nice but the customer service was terrible. No one seemed interested in attending to the bar.

Would go back again to give it another try, but probably not for a few months+ until the staff is better equipped and...

The atmosphere was fantastic, the reggaeton music was fun and lively, and we were so excited to try the food, but the experience turned out to be extremely disappointing. While the salsa was unique and delicious, the rest of the meal fell short. The cold, poorly executed refried beans were whole pinto beans in what looked like the liquid that you pour out of canned beans and tasted like gas station boiled peanuts. The rice was wet and flavorless. The birria enchiladas looked stunning but unfortunately tasted more like a barbecue pulled pork sandwich than the dish we expected.

After taking just two bites of everything, we let our waitress know we didn’t enjoy the food. She kindly offered to let us order something else, but at that point, we just wanted to leave. While she removed the beans and rice from the bill, she wouldn’t take off the birria enchiladas, explaining, “The restaurant has to pay for the food.”

As former restaurant employees and even a manager, this response left us incredibly disappointed. I have lived in Mexico and very much enjoy Tex-Mex or American twists on Latin food, but this was simply an awful experience. We were more than willing to pay for the drinks and even the complimentary chips and salsa, but being told, “You can’t not pay for something just because you don’t like it,” left us speechless—especially given we had only taken a couple bites. Since she wouldn’t take it off the bill, we paid over $40 for two drinks and salsa.

This experience was far below our expectations and left a lasting impression, but unfortunately for all the...