Gringo's Mexican Kitchen {Conroe} — Restaurant in Conroe

After a day that felt more like a marathon in work boots than a regular shift, my wife and I decided to treat ourselves to a meal out, aiming to ditch the lingering cloud of office blues. Little did we know, our evening was about to be upgraded from economy to first class courtesy of Abbie, our culinary first responder.

Entering the restaurant felt like walking into a different dimension, one where stress was barred at the door - although it took a minute for the memo to reach our brains. But then, like a beacon of hope in the dimly lit room, came Abbie.

Abbie wasn’t just a server; she was the lifeguard at the deep end of our parched, post-work existence. Her drink suggestions weren’t just on point; they were a lifeline thrown with the precision of an Olympic javelin thrower, pulling us back from the brink of dehydration and despair.

The meal, under Abbie's guidance, was nothing short of miraculous. I’m talking about the kind of meal that makes you write home about even if you’re just from around the corner. It was as if Abbie had whispered our deepest, darkest culinary desires into the chef's ear, who then conjured up our dream dishes.

Her knowledge wasn’t just impressive; it was as if she had a PhD in Deliciousness from the University of Yum. She navigated us through the menu with the skill of a seasoned cartographer mapping uncharted territories, turning what could have been a mundane meal into an adventure.

Abbie's cheerfulness was infectious. She treated us not just as guests, but as if we were the guest of honor at the coronation of the King of Flavor Town. Her enthusiasm was the secret sauce to our dining experience, adding a zest that no condiment could match.

And let's talk about her vigilance - Abbie was on us like a hawk on a field mouse, but in the most charming way possible. Our glasses were never empty, our plates never cluttered. She was like a culinary superhero, swooping in whenever she saw a glass half empty or a frown half formed.

In a world where I had the power, I’d nominate Abbie for the Nobel Peace Prize of Dining Satisfaction. She wasn’t just a server, she was a first responder to the disaster zone that was our workday, pulling us out of the rubble of reports and meetings, and breathing life back into our spirits with a defibrillator made of impeccable service and a smile that could light up a dining room. Her management would have to be navigating without a compass to not see the treasure they...

The lack of customer service and professionalism by the I'm guessing management staff at this location is laughable. I went to pick up three orders for to-go. I arrived at location shortly after they were supposed to be ready to pickup. I went inside because I had three different orders under different names. I was told that none of them were ready. I looked on the rack and one of the orders was there. I notified the togo server that the one was ready and I was missing the other two. Approximately 5-10 minutes later one of the orders came out so I was missing only one. A total of approximately 45 minutes after the expected time of pickup the last order came out. I saw them scrambling and printing out the order again and having the kitchen make it because clearly they had given it out to someone else. Some guy possibly a manager I am unsure though because he failed to introduce himself as he handed me the last order. The only thing he said to me was next time to text the order number and they could run it out to the car. No mention of me having waited for 45 minutes for the order that they clearly lost. No apology or any offer to make things right. Only words exchanged were basically that I was the problem because I was waiting inside for the order instead of in my car. I get the food back and one of the orders that is fajitas for two has absolutely no salsa in the bag for spending 60 bucks I expect to at least get some salsa. This is no way to run a restaurant and if this continues I guarantee the business will not have positive ratings. This is not the first issue either, last time I picked up togo I called immediately after ordering to ask if I could get grilled onions in my fajita bowl. The togo server advised me that it comes with it so it won't be a problem. I knew this not to be correct but figured maybe it had changed. I get to location and the togo server informs me that the other server did not state that they charge for grilled onions. I said that's fine and ordered two sides of grilled onions. 30 minutes I waited in my car for the two sides of grilled onions. At 30 minutes I went inside and asked if it was coming or not. She walked back to the kitchen and finally got them to put some onions in a container. Get it together Gringos. 0 stars. Also stop putting your tortillas in plastic bags it...

Overall experience: We were disappointed. Above par service, though. We never complained about the quality of the food or drink we received since I figured it was their standard. I could see no reason to question someone's standard. I can question why the wait staff slacked off when it was obvious we were not drinking the beverages or eating much of the food. I would think they would insist on how they could improve our experience versus coming back several times asking, "Is everything okay?" when obviously it was not. That is my opinion, though.

Our food choices were lacking in flavor. In their defense, many people enjoy Gringos, and according to other reviews, the street tacos get high marks. We started with a small dish of queso with beef - umm, where was the beef? A smidgen only! Additionally, we had the Shrimp and Avocado Salad. Where were the ingredients other than the malnourished, flavorless half-dozen shrimp on top and a smattering of the other ingredients they stated on the menu? Lettuce, lettuce, and more lettuce with a smattering of umm had to dig to find anything else. The second item was the Taco Salad with beef - that item was reasonable only because it was salty, so it had some flavor smack in the middle as a glob of saucy ground beef. Tex-Mex? Nope! Why five flavorless sauces? To add some flavor to a tasteless item? The item should speak for itself in loud vocals, not subdued restraint.

The drinks: Two margaritas—a frozen melon (green and not traditional red) and a strawberry. We received these items, and they were on the watery side of slushy, not even close to the icy frozen confection that other Mexican Food restaurants offer. I'm baffled, but not baffled enough to know I will not be going to this chain again.

My purpose here is simply to share our experience and to agree with those individuals who gave a 3 star or less versus a higher rating on the food. Individuals like myself and my party have a flavor for spicy, flavorful, authentic, or near authentic Tex=Mex cuisine. We expected Gringos would meet our challenge. It did not. I sincerely hope your experiences meet your...