Kiko's Mexican Food Restaurant & Cantina — Restaurant in Corpus Christi

I have eaten here several times, but last night was a total fail! We walked in at 5:30 and a short, young woman with a red shirt told us that their machines were down and they could only take cash. I told her that it was fine that we had cash. Her face was full of disappointment, and we thought she was going to cry... she didn't like it at all. She didn't seat us in the almost empty restaurant immediately... she made us wait. Finally she came back to seat us. The waiter came in about 7-8 minutes and asked for our drink orders. He came back after 10 minutes to take our order... there were maybe 10 people in the restaurant. We ordered cheese and beef enchiladas. The refried beans were excellent, the rice was mushy, and my cheese enchiladas were not even lukewarm, though the cheese on top had been browned in an oven. I did not complain to the waiter. We waited almost 20+ minutes to get our food. Our waiter didn't come and give any reason. He was actually almost non-existent.

After a little bit, people started coming in, and no one was telling them cash only. To me, our waiter or someone she have said informed us that their machines were up and working. Our waiter took our order with a paper order...but...we saw other waiters using handheld computer ordering devices.

We saw our waiter and tried to get his attention for a to go cup and our check. He actually made intentional maneuvers to bypass our table. After a while, he brought food out to a booth next to ours, and my husband asked for a to go cup and our check, and he said he would come back. Again, he passed our table at least 4 separate times. The next time he came out, my husband reminded him, and he acted like he was too busy to be bothered. Next time we see him he is bringing somebody's food and after that he brought my to go cup and our check. I asked him to hold on I wanted to pay the check and let me get the cash out of my wallet...he literally turned around and as he was walking away told us to let him know when I got my money ready...while he was walking away I told him I wanted to pay now and he kept walking. We waited another 10 minutes for him to come back. I gave him a $50 bill, and he asked if we wanted change, and I told him yes... he left again. We watched him go into the kitchen...to another room...bring people's food out...still no change. Seriously waited almost 15 minutes for him. After he brought food out to another table, he walked over and pulled our check out of his pocket with our change. It was just ridiculous the whole eating experience. They were not that busy...not full at all. What I think is that the employees were mad that they had to work with the electronics down...however we watched while many customers used credit cards to pay! Very unsatisfactory! Worst customer service ever! We didn't get...

They have lost two long time customers. They no longer have menus. You have to scan a barcode, then scroll on your phone to read the menu. My phone doesn't read bar codes, and I don't want to scroll my phone to read the menu. Plus, you can't order anything smaller than an order of 3. We weren't that hungry, so we left. We were offered employee phones, but I prefer a menu. The waitress was rude, and so was the man up front who said, "Everyone's doing this now," then turned his back to us. We left and had a good lunch at a restaurant WITH physical menus. Apparently, this establishment is catering to the iPhone users. Not everyone has, or wants, an iPhone. Also, some elderly, such as my mother, cannot see well enough to read the phone screen. So, after all these years, we're done with this place. I don't appreciate their complete lack of regard for different groups of customers.

Response to owner - we were in there over the summer, and were given a paper menu. We didn't even complain about the fact that the prices we were charged were higher than what was reflected on the menu. We didn't even question it, because we completely understood why they were higher, along with recognizing the cost to try to constantly keep updated menus. Your response to my original review, and others, completely reflects the rudeness and lack of consideration for different groups of customers that I mentioned in my review. I also noticed some of your previous responses, where you are more concerned about turning profit than you are about keeping your customers happy. Happy customers are returning customers, which helps with that profit issue. Yesterday was the first time we have not been given a menu, out of the many times we've frequented this establishment. It was also the first time we've ever been treated so shabbily. We proved your lie about "everyone is doing this now," because we went to a different restaurant, with actual physical menus that were laminated for easy cleaning/sanitizing, and the personnel were courteous...unlike at your establishment. So, again, proof of your lack of regard for customers. As I stated previously, you have lost long time customers, which is sad because some of my family members knew some of the original owner's...

Another update: I'm so glad Kiko's is under new ownership. Kiko's son, Marcus, didn't care about the restaurant or his employees. Not how Kiko and Gracie were. The men's bathroom was worse than those at a filthy truck stop. The outside walkways were dirty and covered with bird poop. The carpet throughout was so dirty you couldn't see the pattern. We had stopped going here until we heard it was under new management. We had heard the new owners were planning many changes, as in changing or removing the carpet and cleaning/maintaining the men's bathroom much better. Today we noticed the outside walkways were much cleaner and how happy all the employees are along with the excellent customer service everyone was getting. What a different when an owner recognizes and cares about his most important business asset, his employees. Good job, new owners!!! I gave 5 stars because I look forward to your changes and upgrades and becoming a loyal customer again. 👌 👍 Please read improvements from my previous updates below: ≈≈=================== Update: Still Disgusting!! 11 months ago, I heard back from Marcus, the owner, saying he agrees with my comments, yet said nothing else other than see you soon. Having gone there yesterday, not by my choice, absolutely nothing has changed. It's even more filthy. My client that wanted to meet there agreed with me afterward. The owner doesn't care. Imagine what the kitchen must look like if the floors, carpet, waiting areas, and bathrooms are absolutely filthy. I'm done! Owner does not give a damn. Kiko is now disgusting, how sad.

Disappointed and Dirty. We went there Saturday 12/16 about 1030am. We waited 45 mins for our food, migas and an omelet. Server kept telling us the kitchen was backed up. After repeatedly asking about our food, Server said the owner had to go back there. Well the migas looked like they had been slammed together with no flavor.

And again the restaurant looked dirty (floors, carpet, outside waiting areas) bathroom stunk, sinks and stalls were dirty and the only means of drying hands is a blower that doesn’t always react. Sadly, I wrote directly to the owner some time before this on the cleanliness issues and it seems without any...