Fuego Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Cromwell

I went to this restaurant for a steak burrito we ordered to go. When we went to pick up our food, we waited a little bit. That’s OK. It was a Saturday night. My friend got the bag. She ordered a side of guacamole and it was around eight dollars I think And they gave her a little 4 ounce container so I told her to go back in and ask for more because that is simply not enough for eight dollars. I work in the food industry for many years since I was 16 and 36 now I have been a chef for the last 10 to 12 years . We get back to our house and I get my $23 steak burrito out of the bag just to find out after a few bites that there’s no steak in it. It is just the burrito there’s no rice. There’s no beans there’s no anything else it’s just burrito for $23. I called the restaurant and let them know. I got all the way back home just to find out there’s no steak in my burrito and also does it come with any thing else? They told me it doesn’t come with anything else it’s just a burrito and I said OK I’m gonna come pick up my Steak burrito. I picked up the burrito. It was tasty but it lackluster there was very few pieces of steak in it and I was just satisfied. So I ordered a burrito from Azteca . The burrito you see in the photo is from Azteca. I wish I took a picture of the original burrito from Fuego, but they do not compare. Despite having to go back in my car and drive to the restaurant and wait for an entirely new burrito, I wasn’t offered anything I wasn’t even given a sorry that’s not particularly good business. The burrito that I got from Azteca was $17. The same size but packed full of juicy tender steak. It also came with rice, refried beans and crème sauce. It also came with a side of lettuce, salsa, and guacamole for no extra charge that my friend is where I will be giving my money to. I am not trying to dismiss this restaurant, but the way things are so expensive now and days and if you’re gonna charge charge $23 for a single burrito make it worthwhile put more steak in that burrito. Give me a side of rice. Rice is cheap. I know the bulk cost of rice for a restaurant. It is not expensive. I know the cost of beans for a restaurant again. It is not expensive so stop...

At first glance, the restaurant is beautiful. The décor is modern and inviting, with avant-garde light fixtures and a colorful central display that immediately catches your eye.

I booked my reservation through Google for today at 6:30 p.m. Upon arrival, the host informed me that no booth seating was available and seated me at a dark high-top table. When my husband arrived a few minutes later, he requested a booth and we were then moved to a brighter section near the light tree display, an area with multiple open seats. I found this frustrating and off-putting, as it left me questioning the initial response. Unfortunately, this experience diminished my first impression.

On the positive side, our server, Hilberto, was excellent, attentive, professional, and very kind. Our food was served promptly and hot. I ordered the steak and shrimp fajitas. While the portion was generous, the dish lacked the vibrant flavor I typically expect from fajitas. The steak had little seasoning or color, though the refried beans were rich and cheesy, and the rice was well-prepared. My husband ordered a chicken burger, which he thoroughly enjoyed. We also shared a calamari appetizer. While the flavor was good, the presentation was mostly lettuce with only a modest portion of calamari, which was unexpected.

Our total came to $80 before tip. While the atmosphere is beautiful and the service commendable from our waitor, the inconsistency in seating from the host, and the underwhelming flavor of the main dish left me disappointed. I ultimately took my meal home to season it myself.

Overall, I appreciate the aesthetics and service, but based on this experience, I do not...

Takeout Experience -

Ok this was really really good

I ordered three items from takeout on opening night(6/11). I was expecting a potential hiccup or two given it was the first day but everything was timely and just what I ordered.

We ordered Queso Fundido for an app, and my wife and I split the Birria tacos and Chicken Enchiladas.

Queso Fundido with Chorizo- probably the best I’ve ever had. Made the original way with peppers and real melted harder cheese(I.e., not super runny) . Perfect with the included tortillas or even use it as a dip for the chips.

Birria tacos- super flavorful, tons of meat, and consume was great for dipping. 9/10 and that’s 1 point deduction was mostly because the outside could have been a bit crispier … but that is likely because of the takeout/travel time. I’m sure these would be perfect in person as the inside was so juicy/flavorful and cooked perfectly.

Chicken enchiladas - to be up front, I’m not the biggest fan of these in general but these were really good. They could have maybe used a bit more sour cream sauce but that might just be my personal preference. I also will likely add cheese to the filling next time (Again personal preference). I did like how this dish comes with 4 enchiladas, as opposed to just three.

My order came with free chips and salsa in the takeout bag which is nice touch!

Only con - I wish the enchiladas and birria tacos came with rice and beans but I guess that’s the norm now at most places.

Great to have a cool local spot (renovations look great) with awesome food. Step up vs the 99 for sure. Will definitely be back...