El Camino — Restaurant in Delray Beach

Visited El Camino Mexican Soul Food in Delray Beach, FL on a Monday about 5pm. We found this restaurant by a Google Search. We live in Florida, but don't live in the Delray Beach area. The website enticed us to visit this location because they offered an interesting Happy Hour menu and an extensive Tequila offering. The restaurant is located in the cute boutique downtown area of Delray Beach. Parking is on the street with meters or there was a parking garage, but we were able to find free parking a block away off the main street. Of course, summer days in Florida are hot and humid, so we were looking forward to a nice environment and cold libations. Most seating at El Camino is inside, but there were a couple of outside tables. When we arrive, the restaurant was half full. The hostess asked if we were there for Happy Hour or Regular Dining. Happy Hour is between 4pm - 7pm. We said Happy Hour, and she said, "I only had two tables available for Happy Hour". HUH? What???? we thought. The restaurant is half full. OK, she took us to the two table choices...both two-tops and both in the sunny window and in the corner, next to the entrance. We sat there for about 1 minute and started sweating. There was a two-top table RIGHT NEXT TO the table offered; literally 12 inches away. We asked if we could scoot over to that table. "NO, THAT TABLE IS FOR REGULAR DINING" she snipped, hence, the 3-star SERVICE rating. She doesn't like her job... OK, but the restaurant is half full and it's no different than the table we would be vacating, except that it's not in the sun. I don't understand this restriction. Anyway, since a decent Happy Hour table wasn't available, we opted to request a regular dining booth. It was nice and comfy. Our server was great and VERY attentive. (She deserves 5-stars.) Chips and salsa arrived right away, and we order cocktails. The chips arrived in appealing presentation but were staled and unsalted. Salt and pepper were not on the table so had to ask for salt and pepper. Dinner took the usual amount of time to arrive, but our drinks didn't arrive until after the dinner plates were on the table. Our order included fish tacos, but no limes came with the dinner so had to ask for limes too. Our "Regular dining" Quesadilla was served warm, but the tacos were cold, the black beans and rice were uneatable, and the cocktails...well, were not cocktails at all. I'm guessing we were served Happy Hour food and cocktails, not a freshly made meal or cocktail that you would expect for "Regular dining" prices. The menu for regular dining was more than double the cost of Happy Hour menu. Our check for two people was $100 and included 1 cocktail each and the tip. Had we been able to participate in Happy Hour (at a table that was just 12 inches away) we would have received the same meal and cocktails and spent less than $40, including tip. I can understand that businesses want to make a profit, but limiting your patrons, seems counterproductive. If you are required to pay for regular dining, then your product should reflex that. You want to bring customers in. Happy Hour is a great way to do that. That restaurant would be full instead of half full if Happy Hour was made available to everyone. And no doubt, at least half of those patrons will stay for regular dining and after consuming weak happy hour drinks, a premium Tequila shot might be in the cards. When we left, about an hour later...the restaurant was still only half full. I think there were maybe 3 regular dining customers in there.... What a shame. The atmosphere wreaks of Good Times, but if you turn customers away with such a ridicules policy, well, I will not be returning to this location or any of their other...

Terrible Experience with Rude Employee Randy at El Camino Restaurant in Delray Beach

I recently visited El Camino Restaurant in Delray Beach and had a truly disappointing experience, mainly due to an employee named Randy. His abysmal customer service skills left a sour taste in my mouth and overshadowed any positives about the establishment.

From the moment I entered the restaurant, Randy seemed disinterested and annoyed by my presence. Despite being a paying customer, I felt like an inconvenience to him. His lack of professionalism was evident in his curt and dismissive responses to my questions about the menu.

Furthermore, Randy appeared to be more focused on socializing with his colleagues rather than attending to the needs of customers. It was frustrating to watch him chat and joke around while neglecting his responsibilities. Several times, I had to repeat my requests or flag down other employees to get assistance.

In addition to his poor attitude, Randy also displayed a complete lack of knowledge about the menu. When I asked for recommendations or specific details about certain dishes, he seemed clueless and uninterested in providing any assistance. It was disheartening to receive such subpar service from someone who should be well-versed in the offerings of the restaurant.

To make matters worse, Randy's indifference was not limited to me alone. I observed him treating other customers similarly, displaying a complete disregard for their dining experience. It was evident that he lacked the basic hospitality skills necessary for a customer-facing role.

Overall, my visit to El Camino Restaurant was marred by the terrible customer service provided by Randy. His unprofessional behavior, disinterest in assisting customers, and lack of menu knowledge made for an incredibly frustrating dining experience. I would strongly advise potential patrons to reconsider dining at this establishment if they value quality...

I had been led to believe from the ravings of the internet and word of mouth that El Camino was top notch for mexican cuisine in the Broward/Palm Beach area. And while the food was definitely good, it did not hit the mark of the expectation I had for it. In fact, the meal was a bit anti climactic as I moved from course to course. My experience began with quick and friendly service and seating. The atmosphere was electric between the hustle and bustle of passersbly on the street and the large lunch crowd drawn in to the restaurant. The decor was very comfortable and modern. It was intriguing to look at and had a unique vibe. I was helped well and often checked in on by my very attentive server. To start, I had the street corn, which was a bit overpowering with the cheese, but made delightful by a lime squeeze and a few dashes of their signature sauce for the table. I then tried the Combo tacos mixed with Carnitas, Barbacoa, and Pork Belly. Each brought some uniqueness in their own right, but the tortillas did not boast the homemade flavor they would lead you to believe. To me, they seem like a run of the mill store bought variety. Also, I got the impression that the toppings for the taco were a grand distraction for an overall lack of flavor and spice to the meat. I then tried the churro doughnut in hopes that it would lift me out of that feeling of disappointment, only to find the results to my feeble attempts to be nil. The doughnut had little to no resemblance to a churro flavor, which was easily overpowered by the richness and bitterness of the chocolate sauce it rested on. Overall, I get the message El Camino was trying to send, but they didn't quite hit the...