El Patron Restaurante Mexicano — Restaurant in Dr. Phillips

Dear restaurant owner/manager: Please Re-Train your staff on Food safety and restaurant 101 food safety and service! I sat at the bar and there was no one else there except for one couple with a small child in a high chair. I ordered a margarita and asked for chips and salsa. The glass was served 2/3 considering I am sitting at the bar there was no spilling of the drink so the person who served the drink right in front of me was just lazy! The chips and salsa cane and they looked good but tasted just OK. Then I had to wait and wait and wait before Guillermo finally was ready to take my order. The food came quickly and the main entree was served in a large dish and the included sides were served like in a skillet! Not sure why but the redites beans were very dry and the rice barely had half cup portion. I was not checked on at all since my food arrived and had to wait until the bartender decided to come back to the bar to ask for another knife as the one I was given had dried food on it. I was handed another knife and the one I previously was given just sat there and the bartender did not care. Here is a hint to all servers and bartenders who don’t know: if a guest asks for another silverware set please have the violin sense to remove the one the guest already had as that is your first clue that it is dirty. I decided to order another margarita which now I thought let me try the better one “El Patron”. Ladies and gentleman this is a $15.00 margarita so you can see on the picture that the glass looks good but unfortunately it was a pre- made margarita not made fresh. For the price??? Yess that is a fail!! The steak chimichanga was not the best as the steak was chewy and tortilla was barely cooked! Not once I was asked how was my meal!!! Severs and bartenders: if you expect a fat tip please take the time to at least do the basic service steps!!! I asked for more chips and salsa and my server bartender said ok but did not seem in any hurry to get that to me as he took his time to unload the bar dishwasher and load it again, buss couple of tables and waited until it was time for him to get another table’s food to get my chips and salsa. At that time I was pretty much done but decided to be polite and say thank you when it came. The worst of all of it is yet to come: the second shift bartender came in and my bartender / server took the time to fill her in on few things and started stocking while she was preparing the bar for the next shift. So as Guillermo was stocking beer and pouring all kind of alcohol bottles (see pictures) for the pre-made drinks the female was cleaning and sipping off off counters and preparing drinks that were coming via the register at the bar. At one point she made 2 drinks and took them to the dining room in a tray while Guillermo was just too buy taking care of his shift end stocking and never once cleared my dirty dishes. The female bartender came back with one of the drinks and just poured right back in the bin of the frozen margaritas!!!! Ladies and gentlemen of the service industry: Anything that goes out to the dining room regardless of wether the guest touches it or not, you never take it back and mix it with the batch to serve next to other guests!! This was the worst of the worst dining experiences I ever had and EL PATRON restaurant at Lake Buena Vista I have one advice for you: TRAIN your staff and teach restaurant 101 basic service! My bill was $40.00 and in all honesty it was not worth a dime! The ironie of this entire experience is that when I told Guillermo while he was printing my check. He just said “thank you for telling me” when I actually expected that he would jump on the bin and pour it in the drain instead of being so nonchalant about it. Cameras I hope took the footage of it as I told Guillermo but he did not seem to be concerned. Menus was disgusting and dirty and even the print of menu items was fading so you could not even guess the menu items! What in the world are you open to your paying customers for!!!! If I could give zero...

🌮🍹 Calling all food lovers visiting Orlando for the magical Disney World or Universal Studios experience! 🌟

📍 El Patron Restaurante Mexicano: A Must-Visit Destination for Authentic Mexican Delights! 🌶️🎉

Indulge in an extraordinary dining experience at El Patron Restaurante Mexicano, located in the heart of Orlando, Florida. Prepare your taste buds for an explosion of flavors as we take you on a culinary journey through the vibrant and rich Mexican cuisine.

🌮 Exceptional Food: The talented chefs meticulously craft each dish, using only the freshest ingredients to ensure the most authentic Mexican taste. From sizzling fajitas to mouthwatering enchiladas, our menu is bursting with an exquisite array of traditional flavors that will leave you craving more.

🎶 Great Entertainment: Get ready to immerse yourself in the lively ambiance of El Patron! As you savor your delicious meal, you'll be serenaded by talented DJ playing vibrant Mexican melodies, creating an unforgettable dining experience that will have you tapping your feet and clapping along. Celebrating Birthdays are exciting here too!

🌅 Great Atmosphere: Step into a world of warmth and charm as their cozy and inviting restaurant embraces you with its traditional Mexican decor. Whether you're enjoying a romantic dinner or celebrating with friends and family, our friendly staff will ensure that every moment spent here is filled with joy and laughter.

🗺️ Great Location: Conveniently situated near Disney World and Universal Studios, El Patron Restaurante Mexicano is the perfect stop to refuel after an exciting day of exploring Orlando's iconic theme parks. It’s just a short drive away, making it a must-visit destination for both locals and tourists alike.

🎉 Join me at El Patron Restaurante Mexicano for a culinary adventure that will transport you straight to the heart of Mexico. Discover the essence of authentic Mexican cuisine, enjoy top-notch entertainment, and revel in the captivating atmosphere that awaits you.

🌮🌶️ Come hungry, leave happy! Visit El Patron Restaurante Mexicano and let’s create unforgettable memories...

Mother’s Day Visit – Disappointing Experience

I visited this restaurant on Mother’s Day with a party of 8, and unfortunately, the experience was incredibly disappointing from start to finish.

First, the service was chaotic and unprofessional. Somehow, we ended up with two servers—neither of whom communicated with each other. One of them disappeared after coming to the table twice, while the other seemed completely unaware of what was going on. There was zero accountability for the many mistakes that were made throughout our meal.

For a business that should have anticipated a busy holiday, they were shockingly unprepared. The service felt indifferent, as if the staff didn’t care to check on tables—perhaps because gratuity was automatically included. Orders were taken incorrectly multiple times, food was brought out wrong, and no one seemed concerned about fixing the issues. The first waitress who took our order never returned after the mistakes. A second waiter appeared out of nowhere, took over, and also disappeared—again, without correcting everything. Only the person who brought the food out made any effort to address the issues.

Drinks were another letdown. Water wasn’t refilled, two people never received theirs until much later, and the cocktails were underwhelming. The margarita had excessive ice, and the martini seemed like it had been sitting at the bar for a while. Even the beer wasn’t cold.

As for the food—it was flat-out unacceptable. The “Sampler” plate was cold, with rock-hard taquitos, dry and crumbling flautas, and cold tamales with hardened cheese. Three carne asada plates arrived cold after the wrong food had been brought out several times. The tacos were also cold, and the kids’ meals were tasteless.

To top it all off, they had the audacity to automatically add a $40 gratuity to just one of the three tabs—completely unjustified for the terrible service we received.

All in all, this was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had in a long time, especially on a day meant to be special. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone and certainly won’t...