El Palenque — Restaurant in Eastlake

Review of El Palenque – Visit on July 7, 2025 around 4:00pm

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience at El Planeque was deeply disappointing and left me genuinely upset.

From the start, the service was noticeably different for our table compared to others. Our server—who also appeared to be the manager—barely greeted us, while he was much more welcoming to the other tables around us. Throughout our meal, he was dismissive and unkind. He placed our food down with such force it felt more like an afterthought than service, and when I was handed my flan, it was done so carelessly in passing. Had I not had a good grip, it would have ended up on my lap.

The worst moment came when my friend asked a simple question, and the server responded with, “It’s always something,” before walking away abruptly and rudely. I honestly considered giving him his tip upfront, just to see if it would change how we were treated. That’s how uncomfortable the situation became.

I came in after a long day just wanting to enjoy a drink and a decent meal. I usually tip 20–35% and don’t ask for much—I never ask for discounts, comps, or anything to be taken off the bill. I paid my full check and even tipped far more than I should have, given the service we received.

Toward the end, the server gave a brief, half-hearted apology, saying the other table kept ordering drinks and that’s why he was rushing. But the damage was already done. I held back tears at the table and ended up crying in the car afterward. It wasn’t just bad service—it felt personal.

I hope this review encourages the management to reflect on how all guests are treated, regardless of how busy things are. Everyone deserves to feel welcome when...

My fiancée and I received a recommendation from a friend of ours in Cleveland, Ohio, to stop by and try a Mexican Restaurant named El Palenque on our way to visit my son. It's very rare for me to find a Mexican Cuisine Restaurant in the North that, can compare to the restaurants in Texas and Mexico I'm more accustomed to. El Palenque did just that! Just a disclaimer; I base my comparisons on Mom and Pop style restaurants where you usually get the most authentic and tasty traditional cuisines! We started off with the typical basket of tortilla chips with Salsa and a bowl of Chile con Queso Dip (Recommended to us at the restaurant). We also ordered a appetizer of Tamales with Pork. We then ordered our main dishes in which she ordered a Quesadilla de Fajita and I ordered the Camarones Al Ajillo. Everything tasted amazing! Not only was it authentic but, everything was homemade and made fresh that same day!

The restaurant itself was clean and sanitized to include their restrooms! Their staff were very attentive and friendly! For those with a budget restriction the prices are reasonable and food portions are great (You'll get your money's worth and then some)! I like to give a special thanks to El Palenque's cooks for a excellent meal! Also, a special thanks to my friend James for the suggestion! We will definitely stop in again during our next visit! I would highly recommend El Palenque to anyone for a great homemade and authentic Mexican...

Visited El Palanque for the first time on an early Tuesday evening. I only ever order fajitas at Mexican restaurants and was pleasantly surprised to see that their steak and chicken fajitas were a special that evening. My meal came and it was dried out looking and tasting chicken and steak with a few slices of onion and green pepper which I thought was how their version is presented. I was almost done eating when several people near me were served fajitas that came hot, smoking, sizzling and smelled wonderful. I asked my dining partner if my food looked like that when it came out and she said absolutely not. I asked our server why my meal looked so blah compared to others and he said because it was a special they get slammed so they need to prepare the meat and veggies ahead of time. Mine obviously sat around for quite a long time before being served to me and then they cooked fresh to order when the precooked meat ran out. I felt very cheated. Server also charged me the regular price instead of the special price...I had the error corrected. When I cashed out, I mentioned my meal presentation to the cashier who really could have cared less. Then she charged me for two meals instead of one. After getting very snippy with me when I brought that to her attention, she decided not to charge me for my meal but she was not happy about it. Won't be going back...