Mesa Street Grill — Restaurant in El Paso

Bottom line: Go to Park Tavern.

We came to Mesa Street Grill for Valentine's Day dinner, hearts full of hope and minds set on a decent evening. I made a reservation for 7:30 PM, figuring, well, how bad can it be? This place has got to have something going for it, right? Wrong. It was like walking into a bad dream where everything’s been polished up and dressed in a tux, but you can still smell the failure lurking beneath.

I wasn't expecting a Vegas spectacle, but I figured I’d at least be treated to something that resembled a good meal. This was not that.

We arrive, and the first punch to the gut: we have a reservation and we're told to wait for 30 minutes. It’s Valentine’s Day, I get it, but when I show up on time, the only thing I want to do is sit down and get a drink. Instead, we're standing in a crowded lobby, staring at a host whose eyes are glazed over, as if the holiday was her personal nightmare too.

Finally, we’re seated. The ambiance, well, let’s just say it was like someone tried really hard to make the place look “romantic” but stopped right before finishing. There’s a hired singer whose microphone was set to “deafening.” It wasn’t background music; it was a sonic assault of every tired, overplayed ballad you've ever heard. And for some reason, no one seemed to care that the music was so loud you couldn’t hear yourself think, much less hear your date complain about the music.

After being ignored for what felt like an eternity, a waiter finally arrives—20 minutes late, of course. Drinks are ordered. I went for a Negroni, hoping for something classic, something that would make me forget the fact that I was already regretting this choice. It arrives, and it’s a travesty. This drink was barely a Negroni, and it tasted like someone took a bottle of gin and splashed a hint of vermouth into it. Almost undrinkable, but hey, I drank it anyway, because I wasn’t going to wait another 15 minutes for a three ingredient drink that takes 30 seconds to make. Fifteen bucks for that? A complete joke.

Then came the food. The appetizer? A soggy piece of toast with a dab of "bruschetta" that looked like it had been made by a robot on strike. It came with a slab of lukewarm cheese on top. This was $19. I’m not kidding. $19. For a piece of soggy bread that could have been mistaken for a flat tire.

The main course? Eh. The steak I ordered was overcooked and the portion size was insulting for something that ran me north of $54. I don’t even want to get into the second drink I ordered, because it was just as disappointing as the first. You’d think a place like this might get the basics right, but no. It was all just another slap in the face, each course more underwhelming than the last.

Dessert? Sure, it was sweet, but I’m 99% sure it came straight from a box labeled "Restaurant Distributor Special", and I can’t fault them for that, because honestly, the box probably knew what it was doing more than the kitchen did.

The check arrived: $180. For what? Two people, a couple drinks each, some underwhelming food, and a killer headache from the music. It’s hard to wrap your mind around that kind of math when the quality of everything was so low.

So, here’s the bottom line: I’m never coming back here, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. You’d be better off spending your money anywhere else. Seriously. Don’t fall for the glitzy exterior—this place is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and it’s a shame they’re charging this much for a meal that’s barely worth half that.

Skip it. Do...

We reserved a table for 5 with the specifications of Outdoor patio. Being in pandemic times, some of us would like to be careful and eating outside is our way to “feel normal again”. I understand that TX does not care about masks, nor care about their citizens; however, as a consumer, I appreciate if my beliefs are being respected and if I want to eat outside, then I expect to eat on an area where there is air coming from the outside while I am eating.When we got there, the table was in the patio; however the area was enclosed, plastic was covering the windows and there was no way of having air coming from the outside. There were no windows open either. It was like going to another area inside the restaurant, but next to a fountain. I was referred by a friend to try this restaurant and the way it sounded made me feel that I would be treated as the consumer who normally spends 200-300 dlls for their food and drinks in this restaurant. However, I was treated so poorly. When I came in, the table was by the entrance of the so called “patio” and it was the only table without a cover table. It looked like they set up that table “as the extra table for those who would come” to fill the patio. All the other tables were covered with table covers, and very fancy set ups; we felt like we were the “just add this table here, at the las minute” even thou I reserved the table a day prior. When we asked to be moved to a table that was not at the very front of the door, the waitress was rude, said that the other tables were already reserved and when we pointed to a table we saw that had the same amount of chairs, she said that was reserved for a “party” and that she could not move us, after we insisted, she said that she could not move us and that a band would come in a few minutes to play RIGHT IN FRONT OF US! (I COULD NOT BELIEVE WE WILL BE HAVING A BAND IN FRONT OF IS SINGING WHILE WE ONLY WANTED TO ENJOY A REALLY GOOD STEAK AND DRINKS AND BE COMFY AND CALM!!!!! )... she kept saying she could not move us. We asked to speak with the manager and when the manager came, he asked what he could help us with, we asked that we only wanted to be moved to a table where it was not as crowded and the manager immediately said “yes, absolutely, give me a moment!” and left us so he could do the arrangements.... It is unbelievable that the waitress did not even acknowledge our concern, nor told the manager what we wanted. We ended up leaving the restaurant before they moved us to the other table because of the poor service we received.

What I can say is:

The restaurant advertises “outdoor”, but is not, is like being on another side of the restaurant without any windows open or air coming from outside with a fountain in the middle of the floor.

If there is going to be live music outside, THEY NEED TO EXPLAIN THAT IN THEIR PAGE!! WE DID NOT WANT ANY LIVE MUSIC!!

We expected a way different type of restaurant, more calm and quiet place for people to enjoy their meals and celebrate a special moment. This restaurant is BY FAR the experience...

Dear Management,

I'm writing to you today to relay an unfortunate and wholly unacceptable experience my company and I endured at your establishment, Mesa Street Grill, located at 3800 N Mesa, last night. To put it plainly, it was an unmitigated disaster as far as dining experiences go.

Upon arrival, dulled by anticipation and hunger, we were expecting an evening of pleasant ambiance and appealing cuisine. The reality, however, was a far cry from our expectations. From the outset, your service was sub-par at best. We were left waiting for an unreasonable amount of time before the waiter sauntered over to take our orders, giving off an unmistakable aura of indifference.

The restrooms, frankly, were in dire need of repair as well as a thorough cleaning. The locks on the stall doors in both the men’s and women’s restrooms were malfunctioning, leaving patrons vulnerable and uneasy. Furthermore, unattended water pooled on the floor, creating not only a mess but a potential safety hazard as well.

But that wasn't the coup de grace of our abysmal visit. Following the unappetizing main course, I requested what I felt was a simple respite - a cup of coffee. Much to my disbelief, I was informed that this was unattainable due to an absence of hot water. This ludicrous excuse left me bewildered. I was left with no recourse but to seek coffee and dessert elsewhere. Also there is no handicap ramp to enter the restaurant, my wife had the worst experience climbing the stairs. I wish these complaints were mere nitpicks, atomic glitches in an otherwise delightful evening, but they aren't. They're glaring indicators of a mismanaged establishment that left my company and me in various states of discontent. The lackadaisical nature of the service coupled with the dismal state of amenities rendered my experience at Mesa Street Grill a dreadful one.

Given this appalling experience, I am left with no choice but to actively discourage others from visiting your establishment. It is a given that the success of any dining place lies not only within the walls of the kitchen but also in its commitment to customer service and overall maintenance. Unfortunately, in the case of Mesa Street Grill, my company and I experienced the nadir of these elements.

I sincerely hope you take this criticism as an opportunity for improvement rather than a personal affront. You have the choice of welcoming accountability and enhancing your errors or digging yourself deeper into the hole...