Villa Del Mar — Restaurant in El Paso

I had been here just once before years ago. I went today to place a to-go order with a $50 gift card I had. Originally, I had wanted a bunch of "sides" because I wanted an assortment of food. I had done the math and my grand total was about $42 with all the sides, an appetizer of guac and chips and 2 desserts. They let me know they can only do sides if I order a plate.. I didn't think this made sense considering I was still spending there.. but I said OK and looked over the menu. Chose the sirloin meal with a baked potato and veggies, and a chicken tampiquena with some extra sides on each of them.

I made sure to ask the hostess, who put in the order, if the appetizer guac comes with chips. She said yes. I also made sure to repeat it twice to have an extra sour cream for my potato. She went back there to the kitchen and told the cook.. I am assuming. I came to pick up my order 30 min later and it was ready they said, but when the cook came to hand it to me, she went back again twice to get something and had me waiting. Once she came back, I looked in one of the bags and asked if they had gotten my 2 desserts. She said no and went back there and I was waiting an additional 10 min.

Fast forward to when I get to work looking forward to the food.. I open the guac come to find out.. they forgot the chips! What is the point of guac with NO chips that I made sure and asked it came with. On top of that, they gave me a tiny container of sour cream for this big, non-buttered, plain baked potato. I made sure and asked for more, more than once. I was very disappointed. They forgot my dessert until I said something, yet still charged for 2 desserts, did not put chips in with my appetizer of guac, and did not put my extra sour cream for my very dry baked potato. The portions were small too and the veggies tasted like they have been boiling in old, dirty water. Not going...

I am utterly disheartened by the level of service we received during our visit. To say I am disappointed would be an understatement. Where do I even begin?

From the moment we arrived, it was clear that the staff had little regard for us as customers. We requested the manager’s presence three times, yet they never came over to address our concerns. Upon entering, we were completely ignored, which set the tone for the rest of the evening. After finally being seated, we were left to our own devices and had to grab chairs from other tables to accommodate our party. The lack of basic attention to detail was immediately evident.

It took more than 30 minutes before anyone even bothered to approach our table, and once we were acknowledged, it took an additional hour just to receive our drinks. After that, we were left waiting another extended period before we could place our order. At this point, we took it upon ourselves to search for the manager, hoping to alleviate the situation and get some help for our server. Unfortunately, this only highlighted how poorly organized the entire operation was.

Throughout the entire experience, it felt as though we were viewed as an inconvenience rather than valued customers. The disorganization, disregard for customer needs, and lack of attentiveness was appalling. It’s incredibly frustrating to feel so neglected, especially in a dining establishment that should be prioritizing its patrons.

All in all, the service was nothing short of abysmal, and it has left such a negative impression that I will not be returning. It's truly a shame, as we had hoped for a pleasant experience, but the lack of professionalism and hospitality ensured that would...

My wife took me here for an early birthday dinner. We arrived and it wasn't that busy, were seated quickly and had our drink orders taken while the salsa and chips were being set on our table. After a short bit with the menu, our orders were taken when our drinks arrived.

The salad, soup and appetizers came out together. This made for a great pick-and-choose experience instead of each item in its own phase. The calamari appetizer tasted more of the fry batter than the squid itself, but was fresh, hot, and tasty. My wife, who dislikes seafood in general, even helped me clean the plate of it as our entrees were arriving.

My order, the only scallop entree on their menu, was delicious. The scallops tasted fresh off the coast, and the sauce was rich and tangy like the vinaigrette from a steak sauce mixed with a garlic aioli. The bacon-wrapped-ness was a bit much for me, but the bacon was juicy but still crispy in places, mixing well with the sauce over top the shellfish. Unfortunately, the mashed potatoes and rice were nothing special. The potatoes were lackluster, and while the rice was fresh and flavorful, it was soft and overcooked compared to how white rice normally is served or prepared.

As a native of the Pacific coast and a lover of fresh-caught seafood, especially scallops, I was impressed by this landlocked gem. While not all seafood can be caught and brought right to the chef within the hour, Villa Del Mar sure had me...