Rancho Mateo Colombian Steakhouse — Restaurant in Elizabeth

Last night I was part of a small group, 4 of us, and it was our first time at Rancho Mateo. We wanted to have Colombian and the food was amazing as stated in other reviews. Our server was very nice and the teamwork of all staff was commendable from the moment we sat down. I would have given this place a 5 star review if it weren’t for the end of our experience, a few shady things in my opinion. When the check was brought it was the entire bill together. First issue, automatic gratuity (18%) was added to the bill for 4 people when the menu said gratuity would be automatically applied for groups of 6 or more. Again, we were a group of 4. If gratuity is to be applied for smaller groups, that’s fine. But the restaurant is not being honest when they pick and choose who they want to apply a gratuity upon when their menu states otherwise. I know how hard the work is being a server so I always tip at least 20%, regardless of service and if the service is stellar, percentage tipped goes up. Because the server applied the automatic gratuity, that’s all I left because I felt it was dishonest to apply. Unfortunately he would have made more money from the tip I would have left. I used to work in the industry as a server for over 14 years so I understand how the machine runs. Second issue, were paying separately but server said restaurant policy did not allow separate checks but they did allow multiple forms of payment? Doesn’t make any sense to do it this way and it was an absolute mess trying to figure out on our own (but we did). Their policy, their right to make it, however it’s a bad policy. Third issue, adding everything on the itemized receipt because I had to do the math for each of us, it was discovered that all itemizations, gratuity, and taxes, the grand total was different on the receipt the restaurant printed from what I added on my calculator. I added all numbers exactly and it was over $2 and some coinage difference.??? Last issue, I paid with my physical card and did not give ANY of my personal information out but yet I arrive at my hotel and get a text message from the restaurant. How did they have my number when I did not provide it?...

Please see the reviews before going to this place, we had a very bad experience when our first time we went to celebrate the New year on Dec 31st with my husband and my children, Our first impression upon entering the restaurant was very good, we entered with high expectations. The server named Richard initially showed himself to be a good, and friendly person and we trusted him. Since we were 4 people, that was a New Year's Eve celebration and they were asking for $100 per person All-inclusive, so my husband gave him $470 including the tip, and it was done this way because the waiter Richard said that if we didn't use up all the remaining balance, we could use it on a next visit. Richard gave us a surprise when before leaving the place we asked him for the bill and he first handed us a bill of $441.48 including a tip of $61 apart from the tip that my husband had already given him beforehand, I made the claim and he made an adjustment and gave me another different bill of $425.89 claiming that we had to pay the balance of $25.89 so my son paid him the $25.89 plus $5 of tip aside I took out of my pocket and gave him $20 in good faith because he reiterated that what we had left over we could use on a next visit, which I was very doubtful about it. however we believed that Richard and the restaurant were going to act in not good faith. We are from Boston, and once from Boston we called the supposed managers, one named Diana and the other Francisco, whose for me they don't not know how to add or subtract, initially they said they were going to return the remaining $55 and that they would to be refunded by zelle when I called again the following week they refused to refund the balance. That is acting in very bad faith with an honest family that the only thing they wanted was to have a good time and not have an unpleasant ending, and it's not for the money, it's for the act. Gentlemen restaurant owners that is stealing...

What an absolute nightmare of a restaurant, here's the experience that I wish to never have again.

Going into this restaurant they were very nice and sat us down quickly. We first had issues communicating with our waiter, but ordered a full round of margarita drinks for the table. Getting the drinks they were large, but had ZERO alchohol in them. It was clear that they were putting the bear minimum booze in their drinks, or had a very inexperienced bar tender. For the price of the drinks, you would expect a glass full of good mixed drinks, but instead we got juice.

When a friend attempted to return a FULL drink due to the lack of taste and alchohol, they lied and refused to take the drink back saying there "is a law that states you cant take alchohol back when it hits the table". Knowing they were lying, we had to talk to three different managers before they would take the one drink back and make it right. After this fiasco, the waitress was rude and the management was obviously trying to make our stay even worse.

The food came out and was COLD. I am talking about cold cold. We ordered steak and it came out barely lukewarm. The calamari was not fried enough and was soggy from the oil, and the shrimp cocktail was thrown together. We were most disappointed when the skillet came out and the cheese was already not melted due to it sitting for a LONG time.

They could not split the check. When we go to a restaurant and they cant split a check 6 ways, you know they are lacking proper training. They forced us to pay the bill on one card, and have us cash app eachother because no one in the entire restaurant could split it.

Overall experience was a nightmare for overexspensive food, drinks and poor...